Bob Mosley

OMAD Records

James Robert “Bob” Mosley, born December 4th, 1942 is an American bass player and one of the songwriters and vocalists for the band Moby Grape. Some of his best-known songs are “Mr. Blues”, “Come In The Morning”, and “Lazy Me” from Moby Grape’s debut album released in 1967, and “Gypsy Wedding” from 1971’s “20 Granite Creek” album. The original was produced by Mosley and Mike O’Comner, while the de-mix was produced by John DeNicola.

Mosley was raised in San Diego, where he graduated from Kearny High School. One of his first bands in the 1960’s “The Misfits”, had one single on Imperial Records, and one on Troy Records. After playing with the Joel Scott Hill Trio he moved to San Francisco and played with “The Vejtables”. He also played with Jerry Miller and Don Stevenson in “The Frantics”.

Mosley played with Moby Grape from 1967-1971, and commenced his solo career in 1972. The following year he formed the Darrow Mosley Band with Chris Darrow and issued one album. In 1977 Mosley played with Neil Young in a band called “The Ducks”. Mosley’s career has been plagued with bouts of schizophrenia, he was first diagnosed in 1968 after joining the Marines and was discharged nine months after basic training. In 1966, three of Mosley’s fellow band members, Jerry Miller, Peter Lewis, and Don Stevenson reformed Moby Grape with the objective of helping Mosley recover emotionally and financially. Mosley states he was picked up by Peter Lewis in 1996, when he was living in a cardboard box, with his friends, the squirrels and the lizards. Mosley believed at the time that Stevenson was trying to kill him and eventually Stevenson left the band. During this time Mosley had been able to continue to write and record.

This re-issue was first released in 1972. All songs were written by Mosley with one co-write. Opening with a rocker called “The Joker”, Mosley played bass, Allen Wehr, drums; and with guitarists Woodie Berry, and Frank Smith; it was recorded at Crystal Sound Record Studios in Hollywood, during November 1971. On the second song “Gypsy Wedding” we get to hear Mosley as he sings “I don’t want no gypsy wedding, I don’t need no gypsy wedding” featuring the fabulous Memphis Horns with Wayne Jackson and Andrew Love.

On “1245 Kearny” Mosley sings “people say, people know, the kind of life we knew, now we go our seperate ways, searching for someone new”. “Sauaw Valley Nils (Hocked Soul), “once in New York City, I took a walk…find a little piece of mind”. “Let the Music Play” once again includes arrangements from the Memphis Horns.

Mosley sings “Thanks”, “stay, change the way things do”, with Ed Black featured on pedal steel. “Where Do the Birds Go”, is a deep blues as Mosley sings, “It’s so hard to be the man I want to be”. “Hand in Hand”, your love and heart go hand in hand, all I do is pay my dues”. “Gone Fishin'” is the co-write written with Andy Mosley “every night I dream and seek the road again…this is the only way…to look myself in the eye, gone fishin'”.

On “Nothin to Do”, again featuring the Memphis Horns Mosley sings “nothing to do, did it all before”.  On the closer “So Many Troubles” Mosley sings “so many times…had my share of sorrows, my share of misery…life I keep on loving you…what makes me feel so blue, that’s why I keep on loving you”.

How could such strong tunes and muscular musicianship result in a record that didn’t soar to the top of the charts, satisfying Moby Grape fans and new listeners alike? John DeNicola states he was able to obtain the master file from Warner Bros. and de-mix the record, separate out the drums, bass and vocals. He was able to balance the rhythm section with the rest of the music, resulting in a fuller sound. DeNicola states “Bob’s actually doing well these days, living in California with his lovely wife Connie”. Mosley can finally encourage listeners to “understand and believe my worth, hear what I have to say”.

Richard Ludmerer
Contributing Editor/Making A Scene

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