Fresh Air What About Me Quicksilver Messenger Service

Fresh Air Album: Just for Love (1970)
What About Me?
by Quicksilver Messenger Service

"Fresh Air" is a 1970 song written by Gary Duncan with lyrics by Jesse Oris Farrow, the pen name of Chester William "Chet" Powers, Jr., who also used the stage name of Dino Valenti/Valente (it is only credited to Powers/Valenti, however). It was first recorded by the San Francisco-based band Quicksilver Messenger Service, which Valenti had recently rejoined at the start of 1970. "Fresh Air" was the only single released from the album Just for Love. The single peaked at No. 49 on November 7, 1970 during a nine-week stay on the Billboard Hot 100, making it the band's most successful single. In Canada it reached No. 73.

Fresh Air was recorded as part of the sessions for the Just for Love album between May and June, 1970. Both this and the follow-up album What About Me were recorded during the band's relocation to Hawaii. Matthew Gruenwald of Allmusic opined that the song featured some of John Cipollina's best guitar work. In concert, the song was often used to open the set where it was usually extended to ten minutes in length in order to feature the group's trademark Duncan/Cipollina guitar dueling, as heard on archival releases like At the Kabuki Theatre.

What About Me is the fifth album by American psychedelic rock band Quicksilver Messenger Service. Released in December 1970 and recorded partly at the same sessions that produced Just for Love, the album is the last to feature pianist Nicky Hopkins and the last pre-reunion effort to feature founding members David Freiberg and John Cipollina.

Quicksilver Messenger Service
Dino Valenti – lead vocals, guitar, percussion
Gary Duncan – guitar, backing vocals, bass, percussion, organ
John Cipollina – guitar, percussion
David Freiberg – bass, backing vocals, guitar
Greg Elmore – drums, percussion
Mark Naftalin – piano on "What About Me"
Additional musicians on "What About Me"
Martin Fierro – tenor and alto saxophone, flute
Frank Morin – tenor saxophone
Pat O'Hara – trombone
Jose Rico Reyes – conga, percussion, backing vocals
Ron Taormina – baritone and soprano saxophone