Michael Quatro

Label: United Artists Records
Country: US
Released: 1975
Format: Vinyl,LP,Album

Exploring Michael Quatro's "In Collaboration With The Gods"

Released in 1975, "In Collaboration With The Gods" is the third studio album by Michael Quatro, a Detroit-born musician known for his mastery of keyboards. The album was issued through United Artists Records and features an ambitious blend of progressive rock, modern classical elements, and early electronic music. Quatro, who is the younger brother of Suzi Quatro and Patti Quatro, took on multiple roles in this project, playing acoustic piano, pipe organ, Mellotron, and various synthesizers.

This LP is characterized by its multi-movement structure. The extended suite on Side A runs over 19 minutes and is divided into six interconnected movements. Each segment draws inspiration from Ancient Roman and Norse mythology, featuring figures such as Ra, Pluto, Loki, and Ares. The intricate arrangements reflect Quatro's background in modern classical composition, as well as his affinity for theatrical and experimental sounds. The album has been compared to the works of Rick Wakeman, particularly for its ambitious orchestration and synthesizer-driven soundscapes.

Side B of the album takes a different approach, introducing funk influences in tracks like "Get Away." The side also features "Rockmanninoff's Prelude In C Blunt Funk," which combines classical motifs with a contemporary twist. One highlight includes "Prelude In Ab Crazy II," which features guest guitarist Rick Derringer, adding a hard rock edge to the album. The liturgical piece "Ave Rock Maria" showcases Quatro's diverse musical range, while the ballad "Sweet Lovin'" rounds out the album's varied sound.

Produced by Stuart Alan Love and recorded at the Record Plant in New York City, "In Collaboration With The Gods" was engineered by Ed Sprigg. The album showcases contributions from musicians like Dave Kiswiney on bass guitar and Kirk Trachsel on drums, along with guest vocalists Flo & Eddie, known for their work with The Turtles and Frank Zappa's Mothers of Invention.

"In Collaboration With The Gods" was cataloged as UA-LA 425-G by United Artists Records.

Tracklist

In Collaboration With The Gods (Theme)
Loki's Gloria
Amusement Of Bacchus
A Letter To Venus (Theme)
Neptune's Nicromea
Waltz Of The Gods/Orgy Of The Gods (Theme)
B1	Get Away (Vocal) Composed By – D. KiswineyComposed By – M. Quatro	4:02
B2	Rockmanninoff's Prelude In C Blunt Funk	4:49
B3	Ave Rock Maria	4:06
B4	Prelude In A♭ Crazy II	3:56
B5	Sweet Lovin' (Vocal) Composed By – D. KiswineyComposed By – K. (Arthur) TrachselComposed By – T. Hale*	2:59

Credits

Arranged By – Michael Quatro
Bass, Lead Vocals, Arranged By [Arranging Assistance] – Dave Kiswiney
Composed By – Michael Quatro
Crew [Touring Crew] – Bob Dedeckere*
Crew [Touring Crew] – Doug Hall
Crew [Touring Crew] – Nels Hickman
Crew [Touring Crew] – Russ Palazzolo
Design [Designer] – Bob Cato
Design [Designer] – Lloyd Ziff
Drums [Gretsch] – Kirk (Arthur) Trachsel*
Engineer – Ed Sprigg
Engineer [Assistant] – Corky Stasiak
Guitar – Rick Derringer
Guitar [All Guitar] – Teddy Hale*
Management – Leber/Krebs, Inc.*
Management [Road Manager] – P. J. McCallum
Other [Costuming], Lighting – Lynn Kishkon
Other [Promotion] – John Lodewyk
Photography By [Cover Photograph] – Doug Metzler
Piano [Baldwin], Electric Piano [Gretsch Electro], Piano [Tack Piano], Synthesizer [Sonic Six], Effects [Univox Phaser], Synthesizer [Univox Stringman], Effects [EC-80 Echo], Electric Piano [Elka], Organ [Hammond], Synthesizer [Mini-Moog], Synthesizer [Univox Mini-Korg], Effects [Electroharmonix Boxes], Mellotron [Vialin, Cello, Flute], Effects [Wah-Wah Pedals], Effects [Syntha-Pedal], Bass [Nova Bass], Horns, Organ [Pipe Organ], Sounds [Ring Modulation], Theremin [Maestro Theramin Sound Effects], Effects [Electronic Effects], Percussion [Some Percussion] – Michael Quatro
Producer – Stuart Alan Love
Producer [Assistant] – Michael Quatro
Voice [Special Voices] – Flo & Eddie