The
short-lived Tax Free consisted of Wally Tax (vocals), David Oliphanr
(guitar), Jody Purpora (vocals, guitar) and Leendert Busch (drums). Tax
and Busch had both been members of legendary Dutch band The Outsiders,
who'd broken up in mid-1969. They soon befriended the British-born
Oliphant and the US-born Purpora in Amsterdam and - together with Ray
Gordel - began to jam in a studio beneath a railway bridge, though they
had to play in the dead of night to avoid the noise of passing trams.
Viva
With
management in place, in the spring of 1970 they travelled to New York,
where they stayed in the infamous Chelsea Hotel. Having secured a record
deal through contacts at Radio Luxemburg, they returned to NY that
September (without Gordell) and set about taping an album at Jimi
Hendrix's recently completed Electric Lady studio. The producer was
Lewis Merenstein, who was also their co-manager (with Marty Thau).
Merenstein is best known for his production of Van Morrison's Astral
Weeks, an album with which Tax Free shares a certain introspective,
jazz-tinged vibe
Wladimir "Wally" Tax ( 14 February 1948 - 10
April 2005) was a Dutch singer and songwriter. He was founder and
frontman of the Nederbeat group The Outsiders (1959-1969) and the rock
group Tax Free (1969-1971).
Tax Free - Full Abum*Wladimir "Wally" Tax - Vocals
*David J.L. Oliphanr - Guitar
*Jody W. Purpora - Vocals, Keyboards
*Leendert H.M. Busch - Drums
with
*Jerry Spaulding - Saxophone
*Ron Johnsen - Vibes
*John Cale - Electric Viola
*Richard Davis - Bass
