High Moon Records Releases Just Like Gold: Live At The Matrix by The Final Solution
High Moon Records Releases Just Like Gold: Live At The Matrix by The Final Solution
On May 9th, High Moon Records released The Final Solution – Just Like Gold: Live at The Matrix, the first-ever anthology from San Francisco band The Final Solution. The album is available on CD, LP, and digital platforms. Newly transferred from the original reels and mastered by 10-time GRAMMY® Award-nominated engineer Dan Hersch, the recording documents a live performance from July 1966 at The Matrix, a notable San Francisco venue.
The CD and LP editions include a booklet featuring photographs by Herb Greene and Bill Brach, vintage posters, and an essay by GRAMMY®-nominated compilation producer Alec Palao. The CD version also contains a bonus live track and six rehearsal recordings from November 1966, with Jerry Slick of The Great Society on drums.
Formed in 1965 by bassist Bob Knickerbocker and guitarist Ernie Fosselius, The Final Solution emerged during a period of rapid musical development in San Francisco. Joined by John Chance on drums and John Yager on guitar and vocals, the group initially performed in neighborhood clubs such as Haight Levels before securing a residency at the Red Dog Saloon in Virginia City, Nevada.
The Matrix recording came about when The Final Solution filled in for The Great Society. Peter Abram, the venue’s owner, recorded the performance, which features a range of original material—from the raga-influenced “Tell Me Again” to the folk-rock “Time Is Here and Now” and the lyrical “Bleeding Roses.” The set provides a rare opportunity to hear a band that, despite never releasing a record at the time, contributed to the evolving sound of the mid-1960s San Francisco rock scene.
Later that year, with the addition of Jerry Slick on drums, the band explored more experimental directions. However, plans for a recording contract did not come to fruition, and the group disbanded before the Summer of Love.
Just Like Gold: Live At The Matrix 1966 is the first in a planned series of live releases from High Moon Records featuring archival recordings from The Matrix. The club operated from 1965 to 1971, hosting both prominent acts like Jefferson Airplane and the Grateful Dead and lesser-known performers across various genres. This release offers listeners a glimpse into the early days of the San Francisco rock scene and complements other recent archival offerings from the label, including Saturday’s Sons: The Complete Recordings 1964–1966 by The Sons of Adam.
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