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It’s been a half century since Pavlov’s Dog burst onto the burgeoning progressive rock scene of the early 1970s. Hailing from the city of St. Louis, Missouri, their heady blend of rock, classical and folk music turned them into cult legends. The band has seen lots of lineup changes and internal turmoil over the years, leading to extended breaks between album releases. But today, David Surkamp – lead singer, main songwriter and last remaining original member of Pavlov’s Dog – continues to fly the banner high, accompanied by an accomplished group of musicians that is a credit to the band’s good name.

This year (2024) – exactly 50 years since Pavlov Dog recorded their legendary debut Pampered Menial – the group plans to release a new album of original material and head out for an extended 50th anniversary concert tour. What’s more: The box set Essential Recordings 1974 – 2018 combines five newly remastered recordings from their vibrant career in a deluxe re-release package.

Some history: Pavlov’s Dog was founded as a seven-piece in St. Louis and quickly drew the attention of several major record labels on the strength of a batch of self-produced demos (later released as The Pekin Tapes). They debuted on record with 1974’s Pampered Menial and followed that up with At the Sound Of The Bell two years later. Pavlov’s Dog’s trademark in these early years was David Surkamp’s unique, high-pitched, vibrato-laden singing – the ballad “Julia,” perhaps the band’s most famous song, being a classic example. Despite sharing stages with the biggest rock acts of the time (Aerosmith, Thin Lizzy, Journey and many more), they never quite broke through commercially at home in the USA; their third album Has Anyone Here Seen Siegfried? circulated as a bootleg before finally getting an official release years later. The studio sessions for that album brought tensions within the group to a head, resulting in a temporary breakup in 1977. In 1990, the one-off project Lost In America brought Surkamp together with fellow founding member Doug Rayburn. But it wasn’t until 2004, after the original lineup gathered for a 30th anniversary performance, that the second chapter of Pavlov Dog’s career truly began. The band has been touring regularly ever since. A pair of live recordings emerged – Live and Unleashed (2011) and House Broken (2016) – as well as two highly acclaimed studio projects: 2010’s celebrated comeback Echo & Boo and the more recent Prodigal Dreamer.
“Pavlov Dog’s debut, recorded in 1974, is regarded as a milestone in the progressive rock genre. Produced by the team of Murry Krugman and Sandy Pearlman (Blue Öyster Cult), the album opens with “Julia” – the ballad that made the band famous. Moreover, the nine tracks – most of them written by singer David Surkamp – create the blueprint for their unmistakable sound. Prog magazine calls the album “a thrilling experience, with impassioned folk ballads, psych rock and irresistible drama.” Pampered Menial ranked #71 in eclipsed magazine’s listing of the 150 Best Prog Rock Albums.” (Pampered Menial). Digitally remastered.


1975 - Pampered Menial
01. Julia (3:12)
02. Late November (3:15)
03. Song Dance (5:01)
04. Fast Gun (3:06)
05. Natchez Trace (3:44)
06. Theme from Subway Sue (4:28)
07. Episode (4:04)
08. Preludin (1:39)
09. Of Once and Future Kings (5:28)

David Surkamp: vocals, rhythm guitar
Steve Scorfina: lead guitar
David Hamilton: organ, piano, synthesizer
Doug Rayburn: mellotron, flute
Siegfried Carver: violin, viola, Vitar
Rick Stockton: bass guitar
Mike Safron: drums, percussion

1976 - At the Sound of the Bell
01. She Came Shining (4:20)
02. Standing Here with You (3:52)
03. Mersey (3:06)
04. Valkerie (5:22)
05. Try to Hang On (2:11)
06. Gold Nuggets (3:29)
07. She Breaks Like a Morning Sky (2:29)
08. Early Morning On (3:13)
09. Did You See Him Cry (5:40)

David Surkamp: vocals, acoustic guitar, Veleno guitar
Doug Rayburn: mellotron, bass guitar, percussion
Steve Scorfina: lead guitar
David Hamilton: keyboards
Rick Stockton: Fender bass guitar
Thomas Nickeson: acoustic guitar
Bill Bruford: drums (as session musician)
Guest Musicians (in alphabetical order)
Mike Abene: organ
Michael Brecker: saxophone
George Gerich: organ
Andy Mackay: saxophone
Les Nicol: guitar
Paul Prestopino: mandolin
Elliott Randall: guitar
Gavyn Wright: violin
High Wycombe Boys Choir: vocals
Mountain Fjord Orchestra: strings

1990 - Lost in America
01. Good Bye Trafalgar (3:25)
02. Falling in Love (3:22)
03. Only You (4:29)
04. Painted Ladies (3:17)
05. I Love You Still (4:04)
06. Jenny (Remastered) (4:07)
07. Today (3:03)
08. Stop Short (Original Studio Outtake) (2:38)
09. It's All for You (3:48)
10. Suicide (2:00)
11. While You Were Out (2:49)
12. Falling in Love (Alternative Mix) (3:18)
13. Julia (David Surkamp Acoustic Version 2007) (3:03)
14. She Came Shining (Live 2012) (5:36)
15. Fast Gun (Live 2011) (3:21)
16. She Breaks Like a Morning Sky (Live 2011) (5:27)
17. Paris (Live 2011) (4:45)
18. Good Bye Trafalgar (Live 2012) (3:10)
19. Only You (Live 2012) (6:47)

David Surkamp: vocals, guitar, twelve-string guitar
Douglas Rayburn: keyboards
Michele Isam: vocals, saxophone
Robert Lloyd: bass guitar
Frank Kriege: drums
Guest Musicians
Steve Scorfina: acoustic guitar on Lost in America and As Lovers Do
Kirk Sarkisian: drum treatments, additional percussion
Merry Adams: backing vocals on Brown Eyes
Lesslie Martin: power chords on Don't Rain on Me

1977/2007 - Has Anyone Here Seen Sigfried?
01. Lost in America (3:59)
02. A Hardly Innocent Mind (4:49)
03. Don't Rain on Me (3:48)
04. Not by My Side (3:07)
05. Pantomime (5:22)
06. Breaking Ice (4:33)
07. You & I (3:38)
08. All Night (Remastered) (3:22)
09. As Lovers Do (4:50)
10. Brown Eyes (5:41)
11. Late November (Live 1990) (3:21)
12. You & I (Live 1990) (4:18)
13. Brown Eyes (Live 1990) (5:43)
14. Theme from Subway Sue (Live 1990) (4:14)
15. If We Never Meet Again (Live 2005) (3:05)
16. Angels Twilight Jump (Live 2005) (6:22)
17. Suzanne, I Love You (Live 2006) (4:30)
18. Don't Rain on Me (Live 2006) (4:36)

David Surkamp: lead vocals
Doug Rayburn: keyboards
Steve Scorfina: lead guitar, rhythm guitar, lead vocals on It's All For You
Rick Stockton: bass guitar
Thomas Nickeson: keyboards, guitar, backing vocals
Kirk Sarkisian: drums

2018 - Prodigal Dreamer
01. Paris (4:44)
02. Hard Times (4:25)
03. Winterblue (4:05)
04. Thrill of It All (5:56)
05. Easter Day (2:44)
06. Hurting Kind (6:28)
07. Aria (4:45)
08. Waterlow (4:22)
09. Suzanne (3:54)
10. Crying Forever (4:02)
11. Being in Love (2:30)
12. Shaking Me Down (4:18)
13. The Winds Wild Early (6:42)

David Surkamp: vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar
Sara Surkamp: vocals, acoustic guitar
Abbie Hainz-Steiling: violin
Rick Steiling: bass guitar
Manfred Ploetz: drums
Mark Maher: grand piano, Hammond organ, synthesizer
David Malachowski: electric guitar
Guest Musicians (in alphabetical order)
Paul Hennerich: trumpet
Robert Marstiller: auxiliary percussion, backing vocals
Saylor Surkamp: backing vocals
Hollie Woods: backing vocals