Bob Kolve – Chase Your Clouds Away


When Bob finally tired of recording cheesy faux-country ballads, corny jazz numbers, and flaccid pop tunes, he wrote the acid-rock banger that is Neptune’s Sea (just do your best to forgive his regrettable decision to sing over it).Here we have a certifiably ungooglable LP (until this post goes up, that is). As far as I can tell, Bob hailed (hails?) from Moses Lake, WA. Yet, he inexplicably felt the need to fly to New York City to record this album, which can only be described as being thoroughly local, except for Neptune’s Sea. According to the liner notes, Bob was after that elusive “creative atmosphere to formularize his unique style.” I’m sure talentless schmucks everywhere are waiting for the patent to expire on that formula, Bob.Ha! I only jest. But really, Bob, I mean this as a fan of Neptune’s Sea. You should have just made more songs like… well, Neptune’s Sea.

10 Comments

  • canonical says:

    This is John Cleese’s rarest record.

    PS – I love it.

  • John Van Pygg says:

    Wow I knew Bob in Moses Lake back in the 70’s . . . he packed a mean Takamine, baby . . . best of all, he was one of those special kind of geeks who had no idea how amazingly uncool he was. Just loads and loads of ego, with zero talent to back it up. We pissed our pants laughing after we bought a copy of his album at the local convenience store, loaded the bong and let the genius of Bob wash over us. Thanks for the memory!

  • kurt says:

    are you a fan or do you just like late 70’s early 80’s music and to the yapping man, he had to have some talent or he wouldn’t have made the album. to twoply email me if you want more info on mr.kolve oh where did you get your copy of the album?

  • Michelle Hughes says:

    I am Bob’s #1 fan. He was my Uncle. He taught me my first cord on the guitar and encouraged me to write music of my own. Listening to his album and hearing his voice has always helped me Chase My Clouds Away. I miss you Uncle Bob!

  • Hey John Van Pygg…I’d really like to chat with you sometime and find out how you knew my uncle. My email address is chelleyh76@yahoo.com. By the way, I hear all music rocks better when you take the time to “get in the mood” first. Lol. Take Care.

  • Tommy McGuire says:

    I think Bob’s vocals sound like Greg Lake’s. Uncool element present or not, I think “Neptune’s Sea” is a cool track.

  • Will says:

    this is great!

  • Bill Allen says:

    Bob Kolve was my shipmate in the Navy. We had a rock-n-roll Band on the ship. When we went to the Brooklyn Navy Yard he asked our band to help him make a record. This sounds like the original version recorded in a Brooklyn NY basement studio in 1979. I played the drums on this song, Bill Hendrickson played the keyboards, Phillip Wilshire played the bass and Mike (I can’t remember his last name) played electric guitar. Bob was very particular about everyone’s part and we played it note for note exactly as he requested.

    My little sister still has a cassette with the A & B side which I believe was a song called “Dreams”.

    This is really weird because just the other day I saw the name Kolve somewhere and it got me thinking about long ago. Out of the blue I googled it and found this site. I knew it would never be a hit record but talk about a blast from the past!

  • Vick T says:

    I met Bob once or twice. A relative of mine was very close with him. I’m sad to report that Mr. Kolve passed a few years ago. I’m not sure what his family want public, so we can just leave it at that. I have this record and still like to listen to it every once and a while. When I was very young, my favorite song on this record was I was Clark Gable and You Were Vivian Lee. It still is one of my favorite songs to this day.

    I am a particular fan of much of his other stuff that he recorded much later in life with just a guitar, a tape recorder, and his voice. Unfortunately, friends, you will most likely never hear these songs. But I assure you it was not from lack of trying on everyone’s part.

    Bob will remain a memory and an influence (good or bad) in all of our lives. And that is a legacy worth leaving.

    I thank you whoever you are that set up this site. I will show it to those that knew him. They will be so glad that he was such a positive influence in all of your lives.

  • john sloan says:

    when i was just a child not knowing the difference between a police uniform and a security uniform…i had got caught by my mom with suff i stole from the mall…bob came over in his security uniform with his scared straight tacktics to set me stright , it worked…at least temporarily…way to go Bob…John Sloan

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