Rhinoceros's blog

In the wake of Cream, Blind Faith and Al Kooper and Mike Bloomfield's "super session" recordings all of which brought top players together, Paul Rothchild's notion was to build: "a better supergroup, with quasi-famous people”. Rhinoceros was born out of auditions held in Laurel Canyon, the eventual group including Danny Weis on guitar, bassist Jerry Penrod, both out of Iron Butterfly, Doug Hastings, also on guitar, who had worked with Neil Young in Buffalo Springfield at Monterey, and, last to join, drummer Billy Mundi who had played with both Tim Buckley and the Mothers of Invention.

Rhinoceros’ chief flaw was their lack of great songs, however well they played as a unit. Rhinoceros worked on paper, but their self -titled debut didn’t live up to Rothchild’s hopes. More impressive than the music was Gene Szafran's stunning, brightly colored, beaded Rhinoceros cover art. Yet, “Apricot Brandy” remains as an often-requested track from their first album.