Lightning: Lightning (1968–1971)
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TWIST AND SHAKE — September 28, 2008 Reviewed by Beverly Patterson 
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Upon leaving the highly acclaimed Litter in 1968, guitar master Zip Caplan formed White Lightning, a three piece outfit sizzling with promise. The band soon expanded to five players, and in the process shaved their name down to simply Lightning. In 1969, the band cut a self-titled album for the P.I.P. label, that was unfortunately poorly recorded and lacked proper distribution. Despite such grievances, the music itself proved to be quite stirring , so kudos to Erik Lindgren for rectifying the problem with modern technology and reissuing the disc. Heavy, hard and progressive, “Lightning” centers on the band’s tight yet loose performances, accented by imaginative arrangements, incisive melodies and amazing stamina and momentum. Beginning on a rather quiet note, “Hideaway” ultimately explodes into an awesome showcase of frenzied rocking, complete with a killer diller drum solo and strains of jazz influences. Sprinkled with psychedelic seasonings, "Prelude To Opus 1V’ is a classic of its stripe, where “1930” and "Freedom (Is Life With Living" continue to portray Lightning’s magic touch for creating forward thinking shapes and sounds. The vocals, which totter between wicked shrieks and intriguing sighs, are perfectly suited for the type of music the band peddled. Reference points entail Cream, Led Zeppelin and The Frost, but Lightning actually had their own thing going. Bolting tempos, coupled with unpredictable pacing furnish the material with enough quirkiness to grab the listener’s attention. “Lighting” also features several bonus tracks that should not be missed. The sole single from White Lightning, "(Under The Screaming Double) Eagle" is a whopper of a tune, with its acid dusted guitar picking and dynamic delivery altogether. A romping, throbbing version of "William Tell Overture (The Lone Ranger Theme)" is a true blue corker too. As enterprising and freaky as Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page, Zip Caplan’s guitar work never fails to stun. Nearly forty years on, the music remains timeless.
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