VIA PRESS RELEASE | Nearly six decades after they helped ignite Minnesota’s garage rock explosion, The High Spirits are celebrated with a career retrospective album, I Believe, out October 16 from Sundazed Music. Available on LP and CD, and now available for pre-order, the full-length album gathers the band’s complete run of coveted 1960s singles alongside 10 additional recordings from the vault, many released for the first time, documenting the evolution of one of the Twin Cities’ most influential teenage bands.
Including extensive liner notes chronicling the band’s extraordinary story, I Believe stands as the definitive document of The High Spirits’ brief but unforgettable career, one that helped shape the foundation for the Twin Cities’ rich rock tradition, and gives one of the region’s most important garage bands the full-length album they never had the chance to make.
The High Spirits’ evolving lineup included Owen Husney, Doug Ahrens, Cliff Siegel, John “Jay” Luttio, Brad Berguson, and David “Z” Rivkin, who recently passed, making I Believe an especially meaningful celebration of his enduring musical legacy and the band’s lasting impact on generations of Minnesota musicians.
Long before Minneapolis became synonymous with boundary-pushing rock, The High Spirits were laying the groundwork. Their raw blend of British Invasion energy, garage rock swagger, blue-eyed soul, and increasingly adventurous psychedelia helped define the burgeoning Twin Cities music scene while inspiring countless musicians who followed. Three members would later play key roles during the earliest years of Prince’s Minneapolis musical empire, but it all began with the fearless teenage spirit captured on these recordings.
During their whirlwind career, The High Spirits lived the kind of larger-than-life rock ‘n roll adventures usually reserved for legend. They opened for The Paul Butterfield Blues Band, scored a regional radio hit, crisscrossed the Midwest on relentless tours, survived encounters with jealous boyfriends, landed in jail after an infamous food fight, accidentally shot down power lines during a performance, and learned firsthand just how transformative rock ‘n’ roll could be.
At the heart of I Believe are four previously unreleased original recordings that expand the story of the band. “She’s Got Soul” showcases their irresistible pop instincts with shimmering harmonies, while “Groovin With The Stone Fox” and “Sun Dance” venture boldly into fuzz-drenched psychedelic territory, revealing the influence of Jimi Hendrix on the region’s emerging freak scene. “Alien Song” pushes even further, channeling the kaleidoscopic spirit of Donovan’s Sunshine Superman era with wild trumpet from respected St. Louis Park bandleader Leo Fine, swirling psychedelic guitar, and wonderfully cosmic lyrics.
The collection also captures the band’s formidable live repertoire through inspired takes on classics by artists including The Who, Sam Cooke, The Beau Brummels, Jimmy Reed, and others, illustrating the musical influences they transformed into their own electrifying sound. Alongside fan favorites like “(Turn On Your) Love Light,” “I Believe,” “It’s Alright With Me,” and “Pipe Dream,” these newly unearthed recordings paint the fullest picture yet of a band whose ambitions consistently outpaced the opportunities available to them.
