The late ’60s and early ’70s heyday of rock music was unlike anything before or since. While much of the era’s music has been preserved on record, many groovy grooves have slipped through the cracks. That where High Moon Records looks to rediscover and release the period’s overlooked gems.
Co-founder George Baer Wallace made it his mission to put out worthy material from various times and places, and both he and Grammy-nominated reissue specialist Alec Palao have particularly strong connections to the underground West Coast scene. Wallace was inspired to co-found the label in 2010 after releasing Los Angeles–based Arthur Lee & Love’s would-be comeback album, Black Beauty, recorded in 1973 . Wallace and Palao share a deep appreciation for the bohemian romance of the psychedelic San Francisco rock and soul scene that facilitated the rise of the Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, Santana and so many other artists that went on to deliver classic albums.
GP readers might remember our coverage of the Ace of Cups, a pioneering all-female act that was a popular live attraction during San Francisco’s golden era. High Moon inspired the group to re-form for a proper studio album in 2018 that featured cameos from a who’s who of hippie rock luminaries including Bob Weir, Jorma Kaukonen, David Grisman and Steve Kimock. They followed up with 2020’s Sing Your Dreams. The Ace of Cups story is a heartwarming reminder that rock and roll never forgets.
