Acid Archives

AARON (VA)
"Music By Aaron" 1974 (Eastern ERS 539) [500p]
This LP may show up on dealer lists with a pretty big

price tag and a "psych" label attached. Let me warn
you that the psych content is pretty low, although
the set's impressive on at least a couple of counts.
It sounds remarkably professional and well produced
for such a young band, with a fidelity that matches
lots of big ticket productions. The album's also
surprisingly diverse. The opening track sounds like
the Marshall Tucker Band, while the mid-tempo rocker
"Lovin' Woman" sports nice jazzy keyboard and guitar
moves. The appealing harmony work on the ballad "Like
the Season" could have made it a good single.
Personal favorites - the bluesy rocker "You're Coming
Down" (it's too bad this song is split between side 1
and 2) and the should've-been-a-hit "Dreamin'" [SB]
PAUL ABELL (CA)
"Rivers Of The Heart" 1981 (Arcana) [insert]
Soft cosmic psych with oboe, flute, cello, etc. The

label is from Santa Monica. [RM]
ABBREV'S (SC)
"Here Come The Abbrev's" 1966 (American Division 3074)
Garage cover band with one original ("True fine

lovin'"). Good guitar/ Farfisa-led group. No fuzz,
but they were more into the gritty Stones sound than
the typical frat-soul-beach beat groups. The track
that appears on "Tobacco A-Go-Go vol 2" is from this
LP, not from a (non-existing) 45 as the liner notes
incorrectly claim. [RM]
RON ABERNETHY ( )
"Solo" 1975 (Avanti)
Mix of cosmic loner folk and some tracks with

electric rock setting.
ACES COMBO ( )
"Introducing" 1966 (Justice 134)

"Introducing" 199 (CD Collectables 0605)
No surprises on this Justice LP; Carolina beach music

standards, surf instros, couple of lame top 40 covers
done 2 years too late. No traces of any Brit
Invasion. Musical skills below average from the very
young band; sloppy drummer and crude vocals give a
certain basement edge to the proceedings, as does the
muddy recording. Would you pay $350 for an LP where
an instro version of "Secret agent man" is the
hippest thing? Hearing a 14-year old kid trying to
sound like Ray Charles is worth something though.
[PL]
~~~
Justice's typical bare bones production work didn't
exactly hide the group's musical limitations, but the
ragged tempos and blown notes somehow served to
highlight the album's low tech charm. The same is
true with the strained vocals, which were
occasionally borderline painful (check out their
cover of 'Laugh It Off'). Those overlooked charms
were only underscored when you consider that these
guys were only 14 and 15 years old when they recorded
the album. Admittedly, musically you're unlikely to
find anything here that will drastically change your
life, but there is something quite charming about the
band's enthusiasm and drive. Every time I read the
liner notes I have to laugh and wonder how a record
company could misspell the word rhythm. As an added
bonus, they managed to mis-title two of the cover
songs. [SB]
A CID SYMPHONY (Berkeley, CA)
"A Cid Symphony" 1967 (no label) [3 LPs; colored vinyl; 3 inner
sleeves + 2 cvr slicks; outer plastic bag; 1000p]
"A Cid Symphony" 1999 (CD Gear Fab gf-135) [2 CDs; +3 tracks]
"A Cid Symphony" 2000 (Akarma, Italy) [3LP box set; poster;
inserts; +bonus tracks]
The artists' name are actually Fischbach & Ewing,

while the LP is often listed as "Acid Symphony". The
music is stoned acoustic counterculture brainstorms
with an Eastern vibe. More bluesy/folky beatnik angle
than psychedelia, so beware of the usual dealer
hyperbole. Interesting period piece in any event,
pre-dating the hippie era in its vibe. Engineered by
Denise Kaufman of the Ace Of Cups, who handled the
publishing via her Thermal Flash Music company (this
is not the label). The records are on green, orange,
and purple vinyl with matching inner sleeves. [PL]
~~~
We'll be real clear and tell you this ain't rock and
roll. What you get are six sides of acoustic
instrumentals that blend Eastern and Western
instruments (dulcimer, guitar, sarod, sitar) and
cultural genres (country, blues, flamenco, jazz,
folk-psych and raga). There's nothing terribly wrong
with the results, which have a certain quiet dignity
and are occasionally quite impressive given they
sound like improvisational pieces. Anyone who enjoys
material such as "Magic Carpet" or post-Mighty Baby
"Habibiya" will almost certainly find this collection
engaging. That said, trying to sit through all three
LPs in a single session can be a trying experience.
[SB]
V.A "ACME SAUSAGE CO" (Canada)
"Acme Sausage Co" 1972 (no label) [gatefold]
Hippie folk comp with one side acoustic and one side
electric. Mostly obscure acts like Manna, Bob
Edwards, Joe Hall, Paul Hann, Richard Peddicord, and
also includes a track by Brent Titcomb which is
pretty decent. Best part about this LP is the glossy
gatefold cover with superb psychedelic artwork.
ADAMKOSKY (OH)
"In Your Eye" 1973 (Coronet no #)
Singer/songwriter with folk and blues influences,

often hyped as "acid folk".
DOUGLAS ADAMS see Light Rain
AERON – PALTEREON (San Francisco, CA)
"The Far Memory of the Elves" 1979 (Eldar Productions)
Strange little album that could have been marketed as

anything from prog to new wave. The call themselves
the “trans rock elven band” and the lyrics form a
concept album about an otherworld of some sort. All
of the songs have mixed male and female vocals. The
band had a second LP "Girl with the golden eyes" in
1982. [AM]
AESOP'S FABLES ( )
"In Due Time" 1969 (Cadet Concept 323) [wlp & printed promo
exist]
Falling somewhere in the musical spectrum between The

Young Rascals and Blood, Sweat and Tears, the short-
lived and little known Aesop's Fables deserved a
better fate. "In Due Time" teamed them with producer
Bob Gallo. Sporting two capable vocalists in Sonny
Bottari and John Scaduto, the collection aptly
demonstrated the octet's enjoyable blend of blue-eyed
soul ("Lift Up Your Hearts", "What Is Soul", and the
Rascals clone "What Is Love") and more experimental
horn based outings ("Everybody's Talking", "Look Out"
and "In the Morning"). Elsewhere, the group's lounge
lizard cover of The Supremes' "I'm Gonna Make You
Love Me" proved less impressive. Dock the collection
half a star for having one of the year's ugliest
covers. The band released a second LP "Pickin' Up The
Pieces" that was only released in Australia and
Canada (Mandala 001), possibly as a Bob Gallo tax
scam. [SB]
~~~
see -> A New Place To Live
AESSENCE (Detroit, MI)
"Aessence" 1985 (Freezer) [insert; 300#d]
Hippie folk and singer/songwriter sounds with

artistic ambitions and a slightly refined air, but
like so many others in the genre damaged by
unconvincing vocals. The Joseph Pusey LP is a more
successful exploration of a similar trajectory. John
Sase is the name of the artist, and the LP features a
wide variety of instruments. Recorded in 1975, which
is why it is included here.
AFTER ALL (Tallahassee, FL)
"After All" 1969 (Athena 6006)

"After All" 2000 (CD Gear Fab 161)
"After All" 2000 (Gear Fab/Comet, Europe)
Overlooked but pretty good moody late 60s

organ/guitar psychrock with a Doors influence, has an
unusual creeping menace a la Freeborne that gives it
an original feel. Strong vocalist successfully walks
the thin line between melodrama and sinister honesty
while the band comes through impressive, esp the
drummer. Worth checking out for psych fans. Recorded
in Nashville. [PL]
~~~
A couple of brief reviews I'd seen tagged this as
progressive. While there may be a touch of
progressive influences on some of the longer numbers,
the more obviously influences are Jim Morrison and
the Doors. That may be an equally deadly comparison
for some of you, but in this case it's meant as a
complement. The first side features two extended
pieces, both of which sport attractive melodies and
strange ominous atmospherics. I can picture these
guys recording in some haunted Southern mansion.
Picture 'Riders On the Storm' with David Clayton
Thomas handling the vocals and you'll be in the right
mindset. The second side features a series of five
shorter keyboard driven tracks. While the lyrics are
occasionally over-the-top and material such as 'And I
Will Follow' occasionally borders on MOR, these guys
repeatedly surprise on all fronts. Kick ass drummer,
while both vocalists are excellent and songs like
'Let It Fly' (with nice guitar) underscore their rock
credentials. [SB]
AFTERGLOW (Chico, CA)
"Afterglow" 1968 (MTA 5010)

"Afterglow" 1995 (CD Sundazed 6074) [+4 bonus tracks]
"Afterglow" 2001 (Beat Rocket 127) [+4 bonus tracks]
Above average low budget garage/pop album on cool and

obscure label. It has a nice mix of moody garage/folk
punkers, sunshine pop and the twisted freakout
"Suzy's Gone" which was supposedly named
"Psychedelic" on the master reels. Not a killer
album, but real good and a definitive keeper - and
plus points for not including any covers. Two OK
tracks have been comp'd. [MM]
AFTON (VA)
"First Day of Summer" 1975 (Lark 2288)
Rural stoner guitar rock.
AGAPE (Azusa, CA)
"Gospel Hard Rock" 1971 (Mark 2170) [live band pic on back
cover]
"Gospel Hard Rock" 1971 (Mark 2170) [four individual photos on
back cover]
"Gospel Hard Rock" 198 (Hablabel Italy)
"Gospel Hard Rock" 1996 (CD Agape 001) [+2 tracks]
A well-known item even 20 years ago, though now it's

been surpassed by many recent discoveries in its
genre, which is Christian psych/hard rock with a
Hendrix/Blue Cheer vibe. Suffers from a rather stiff
sound and lyrics that are upfront/preachy the wrong
way, but has a couple of good tracks, and an
appealing spoken apocalyptic section on the closer.
Still, the Exkursions is a better LP in a similar
style. [PL]
"Victims of Tradition" 1973 (Renrut agape-101) [500p]

"Victims of Tradition" 1996 (CD Agape 002) [+bonus track]
Less famous second LP is clearly superior in my ears,

band shows improvement on every level, relaxing the
preachy mood while still retaining the jammy Hendrix
guitar-psych vibe. Arrangements are remarkably
elaborate and like many Christian albums it sounds
like an "expensive" production all over. Prog and
jazz moves dilute the impact somewhat but the best
tracks such as "King Of Kings" are exceptionally
good. The CD reissue has great presence and clarity
which contributes to the classy feel. [PL]
~~~
The followup has a great cover of the band playing
live in a graveyard and is much less strident. The
band has a more mature, even progressive, sound on
this one with jazzy runs balancing the fuzz attacks
and hardrock vocals. Inspirational verse: 'Man is a
mental giant and yet an ethical infant'. This was
also issued on 8-track tape with bonus tracks. [RM]
"The Problem is Sin" 1973 (8-track private) [no vinyl release]

"Live and Unreleased" 1996 (CD Hidden Vision)
8-track only live recording from CA college gig in

1973 captures the band in just the right jammy
guitarpsych mood you hoped for. Extended excursions
on tracks from their studio LPs, plus a title track
unique to this release; all of it certain to please
any fan of westcoast Jesus psych-rock with a dose of
Hendrix and keyboard prog/jazzrock. Raw recording
with in-yer-face sound and an enthusiastic crowd.
Retitled CD reissue adds 5 bonus tracks which are a
lot less interesting. The tracks have been shuffled
around, so a CD program is recommended for the
genuine Agape live trip. Transfer from 8-track left
some audio dropouts in the music. A must for genre
fans. [PL]
~~~
see -> Rapid Richard Group
AGAPE (Canada)
"Le Troisieme Seuil" 1972 (no label)
Doomy progressive with sinister organ and scary

vocals. Gothic sound like the Italian group Jacula.
AGE OF REASON (DC/VA)
"Age Of Reason" 1969 (Georgetowne no #)
Bad post-acid soul/FM rock LP with a number of poorly

chosen covers and an operatic, "soulful" vocalist.
Musically competent with Hammond organ upfront but
still pretty dismal and a good example of the nasty
downturn music took as the original psych era faded
away. No relation to the NY group who had a good 45.
[PL]
AGGREGATION (Los Angeles, CA)
"Mind Odyssey" 1969 (LHI S 12008) [gatefold]

"Mind Odyssey" 199 (Thorns Europe)
Unusual and atmospheric early artrock/psych item
based on an acid trip amusement park concept from
classically trained band who held a residency at
Disneyland! Presence of sax has annoyed some but it's
tasteful and adds to the mysterioso vibe, as do the
slightly crooneresque vocals and hints of sacred
classical music. This LP could be seen as a precursor
to those extraordinary 1970s private press artefacts,
and reveals its classiness and coherence over time.
1920s Charleston-style track may turn some off, the
rest is great. Worth investigating for anyone -
better than Hunger, as an example. The LP was also
released on cassette by Ampex. [PL]
see full-length review
EDEN AHBEZ (CA)
"Eden's Island" 1960 (Del-Fi DFLP 1211) [mono]

"Eden's Island" 1960 (Del-Fi DFST 1211) [stereo]
"Eden's Island" 1998 (CD Del-Fi) [stereo; +2 tracks]
"Eden's Island" 2003 (Munster, Spain) [stereo]
Excellent and historically significant milestone in

the merger of the west coast spiritual and pop
cultures. Ahbez is most famous for writing "Nature
Boy" which was a massive hit for Nat King Cole (and
much later covered by Gandalf), but in recent years
fans of exotica and psychedelia have fallen for this
album in a big way. 12 terrific songs full of dreamy
desert island moods, balances perfectly the starry-
eyed 50s quest for exotic locales with a deeper felt
search for inner calm and belonging. Despite the 1960
date, Eden looks like a total hippie on the front
cover. A must. There is also an interesting Eden
Ahbez-related LP from the early 1950s; Herb Jeffries'
"The singing prophet" (Olympic OLP-12001). [PL]
AINA (HI)
"Lead Me to the Garden" 1980 (Kumanu km-1001) [gatefold]
While this album has a distinctive 1970s vibe, forget

all the dealer hype you read about acid folk, psych,
etc influences. Some tracks showcased a clear
religious agenda, though thankfully most of the
material avoided a hard sell approach for a more
subtle approach. Other tracks occasionally recalled
something like Seals & Crofts, or perhaps America
might have recorded had they abandoned the mainland
for a life in the islands. With the exception of a
couple of social and political statements, notably
the atypical rocker "Nuclear Power", "Many
Roads" (which sported some cheesy synthesizers) and
"America Be One Man" it was all quite pretty and
quite forgettable. [SB]
A J (NV)
"Last Song First Side" 1973 (Black Walnut 3001)
Unusual blend of styles on this obscure private

press, mixing a desert western vibe with UK-style
prog moves in the form of unpredictable song
structures, numerous tempo shifts and crude jazzrock
ambitions. Can't say it´s entirely successful, though
it does produce a distinct and original feel. Main
drawback is a lack of strong guitarleads, relying
instead on plenty of frantic rhythm guitar and a bass
laid on top in the mix. The mellow tracks work best,
with pleasant vocal harmonies and a Mu-like feel at
times. [PL]
ALAN FRANKLIN EXPLOSION see Franklin, Alan
JIM ALAN (Madison, WI)
"Tales of the Songsmith" 1982 (Circle Sanctuary)
Pagan mystic folk in similar style to Gwydion. The

guy co-founded a magickal society which still exists.
ALBATROSS (Salem, VA)
"Rockin' the Sky" 1975 (Dominion 1023)
Southern hardrock with beautiful fantasy landscape

cover.
ALBATROSS (IL)
"Albatross" 1976 (Anvil 1001)
Extended numbers such as 'Cannot be Found' and

'Humpback Whales' make it pretty clear these guys
worshipped at the altar of Yes. As the owner of more
than my share of Yes albums, I'll admit that isn't
necessarily a bad thing, but then its probably not
the smartest concept with which to pursue a musical
career. Okay, enough of the negativity. All five of
the tracks, including the 14 minutes plus epic 'Four
Horsemen of the Apocalypse' are worth hearing.
Novak's voice will be an acquired taste for some
folks, but his delivery fits the material well. Lead
guitarist Roe is quite impressive, but most of the
spotlight is on keyboardist Dahlgren who effortlessly
manages to span the gauntlet from tasteful
synthesizer passages ('Devil's Strumpet'), to Keith
Emerson-styled wall organ overload. Certainly better
than other Yes-wannabees like the dreaded Starcastle,
but not quite as good as Cathedral. [SB]
ALBRECHT & ROLEY (MI)
"Albrecht & Roley" 1975 (Airborn)
Mainly acoustic folk/folkrock with vocal harmonies,

some electric leads, Christian vibes here and there.
They had a second LP, "Gentle Flowing Feeling" in
1977.
ALEITHIA (KY)
"Aleithia" 1975 (Airborn 750460)
Christian rural folkrock with female vocals, organ,

12-string. Nice flow, with some electric guitar
parts. [RM]
A LETTER HOME (Los Angeles, CA)
"A Letter Home" 1975 (Blap lrs-rt-6152)
Moody basement rock with Andy Sommers (pre-Police)

and Pat Taylor (x-Ashes). Low-fi lost charms communal
sounds. This is an LRS vanity job like Frolk Haven
and may have played a part in the ultimate formation
of the Police. [RM]
ALEXANDER'S TIMELESS BLOOZBAND (San Diego, CA)
"Alexander's Timeless Bloozband" 1967 (Smack 1001)
The Smack album is pretty crude. It’s recorded live

(though there’s no audience sounds) and has a sleazy
blues vibe that’s kind of appealing even though the
music is only OK. There are a few standards,
including “Killing Floor” and a jazzy instrumental
take on “My Favorite Things.” There’s one great rock
song, “Sloppy Drunk,” that has a Pretty Things-like
vocal and some terrific, wild, loud lead guitar.
Otherwise it’s of value mostly because of the sound,
not the actual music. Their 2nd LP on UNI (1968) is a
lot less interesting. [AM]
ALI-BABA REVUE ( )
"Let It All Hang Out" 196 (Boss BLP 1129)
Local lounge/beat obscurity, described as "lame".

ALIEN CITY (Seattle, WA)
"Alien City" 1979 (Dog Star dsp-1945) [lyric insert; 500p]
"Alien City" is definitely different. Having listened

to the album a dozen times, I'll readily admit I'm
still confused by the story. While the concept was
certainly unique, Turnbow didn't have much of a
voice. On the other hand, exemplified by tracks such
as "Information Overload", "Older Men" and the
instrumental "Suffer", had a knack for crafting
surprisingly catchy material. A couple of brief
reviews compare the effort to mid-career Bowie.
That's not a bad comparison - think "Ziggy Stardust"
era glam and you'll have a feel for much of the
project. 'Alien City was composed over a period of
five years. It is a song cycle of epic proportions
centered around the Incarnation of Celestial Visitors
to this planet'. Jon reportedly spent some time in an
asylum after recording this LP. [SB]
ALIEN NATION see Larry & Myra
ALKANA (San Bernardino, CA)
"Welcome to My Paradise" 1978 (Baby Bird no #) [lyric insert]
This sought-after hard rock rarity was released in 1978,

but sounds like an early 80s record. It has the kind of
high vocals and streamlined lead guitar that would soon
take over the mainstream hard rock world. The majority of
this album is pretty standard macho flashy guitar stuff,
better than most of its kind but nothing special unless
you're a genre fan. What makes the album special is the
11-minute “The Tower,” an epic that incorporates
everything that’s good about the genre: melodic guitar
leads, a stunning chorus, a smooth shift from mellow to
heavy after a few minutes of the song. It's a classic,
and the rest of the album gains appeal by association
with it. Pretty album cover, too. Danny Alkana was
formerly with Cock Robin, a local band that at times
featured Misunderstood legend Glenn Ross Campbell. He
later had some success on the classical-inspired metal
guitar circuit. [AM]
CHAD ALLAN & THE EXPRESSIONS (Winnipeg, Canada)
"Shakin' All Over" 1965 (Quality 1756, Canada)

"Shakin' All Over" 1965 (Scepter 533, US)
"Hey Ho What You Do To Me" 1965 (Quality 1764, Canada)
Pre-Guess Who garage beat with a strong British

Invasion sound. The group was originally named Chad
Allan and the Reflections but changed their name due
to the American group. Chad (Alan Kobel) left the
group after the 45 release of "Shakin' All Over" to
attend college and was replaced by Burton Cummings.
Randy Bachman was also a member. These LPs are
sometimes referred to as hot collector's items, but
interest seems to be on the wane. [RM]
ALL IN ONE ( )
"All In One" 196 (KPS 9360)
Late 1960s low-key nocturnal folk/folkrock with

excellent female vocal harmonies, stand-up bass,
occasional congas and understated drumming. Partly in
a late folk-boom Simon & Garfunkel type mood, but
also with appealing CA psych moves on tracks like
"Errant In A Time" and the great "Days Of My Life",
which has moody modal chords and atmospheric bells.
Not a hippie scene, more like serious young ladies
contemplating the world from a college dorm room. Too
square for true greatness but worth checking out for
folk and/or femme vox fans. Seldom seen item, with
non-descript orange front cover and band pic on the
back. [PL]
ALL NATURAL BAND see Frankie Carr
ALL-NITERS (OH)
"Recorded Live at the Barn" 1966 (Erie 001)
Garage beat dancehall sound with saxophone. Recorded

live in Sandusky, Ohio.
ALL OF THUS (NY)
"All Of Thus" 1968 (Century 27916)

"All Of Thus" 1994 (Rockadelic 11.5) [500p; altered sleeve]
Obscure local garage LP few had heard of until it

appeared on the Rockadelic reissue. A good one too,
one of my personal faves in this bag, with a punked-
up Zombies sound, dreamy teenage vocals and a
fractional acid edge to some lyrics. Less than half
is cover versions, which is unusual for the era. A
few slow cuts drag on, the rest is solid pre-hippie
60s music. The reissue has ultracool sleeve design
(altered from original). [PL]
ALL RIGHT FAMILY BAND (HI/CA)
"Music is Love" 1980 (A.F.B.)

Forgettable late-stage hippie barrock except for the
enjoyable "Starry Ride" which features Sky Saxon; I
believe this is the only track on the LP he's on.
[PL]
ALL SAVED FREAK BAND (Kent State University, OH)
"My Poor Generation" 1973 (Rock the World nr-7825) [bible and
table are clearly visible on front cover]
"My Poor Generation" 1976 (Rock the World nr-7825) [cropped photo
on front cover]
"My Poor Generation" 2000 (CD Hidden Vision AC-26)
Debut LP from famous band on the Jesus Rock circuit, with

a mixed bag of excellent psych-flavored 1970s rock and
less successful tangents of gospel and country.
"For Christians, Elves, And Lovers" 1976 (Rock the World afsb-
1001)
"For Christians, Elves, And Lovers" 200 (CD Hidden Vision)
Somewhat unexpected move from the X-ian mainstream

rockers as they go on a British folk/folkrock bender
here, complete with sparse guitar arrangements, some
tasteful chamber music orchestration, and female vocal
harmonies. This is surely due to the JRR Tolkien
influence that enters about half of the song lyrics and
make for an interesting marriage with the typical Jesus
Rock moves on the other half. Unfortunately they can't
keep from inserting a couple of tracks in the unappealing
country-gospelrock style familiar from their other LPs,
still the folkrock stuff is impressive enough to make
this worth checking out. [PL]
"Brainwashed" 1976 (Rock the World nr-5974) [lyric inner]
This is a tough band to figure out. With substantial

resources and obvious talent on hand they were able
to deliver some of the best Christian 70s rock by
anyone anywhere, but just as often they would go into
unsuccessful tangents of countryrock, goodtimey
sounds and roots rock. At best their music is
stunningly powerful (check out "Ode to Glenn
Schwartz" on Brainwashed), with a dark, creeping
psychrock menace achieved via songwriting and
guitar/organ arrangements that spell big league all
the way. Their other main asset are the
testimonies/sermons, which are truly freaky and quite
confrontational. The folkrockers are fairly agreeable
on strength of the female vocals, while the male
vocalists are more uneven. Both the first and third
LP follow this pattern, with the third one being
perhaps the stronger on balance. Apart from the
incredibly strange testimonies the ASFB have a
mainstream, upmarket 70s sound which has little in
common with the basement westcoast style of bands
like Kristyl or Wilson McKinley, or the raw heavy
psych of Fraction. There is a CD with ASFB ex-member
Mike Berkey which contains folky stuff recorded 1973-
1980 (Hidden Vision, 2002). [PL]
"Sower" 1980 (War Again)

"Brainwashed/ Sower" 2000 (CD Hidden Vision ac-27/28) [2-on-1]
Man, these guys were just so good! Wailing away one

minute - folk mood, jazz lightness the next. Seems
impossible on paper, but with ASFB it works. All
tracks are standouts. Maturity in sound and lyric.
Many changes in tempo and very effective use of
keyboards. Full of smoking guitar from Glenn
Schwartz, wonderful use of solo violin, co-ed vocals.
‘Beautiful Morning’ is pretty psychy with that organ
outro. And a soulified killerized cover of ‘Old
Rugged Cross’. All their albums are treasures with
layers of interest both musically and lyrically. Dig
deep. Bizarre liner notes describing prophesies to
mate horses. The band has one track from "Sower" on
the excellent "Holy Fuzz" compilation. [Bob Felberg]
~~~
see -> Lynn Haney
ALL THAT THE NAME IMPLIES ( )
"Side 1" 1968 (ESP-Disk/ Oro 4) [lyric insert; bumper

sticker]
Hippie communal folk. There's also a non-LP 45 track.
TANDYN ALMER (Los Angeles, CA)
"New Songs Of" 196 (Davon demo 2257) [no sleeve]
Songwriter's demo LP with unknown performers,

showcasing recent compositions by mysterious
Boettcher associate Almer, who wrote "Along comes
Mary" for the Association, among other things.
Includes "Menagerie of man", "Face down in the mud",
"Sunset Strip soliloquy", "Alice Designs" and other
promising titles. The latter was recorded by Pac NW
band Mr Lucky & the Gamblers in early 1967, which may
indicate a 1966 date for this demo album.
ALPHA CENTAURI (Canada)
"Alpha Centauri" 1977 (Salt 003)
Hard prog-rock dedicated to Tommy Bolin, described as

"lame" by one critic.
ALSHIA (WI)
"Alshia" 1980 (no label)
This is another 80s private press hyped as "psych" by

deceptive or deluded dealers. Alshia are better than
Child's Art, but don't let anyone mislead you as to
the style, which sounds like low-budget version of
1980 FM radio fare. They were obviously kings of
their small local scene, but were left to release
their album on their own because everyone beyond
their loyal fans saw them for the average act they
were. Slow tempos and tons of really nice acoustic
guitar (even on the quasi-heavy songs) make them more
distinctive than your typical AOR or hard rock band.
Nonetheless, the songwriting is average and the
singing is very weak, especially when they try to
harmonize. The highlights of the album are
instrumental, and, indeed, the instrumental that
closes the album is easily the best song. A female
singer is wasted, given only one lead vocal, but
she's not much better than the guy anyway. Lyrics
occasionally reach toward Christian and meaning-of-
life themes, but are mostly banal. This album was
recorded and mixed in two days, and sounds like it.
It's not a terrible album, but not an especially good
one, and not psychedelic or even "prog" at all.
Mostly it's illustrative of the desire of rare record
dealers to keep finding new product to hype. [AM]
~~~
Here are some comments we received from Alshia band
leader Paul Barlament, with reference to the review
above: "I agree with much of your assessment of the
album. It does sound like it was recorded in two
days, although I think Andy Watermann did an
admirable job with the time allotted and limited
budget, as well as the relative inexperience of the
musicians. It was actually Andy's idea to feature the
acoustic guitar throughout much of the album, which
did give it a rather distinctive sound. The Jefferson
Airplane/Starship comparisons I've seen are
interesting. There was a significant age difference
between the bass player (Greg) and the rest of the
band. Greg took up the bass after seeing the Airplane
in concert and being floored by Jack Casady. I was 16
when I saw Jefferson Starship in support of Red
Octopus, which is the only Starship album I owned. I
would never consider anything they did in the same
league as Volunteers or Surrealistic Pillow. My
influences on guitar were Jerry Garcia from the Dead
and Pink Floyd's David Gilmour. Jim, who played
acoustic guitar on the album, was influenced a lot by
the Dead's Bob Weir. In summary, I would say the
sound we were going for was a kind of
Dead/Floyd/Airplane fusion. The album doesn't quite
capture that, though it does have its moments. On our
best nights, we were a pretty good jam band."
ALTER EGO & FRIENDS (MI)
"Obsessional Schizophrenia" 1972 (C Schneider)
Vanity release from mental patient (real one) at

Mercywood Hospital. The "friends" are probably
alternate personalities of the guy, one Charles
Schneider. He plays piano and sings, with material
ranging from 1920s schlagers to the Rolling Stones,
with some Thelonius Monk inbetween. Not blatantly
crazy but with a creeping weirdness. Nice cover shows
Schneider posing in the old nuthouse garden.
V.A "ALTOONA '68" (Altoona, PA)
"Altoona '68" 1968 (Empire)
Local sampler with some neat garage/folkrock

originals by bands like the Young Lords, Society's
Children and Showmen, weighed down by a couple of
lame blue-eyed soul numbers. Covers include Doors,
Cream and an obscure track from the first Human Beinz
LP. All bands are unknowns. "Graduate" by Day After
is an excellent, weird moody acid tune that sounds
like a 1970s private press LP track, and has been
reissued on a couple of modern comps. Although one of
the better local PA samplers, it's still mainly a
concern for completists. [PL]
AMBROSE (Cooksville, TN)
"Bust Your Nose" 1978 (ARC 3661)
This is southern rock that's heavier than the usual.

The production is very thin, but the guitar playing
is quite good and the genre's trademark, dual lead
guitars, is in evidence throughout. The long solo on
the last song is great, definitely the highlight of a
decent but not consistently good album. The real
issue here is whether or not you'll like the throaty
Molly Hatchet-style vocal growl. I hate it, and it
ruins the album for me, but if you're OK with that
type of thing this is a pretty good genre piece. [AM]
AMBUSH ( )
"Ambush" 1981 (no label)
Hard rock/AOR, highly rated by some. There are at

least 5 different private releases called Ambush from
the hard rock/metal era, so make sure you get the
right one. This has a white cover with the band name
in black on the front cover.
PAT AMENT ( )
"Songs by" 1971 (Signet)
Relaxed electric folkrock. [RM]
AMERICA IS HARD TO FIND ( )
"America Is Hard To Find" 1970 (Multi-Trax zb-176)
Half anti-war spoken word poems by radical priest

Daniel Berrigan, half Christian freak anti-war
psychedelic rock mass. The mass is great fun for its
ludicrous excess and tripped-out bohemian jamming.
Berrigan's history as an activist is rather
remarkable and worth checking out. In 1972 Berrigan
published some of these poems in a book with the same
title. [RM]
AMERICAN BLUES (Dallas, TX)
"Is Here" 1968 (Karma 1001)

"Is Here" 198 (Karma) [bootleg, says 'repro' on back cover]
"Is Here" 198 (Microdot AB-1)
"Is Here"/"Do their thing" 199 (CD Afterglow UK) [2-in-1]
"Is Here" 2000 (10" Akarma, Italy)
"Is Here" 2000 (CD Akarma, Italy)
Pretty good Texas bluesy psych, well-known due to the

ZZ Top connection. Opens with three psych killers but
becomes more average as it progresses. Still, an OK
item and worth checking out, at least in the reissued
format. [PL]
"Do Their Thing" 1969 (Uni 73044)

"Do Their Thing" 1987 (See For Miles see-99, UK)
"Is Here"/"Do Their Thing" 199 (CD Afterglow, UK) [2-in-1]
Released by MCA's Uni subsidiary, 1969's "The

American Blues Do Their Thing" was a major
improvement over their debut. Self-produced, the
collection found the band opting for a major change
in direction. Written by the Hills, material such as
the lead-off "You Were So Close To Me", "Captain
Fire" and "Just Plain Jane" found the band attempting
to capitalize on San Francisco-styled psychedelics.
Elsewhere, the collection found the group mining a
more conventional rock format; "Wonder Man" and
"Shady" reflecting a distinctive Cream-influence,
while the blazing "Comin' Back Home" (complete with
Beard and Rocky Hill meltdown solos) offered up a
nice Hendrix imitation. Sure, it was largely
derivative, but that didn't lessen the enjoyment
factor. [SB]
AMERICAN BLUES EXCHANGE (Hartford, CT)
"Blueprints" 1969 (Tayl 1) [1000p]

"Blueprints" 1985 (Heyoka 204, UK)
"Blueprints" 199 (CD Flash 55, Italy)
"Blueprints" 1998 (CD Gear Fab 120) [+3 bonus tracks]
"Blueprints" 1999 (Void 16) [blue vinyl; insert; 500p]
"Blueprints" 2000 (Akarma 136/2, Italy) [3-sided set w/ bonus
tracks; gatefold]
"Blueprints" 200 (CD Akarma) [+3 tracks]
Another one that's been known many years on the

obscure LP circuit, though essentially a local white
bluesrock LP and not the psych/hard rock winner some
may claim. Has some decent numbers and a welcome
moody, non-macho approach but all over not really
that interesting. The band came from Trinity College
and mostly played college parties in the area. 'Tayl'
was their friend, Nancy Taylor, who paid for the
pressing. [PL]
AMERICAN PEDDLERS (TX)
"Once Upon a Rock" 1977 (AmPed ap-1003)
Southern rock. Eric Johnson (Mariani, Electromagnets)

guests on one track. [RM]
AMERICAN STANDARD (NY)
"American Standard" 1970 (no label) [2 LPs; gatefold]
College project. Inept psych and spoken word. [RM]
AMIGO ( )
"Stepping Stones" 1977 (Vee-Jay International)
Here’s a sleeper of an album, a late 70s release on a

lost old label by a band that once backed up El
Chicano and wrote for Malo and Santana. Between the
odd, nondescript album cover and the band’s Latin
rock past (as detailed in the liner notes), you’d
never guess that this is actually a mix of San
Francisco-styled guitar rock and Los Angeles-styled
folk-rock/rural rock with excellent harmonies and
sharp instrumentation. At times it slightly resembles
Tripsichord. As the notes point out, these guys could
really play, and there’s plenty of hot lead guitar
here. The closing “The Clown” is the key song, a
dreamy ballad with harpsichord and evocative vocals
that builds to a stunning closing battle of fuzz
guitars. The songwriting here isn’t always up to the
level of performance, but there’s plenty to like on
this cool record. [AM]
AMROD'S BRAND (NY)
"Live On The Playground" 1971 (BT Puppy 1024)
Obscure one on noted label, pretty cool eccentric

folk with a freaky guy in overalls on the cover.
AMULET (IN)
"Amulet" 1980 (Shadow 00084)

"Amulet" 199 (Off the Beaten Path) [300p]
"Amulet" 1995 (Shadow) [paste-on cover; blank back]) Amulet
"Amulet" 2000 (CD Monster mcd-003)
Indiana hardrock with outstanding rhythm guitar.
V.A "ANAHEIM HIGH SCHOOL" (Anaheim, CA)
"The Original Rock'N Popsenanny" 1970 (Band 'n Vocal) [2 LPs]
Mostly horrible vocal numbers but the last side

features a psychy rock group.
ANAL MAGIC & REV DWIGHT FRIZZELL (KS)
"Beyond The Black Crack" 1976 (Cavern Custom 6104 12) [200p;
booklet]
"Beyond The Black Crack" 1998 (CD Paradigm, UK) [+bonus
tracks]
Avantgarde freakout LP of some notoriety and a truly

disgusting album cover.
V.A "A NEW HI: DALLAS 71" (Dallas, TX)
"A New Hi: Dallas 71 - Part 1" 1971 (Tempo 2) [poster]
Local sampler famous for the two excellent psychrock

tracks by the Mint reissued on Endless Journey, as
well as two tracks by Cast Of Thousands, featuring a
teenage Stevie Ray Vaughan.
A NEW PLACE TO LIVE (Canada)
"A New Place To Live" 1972 (Mandala 14003)
This interesting pop album with a complex storyline

and a few psychy and prog moments is as notable for
the mysterious figure behind it as it is for the
music on the LP. It's a Bob Gallo (aka "Robert John
Gallo") project. Gallo pops up on a massive amount of
records almost always associated with tax scam labels
and oddball releases, starting in the mid 60's when
he produced the strange beat LP "You Know Who Group"
with no mention of any band members whatsoever. "A
New Place to Live" was released on the Mandala Label,
which was owned by Gallo. Other releases on this
label include the very rare LP "Canada - What's So
Bad About Feeling Good" which was only released in
Australia, probably as a tax write off, and the
second LP ("Pickin' Up The Pieces") by Aesop's
Fables, which was released in Canada and Australia.
The label also put out two solo LP's by Robert John
Gallo: "Painted Poetry" and "Compositions." Gallo
later released various other solo projects including
two LPs on the Guinness Label as Robert John and one
on Guinness as Snowball. Some songs appear on more
than one of his albums, though not always with the
same names. All of these albums are pretty good,
especially the Guinness release entitled "A Place To
Live." He should not be confused with the Robert John
who had a 70s hit with "Sad Eyes," though that Robert
John has an equally long and complex musical history.
[AM]
V.A "ANGELS FROM HELL" (CA)
"Angels From Hell" 1968 (Tower 5128)

-- original soundtrack
Includes rare tracks by Peanut Butter Conspiracy and

Lollipop Shoppe, among others.
ANIMATED EGG (CA)
"Animated Egg" 1967 (Somerset 32700) [mono]

"Animated Egg" 1967 (Alshire 5104) [stereo]
Exploito organ and fuzz psych, and folkrock instros.

One of the best studio hack expressions, wildness
from budgetland. LA session pro Jerry Cole has
recently confirmed that the original tracks were laid
down during sessions for the Id "Inner Sounds" LP on
RCA in 1966, then later sold to Alshire. A European
pressing exists on the Europa label. These tracks,
and others from the same sessions, appear on several
LPs credited to different artists including: "Young
Sound '68"; 101 Strings - "Astro-Sounds"; Bebe Bardon
& 101 Strings - "The Sounds of Love"; Black Diamonds
- "A Tribute to Jimi Hendrix"; Haircut & the
Impossibles - "Call it Soul"; Generation Gap - "Up,
Up an Away", and the jawdropping, Modern Sounds -
"Famous Songs of Hank Williams". Undoubtedly, that's
just the tip of the iceberg for these clowns. [RM]
~~~
see -> 101 Strings; Id; Black Diamonds
ANONYMOUS (Indianapolis, IN)
"Inside the Shadow" 1976 (A Major Label 1002) [blue/white cvr,

black/white label; booklet; 500p]
"Inside the Shadow" 1981 (A Major Label 1002) [2nd press w/
altered cvr in black/white, red/white label; no booklet]
"Inside the Shadow" 1996 (OR 015) [insert; 375 #d]
"Inside the Shadow / J Rider" 2000 (CD Aether/OR 0009) [2-on-
1]
"Inside the Shadow" 2001 (Akarma, Italy) [no insert]
Fabulous guitar-driven 60s-inspired folkrock and

westcoast, firmly placed on my personal 1970s top 10
list. Comparable to Third Estate or Relatively Clean
Rivers but deeper and earthier in a San Francisco
sense, balances perfectly the album-oriented approach
of the mid-70s with the magic and drive of the late
60s westcoast sound. Marvellous blend of male/female
vocals, strong songwriting with roots in the Beatles
& Buffalo Springfield, and some extraordinary guitar
passages. One of the big ones to me. Actually post-
Sir Winston & the Commons, if you can belive that.
All reissues are vinyl-sourced as the original master
tapes are lost; furthermore the Aether/OR CD reissue
accidentally used an unfinished master complete with
vinyl pops and surface noise. The Akarma reissue
sounds very good, but omits the insert and distorts
the original sleeve color somewhat. [PL]
~~~
There are very few albums where a 60s Beatles-
influenced songwriting sensibility moves seamlessly
into the 1970s without sounding overly derivative or
awkward. Zerfas and Michael Angelo are the only
others that are in the same league as this amazing
album, which, in terms of songwriting and execution
is as good as anything released in the 70s by anyone.
It suffers a tad from low budget production, but
everything else about it is spotless, from the great
male and female vocals to the intelligent and
surprisingly complex songs, to the shimmering jangly
guitars, to the stunning drumming on the closing jam.
Had the world still been embracing great
straightforward rock bands with pop sensibilities,
Anonymous would have ruled the world, along with more
well-known bands like Big Star and the Raspberries.
[AM]
~~~
~~~
see -> J Rider; Good Soil
ANOTHER WORLD PRODUCTION (WI)
"The End of the Age" 1980 (no label, no #)
X-ian prog guitar rock with Tolkien-inspired cover.

Nice varied lp with melancholy downer strums, proggy
hardrock with xian concerns, and winsome melodies
with symphonic elements. [RM]
ANTHEM (San Francisco, CA)
"Anthem" 1978 (no label) [1-sided test press]
Folkrock. Flowing westcoast sound with female vocals.

Similar to the British group, Trees. [RM]
ANTHONY AND SCOTT (Ann Arbor, MI)
"Anthony and Scott" 1977 (Midwest MCR 1300) [500p]
Weird mid-70s duo somewhere between folk-rock and

post-Badfinger pop. Nice harmonies and an occasional
dark lyric (the downer folk song 'Late Night Losers
Dreams' is definitely the highlight of the album) add
interest to a quirky but so-so collection of songs.
Sparse arrangements make the vocals stand out front
and keep the songs from sounding like power pop.
Dealers hype this one as an acid folk masterpiece
because of the totally ridiculous (and great) lyrics
to "Pink Octopus", the second-best song here. An
enjoyable album for the right listener, and some of
the lyrics are way off the wall, but don't be misled,
as this is not psychedelic in any way. [AM]
ANT TRIP CEREMONY (Oberlin College, OH)
"24 Hours" 1968 (CRC 2129) [black vinyl; thick cover; 300p]
-- the original has 'CRC-2129A STEREO' etched in the dead wax
"24 Hours" 1983 (C.R.C.) [close counterfeit; vinyl is bluish
under bright light]
"24 Hours" 198 (C.R.C.) [counterfeit; thin cover, thin vinyl]
"24 Hours" 198 (Resurrection)
"24 Hours" 1995 (Psychedelic Archive, UK) [paste-on cover;
300p]
"24 Hours" 1995 (CD Anthology, Italy)
"24 Hours" 1999 (CD Collectables)
Odd late-night psychy folkrock that sounds like it

was recorded at 4 AM by a bunch of guys on their way
down from an acid trip - still turned on, but tired
and reflective. Instruments ramble on each in its own
time frame (perhaps more jazzy than sloppy),
supporting anemic, almost apathetic vocals sometimes
fed through weird filters. A few covers, some Dead-
type instros, but mostly early spooky hippie
folkrock. Not a real fave of mine but still an
interesting LP, and sleeve too - note the hookahs.
[PL]
ANVIL see Boa
A PASSING FANCY (Canada)
"A Passing Fancy" 1968 (Boo 6801)

"A Passing Fancy" 1988 (Breeder, Austria)
"A Passing Fancy" 199 (CD Afterglow, UK)
"A Passing Fancy" 2002 (CD Pacemaker)
Decent garage/pop-psych from Toronto notable mostly

for an amazing psychedelic sleeve. Has more of a top
40/swinging London sound than American garage/psych,
a common feature of Canadian LPs from '67-'68. A
couple of good punky tracks including a Music Machine
cover but all in all too lighweight and a
disappointment in my ears. The Pacemaker CD is a
master tapes re, but mastered far too slow, enough to
render it virtually unlistenable. [PL]
~~~
The album compiled tracks from four earlier singles,
along with four new tracks. As a compilation the
album's quite diverse with the band showcasing an
almost chameleon-like adaptability. Tracks such as
the slashing "I'm Losing Tonight" and "People In Me"
are first-rate garage rock. The title track, the
annoyingly catchy "I Believe In Sunshine" and
"Island" showcase a top-40 pop feel, while "You're
Going Out of My Mind" and "Spread Out" find the band
immersed in wild psychedelics. Frequently diversity
equates to lack of focus, but in this case it simply
makes a great album even better. In fact, the only
real disappointment is the bland and tame ballad
"Sounds Silly". [SB]
APHAZIA see Yankee Dog
APOSTLES (Andover, MA)
"On Crusade" 1965 (MG 79909/10)
Northeast prep rock r&b raveups, dual guitar, horns.
"An Hour Of Prayer" 1965 (Sound Rec 1245)
Preprock band from the same school (Phillips Academy)

as the Rising Storm and the Ha'Pennys. "An hour..."
supplies one track to a Garage Punk Unknowns. Haven't
heard these though it seems to be all covers. Great
primitive sleeve designs.
V.A "A POT OF FLOWERS" (CA)
"A Pot Of Flowers" 1967 (Mainstream s-6100)
Highly rated sampler of local talents, some of who

would go on to bigger things. Excellent tracks by
Euphoria (the non-LP 45) and Harbinger Complex are
among the highlights. Wild Flower and the Other Side
are also featured. [PL]
~~~
This sampler is a more consistent listen than most
Mainstream albums, compiling a number of light psych-
styled pop songs. The four bands have a surprising
stylistic consistency, and while nothing on this
album reaches the heights of the best songs on, say,
the Bohemian Vendetta or Growing Concern albums,
overall this is one of the most enjoyable Mainstream
LPs. [AM]
JON APPLETON (CA/NY)
"Appleton Syntonic Menagerie" 1969 (Flying Dutchman fds-103)
"Human Music" 1970 (Flying Dutchman)
Avant garde electronics. The 2nd LP was a

collaboration with noted jazz musician Don Cherry.
There was also a 1974 LP on Folkways with some
overlap with the earlier LPs. Jon Appleton had
several more releases that fall outside the scope of
the Archives.
APPLETREE THEATRE ( )
"Playback" 1968 (Verve Forecast ft-3042) [mono]

"Playback" 1968 (Verve Forecast fts-3042) [stereo]
Somehow, this popsike concept album found its way

into the late 70s book "Rock Critics' Choice: The Top
200 Albums." It's the brainchild of John and Terry
Boylan, and is a concept album mixing spoken words,
song-stories and songs. It's a much more enjoyable
listen than most similar records (i e: Family Tree)
because the songs themselves are so strong. It's
grade-A sunshine pop with occasional psychedelic
arrangements, dipping occasionally into hard-edged
soul and music-hall. Jaded Beach Boys or Sagittarius
should like it. John Boylan later formed Hamilton
Streetcar, on whose interesting but less successful
concept album he would re-record a few of these
songs. [AM]
~~~
see -> Terry Boylan; Hamilton Streetcar
AQUINOS (Hannibal, MO)
"Aquinos" 1967 (IT 2318)
"More Adventures with the Aquinos" 1968 (Saint Thomas 100)
Instrumental prep rock surf covers by seminarians at

the Saint Thomas Seminary!
ARCESIA (RI/CA)
"Reachin'" 1968 (Alpha 103) [blank back]
"Reachin'" 1997 (Little Indians 9, Germany) [altered sleeve;
400p]
Insane loungepsych blowout by a middleaged crooner

who dropped acid in the 1960s and decided to make a
psychedelic (well, sort of) LP with mindboggling
results. For a professional vocalist he sings
remarkably bad, though this doesn't stop him from
filling every line with overwraught passion. The
music varies between orchestrated extravaganzas and
more rockin sounds including some fuzz - the songs
aren't half-bad actually and the lyrics appropriately
OTT, though it takes several plays to get past his
voice. Imagine Del Shannon's "Charles Westover" LP
with Father Yod on vocals and you're halfway there.
Recently a 45 on Alpha with a non-LP track has been
found. [PL]
~~~
Johnny Arcesi was a 1940s big band singer in the
northeast. In his 50s, he moved to Los Angeles,
discovered LSD and recorded this otherworldly acid
lounge real people LP with Doorsy organ and his
sincere crooning way out front. A must for real
people aficianados, everyone else duck and cover your
ears! [RM]
ARCUS (NJ)
"Launching No 1" 1973 (HNP) [paste-on cover]
Bluesy club rock and Santana groove guitar organ

jamming. [RM]
ARDEN HOUSE ( )
"Coming Home" 1977 (Dellwood)
Dellwood is a subsidiary of the famous tax scam label

Guinness (or vice versa), and this is one of the
better releases on either label. Side one is
mainstream 1970s rock with a little bit of
synthesizer. Side two veers into more complex prog
territory. "Streakin'" is an embarrassing novelty
period piece, but otherwise this is quite good and
the two long songs at the end (one of which,
"Somewhere Beyond The Sun," was clearly recorded a
few years before the rest of the album) are
excellent. In true indifferent tax scam label
fashion, side one runs 11:20 while side two runs
21:08. The big surprise here is that this band is
actually Jasper Wrath, as is Zoldar & Clark (whose
album on Dellwood is similar to this, but
significantly better.) [AM]
~~~
see -> Jasper Wrath; Zoldar & Clark
ARICA (New York City, NY)
"Arica" 1972 (Woo Soo a-1001) [2 LPs; gatefold; brown cover)

"Arica" 1972 (Audition a-1001) [2 LPs; gatefold; magenta-pink
cover)
Mystic trance with tablas, acoustic guitar, piano,

and creepy voices. On the Woo Soo releases sides 1-3
are meditative instro trance sounds, side 4 is free
jazz. On the Audition version all four sides are
meditative instro trance sounds. The WooSoo version
appears to be first and is rarer. The side-long free
jazz track is titled "Water: Reception of the
Buddha"! [RM]
"Heaven" 1973 (Just Sunshine jss-1) [gatefold] [1?]
ARK (SC)
"Voyages" 1978 (no label 810-70) [100p]

"Voyages" 1994 (Fanny 070194, Belgium) [paste-on cover; 500#d]
A pretty good Christian effort in a mellow late-60s

westcoasty psychrock style despite the vintage.
Consistent throughout, with a relaxed and reflective
late-night mood that makes it seem unexceptional at
first, then it creeps upon you. Not a killer, but
appealing enough to check out. Often compared to the
Doors, but I honestly don't hear much of that. The
very small press size figure comes from a band
member. [PL]
ARKANGEL (Houston, TX)
"Warrior" 1980 (Joyeuse Garde jgr-001) [gatefold; insert]
Recorded in Oklahoma, heavy guitar and synth-led

Christian prog with a medeival edge and tons of
different instruments. Produced by Jimmy Hotz. Ex-
Redemption, after a relocation from San Antonio.
Kemper Crabb later went on to a solo career with more
recordings.
ARKAY IV (Erie, PA)
"For Internal Use Only" 1968 (Marion 22595) [100p; insert]

"The Mod Sound Of" 1988 (Cicadelic 1003)
"Battle Of The Bands" 199 (CD Collectables 0519) [parts of
orig LP +bonus; 2-on-1]
1966-style beat-garage with frat, folkrock and some

Brill Building pop moves, more competent and pro-
sounding than the genre average. Originals all the
way, though their songwriting isn't that impressive.
Some good tracks but not really top of the heap. An
original copy with cover and insert sold for almost
$5000 in 2001. The CD re is shared with the PA
Outcasts, whose half actually is superior. [PL]
~~~
Melodic garage beat. Clean teen dance-o-rama fun with
ringing surf-styled leads, fuzz, pounding drums,
Hammond organ, and warm vocals. [RM]
~~~
see -> Weigaltown Elemental Band
ARMPIT (CA)
"The Armpit Album" 197 (Monroe PU 101)
"Thursday Afternoon at Bob's House" 1977 (Monroe PU 102)
"Burned Out" 197 (Monroe PU 103)
"Bizarro Album 104" 197 (Monroe PU 104)
It's hard to believe that these albums actually

exist, but they do. As you can guess from the band's
name and the records' catalogue numbers, this is
drugged out and deliberately offensive goofy comedy.
I mixes spoken word sections with sound effects and
"songs." The music is basically funny voices backed
with solo guitars, probably done in one take.
Apparently the material on these records was recorded
over a span of several years, dating back to 1971,
and assembled and "mastered" quickly for the LP
releases. The liner notes and cover photos are all
pretty funny (and twisted: one actually has a photo
of a hard porn magazine in the back cover collage.)
Anyone could have done this, but these guys actually
had the balls to release four albums of it (though
they didn't use their real names.) Some of the more
amusing liner note bits are one that says the
material within is "tedium," and another calling them
"The world's most popular foursome." Wild Man Fischer
appears on two songs on "Burned Out", which makes
that the most valuable of the four albums, though all
are quite rare. [AM]
ARROGANCE (Greensboro, NC)
"Give Us A Break" 1974 (Sugarbush 103)

"Give Us A Break" 200 (CD Dixon Archival 003)
The first Arrogance album works against their rock

strength, with a full drum set on only one song. The
rest feature bongos, which don't mix especially well
with the mostly acoustic folk/county sound they
develop here. The best songs just beg for electric
guitars and powerful drums, and fall flat without
them. Overall, the songs are decent and the vocals
appealing, but this feels like a collection of demos
and is just a shell of what they were capable of. On
the 1976 album "Rumours", they would remake one of
these songs, showing just how good it could be with a
rock arrangement. The next album, "Prolepsis", with a
full band, a higher recording budget, a less
backwoods sound and a major leap in songwriting
quality, is miles and miles better than this. [AM]
"Prolepsis" 1975 (Sugarbush 112)
"Prolepsis" 200 (CD Dixon Archival 004)
Arrogance were called "North Carolina's Beatles", not

because of their sound, but because even into the mid
1970s they were the only regional band popular enough
to draw large crowds while playing original material.
There's no doubt that by the time they made this,
their second album, they had achieved an amazing
level of professionalism and confidence, and
"Prolepsis" certainly compares well with any major
label album of the period. Their sound is that of
mainstream America in 1975, a blend of rural rock,
guitar pop and folk-rock, equal parts vocal harmonies
and dynamic lead singing. While it has none of the
heavy or freaky aspects of the Greer album, it's an
even better LP. The album is full of terrific songs,
exciting moments, sharp instrumentation and
thoughtful arrangements. Side one is practically
perfect, side two merely great. Anyone who was in NC
at the time will tell you these guys were the best,
and hearing this album, it's easy to imagine that
they could have been hugely successful if the stars
were aligned the right way. Bass player Don Dixon
would eventually achieve that commercial success as a
producer and occasional performer, but he never did
anything better or more inspired than this. Arrogance
would release a few major label albums of which the
1976 album "Rumours", on Vanguard, is the best, just
a level below "Prolepsis". The band also recorded
tracks for a prospective LP called "Night Of Dreams"
in 1970 that never came out; some of the tracks
appear on the subsequent 1972 LP by Michael Greer.
There was a non-LP 45 by Arrogance from 1970 which
has been comp'd and has a tough rock sound that's
unlike any of their other work. [AM]
~~~
see -> Greer
ARROW (PA)
"Coming Attractions" 1977 (JAMA)
Melodic xian rock. Rumbling electric guitar, subdued

drumming, with the vocals way out front. The singing
is really special on this LP, high and clear akin to
Robert Plant crossed with All of Thus! The primitive
'recorded in a tunnel' production only adds to the
creepy moodiness. The record does have a notable xian
component but the songs are more about being 'down
and out' than evangelizing, so downer fans should go
nuts. Highlights: 'Reach Out' with gurgling, ringing
wha-wha and the creepy lostness of 'Drum Fever'. [RM]
ART (Alaska)
"Art Is Whatever You Can Get Away With" 1972 (Oosik)
Zappa/Fugs-like stoned goof basement folk, a live

performance by Rudy Palmtree and his Exotic Fruits.
ARTHUR (Los Angeles, CA)
"Dreams and Images" 1968 (L.H.I. 12000) [mono]

"Dreams and Images" 1968 (L.H.I s-12000) [stereo]
"Dreams and Images"/"Love is the Revolution" 2002 (CD Papa's
Choice) [2-on-1]
Remarkably successful chamber-music folkpsych trip,

blows most of the similar L A producer-pop LPs away.
Wistful, dreamy, nostalgic - you name it. Reason it
works so well is that every song is a completely
realized idea, and that all songs stay within the
clearly defined boundaries of the album. Beautiful
woodwind arrangements, strong songwriting, and the
right type of lyte-psych vocals. Takes a cue from
Donovan, but explores a branch of its own. To my ears
clearly superior to his Nocturne LP. Main objection
is that the playtime is so damn short. Released in
March 1968; note that the Kitchen Cinq LP has an
almost identical catalog #. [PL]
~~~
Quiet and beautiful folk/psych singer/songwriter LP
produced and released by Lee Hazelwood. This is high
quality stuff - trippy and melancholic with purely
acoustic instrumentation spiced up here and there by
the odd leslie fx etc. There's no drums whatsoever on
the album, which makes it quiet in an almost Linda
Perhacs way. Much better than his second album. [MM]
~~~
see -> Arthur Lee Harper
ARTHUR [on Two:Dot & RD Records] see -> Arthur Gee
ARTIFICIAL HORIZONS (GA)
"Artificial Horizons" 1974 (Horizons hs-01)
Electronic prog with synth, dulcimer, flute,

echoplex. Sometimes listed credited to Tom Behrens.
ART OF LOVIN' (MA)
"Art Of Lovin'" 1968 (Mainstream 6113)

"Art Of Lovin' / Velvet Night" 200 (CD Hipschaft) [2-on-1]
Light Airplane-meets-Mamas&Papas hippie-pop/rock LP,

a genre which seems to contain an infinite number of
mostly so-so's. Similar to Neighb'rhoood Childr'n or
Yankee Dollar though more faceless than both.
Songwriting is unexciting and the standard Grace-
clone occasionally operatic. Some good guitar and a
strange ethnic folk art sleeve I dig. There was also
a non-LP 45 on Mainstream. [PL]
BILL ARTZ & HIS RHYTHM KINGS ( )

"Variety Time" 1965 (Justice 101)
First LP on famous Southern garage label. Eastcoast

club band with early 60s dancehall sound. Of interest
mainly to folks running the label. [RM]
DAVE ARVEDON (MA)
"Best of Dave Arvedon" 1971 (Wrecked 81474) [200p]

"In Search of the Most Unforgettable..." 1996 (CD Arf Arf aa-
053/54) [2 CDs]
Crazed garage basement goof with low-rent humor and

songwriting rivalling the Shaggs. CD Includes all his
recorded material plus a bunch of unreleased tracks.
[RM]
V.A "A SEA FOR YOURSELF" (Los Angeles, CA)
"A Sea For Yourself" 197 (Rural) [2LPs; 1st pressing;

gatefold with color paste-ons]
"A Sea For Yourself" 197 (Rural) [2LPs; 2nd pressing; b & w
gatefold]
Two-LP soundtrack from the 1970s surf underground is

all over the place, but pretty interesting.
Highlights are some spacy instrumentals from the
Dragon Brothers and some surprisingly solid songs
from Rockin Foo, whose LP on Hobbit is usually poorly
rated. Has been compared to the Farm "Innermost
Limits" LP which features some of the same guys
including the Dragon brothers. An Australian pressing
with a laminated sleeve exists. The Farm entry
contains details on the Dragons and related
musicians. [AM]
~~~
see -> Farm
ASHBURY (AZ)
"Endless Skies" 1983 (private)
Hardrock ripper with a progressive edge. Issued with

a gorgeous fantasy cover. [RM]
BILLY ASHE (Salado, TX)
"You-In-You" 1974 (Frigate) [300#d; plain cover; booklet]

Basement folk live from his living room. Issued in
plain cover with handwritten title. Comes with 19pp
of mimeographed lyrics and weird drawings!
ASHES (Los Angeles, CA)
"Featuring Pat Taylor" 1971 (Vault 125)
Apparently the group, which played most of its live

shows in 1966 or so, reunited to record this album in
1968, with Pat Taylor in place of original vocalist
Barbara Robison. It has some similarities to related
outfit Peanut Butter Conspiracy, but mostly it’s
closer to 70s soft rock than 60s folk rock. As such,
it’s very nice, though. Taylor’s vocals are crystal
clear, similar to Susan Jacks of the Poppy Family.
Haunting harmonies shape the best songs, most notably
“Return Home.” A few songs sung by the guys are less
interesting. In line with the confused time warps
around this band, the LP wasn't actually released
until 1971. The Ashes also appear with four 45 tracks
in unique stereo mixes on the "West Coast Love-In"
sampler from 1967 (Vault). [AM]
~~~
see -> A Letter Home
ASHLEIGH BRILLIANT (San Francisco, CA)
"In the Haight-Ashbury" 1967 (Dorash 1001)
Hippie druggy street poet. Documentary of a

'happening' spoken and sung to hippies in Golden Gate
Park so you know it's the real deal.
ASIA (SD)
"Asia" 1978 (no label, no #)
"Armed To The Teeth" 1980 (no label)
Early 70s-influenced progressive guitar and

mellotron rock in a Purple/Captain Beyond-
school from band formerly known as White
Wing; no relation to the more famous band,
naturally.
ED ASKEW ( )
"Ed Askew" 1968 (ESP Disk 1092) [reverse-negative cover of a

riot scene)
"Ed Askew" 199 (CD ESP 1092, Germany) [art cover]
"Ed Askew" 200 (CD) [+bonus track]
This is a unique acid folk item, even by ESP

standards. Askew plays the tiple, an acoustic
instrument in the same world as mandolin, dulcimer
and autoharp. The effect isn’t a whole lot different
from guitar-and-voice, but it’s just exotic enough to
have curiosity value. The instrument takes a lot of
energy to play, and the effort gives Askew a strained
vocal style that actually gives his music an
appealing edge. The songs are odd enough (and good
enough) to keep the listener’s interest despite the
sparse arrangements. The lyrics are quirky and
occasionally mystical, but quite effective and
affecting. Askew has a bizarre sense of romanticism
that fits his street poet mentality. Supposedly some
of these lyrics address his homosexuality, making him
way ahead of his time. He does so, though, in such
abstractions that the words can be interpreted in
other ways. Like all purely solo albums, after 43
minutes there’s a saminess to this, but this really
is one of the best albums of its type, and is
recommended highly to fans of loner folk and oddball
singer-songwriters. there is apparently also a
reissue retitled "Ask the unicorn" in an altered
cover. [AM]
THE ASTRAL PROJECTION (NY)
"The Astral Scene" 1968 (Metromedia 1005) [wlp exists]

"The Astral Scene" 2000 (Gear Fab)
"The Astral Scene" 2001 (CD Gear Fab 153)
"The Astral Scene" is an oddity falling somewhere

between Curt Boetcher-styled sunshine pop,
Association-styled top-40 and Animated Egg styled
exploito. Thematically tracks such as 'The Sunshine
Seekers' and 'Plant Your Seeds' were highly
orchestrated tying together as a full-fledged concept
piece. If you waded through the extensive back panel
liner notes, the plot line had something to do with
the concept of escaping the physical body to
experience spiritual embodiment. In spite of the
goofy titles and lyrics (' Today, I saw The Sunrise')
and the fact the arrangements were full of rather
spacey instrumentation, virtually all of the songs
were quite commercial. It's easy to imagine stuff
like 'Overture The Airways Of Imagination' or 'The
Happening People' having been adopted for some sort
of 1960s television theme song. Note: this is
sometimes listed with the band name and LP title
reversed. [SB]
ASYLUM (VA)
"First and Last" 1973 (no label nr-3217)

"First and Last" 2005 (World In Sound rfr-20, Germany)
[insert]
On the back cover of this Military Academy rarity is

a list of the band's influences which seems OK until
the names Carole King and Roberta Flack jump out at
ya. Further proof is in the grooves, where several
tracks are female singer/songwriter laments with
piano, well-written, well-sung and well-played and
therefore completely misplaced on what is elsewise a
typical local 70s rural melodic rocker. Also, there
is only 1 guitar solo on the whole LP, and even that
one is brief. I sort of liked this as an artefact and
some nice westcoast grooves & it would have been cool
on a CD-R with a cover scan, but I have to question
whether it was worthy of a reissue, even though it is
a very nice reissue job (as usual) from World In
Sound. WIS spent a whole lot more $$$ on reproducing
and texturing the generic cover than the band once
did! [PL]
ATLANTICS (Detroit, MI)
"Live at the Nite-Lite" 1971 (Hashish)
Lounge wah-wah rock with female vocals.
ATLANTIS (MN)
"Atlantis" 1972 (Tektra)
Lounge blues rock with horns and fuzz. Good version

of 'Down by the River'.
ATLANTIS PHILHARMONIC (OH)
"Atlantis Philharmonic" 1974 (Dharma)
While we've seen the album show up on various psych

lists, musically the collection's best described as
progressive. For better or worse, propelled by Joe
DiFazio's synthesizers, original material such as
"Atlantis" and "Fly the Light" bore more than a
passing resemblance to ELP. To be honest, anyone into
mid-'70s progressive bands was likely to be familiar
with DiFazio's blend of AOR moves (the Styx-meets-ELP
"Death Man"), Yes-styled keyboards (watch out Rick
Wakeman) and occasional classically-inspired
interludes ("Woodsmen"). Those comments weren't
intended to slam the LP. Taken as a package, it makes
for a fairly impressive debut. Even more so when you
consider it was recorded independently and with
minimal financial resources. Besides, we'd rather
hear this than "Tarkus" any day. Certainly worth a
spin if you can find it for a reasonable price. [SB]
~~~
Top-notch private press prog record that works
because it has the usual prog elements (mellotron,
organ, snyth, heavy guitar licks, sci-fi/mythological
lyrics) but is more geared towards songwriting than
wanky soloing. The songs are long but don't branch
off into a million different directions; this is very
well-conceived and not "difficult" to listen to. They
(I should say "he," as the band is basically a duo-
one guy plays drums and another does everything else)
probably couldn't have done a bunch of showoffy solos
even if they wanted to, and the music ends up being
very high on hooks, and, of course, drama. The 8 ½
minute closing song is especially intense. The only
problem here is the mediocre vocals. He's not
pretentious or macho; he just plain can't sing very
well. With a real singer this would have been a
masterpiece. As it is, this is still one of the very
best in the genre. [AM]
ATTENTION SPAN (Richmond, IN)
"Crucible" 1975 (no label)
Actually a various artists assembly from Earlham

College with amateur folk, bluesy rural moves, and
some fuzz rock.
~~~
see -> Sequoiah Stream
AUGUST (PA or NJ)
"August" 1968 (Nise Sound 31)

"August" 2001 (Shadoks, Germany) [450#d]
UK-influenced late beat sounds with an introspective

New England-type mood for most part, has a couple of
goofy music hall-type numbers but also one deep
killer and a dedicated feel about it. A Christian
group though they hide it well, breaks through only
on one track. Another cut has pantsy effeminate
vocals raising the question of what the hell is going
on. OK teen-sound LP with several originals and some
oddball cover choices, but unexciting and
unbelievably overpriced in relation to its limited
musical merits. Funny sleeve design. [PL]
AUTOSALVAGE (New York City, NY)
"Autosalvage" 1968 (RCA LSP 3940) [stereo]

"Autosalvage" 1968 (RCA LPM 3940) [mono]
"Autosalvage" 1988 (Edsel 286, UK)
"Autosalvage" 199 (RCA) [bootleg]
"Autosalvage" 199 (CD RCA) [bootleg]
Frank Zappa discovered this unique band, whose

unusual arrangements and experimental songs make this
a memorable LP that rewards multiple listens. The
metallic guitar tone and odd song structures may
throw a listener at first, but in the long run are
what makes this record so compelling. It’s
“progressive” in the best sense of the word. The
bootleg RCA CD has been reported as having inferior
sound and a screwed-up track list. [AM]
~~~
see -> Bear
AUTUMN PEOPLE (AZ)
"Autumn People" 1976 (Soundtech so-3020) [gatefold]

"Autumn People" 2003 (CD Radioactive 030, UK)
Didn't like this much at first but must admit its

basement charm and rough edges makes the AOR progrock
aspects easier to swallow. Skillful guitar/keyboard
interplay on songs that go through a lot of changes
but usually retain a sun-baked Southwest feel, like
cruising in mid-70s Arizona with the radio tuned to a
local battle of the bands broadcast. Vocals are
amateurish and enthusiastic while the FM rock guitars
and thick keyboard layers make for a Marcus-House Of
Trax sound at times. Occasionally truly atmospheric
local prog-rock that is never too self-indulgent.
[PL]
~~~
This is hyped as prog, but it’s not complex or adept
enough to earn that tag. It’s mainstream AOR-ish 70s
hard rock, not bad, but cheap sounding, with
uninteresting vocals and with too many 80s-style
synthesizers. A few songs rise above: “See It
Through” sounds like it could have been an FM radio
hit and has clever backing vocals and solid guitar
hooks. They try to repeat the same formula on a
number of other songs, less successfully. Not bad,
but despite a few silly sound effects, not exactly
the kind of thing Acid Archives readers crave. [AM]
AVENGERS VI (CA)
"Real Cool Hits" 1965 (Mark 56 no#)
Surf beat LP issued as a promotional tie-in for Good

Humor Ice Cream similar to how Flat Earth Society's
'Waleeco' was sold. Some outstanding tracks for genre
fans.
AWAKENING ( )
"God Come Down" 197 (Christos cs-1001)
Half oversung and half moody deep Christian folky

group. A couple of heavier tracks including a great
one with distorted electric guitar. Nice homemade
project vibe going on here, introspective latenite
winner. The sleeve offers no clues on their identity
or origins. [RM]
AZITIS (Sacramento, CA)
"Help" 1971 (Elco 5555) [500p]

"Help" 1996 (no label, Austria) [bootleg; 300#d; altered
cover]
"Help" 199 (CD Synton, Europe)
"Help" 2001 (CD Orchard 8532)
A highly rated title in the Christian psychrock bag,

mellow and reflective which is the way these LPs
should sound. An organ-based post-1960s sound with
moody vocals and quality song writing, consistent all
through. "The prophet" is a personal fave, but the
across-the-board strength is what makes this LP stand
out. They also had a non-LP 45 as Help, but changed
their name due to the band on Decca. [PL]
~~~
One of the very best Xian records. This album reveals
hidden depths with each listen. The dreamy, laid-back
vibe will appeal to psych fans, but at first hides
the abundance of melodic ideas. After a few listens
you'll be drawn in by the excellent vocals,
consistent sound and thoughtful (not preachy) lyrics.
It's often quite dark, but the groove isn't
depressive. The organ/guitar-based sound isn't
exactly original but the overall feel is unique.
[AM]
AZTECS ( )
"Live At The Ad-Lib Club In London" 1964 (World Artists wam-

2001)
Beat covers, not terribly good but plenty of

adrenaline! Cover has a shameless Beatles tie-in
showing them promoting the club. [RM]
AZURITE (CA)
"Azurite" 1979 (private) [500p]
Collectable late 70s hard rock rarity (the cover

specifies only 500 copies pressed) contains a lot of
acoustic guitar and some really moody passages, which
shows they were going for more than just headbanging.
Unfortunately, a really annoying lead guitar sound
(and solos that go nowhere) pretty much undermine
even the good moments on this album. A few boogie
rockers are especially bad. The lyrics are typically
dumb, which is not unexpected for this genre. They
take themselves really seriously; it would have been
nice if they lightened up a little. [AM]
Acid Archives Main Page
BABY see Sidetrack
BABYLON (St Petersburg, FL)
"Babylon" 1977 (Mehum 4641)

"Babylon" 199 (CD Synphonic)
Genesis-style progressive rock with lots of keyboard

and long tracks, rated highly by genre fans. Oddly
housed in a cover that looks like a punk/skinhead LP;
this design was transformed into a space alien on the
CD reissue.
BACHS (Chicago, IL)
"Out Of The Bachs" 1968 (Roto no #) [500p]

"Out Of The Bachs" 1992 (Del Val 007) [350p]
"Out Of The Bachs" 199 (Flash 43, Italy)
"Out Of The Bachs" 1997 (CD Flash 43, Italy)
"Out Of The Bachs" 2004 (CD Gear Fab) [+bonus track]
One of the most legendary US garage-era LPs. Strong

all through, in a crude garage folkrock style with
some psychy edges and no covers, which is unusual.
The band emits a rather unique, timeless vibe, with a
middle third that is particularly impressive. Takes
time to get into, but ultimately one of the truly big
pieces among 1960s private pressings. Unfortunately,
none of the reissues reflect the presence and punch
of the original. The Del-Val reissue and the
subsequent bootlegs of it are all mastered 1.5%-2.0%
too slow. The legit Gear Fab reissue is the correct
speed but has clearly inferior sound and digital
skips. You need to hear an original (or a CD-R
thereof) to understand the full magnitude of the
Bachs experience. According to a band member, 500
copies were pressed. [PL]
~~~
Chicago jangle guitar downer garage psych with
gorgeous aching vocals. Masterful guitar work
covering the spectrum from Beau Brummels chiming to
anarchic Litter runs. Haunting poetic originals full
of lost love and broken dreams - even moving into
stream of consciousness territory on 'Minister to a
Mind Diseased' and 'Tables of Grass Fields'. The
closer, 'I'm a Little Boy', is an otherworldly dark
feedback monster. Literally every track is a winner!
Recorded in a butcher's shop by this high school
group late 1967 and released January 1968. This group
had a maturity and presence way beyond their years.
For me, it comes down to this and the Litter's
"Distortions" for best US garage LP. [RM]
~~~
In the world of private press, original song, garage
psych The Bachs is one of the 2 or 3 best. Along with
"All Of Thus", this LP is a great example of the
transition from garage rock to psych that happened
all across suburban America in `66-'67. The LP was
recorded in a Butcher Shop on a cheap tape machine so
the sound isn't quite up to major label quality, but
the LP has a charm that truly captures the teen angst
and emotion that so many of these type of LP's lack.
In the scheme of things, if any LP is worth four
figures, it's this one. [RH]
BACK POCKET (CA)
"Have A Nice Day" 1971 (Allied Records AL-1971) [sticker]
Los Angeles-area obscurity with a Dead-like rural

sound.
BACKSTREET BOOGIE BAND (AZ)
"Southbound Freight" 1981 (Platt & Klum)
Dual guitar hard rock with a Southern vibe, has been

compared to Wabash Resurrection.
BAD AXE (Riverside, CA)
"Bad Axe" 1976 (Earth Breeze)

"Bad Axe" 2004 (Hexamon 002) [500p; poster; insert]
Teenage hardrock pointing towards metal with little

or no residues of the stoner era to be found. Solid
guitar-work as you would expect, with doubletracked
axe-men battling it out Ritchie Blackmore-style. The
band works the best during the instrumental tempo-
shifts when the ace drummer kicks in the overdrive
and they really take off into headbanger heaven.
Unfortunately the songwriting is unexceptional, and
the vocalist seems lacking in selfconfidence. Lyrics
are mostly of the bonehead variety, and putting this
all together you come up with an LP that early metal-
guitar fans will love, while those looking for a bit
more needn't bother. Some nice use of phasing and
some prog moves here and there. It appears the LP was
pressed for demo purposes only in a tiny run. There
is also a 45 from 1977 with a PS on the Progrezzive
label. [PL]
BADGE & CO (KS)
"Badge and Company" 1977 (Wilmarco lps-1) [1000p]

"Badge and Company" 2000 (no label, Europe) [bootleg]
Bluesy power trio with ZZ Top sound. The counterfeit

has a whitish label, while the original label is more
beige; otherwise they're very close.
V.A "BADGER A-GO-GO" (WI)
"Badger A-go-go" 196 (Night Owl KTV-3)
15 teen-beat tracks from local WI bands housed inside

a silly sleeve. Bands include Dave Kennedy &
Ambassadors, the Mule Skinners, Jerry & Continentals,
Grapes Of Wrath, and others. The psych-flavored
"Salem Witch Trial" by Kiriae Crucible is probably
the highpoint.
~~~
see -> Mendelbaum
KALI BAHLU (CA)
"Cosmic Rememberance" 1967 (World Pacific wps-21875)

[gatefold]
Eastern meditation exploito with sitar and jarring female

narration.
~~~
see -> Lite Storm
ISABEL BAKER ( )
"I Like God's Style" 196 (Romco HF-101)
Side One starts out with the title track and is far
out there, Christian Garage Rock-A-Billy with vocals
straight from the depths of Hell. Imagine the
illegitimate daughter of Hasil Adkins and Mrs. Miller
and you have an idea of what this sounds like. The
second cut "The Gaderian" is PSYCHO-delic with
Isabel's rockin' guitar ever present. All of Side One
is Real People Heaven that will appeal to everyone
from Billy Miller to Jimmy Swaggart. Side two kinda
sucks. [RH]
GARY BALDWIN & MASS MURDER ( )
"If I Only Could Play Piano" 1979 (Airhole 00001) [100p]
Described as primitive DIY freakouts with one side

being garage rock and the other hippie folk trance,
plus 10 minutes of silence! The band is listed as
Wombat Suicide on the label.
V.A "BALTIMORE'S TEEN-BEAT A GO GO" (MD)
"Baltimore's Teen-Beat A Go Go" 1966 (Dome sr-4007) [2000p]

"Baltimore's Teen-Beat A Go Go" 1997 (Get Hip) [500p]
"Baltimore's Teen-Beat A Go Go" 1997 (CD Get Hip 5009)
Only recently discovered comp of local Battle Of The

Bands winners and runners-up that's an eye-opener for
those blase with 60s samplers. A generous 16 tracks
from unknown groups with great names. It's a
consistent '65-66 ride through frat, dumb sax
instros, beat, punk ballads, Stonesy garage and some
all-out primitive '66 garage, such as the championed
Bobby J & the Generations track. All originals with a
New England-type sound, and for a Maryland comp it's
surprisingly (and thankfully) light on soul-oriented
material. As is often the case with these samplers
many bands have a similar sound. Side two is solid
from start to finish. Despite its scarcity, the press
size has been reported as not less than 2000 copies,
with two sleeve variants; the earlier version has no
label info at the bottom of the back cover. [PL]
BANCHEE (Eastcoast)
"Banchee" 1969 (Atlantic sd-8240) [lyric insert; wlp exists]

"Banchee / Thinkin'" 199 (CD Lizard, Europe) [2-on-1]
Solid late 60s hard rock album with a definite pop

influence (as many great melodies as there are long
guitar solos). Vintage 1969 sound with lots of
different effects on the guitars. There are three
songwriters, but they’re all equally good, and the
mix of writers lends variety. Ends with a terrific 9-
minute blow out. Side two is completely solid. [AM]
~~~
Like much late-'60s product the debut displays some
psych influences (the leadoff, mid tempo number "The
Night Is Calling" has a distinctively trippy feel),
but the predominant sound is heavy, guitar-powered
rock. With all four members contributing material,
original numbers such as "Beautifully Day" (sic), the
fuzz guitar-propelled "Evolmia", "I Just Don't Know"
and the extended "Tom's Island" offered up a series
of high energy guitar powered rockers that were both
tuneful and structurally interesting. That said, the
album was surprisingly diverse. "Train of Life"
sounding like Mike Nesmith after a week of speed,
"Hands of a Clock" had a pseudo-jazzy feel, while the
Latin-tinged "As Me Thinks" recalled early Santana.
Overlooking the pompous back cover liner notes, it's
a great if hard to find debut. [SB]
"Thinkin'" 1971 (Polydor 244066)

"Banchee / Thinkin'" 199 (CD Lizard, Europe) [2-on-1]
Released two years after their debut, "Thinkin'"

found the band aiming for an even tougher rock sound.
Unlike the debut which was a largely democratic
project, this time around singer/rhythm DeJesus was
responsible for the majority of the material. Kicked
along by squealing lead guitar, Latin percussion and
their "group" lead vocals, songs such as the blazing
opener "John Doe", "Willya" and the title track made
for hard rock that was still tuneful and commercial.
At least to our ears the results recall Santana at
their most rocking. [SB]
~~~
Second album has a fantastic psychedelic sleeve. The
sound is much less poppy this time around, in favor
of Latin rhythms and relentless screaming lead
guitars. The solos are overlong, unfocused, and all
sound the same, making this weaker than the debut,
but the new style is pretty powerful until the songs
start blending together. Quite a bit rarer than the
first album. [AM]
BANDOLERO (Puerto Rico)
"Bandolero" 1970 (Eclipse erc-5-m37925)

"Bandolero" 199 (Eclipse) [bootleg]
"Bandolero" 199 (CD Que Diablos)
The record was pressed in Florida for export to

Puerto Rico. A mix of basement fuzzed hardrock and
jazzy funk Santana moves. Moody church organ and
driving fuzz. Disjointed rhythms on many tracks with
weird tempo changes within songs. The vocals, mostly
in English, are obnoxiously bad. The closer, 'Truth
and Understanding', gets a nice anthemic tension
going only to dissolve into a formless funk jam. A
pretty weak effort, really. [RM]
BARBARA [aka Barbie] (NJ)
"Journey to Jesus" 1971 (Bond 101)
The first album by Barbie Sipple (credited simply to

'Barbie') is pure folk, unlike the more varied folk-
rock of the second. It's pretty good, as her
songwriting is catchy and heartfelt. Her singing has
a little too much of the Joan Baez-style vibrato,
though, and isn't as appealing as on SINGS FOR LIFE.
A backing chorus of children on a few songs is
probably intended to be joyous, but comes off as
creepy. Neat album cover could be mistaken for
something Satanic if you didn't know better. The
album came with a lyric/chord booklet. [AM]
"Sings For Life" 1973 (Lazarus Records)
This obscure Christian folk-rock record is dedicated

to the “National Youth Pro-Life Coalition.” Barbara
has a beautiful and commanding voice and there are a
bunch of really good songs here. She’s comparable to,
but more mature than, Marj Snyder and Linda Rich. The
highlight is “Hold On,” with an eerie loner folk vibe
helped along by a great bassline and snaky acoustic
lead guitar. Unfortunately this album includes two
songs sung to and with a chorus of children. They’re
not as hard to take, however, as “Song Of The
Unborn,” which comes complete with a heartbeat and
narration from the point of view of a fetus. It’s
sincere beyond belief, and she plays the dirty trick
of surrounding the propaganda with a truly haunting
melody and arrangement. It hardly gets more surreal
than turning to side two after this song and
immediately finding Barbara joking with a gaggle of
brainwashed young Christians-in-training. Did I
mention that she can really sing? Her version of “He
Ain’t Heavy” would be better than the Hollies’ if it
weren’t for her inept drummer. I dig the picture of
her with a Bert (from Sesame Street) puppet on the
back cover. It can be framed and put on your mantle
next to the famous picture of Osama Bin Laden and
Bert. Oh, and isn’t it wrong for a “pro-lifer” to
sing “I’m so happy I could die?” [AM]
BARBARA & ERNIE ( )
"Prelude To" 1971 (Cotillion sd-9044)
This is a really odd album, beginning with the cover

photo, which shows a tall, sexy black woman and a
short fat stoned-looking hippie (somewhat
reminiscient of Bunky & Jake if Jake went off the
deep end.) The music is a mix of soul, rock and
dreamy folk. Some of it is truly excellent, and the
styles mix surprisingly well. "Listen To Your Heart"
is a classic, the kind of thing that blows away most
"Hippie Goddess" type psych/folk. This is an album
that's too weird for soul fans, too R&B for folk fans
and too 70s for psych fans. In short, it's unique.
And it's wonderful. [AM]
BARBARA THE GREY WITCH (CA)
"Barbara the Grey Witch" 196 (DEA 1d-1001) [gatefold]
Classic with chants, rituals, and sexpot Barb giving

you the straight dope on 60s grrrl power! "A
fascinating trip through the world of modern
witchcraft".
BARBARIANS (MA)
"Are You a Boy or a Girl?" 1966 (Laurie 2033) [mono]

"Are You a Boy or a Girl?" 1966 (Laurie 2033) [stereo]
"Barbarians" 1979 (Rhino 1008) [LP + "Moulty"]
"Barbarians" 1981 (Line 6.24351, Germany)
"Are You a Boy or a Girl?" 199 (CD One Way)
"Are You a Boy or a Girl?" 199 (CD Sundazed)
Perhaps due to the majority of the LP being popular

covers, to our ears the album was a mild
disappointment. Understanding that mid-'60s marketing
demanded a band include covers in their repetoire,
there wasn't anything terribly wrong with their work
(save a really lame "House of the Rising Sun and a
rote remake of "Mr. Tambourine Man"). Elsewhere,
largely written by producer Morris, tracks such as
"What the New Breed Say" and "Take It, or Leave It"
were stronger, benefiting from Moulty's raw vocals
and the band's considerable energy. Curiously, in
spite of all of the resulting publicity, including
numerous appearances on ABC's "Shindig" television
program, the parent set failed to chart. The band's
pre-LP 45 is often considered the best thing they
did. [SB]
BARDS (Moses Lake, WA)
"Bards" 1980 (Piccadilly 3419)
"The Moses Lake Recordings" 2002 (Gear Fab 183)

"The Moses Lake Recordings" 2002 (CD Gear Fab 183)
The Piccadilly LP is garagy pop containing singles

and unreleased tracks recorded through 1969. The
album was released without the band's knowledge. The
Gear Fab title reissues an unreleased 1968 LP,
produced by Curt Boettcher and Keith Olsen and is
more adventurous with some experimental psych
leanings. [RM]
BARONS (San Antonio, TX)
"Barons" 1970 (Solar 101)
"By Request" 1972 (Solar)
Melodic lounge rock and pop soul. "By Request" has a

decent cover of Buffalo Springfield's 'Mr. Soul',
otherwise this band is pretty forgettable. [RM]
BAROQUES (Milwaukee, WI)
"The Baroques" 1967 (Chess 1516) [mono]

"The Baroques" 1967 (Chess 1516) [stereo]
"The Baroques" 198 (Chess, Greece) [bootleg; +2 tracks]
Milwaukee's finest 1960s band had a taste of the big-

time with this good early (recorded March 1967) psych
LP but never really made it. A unique dark
intellectual vibe and odd moody vocals give them a
distinct identity coupled with some monster fuzz
tracks I hope everyone's familiar with by now. The LP
admittedly has some weaker spots but is all over
essential and still easier to find than many lesser
trips. As far as I can tell, this is the very first
psych LP from the entire Midwest. The stereo mix is
considered to be superior. Their privately released
non-LP 45 is superb. [PL]
~~~
Good early US psych album with one foot still firmly
planted in the garage. Nice mix of serious
introspective moodiness and druggy fun. The
psychedelic air-raid fuzz rave-up in "Iowa, A Girl's
Name" never fails to deliver. The mono mix is
somewhat muddy and lacks the dynamics and clarity of
the stereo mix. The 80's boot sounds OK and includes
their rare non-LP 45 as a bonus. [MM]
"The Baroques Are In" 1989 (Baroque 9005)

"Purple Day" 1996 (CD Distortions)
The Baroque release is unreleased material of varying

quality. Most or all of this is also on the CD
release, which includes most of the Chess LP as well
and is recommended.
BARRACUDAS (Highland Springs, VA)
"A Plane View Of" 1967 (Justice 143)

"A Plane View Of" 1995 (CD Collectables 0606)
Opens on excellent beat/garage note with strong

original followed by tough Stones cover, rest of the
LP is similar with mainly Brit Invasion numbers done
in an agreeable manner, even has Beatles and Byrds
covers plus a fuzz rave-up take on "I'm a man" that
has been comped. Only the awful closing "Shotgun"
drags the LP down, rest is fine by local US mid-60s
LP standards with cool teen vocals, nice undistorted
rhythm guitar and occasional sax. I've seen this cut
down in more than one place but it sounds pretty good
to me, along with the Tempos the most "normal" (as in
1965-66) sounding of all Justice albums. Released in
early 1967, the album went on to sell more than 700
copies locally. The band cut a good psych 45 in 1969.
[PL]
YANK BARRY (Montreal, Canada)
"Diary Of Mr Gray" 197 (McConnell Records Ltd. 2-001) [2 LP

box-set; inserts; bonus 7"]
An odd release by a somewhat infamous charlatan whose

story may remind one of an upscale Palmer Rockey. A
"Yank Barry" search produces stories about Federal
scams and imprisonment, friendship with Muhammad Ali,
claims to writing "Louie, Louie," of Vietnam
activism, of being a CEO and creator of a large
corporation, etc. The opening track here, "Mr Gray",
is the same song as on the Stone Circus album (on
Mainstream) but this very similar version is credited
to... you guessed it, Yank Barry. The packaging of
this release is stunning: a faux brown leather
box that opens like a book with gold leaf printing
with black & white photos on the inside. The contents
consist of various inserts (pictures, sheet music,
notes, cards, lyrics), a one-sided 7-inch 78 labeled
as "Introduction To The Diary Of Mr. Gray" and two
full length albums -- one is in stereo with lyrics
(Acts 1 & 2), the other the instrumental version
(Acts 3 & 4) in quadraphonic. Musically, it's pop
psych with heavy orchestration. I find it interesting
with two or three memorable tracks. Sort of a glitzy,
poor man's version of the Sidetrack album. Yank Barry
was only the vocalist on this work, which was
masterminded by ex-Stone Circus member Larry Cohen
aka Jonathan Caine, and the material was released
again, now credited to Stone Circus, in 2001 ("Diary
Of Mr Gray", Mcconnell, Canada). [JSB]
AL BASIM see Revival
BASKERVILLE HOUNDS (Cleveland, OH)
"Featuring Space Rock Part 2" 1967 (Dot dlp-3823) [mono]

"Featuring Space Rock Part 2" 1967 (Dot dlp-25823) [stereo]
Recorded to capitalize on a minor 45 hit, this

collection offered up a then-typical mix of popular
covers and originals. While all five member were
credited as singers, the absence of a distinctive
vocalist was a major distraction. Similarly, covers
such as The Beatles "Penny Lane" and Neil Diamond's'
"I'm a Believer" weren't particularly impressive. On
the other hand, original numbers such as the fuzz
guitar-propelled "Sad Eyed Lady", "Please Say" and
the title track instrumental were all worth hearing.
Hardly one of rock's "pretty boy" combos (the liner
notes described Rossi as having a "comic
appearance"), the doubled breasted brown suits sure
didn't help their appearance - they looked like an
exhausted burial party. [SB]
JOHN BASSETTE [with DAYBREAK] (OH)
"John Who" 1978 (private)
Messed-up real people folk. Bassette, a black folkie,

guy had several more local LPs, all of which are
reasonably interesting, but this is the strangest and
most enjoyable.
JON BATSON (DC)
"Just Can't Lose" 1970 (Rising) [plain stamped cover]
East coast loner protest deep folk from

Scientologist, still active today.
"BATTLE FOR THE MIND" see Willard Cantelon

V.A "BATTLE OF THE BANDS" (HI)
"Battle Of The Bands" 1964 (Star SRM-101)
Hawaiian rarity which is more frat/surf than garage

punk, as the release year may suggest. One track by
the Duplex has been reissued on Pebbles.
V.A "BATTLE OF THE BANDS" (Westchester, NY)
"Battle Of The Bands, Vol 1" 1967 (Ren-vell 317)
Obscure New York City BOTB artefact with an unusually

professional sound for the genre and a gritty urban
vibe. Fairly unique as it does not contain one single
Brit Invasion cover, but an equal mix of
Byrds/Raiders/Spoonful and r'n'b/soul. The most
famous track is the brilliant "High on a cloud" by
the Traits which has appeared on a couple of comps,
but the Henchmen are just as good with the fuzz-
driven garage ace "Say", and the LP as a whole is
above average. The Mystics had a non-LP 45 on Ren-
Vell. [PL]
V.A "BATTLE OF THE BANDS" (Lawrence, MA) (1)
"Battle Of The Bands Recorded Almost Live" 1967 (Onyx 80689)

"1966 Battle Of The Bands Recorded Almost Live" 198 (Star
Rhythm)
BOTB testimony on the same label as Lazy Smoke. Kind

of short with only nine tracks and a couple of odd
choices alongside the usual covers. No originals,
lowkey and sorta samey in sound, not all that
exciting. Re-recorded after the actual contest with
applause dubbed in. This was reissued in its entirety
in the 1980s, this reissue is sometimes peddled as an
"original". Some people have questioned the existence
of an original 1967 release altogether, but it did
come out and differs slightly from the repro, which
has '1966' added to the front cover design and a
different label color. [PL]
V.A "BATTLE OF THE BANDS" (MA) (2)
"Battle Of The Bands" 1967 (Normandy 30867) [2 LPs]
Sub-title is "Live at the 1967 National Finals, in

Ridge Arena, Braintree, Mass". Over 11,000 bands all
over the country competed in this contest! There is
supposedly also a loose third LP that was only given
to band members.
~~~
see -> Tony's Tigers
PAUL WAYNE BEACH ( )

"On Down the Road" 1977 (Aesthetic Artist) [100p]
One-man band moody rural acoustic loner.
BEAD GAME (Cambridge, MA)
"Welcome" 1970 (Avco Embassy ave-33009)
"Baptism" 1996 (American Sound as-1004) [1000#d]
Featuring all original material, tracks such as

'Punchin Judy' and the fuzz guitar propelled 'Wax
Circus' showcase an engaging mix of hard rock with
occasional jazz touches. That may not sound
particularly original or appealing, but their
performances were actually quite attractive. Jim
Hodder had a voice that was well suited to the
group's attack (anyone into early Steely Dan will
instantly recognize him). Highlights include the
rocking 'Amos & Andy' and 'Mora'. For fanatics,
there's a non-LP single 'Sweet Medusa'. [SB]
~~~
Lots of excellent guitar here, and the jazz influence
separates it from the rest of the Bosstown scene.
Collectable value has risen greatly in recent years,
usually a sign that a major label album has stood the
test of time well. There's a professional sheen that
makes the Steely Dan connection unsurprising, but
that's not to say that this sounds like something
you'd hear on 70s AM radio. Distinctive and strong.
The "Baptism" material was recorded in 1970 and
predates the Avco LP. The band also had two excellent
tracks on the soundtrack "People Next Door" (1970,
Avco Embassy 11002). [AM]
BEAR MOUNTAIN BAND (Wickenburg, AZ)
"One More Day" 1975 (Predator) [1000p]
Local mountain air rocker with psychy westcoast

flashes on the excellent title track and elsewhere.
Shifts between wellwritten, more melodic numbers and
a rootsier rural rock vibe, with a couple of extended
jams showing good playing and a nice atmosphere all
around. One of the better in the hippie/barrock
crossover zone - superior to Travelers Aid to these
ears. Not everyone is impressed with this album,
though. [PL]
~~~
Trashy 70s not-quite-hard-rock private press with an
appealingly stupid sleazy vibe (one song is called
"Crotch Crickets," another "tihsllub"). Excellent
opening song has a nice flowing dreamy feel to it,
but the promise of the album ends there abruptly, as
the rest is pedestrian and dull. One can picture
these guys going over pretty well at a biker rally or
in a truckers' bar, but there's a difference between
sleaze and real menace, and this lacks the dangerous
edge of, say, the Burnt River Band. [AM]
BEAT OF THE EARTH (Los Angeles, CA)
"Beat Of The Earth" 1967 (Radish as-0001) [500p]

"Beat Of The Earth" 199 (Radish, Europe) [60p; bootleg;
plain white labels]
"Beat Of The Earth" 2004 (CD Radioactive, UK)
The sleeve says "If you're looking for psychedelic

music, do not buy this album unless you're looking
for psychedelic music", a fair summing up of this
demented cerebral acid-vibe journey. One of the big
discoveries of the late 1980s and it certainly is
one trancey organ/guitar tribal surfpsych jam trip
stretched over two full sides. Warning: this is too
far out for many, though I certainly dig it - close
to the heart of the LSD experience, even while the
main creative force behind it was opposed to drugs.
Essential. Phil Pearlman was the main creative force
behind the band, and went on to several related
projects. [PL]
"Electronic Hole" 1970 (Radish as-0002)

"Electronic Hole" 2004 (CD Radish)
The most recent discovery in the amazing Phil Pearlman

back catalog is this late 1960s drone psych extravaganza.
Shorter tracks with clear song structures yet threatening
to dissolve into atonal chaos at any moment. Hard to
compare to anything else, but Velvet Underground and
Zappa influences can be detected, alongside typical
westcoast psychedelia with sitars and backwards tapes.
Vibe is a bit like Mad River or 50 Foot Hose, true freak
sounds from a freaky era, except more garagey. Some
melodic moves clearly point towards Relatively Clean
Rivers, although six years and another complete
metamorphosis lie inbetween. [PL]
~~~
see -> Relatively Clean Rivers; Joyride
"Our Standard Three-minute Tune" 1994 (Radish 0001½) [500p;

gatefold]
The main Beat guy Phil Pearlman issued this previously

unreleased recording in a 60s style FOC. Many avoided it
due to the exceedingly high price but it was actually
worth it for anyone with an ear for true 60s underground
psych sounds. A variation on the same basic track as the
first LP, maybe not as coherent but with clearer vocals
and some devastating Mystic Tide-style acid guitar. So on
balance almost as awesome as the first one. The liner
notes refer to a 1967 live gig but the actual recording
is studio, from the first LP sessions. [PL]
BEAUREGARD AJAX (Oxnard, CA)
"Deaf Priscilla" 2005 (Shadoks no #, Germany) [350p]

"Deaf Priscilla" 2006 (CD Shadoks, Germany) [+bonus tracks]
Terrific unreleased album recorded for Del-Fi in 1968

by unknown quintet; melodic Beatle-psych with
advanced songwriting, some tough fuzz edges and an
impressive range of moods and moves. Like Fredric
with heavier guitars, or what the HMS Bounty LP would
have sounded like if it had been a true killer. A
must for any fan of classic 60s-style psychedelia.
[PL]
~~~
Showcasing drugged vocals, lots of fuzz guitar, great
melodies and some interesting lyrics, material such
as "Loneliness Is a Sometime Thing", "Is Tomorrow
Thursday" and "Blue Violins" features all of the
ingredients that should make this a sought after set
among psych collectors. Elsewhere while I'm always
reluctant to compare something to The Beatles (since
most of the time such comparison fall flat), tracks
such as 'I Will Be Looking Away' and the title track
actually recall something out of the Fab Fours'
"Revolver" catalog. Mind you the set's certainly not
perfect. The poppish "Happy Brontosaurus" and the
ballad "Take You Faraway" are both pretty lame and
forgettable. Gawd only knows what condition the
source tapes were in but be aware that sonically this
release isn't exactly state-of-the-art. [SB]
BEAUREGARDE (Portland, OR)
"Beauregarde" 1971 (F-Empire no #)

"Beauregarde" 198 (F-Empire) [bootleg]
"Beauregarde" 200 (CD Zeno) [actually a CD-R]
"Beauregarde" 2004 (Jackpot)
The interest in this LP seems to build on the

appearance of guitarist Greg Sage (later of the
Wipers) rather than its musical merits, which aren't
too impressive in my ears. Has a laidback, bluesbased
sound with melodramatic vocals, organ and some good
guitar licks. Beauregarde was a local wrestler and
looks real neanderthal on the sleeve. There was also
a pre-LP 45 with two album tracks on the NWI label.
The label for the original is sometimes incorrectly
listed as "Sound Productions". The Jackpot CD is a
legit re from masters. [PL]
BOBBY BEAUSOLEIL & THE FREEDOM ORCHESTRA (CA)

"Lucifer Rising" 1980 (Lethal 8031, Canada) [1000p]
"Lucifer Rising" 2004 (CD Arcanum/White Dog 0001) [2CDs]
Soundtrack to legendary magick Kenneth Anger film,

originally pressed in Canada only. Beausoleil had
been linked to the 1969 Manson murders and recorded
this while in a federal prison in the 1970s. The
music is atmospheric instrumental space-rock with
guitars and electronics and a strong ritual and
visual quality, impressive in a way that recalls the
better German 1970s cosmic psych albums. The 2 CD set
has some terrific bonus material and is recommended.
There are earlier vinyl reissues of "Lucifer Rising"
not listed here.
~~~
see -> Orkustra
JOE BECK (PA/NY)
"Nature Boy" 1971 (Verve Forecast 3081)

"Nature Boy" 2002 (Breeder Backtrack, Europe)
Jazz guy goes rock here with impressive results. The

album starts with a wonderful heavy version of the
title tune, with tons of wah-wah soaked guitar. The
rest of the album offers plenty more wild lead
guitar, though none quite as sublime as on this
initial song. Fans of this kind of Hendrix-inspired
playing could do much worse; I think this is more
interesting and satisfying than better-known genre
artists like The Road, Peter Kaukonen and John
Ussery. If you’re not a fan of the style, you may
still find it a worthwhile album, as the arrangements
vary, with a few solid ballads (one heavily acoustic)
and some tasteful horns on a couple of tracks. 45
minutes is probably a bit too much, and the
songwriting is only average, but this works because
Beck is such a great guitarist and because his music
isn’t beholden to any particular hard rock style.
[AM]
~~~
see -> John Berberian
JACK BEDIENT & THE CHESSMEN (Wenatchee, WA)
"Where Did She Go" 1967 (Satori 1001)
Obscure local album by Northwest frat/lounge/pop band

of the tuxedo dancehall variety. Seemingly patterned
on the Raiders' "Here they come" with half crooner
ballads & half teen rockers. The charming Orbison-
style smoothies are a bit cheesier than the Raiders'
but the garage fuzz tracks (I counted 3½) are good
with a fat rocking NW sound and neato teen vocals.
Bizarre closing Dylan cover. One track has been
comp'd. [PL]
"In Concert At Harold's" 1969 (Chessmen)
Their LPs are typically a mix of supper club pop with

dramatic arrangements and the occasional garagy
guitar raver. "In Concert" has grade-Z covers of
Creedence, "Light My Fire", "Purple Haze" and more,
as the band moved into the FM rock era. Earlier LPs
include "Two Sides Of" (Trophy 101, 1964); "Songs You
Requested" (Chessmen no #, 1965); "Live At
Harvey's" (Fantasy mono & stereo, 1965); "Jack
Bedient" (Executive, 1966?). [RM]
V.A "BEE-JAY SAMPLERS" (Winter Park, FL)
"12 Groovy Hits, 12 Florida Bands" 1966 (Tener 154)
First LP in this series of demo LPs, all of which

featured local bands available for live bookings.
Includes the Starfires, Swinging Temptations, Wrong
Numbers, Nation Rocking Shadows, and others. The
label was based in Winter Park, but the bands came
from a bigger area.
"Bee Jay Demo vol 2" 1967 (Tener 1014)
This second LP from the the BJ Booking Agency

contains a generous 21 tracks. High points include
originals by Willie & the Adolescents, New Generation
and Hard To Believe, while Bad Pages, Consolidation
and State Of Mind deliver excellent covers. The sound
is pre-psychedelic with an equal mix of Brit Inv,
r'n'b & contemporary US groups - classic garage in
other words. Teenage vocals and sloppy drummers
across the board. Hard to beat as a local garage
testament, though it'll hardly change anyone's life.
The tracks by Beau Jests and Hard To Believe have
been comp'd. [PL]
"Bee Jay Video Soundtrack" 1968 (Tener 1014) [1-sided textured

color cover]
-- same catalog # but different contents from above
Includes Rovin' Flames, Wrong Numbers, Ron & the

Starfires, the Enticers, and others. More soul moves
on this sampler.
"Bee Jay Sampler" 1970 (Tener 1055)
The 1970 LP includes We The People (two weak tracks

in their blue-eyed soul style), the Barons,
Soultenders, Missing Links, and others. Covers of
Neil Young, Chicago TA, soul, and more. This should
not be confused with the two very rare Bee-Jay EPs
from the late 60s with the same title; Tener 1038 and
1039, or Tener 1070 below. See Jeff Lemlich's FLA
discography "Savage Lost" for details. There is also
a recently discovered third EP, Tener 1040.
"Do It Up Right! 1971 (Tener 1067)
The Brewed, East Coast Supply, Oxford Blue and 12

other bands. These later Bee Jay samplers are less
attractive and feature horn-rock, soul and covers of
Simon & Garfunkel, Creedence, etc typical of the era.
"Bee Jay Sampler" 197 (Tener 1070)
As several others in the series, this album has no

actual title. East Coast Supply do reasonable
basement hardrock with "Love machine". Other bands
include Raintree County, Wooden Spoon, Brewed, plus
something listed as "Moog Synthesizer Show".
"Bee Jay Does It Again" 197 (Tener 1081)
The Brewed, In The Beginning, East Coast Supply, and

15 other tracks.
"Gettin' It On Again" 1973 (Tener)
Features Wysper, Skydancing, The Brewed, Ricky &

Tightrope, East Coast Supply, and others.
WILLIAM C BEELEY (TX)
"Gallivantin'" 1972 (North Park 101) [1000p]
Lost folk very Dylanesque sounding. Warm and lyrical.
IRIS BELL ADVENTURE ( )
"Iris Bell Adventure" 1969 (Rubaiyat)
Live jazzy hippie blues trio recorded in Ann Arbor.

RICH BELL (HI)
"Rising Son" 1980 (Money Maker s-7780) [orange vinyl]
Guitar rock with a gorgeous fantasy cover.
BENT WIND (Toronto, Canada)
"Sussex" 1970 (Trend t-1015) [300p]

"Sussex" 1984 (Heyoka 201, UK)
"Sussex" 1992 (Del Val 007) [+2 tracks; 350p]
"Sussex" 199 (Acme, UK) [altered b/w paste-on sleeve; +1
track; lyric insert]
"Sussex" 199 (CD Kissing Spell, UK) [+2 tracks; altered
sleeve]
"Sussex" 199 (CD Green Tree) [+5 tracks]
"The Lost Ryerson Tapes" 2005 (CD Psychedome) [+6 tracks]
"Sussex" is one of the original Holy Grails of the LP

collector scene and a wellknown artefact due to a
number of reissues. The most expensive of all
Canadian rarities with a $5000+ price tag. The music
is heavy underground psychrock with a killer basement
sound and some awesome tracks like "Riverside",
"Hate" and "The lions". Not the greatest LP ever to
me, but definitely essential. According to the band,
only 300 copies were pressed, while the non-LP 45 was
pressed in 500. Modern recordings include "The Fourth
Line Is" (1989) and "Shadows On The Wall" (1996). The
Psychedome CD is a complete reissue of the original
LP in strong sound, plus 4 excellent live tracks from
1970, and the two 45 tracks. There is also a bonus CD
with modern recordings featuring main guy Marty Roth.
[PL]
~~~
A little overhyped, but still a worthwhile album. The
overall sound is a neat cross between garage rock and
heavy psych. It has a real basement (as in “that’s
where they buried the bodies”) vibe, with tons of
fuzz guitar and reverb, desperate vocals, and often
disturbing lyrics. The highlights are the album’s two
grisliest songs, “Riverside” and “Hate.” While the
other songs aren’t quite at that level, there aren’t
any real duds either. It sounds like it was recorded
far earlier than the usually accepted 1969 or 1970
release date. The CD reissue contains a strong B-side
and also some surprisingly good 90s recordings. [AM]
BEO WULF ( )
"Too Late To Turn Back Now" 1972 (Crown CST-632)

Unlike most exploitation Crown releases this is a
real band, with some excellent tracks such as "The
movement".
JOHN BERBERIAN [& ROCK EAST ENSEMBLE] (New York City, NY)
"Middle Eastern Rock" 1969 (Verve Forecast fts-3073) [wlp

exists]
"Middle Eastern Rock" 1999 (Verve Forecast) [bootleg; textured
sleeve]
"Middle Eastern Rock" 2003 (CD Acid Symposium 006, Italy)
This is Berberian's key album for 1960s psych fans, a

tremendous East-West amalgamation with both the oud
and Joe Beck's fuzz given plenty of space. It's hard
to imagine this trip being done better; strongly
recommended to fans of Orient Express and the US
Kaleidoscope. Berberian is an oud master of Armenian
descent. Prior to this cross-over LP he did several
LPs that are more traditional ethnic-folky, as
follows: "Expressions East" (Mainstream 6023, 1967),
"Oud Artistry" (Mainstream 6047, 1967), and "Music Of
The Middle East" (Roulette, 1968). "Ode To An Oud" is
a 2LP repackage of the two Mainstream LPs from 1974.
Some of these albums have been reissued in recent
years. Another Verve LP features Berberian's playing
as a backdrop to poetry readings by DJ Rosko ("Music
and Gibran", 1968). [PL]
~~~
see -> Joe Beck
"Mid Eastern Odyssey" 1971 (Olympia olp-1001)

"Mid Eastern Odyssey" 200 (CD Olympia)
"Echoes of Armenia" 1972 (Olympia olp-1002)
Berberian continued to record and release albums

through the 1970s, via his own private Olympia label.
These albums are harder to find than his 60s works,
and while they are not "rock" genre-wise they attract
some collectors. Another LP on Olympia is "The Dance
Album".
ERIC BERGMAN (NY)
"Modern Phonography" 1978 (Patron Saint ps-1) [gatefold;

insert; 100p]
Lost basement folk and folkrock sound from leader of

Patron Saints, with slide guitar and some acoustic
solo tracks. There is also a second LP from 1982,
"Sending Out Signals".
FATHER PATRICK BERKEREY ( )
"Prayers For a Noonday Church" 1969 (Glasgow 1500)

Intense xian recitations with rock backing by Spur.
Even the priests were flipped out way back when!
~~~
see -> Rite of Exorcism
BERMUDA TRIANGLE (Long Island, NY)
"Bermuda Triangle" 1977 (Winter Solstice 3338)
Ambitious late hippie folkpsych LP with lounge

aspects, transcendental female vocals and elaborate
keyboard arrangements/production, not bad at all for
those into eclectic 1970s sounds. Unexpected covers
of Aerosmith and Circus Maximus are a plus while the
Moody Blues track could have been left off. Fine
originals. Would make a neat double bill with Jade
Stone & Luv. The second LP has been described as a
less effective dreamy keyboard rock effort. Ex-Roger
& Wendy. [PL]
~~~
Truly bizarre folk-psych album that's more enjoyable
than a lot of "better" records. Two of the first
three songs are weird loungy covers of "Nights In
White Satin" and Aerosmith's "Dream On," neither of
which sound like anything else on the album. For
surprise value alone, "Dream On" works the better of
the two, since the Moody Blues tune was dangerously
close to lounge to begin with. Most of the other
songs are full of fiddle-style violin and autoharp,
the latter of which is often treated with phasing,
flanging and other effects. It feels like the songs
are at a normal speed but the backing tracks are sped
up. Some of the melodies are pretty speedy too.
Spastic, cymbal-heavy drumming adds another layer of
intrigue. One song sounds like a twisted take on
funk, another like a hoedown. Both the male and
female vocals are agreeable and work well in the
context of these strange songs. The closing
"Wind" (the Circus Maximus song) is another total
departure, again not resembling anything else on the
album, and sounding uncannily like a Linda Perhacs
outtake. This album is kind of a shock on first
listen, because at least to these jaded ears it's not
often I discover something so original and bizarre.
[AM]
"Bermuda Triangle" 1983 (Sterling Sound) [two 12" acetates]

[?]
"Bermudas II" 1984 (Tribecket tr-0999)
This may be the same material as on the Sterling

Sound acetates. [RM]
BOB BERRY (San José, CA)
"Heavy Berry" 197 (no label) [100p]
Demo album with good westcoasty guitar/organ psych

rock. Berry was formerly with San José band 4th St
Exit, released an AOR solo LP in 1976, and rose to
prominence (as Robert Berry) in the 1980s when
working with various big name prog/AOR bands. The
covers were individually hand silk screened and
sealed with a gold sticker.
JOHN BERRY (GA)
"In the Night Time" 1981 (Clear Sky)
Rural loner folk.
BEST (NJ)
"More Of The Best" 1967 (RPC n-69852) [no sleeve]

"The Gents/The Best" 1996 (no label) [split LP; partial
reissue]
Very obscure sleeveless garage era LP on the infamous

RPC custom label; music is typical local '66 teen-
beat with a bit more "punk" edge than usual. Several
strong originals in the classic moptop style, fake
British accents and a boomy lo-fi gymnasium sound
adds to the overall charm. Nothing for purveyors of
"acid fuzz" like the Litter or Nightshadow, but among
local Northeast '66-67 LPs this isn't bad at all;
like what Rasputin & the Monks would have sounded
like if they hadn't been such losers. Three Stones
and a funny misinterpreted Kinks number round out the
set. Half this LP was reissued along with the Gents,
but the reissue actually excludes some of the best
tracks from the original. One track is included on
the Oil Stains vol 2 comp. [PL]
V.A "THE BEST OF FRANK'S BANDSTAND" (Canada)
"Do You Wanna Dance - The Best Of Frank's Bandstand" 1965 (Arc
669)
Compilation related to CBC TV show aired from

different Canadian cities. Bands on this comp include
the Offbeats, the Raindrops and the Brunswick
Playboys. Contents are teen-beat/pop.
V.A "THE BEST OF THE GREATEST" (Canada)
"The Best of the Greatest" 1969 (Birchmount bm-535)
Features the 49th Parallel (excellent tracks), Guess

Who, Beaumarks. The same label also released
"Strictly Canadian".
V.A "THE BEST OF THE HIDEOUTS" (Detroit, MI)
"Best of the Hideouts" 1966 (Hideout hlp-1002) [1000p]

"Best of the Hideouts" 199 (Hideout) [bootleg]
A rare sort of companion piece to the "Friday At The

Cage-A-go-go" LP with several enjoyable tracks by
local folkrock/garage wizards like the 4 Of Us, Suzi
Quatro's Pleasure Seekers and the Underdogs, most of
which also came out on 45s. A couple of numbers have
been comp'd as well. An equal mix of folkrock, moody
garage and soul covers. The Underdogs are perhaps the
stars of the show with some classy tunes. All over
not quite as good as "Friday At The Cage" but an
appealing snapshot of a legendary scene nevertheless.
Nice sleeve with band photos. The 1990s bootleg may
have been a counterfeit attempt; it's an old-style
cardboard sleeve with paste-on slicks and exact label
repros. The sleeve photo repros have some wear
residue from the original copy used, and there is no
title on the spine. The true original has
'XCTV121245-1A' in the dead wax. [PL]
V.A "THE BEST OF TWIST-A-RAMA USA" (NY)
"The Best Of Twist-A-Rama USA" 1965 (TAR 1000)

"The Best Of Twist-A-Rama USA" 2003 (Norton 275) [altered
cover; +2 tracks]
"The Best Of Twist-A-Rama USA" 2003 (CD Norton 275) [+2
tracks]
Local sampler of 14 Mohawk Valley teen bands put out

by the "Twist-a-rama" TV show. Crude mix of instros,
frat and "the new sound from England". Unlike most
similar albums, this one seems to be group originals
all through, even though some of them are quite
derivative. Bands include Andy & the Classics, the
Originals, the brilliantly named Merseyside 5, while
the King Beats provide a moment of brooding folk
reflection. The original cover shows a bunch of
famous artists, none of which are to be found on the
actual record, naturally. The pressing is notoriously
poor.
BETTY (CA)
"Handful" 1971 (Thin Man afp-703) [200p]

"Handful" 2001 (Shadoks 019, Germany)
Unpretentious get down-boogie barrock/rural rock with

strong guitar leads throughout that lifts it above
the usual trucker tattoo six-pack rockers. Not bad,
though for hardcore 1970s fans mostly. Terrible,
clichéd sleeve unfortunately. [PL]
~~~
This is a grungy bar band with some sleaze appeal,
but it’s hardly a monster hard rock album. The
rhythms are boogie and the spirit is beer-belly. Some
of the lead guitars are suitably fuzzy, and a few
songs have a heavy edge to them, but this is pretty
mainstream and pretty weak. Lots of roundhouse piano
underneath the drunken singing. Pick hit: “Just For
Fun,” a “Foxy Lady” ripoff that’s the raunchiest
thing here. The lead guitar is simple, but plentiful
throughout. The title track is as sexist as the album
cover. No surprise. [AM]
BEYOND (TX)
"Music And... Beyond" 1979 (Tuhlotte Sound)
Cosmic hard rock with lots of spacy guitar effects.

This is pretty cool stuff for the most part, with
energetic hard rockers and adventurous guitar
playing. A few songs are perhaps a bit too proggy for
some, but they’re full of ideas. “Dirge Overature” is
an 11 and a half-minute instrumental with jazzy
moments, an unusual time signature, classical-
influenced interludes, nimble bass playing, long
guitar solos and closing two-minute vibe solo! “It’s
Over” is packed with wacky stops and starts.
Throughout, the experimentation level is creatively
high. The lyrics leave something to be desired, and
the singing isn’t much better (something they must
have known, as more than half of the album is
instrumental) but for overall feel and mood it works
well. More enjoyable and unpretentious than, say,
Jimmy Hotz. [AM]
V.A "BEYOND THE VALLEY OF THE DOLLS" (CA)
"Beyond The Valley Of The Dolls" 1970 (20th Century Fox

10311)
"Beyond The Valley Of The Dolls" 199 (CD) [bootleg; unrelated
bonus tracks]
"Beyond The Valley Of The Dolls" 2002 (CD Soundtrack Classics)
[+bonus tracks]
One of many excellent soundtracks from 1967-70, even

more enjoyable if you've seen Russ Meyer's totally
great film. This has some non-LP (and so-so)
Strawberry Alarmclock tracks, some studio instro
fillers, and six brilliant hippie chick AM blowouts
by the Carrie Nations which is what makes the LP.
Powerful girl vocals (although not by Lynn Carey, who
is heard in the movie), great material and lots of
fun all through, the perfect remedy after someone's
forced you to listen to Janis Joplin. Beautiful
sleeve too. Apparently the recent CD re also includes
the real soundtrack versions with Lynn Carey. [PL]
BEZALEL & THE SABRAS (New York City, NY)
"Folk Rock Israeli Style" 1966 (Tikva t-128)

"Bezalel and the Sabras" 1966 (Tikva t-134)
"Jerusalem Of Gold" 1967 (Tikva t-122)
Jewish garage band featuring melodic guitar folk

instros and reverb rockers, some fuzz. One track from
the "Jerusalem" LP (released as by the Sabras only)
appears on the "Riot City" compilation.
B F TRIKE (Evansville, IN)
"B F Trike" 1988 (Rockadelic 1.5)

"B F Trike" 1995 (CD Rockadelic no #)
Post-Hickory Wind demo LP recorded in 1971 for RCA.

Rated highly by some, though not really top-level in
my opinion, with a commercialized FM rock sound and
dull fuzz riffs. I find this less original and
atmospheric than Hickory Wind. First LP on the
Rockadelic label, this caused quite a stir upon
release. [PL]
~~~
The more mainstream hard rock sound may make this
less interesting than Hickory Wind to some, and it
certainly lacks the variety and just plain weird vibe
of that album. Nonetheless, this is a more
accomplished set of songs, straightforward fuzzy hard
rock that hits far more than it misses. To my ears,
this is an excellent example of the genre as it
transitioned from the 60s to the 70s. [AM]
~~~
see -> Hickory Wind
BHAGAVAN DAS (Laguna Beach, CA)
"Ah" 1972 (Bhagavan Das rd-1) [2LPs; gatefold; book]

"Ah" 2002 (CD Dharmaware) [+bonus CD-Rom]
Neither psych nor folk but spiritual Indian trance

chanting; recommended mainly to those with a special
interest in this 70s cosmic community scene, which
also involved Ram Dass/Richard Alpert (who wrote the
liner notes). Bhagavan Das, then a young ex-surfer
guy from Laguna Beach, is today known as "the Jimi
Hendrix of kirtan". In addition to this release,
there is a 1978 single-LP pressing which appears to
be disc 2 & 3 from the double set. [PL]
"Swaha" 1974 (no label) [2LPs; gatefold; book]

"Swaha" 200 (CD Dharmaware)
The rarer second LP is credited to Bhagavan Das and

Amazing Grace and more Western-oriented with some
communal hippie folk and blues vibes, not bad at all.
About 2/3rds is traditional Indian chanting while two
moody, trancey Blind Willie Johnson covers should
appeal to anyone, and there's also a downer
singer/songwriter tune. Partly recorded live at
Winterland. [PL]
~~~
BIG BROTHER [feat Ernie Joseph] (Santa Barbara, CA)
"Confusion" 1970 (All American 5718)

"Confusion" 1989 (All American) [bootleg]
"Confusion" 1998 (Akarma 013, Italy)
"Confusion" came as a major change in direction to

anyone familiar with Ernie Orosco/Joseph's earlier
pop/lite-psych moves with Giant Crab et al. Material
such as "Heart Full of Rain", "L.L.A. (Lubricated
Love Affair)" and the bluesy "Heavy Load" offered up
a set of Hendrix-styled guitar pyrotechnics.
Elsewhere, the heavily phased "E.S.P." (a strange
reworking of The Pretty Thing's "L.S.D.") was
actually a rehash of Giant Crab's final single. Given
the abundance of guitar rockers, at least to our
ears, the standout track was the atypical ballad
"Wake Up In the Morning". Sweet and sincere, its a
beautiful effort. Sure, it ain't the most original LP
you'll hear this year and parts of the percussion
heavy closing suite "Gravus Delictum" drag, but the
performances were enthusiastic, and it's an album we
play on a regular basis. [SB]
~~~
Mostly first rate hardrocker with a mix of blistering
fuzz raveups and bluesy melodic tracks. Ernie
Joseph's lead guitar and soaring vocals are exemplary
throughout. The lengthy closer is a bohemian
embarrassment however, unless you live for drum
solos. [RM]
~~~
see -> Indescribably Delicious
"South East Tour" 1998 (Akarma 036, Italy)
Supposedly "South East Tour" was originally released

in 1971 under All American catalog number AA-5773-
LPD. The title and packaging give you the impression
this is a live set, but that's not really the story.
Half of the ten tracks are pulled from Joseph's
earlier band - A Giant Crab Comes Forth. The other
five selections are billed as previously unreleased
efforts, but tracks such as "Keeping the Faith" and
"How Many Times" don't sound like concert recordings
to our ears. In terms of quality, the new stuff
varies from ponderous boogie ("Satisfied Woman") to
mildly entertaining ("Truthfulness"). Giant Crab
tracks such as the fuzz guitar propelled "Hotline
Conversation" and the blue-eyed soul-ish "Save Me
(Save Me)" provide the highlights. [SB]
"An All American Emperor" 1999 (Akarma 042, Italy)
To be honest "An All American Emperor" came as

somewhat of a surprise to me. Judging by the cover I
was expecting to hear a set of guitar powered rockers
similar to Joseph's Big Brother catalog. Instead
material such as 'You Let Me Live', 'I Guess I Never
Knew You' and 'I Can't Help Being Yours' features a
much lighter and top-40 oriented commercial sound.
Offering fair warning to all potential buyers,
heavily orchestrated tracks such as 'Cleo' and
'Welcome To the World' have more in common with Mark
Lindsay (perhaps even Gary Lewis) than a rock band.
That's not meant as a criticism since stuff like
'Mary Jane' and 'What Became of Yesterday's Hero'
stands as first rate pop. If I'd bought this knowing
it was a pop album I probably would have given it an
added star. Just don't buy this expecting to hear
hard rock or something psychedelic. The material
comes from a circa 1968 pre-Big Brother acetate. [SB]
V.A "BIG HITS OF MID-AMERICA" (MN)
"Big Hits Of Mid-America, vol 1" 1965 (Soma mg-1245 / Garrett

201)
"Big Hits Of Mid-America, vol 2" 1966 (Soma mg-1246)
Samplers of Minnesota bands with local hits and flops

emanating from the wellknown Amos label nexus.
Contains healthy doses of the swinging frat and teen-
beat for which the region has become famous. Vol 1
has Gregory Dee & the Avanties, Underbeats, Accents.
Vol 2 has Castaways, Gestures, High Spirits,
CHancellors. Canadian pressings on the Apex label
exist. See also the "Top Teen Bands" series.
BIG LOST RAINBOW (CT)
"Big Lost Rainbow" 1973 (no label 6364) [white/black label;

two inserts]
"Big Lost Rainbow" 1973 (no label 6364) [blue/silver label;
two inserts]
"Big Lost Rainbow" 1998 (CD Gear Fab gf-118) [+4 tracks;
black cover]
"Big Lost Rainbow" 1998 (Gear Fab gf-118) [black cover]
"Big Lost Rainbow" 2000 (Akarma, Italy) [insert; black cover]
Pastoral singer/songwriter LP with an archetypal

sound for the style. Many people seem to hate this,
but revisiting it now I can't really see what all the
fuss is about. There's nothing "psychedelic" or "acid
folk" about it for sure, but taken for what it is I
find it reasonably enjoyable. Drawing on CSN roots
(without the "Y") with some James Taylor and maybe
Cat Stevens on top, the main Big Lost Rainbow guy
Ridley Pearson delivers a string of well-written and
skillfully arranged songs with unassuming, somewhat
weak vocals, light rock backing and frequent use of
piano. Lyrics deal with hippie concerns, but the
music is mainly in a sophisticated s/sw direction.
The extended "Sail" goes all the way out into jazzy
violin/flute/piano improv, which isn't bad but still
one of the weaker aspects to the LP. Side 2 lays on a
sombre, reflective mood with a typical post-60s feel,
which combined with good use of flute makes for an
agreeable period sound. Well worth checking out for
fans of things like Wilcox-Sullivan-Wilcox and
Greenwood, Curlee & Thompson, never mind the bullshit
"psych" hype you may see on it. The original pressing
is somewhat noisy and comes in two variants, both
have a silkscreened front cover and paste-on back.
One cover is black and one is white. The total press
size is probably upwards 1500. Pearson went on to
fame as a novelist. [PL]
BIG TOWN BOYS (Toronto, Canada)
"Big Town Boys" 1966 (Capitol t-6168) [mono; gatefold]

"Big Town Boys" 1966 (Capitol st-6168) [stereo; gatefold]
Teenbeat & pop from popular band in the famous

Capitol 6000 series.
BIKE (IN)
"Bike" 1978 (no label 34160)
Hardrock with Don Pierle. Don is Ray Pierle's brother

(McKay, Rhythm of the Highway) but did not play in
the Pierle Brothers Band.
DON BIKOFF ( )
"Celestial Explosion" 1968 (Keyboard k711-s)
New York City label. Instrumental guitar tracks with

a cosmic edge.
BILL HOLT'S DREAMIES see Dreamies
BILLY (Minneapolis, MN)
"Persephone" 1972 (Orion s80-462-2823s) [promo exists]
Laid-back druggy folk from Billy Hallquist. This LP

is typically listed as Persephone Billy. "Persephone"
is one of the songs and promo copies make it clear
the artist is "Billy". About 2000 copies were
pressed, according to the man himself. There's also a
second LP, "Travelling". Ex-Thundertree.
EDWIN BIRDSONG (Philadelphia, PA)
"Supernatural" 1973 (Polydor 5057)

"Supernatural" 200 (Polydor)
"Supernatural" 200 (CD Polydor)
Guitar/keyboard driven soul/funk/rock hybrid LP with

some great moments. The playing becomes a bit too
accomplished and almost jazz-rocky at times though
and it's the groove that suffers from it. Also the
guitarist can't seem to calm down and go with the
groove, he plays about twice as much and half as
soulful and funky as Eddie Hazel or Hendrix. It's a
pretty good album, but the "rock" element takes over
too much and it's not near as good as the '75 one.
[MM]
"Dance Of Survival" 1975 (Bam-boo GR 004) [gold foil

gatefold]
"Dance Of Survival" 1975 (Bam-boo GR 004) [silver foil
gatefold]
"Dance Of Survival" 200 (Bam-boo)
Spacy keyboard driven psychedelic funk, housed in a

great looking sleeve. The guitars on this album are
strictly clean sounding rhythm ones, the leads are
handled by Edwin himself on freaky sounding moog etc
fed through analog filters that gives those wonderful
"whooshy" sounds. I'm usually no big fan of keyboard
driven songs, let alone albums, but here it works
surprisingly well. Good songs, great grooves, weird
lyrics and a warm'n'spacy sounds makes this into one
of the best and most original afro american
funk/psych albums of the 1970's. [MM]
BIRDWATCHERS (Tampa, FL)
"The Birdwatchers" 1980 (Florida Rock 4001) [1000p]
This popular, long-running Florida band didn't have

any albums released in the 1960s, but a whole bunch
of 45s under their own name and in various related
outfits. The retrospective 1980 LP collects many of
their recordings, although there's more out there.
"Mary Mary" is an alternate, previously unreleased
version, while "Turn Around Girl" is listed on the
cover but missing from the vinyl. The LP is seldom
seen today, and oddly no other samplers of the band
exist. A band member joined Magic of "Enclosed" fame
in the late 1960s.
BIRMINGHAM SUNDAY (NV)
"A Message From" 1968 (All American 5718)

"A Message From" 1999 (Akarma, Italy)
Super-rare LP on this infamous label, has been hyped

as a "psych monster" but is more of a typical LA
vocal harmony lytepsych artefact. Past this initial
let-down the album still has things going for it that
makes it worth checking out. There's 3-4 tracks in a
Growing Concern-alike style that fits the band
perfectly; mid-tempo minor chord folk-tinged tunes
such as the great "Wondering What To Feel". The rich
vocal harmonies work both ways, on the strong tracks
they provide a powerful feel, while the weaker tracks
sound bland and exploitative. There's some fuzz
leads, unexpected use of saxophone, delightfully
silly "drug" lyrics, and an overall feel of a vocal
harmony group who tried injecting a "freak" factor
into their music as the times were a-changing. On the
westcoast scale it lands somewhere between Mamas &
the Papas and Yankee Dollar. [PL]
RANDY BISHOP ( )
"Sing A Soft Song" 197 (Liquid Stereo 1) [100p]
Demo press of pro-sounding, somewhat eccentric

singer/songwriter material with lounge aspects.
Recorded in Vancouver. It's the same Randy Bishop who
was in the Wackers, etc.
BILL BISSETT & THE MANDAN MASSACRE (Vancouver, Canada)
"Awake in the Red Desert" 1968 (See/Hear #3 ST 55580) [500p;

insert]
"Awake in the Red Desert" 2001 (CD Gear Fab gf-169)
Wild avant garde ensemble with electronics, caveman

percussion, ranting vocals and a freaky psychedelic
stew over what is essentially an audio book
recording. The LP was issued in conjunction with a
book of the same title published by Talon Books.
Bissett went on to enduring fame as a poet and
painter. [RM]
~~~
see -> "See/Hear"
BIT A SWEET (Long Island, NY)
"Hypnotic 1" 1968 (ABC s-640)
This popsike album gets points for early willingness to

experiment, and it includes some very primitive
electronics. The opening track starts out sounding like
mediocre orchestrated AM pop, but then moves into an
unexpected and cool sitar interlude. The rest of the
album follows suit, with most songs being both bad and
good. For example, the second song, “2066,” mixes a pop
melody that would make Herman’s Hermits proud with some
somewhat random synthesizer or theremin and sci-fi
lyrics. If they’d never heard "Sgt Pepper", they would
have been a second-rate Association wannabe. As it is
they’re a second-rate Head Shop or Aggregation wannabe.
Fans of Beatles covers might get a kick out of their
version of “If I Needed Someone,” which dispenses with
the song’s best asset, the jangly guitars. This may seem
like a negative review, but this album is actually pretty
fun and has some catchy songs. That said, as this kind of
thing goes, there are dozens of better albums. The mix of
guitar pop, soft rock, trendy psychedelia and occasional
soul brings to mind the Sundowners. A long orchestrated
instrumental has the feeling of not being done by the
band at all, a la the Chocolate Watchband. Pick hit: the
dreamy “With You”. [AM]
DAVE BIXBY ( )
"Ode To Quetzalcoatl" 197 (D-24 700320)
Highly rated by the few who have heard it, this

tormented religious loner/downer folk LP has to rank
as one of the ultimate incarnations of the genre. The
opening "Drug Song" sets the tone perfectly as a
supremely world-weary, echo-laden guy laments on how
he screwed himself up with dope; "I'm no longer a
person, I can't even feel". The resolution is (of
course) Christ, who is serenaded in the following
tracks, although the despairing, suicidal mood is
strangely unchanged. Salvation or none, it seems most
things are still a mess for Bixby. Numbers such as
"Mother" and the Grudzien-level "666" confirm such
suspicions. Musically it's a wellwritten lo-fi
recording of steelstringed acoustic and a single
voice, much like Christopher Montgomery, but
undoubtedly more tortured and intense. Frantic guitar
strumming is used to tighten up the tension in an
effective way a la Perry Leopold, while more lyrical
moods are supported by swift fingerpicking. The
vocals are amateurish and somewhat uneven, and in
fact work best when most charged with emotion. The
organic correspondence between lyrics, playing and
arrangements is impressive and makes the LP seem more
alive and artistically aware than most in this often
disappointing genre. Must be heard by any fringe fan.
[PL]
BLAC DOG (LA)
"Backwoods Boogie" 1978 (Crazy Horse 2001)
Swamp fuzz rock, harmonica. Heavy southern rock

boogie sound.
TERRY BLACK (Vancouver, Canada)
"The Black Plague" 1966 (Arc 5001)

"The Black Plague" 2005 (CD Unidisc 2313)
Canadian teenybopper who moved to LA to collaborate

with Sloan-Barri. The LP is often referred to as a
collectable, but is mainly teenbeat with some
tentative garage moves. This is the same guy who
would make the Terence: "An Eye For An Ear" album.
BLACKBIRD ( )
"Blackbird" 1974 (Vinnick Studios var-122)
Moody acoustic folkrock with hippie vibe.

JOHNNY BLACKBURN & MARY LAUREN (TN)
"Echoes of Love's Reality" 1981 (Wind's Eye Music jb-5463)

[booklet]
Despite the 80s recording and release date, this

album has a wonderful mid-70s acid folk vibe. The two
voices blend together beautifully, and the occasional
fuzz guitars give the music an appealing floating
quality. It's dreamy and occasionally meandering,
kind of like a lazy day at the park. The only obvious
80s nod is the use of string synthesizers. Unlike 80s
rarities like Alshia or Child's Art this one just
plain sounds good. The neat arrangements include
oboe, a unlikely but wholly effective instrument for
this type of music. There's not a lot of melodic
variety; it's a long album that maybe could have been
trimmed a bit, but that's a minor complaint. This is
a good one. Most copies are missing the large
booklet, which may have been sold separately from the
album (it was not included inside sealed copies).
[AM]
~~~
Most would probably agree that this is one of the
very best psych-style LPs from the 1980s. Not retro
at all but (like Bobb Trimble) a piece of the late
1960s preserved from time's rust. Male/female vocals
lament and serenade "the quest for knowledge of love
and beauty" in an appealing soundscape, with lyrical
guitar leads throughout, good use of mellotron,
occasional tablas, flute and bells. The recording has
a definite 1981 sound but (again like Bobb) this
somehow becomes an advantage. The vocal blend is
superb and may recall Anonymous and Bermuda Triangle,
while the wistful mood and beautiful melodies is a
bit like British band Ithaca or the melodic sides of
Seventh Dawn. Moments such as "Beautiful Dreamer" go
truly deep and there's not a questionable song on it.
Obviously superior to "collectable" 1970s hippie
couple albums like Susan & Richard Thomas, this is
recommended to anyone open for a folkpsych trip
inside the melancholy and bliss of romance; starry-
eyed as a Valentine Day card written on LSD. [PL]
BLACKBURN & SNOW see S F O Music Box
BLACK DIAMONDS ( )
"A Tribute To Jimi Hendrix" 1971 (Alshire s-5220)
This is a repackaging of the Animated Egg album. It's

exactly the same songs, but in a different order and
with new titles that evoke Hendrix songs (i.e. "Hazy
Color," "Experienced You"). B-movie trash psych with
fuzz, reverb, and cheesy go-go organ.
Related/overlapping LPs also include Purple Fox and
Jeff Cooper & Stoned Wings, none of which seem to
have had US pressings. A Spanish pressing exists.
J D BLACKFOOT (Columbus, OH)

"The Ultimate Prophecy" 1971 (Mercury sr-61288) [wlp; photo;
insert]
"The Ultimate Prophecy" 1971 (Mercury sr-61288) [insert]
"The Ultimate Prophecy" 199 (Mercury)
"The Ultimate Prophecy" 199 (CD Tokala)
Remember those "hip" clothes you wore when you were a

young teen, that now, years later in retrospect, made
you look like a complete dork? And how you used to
try to acheive some sort of "oneupmanship" over your
buddies by "discovering" that great unknown or
obscure LP or artist that was really cool??. I bet
that J.D. Blackfoot's "Ultimate Prophesy" was one of
those "cool" LP's for alot of people back in the day.
It was given FM radio play in isolated markets across
the midwest, including heavy play in St. Louis.
Unfortunately, some 30 years later, it's exposed as a
shallow attempt at rural prog rock. Now I must admit
that 15-20 years ago I thought this album was the
shit, one of the best. So I may have entered this
with high expectations... maybe too high. "One Time
Woman" is a mediocre mid-west bar rocker with a dumb,
tiresome chorus. The next cut "Angel" was/is still my
fave on the LP. Sounds like a stoned Pure Prairie
League/Ozark Mtn. Daredevils meets Arthur Lee &
Love... brilliant!! By the third and fourth cuts I
began to realize just how one dimensional the guitar
playing was, not bad, just boring. "Good Day
Extending Company" features more than a few of J.D.'s
patented shouts of "Ugh!!" or somesuch... decent use
of echoed vocals and effects... one of the better
cuts on the LP. "I've Never Seen You" has a
countrified/Byrdsy flavor and sounds like what I
always hoped the "Spur" LP sounded like. "The
Ultimate Prohesy" begins a 5 cut "song cycle" that
describes the process of birth and death as if
narrated by an American Indian with a profound olde
english accent... HUH!!!??? (plenty of hath's, doth's
and thou's). Lots of time changes, acoustic and
electric dispersed pretty evenly, and I am a sucker
for J.D.'s vocals when run through various effects.
But overall it's GOOFY!!! Almost a parody of itself.
I can certainly understand why I was once a fan of
this LP, and why many folks, upon first listens will
dig it as well. But like those red, white and blue
bellbottoms and the t-shirt with Nixon/Agnew tap
dancing across the front of it that I wore in the 7th
grade, this LP just doesn't hold up in 2002. And by
the time I got through side two I swore that if I
heard him yell "Ugh" just one more time I was gonna
send Mr. Blackfoot some Ex-Lax. [RH]
~~~
This album was once a collectors' darling, now a
collectors' joke. As is usually the case, the truth
is somewhere in the middle, and while the rantings
and ravings on side two are laughable, they're never
dull, and the songs rock with a manic intensity (the
drumming is truly insane) that makes it easy to see
how this became an underground classic on St Louis
radio. One side of the craziness is enough, and in
the long run it's the solid rural rock on side one
that will stick with you. "Angel," in particular, is
gorgeous, but their melodic sense is strong
throughout. No, this isn't a masterpiece, but it's an
album I enjoy every time I listen to it. J D
Blackfoot would release two more LPs on Fantasy, and
a local 2LP live set in 1982. The band continued on
as Osiris after he left the group. A UK pressing
exists with a different cover. [AM]
~~~
see another full-length review
BLACKHORSE (TX)
"Blackhorse" 1979 (DSDA 1)

"Blackhorse" 1993 (Limited Edition, Italy)
Southern style hardrock trio on Dallas label.
BLACK MERDA aka MER-DA (MS; Detroit, MI).
"Black Merda" 1970 (Chess lps-1551)

"Black Merda" 199 (reissue) [altered cover]
Early psych/funk mix that has a great sound and lots

of cool (acoustic and electric) guitar. Songwriting
isn’t as strong as the overall vibe, though, and the
vocals are lousy. A few instrumentals would seem to
remedy that problem, but they’re among the least
interesting songs on the album. Interesting but
frustrating. This album achieved notoriety when the
song "Cnythy-Ruth" was included on the outstanding
funk/psych compilation Chains And Black Exhaust. [AM]
"Long Burn The Fire" 1972 (Janus) [as Mer-Da]
This second album is, for some reason, credited to

“Mer-Da.” The overall vibe is similar to the debut
but the production is smoother, which unfortunately
dulls the effect of the guitars. The songwriting is
better this time around, but the harmonies are the
most out-of-tune you’ll ever hear, so flat that
you’ll think they’ve invented a new style of singing.
If you can get past the singing the lyrics are quite
interesting, with a post-"There's A Riot Goin' On"
depressive feel. [AM]
BLACK ORCHIDS (Charleston, WV)
"AWOL" 1972 (Black Orchid) [no cover; 200p]
Hard psych two-sided instrumental jam.
BLACK VELVET (Las Vegas, NV)
"Black Spirit" 1973 (Krio 01052)
Lounge rock funky realness.
BLACK VOY ALLEY (El Paso, TX)

"Black Voy Alley" 1972 (Black Voy Alley Records BVA 82172)
Obscure 70s cover band doing several Three Dog Night

numbers, mixed with Deep Purple, Traffic, Blue Oyster
Cult.
BLACKWELL (TX)
"Blackwell" 1970 (Astro 9010)
Psychy bluesy rock.
HAL BLAINE (Los Angeles, CA)
"Psychedelic Percussion" 1967 (Dunhill d-50019) [mono]

"Psychedelic Percussion" 1967 (Dunhill ds-50019) [stereo]
Famous L.A. session drummer dons the studio psych hat

and gets real. Spaced-out drum rock with Paul Beaver
(Beaver & Krause) contributing electronics!
BLAZERS (GA)
"On Fire" 1967 (Perfection Sound Studios 5022/23)
Obscure Southern teen-band club LP.
BLESSED END (Philadelphia, PA)
"Movin' On" 1971 (TNS J248) [1000p]

"Movin' On" 1992 (TNS, Austria) [bootleg]
"Movin' On" 1998 (CD Gear Fab 112) [+1 track]
"Movin' On" 2000 (Akarma 118, Italy) [+1 track]
Have to state right away that I don't like this LP,

I've heard it many times but always found it
mediocre. It's biker psych-rock with Doorsy vocals
and "heavy" outlaw moods, but the songs are
simplistic and boring and the sound unfulfilled and
claustrophobic. A depressing LP to my ears, some
people love it though. The original pressing is
apparently noisy. [PL]
~~~
Among the few folks who've actually heard this, the
album comes off as either a wonderful slice of Doors-
styled rock, or utter and complete derivative crap.
For some reason, moderation doesn't seem to exist
with regard to this set. So where do we stand? Well,
we'll cast our lot with the former group. While the
Doors influence is unarguable, most of the ten
originals are actually pretty good. While the
vocalist occasionally overdoes the Jim Morrison vibe,
overall he's a pretty impressive performer, kicking
considerable energy into tracks such as the lead off
rocker "Nighttime Rider", "Someplace To Hide" and the
title track. At the other end of the spectrum, the
set occasionally bogs down amidst the band's penchant
for doom and gloom lyrics, and the band simply can't
match Ray Manzarek and Robbie Krieger in terms of
compositional skills or instrumental prowess. [SB]
ARTHUR BLESSIT (Hollywood, CA)
"Soul Session at 'His Place'" 1970 (Creative Sound css-1530)
Self-proclaimed 'Minister to Sunset Strip'. 'His

Place' was an all-night nightclub where Blessit
preached his psychedelic take on the gospels. Hippie
street preacher wierdness. On "Soul Session", one
side is Blessit's goofball sermon and the other
features a bizarre play and garagy jamming by ex-
addicts, The Eternal Rush! [RM]
FREDDY BLIFFERT (WI)
"You'll Like Bliffert" 197 (no label 1) [insert]
Stoner folk blues and singer/songwriter. Bliffert was

in 1960s band Freddy & the Freeloaders.
BLIND OWL (Canada)
"Blind Owl" 1973 (KC 1010)
1970s folk from little-known act.
BLIND RAVAGE (Montreal, Canada)
"Blind Ravage" 1972 (Crescent Street cs-1874)
Rhythmic guitar and organ hardrock with growling

vocals.
BLISS (AZ)
"Bliss" 1969 (Canyon 7707)

"Bliss" 2002 (Void 023)
One of our favorite recent discoveries, "Bliss" was

released by the L.A.-based Canyon Records. Musically
the LP offered up a mix of originals (all three
members contributing material), and blues covers.
Based on the cover which shows a chalice and a young,
angry looking priest, our initial expectations were
that this might be a Christian-rock LP. Those
thoughts were reinforced by the opener "Ride the Ship
of Fool" which blended a nice melody with sweet
harmonies and a pseudo-religious lyric and "Cry for
Love". While those characteristics are enough to send
a large segment of the population running for cover,
in this case the results aren't half bad. The
religious sentiments are kept in check throughout and
are wrapped in a series of tasty rockers. With
powerhouse drumming and strong fuzz guitar (check out
"Visions" and their cover of Joe Tex's "I Want To be
Free"), this is simply a great LP! [SB]
BLITZ (Cleveland, OH)
"Oga Erutuf" 1975 (no label)
This hard rock band performed in makeup that was

similar to, but more tribal than, Kiss, making them a
real product of their time. There is one truly putrid
song here, “Don’t Wanna Be Bussed,” which couples an
annoying speak-sing vocal with a horrid attempt at
social commentary. Bands this dumb shouldn’t make
attempts to be meaningful; they dare to insult some
girl’s intelligence in one lyric, while elsewhere
they think that the song title “Holden Me Down” is
spelled correctly. An obvious explanation for their
lack of brainpower can be found in the massive
amounts of references to a stoner lifestyle. That
said, considering the gimmick and the low IQ, other
than that one song, the music on this album is very
good, a pleasant surprise. It’s melodic, hooky, even
tasteful hard rock. A few songs verge on good power
pop and none of them are bogged down by slow paces or
tedious soloing. The dreamy, spacy “Mr. Natural” is
fantastic. So, as long as you skip track two on side
one and don’t pay too much attention to the words,
this is recommended. [AM]
BLOODY MARY ( )
"Bloody Mary" 1974 (Family Productions fps-2707)
Oddly, this LP has almost no credits, and the listing

of "John Bradley" as an engineer has many speculating
that the ex-Sir Lord Baltimore drummer/ singer is in
this band. If so, he's certainly lost that je ne sais
quoi that made him so amazing, because the vocals
here are strident without being exciting. The band
plays guitar/organ heavy rock that's relatively
undistinguished, though the closing song on side one
is pretty great. This album has an odd not-quite-
funky hard rock sound that's hard to describe, but
it's likely that a listener will either immediately
like it or immediately hate it. Yet another bizarre
album on the Family label. [AM]
BILL BLUE ( )
"Indian Summer Blues" 1975 (Feather)
"Street Preacher" 1975 (Feather 7001)
Acoustic folk blues with slide guitar and occasional

piano, second LP has full rock setting.
BLUEBIRD (Seattle, WA)
"Country Boy Blues" 1980 (Piccadilly 3382)
Early 1970s recordings rural folkrock sound with

harmony vocals. The band recorded a still unreleased
LP in 1972, including a live version of "Cantaloupe
Island", also famously covered by Seattle colleagues
Daily Flash.
~~~
see -> Grand Theft
BLUEBYRD (Bernidji, MN)
"Bluebyrd" 1975 (no label)
Introspective folk trio with psych leanings. Acoustic

guitar, flute, hand drums.
BLUE JOHN see Thrower Spillane & McFarland
BLUE LIGHT (HI)
"Reflections Of The Inner" 197 (BLPC)
Obscure progessive folk from Hawaii.
BLUE MAX (Amherst, Canada)
"Limited Edition" 1976 (Solar 2011) [1000p]

"Limited Edition" 2003 (CD Gear Fab 203)
Local Nova Scotia teenage hard-rock with band

originals all through.
BLUE MONEY BAND ( )
"No Money Down" 1977 (Money Master)
"Do Your Duty!" 1979 (Money Master 1273-2) [blue vinyl]
Mix of blues, hardrock, and psych with stinging

leads. Ex-Woolies guys.
BLUE MOUNTAIN EAGLE (Los Angeles, CA)
"Blue Mountain Eagle" 1970 (Atco 33324)
As far as music per $ value goes this is one of the

best scores out there. A 2nd-tier supergroup of
sorts, these guys put together an LP of ballsy psych-
hard rock transition tunes that ranks with any
private press. Fat production with dual guitar leads,
awesome bass runs (by Randy Fuller!) and tight
ensemble singing. Occasional X-ian concerns in the
lyrics and it does have an Agape/All Saved Freak Band
feel. The sound is a consistently balanced mix of
westcoast rock, British hard rock and early Southern
rock; it would have fit well on the Nasco label. To
nitpick some, the male ensemble singing creates a
somewhat detached feel and the production is too
slick in places, but if on a private label and with a
female vocalist this would have been a $500 LP. Great
opening track gives a good idea of the album's sound.
Judging by the catalog number the LP was released in
the Spring 1970. A French pressing exists, and there
is also a non-LP 45 track.
BLUE RIDGE (Long Island, NY)
"Blue Ridge" 1974 (no label r-2025) [100p]
Rural x-ian rock sound with a loose amateur feel.

Several of the tracks have heavy guitar breaks worthy
of Joshua. The vocals are charmingly bad and some of
the lyrics are downright strange like on the trippy
"My Love's Alright" and the amazing anti-abortion
ditty "Unborn Baby". Not a great LP but an
interesting obscurity. The drummer, John Hauser, went
on to play on the Danny & Lynda LP. According to the
band, as few as 100 copies were pressed. [RM]
BLUES CLIMAX see Alan Franklin (Explosion)
BLUES IMAGE (Tampa, FL)
"Something to Say" 1977 (Illusion cm-2006)
"Leavin' My Troubles Behind" 1977 (Illusion cm-2007)
"Ride Captain Ride" 1977 (Illusion cm-2008)
"Can't You Believe in Forever" 1978 (Illusion)
"Clean Love" 1978 (Illusion)
Bluesy guitar rock featuring Mike Pinera (Iron

Butterfly, Thee Image) on his own tax-scam label. The
band had an earlier hit on Atco with "Ride Captain
Ride". The Illusion LPs are rather difficult to find,
although musically they are a bit too much in the
mainstream roadhouse bag to attract significant
collectors attention. Hopney and Charmer members
provide the backing. The band's earlier wellknown LPs
on Atco are not listed here. [RM]
BLUES SPECTRUM (PA)

"We Were the Blues Spectrum" 1969 (no label db-8970)
High school group. Rough, garagy blues jams with

horns and fuzz. One of the border pieces from garage
into stoner rock.
BLUES TRAIN ( )
"Blues/Train" 1969 (Condor 2465)

"Blues/Train" 200 (CD Gear Fab 158)
"Blues/Train" 200 (Gear Fab/Comet 406, Italy)
Jammy blues-rock with possible Johnny Kitchen (Crazy

People, Victims Of Chance, etc) involvement.
BLUES UNION (Houston, TX)
"Blues Union" 1980 (Lunar 2)
Blues rock and Texas shuffle with wailing guitar

courtesy Michael Heyman, early 1970s sound. A 45 was
also released.
BLUE THINGS (Hays, KS)
"Blue Things" 1966 (RCA LPM 3603) [mono]

"Blue Things" 1966 (RCA LSP 3603) [stereo]
"Blue Things" 2002 (RCA) [bootleg]
If you know them from the good psych 45s, beware as

this is for the most part unexceptional Beau Brummels
style folkrock. Admittedly has some good tracks but
is a far cry from their best efforts to my ears. Nice
sleeve design though. An exact vinyl repro now
exists, and all tracks are also available on the
Cicadelic 3-LP set, also issued on CD by
Collectables. The third volume in the series features
their excellent psych-oriented material from 1967.
[PL]
~~~
Due to inclusion in Ritchie Unterberger’s "Unknown
Legends" book, they’ve gotten quite a bit of
attention. A series of CD reissues have mixed up the
album, single and unreleased tracks in a rather
haphazard manner, which in my opinion detracts from
all of them. The actual album is a very enjoyable
folk-rock record with great vocals and a bit of a
rocking garage edge here and there. Most of the
melodies are stolen from somewhere (a “You’ve Got To
Hide Your Love Away” rip is the most blatant), which
keeps this from being completely top shelf, but the
album isn’t packed with filler like most relics of
its time. It has aged surprisingly well. The post-LP
psychedelic singles, which are completely different
from the album, similarly have a great sound to them
but are a tad short on ideas. The same backwards
guitar sound runs through all of them and one of them
steals the Monkees’ “Last Train To Clarksville”
melody. [AM]
BOA (MI)
"Wrong Road" 1971 (Snakefield 001) [circa 500p]

"Wrong Road" 199 (Snakefield) [bootleg]
"Wrong Road" 1998 (CD Gear Fab 113) [+2 tracks]
"Wrong Road" 1998 (Gear Fab 113) [+2 tracks]
This cool early hardrock item has every bit as much

garage attitude as the best '66 LPs. An enjoyable
energizer with wild stories about murder and
infidelity in a raunchy basement guitar/organ
setting. Crappy press and one of the least
professional band photos ever on the sleeve. A minor
classic within the field. A 10" acetate recorded as
Anvil in 1970 has also been found. [PL]
~~~
This late garage album has a rough sound, cheesy
organ, simple hooks, and lyrics about the singer
murdering his girlfriend. I like the cymbal-happy
drummer and the fact that the bass is way too high in
the mix. I can’t say the same about over-loud backing
vocals, though. Overall, this is a decent garage-
bordering-on-hard-rock album where the cheap
production works both for it and against it. The
songs and playing are decent; the energy level is
high, the singer is appealing. The closing song rocks
particularly hard. The only problem is that the “oh
oh” vocals in the last couple of minutes are horribly
out of tune, ending things on a sour note. That issue
aside, most of you will enjoy this quite a bit. [AM]
~~~
Here's some more Boa details, from ex-band member Ted
Burris: "The first time we went to the recording
studio (and made the acetate) was in 1970. It was
Anvil's first attempt at recording. The guy that
recorded us was a cerebral palsey victim and worked
the controls with the back of his knuckles. The next
time we got together we did it ourself in a
Tupperware warehouse owned by Brian the keyboardists'
dad. It was all done live, so if we made a mistake we
had to start over."
BOA CONSTRICTOR & A NATURAL VINE (Baltimore, MD)
"Boa Constrictor and a Natural Vine" 1968 (Vanguard Apostolic

vsd-6511) [promo exists]
Dark bluesy underground folk. Primitive strummed

guitar sound with moody sax and downer lyrical
concerns. Like down and out country blues 78s
filtered through a hippie seeker's prism. The LP was
also released in Canada & UK. [RM]
BOAZ (WI)
"Three of a Kind" 1978 (Blue Moon)
Heavy guitar trio bluesy swamp rock mixed with rural

Deadish sound.
BOBBY'S BLUES BAND ( )
"Gold Dust" 1978 (Royal Rose)
Inept real people guitar rock and keys with backwards

parts and long wayward jams that sound like its the
first time they've ever played together. "My love is
like an island in the sun" brings in weird caribbean
atmospheres for a memorable experience, approaching
some of the sleepier Grateful Dead clone bands from a
novel angle. [RM]
BOHEMIAN VENDETTA (Long Island, NY)
"Bohemian Vendetta" 1968 (Mainstream 56106) [mono]

"Bohemian Vendetta" 1968 (Mainstream S-6106) [stereo]
"Bohemian Vendetta" 1997 (Mainstream) [bootleg]
"Bohemian Vendetta" 199 (CD Mainstream) [bootleg]
"Bohemian Vendetta" 1998 (Distortions) [+bonus tracks]
"Bohemian Vendetta" 199 (CD Distortions) [+bonus tracks]
Interest in this has surged recently and quite

rightly too, as this is one of the best acid-punk LPs
ever. Clearly inspired by "Electric Comicbook"-era
Blues Magoos, these Long Island kids definitely had a
problem with both drugs and their attitude! Their
originals are excellent Vox organ/fuzz teen garage
psych and the covers pretty demented as well. The
cough syrup highschool play vibe of "Deaf, Dumb &
Blind" must be heard to be believed. Not a perfect
album, but the highs are higher than on almost any
other LP of this kind. Possibly the best on the
label, at least if you prefer the 60s teen-garage
approach over hippie longhairs. A Canadian pressing
exists. [PL]
~~~
Easily one of the best on the label with lots of
classy psychpunk originals and a truly unique vibe
all through it. These guys must've been left pretty
much on their own in the studio, probably accompanied
by large amounts of weed and cheap beer! You can
almost hear the degeneration taking place, from the
almost straight punky performance of "Riddles &
Fairytales" to the utterly demented "Satisfaction".
They even manage to re-write "Gloria" into "(She
Always Gives Me) Pleasure" and give it way dirtyer
lyrics. The whole album must be heard to be believed
- a truly unique LP, especially for a major label!
One of the few genuine US garage/acid punk LP's from
the 60's no doubt. The pre-LP 45 ("Enough" / "Half
The Time" on United Artists) is also an essential
killer. [MM]
~~~
see -> Dust Bowl Clementine; Faine Jade
BOLD (MA)
"The Bold" 1969 (ABC s-705)

"Lullaby Opus 4" 2003 (CD Misty Lane 067, Italy) [album +6
tracks]
Overlooked psych-era album from band with famous

garage 45s; the LP is an appealing mix of floating
dreamy Northeast organ psych a la Freeborne and early
rural rock, has some really good psych tracks and is
worth checking out. Three wellknown covers lessen the
impact but not enough so to ruin the LP. Vinyl-
sourced CD reissue has the band's garage-era 45s as
bonus. [PL]
~~~
This Bosstown album probably failed to attract
attention because it came a few years after the hype.
Looking at the cover and seeing three familiar cover
versions, you’d expect something unremarkable, but
this is a real find, an original, highly creative
album that stands with the best from the city. Lots
of cool organ, interesting experiments (including a
shimmering guitar instrumental that anticipates
ambient music), jazzworthy chops, hooks that sneak up
on you. Should appeal equally to psych and prog fans.
Even the cover versions are great. Despite being on a
major label, this rarely shows up for sale. [AM]
BOLDER DAMN (Fort Lauderdale, FL)
"Mourning" 1971 (Hit 5061) [500p]

"Mourning" 1991 (Rockadelic) [altered cvr; insert; 300p]
"Mourning" 1997 (CD Rockadelic)
"Mourning" 2001 (Void 21)
Underground teenage hardrock LP in the typical early

70s bag with realistic lyrics about Vietnam. Strained
pseudo-macho vocals may be seen as drawback, though
probably appear charming to others. Often compared to
Black Sabbath which is a fair analogy, though this
has a more rural sound. Also shows some other
ambitions on the long track on side 2. A classic
among local hardrockers. As often, ridiculously low
estimates of the pressing size have been in
circulation, while the band has reported a more
normal run of 500 copies. The vinyl reissue has
altered track order. [PL]
~~~
This band's popularity was almost entirely due to
their Alice Cooper-inspired stage show, something
that obviously is missing from the LP. The result is
that whatever excitement they generated just isn't
apparent to the listener, and the result is an
enthusiastic but not particularly distinguished hard
rock album. [AM]
BONDSMEN ( )
"Bondsmen" 1966 (Austin)
Quite obscure teenbeat LP.
BONNEVILLES (NC)
"Bringing It Home" 1967 (Justice 146)

"Bringing It Home" 1967 (CD Collectables 0623)
Perhaps the archetypal Justice LP, even has a ballsy

statement declaring the death of the "Liverpool
Sound" and the "Tottenham Sound", and the coming
victory of the blue-eyed frat-soul Justice sound. The
lame-ass Billboard R'n'B 100 covers and uninspired
playing found on the actual record stand in stark
contrast to this bravado. Usual fare for the label,
the hippest things being an incorrectly interpreted
"96 tears" and a closing instro. Organ upfront,
sloppy drummer, harmony vocals with lyric mistakes
left intact; everything you can ask for. Band are 6
shorthaired dorks, 2 with glasses. [PL]
BONNIWELL MUSIC MACHINE see Music Machine
T S BONNIWELL (Los Angeles, CA)
"Close" 1969 (Capitol st-277) [green label]
Dark crooner LP from Music Machine main guy. Held in

low regard by MM fans but in fact well worth checking
out for fringe/downer lounge LP fans. Bleak and
introspective interiors from the acid hangover era:
"Candles at noon, still shining/Poetry cold,
unrhyming." [PL]
~~~
see -> Music Machine
BOOT (FL)
"Boot" 1972 (Agape lp-2601)
This hard rock album by some down home Southern guys

has an amusing album cover and some excellent music.
Side one has four winners : they’re hooky, the guitar
playing is hot, the rhythm section is tight and the
singing is very good. There are no keyboards on this
album, but the guitars provide plenty of variety,
with slide guitar, lots of wah-wah, acoustic to add
color, and two nice side-ending washes of feedback.
The sound is hard without being heavy; the tempos are
upbeat, the vibe is bar band rock and roll. Side two
adds a hint of a rural edge (after all, these guys
are Southerners), and while it’s not quite as
consistent as side one, it’s strong enough to make
this album a definite keeper. It’s comparable to, as
professional sounding, and better than, major label
bands like Jukin’ Bone and Stray Dog, etc… The label
is “Agape,” but there are no Christian lyrics, as far
as I can tell. [AM]
"Turn the Other Cheek" 1977 (Guiness gns-36002)
This shows typical second album “growth,” moving from

the first album’s straight hard rock into melodic
guitar rock, bluesy southern rock and a side-long
suite with prog leanings. Mostly it’s quite good and
the guitar playing continues to be effective and
varied. The great opening song “It’s All Comin’ Down”
beats the best songs from the first album. Too bad
about the five minute drum solo near the end of side
one. It’s full of trippy sound effects, but it’s
still a drum solo. Otherwise, this is recommended
just a tad less strongly than their self-titled
album. As is usually the case with tax scam label
releases, it has not been determined when this music
was recorded, but it’s unlikely that the distance
between the two albums really is five years. [AM]
BOOTH, DAVIS & LOWE (AZ)
"Prototype" 1978 (Titicaca)
Heavy progressive guitar rock with synth and

glockenspiel(!). Excepting the chunky, finger-flying
fusion guitar, not terribly memorable. [RM]
BOREALIS (Canada)
"Sons Of The Sea" 1972 (Audat 477-9025/6)

"Sons Of The Sea" 199 (Audat, Germany) [bootleg]
"Sons Of The Sea" 200 (Void 23) [500p]
"Sons Of The Sea / Professor Fuddle's" 2005 (CD Beatball, South
Korea) [2-on-1]
Obscure and not that exciting bluesy organ-led

psychrock from Canada, similar to side 2 on Jarvis St
Revue. Two or three standout tracks like "Tomorrow
morning" while the rest is sort of average. The
reissue might be worth checking out. [PL]
~~~
This is heavier than most Canadian keyboard-led rock
of its time, but not a whole lot more memorable. It
sounds pretty good on first listen but once you get
used to the songs you realize there's not much there.
[AM]
~~~
see -> Professor Fuddle's
BORN AGAIN (CA)
"Born Again Pagan" 2002 (Rockadelic 42) [600p]

"Born Again Pagan" 2005 (CD Shadoks 073, Germany)
Previously unreleased 1970-71 tapes from Marin County

band who flirted with success in L A. Cool,
convincing early Southern rock exposé with
inspiration coming from the Faces and heroin-era
Stones rather than Memphis, I would think. Strong
songwriting and solid grooves with standard rock
setting plus piano and appropriate bourbon-soaked
vocals. It's All Meat at their rootsiest is one point
of reference. Nice gatefold cover with a big pic of
Pat Boone (don't ask), my only gripe being the
compressed and tinny soundscape on some tracks. A
neat trip for those who dare think outside the
garage/psych box. [PL]
BORUK ( )
"Blackhole Boogie" 196 (no label bg-0606)
Beat poetry and sampling (Beatles, Stones, etc)

collage. Has a strong sexual component. 25 tracks!
V.A "BOSS DANCE HITS" (HI)
"Boss Dance Hits" 1966 (Teen 1001)
Hawaii sampler of local surf and frat. Side 1 is

Telstars, side 2 is Mopptops, Casuals Of Waikiki, and
more.
BOULDER BROTHERS ( )
"A Period Of Time" 1975 (Sheepeater 000-1)
Obscure rural/countryrock with nice double exposure

front cover.
BOUNTY (CA)
"Bounty" 1981 (Harts 755)
Synth-led progressive. Including ARP Odyssey, Solana

string ensemble, Steinway piano, guitar, bass, drums.
BOW STREET RUNNERS (Fayetteville, NC)

"Bow Street Runners" 1970 (BT Puppy 1026)
"Bow Street Runners" 1995 (T.U.T, Austria) [300#d; bootleg;
altered sleeve]
"Bow Street Runners" 1996 (Sundazed 5029) [green vinyl]
"Bow Street Runners" 1996 (CD Sundazed 6112)
A legendary LP, for long rated as the rarest psych LP

on a "real" record label. Unfortunately some tracks
are in a blues/jugband style I doubt anyone will
enjoy. Side 1 is good with a youthful 1967-68 classic
psych sound, while side 2 is clearly weaker.
"Electric star" is sheer perfection with its female
vocals, spaced-out lyrics and wild fuzz breaks, while
"Another face" is drowsy pot-psych with an amusing
one-note "solo". These two are the standout tracks,
with the opening "Watch" a strong organ/guitar
garage-psycher also worth hearing. That's about where
the good stuff ends to my ears, and like the New
Tweedy Bros it's a case of the legend overshadowing
the actual music, once you sit down and actually
listen to the album. Beware of the Austrian bootleg,
which has a lame new sleeve. An original 1971 Mexican
pressing on Panamusic/Sol exists, with altered cover
design. [PL]
KENT HARRISON BOYLES (MD)
"Kent Harrison Boyles" 1973 (no label)
Local obscurity described as 1970s basement

folkrock/singer-songwriter with UK pop angles.
J LELAND BRADDOCK (MS)
"Evil Is On My Mind" 1975 (Live Bears no #)
This occasionally shows up on dealer lists as a rare

psych effort. The rare part is probably true since
less than 500 copies were reportedly pressed. In
contrast, the psych label is pretty far off target as
his format is fairly straightforward blues. Backing
himself on acoustic guitar and harmonica, nothing
here is particularly original, though to my ears he
occasionally bares a resemblance to a bluesy (if
bizarre) cross between Joe South, Leon Redbone and
some 80 year old blues guy ('The New Willie Brown'
and 'Diamond Ring'). Another big drawback is the fact
that much of the material has the same kind of sound.
A guy strumming an acoustic guitar and playing
harmonica has certain aural limitations and those are
clear on Braddock's set of acoustic, mid-tempo
numbers. It's simply hard to tell where something
like 'Hometown Blues' ends and 'Lucy's Debut' starts.
Bottom line is this one didn't do much for me, but
might find some interest in 'real people' devotees.
Sides 1 and 2 are reversed between the liner notes
and the actual playing sequence. [SB]
"That Second Mile" 1976 (Live Bears)

DON BRADY & THE LAST EARTHBOUND BAND ( )
"Mostly Live" 1977 (Lizard)
Wasted rural jams.
VICTOR BRADY (NY)
"Brown Rain" 1970 (Polydor) [wlp exists]

"Brown Rain" 2005 (CD Syn-Ton, Austria)
You'll never hear another album like this one --

seriously heavy rock with the lead instrument being
steel drums. Brady's band is really hot, and for a
song or two this unlikely combination of sounds is
exhilarating. A full listen to the LP, though, shows
that it doesn't really work; it clashes and seems
more like a novelty than a truly good idea,
especially on a few long jams. Recommended to the
brave among you. [AM]
JOHN BRAHENY ( )
"Some Kind of Change" 1968 (Pete s-104) [gatefold]
Braheny is remembered mostly as the writer of the

Stone Poneys’ “December Dream,” but his talent ran
much deeper than that, and this is a great album
worthy of rediscovery. About half of the songs are
excellent laid-back rural folk-rockers, including
“December Dream” and the sublime “Grey Day.” The rest
of the album is experimental, highlighted by the
electronics on the title track and the long free-form
instrumental that closes side two. Though marred by a
six-minute track mixed below a monologue from an LA
tour bus driver (mildly interesting on first listen,
highly irritating thereafter), this album is near the
top of the psychedelic singer-songwriter heap. [AM]
BRAIN POLICE (San Diego, CA)
"Brain Police" 1968 (K.B. Artists wr-4767) [no sleeve;

insert]
"Brain Police" 1997 (Rockadelic 26) [diecut sleeve; insert;
600p]
"Brain Police" 2000 (Akarma 174, Italy) [altered gatefold
sleeve]
"Brain Police" 2000 (CD Akarma 174, Italy)
"Brain Police" 2000 (CD Shadoks 8, Germany) [+bonus tracks]
Nicely done reissue of little-known (at the time)
demo LP. Energetic organ/guitar psych-rock with a
Brit/top 40 influence, pretty solid but slightly
overrated to my ears; songwriting is good but not
exceptional and loud simplistic drumming is a minus.
Basically the vibe of a solid club band having
rounded up enough originals to get with the new and
more creative times. 50 copies of the Rockadelic
release came on green vinyl. Reissued again to meet
popular demand, this 2nd press is less ambitious in
the packaging. [PL]
~~~
Demo LP from San Diego '68, with lotsa variation from
folkpsych/pop and west coast/Moby Grape influences,
to full-on fuzz blasters. It might sound a bit dull
at first, but grows with repeated listening. One of
the better Rockadelic reissues in my opinion. [MM]
BRAMANTE & CROSS ( )
"When The Music's On" 1972 (private)
Male & female duo doing hippie folkrock with basic

band setting in homemade sleeve.
BRAT ( )
"Brat" 1973 (no label r-2826) [1-sided; no cover; 150p]
Guitar rock, includes covers of "The Nazz are Blue"

and "The Kids are Alright".
BRAZDA BROTHERS (Canada)
"Brazda Brothers" 1972 (Dominion 93077) [5000p]

"Brazda Brothers" 2001 (Void 29)
"Brazda Brothers" 2002 (CD Hallucinations)
Appealing rural hippie folkrock with short, succinct

tunes and a Neil Young vibe. Songwriting is good, and
the vocals relaxed and soulful. The setting is
acoustic guitars, drums and occasional keyboard,
while one atypical rocker has raw fuzz-leads. Good LP
with atmosphere, though they don't look too hip on
the cover. Well worth examining for genre fans, while
others may think it unexceptional. One of the better
in the style from Canada, a lot stronger than the the
Folklords or Jeremy Dormouse. Despite its relative
rarity, a band member reports the press size as no
less than 5000 copies. There was also a non-LP 45.
[PL]
J D BRENNAN & GOLD FEVER (Boston, MA)

Brennan's work falls outside the Archives timeframe
but should appeal to some readers, at least those of
an Incredibly Strange persuasion. Six LPs from 1984-
1990 have been logged, done in pressings of 200
copies on his own Scyne label. The music has been
described as "amazing 50 year-old 'real people'
rocker who manages to sneak in a powerful psychedelic
edge to his echoed rockabilly twist."
~~~
see -> J D Brennan (in the Attic)
BREW ( )
"A Very Strange Brew" 1969 (ABC 672)
This is a pretty solid garage rock effort. Though no

one song really stands out and it's not especially
original, it's enjoyable straight through. Pre-Impala
Syndrome. [AM]
BRIDGE (Canada)
"Bridge" 1971 (Vintage Records)
Bridge answer the question, for anyone who wishes to

know, what happened to the Canadian band David after
their lone record on Sound Canada in the late 60s.
Guitarist Francis Webster, bassist John Webster, and
drummer Tony Lecallion from David make up Bridge who
recorded this ultra obscure and rare record at the
same Sound Canada studios in 1971. Next to each song
is a brief description of the musical genre of each
ranging from "Ego Trip" to "Country" to "jazz
shuffle." What this album is differs drastically from
what you'd expect from David. The best way to
describe Bridge's album would be "Sweetheart Of The
Rodeo" on tons of acid! There is no fuzz guitar, but
a clean westcoast shimmering tone on all tracks,
bizarre vocal effects on the tripped out "It's My
Life" and plenty of weirdness present for the whole
album. The tracks that are labeled "Country" all have
a strange bent to them despite being early back-to-
the-roots country rock influenced by Graham Parsons
and "real" country artists like Hank Williams. The
long "Ego Trip" version of Little Richard's "You're
My Girl" is great fun and the only good version I've
heard of one of his songs. There is something here
very enjoyable for anyone looking for a bizarre
twisted record of fun music, especially "Brand New
Day" with echoes of Spirit and a bit of Freeborne.
Very rare and a good one. - Ben Blake Mitchner
THE BRIDGE (Greensboro, NC)
"Just For You" 1971 (Crescent City Studios 1226)
"Hallelujah" 1972 (Crescent City Studios 1241)
"Unto The Lord" 1973 (Custom PRP 44552)

"Best of the Bridge" 2001 (CD Hidden Vision)
Christian melodic folkrockers rated highly by some.

The CD is a selection of tracks from all three LPs.
BRIDGES ( )
"Tradewinds" 1978 (no label)
Communal hippie folk.
BRIGADE (Portland, OR)
"Last Laugh" 1970 (Band 'n' Vocal 1066) [inner sleeve; 100p]
"Last Laugh" 1991 (Del-Val 003) [insert; 350p]
"Last Laugh" 2000 (Shadoks 11, Germany) [insert]
"Last Laugh" 200 (CD Shadoks 11, Germany)
The charm of the amateur comes rolling off this

record in waves. The recording quality is marginal,
but the playing fits that like a glove. The vocals
have a strident character that floors me whenever I
hear this and the way the organ dominates the sound,
the way the bass and drums struggle to hold things
together, the harmonies on "Desert Song (You're Not
Alone)", the almost jazzy quality the guitar takes on
the killer opener track "Change In Me", the monster
that opens the second side ("Self-Made God"), the way
the band just shoots for moves they have no chance of
pulling off... These guys must have fallen into a
glacier in 1966 and were defrosted moments before the
LP was recorded. Where most European, Latin American
and Asian rarities are professional-grade rock
records that never found the market to sell in
numbers so we'd all be familiar with them thirty
years down the line, the best of the lost & obscure
American records are those that, like this one, are
performed by young people more earnest than capable.
It's that enthusiasm the pours from the speakers when
I play this and that "charm of the amateur" collects
in puddles on the music room floor. Highly
recommended. [SD]
~~~
Moody organ-led garage by high school seniors with
proggy tendencies in the compositions and lyrics.
Really annoying warbling vocals and meandering songs.
Of interest mainly for the organ textures and "Self
Made God", which has some bite and the trippy
reverse-negative cover. A good example of a band
reaching way beyond their grasp and crashing to the
earth in a disfigured heap. Some sealed originals
actually contained the wrong record, a bonus I'd say!
The atypically small press size has been reported by
the band. [RM]
~~~
This album has the same low-budget reverby charm as
Mystery Meat or the Bachs, though the music is
somewhat more complex than those garage bands. The
songs are longer, the solos more extended, the organ
jazzier and much more prominent than the guitar.
Despite the more ambitious music, there’s a definite
ragged feel here, from the straining vocals to the
occasionally sloppy rhythms to the guitars, which
don’t always sound in tune. There are some really
good songs here, and the overall feel of a garage
band that’s desperately trying to be something more
has its charm. Other reviews of this album appear to
be either really positive or really negative. I think
the true value of this album falls somewhere in
between. It’s likeable, has its moments, and grows on
you, but isn’t the very best in the genre. My
favorites on the album: the dirge-like “Desert Song,”
which has lots of eerie organ, the subtly powerful
“Self-Made God” and the catchy title track. [AM]
BRIGG (Danville, PA)
"Brigg" 1973 (Susquehanna 301) [1000p]

"Brigg" 1988 (Hablabel 1002)
"Brigg" 199 (CD Mind's Eye)
Been I while since I heard this though it didn't make

much impact on me, sorta standard rural hippie
folkprog that's OK listenable but not much more.
Never heard anyone being too excited about it either.
"Hey Mister" is a catchy track. [PL]
~~~
Dreamy stoned psych recorded for a high school winter
term project. Brigg was conceived by Rob Morse and
Jeff Willoughby. Rusty Foulke was added on and Hybrid
Ice Company (including Willoughby and Foulke) played
on three tracks to fill out the album. The back cover
photos of Rob Morse and Rusty Foulke were
inadvertently switched. Hybrid Ice reappeared with a
local indie hit AOR LP in the early 1980s. [RM]
GEORGE BRIGMAN [& SPLIT] (Baltimore, MD)
"Jungle Rot" 1975 (Solid 001) [1000p]

"Jungle Rot" 199 (Solid) [bootleg]
"Jungle Rot" 200 (CD Synton, Austria)
"Jungle Rot" 2005 (CD Radioactive, UK)
"Jungle Rot" 2005 (Anopheles 009)
"Jungle Rot" 2005 (CD Bona Fide) [+3 tracks]
"I Can Hear The Ants Dancin'" 1994 (OR 004) [paste-on; white
label; 225#d]
"I Can Hear The Ants Dancin'" 1994 (OR 004) [printed cover;
stock label; 1000p]
"I Can Hear The Ants Dancin'" 2005 (CD Bona Fide) [+10 tracks]
Local Maryland legend that's been popular almost

since day one with collectors due to his
uncompromising underground attack. He has an amazing
voice full of snarl and venom plus layers of murky
fuzz and phasing in the background. The overall feel
of "Jungle Rot" is like looking out at a 70s ghetto
street full of garbage and car wrecks from the window
of a basement crash pad. Stylistically interesting as
it contains elements of both psych, hardrock and
1970s punk/DIY, and has garnered fans in all three
fields. The recording has a crude demo sound which
isn't entirely to its advantage, and it could be
argued that the music would have been even more
effective with a more stringent drummer. Nevertheless
this is an important document of 1970s inner city
despair. Lyrics hit the same renegade vibes as the
music, even on the softer songs. Among Brigman's
other releases are a 45 from 1977 and a 5-track EP
for Bona Fide in 1985. The "Ants" material was
recorded in 1976 and originally released on cassette-
only in 1982 (300 copies). [PL]
BRIMSTONE (Youngstown, OH)
"Paper Winged Dreams" 1973 (Peppermint Productions PP-1022)

[color cover]
"Paper Winged Dreams" 198 (Peppermint Productions, Europe)
[bootleg; b&w cover]
"Paper Winged Dreams" 199 (CD no label)
"Paper Winged Dreams" 199 (CD Camellia)
Rather irresistable melodic prog/artrock LP with a

light, airy feel throughout. The band belongs at the
dreamy Moody Blues/Camel end of the prog spectrum,
with flawless vocal harmonies, long classical-
inspired keyboard excursions and plenty of non-
aggressive guitar interplay. Side one is shorter
structured song with a highpoint in the opening "Dead
sleep at night" which is almost Beatleish in its
directness and appeal. Side 2 is a sidelong suite in
five movements and mainly instrumental, and fairly
successful at that. The album's emotional range isn't
terribly wide and the band skirts daringly along the
edge of blandness, but the end result is superbly
realized and charming in its harmonious mood. This is
one of the least pretentious local prog LPs, and also
one of the least preaching Christian albums around,
and what might have been a dog turns out to be
something of a surprise winner. There is also a non-
LP 45. [PL]
BRITISH MODBEATS (Saint Catherine, Canada)
"Mod Is... the British Modbeats" 1967 (Red Leaf 1002)

"Mod Is... the British Modbeats" 1998 (CD Flash, Italy)
The album compiles the band's four earlier singles,

along with three previously unreleased tracks. Other
reviewers have said the same thing, but in light of
the stunning cover photo (those are some pretty
friggin' amazing bell bottoms), the band's set of
popular covers is somewhat disappointing. There's
nothing particularly wrong with any of the material,
but tracks such as 'Whatcha Gonna Do About It', ' The
Price of Love' and 'No More Love' sound surprisingly
tame and even bland, seldom rising above the level of
competent bar band fodder. Best of the lot are the up
tempo 'Somebody Help Me' and The Pretty Things cover
'L.S.D.'. Interestingly, Loveman's vocals sound like
he suffered from a lisp. [SB]
BRITISH NORTH AMERICAN ACT (Montreal, Canada)
"In The Beginning" 1969 (Now rss-6700)

"In The Beginning" 1987 (Antar 7, UK)
"In The Beginning" 199 (CD Afterglow UK)
"In The Beginning" 2004 (Akarma, Italy)
One of many pop-psych LPs from Canada, most of which

are only so-so. I kinda like this, there are flashes
of real talent and a solid consistency throughout,
with the typical London/LA '67 mix, good vocals and
excellent use of organ. "Don't run away" is perhaps
the best track and has been reissued on Echoes In
Time. Neat sleeve design. The LP is surprisingly
expensive. [PL]
~~~
This album sounds earlier than it is; it's closer to
British Invasion pop, or at least mid-60s Paul Revere
& The Raiders-type garage rock, than to late-60s
rock. The band's name is quite appropriate. It's a
nice little pop album, unpretentious but confident,
with consistently good songwriting and singing. Some
of it is in a fine dreamy folk-rock mode with lots of
reverb and echo and a strong backdrop of organ and
choral backing vocals. Very nice. [AM]
JAIME BROCKETT (Boston, MA)
"Remember the Wind and the Rain" 1968 (Oracle ors-701)

"Remember the Wind and the Rain" 1969 (Capitol ST 678)
"Remember the Wind and the Rain" 2005 (CD Collector's Choice)
Rural folk drifter with a notable, long story-song

"Legend of the USS Titanic". The Capitol pressing is
easy to find. Brockett had a second LP "2" on Capitol
and a third LP in 1977.
BROKEN BOW (WI)
"Arrival" 1980 (Couderay)
Good drifting folkrock. [RM]
BROKEN BOW & IDABELL (Shreveport, LA)
"This Album Is Different" 1976 (Broken Bow & Idabell no#)

[gatefold; lyric sheet; sticker]
Psych fans and dealers seem to hate this album,

partially because when discovered it was immediately
given an outrageous multi-hundred dollar price tag
and inaccurate descriptions by several dealers. I may
be in the minority, but I completely enjoy it. The
back cover describes it as “one garage, one album,
two fools, three years,” and it clearly is a labor of
love. These two guys lovingly put together sixteen
elaborately arranged songs on a 16-track machine.
They pulled out all of the stops—some songs have
horns, chorales, pedal steel, synth, etc, giving
variety to a number of 70s melodic (not hard rocking)
pop/rock styles. A strong sense of comedy is apparent
throughout, which may be what put some people off
(the album is most easily compared to Northern Front,
though this is much better, or R. Stevie Moore,
though this is nowhere near as good). Despite the
oddness, the music itself is straightforward and of
its time, with only a few dreamy ballads and one
backwards bit to attract psych fans, and a tad bit of
snyth to attract prog fans (i.e. it’s no surprise
that both types of collectors reacted negatively to
it.) The songs are well-written and tightly
performed, though, and you have to give credit to a
band that can pull off a calypso song with a country
middle section. If the above descriptions haven’t yet
sent you fleeing, I recommend it despite the
naysayers. For a private press, this has very
professional packaging. [AM]
BRONIN HOGMAN BAND (Manchester, NH)
"Bronin Hogman Band" 1976 (Gamut) [insert]
Mainstream 70s prog with mild heavy moves. Very

professional and competent for what it is, but I
can't see it appealing to psych fans the way, say,
Homer or Chirco sometimes do. Heartfelt lyrics,
complex songs, and a large number of band members
(with liner notes that detail exactly how and why
this band was constructed) show that a lot of thought
and effort went into this record. Of course, that was
probably also the case with Styx and Kansas, who had
equally annoying singers but a lot more hooks. Still,
there's enough going on here to open new doors with
multiple listens and I recommend it to serious fans
of the style. [AM]
TERRY BROOKS & STRANGE (Orlando, FL)
"Translucent World" 1973 (Outer Galaxie 1000) [poster]

"Translucent World" 1984 (Psycho 34, UK)
First LP by legendary (in some quarters) Ohio/Florida

drug prophet determined to conquer the world with
endless space rock guitar attacks. The 11-minute
"Ruler of the universe" is as notorious as "Dead man"
and I have to admit I enjoy it quite a bit, the
echoplex solo is unbelievable. The rest of the LP is
a mix of hard fuzz Hendrix workouts and dreamier
psych stuff. Operatic hardrock vocals and a crude
recording may be off-putting for some, but to fans of
local 1970s guitarpsych this is mandatory. [PL]
~~~
Brooks' first album (actually credited to "Strange")
is one of a kind, a completely insane space rock
guitarfest that will leave you dumbfounded. Brooks
has one of the most annoying guitar styles on earth,
playing endless solos that have no melody or
direction at all, just a ton of ridiculously fast
picking. On this album, though, he comes up with a
truly memorable side one, with "Jimi" (a tribute to
you know who), on which his singing style is as
unhinged as his playing, and "Ruler Of the Universe,"
which trades the speed for echoplex, which has never
been used with such abandon and lack of taste. It
sure makes me wish more people would dispense with
any common notion of "songs" and milk the noise
factor for all it's worth as Brooks does. Brooks
comes off like a guy who just discovered a
synthesizer and wants to show all of his friends the
very weirdest sounds he can make. Side two pales in
comparison, but this album is a must own for fans of
extreme rock insanity. [AM]
"Raw Power" 1976 (Outer Galaxie 1001)

"Raw Power" 1976 (Psycho 21 UK)
They don't make them like this any more. If you want
to contort your face into a penile-fixated frenzy of
fret picking at the speed of light then step this
way. The phasing on "Are you my friend" is so extreme
and raw it sounds right out of the basement. This is
the best moment to me, but "To the far side of time"
and "Raw Power" are equally extreme in their own
ridiculously fast space rock way. I've not played the
backwards passages forwards, so mark me down. "Life
Jam" is a bit of an endurance test, but has some
moments, probably needs a huge GM reefer to fully
appreciate its meaning. The thesis that 'they' were
putting something in the water in mid-70s Florida
just gets stronger and stronger. Intriguingly, Terry
thanks a very long list of people on the cover. [RI]
"To Earth With Love" 1980 (Star People spr-0005)
This is the easiest Brooks album to find, and probably

his most mainstream effort. What that means is that it
isn't full of echoplex and sound effects, not that it
would ever sound anything but bizarre on the radio.
Though the songs are reasonably brief, they're full of
Brooks' trademark fast-picking lead guitar style. The
album's most memorable song, "It's A Beautiful Day,"
starts out a gentle ballad with wimpy lyrics and
deteriorates into endless soloing. It's funny, and
compelling in its own weird way. Brooks may be more
convincing when he's not trying to write "normal" songs
(which have derivative chord progressions and mindless
lyrics) but this album has an odd charm, and his squeaky
high voice subverts any AOR aspirations he may have had.
Most people actually rate this as Brooks' best album,
which is arguable. I'd suggest that straight hard rock
fans start here, while people with more adventurous taste
start with "Translucent World". The LP was pressed on
various colors of translucent vinyl as well as on black
vinyl. [AM]
~~~
Brooks' later work is listed in -> The Attic
BROTHERHOOD (OH)
"Stavia" 1972 (Rite BH 501)

"Stavia" 1995 (no label, France) [300p; +2 tracks]
Obscure mellow hippie rock with organ and flute,

similar to Borealis soundwise, plus some Santana
moves. Listenable OK but hardly the stuff private
press heads crave. The original was issued through
the Rite recording plant, famous for dozens of great
60s punk 45s. Oddly, two tracks on the reissue
actually are lifted from the UK "Psychedelic Salvage
Co" comp and have nothing to do with the Brotherhood.
Can anyone explain this? [PL]
BROTHERHOOD OF PEACE (NC)
"Cuttin' Loose" 1975 (Avanti 12003)
Brotherhood Of Peace, despite the hippie name, are a

straightforward mainstream 70s rock band. The album
has a couple of hard rockers that will appeal to fans
of bands like Magi or Sweet Toothe, but for the most
part it's straightforward rock without distorted
guitars. It does have a crude production style that
might appeal to fans of garage rock. For the genre,
it's not bad, but not great. Don Dixon produced. It's
one of his earliest and most primitive productions.
Greer fans won't find nearly as much songwriting
talent or creativity on display here, but it's still
a reasonably enjoyable album. [AM]
BROTHERS & ONE (New Waterford, Canada)
"Brothers & One" 1970 (Audat 477 9038)
Little-known item on same label as Borealis,

longhaired sextet with sax playing funky basement
psych/rock.
BOBBY BROWN (CA)
"Enlightening Beam of Axonda" 1972 (Destiny 4002) [booklet]

"Enlightening Beam of Axonda" 197 (Destiny 4002) [re-press]
"Enlightening Beam of Axonda" 2004 (CD Akarma, Italy)
As you probably guessed from the title, "The

Enlightening Beam of Axonda" is pretty spacey, but in
a surprisingly laidback and agreeable fashion. Brown
had a nice voice (technically I think he'd be called
a basso-profundo), that lent itself well to
atmospheric tracks such as "I Must Be Born", "My
Hawaiian Home" and "Mama Knows Boys a Rambler".
Brown's liner notes claimed he had a six octave
range. Lyrically Brown's hippy-dippy lyrics were
pretty hysterical. Complete with between-the-songs
narratives, the album almost qualifies as a concept
piece with a plotline apparently having to do with
Brown's search for fulfillment, though I'm not quite
sure how the space aliens and space travel fit into
the storyline. That said, be warned that nothing here
exactly rocks. Most of the ten tracks are quite
melodic, tough in a new age kind of way. In fact,
stuff such as "Tiny Wind of Shanol" and "Axonda"
would be right at home playing as background music in
something like the Nature Store. There are a couple
of exceptions. "Mamba Che Chay" was pretty
experimental and did little for our ears, while
"Preparation Dimension of Heaven" sounded like a bad
lounge act effort. Still, the set's goofy enough to
be intriguing. Later pressings lack the booklet and
have ordering info on back cover; the price differs
between the re-pressings. Brown's later LPs
"Live" (Destiny, 1978) and "Prayers Of A One Man
Band" (Destiny, 1982) are less interesting than
"Axonda". [SB]
BROWN COUNTY BAND (IN)
"Brown County Band" 1980 (Programme Audio Gold) [1000p]
An extremely obscure private LP that's been adopted

by the Swiss collector mafia who favor music that
straddles the fence between Americana and
psychedelia. A traditional bluegrass band that moved
into more progressive directions for their first
album, adding drums and electric bass to standard
bluegrass instrumentation and vocal harmonies. The
best moments veer into Modlin-Scott territory ("Far,
Far Away" "Brown Paper Bag Rag") but the banjo
dominates almost all tracks and all feet are squarely
in the zone of contemporary bluegrass. What a handful
of collectors hear here will likely evade most
listeners. The band returned to traditional bluegrass
and changed their name to Pine Mountain (after a song
on this record) after this album, eventually
disbanding in 1989. [SD]
CHARLES BROWNING (DC)
"A Choirboy's Lament" 1976 (SRI)
1970s folk with percussion, bass and female vocal

harmonies and a surprise appearance by Emmylou
Harris. Cover versions of Joan Baez and "Codine",
rest is originals.
BRUNSWICK PLAYBOYS (New Brunswick, Canada)
"Looking In" 1965 (Excellent esp-109)
Pop beat with covers and originals. Cover shows the

band sitting on a gigantic 45 floating in space.
~~~
see -> Best Of Frank's Bandstand
BRUTE FORCE (Los Angeles, CA)

"Extemperaneous" 1971 (B.T. Puppy btps-1015)
"Extemperaneous" 2004 (Rev-Ola, UK) [+bonus tracks]
He's most well known for his "I Brute Force" album on
Columbia, a novelty item that still has some fans. A
few years later he was slated to put out a single on
Apple, but it never happened and the resulting album
ended up in that neverland of limited edition (tax
scam?) B.T. Puppy rarities. It's a messed-up live in
studio recording with the notorious 'Fuh King,'
dollops of unwanted political commentary and x-rated
lyrics. Pretty terrible record from any perspective
but virtually impossible to find, hence the value.
What were the Tokens thinking? [RM/AM]
DAVE BRYAN (Columbus, OH)
"Synthesis" 1978 (private) [insert; poster]
Eclectic bag of tricks including psych moves, doomy

rock, some synth, a few tracks with female vocals.
Great psychy sleeve with a landscape tinted crimson.
BUBBLE PUPPY (Houston, TX)
"Gathering Of Promises" 1969 (IA 10) [wlp exists]

"Gathering Of Promises" 1978 (IA 10) [reissue; board-printed]
"Gathering Of Promises" 1993 (CD Collectables 0558)
"Gathering Of Promises" 199 (CD Eva b-41, France)
"Gathering Of Promises" 199 (Get Back 537)
I.A:s second big act along with the Elevators, the

Puppy enjoyed respectworthy chart success with their
distinct high-energy AM hippierock sound and also had
some good non-LP 45s. The LP is far from the deep
acid psych of "Easter Everywhere" or Golden Dawn but
still enjoyable; this type of freshfaced guitar sound
was uncommon to the era. The original had cover
slicks with a gold sticker on the shrink promoting
"Hot Smoke and Sassafrass". As for all IA albums, the
reissues are vinyl-sourced as the mixdown masters are
lost. The IA box set reissue is close to the orig but
has a matrix # that begins with 'Ach 7P V45...'. [PL]
~~~
see -> Demian; Ring of Power; Sirius
BUCCANEER (IN)
"Buccaneer" 1980 (Blunderbuss) [demo; brown cover; gatefold;

sticker; lyrics inner]
-- inferior demo mix with one less song than the final
commercially distributed black cover version
"Buccaneer" 1980 (Blunderbuss) [black cover; gatefold;
treasure map, lyrics inner, 2 bonus 45s]
Indiana progressive hardrock pirate concept.

Apparently the whole thing was performed on stage in
Indy. Ex-Primevil.
BUCCANEERS ( )
"In Duane's Pirate Cavern" 1965 (Custom Recorded lp-101)
Early fratrock sound, very weak.
ROY BUCHANAN & THE SNAKESTRETCHERS (AR / DC)
"Buch and the Snakestretchers: One of Three" 1971 (Bioya Sound

mm-519)
"Roy Buchanan" 1972 (Polydor) [remix]
"Buch and the Snakestretchers" 1992 (Adelphi 75192)
"Buch and the Snakestretchers" 200 (CD Genes)
Garagy blues rock on the Bioya Sound LP, which was

issued in a plain cover enclosed in a brown burlap
bag. The Polydor release is a retitled 2nd press with
different mix and song order. Prior to this he
recorded with David Denver with whom he did two
obscure country-oriented LPs in 1969 and 1970. Roy
went on to record extensively for major labels.
DEL BUCKINGHAM (West Alexandria, OH)
"No Gimmicks" 1974 (no label)
Odd melodic rock with occasional acid guitar.
BUCKINGHAMS (Chicago, IL)
"Kind of a Drag" 1967 (USA 107) [1st version with 'I'm a

man']
-- the rare "I'm a Man" version must be played to verify as the
song is not listed. It extends across two bands in the vinyl!
Only mono copies of this variation are known to exist.
"Kind of a Drag" 1967 (USA 107) [mono; 2nd version without
'I'm a man']
"Kind of a Drag" 1967 (USA 107) [stereo; 2nd version without
'I'm a man']
"Kind of a Drag" 200 (CD Sundazed 6126) [+2 tracks]
First rare version of the LP includes extended "I'm a

man" raveup. The LP is actually pretty good garage
pop even without "I'm a Man". The band's other
(unexciting) releases fall outside the scope of our
archives.
RUSTY BUDDE BAND (TX)
"Main Man Stan" 1980 (FX 1000) [1000p]
Jacksonville, Florida label. Heavy bluesy rock with

fuzz. Proceeds from sales of the record were devoted
to the 'care and therapy' of Rusty's friend, Stan
Smith, in a Florida rehabilitation center.
BULBOUS CREATION ( )
"You Won't Remember Dying" 1994 (Rockadelic 13) [300p]
1970 recordings of great jammy downer hardrock/psych

with an intense atmosphere, far-out vocals and only
one weak cut. Lyrics deal with smack, 'Nam, satanism
and more; a merciless snapshot of the post-flower
power era. In my opinion among the very best of all
the Cavern Sound Studios stuff (Stoned Circus,
Crank/Thump Theatre, Phantasia, Trizo 50) that has
appeared. The reissue has the usual Rockadelic sleeve
obsession with heroin and death, which is well
matched by the sounds inside. The label was unable to
locate the band which explains the lack of info. [PL]
BULL (Richmond, VA)
"It's A Rock'n'Roll World" 1979 (Wheels Records)
Southern rock and hardrock with macho vocals and

guitar action. The band leader later made an LP as
the Ray Pittman Band ("Getcha Some", 1981) which has
been raising some interest.
BUMP (MI)
"Bump" 1970 (Pioneer prsd-2150) [5000p]

"Bump" 199 (Pioneer) [bootleg]
"Bump" 2000 (CD Gear Fab gf-142) [+2 tracks]
"Bump" 2000 (Akarma, Italy)
"Bump" 200 (CD Mind's Eye)
Surprisingly good LP in the post-Fudge guitar/Hammond

psychrock style. Vocals are appealing with a slightly
quirky folk edge unlike the usual macho bombast, and
there is a good sense of melody throughout. Apart
from the shorter UK-influenced tunes there are two
extended trip-outs, the doomy "Spider's Eyes" with
excellent use of swirling organ and fuzz, and the
closing epic "Lifelines" which goes through many
moods and changes, including art-rock classical as
well as cerebral soundscapes a la Mandrake Memorial.
Reminsiscent of certain "heavy" Mainstream albums
such as Tangerine Zoo, but clearly better, and
predating the less successful Whalefeathers LP as
well. For fans of this style Bump must rank as one of
the top scores, and its skillful avoidance of the
usual traps makes it enjoyable for others as well.
There was also a good non-LP 45. Both the Gear Fab
and Akarma reissues suffer from inferior sound
processing. [PL]
~~~
Melodic swirling organ fuzz psych with a bit of a
Swinging London sound at times. Beautiful vocals like
New Tweedy Brothers. Meat mix of delicate melodicism
on "State of Affairs", ringing guitar and shimmering
church organ on "From My Slot", and the mysterious
trippiness of "Spider's Eyes". There's even some
heavy cavern fuzz moments. [RM]
WILBURN BURCHETTE (IA)
"Occult Concert" 1971 (Amos 7014)
"Opens The Seven Gates Of Transcendental Consciousness" 1972

(Ebos 6d-0001) [with booklet]
"Guitar Grimoire" 1973 (Burchette Brothers bb-001)
Laid-back Middle Eastern-flavored guitar trance

instrumentals with occult concerns. New agey sound
but he uses homemade instruments and gets some really
exotic sounds going. The "Seven Gates" LP has a cool
cover and booklet, while "Guitar Grimoire" is
musically interesting with an orchestra of
synthesized instruments blended on together on side-
long tracks 'Yin' and 'Yang'. Burchette would
continue to record and release records on his own
Burchette Brothers label, such as "Psychic Meditation
Music" (1974), "Music Of The Godhead" (1975),
"Transcendental Music" (1976), and "Mind
Storm" (1977). [RM]
BUREMAN & O'ROURKE (Independence, MO)
"Strawberry Pickins" 1974 (Pearce 42550)
Country-rock and folk, one side rocking and the other

folk/bluegrass.
ABNER BURNETT & THE BURNOUTS (Odessa, TX)
"Crash and Burn" 1975 (Worpt) [500p]
"Old McDonald" 1979 (Worpt)
First LP is freaky DIY basement rock, second is more

folky acoustic with some cover versions. A CD sampler
exists with these early recordings from Abner ("1975-
79", Worpt, 1997), although it's apparently a poor
mastering job.
BURNT RIVER BAND (Cleveland, OH)
"Live at the Carlton - Harley Davidson Annual Swap Meet

1981" (Wild Turkey 1000)
Ultimate sleaze biker artifact, complete with naked

pictures of biker groupies on the back cover, a "fuck
you" song and completely offensive racial and
homophobic epithets in the song lyrics and liner
notes. Musically it's average boogie rock
(predictable cover versions include "Going Down"),
not very heavy but with plenty of jammy lead guitar.
I wouldn't want to mistakenly knock down one of these
guys' bikes in the parking lot. More "interesting"
than "good," but far more disturbing than Coven's
"Witchcraft" or Manson's album if you ask me. [AM]
BURNT SUITE (East Hartford, CT)
"Burnt Suite" 1972 (BJW css-9)

"Burnt Suite" 199 (no label) [bootleg; 300#d]
This is pretty bland, and suffers from the usual weak

vocals. The cheap production buries the rhythm
section and puts the mostly jangly lead guitars way
up front. A few songs are in a lame country style,
though a few have a mild hard rock sound. Some of the
songs are pretty good (“Lightning” has a tough sound
and some nice backwards guitar, and “Got Time” has a
sly, memorable overlapped melody), but even those
fall a bit flat in the execution and suffer badly
from the vocals. There’s a weird sluggishness to this
album. Oddly, many of the songs fade out when they
don’t appear to be finished. [AM]
~~~
Strangely subdued and understated LP that will go
right past you unless you pay close attention. It's a
genreless early 1970s sound which could be called
rustic folkrock for want of a better term, with some
heavy/hard aspirations on a few tracks. Everything
about this album is withdrawn like a turtle under its
shell, with low-key, humble vocals, an unusual lack
of strong instrumental leads, and a very basic
guitar-band setting, like a 60s garage group. At
times a Creme Soda-like 60s throwback sound will
emerge, or some bars of frantic rhythm guitar (mixed
very high), and then it's back to the mumbled, almost
embarrassed style. A couple of tracks show melodic
promise, and there are some unexpected lounge moves.
A weird experience, if nothing else. [PL]
~~~
see -> "Sunny Spring Fever"
JERRY BUSCH (Cleveland, OH)
"The Demo Tapes" 1976 (Midwife) [inner]

"The Demo Tapes" 200 (CD Midwife)
Local prog-rock/AOR with dual guitars and light

soulful vocals a la Rush, recorded and released for
demo purposes only, although some tracks got regional
airplay. About 2/3rds guitar rockers, mixed with some
ballads. Very much a local refraction of what was
going on nationally at the time. Busch followed this
with "City Boy" (1980), appeared on the "Pride Of
Cleveland" sampler (1981) and is still active. [PL]
BUSHES (IL)
"Assorted Shrubbery" 1968 (Growth 200-08)
Disappointing soul-rock/early FM rock LP with a

Vanilla Fudge influence; despite occasional dealer
hype no traces of psychedelia can be detected. I have
a hard time seeing anyone enjoying this and put it on
the same tape as Age Of Reason, for burial in the
"never-play" drawer. With Ron Stokert (Three Dog
Night). [PL]
BUSTIN' LOOSE (Spirit Lake, ID)
"Bustin' Loose" 1981 (Cisco)
Rural rock, very countrified but has good heavy lead

guitar.
BUTCH (CA)
"The Bitch of Rock and Roll" 1977 (Sundial)
Eastcoast hardrock with a primitive vibe.
BUTTERFINGERS ( )
"Butterfingers" 1970 (Pot 457) [plain cover; inner]

"Butterfingers" 1998 (Little Indians, Germany) [400#d]
"Butterfingers" 2001 (CD Shadoks, Germany)
Hilarious hard rock nonsense with soul-heavy vocals

(no one knows for sure if these guys are black or
white) and some over-the-top psych effects. They
definitely spent more time screwing around with sound
effects than they did writing these songs. Bad, in
fact very bad, but not boring. The best moment is
when he sings about feeling like an elephant trying
to stand on top of a football. They'd get high points
in any stoopid metaphor contest. The original came in
a plain white cover and had an innersleeve with
handwritten lyrics; the label was beautiful
gold/yellow very different from the Shadoks release.
All songs are BMI and there is no mention of 'demo'
or 'test press' anywhere. [AM]
~~~
Cartoonish hard rock comes to mind with
Butterfingers. Whoever he was, the lead singer had a
decent voice, though he also exhibited an irritating
habit of trying to sound overly soulful and
continually injected needless 'whoops', 'screeches'
and other sound effects into the mix. We've seen at
least one review that says he sounds like a female
Janis Joplin. To us a more apt comparison is a cross
between Randy Bachman and Tony Joe White. Musically
the set bounces around between conventional hard rock
("Has the Buggerman Got You" and "5 O'clock Trip"),
more commercial pop sounds ("Key" and the oddball MOR
ballad "In the Shade of the Night") and some pseudo-
blue eyed soul moves ("Look Out Now"). There's quite
a bit of fuzz guitar throughout (the instrumental
"High Walkin'" is actually quite nice) and the set
(particularly the second side which sports three
longer titles), boasts a certain stoned vibe that
will probably appeal to some folks. "I Feel Like An
Elephant" is worth hearing for the dumb lyrics, while
the closing number "Bootleg" boasts some super cheesy
studio production effects. Nothing great, but we've
heard far worse. [SB]
MICHAEL CACY (TX)
"Gathering" 1972 (no label)
Pretty good rural hippie rock with a slightly druggy

vibe in the Grateful Dead vein, housed in an
impressive thick cover depicting a snake.
CAIN (Minneapolis, MN)
"A Pound Of Flesh" 1975 (ASI 204)
This record is known mostly for its cover, which as

of the 1975 release was possibly the most disgusting
in rock history (how times would soon change!). The
music is nowhere near as wild, but is definitely
noteworthy. They obviously had FM radio aspirations
but other than the high-pitched vocals their sound is
decidedly uncommercial, and that’s a good thing. The
guitars have a shimmering, metallic sound to them,
and the massed muted guitars on the ballad “Katy”
really hit all of the right spots. A few songs are
unmemorable, but as mid-70s hard rock goes, this is
good stuff. For what it’s worth, this album also has
one of the funniest masturbation songs this side of
Skyhooks' “Smut”. There is also a second LP from
1977, "Stinger" (ASI 214). [AM]
CAL (NY)
"Rock and Roll - Homegrown" 1980 (no label)
Despite the 1980 release date, this upstate NY album

feels like vintage 70s stoner music. It's mostly mild
hard rock with some psych and prog moves. It features
some effective moog, decent guitar playing, and good
songs with idiotic lyrics. The album's highlight is
probably "Courageous Cat" (based on the children's
cartoon of the same name), which is slower and
moodier than most of the album. The album's lowlight
is definitely "Party Party," as bad an attempt at a
rock anthem as you will ever hear and possibly the
worst song on any album I own. Otherwise, the lack of
brains on this album is perversely appealing. [AM]
CALLAHAN & NAZ (Albany, NY)

"Callahan & Naz" 1981 (no label)
Early 80s private press album from Albany, NY really

has the feel of the era. It's a mix of mainstream
rock and hard rock with female vocals. Jackie
Callahan has a pleasant voice and unlike basically
everyone else in the genre has no Joplin pretentions.
A few songs really rock out. It's a short album
without a whole lot of melodic variety, but is very
enjoyable anyway. They also released two albums as
"Nazjazz." These albums are unexceptional mellow jazz
rock and probably won't interest fans of Callahan &
Naz. [AM]
EDDIE CALLAHAN (CA)
"False Ego" 1976 (Ocean)
This wonderful album has been described as “loner rock,”

an interesting distinction since so many of these
thoughtful, quirky songwriters make folk records that,
um, don’t rock. Within about two minutes of the first
song, I was eternally hooked. It starts abruptly, almost
in the middle of a conversation with Eddie, acoustic
guitar in hand, asking some of life’s bigger questions to
an unnamed echoed respondent. After a few verses, the
rhythm section comes in, followed by the most perfectly
realized batch of synthesizer noises you’ll ever hear.
The songs ends in waves of sound effects and at this
point you’ll already be ready to proclaim Eddie a genius.
The good news is that most of the album keeps pace, with
gorgeous pop (“Just Across The Line”), power pop with
backwards guitar (“Don’t You Know”), stunning acid rock
(“Paper Rain”) with a Stranglers-type synth break, and
all sorts of surprises. This album has a timeless
quality, like the very best pop, and only the talk box on
one song places it firmly in 1975/1976. Otherwise it
could just as likely have been from 1970 or 1979, and in
fact has a bit of a new wave feel to it. It’s not exactly
“psych” or “power pop,” and genre fans might not be sure
what to make of it, but it’s just plain too good for
classification. Even a music hall ditty with comic snyth
bleats and a funky rock song with a talk box manage to
work. Callahan is a Hare Krishna, which explains the
mystical questioning of many of the lyrics. He’s also a
bit of a chameleon, sounding like three or four different
singers over the course of the album (which, along with
the unusual arrangements, makes this album fresh and
unpredictable in ways few pop albums are.) The last three
songs are a bit of a let down, as they’re merely good. If
they had been as good as the rest for the album, it would
be an eternal masterpiece. As it is, it’s still one of
the finest and most distinctive private press albums I’ve
ever heard. Great album cover, too (despite being a cheap
paste-on), and an even better label design. [AM]
BOBBY CALLENDER ( )
"Bobby Callender" 196 (Music Factory mfrs-20) [2LPs; no

cover]
Presumably issued to promote "Rainbow", this set

includes recordings and conversation between Bobby
and producer, Tom Wilson.
"Rainbow" 1968 (MGM se-4557) [lyric insert; ylp exists]

"Rainbow" 2000 (Akarma, Italy) [2LPs; gatefold]
This is highly pretentious pseudo-poetry with sitars.

The lyrics are certainly not uninteresting, but
they're not exactly high art either. He's obsessed
with sex, for what that's worth. The music creates a
nice mood but is pretty monotonous over 40 minutes.
The Akarma reissue has three sides of music. [AM]
"The Way (First Book of Experiences)" 1971 (Mirtha saab-932)

[2LPs; gatefold]
"The Way (First Book of Experiences)" 2000 (CD Akarma, Italy)
Black artist doing sorta trashy middle-Eastern

influenced sounds including fuzz, sitar, and
chanting.
"Le Musée De L'Impressionnisme" 1975 (Philips 6318 043,

Holland)
Bobby Callender's third and best LP, released only in

Holland and credited to Robert Callender, is a
tribute to Impressionism. All the songs tell the
history of the movement and sing the praises of its
key practitioners: Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Claude
Monet, Vincent Van Gogh, Paul Gauguin, and so forth.
It's an art history lesson done as psychedelic soul!
Callender delivers a funky mid-70's psychedelic soul
sound, with several tracks that would perfectly suit
the dance floor. The lyrics are intricate, sung in
his soulful, haunted voice, and there's lots of
flute, exotic percussion, mystical vibe and
strangeness.
TIM CALLANDER (Minneapolis, NN)
"Future" 1979 (no label)
Obscure private press with a spacey Progressive Rock

sound, a bit earlier in style than the release year
indicates.
CAMBRIDGE (PA)
"Share A Song" 1977 (Green Dolphin 6024)
Absolute cream of the crop for private press rural

rock. The vocal harmonies are in the best CSN
tradition and the sharp instrumentation is more
Allman Brothers than Grateful Dead. Unexpected
honkytonk piano and raga-style guitar solos add to
the fun. The best two songs are in the middle of side
two. “Cowboy On The Trail” is the closest thing to a
pop song here, with an irresistible melody and tight
harmonies, and “Faithless Lady” has a great guitar
hook and long, exciting jam in the middle. The only
criticisms are that occasionally they force harmonies
when one voice might have worked better, and two
ballads to end side one may be one too many.
Nonetheless, this is a great album. Note to obsessive
collectors: virtually every known copy of this album
has ringwear on the front cover. [AM]
~~~
Regarded by many as the best local countryrocker from
anywhere, this album has a lot going for it including
strong songwriting, tight playing and an overall
friendly mood guaranteed to break the ice at your
next barbecue. The style has been perceptively
defined as "East Coast Dead/New Riders", which means
an upbeat and snappy vibe like a clear day in June,
with little of the dreamy westcoast feel or weepy
Nashville style. In my ears not really rural rock but
more of country pop with steel guitar and honky tonk
piano, and none the worse for it with plenty of
character and creativity. Opening title track is
sheer perfection and a solid groove is maintained
throughout with a few extended jam passages and
surprising use of keyboard among the succinct 3-
minute creations. This LP is the one to beat in the
style, and would have made the band famous if on a
major label. [PL]
~~~
Some comments on the LP from ex-member Dan Vogan:
"...the album was recorded in 1977 and the band had
been together about 1 and a half years. We played all
over the US and decided from the beginning to do all
original music.This put us at an advantage to cover
bands and catapulted us to a higher level of venues.I
have always been inspired by the group POCO.Cambridge
would practice and jam 6-8 hours per day and took
great pride in our long jams.A song on the album
"highs and lows" was actually a 12 minute song that
had to be edited to what it is today.If you listen
near the end of the song you can detect the edit
during a drum lick on the tomtoms". Vogan is today
continuing in the same music tradition with Deuble &
Vogan.
CAMERON (FL)
"Cameron" 1975 (Home Groan)
This Florida bar band was popular enough locally that

they made this record just for their fans. The liner
notes say that the songs are demos, but they sound
complete. Their style is good-time rock and roll with
a few twists. There are a few ballads and some weak
boogie, but about half of the songs rock pretty well
and have some nice guitar playing. The
instrumentation is diverse, with one band member who
plays sax, flute and synth. This isn’t a great album,
but much of it is worthwhile. The dreamy ballad
“Mystery Wind” and the opening “Illusions,” which has
a nice, sly buildup, are both excellent. [AM]
"Keep On Movin'" 1976 (Home Groan 002)
Lane Cameron, presumably the guy the band was named

after, is no longer a member of the band here, but
the album cover gives no clue why. I’ll assume that
the Joe Cocker-like singing on one of the first
album’s long slow songs was by him. Just to further
the illusion that he never existed, the song is re-
done on this album in a shorter, less gruffly sung
version. Elsewhere this has the same uneven mix of
styles as the first album. The title track has some
sizzling slide guitar and is even better than the
opening song on the debut. Unfortunately the slide is
used sparingly thereafter, and its brief return on
one of the ballads makes the listener wish there was
a lot more of it. It’s an up and down album with some
low spots, but at least one song that makes me glad
the record exists. Hilarious album cover; you’ve got
to hand it to any band who seems to be having so much
fun. [AM]
DICK CAMPBELL (WI)
"Sings Where It's At" 1965 (Mercury) [mono; black label]

"Sings Where It's At" 1965 (Mercury sr-61060) [stereo; gold
label]
Campbell has been dismissed by most as a Dylan

wannabe, and he is, right down to the instrumental
backing from the Butterfield Blues Band, who sound
exactly like they did on "Highway 61 Revisited". They
steal a guitar riff from “Like A Rolling Stone” and
use it on every single song! Trust me, folks, the
Rutles are nowhere near as entertaining as this great
album, an absolute lost treasure of the early days of
folk-rock. The songs are simple and repetitive, but
completely catchy, not a dud in the bunch. There’s a
little bit of fuzz guitar, and a much poppier sound
(with “nicer” vocals) than Dylan's. Adding to the fun
are the arrogant liner notes (most of which paint his
girlfriend as intellectually inferior to D.C., as he
calls himself), and a semi-serious song in which he
proclaims himself the “Don Juan of the Western
World.” None of it seems like a put-on to me, and
Campbell’s just literate enough to pull off his “I
know everything, I’m smarter than you, I have a way
with words and you don’t” routine. The Butterfield
Blues Band provides the backing, predating their
debut LP and perhaps their first appearance on vinyl.
[AM]
EL CAMPO JADES (El Campo, TX)
"13th Song" 1967 (Golden Eagle 101)
Rather weak teen-beat and R&B/soul covers. "Good Guys

Don't Wear White", "Ain't too proud to beg", "Mr.
Pitiful", etc. One or two originals. The album title
refers to a bonus "mystery" track, which turns out to
be a cover of "Roadrunner".
CANADA see "A New Place To Live"
CANADIAN BEADLES (Sarnia, Canada)

"Three Faces North" 1964 (Tide 2005)
Merseybeat and frat from Canadian trio looking like

teddy-boys. Although often presented as a Beatle
take-off, there's not a single Fab Four number
present. The LP is surprisingly expensive.
CANARIES (Spain)
"Flying High With The Canaries" 1970 (BT Puppy BTPS 1007)
"Flying High With The Canaries" 198 (Cocodrilo, Spain)
Canary Islands group recorded and released in the US,

which is why it's included here. Late beat with no
garage or psych traces. A couple of good tracks.
CANNABIS (MA/RI)
"Joint Effort" 1972 (Amphion Seahorse)

"Joint Effort" 1998 (CD Gear Fab 114)
"Joint Effort" 199 (Gear Fab)
Disappointing LP for anyone expecting psych as this

is fairly mainstreamish hippie 1970s rural
rock/folkrock in the popular CSNY/America school,
reminiscent of RJ Fox/Oasis at times. Pro-sounding
but unexciting. [PL]
~~~
In spite of the band name and marketing hype, "Joint
Effort" was hardly the psych masterpiece that one
would have hoped for. Instead tracks such as 'Take It
Easy', 'You Don't Get a Ride for Free' and 'It's Only
Rock 'n Stock' showcased a mixture of bar rock boogie
and Dead-styled jams. The vocals are pretty good and
the rest of the band quite accomplished musicians,
but with the possible exceptions of the atypical
pretty ballads 'See You In the Morning' and 'Smiles'
the Byrds-styled jangler 'Once Again' the ensemble
never really caught fire. Gawd only knows why the
Gear Fab label decided to reissue the album. [SB]
FRANCES CANNON (The Singing Psychic) (Dallas, TX)
"Music From Cannonville (A Brand New Sound)" 198 (no label)
Lunatic woman who was hit by a lumber truck and

'acquired' psychic powers. She claims to have found
thousands of lost children with her special powers
including several hundred in a cave in Alaska! She
lives in her own messed up fantasy world a la Lucia
Pamela and sings nutty songs about aliens and the
like. The first LP has a stripped down folky acoustic
guitar and vocal sound. There is a second LP, "The
Singing Psychic" from 1987, credited to Frances
Cannon & the Extraterrestials, which is electric with
more production and is psychedelic in a nightmarish,
lost soul fashion. [RM]
WILLARD CANTELON ( )
"LSD - Battle for the Mind" 1966 (Supreme m-113)

"LSD - Battle for the Mind / Instant Insanity Drugs" 2002 (CD)
[2-on-1]
Spoken word ties LSD in with spirituality in old-

school paranoia propaganda. Drop some acid, laugh and
learn about the 'dark and terrifying national
menace'. Early, well-known title for spoken word drug
LPs, with outstanding front cover art.
see full presentation
CANTERBURY MUSIC FESTIVAL (NY)
"Rain & Shine" 1968 (B T Puppy 1018)

"Rain & Shine" 2002 (CD Air Mail Recordings, Japan)
"Rain & Shine" 2003 (CD Rev-Ola, UK)
"Rain & Shine" 2004 (CD Beatball 005, Korea)
"Rain & Shine" 2004 (Merry Go Round/Beatball 006, Korea)
Apparently a quartet, this group was signed by The

Tokens' short-lived B.T. Puppy label. Musically the
set's kind of hard to describe. Imagine The
Association singing with a distinctive British lilt
and you'll be in the right ballpark. Much of the set
consists of sensitive ballads. While there isn't
anything wrong with material such as "First Spring
Rain", "Sunny Days" and "Why Does Everybody Run To
Home", these tracks don't offer up anything
particularly original or memorable. Far better were
up-tempo numbers such as "Sharin" and
"Angelina" (both which would have made dandy top-10
singles), the fuzz guitar propelled "Super Duper
Trooper" and the Sgt Pepper-inspired slice of lite
psych "Mr. Snail". Certainly not the year's most
original effort, it was still far better than
anything label mates The Tokens or The Happenings
ever did. [SB]
~~~
Beatles-influenced pop that for the most part falls
into the realm of sunshine pop, though with a few
excursions into psychedelia. B.T. Puppy released the
LP at this point in an inexplicable pressing run of
150 copies. About half the songs are written by band
members, with several written by the Tokens foursome.
Legendary label mate Brute Force is credited with 2
songs, though Brute says one of those is not his.
Musically, the first song, “First Spring Rain” (the
45 release) establishes the mood of most of the songs
on the LP with its fragile upper register harmonies
and light orchestration. “Super Duper Trooper” is the
closest they get to psychedelia, and sounds very much
like a "Revolver" outtake. “Mr. Snail” could be
mistaken for UK freakbeat, complete with a backwards
flute riffing throughout and lyrics & melody
reminiscent of some of the Syd’s lighter “Piper”
ditties. The one non-label related song is an
exploito instrumental cover of “Son of a Preacherman”
with a distorted electric sitar taking the melody
line over occasional wah-wah rhythms. Clocking in at
just over 25 minutes, a very short, but sweet LP.
[MA]
V.A "CANTON HIGH SCHOOL PRESENTS" see "Sunny Spring Fever"
CAPSTAN PLAYERS (Milton Academy, MA)
"Capstan Players of Milton Academy" 1967 (Transradio tr-990)

[no sleeve]
Garage covers from prep-rock band, including Remains

and Standells numbers.
C.A. QUINTET (Minneapolis, MN)
"Trip Thru Hell" 1969 (Candy Floss 7764)

"Trip Thru Hell" 1983 (Psycho 12, UK) [back cvr altered]
-- due to a mishap in mastering, this re has one channel
missing and sounds completely different from the original
"Trip Thru Hell" 1993 (CD Eva, France)
-- copied from the Psycho re, which means that one channel is
again missing
"Trip Thru Hell" 1995 (Sundazed 5037) [2LPs; +14 tracks]
"Trip Thru Hell" 1995 (CD Sundazed 11021) [+12 tracks]
Ah yes, the "Trip", an LP so packed with talent and

originality it alone justifies the existence of the
underground collector circuit. You can pick just
about any major 60s LP and this will blow it away on
all counts. I assume most people reading this already
knows Ken Erwin's conceptual acid psych monster,
which sounds like nothing else done before and hardly
since; a strongly cinematic exploration into weird
and often unpleasant mental spaces, using only
standard rock instruments -- and a surprising trumpet
-- to get there. The legendary Psycho "channeling"
screwup was rectified with the nice (though vinyl-
sourced) Sundazed re's, but it should be pointed out
that none of the reissues show the original back
cover design. The band also appeared on the rare
"Money Music" compilation. [PL]
"Live 1971" 1984 (no label) [500p]
First the good news. Given the primitive conditions

under which this album was recorded, the sound is
surprisingly good. According to Ken Erwin's liner
notes, 'This recording was made simply by laying down
two microphones on the floor in front of the group.
They just happened to be in the best location for the
circumstances.' Now the bad news. Capturing the band
at what was to be their final performance at Lake
Pepin High School, "C.A. Quintet Live 1971" sounds
like a band drawing its last creative gasps which was
pretty much the situation. 'Bayou Jam' is a needless
side-long mixture of popular rock hits including
snippets of CCR's 'Down On the Bayou' and The Stones'
'Satisfaction'. It's listenable, but nothing you
couldn't hear on any Friday evening at your local
brewpub. Best thing I can say about it is that the 14
minutes go by quickly (okay the drum solo slows
everything down for a couple of minutes). The Ken
Erwin original 'Country Boy' is actually pretty good,
though the country-rock sound is a little bit
unexpected. Judging by this track these guys weren't
bad in a live setting. The extended cover of Spirit's
'Fresh Garbage' also has it's moments - notably for
giving guitarist Tom Pohling a chance to stretch out.
Certainly not essential, but I've heard far
worse. [SB]
CARDBOARD VILLAGE (Boston, MA)
"Sea of Change" 1969 (Cardboard Village Records CVST 4)

[lyrics insert]
Trio with acoustic cosmic folk concept LP about the

ocean. Guitars, congas, flutes.

CARDINALI BROTHERS (CA)
"More Than Luck" 1971 (Windi wlps-1008)
Rural hippie folkrock in the early 1970s Dead style,

on the same label as Merkin and Creation Of Sunlight.
CARGO (Toronto, Canada)
"Front Side, Back Side" 1969 (Trend 1006)
Dreamy, jazzy psych rock that's not particularly

well-known by collectors. It has a spaced out feel
that should appeal to some, though the songs aren't
especially memorable and a few long instrumentals are
pretty dull. Unusual arrangements include woodwinds.
The drumming is heavy on atmospheric cymbals, the
songs are mostly at slow tempos and the vocals are
heavily reverbed. The low budget production
(sometimes the backing vocals are louder than the
lead vocals) makes this sound quite different from
their next album. Has a nice feel and a few good
moments but certainly isn't worth its current $500+
tag. [AM]
~~~
For some reason there exists a bunch of obscure
Canadian LPs with a similar sound, a late-night jazzy
psychrock mood like the loungier side of the Doors,
usually with keyboards upfront and understated guitar
picking. This is a typical expression of that sound,
with flute instead of organ, moody yet expressive
vocals, and long tracks that seem to find their path
as they go along. Recorded live in parts or wholly,
which adds to the organic basement feel -- one track
actually has lounge ambience with people chatting and
ordering drinks louder than the music! Songwriting
isn't elaborate, yet the persistent mood and refusal
to compromise makes for a memorable experience, with
a couple of snakey instrumental excursions developing
into hypnotic 3 AM Canadian Rye hallucinations.
Comparable to Papa Bear's, while south of the border
Ant Trip Ceremony and Feather Da Gamba spring to
mind. [PL]
"Simple Things" 1970 (Ringside 104)
The second Cargo album is much more produced than the

first, and it works in its favor, emphasizing the
inherent heaviness of their sound, strengthening the
sound of the guitar and organ. Still, too much of
this record is given over to jammy instrumentals of
little originality, which really drags it down. A
couple of the actual songs are quite good, though,
with “Geordy,” a terrific moody slow-burner, being
the best. There’s also a bizarre song about how happy
they are for their friend who fell out of a window to
his death. [AM]
FRANKIE CARR (MA)
"Frankie Carr" 1976 (Tiger Lily)
Collectors know about the really good Tiger Lily

albums, and tend to forget that most records on the
label are like this one: poorly produced recordings
(demos?) of undistinguished music. This is a very,
very, very poor man's variation on the John Scoggins
album, if Scoggins had tried to jump on the various
commercial bandwagons of the mid 70s (some songs have
a disco-like rhythm to them.) In other words,
Scoggins is timeless, this is dated. A couple of
songs have some nice jangly guitar and memorable
melodies, but mostly this is weak and forgettable.
[AM]
"Frankie Carr's All Natural Band" 1977 (Tribute 1001)
Poorly done pre-Tea Company 1960s recordings by the

Naturals, released as a tax-scam in the late 1970s. A
couple of tracks have been described as garagey,
others folkrocky.
CORKY CARROLL & FRIENDS (CA)
"Laid Back" 197 (Rural rr-001)
Corky is a world-renowned surfer. Hippie folk jamming

by a variety of artists who were all friends.
Produced by Corky and Dennis Dragon.
~~~
see -> Farm
JIMMY CARTER & DALLAS COUNTY GREEN ( )
"Summer Brings The Sunshine" 1973 (BOC 2002)
Obscure album on Missouri label which has garnered

fans among the psych in-crowd, described as
outdoors/rural rock with an appealing quiet vibe.
There is a retrospective CD with Carter's material,
"Set Me Free", which has a few tracks from this LP.
DAN CASAMAJOR (Chico, CA)
"My Family" 197 (Eskay WA 1054)
Little-known folk/folkrock with a vibrant 60s feel,

mixes acoustic and electric tracks.
CASCADES (CA)
"What Goes on Inside" 1968 (Cascades ad-6280)
Vocal group legends. This private press LP will

appeal to flower psych collectors, much more so than
their Valiant or Uni LPs. Ben Benay arranged and this
one has a cool flower pop hippie love edge and a nice
trippy art cover. [RM]
CASE ( )
"Taking Time" 197 (private)
Custom press in same generic sleeve as Birmingham

Sunday, described as westcoast-sounding.
CASHMAN-VAQUERO BAND ( )
"In Memory of Berry Oakley" 1979 (Walnut West)
Most references describe the album as being Allman

Brothers-styled Southern rock. That's not quite
right. I certainly hear Allman-influences,
particularly in some of the Cashman-Sadus guitar
interplay, but the set's far more diverse than that.
With the exception of a mildly-jazzy cover of John
Mayall's 'California', the set boasts original
material that finds the band taking stabs at
conventional boogie ('Down In the Belly'), country-
rock (the pretty ballad 'Driving Me Crazy') lite-jazz
('View from a Mountain Peak') and even Santana-styled
Latin rock ('Security'). Cashman and Sadus share
vocal duties and they both have pretty good voices.
Judging by the liner notes Sadus apparently died
while the album was being made, but between his work
and that of guest guitarist Robert John Guziejka (who
contributed a couple of songs and played with Cashman
and Oakley in their garage band days), there are
quite a few tasty lead guitars scattered throughout
the set including some Duane Allman-styled runs on
'Good Days' and some jazzy scatting on 'There's No
Tellin'. Curiously, at least to my ears the
biographical tribute title track is the least
impressive effort. There's also a pre-LP 45 on the
small Bridgeville label. [SB]
~~~
Here's some more info on the band and LP, from main
guy Cashman himself: "Bob Guziejka (ga-j-ka)
(guitar), Ron Sadus (drums), Berry Oakley (guitar),
and Jerry Kokus (bass) had a band together (The
Vibratones). I didn't play in that band, but Bob, Ron
[then on bass] and myself playing drums had a trio
called "Satish-chada" from 1968 to 1971. I moved to
California in 1971 and Ron and Bob came out in
February of 1972. We went into Wally Heiders Studio
in LA and did a few recording sessions. The only
tunes that sounded good were 'Good Days', 'Drivin Me
Crazy' and 'Security.' Ron and Bob went back to
Chicago and those tapes sat in the can until 1975. I
met James Vincent in San Francisco where I was
working as a street artist in 1975. We got together
and rehearsed some of my tunes in Marin. In April
1975 we went into Wally Heiders with the other
musicians and recorded [what was to become] side 2 of
the album live. The lead guitar on 'California' and
'Down In the Belly were later overdubed by Joel
Manchak in Chicago. The lead guitar on 'Security',
the twin leads on 'Good Days' and all of the leads on
side 2 were by Vincent. 'Vaquero' or cowboy is the
name I picked after we put out the 45, because James
Vincent got signed to Caribou Records and I couldn't
use his name. I decided on Vaquero because I had
worked on a cattle ranch and [had done] some bareback
bronco riding in Utah. As for the album title track,
Ron Sadus the bassist wrote the instrumental tune and
I added the lyrics. The instrumental tune has a
beautiful twin guitar solo throughout the tune. When
we did it in the studio, I had completely rearranged
the tune and that was the last time I performed that
tune. The 45 had just a slight difference in the
final mix. Sadly, Sadus passed away in July 1978. He
was 30 years old. The album was released in 1979."
CASUALS (CA)
"Absolutely 100% Live" 1981 (private) [#d; insert]
Jammy blues-rock with fuzz leads, recorded in San

Francisco.
CATALINA (CA)
"Live from the Chi Chi Club" 1970 (Avalon)
Bluesy sleazy club rockers, cover versions all

through.
CATHEDRAL (PA)
"Sing Me a Song" 1974 (Sky Piece)
Melodic rock with rural AOR moves.
CATHEDRAL (Long Island, NY)
"Stained Glass Stories" 1978 (Delta drc-1002) [insert]

"Stained Glass Stories" 1989 (Delta) [bootleg]
"Stained Glass Stories" 1991 (CD Syn-Phonic)
Complex progressive with guitar and keys, including

loads of mellotron. Superb playing with a strong King
Crimson and Yes influence. Well-liked in spite of the
arch vocals. Guitarist Rudy Perrone later made a
private solo LP that may be worth searching out for
Cathedral fans ("Oceans Of Art", 1981). [RM]
~~~
This is obviously very well played and conceived
progressive rock, but to someone who's not especially
inclined toward the genre, I find it a bit tedious,
lacking the hooks of bands like Atlantis Philharmonic
or Zoldar & Clark, and without the more outrageous
experimentation of bands like Yezda Urfa or
Polyphony. Like another well-liked prog album of the
era, Brimstone's "Paper Winged Dreams," this is
recommended more to genre fans than to the average
Archives reader. [AM]
~~~
see -> Odyssey
CATHERINE'S HORSE (Taft School, Watertown, CT)
"Catherine's Horse" 1969 (Jay-Put 5001) [no cover; 500p]
Obscure, sleeve-less late 60s garage-bluesrock LP a

la American Blues Exchange; may not appeal to
everyone but I find it rather charming. No macho
vocals or Clapton guitar showoffs, just local teens
finding comfort in the nocturnal honkie blooz as
represented by the Blues Project and Paul
Butterfield, both of which are covered along with an
unexpected "Rocket 88". Also one of the few LPs I
know of with a clear influence from the first
Grateful Dead LP, especially the Dead-derived take on
"Good morning little schoolgirl". The downer tracks
work the best; somehow these guys win me over. Not
recommended for fans of the Ten Years After-type
guitar-hero "blues". The LP was recorded as a school
project (a study of the blues) in New York City
during Spring Break 1969, and all band members were
Taft students. "Sun goin' down" is a band original.
[PL]
JOANNA CAZDEN (Seattle, WA)
"The Greatest Illusion" 1973 (Sister Sun) [insert]
Little-known female singer/songwriter with psych and

Eastern moves and an unusual cerebral edge. Mainly
piano and a serious feel like Carole King on acid,
title track is a high point with trip-praising
lyrics. More comments will follow. Cazden's second LP
"Hatching" is reportedly similar but not as good.
CEDAR CREEK SOCIETY (Odessa, TX)
"Cedar Creek Society" 1971 (no label)
Melodic folk/rock with violin and occasional

orchestration.
CELLUTRON & THE INVISIBLE (Northfield, VT)
"Reflecting on the First Watch, We Uncover Treasure Buried for

the Blind" 1978 (Green Mountain gms-4015)
Spacy experimental sound effects from Robert Greely,

featuring machine noise, some poetry and guitar.
Sometimes compared to Intersystems.
CENTER LINE ( )
"Sayin' It... Together" 196 (Vanco 1008)
Late 1960s Northwest rural lounge rock on the same

label as Easy Chair. Memorable for a 'so bad it's
good', nearly side-long, Beatles' medley.
CENTURIONS ( )
"Louie Louie" 1965 (private) [10" 1-sided LP; no cover]
Hot guitar frat rock with surfy leads. This is

probably a different band from the surf group.
CEPHAS (Pittsburgh, PA)
"Teen Challenge Presents Cephas with Jeff Cogswell" 197 (No

Label 32217/8)
Circa '73 Pittsburgh moody xian garage folk sponsored
by the christian youth group "Teen Challenge".
Acoustic and electric guitars, bass, farfisa organ,
drums, teen femme backing vocals. Several originals
but perhaps most notable for the nearly nine minute
version of "Jesus Is Just Alright" with a long organ
and guitar jam. Rite pressing. [RM]
CEYLEIB PEOPLE (CA)
"Tanyet" 1968 (Vault 117) [mono]

"Tanyet" 1968 (Vault 117) [stereo]
"Tanyet" 199 (Vault) [bootleg]
"Tanyet" 1993 (CD Drop Out, UK) [2-on-1]
Eastern psych instrumentals featuring Ry Cooder and

other luminaries from the LA studio mafia. Has a good
reputation and goes beyond the cash-in exploitation
sounds one might expect. Very short playtime though.
Great psych sleeve. There is an original German
pressing with completely different cover art. They
also made a good non-LP 45. The CD has both the mono
and reprocessed stereo versions of the entire LP.
[PL]
~~~
Studio group with Ben Benay, Larry Knechtel, Ry
Cooter (=Cooder). East meets west instrumentals
guitars, sitar, tabla, violin. Very short but a good
one for Saddhu Brand fans. Exploito cash in but with
this much talent it's a monster! Very trippy Rick
Griffin cover art. The boot has a thin, board printed
cover unlike originals. [RM]
~~~
see -> Friar Tuck and his Psychedelic Guitar
DON CHAFEY ( )
"Blue Iron Crown" 197 (private)
Late 70s/early 70s local release of freaky folk/blues

with pagan elements.
CHAIND (Los Angeles, CA)
"Live at the Topanga Corral" 1972 (no label) [2LPs]
Westcoast blues rock sound that has been compared to

Canned Heat, with lengthy guitar excursions. Band
member Peter Klimes made a private press solo LP in
1974 in a more rural direction.
CHAKRA (Redondo Beach, CA)
"Chakra" 1979 (Brother Studio bs-15) [lyric insert]
Driving guitar keys progressive rock with great

vocals like Rush.
CHALIS ( )
"One Small Chance" 1975 (Ellen Abbey 25389) [gatefold]
Symphonic progressive.
CHALLENGER'S (Puerto Rico)
"Challenger's" 1968 (Mariel lps-104, Puerto Rico) [gatefold]
Swirling organ, some fuzz, English vocals. Mix of

folkrock, bluesy garage, and Latin moves. With some
7-Up cola commercials thrown in to pay the bills.
DAVID CHALMERS (CA)
"Primeval Road" 1976 (Same Old Label 64109) [gatefold]

"Primeval Road" 1976 (River srr-1000) [some tracks replaced;
gatefold]
Chalmers is known as a hot guitarist, but his first

album is a refreshing departure from the “guitar
hero” mold. His vocals are soft and appealing, the
songs are subtle, the guitar playing is terrific (but
tasteful and subdued), and the arrangements include
plenty of acoustic guitar and piano. At times this is
more like a folk-rock or singer songwriter album than
a heavy guitar record. The often moody songwriting is
as strong as the performances. Highly recommended.
The first version of the album starts with two hot
guitar rockers that are missing from the second
edition, making the softer songs on side two a bit of
a surprise. The second edition replaces these two
songs with a gorgeous, dreamy ballad that’s probably
his best song of all. Since this song comes first,
this edition of the album has a completely different
feel than the first. If "Primeval Road" is ever
released on CD, hopefully all songs from both
versions will be included. [AM]
"Looking For Water" 1977 (River srr-1001) [inner sleeve]
Chalmers’ second album feels like it was released

before he was ready for a full LP. Its 8 songs total
just under half an hour, and half of them are filler:
two covers and two remakes of earlier songs. The
album is heavier and funkier than "Primeval Road",
with a weird mix of styles including a quasi-disco
song (intended sarcastically?) and one great dreamy
ballad that evokes the first album. Somewhat
disappointing, but it has its moments, and the
excellent guitar playing is more to the forefront
this time. [AM]
"All Night Long" 1977 (River Records) [no cover; 100p]
The rare third Chalmers album is the kind of

discovery collectors dream of, with a pressing of 100
copies, none actually sold commercially. It was
produced only for demonstration purposes and as such
actual album covers were never pressed. The music
within shows Chalmers in a mellow, introspective
mood. It's similar to side two of "Primeval Road";
there's not a heavy song here. The listener might
keep waiting for a hot guitar solo to come and be
disappointed that they just aren't there (the last
song, especially, seems designed to end in a flourish
of lead guitar, but does not). The quality and mood
of the album almost make up for it, though, as this
album is quite good. It's deep and melodic album that
showcases tasteful guitar playing, sharp songwriting,
mysterious lyrics, some dreamy arrangements, and
excellent singing. It's a bit bland here and there,
which makes it a less successful album than "Primeval
Road", but it's still a worthwhile LP. Records were
distributed in shrinkwrapped cardboard boxes,
including cover slicks and lyric sheets and
promotional stickers that optimistically read
“includes hit single Zig Zag”. [AM]
LES CHAMPIGNONS (Quebec, Canada)
"Premiere Capsule" 1972 (GG 1)

"Premiere Capsule" 2004 (CD Radioactive 089, UK)
Bluesy prog and psych fuzz jammer with trippy dayglo

mushroom cover. Highlight: 11+ minute "Le Chateau
Hante" (The Haunted House) - great twisted Halloween
music. [RM]
CHANGES (Chicago, IL)
"Fire Of Life" 1996 (CD Storm/Ctulhu)

"Fire Of Life" 2002 (Hau Ruck!, Austria) [750p]
"Fire Of Life" 2002 (CD Hau Ruck!, Austria)
Previously unreleased 1969-1974 recordings from

occult folk duo with ties to the infamous Process
Church. The music is acoustic folk with arch, dead-
serious vocals and apocalyptic lyrics. As often with
spiritual folk albums, the dedication works to its
advantage, but is best enjoyed in small doses or a
mind-numbing effect will follow from the uniformity
of mood and monotonous songwriting. Nice spooky feel,
like the Incredible String Band on belladonna. [PL]
CHAPARRALS (Glen Rock, PA)
"Times To Remember" 1968 (DB 21768)

Stereotyped slice of garage rock, propelled more by
sheer enthusiasm than talent. Blown notes, rough
tempos and strained vocals ("Stag-O-Lee"), abound.
That said, to our ears the LPs interesting on two
counts. The album's surprisingly accomplished given
the lowtech production and the band's relative youth.
The other surprise is the band's musical repertoire.
Sure, cover bands weren't exactly rare in the mid-
60s', but these guys concentrated on soul covers. Not
what you'd expect from a Pennsylvania-based outfit.
They also had great tastes, taking on material by
George Clinton, Eddie Floyd and Otis Redding. In case
anyone's interested, there are two originals. The
leadoff soul instrumental and the closer doomy
"Empty", which was written by former member Kent
Rehrbach and is unlike anything else on the LP. [SB]
CHAPIN BROTHERS (NY)
"Chapin Music!" 1966 (Rock-Land rr-66) [mono; gatefold]

"Chapin Music!" 1966 (Rock-Land rr-66) [stereo; gatefold]
Charming basement folkrock in a definite non-

psychedelic style, sounds like a bunch of Kingston
Trio fans discovering the alluring sounds of the
Grassroots. Recording and performances reek of
amateur enthusiasm, which makes the back cover's
predictions of the coming victory of square US
folkrock in general and "Chapin Music" in particular
seem an outrageous pipe dream. The album clocks in at
an overlong 40 minutes and would have benefitted from
2-3 tracks being removed, especially those that go in
a crooner pop direction. Mostly originals, with the
best stuff holding a middle ground between the NE
prep rockers and the Holy Ghost Reception Committee
#9. Worth hearing as an artefact, but ultimately a
little too bloodless and squeaky clean for my tastes,
although the third track has a nice Ylvisakerish
sarcasm to it. Harry Chapin later became famous, sort
of. [PL]
CHAPLIN HARNESS (Camden, NJ)
"Chaplin Harness" 1970 (M.O.D Sounds 8069) [plain sleeve;

insert]
"Chaplin Harness" 2004 (Void 34) [new sleeve; bonus track;
600p]
Local demo LP of jammy guitar/organ hippie-rock with

some prog moves, unknown to exist until the Void
reissue appeared. Supposedly only 50 copies pressed.
CHARIOT ( )
"Chariot" 1969 (National General 2003) [promos exist]
Heavy psych-rock typical of the era, with Cream

influence.
CHARISMA (FL)
"Charisma Is Raptured" 197 (Rite 29556)
Charisma’s two LPs are probably the most low-budget

rock recordings I’ve ever heard. It appears on this
one that the master tape even dragged for a second on
the first song when the record was being pressed! But
the cheapness of the recording cannot mask the
enthusiasm and strong songwriting of this teenage
Florida band. Liner notes describe the sound as
“Afro-jazz, pure folk, country, acid rock, and
ballad”. Well I don’t know if there’s anything on
here I’d call “Afro-jazz” or “acid rock”, but what I
do hear I like: lots of piano-based rock (recalling
early Elton John) and folky cuts, with lead vocals
shared by James Dudley (composer of 9 of the 11
songs) and Marijean McCarty, whose beautifully
expressive voice brings me close to tears. Overall
the folkrock sound predominates, but the rocky
moments are there (“screaming crashing dissonance”
the liner says) foreshadowing the group’s second
release. [KS]
"Last Days" 197 (Rite 32700)
Wait a minute. I do believe you could classify this

as... yes... here comes the "p" word... progressive!
Well, OK, maybe more like garage rock with some prog
influences. Whatever you call it it's miles above
their debut. Charges off from the start with the 10-
minute groovin' jam feast 'Down At The
Crossroads' (not the Cream/Clapton cover) with
guitar, piano, organ, and flute all getting their
turn at lead, not to mention a lengthy drum solo at
the end. 'Last Days' is a creative mysterious
apocalyptic piece, percussion heavy with time changes
and psychy guitar. 'Jesus The Messiah' is rather
dramatic and includes a cool prog mid-section that
has flashes of the sacred Vindication LP. A couple
bluesy cuts: the upbeat 'Nowhere Blues' with slide
guitar and piano and the moodier 'Blue Woman'. A few
nice piano-led ballads in the neighborhood of the
first lp. Real low-tech sound again, especially that
organ - but it's far from irritating, more often
giving the set a wonderful homegrown basement charm.
Every track strong. One of my faves. Both these
albums are bigtime rarities. Nice bellbottoms fellas!
[KS]
ROBERT CHARLEBOIS (Quebec, Canada)
"Charlebois/Forestier" 1969 (Gamma 120)
This is considered to be the most significant French-

Canadian album of the psychedelic era. Charlebois, a
big star in the province, shocked Quebec by following
up a few mellow folk albums with this wildly
experimental effort, going places he never went
before and never would again. Listening all these
years later, it doesn’t sound particularly freaky, or
even all that “rock,” due to the formal sound of the
French language, Charlebois’ loungy voice, and his
theatrical bent. With bits of novelty, and more horns
and organ than fuzz guitar, it sounds more like
vaudeville-meets-swinging-London than psychedelia.
That said, it’s pretty great. Louise Forestier duets
with him on side one, and her various oohs, aahs,
shrieks and crazed asides (this album created as much
of a stir for her muttering of “Christ” on the hit
song “Lindberg” as it did for the style of music) add
quite a bit to the overall atmosphere. This album
sure isn’t heavy, but the Forestier scream and
resulting frantic sax solo on “California,” or the
lunatic ravings of Charlebois on the 7-minute
“Engagement” pack just as much of a much as any wild
guitar solo could. This album is always inventive and
surprising, and while it certainly won’t shock a
modern listener, it’s sure to entertain. [AM]

CHARLEE (Montreal, Canada)
"Charlee" 1972 (RCA Victor 4809) [orange label; textured

cover]
"Charlee" 1972 (RCA Victor 4809) [brown label]
"Charlee" 1976 (Mind Dust mdm-1001, US) [altered 'cartoon'
cover]
Killer hard rock dominated by guitar wizard Walter

Rossi. The vocals are only OK, but this album rocks
with a vengeance. It’s powerful, hooky, and full of
surprises. Rossi gets some great noises out of his
guitar, culminating in the awesome “Wheel of Fortune
Turning.” Most Hendrix worshipers are at best obvious
copies and at worst unimaginative imitators without a
zillionth of Hendrix’s talent. Rossi is one of the
few to use Hendrix as a springboard for his own
original ideas. Easily one of the best of its kind.
The Mind Dust version was issued with a sticker on
the shrink reading "Charlee featuring Walter Rossi",
and was also released on 8-track with a non-LP track.
[AM]
CHARLIE NOTHING (Los Angeles, CA)
"The Psychedelic Saxophone of Charlie Nothing" 1967 (Takoma c-

1015)
"Inside Outside" 1969 (no label)
Hollywood bohemian. Freaky sax noise on the

"Psychedelic Saxophone..." LP. Instro flute and bongo
jamming on "Inside Outside". There was also an EP
titled "We Are You", and a 45 with a picture sleeve
called "X-tra Hot Selections". [RM]
CHARMER (FL)
"Your Presence Requested" 1977 (Jazz Forum cm-1068)

"Your Presence Requested" 1977 (Illusion 1070)
"Your Presence Requested" 199 (no label) [bootleg]
An unrelated Charmer recorded at least two LPs for

the Rapides label out of Alexandria, Louisiana. Jazz
Forum is a Hollywood, Florida label likely connected
with the tax-loss Illusion label.
CHUBBY CHECKER (Philadelphia, PA)
"New Revelation" 1981 (51 West)
Recently brought to light obscurity in the king

twister's back catalog, circa 1970 recordings mostly
in a hard Hendrixy guitar funk/psych style, useful
for samples or just to marvel at its strangeness. No
whiffs of twist to be found in neither the garagey
fuzz-funk-ploitation backing nor Chubby's raw vocals.
The lyrics are far out too, and contain several
references to the moon landing. There's also a heavy
ballad called "Goodbye Victoria". The album was only
belatedly released by a budget/scam label in the US,
but given more contemporary releases in Europe: as
"Chubby Checker" in Spain (Ariola, 1971) and France
(MFP, 1976); as "Chequered" (London, 1971) in the UK;
as "Slow Twistin'" (MFP, 1976) in Belgium. The
Spanish (and other?) issue contains two tracks not on
the US version. Read all about it in Ugly Things #23,
where it was first introduced. Chubby himself has
declined comment on this particular work.
CHECK-MATES, INC (Los Angeles, CA)
"Live At Harvey's - Too Much" 1965 (Ikon IER S 121/122) [2LPs;

gatefold]
Recorded live at Harvey's Resort Hotel & Casino in

Nevada (where Jack Bedient also recorded). A racially
integrated club act that was originally formed by
soldiers serving in the US Army. Typical mix of frat,
r'n'b and soul: "Louie Louie", "Kansas City", "Turn
On Your Lovelight", "Hang On Sloopy", etc. The album
was a custom job by the Ikon label in Sacramento,
home of a number of legendary garage 45s, and was a
stereo pressing that was unplayable on mono equipment
due a technical screw-up! The band went on to have
success as Checkmates Ltd, and later hooked up with
Phil Spector.
CHECKMATES ( )
"Meet the Checkmates" 1967 (Justice 149)

"Meet the Checkmates" 1996 (CD Collectables 0617)
Generic chesspiece sleeve actually gives the band

name as "Checkmate". One of the worst Justices with
3-man horn section & dorkylooking semi-pro band
running through standards that are unhip even by the
genre average. The fact that the band is fairly adept
is actually a drawback in this context. Don't let
anyone tell you this is garage; even calling it
"rock'n'roll" is a bit of a stretch. Best track is a
slightly mysterioso sounding "Gypsy woman". One group
original. [PL]
V.A "THE CHEETAH - WHERE IT'S AT" (NY)
"The Cheetah - Where It's At" 1967 (Audio Fidelity AFLP 2168)
[mono]
"The Cheetah - Where It's At" 1967 (Audio Fidelity AFSD 6168)
[stereo]
Exploito teenbeat and soul from the Esquires,

Thunderfrog Ensemble, and Mike St Shaw & the
Prophets. Covers all through, lots of Stones, some
James Brown, Young Rascals etc. The LP is sometimes
hyped, but not a rarity. Also out on reel-to-reel.
CHELSEA (NY)
"Chelsea" 1972 (Decca dl-75262)

-- also released in Australia
This album has become collectable mostly because it

contains a pre-Kiss Peter “Cris”. Some of it is
uninteresting boogie rock, and at least one song
(“Hard Rock Music,” which prints bizarre fake lyrics
on the back cover, probably to disguise the real
song’s stupidity) is truly atrocious. A few songs
rock convincingly, though, and a few others are great
orchestrated dreamy psych. Despite the variety of
styles, the odd production creates a thematic
consistency. All of the rhythm guitars are acoustic,
and the leads are trebly and often ear-piercing,
moreso because the rest of the instruments form a
wall of sound. On the good songs the overall effect
is pretty powerful, but on the weaker ones it’s just
strange. The “hard rock” songs, lacking electric
rhythm guitars, rely on lots of lead guitar, loud
drums and crazed vocals, not really to the music’s
advantage. This is a spotty album, but it’s weird and
distinctive and has its moments. [AM]
CHENANIAH (MN)
"Chenaniah" 1977 (no label 7071-n-11) [1000p]
Little-known Christian 1970s melodic folkrock at the

commercial westcoast end of the spectrum, comparable
to Harvest Flight. Opens with excellent psych-vibe
track, rest is a little too much feel-good hippie-
dippy for my tastes. Nice arrangements with guitar
tapestries and smooth CSN/America vocal harmonies,
some countryrock moves, listenable OK with a relaxed,
non-preaching attitude, although the lead singer is
sort of dorky. A few lowkey folk tracks with acoustic
guitar and strings project an appealing Tim Hardin
feel. [PL]
CHICKEN AND THE EGG ( )
"Word of Mouth" 1974 (Gramex g-101) [paste-on cover]
Mix of hippie funk and rural rock weirdness. Pressed

by GRT in Nashville. Issued in a plain cover with a
paste-on front listing the band name and title. A
paste-on back labeled 'Reference Data' lists the
songtitles and credits.
CHILDREN (San Antonio, TX)
"Rebirth" 1968 (Cinema 1) [gatefold; gold title sticker on

cover]
"Rebirth" 1968 (Atco sd-33-271) [remix; mono wlp]
"Rebirth" 1968 (Atco sd-33-271) [remix; stereo]
"Rebirth" 2003 (CD Gear Fab GF 187) [+16 bonus tracks]
This co-ed soft psych album (produced by Lelan

Rogers) is one of those records that seems like it’s
going to be great, but falls a bit short. Even on the
songs that “rock,” it’s all very twee, with flutes,
harpsichords, falsetto backing vocals, wimpy vocals
from the guy (as usual, they should have let the
woman sing all of the songs), and occasional garish
orchestration. The arrangements are certainly
creative and elaborate, though word has it that the
original mix is more colourful than the more commonly
available version. “Sitting on a Flower,” which
sports unexpected chord changes and punchier guitar
than the rest of the album, and the long, drony
“Pictorial” are probably the best songs. Mono stock
copies may not exist. The band had an excellent non-
LP 45 in a different style from the LP and were
related to legendary garage bands the Mind's Eye,
Argyles and Stoics. The Gear Fab reissue has a ton of
interesting bonus tracks from their various
incarnations before and after this album. [AM]
CHILDREN OF ONE (NY)
"Children of One" 1969 (Real r-101)
Eastern acoustic trance psych eastern sounds with

femme vocals.
CHILD'S ART (CT)
"Un-Cut" 1982 (Gold)
This one has been hyped by dealers as one of the

truly great 80s psych albums, but I have no idea what
they were thinking. It has a horrible-sounding 80s
production style with way too much snare drum and
acoustic guitar reverb, and ugly squealy lead guitar.
The end result is somewhere between heavy metal and
new wave. Anyone who says this sounds like the 60s is
either lying through their teeth or out of their
mind. The male vocals are macho and unappealing and
the occasional female vocals too tentative to work in
this context. A few songs show some promise, but even
those are ruined by the messy sound and over-
ambitious song structures. This has become
collectable, but even the worst of the Paisley
Underground bands run circles around it. [AM]
CHIRCO (Westchester, NY)
"The Visitation" 1972 (Crested Butte cb-701) [booklet; lyric

inner; wlp exists]
"The Visitation" 1999 (Gear Fab gf-130)
"The Visitation" 2000 (Akarma, Italy) [insert]
Interesting and ambitious album, though more prog

than psych. A really great, crisp guitar sound
compensates for the fact that this occasionally
sounds somewhat like Styx. What Homer is to guitar
rock, this is to keyboard rock. Barry Tashian of the
Remains produced and contributed one of the better
songs. Some of the songs are arranged into suites,
and flow together nicely, just falling short of the
kind of pretense that could sink something like this.
[AM]
~~~
While we've seen the LP advertised as a high priced
psych outing, it ain't! There are splashes of fuzz
guitar and occasional progressive moves, but
propelled by vocalist Anvil Roth's AOR-styled pipes
and delivery, these guys probably have more in common
with 1970s hard rockers. The label and the overall
Western motif left us with the impression this short-
lived early-'70s outfit was from Colorado, but it was
recorded in New York and Connecticut. Sonically the
album's surprisingly impressive and offers up a nice
mix of 1970s hard rock and Styx-styled progressive
moods. Several tracks sport a vague new age-styled
spiritualistic message, but have interesting
arrangements and a couple actually rock out. To our
ears, highlights are the opener "Sound of the Cross"
and "Golden Image". [SB]
CHI-RHO (IL)
"Chi-Rho" 1972 (Aslan 0100)
Christian obscurity with horns and deep vibe, like

the missing link between Khazad Doom and the more
spiritual tracks on Search Party. Brass arrangements
are in a classical/liturgical style that fits the LP
well, and the male/female vocals have the right eerie
sacred feel. Not really a "rock" sound, yet with
obvious influences from contemporary folk and
psychedelia. Lack of guitar leads and the overall
weirdness makes this an aquired taste, but I found it
rather interesting. All originals except for oddball
version of "Jesus Is Just Alright". The LP was
recorded in Illinois as an 'outreach of Jud Youth
Ministries'. The front cover has a gold negative
photo of the band. The back has a black and white
photo of the band walking down train tracks looking
very hippie. [PL]
CHOCOLATE WATCHBAND (San José, CA)
"No Way Out" 1967 (Tower t-5096) [mono; tan label]

"No Way Out" 1967 (Tower st-5096) [stereo; tan label]
"No Way Out" 1994 (CD Sundazed) [inserts; +3 tracks]
"No Way Out" 199 (Big Beat wik-118) [+8 tracks]
"The Inner Mystique" 1968 (Tower t-5105) [mono; tan label]

"The Inner Mystique" 1968 (Tower st-5105) [stereo; tan
label]
"The Inner Mystique" 198 (Tower) [bootleg]
"The Inner Mystique" 1981 (Raven 1001, Australia)
"The Inner Mystique" 198 (Eva, France) [+2 tracks]
"The Inner Mystique" 1994 (CD Sundazed 6024) [+4 tracks]
"One Step Beyond" 1969 (Tower st-5153) [wlp exists]

"One Step Beyond" 198 (Tower) [bootleg]
"One Step Beyond" 1994 (CD Sundazed 6025) [+4 tracks]
"The Inner Mystique/One Step Beyond" 199 (CD Big Beat wikd-
111) [2-on-1]
Legendary teen-punks with ace Jagger clone on vocals

and an archetypal garage look and vibe. "No Way
Out" (also released in Canada and Germany) is garagy
fuzz with a mix of covers and great originals. "The
Inner Mystique" retains some of the r'n'b and garage
and adds a quite different yet appealing dreamy
lounge-psych element via studio tracks such as "Dark
side of the mushroom". "One Step Beyond", the weakest
of the lot, has a more coherent group sound in a
flowing late 1960s westcoast rural sound. Originals
of this LP have 'printed in U.S.A.' clearly legible
at the bottom of the back cover. Many of the tracks
on the first two LPs were recorded by session
musicians. They're nevertheless essential, although
the band is best understood as a 45 outfit. They also
have two killer non-LP tracks on the Tower soundtrack
"Riot on Sunset Strip" (1967, Tower t-5065 mono, st-
5065 stereo) and a track on the sampler
"Underground" (1969, Tower st-5168). There's plenty
of retrospective samplers from the 1980s onwards, in
case anyone still needs an introduction to this
seminal band at this late stage. [PL]
CHOSEN ONES (Topeka, KS)
"Chosen Ones" 1966 (Audio House AH267) [1-sided]
Young band with horn section doing typical

wedding/high school dance material, and not exactly
tearing the roof off at that. Members were apparently
selected via audition which accounts for a reasonable
(but not overwhelming) musical proficiency, the most
interesting attribute being female vocalist Angel who
sings quite well in a sophisticated style and
breathes good atmosphere into "As Tears Go By". The
other 5 tracks are typical soul/r'n'b covers of the
era, with a solid groove on "Turn On Your Love Light"
and a nervous "Harlem Shuffle" highpoints. The guitar
is barely present. This inoffensive album probably
succeeded in getting the band plenty of local gigs,
but is far removed from what today is considered
"garage" or "60s teenbeat". 1-sided album with 6
tracks. The band also had a local non-LP 45. [PL]
CHRIS, CHRIS & LEE ( )
"Chris, Chris, and Lee" 1970 (C C & L)
Delicate folk/folkrock covers and some originals.

"Thank you" has nice vocal harmony arrangements and
an upbeat flow, like the Chapin Bros 4 years down the
line.
CHRISTBEARER (NC)
"Songs And Friends" 1977 (Christbearer CR-1001)
Like Majesty and Uncle John’s Band, Christbearer is

one of a few groups headed up by Chris Hughes in the
‘70s. They also happen to be the heaviest of the
bunch. Psych enthusiasts will immediately want to
take note of ‘Look’ and ‘Into The Light’, both of
which rock slowly with some of the loudest droning
fuzz guitar on record – enough that "Songs And
Friends" could easily earn a modest “monster”
status. On the softer end of the spectrum is
‘Twilight’, a mesmerizing acoustic ballad with dreamy
background synthesizer. A number of the remaining
songs appeared on the Majesty album in the acoustic
duo format but are re-interpreted here as spirited
electric pop/folk, some of the best I’ve heard.
Light horn accompaniment on a couple of these blends
in perfectly. Several folkrock tunes as well - airy
and jangly on ‘Fly’, bluegrassy with banjo on ‘Come
To The Banquet’. Members include Chris Hughes, Kay
Woodard, Jimmy Rea, Jeff White and Lee Carpenter.
Great album! Custom press from Durham, NC. [KS]
CHRISTIAN ASTRONAUTS (Fremont, OH)
"Beyond The Blue" 1971 (Gospel Empire no #)

"Beyond The Blue" 2004 (CD Companion) [CD-R]
Christian family outer space concept act, "naive folk

art" in great cover with homemade sound fx and off-
key vocals. One for the incredibly strange fringe,
needless to say. Some copies come with a promo photo.
CHRISTIAN YOGA CHURCH (Virginia City, NV)

"Turn On!! Music for the Hip at Heart" 1967 (Memorare es-
s101)
A 50-minute tribal spiritual organ/percussion

improvisation with occasional sanskrit chanting, as
much a product of the beatnik seeker era as a
precursor of 1970s communal tripouts. Not really a
"rock" record, more a unique early psychedelic fringe
artefact along the lines of Alan Watts' legendary
"This is IT", less intense, more eerie, and just as
interesting. An unplugged version of Beat Of The
Earth also springs to mind. One of my personal
favorites in the off-the-beaten-path category. [PL]
~~~
This record was connected to the Himalayan Academy
Research Center in San Francisco (what an amazing 60s
town!!) and the label address was a P.O. Box at the
Los Angeles airport. It's definintely in the 'real
people' zone, basically an acoustic no-fi hippie
freakout. Musical improvisations with church organ,
some sitar, chanting, flutes, and even a kazoo. Fans
of trancy Krautrock excess might go for this. There
are no track listings on the LP. [RM]
~~~
CHRISTMAS (Oshawa, Canada)
"Christmas" 1969 (Paragon 18)

"Christmas" 198 (Paragon) [reissue; altered sleeve]
-- the reissue has a b&W cover
"Christmas" 2005 (CD Pacemaker 043)
Their first LP has an intense westcoast sound similar

to the second, although less evolved. One side is a
long Bay Area-inspired (esp "Spare Chaynge")
instrumental, other side is more conventional. Worth
checking out.
"Heritage" 1970 (Daffodil 16002) [gatefold; insert]

"Heritage" 1970 (no label, Europe) [bootleg; no gatefold or
insert]
"Heritage" 1993 (CD Lazer's Edge)
The most relevant of theirs for my purposes, a really

good intense westcoasty trip with a distinct sound
all through. You can hear that these guys knew what
they were doing, especially ex-Reign Ghost whiz kid
guitarist Bob Bryden. Moving towards prog in the
advanced chord progressions and restless flow of
ideas, not terribly varied in mood yet its
inventiveness and energy makes for an impressive
consistency. Around this time the band also appeared
on a sampler "Proven Blooms" (Daffodil) with a track
unavailable elsewhere. [PL]
"Lies To Live By" 1974 (Daffodil 10047) [gatefold; insert]

-- released as by Spirit Of Christmas
"Lies To Live By" 198 (Daffodil, Europe) [bootleg]
"Lies To Live By" 199 (CD Lazer's Edge)
Warm flowing prog psych rocker. Superb vocals and

playing. Chaotic guitar runs, surging rhythms. [RM]
"Live ´71" 1989 (Remember The Alamo) [300#d; booklet]
"Live ´71" 199 (CD Unidisc AGEK 2168)
Legit release of rare live show from 1971, with some

45 only tracks added. First released as cassette.
CHRISTOPHER (Houston, TX / Los Angeles, CA)
see interview
"Christopher" 1970 (Metromedia 1024) [wlp]

"Christopher" 1970 (Metromedia 1024) [black stock label]
"Christopher" 1989 (Amos, Italy) [bootleg]
"Christopher" 199 (CD Buy Or Die)
"Christopher" 1998 (CD Gear Fab 108)
"Christopher" 199 (Akarma 408, Italy)
One of the better LPs in the popular subgenre of

proto-heavy westcoast hippierock, Airplane and Cream
being the obvious influences. Classy stuff, solid and
uncompromising and with lots of strange lyrics. A
mean looking trio too, from the crashpad sleeve photo
looks like they hung out more with bikers than flower
children! Originally a Texas band known as United
Gas, they also had connections to Josefus. Anyone who
digs "Crown Of Creation" will love this. Stock copies
are considerably rarer. An Italian original pressing
exists. [PL]
~~~
A decidedly mixed experience. Clever and thoughtful
songwriting and an excellent drummer wage war with
lots of inconsequential lead guitar and vocals that
often veer towards the macho (and sound just as bad
in this not-quite-hard rock as they would in heavy
blues rock.) As annoying as the lead singer can be,
the predictable harmonies are much worse, creating an
odd and uncomfortable combination: too wimpy and too
he-man at the same time. This album definitely works
better when the lyrical subject is “Magic Cycles” (a
leisurely, formless song that keeps threatening to
break out into rock and roll, but thankfully does
not) than when it’s “Beautiful Lady,” which wastes a
nice bass part and sounds like an FM radio reject.
Many of the arrangements are cool; on “Wilbur Lite”
you can ignore the boring lead guitar and enjoy the
chunks of feedback from the rhythm guitar. The pace
is always slow; a blast of energy would have added
something to the record, but other than the drummer
they don’t seem like they could have done it.
Besides, Christopher are more successful when they’re
just sitting back and feeling it than when they’re
trying really hard. Any attempt to rock out here (as
in the song “Disaster”) is quickly snuffed by a
mellow middle eight or more lead guitar that doesn’t
go anywhere. They do a better job of creating a
menacing atmosphere with the grisly Biblical-themed
lyrics to “Lies.” Others like this album much more
than I do; if you’re amenable to this vocal style you
probably will too. [AM]
CHRISTOPHER (Columbia, SC)
"What'cha Gonna Do?" 1969 (Chris-Tee 12411) [circa 1000p]

"What'cha Gonna Do?" 1990 (Animus Ochlus/Rockadelic 102) [b &
w cover; altered track order; 350#d]
"What'cha Gonna Do?" 199 (Atlas, Europe) [b & w cover]
"What'cha Gonna Do?" 1999 (CD Scenesof 1003)
"What'cha Gonna Do?" 2004 (Lion 101)
I’ll have to admit that I can’t figure out what

people see in this one. The first song has a
beautiful fuzz guitar sound, but that’s the first and
last highlight here. The vocals are really weak, and
the songs forgettable. The long jam that ends side
one is absolutely endless, one of the dullest I’ve
ever heard. The upbeat songs on the album still feel
soft, as if the energy vibe was low during the
recording session. The LP was released in August
1969. Of the reissues, the Lion has been reported as
being best soundwise, while the Atlas repro may be a
boot of the Rockadelic release, as none of these
reproduce the orange monochrome of the original
sleeve. [AM]
~~~
Most of the songs on this South Carolina band’s LP
are great. They’re played with considerable vitality
and with cool lyrics about the key concerns in life,
such as drugs, death and the passage of time. The
highlight has to be “Holiday” with fuzzed up guitar
and lots of snarling about their trip being “like a
book, a real good book, it’s nice but not quite
true”. “The Great Clock” and “Death Song” are superb
tracks with weary, wasted vocals lamenting the
passage of time. The title track clocking in at over
12 minutes is not the highlight (and it starts the
CD). However, it’s good enough not to mar the whole
experience. The original LP usually sells for way
into four figures. [RI]
CHRYSALIS (NY)
"Definition" 1968 (MGM e-4547) [mono; ylp]

"Definition" 1968 (MGM e-4547) [mono]
"Definition" 1968 (MGM e-4547) [stereo]
"Definition" 1993 (MGM)
"Definition" 2005 (CD Revola 094, UK) [+8 tracks]
One-shot masterpiece from genius songwriter Spider

Barbour. His songs show remarkable lyrical and
musical depth. Acoustic rock (not quite folk-rock)
songs dominate, but the album is full of surprises,
from searing fuzz guitar to the whacked-out fantasy
“Dr. Root’s Garden” that closes the album. There are
spots of jazz, prog (way before its time) and music
hall, all of which can ruin psychedelic records, but
work incredibly well here because they’re part of
Barbour’s vision, not just attempts to be trendy.
Favorite lyric: “God is a ring of smoke, wrapped
around my finger, a wasp without a stinger, buzzing
in my ear." Other lyrics veer towards the
psychological and emotional with equally memorable
results. Barbour’s voice is soothing and appealing.
Nancy Nairn is used sparingly but effectively (two
and a half songs) as the other lead vocalist. Her
unhinged performance on “April Grove” adds to the
appeal and strangeness of the album but is effective
precisely because it’s not overused. Some other songs
are stunningly beautiful and tragic. One of the all-
time greats. [AM]
CHURLS (Canada)
"Churls" 1969 (A&M SP 4169) [wlp exists]
Canadian band merges the garage band sound of the

Ugly Ducklings and the Haunted with a more up-to-date
hard rock vibe. There are too many songs, and most of
the lead guitar work doesn’t go anywhere, but there’s
also a youthful energy and solid vocal style that
wins out in the end. The trippy “Time Piece” blows
away everything else on the album but there are lots
of pleasures that reveal themselves with multiple
listens. They also released a second album on A&M,
"Send Me No Flowers," which is less collectable and
more mainstream in sound (though still pretty good.)
[AM]
CINCINNATI JOE & MAD LYDIA (Cincinnati, OH)
"Cincinnati Joe & Mad Lydia" 197 (River Witch 001)

[gatefold]
An obscure item in the fringe sub-category of local

lounge-rock bands with a stage musical "Hair"
influence. Cincy Joe is a Sly Stone look-a-like who
delivers some mediocre funk-rock tracks that are
clearly lacking in groove. Mad Lydia is a self-
appointed Cincinnati witch and some of her tracks is
what makes the LP, with a rather irresistable
backwater perspective on the American dream, as heard
on "Jesus is our color man" and most of all "Plastic
Rose", a heartfelt tribute to salt-of-the-earth women
that becomes effective simply because of its slighly
misguided and amateurish feel. Other enjoyable tracks
include Lydia's witch testimony "900 years" (the
psychiest track) and the hometown tribute "Cincinnati
Soul". Glitzy period production details like female
backing vocals, electric piano and flute help put you
right in a half-empty Holiday Inn in Ohio 1973. A
meaningless collage of live-recorded "Hair" songs
close the LP on a confusing note. Only about half the
album works, yet clearly a must for genre fans (like
me) and probably a complete mystery to others. Nice,
ambitious packaging adds to the vibe. There were also
non-LP 45s by both of them on the same label. [PL]
CIRCUIT RIDER (CT)
"Circuit Rider" 1980 (C.R 666)

"Circuit Rider" 199 (no label, Germany) [bootleg; inferior
sleeve job]
I initially wrote this off as yet another Blessed End

but further plays revealed more interesting aspects.
Still sort of goofy in places but has some truly
freaky biker/Cpt Beefheart late night explorations.
The tracks where they break out of their
swampy/bluesy mood are the best, such as "Limousine
Ride" and "Chinese", which project visions of a biker
high on PCP driving over a cliff at 100 MPH, laughing
and screaming all the way. Songwriting is essentially
non-existent, and the same riffs and rhythms are used
throughout, which creates a sameyness that will grate
if you're not in the mood. The "Billy The Kid" song
is a goofy macho lowpoint not unlike Blessed End, and
all over this is an LP likely to appeal to some while
others may be puzzled. A late Doors influence can be
detected. Several sources claim that it was recorded
in 1971, but not released until 1980. [PL]
CIRCUS (Cleveland, OH)
"Circus" 1973 (Metromedia LPS 7401)
Circus were one of those bands who were huge stars

locally but never made it anywhere else. In Cleveland
they were even more popular than the Raspberries and
this album's "Stop Wait Listen" still gets local
airplay. They were a hard rock band with major
Badfinger-styled power pop leanings and minor prog
leanings. There are at least three killer songs here,
though the album as a whole tries to do too many
things and doesn't fully work, especially on the
longer songs. The recorded a number of songs after
this LP, but couldn't find another label. Members of
the band would form a number of other bands,
including American Noise. [AM]
CIRCUS (Stevens Point, WI)
"Circus" 1974 (Hemisphere ks-6679)

"Circus" 2000 (Gear Fab gf-162) [+2 tracks]
Jammy keys and heavy, distorted leads rockers

including a 12-minute track, produced by Corky
Siegel.
CIRKUS ( )
"Cirkus" 197 (private)
Early 70s garagy sound soul rock high energy covers

with mixed vocals. "Get Ready", "Spill the Wine",
"River Deep Mountain High".
CITY BLUES (CA)
"Blues For Lawrence Street" 1967 (Nouveau nr-5001)
Fullerton, California label. Lo-fi garage blues by

16-18 year olds. Raw dual guitar, harmonica lo-fi
action. Originals on side 1, covers on side 2
highlighted by a ten minute "Smokestack Lightning".
[RM]
CLAP (CA)
"Have You Reached Yet?" 1972 (Nova-Sol 1001) [175p]

"Have You Reached Yet?" 1990 (Phaze II) [bootleg]
"Have You Reached Yet?" 2005 (CD Skyf Sol)
Appealing exercise in cool by lost-in-time pool party

rockers. Genuine teenage punk that sounds more '66
(or '64 even when the sax player honks away) than '72
with snotty Jagger vocals, basic garage tracks and a
real attitude. Recommended to fans of local Stones-
inspired rockers, whose unglamorous lifestyle is
clearly audible in the grooves. Originals all
through, and not bad ones at that. I like this at
lot, a good one to play when fed up with psychedelic
pipe dreams. [PL]
TODD CLARK GROUP (Butler, PA)
"We're Not Safe" 1979 (World Theatre TC-102) [300p]

"Nova Psychedelia" 2005 (CD Anopheles 010) [2CDs; bonus
tracks]
Todd Clark's second and somewhat more well-known LP

after the Eyes delivers similar suburban sci-fi
stoner visions, with a less progressive and more
garagey feel, including a (good) cover of the
Raiders' "Hungry". The recording has a basement sound
which is probably to its advantage, and the vocals
are less idiosynchratic, with a definite influence
from snotty "punk" stylings. All over a step towards
a more contemporary underground rock sound, which
probably explains the attention it has caught over
the years, with an intense, sometimes chaotic sound.
"X-ray X-tasy" sounds like a 1979 classic with a
catchy chorus and demented glamrock postures, while
making "I had too much to dream" sound like a Todd
Clark composition is a remarkable feat. This early
Prunes cover is a blast and suggests a more
productive path than the "Nuggets" cover bands of the
1980s. The album closes with an ambitious 14-minute
suite that looks back to the conceptual strangeness
of the debut, but still fits with the more in-yer-
face nature of "We're not face". The band had a 2nd
LP "Into the vision" in 1984 with dissonant sci-fi
sounds. The CD was released as by Todd Tamanend Clark
and contains both the 1979 and 1984 albums. [PL]
~~~
see -> Eyes
LINDA CLARKE ( )
"Yes, Indeed! 1976 (Tiger Lily 14035)
Another mysterious album on Tiger Lily. Folkrock and

soul, a bit in a Carole King vein with full backing
band.
CLAUDE & SHERRY ( )
"Claude & Sherry" 1976 (Tiger Lily 14057)
Here’s one of the weirdest Tiger Lily albums of all.

Who are these people? What in the world was their
audience? This duo plays 50s-style roots rock, slick
AM pop, ballads, soul, and UK-sounding folk with
equal energy. At first this sounds like a big mess,
and I was ready to file it after two listens. But I
gave it another chance, and sure enough it grew on me
and I really enjoy this record. Sherry has a
beautiful voice, equally suited for the ballads and
the folk, and Claude is funny and high-spirited. Most
of the songs on this short album are quite catchy.
The ungodly mix of styles makes it obvious why they
were doomed to obscurity, but this album was an oddly
pleasant surprise for me. Nice obscure cover art,
too. [AM]
CLAW (IL)
"Diggin' In" 1978 (GDS 2051)
Crude hardrock boogie. Back cover notes "Play this

Ass Kicker Loud!", in case you were in doubt. Ex-
Eighth Day, who had two songs on the much earlier
"Psychedelic Six Pack of Sound" comp.
DAVID CLAYTON-THOMAS (Toronto, Canada)
"And The Shays A-go-go" 1966 (Roman 101)
"Sings It Like It Is" 1966 (Roman 102)
These early LPs from the future Blood Sweat & Tears
vocalist are both moderately desirable teen-
beat/r'n'b rarities.
The first LP was "reissued" with overdubbed horns by
Decca in the 1970s, beware!
CLEARING (Newton, MA)

"Who Is In My Temple" 197 (Unitarian Universalist)
"Clearing" 1973 (Aberdeen Acme 6673) [insert]
Little-known 70s folk with female vocals and mix of

covers and originals.
CLEFS OF LAVENDER HILL (FL)
This popular Florida 1960s band had a number of 45s

and a taste of success, but it appears that their
rumored demo/acetate album never reached beyond the
tape stage. Several of their 45s can be found on the
"Everywhere Interferences" compilation.
CLICK KIDS (OR)
"Jesus Is A Soul Man" 196 (CLS 001)
Christian teen quartet playing amateurish DIY Jesus

pop, somewhat legendary among incredibly strange
fans.
BILL CLINT (CA)
"The Crying Of A Generation" 1975 (Joint Artists 332)

[gatefold; poster insert]
Rural folk weeper with an unnerving tortured feel

like Bobb Trimble. Vocally, he resembles John Denver,
with some oversinging thrown in for good measure. The
highlights are: "Angels Don't Need Friends", an
amazing downer track where he breaks down crying, and
"Babe Is It Easy" which continues the crying theme
and adds running water and a music box to the mix.
There's also some creepy sounding xylophone in
places. There are two cover variants. On one the
opening for the record faces the spine, on the other
it is at the outside edge. The insert reads: "I'm no
longer afraid to admit I'm an insane animal"! [RM]
CLOSELY WATCHED TRAINS (RI)
"Closely Watched Trains" 1975 (Follie's Bazaar nr-5666-1)

[blank back; insert]
Northeast communal group. Low-key rural folk with

backporch progressive jamming.
~~~
see -> Follie's Bazaar
V.A "CMU SENIOR BANQUET" (PA)
"Another Carnegie Mellon University First!" 1969 (AIP)

Collegians. Bagpipe group on one side and a basement
folkrock group on the flipside.
STEVIE COCHRAN (Long Island, NY)
"No Need to Worry" 1983 (no label) [plain black cover w/ info
sheet; 100p]
Hardrock cruncher like Truth and Janey, demo-only

release.
RON CODEN (MI)
"Live at the Raven Gallery" 1968 (Hideout 1003)
Folk LP recorded live, on noted local label.
DAVID ALLEN COE (Akron, OH / Nashville, TN)
"Requiem for a Harlequin" 1973 (SSS International)

"Requiem for a Harlequin" 200 (CD SSS)
If it isn't a law then it should be: sooner or later,

everybody makes a psychedelic record. This sequel to
his 1968 debut LP, "Penitentiary Blues," sounds like
a cross of "Rubber Room" era Porter Wagoner and the
more experimental tracks on Peter Grudzien's "The
Unicorn." Not so much a collection of songs as it is
an album-length poem about an "asphalt jungle"
populated by junkies, thieves, whores and misfits
with a musical bed that runs from blues rock to
psychedelic soul to jazz to avant-garde. Utterly
unlike anything else this king of the racist red-neck
outlaw bikers has ever done, and, while Coe's debut
is a rare and expensive LP, "Requiem" is next to
impossible to find and sells for mid-three figures
whenever a copy surfaces. In the first five hits of a
web search for information three different release
dates are offered, 1969, 1971 and 1973. This is an
amazing and unique record. The rest of Coe's vast
output falls outside the scope of the Archives. [SD]
JOE COHEN ( )
"Pages" 1975 (Friendship Music) [photo & letter inserts]
Rural hippie folk with two electric wah-wah tracks.

Possibly the same guy who had an LP out in 1982,
"Writings on my wall".
MIKE COHEN ( )
"Mike Cohen" 1973 (Diadelphous Stamens) [insert]

Basement folk from guy with lots of hair.
COLD SUN (Austin, TX) see interview
"Cold Sun" 1973 (Sonobeat acetate) [only 1 copy made]

"Dark Shadows" 1990 (Rockadelic 2) [insert; photo; 300#d]
"Dark Shadows" 199 (Atlea, Europe) [bootleg; no inserts]
Incredible 1960s-vibe teen guitar-psych featuring

autoharp wizard Bill Miller, later of Roky's Aliens.
Best Rockadelic LP ever, and in my opinion the best
Texas LP after "Easter Everywhere" and "Power Plant".
The recordings were made in Austin 1970-71, the
acetate was pressed by a band member years later just
to be able to listen to the music. The Rockadelic
release was mastered from the original Sonobeat
tapes, not from the acetate which only features about
2/3rds of the band's material. Two completely
different inserts exist for the Rockadelic release,
150 copies had one credited to Mike Ritchey, 150
copies had one credited to Arthur Bloch. [PL]
~~~
Austin band with an obvious 'Elevators influence
recorded this amazing psychedelic demo LP in '70.
There's no hints of prog or hard rock on this beast
though, just 100% psychedelia. Truly inspired
original and uncompromising stuff, it actually sounds
like the logical next step after Easter Everywhere
and Bull Of The Woods - great Texas desert psych!
Most songs are long and winding, full of echoey fuzz,
Roky-inspired vocals, autoharp and some harmonica. It
never gets into boring hippie jams though. It's more
like entering a state of mind than listening to a
regular album. The lyrics are also some of the best
I've ever heard, managing to be totally
strange/psychedelic without getting the least
pretentious. Not only the best Rockadelic release,
but possibly one of the best and most important psych
reissues ever. Roky's first backing band, Bleibalien,
were essentially made up of members from Cold Sun.
Fantastic LP! [MM]
STUD COLE (Los Angeles, CA)
"Stud Cole" 1973 (Pacific Atlantic Tribune PAT 1123)

"Burn Baby Burn" 2002 (CD Norton Records) [LP +4 bonus tracks]
"Stud Cole" 2004 (Loopden) [exact reissue; insert]
One of the more notable discoveries of the third

millennium, this previously unknown demo LP has a
unique sound not easily described. Tag-lines such as
"Elvis backed by '66 Yardbirds" go in the right
direction but don't fully capture it, as Stud (real
name Patrick Tirone) is a lot weirder than Elvis ever
was, and the backup band sounds more like '68
exploito-psych than the Yardbirds. "Hasil Adkins
backed by the 31 Flavors" may be closer to the actual
sounds inside the non-descript sleeve. Some tracks
have a strange karaoke-like soundscape, with Cole's
vocals upfront and perfect in sound, while the music
is way in the back, compressed and muffled. On a few
occasions the vocals or a guitar solo come in ½ a
beat too early or too late, creating a weird Shaggs-
like effect seldom found on record. Cole's vocals are
in an obvious 1950s mode, while some of the lyrics
come from an Ed Wood Jr type universe, and all this
with a generic Hendrix-fuzz support. This LP and its
unparalleled mix of styles may be too esoteric a trip
for many 50s/60s fans, while those who enjoy the
incredibly strange aspects of the Haze or Charlie
Tweddle need to check it out. [PL]
~~~
Totally enjoyable album that is the perfect mix of
60s garage and 50s hipness. The weird out-of-time-
synch vocals and muffled backdrops add to the overall
effect, which is something of a cheesy exploitation
horror movie for Las Vegas denizens. Along with the
much less outrageous Dane Sturgeon, this is the apex
of 50s-into-60s insanity. Stud really can sing, too.
Utterly wonderful. [AM]
~~~
Here's some new Stud Cole info, supplied by original
LP discoverer Scott Bubrig: "As expected, Stud Cole
lived in a nocturnal world of stripper girlfriends,
endless cocktails and dreams of becoming a successful
recording artist. I was told he was very popular with
the ladies and always had one by his side. I know
most Stud Cole fans always wondered if he had a band
or if he recorded the record alone with little or no
assistance. Well, he had lots of help which is good
because I was told Stud was a horrible guitar player.
The bass player I'm in contact with already had a
local band that Stud convienced into helping him
record his album. For the record, Stud had six other
musicians working with him (lead guitar, rhythm
guitar, drums, bass, keyboards and a percussionist)."
"COLLAGE '75" (NJ)
"Collage '75" 1975 (BCC-1975) [gatefold]
College project album from Brookdale Community

College, including the usual mix of styles.
Instrumental psychedelic rock, poetry, funk, hippie
folk, bluegrass and an awkward soul-searching singer-
songwriter. "Bands" include North Star, To Be
Continued, Eric Marcusson, Maryann Sabanskas,
Watchful Waiting, and more.
COLLECTIVE STAR (New York City, NY)
"Music Of The Mantric Wave, vol 2" 1974 (Unanimous

Anonimous UNAN 999)
Manhattan guru and his astral soul-mate deliver

slick, sophisticated new age meditation sounds with a
production value that exceeds the yearly income of
many a rural hippie homestead. Although it could be
described as "cosmic folk", the vibe is closer to
that of 70s space-jazz such as Alice Coltrane, with
urban jazzy trumpet and flute ornaments and a suave
nightclub vibe. I can imagine these people offering
tantric self-realization classes for confused NYC
rich people, and it certainly is a change of climate
from the typical rural commune sounds. The
instrumental passages have a trancey drone flow and
makes good use of dramatic chord and key changes, but
it's difficult to reconcile the worldly, inner city
feel of the music with any type of spiritual
excursions. There is not much of actual singing, more
like chanting and mantra-style instruction. The whole
thing has a staged feel, making the listener a
spectator rather than a participant. "God Of Beauty"
brings in a raga sound and is perhaps the most
psychedelic of the four lengthy tracks on offer here.
This is not an expensive LP, after hearing it you
will realize why. No "Vol 1" has ever been found.
[PL]
"Garuda" 1975 (Unanimous Anonimous UNAN 1001)
The second LP moves in an unwanted downtown direction

that brings in slick 1970s studio funk by adept but
ill-fitting session musicians, with congas, sax and
flute for that special studio hack latin groove. The
amateur vocals of Mr Star and his chick urging for
your spiritual breakthrough makes for an uneasy mix
with this backdrop, to put it mildly. "Cosmic Boogie"
is a useful example of how not to do your new age
music, unless you're aiming for the Incredibly
Strange bag. Things do get more cosmic psychedelic on
side 2 with two extended kraut-style floaters with
eerie femme voices and a sound fx-processed jew's
harp on the first, and raga and kirtan moves on the
second. If you want to know just how weird things
were in NYC in 1975 I guess this is as good a street
map as any, but I wouldn't want to listen to it too
often. [PL]
COLLECTIVE TOOLS (NY)
"Collective Tools" 197 (Silver Crest Custom nt-5272) [insert;

blank back]
Circa 1970 upstate New York collaboration on a NYC

label. Features the groups Eon, Silverwood, and other
musicians from a drug rehabilitation clinic. Moody
basement folkrock and fuzz sounds. On the surface
this is a terrible record, but amateur fans will go
nuts over the loose playing, warbling female vocals,
no-fi production, and downer vibe throughout. Similar
to "Tool Shed" and the Earlham College comps but
murkier. Highlights: the murky take on "40 & 20
Years" (sic), the thud fuzz instro "Clear Silver",
and the mournful "Sail to Maine" which is about
scoring cocaine. Real people with real damage. [RM]
~~~
This mix of rock, folk and jazz is a lot more
interesting when you discover the background behind
it. Knowing that it was made by people in a drug
rehabilitation clinic/mental hospital, it just plain
creeps me out, starting with the mournful trumpet and
out of tune harmonica on the opening instrumental,
moving through the chilling “Sail To Maine” (in which
the singer seems to have the attitude that she can’t
beat drugs so she’ll just snort cocaine until she
dies) and some really stark loner folk. About half of
the songs are covers. “Two of Us” is especially
chilling, with the heavily echoed vocals and abrupt
ending making my own mind turn this hopeful song into
something completely different, where the “home” they
seek is the clinic... or death. I’m probably reading
too much into it, but given the feel of the rest of
this album I might be on the right track. Despite the
basement production and a certain kind of sloppiness,
most of this is reasonably well played and sung. The
ones that aren’t (i.e: “Get Together”) have a weird
urgency that’s compelling. Every song here sounds
like a last gasp. Very interesting stuff. [AM]
V.A "THE COLLEGIATE SOUND 1968" ( )
"The Collegiate Sound 1968" 1968 (Allen Associates GCS-120)
Highlights from a collegiate folk concert featuring

groups from 10 northeastern colleges. Most do choral
versions of pop and folk songs (with some acoustic
guitar accompaniment), including the well-known
Vassar G-Stringers, who perform “Get Together”. By
far, the standout is the group from Smith College who
go by the name of Maggie’s Farm performing what is
presumably a late 50s or early 60s song called
“Stubborn Woman” which has been transported forward
to the 60s garage. This is totally primitive electric
sound with drums bashing away, a crude guitar solo
and retro-50s singing & harmonies. By the way, did I
mention this was an all-female quartet? If this had
been a private label single, the garage fiends would
all be going “Denise Who?” [MA]
V.A "COLORADO FOLK" (CO)
"Colorado Folk, vol 1" 1973 (Biscuit City Enterprises)
First volume has folk and singer/songwriters,

including one good sitar-tablas track "Legend of the
Washeen". Second volume from 1974 is similar but more
bluegrass-oriented, and features a track by
Tumbleweed artist Pete McCabe.
COLOURS (Lubbock, TX)
"Colours" 1969 (Century 36550)
Folk and melodic rock covers Dylan, Stills, etc. Has

a bizarre, uncredited track where the engineer fools
around with backwards looping for about two minutes!
The front cover has a beautiful green acid splatter
design, the back is black and white with band photos
and song titles. [RM]
COLUMBUS CIRCLE (CT)
"On Saint John's Eve" 1976 (Pharoah)
Collegians doing avant-garde jazzy progressive

weirdness with a side-long track.
COLWELL-WINFIELD & FRIENDS (Boston, MA)
"Live Bust" 1971 (Za-Zoo 1)

"Live Bust" 2004 (Akarma 272, Italy)
"Live Bust" 2004 (CD Akarma 272, Italy) [+3 tracks]
Progressive bluesrock recorded live at the Phoenix

Coffee House. The band had an earlier major label LP
in the same style ("Cold Wind Blues", Verve Forecast,
1968).
COMMON PEOPLE (Baldwin Park, CA)
"Of, By, For The Common People" 1969 (Capitol st-266) [green
label]
"Of, By, For The Common People" 198 (Mr G, Canada) [bootleg]
"Of, By, For The Common People" 2000 (CD Ascension 022,
Australia)
"Of, By, For The Common People" 2003 (CD Radioactive, UK)
An interesting piece with an unusual edge for a major

label LP, uses a farout singer and some amazing
string arrangements to create a pretty unique sound.
Good album, particularly side one which is killer all
the way, while it sounds like they ran out of money
over on side 2 with a demo-feel club sound. The
terrible vaudeville track must be skipped at each
play, unfortunately. An original Canadian pressing
exists. The 1980s boot used a worn sleeve and should
be avoided. This used to be a "mystery" band but
their origins have finally been cleared up via two
pre-LP 45s on the private CA Flodavieur label, and
reportedly excellent 45s at that. [PL]
~~~
This has become one of the more well-known major
label psych items, and deservedly so. Some listeners
wish that the awesome orchestration of the first
three songs ran throughout the album (alas, the
budget ran out quickly), but I think that the
resulting mix of garagy rock, soul and folk makes for
a more interesting album. The gruff singer comes as a
shock when you first hear this, but once it all
clicks you can't imagine these songs sung by anyone
else. The "Funeral" song that opens side two is a
complete piece of garbage, an unfunny novelty song
thrown in to earn the producer extra royalties. It
very nearly ruins the (already short) album, but on
LP at least it's easy to skip. [AM]
~~~
COMMUNICATION 1 (MI)
"Communication 1" 1971 (Grotesque GS 101)
Acoustic downer folk duo Rob Carr & Bill Kahl with
flute and wind chimes, mostly instrumental with some
vocal tracks; described as "psychedelic John Fahey".
COMPANION (TN)
"Reap the Lost Dreamers" 1974 (RAV) [insert]

"Reap the Lost Dreamers" 2003 (Gear Fab)
The title is appropriate here, because this is

definitely dreamy, ethereal music. It’s American, but
the closest comparison I can come up with is Ithaca,
(or, at their most melodic moments, the Alan Parsons
Project.) The album oddly begins with a cover, a
version of “Blackbird” that omits the familiar guitar
parts and places the emphasis on the vocals. It’s a
good lead-in to what follows. The vocals are soft and
sensitive, the many keyboards layered like clouds,
and the songs slow and carefully constructed. Spacy
sound effects here and there work well with the
memorable melodies. A few songs are a bit heavier,
with some fuzz guitar, others have some Eno-like
electronics. The songs on side two are a bit less
inspired and drag a little, but it still all sounds
very nice. A distinctive album. By the way, this is a
Christian record, but you’ll never know it unless you
pay very close attention. [AM]
COMPANION (CA)
"On The Line" 1977 (Sleepy Eye)
Rural 1970s rock from Bay Area band; presumbaly no

relation to the guys below.
COMPANION (CA)
"Mr Head Live" 1980 (Akashic)

"Mr Head Live" 2005 (CD Syn-Ton, Austria)
Dead/Allman Bros-style guitar jammers.
BURT COMPTON & STEVE MELE (FL)
"Rock n Roll Genius" 1977 (Wizard 1303) [500p]
This one is a guilty pleasure. The first couple of

songs are pretty heavy with an ahead-of-its-time-but-
still-annoying squealy guitar sound (this is a year
before the first Van Halen album opened the
floodgates so that it would soon be the only guitar
sound on FM radio). After that, though, the music is
more mainstream, but quite appealing, radio pop/rock.
They can’t sing too well, and they aren’t so
original, but they have a sense of humor (one song is
about how in the music business helps them earn
“literally hundreds of dollars a year”) and the songs
are catchy. There’s a surprisingly faithful cover of
“Open My Eyes” and two showoffy instrumentals that
are short enough to work. I like it, but don’t expect
most of the people reading this review to agree.
Supposedly there are only 500 copies, but it seems to
show up for sale pretty often. [AM]
CONAN (CA)
"Tell 'Ol Anita" 1973 (Earthchilde ercd-101)
The artist is Conan R.H. Dunham. Conan is a horrible

singer but writes interesting, moody introspective
tunes. Mostly folky offbeat singer-songwriter sound
but three good heavier tunes with seedy fuzz and
synth. Sacramento label. [RM]
CONCERN (Las Vegas, NM)
"America, Where Are You?" 1973 (no label clp-813)
Credited to Concern, this recording takes the best

half of Guitar Ensemble's "The You-N-You" (the Bob
Rivas tracks) and adds some cool new topical ones by
Eloy Montoya with electric guitar and moody organ
moves. Rarer than either of the Guitar Ensemble LPs.
CONCRETE RUBBER BAND (Alden, KS)
"Risen Savior" 1974 (American Artists Custom aas-1164-lp)

"Risen Savior" 200 (CD Hidden Vision)
"Risen Savior" 2004 (CD Radioactive 0108, UK)
Amazing murky basement lo-fi headtrip from the

furthest depths of the Christian underground. While
the lyrics are typical for the genre, the music is as
un-holy as anything I've heard; droning psychedelic
DIY excursions with a strong ritual undercurrent, as
though recorded by some primitive society who
practice REAL Christianity, which is not angelic
choirs and cleancut folkies. Untrained male/female
vocals half-sing liturgical Jesus movement praise and
occasional damnation, while arhythmic drums, halting
harpischord and spooky organ provide the backdrop.
The real star of the show is Duncan Long's
synthesizer, which ranges from piercing and oddly
melancholic 3-D soundscapes to mindbending moog
glissandos. The roots of the music is folk and blues,
somewhere, but it really transcends genres. This is
what Stone Harbour might have sounded like if they'd
dropped enough acid to actually meet Jesus in person,
and returned to their cavern studio on an even
smaller budget. "Wicked" which opens side 2 is the
peak for me, with an (accidental?) oscillator effect
that sounds like a bat flapping its wings around your
head, coupled with eerie, ominous vocals and music
that sounds like 50 Foot Hose pleading for Thorazine.
The last couple tracks are somewhat more
straightforward and almost garagey in style. Only
album of its kind in the world. [PL]
~~~
There isn’t anything else like this one, which mixes
cheesy ballads, heavy guitar workouts, and freaky
synth-heavy space rock. The production is so awful
that you can barely hear the vocals or rhythm
section, though, which masks the amateurishness
somewhat but renders even the good songs (“Wicked”
being my hit pick) something of a chore to sit
through. I’d recommend this more to real people fans
than to psych or xian fans, though it’s unusual
enough and so musically outrageous that it should
give pretty much any listener a kick for a listen or
two. The LP was recorded in a band member's living
room via bouncing tracks on a 2-track, and the simple
artwork was due to the band not being able to afford
a generic custom sleeve. Most copies were given away
after they failed to sell out. [AM]
CONDELLO (AZ/CA)
"Condello: Phase 1" 1968 (Scepter srm-542) [mono]

"Condello: Phase 1" 1968 (Scepter sps-542) [stereo]
This fascinating album moves from sparkling pop to

near heavy metal, almost like a compilation album by
one man. Condello is an interesting figure, being
connected to diverse figures like Lynn Castle and
Warren S. Richardson, so it’s not surprising that his
album runs the gamut. The popsike songs near the
beginning of the album are the strongest tracks, but
all of it is interesting and worthwhile. A neat
artifact of a time when such diverse styles of music
sat nicely side by side on radio, and here, on LP.
Condello also released a number of 45s and EPs
including the "Soggy Cereal" track of Pebbles fame.
[AM]
C1 C2 see Mad Dog
LARRY CONKLIN & JOCHEN BLUM (Seattle, WA)
"Jackdaw" 1980 (no label 11233)
Little-known local album of haunting UK-style folk

with 12-string and violin.
V.A "CONNECTICUT'S GREATEST HITS" (CT)

"Connecticut's Greatest Hits" Conn 1966 (Co-Op 101)
Bands include the Van Dykes, Chosen Few, Majenics.

Some acts are doo wop/vocal groups.
CONSCIOUS EFFORT BAND ( )
"Conscious Effort Band" 1981 (no label) [gatefold]
Basement folkrock.
CONSTELLATION (Chattanooga, TN)
"Constellation" 1978 (Pyramid 1590)
"Constellation" is a pretty amazing effort; even more

so given that creative mainstay Punkin Crye wasn't
even old enough to legally play in a nightclub. In
addition to handling lead vocals (he sure didn't
sound like a 14 year old) and lead guitar, Crye wrote
or co-wrote all nine tracks. Exemplified by tracks
such as the blazing opener "8 O Clock Monday",
"There's Talk" and "Sell Out" the trio's take-no-
prisoners brand of hard rock certainly won't appeal
to everyone, but at least to out ears the LP's got
more hooks and heart than a truck load of Slayer
releases. Among the highlights were the sweet and
atypical ballad "Little Things" and the chugging
rocker "Always Be the Same". The album did little
commercially and Crye relocated to L.A. where he
enjoyed minor success playing in a number of local
metal bands. Unfortunately, Crye also picked up a
nasty drug habit. By the time he was in his early 20s
he'd returned to Tennessee where he ended up
homeless, living on the streets of Chattanooga. [SB]
~~~
The biggest clue as to the age of the songwriter here
comes from the lyrics, which obviously refelect a
horny teenager (or even pre-teen) view of dating.
This album has a nice hard rock sheen, driven by a
metallic but clean rhythm guitar sound. The
performances are strong, the energy level high and
the songs engagingly brief. It lacks riffs, though,
and has a surprisingly sparse amount of lead guitar.
They sound like a band with a lot of promise, but
this album never really takes off. [AM]
CONTENTS ARE (IA)
"Through You" 1967 (Rok) [100p; blank back cover]
Previously unknown LP from beat/folkrock/psych band,

only sold at shows. The band was still at highschool
when they cut this LP, which is remarkably advanced
for the time and place. Only a few copies are known
to exist.
V.A "CONTEXT '70" (Long Island, NY)

"Context '70" 1970 (no label MP 4-1)
Very obscure DIY high school project LP of which only

a few copies are known to exist. High points include
two long fuzz/organ instrumental freakouts, a girl
garage band, and some folk moves. Jug-band stuff,
bizarre poetry and crude classical round out the set.
There's also a funny spoken introduction proclaiming
it to come courtesy of "WTHC" radio. Interesting LP
with plenty of 1970 NYC zeitgeist and a high freak
value, though schizophrenic and local to the max. The
college project "Tool Shed" album is somewhat similar
and perhaps provides more good music than this
one. [PL]
~~~
Here is the ultimate in the realm of reality known as
the 60s/70s stoned high school student project LP.
Hailing from the Island of Long, these suburban
stonees definitely pulled some wool over the eyes of
the faculty. Beginning with a mock broadcast from
radio station WTHC (!), the drug references flow
through a pastiche of psych, folk, jugband, some
"classical music is great stoned" (courtesy of Igor
Stravinsky), and a few truly bent poems including the
Shakespearean ode to McDonald's, "Cheeseburger
Lament" from Omlette. Highlights are Adam's Rib, a
girl garage band performing a great pop-psych/punker
"Hide Your Love"; the proto-roots sound of The
Amalgamated Pickle Plant and Home Brew Distillery
(whose repertoire includes David Peel's Happy
Mother's Day) and most uniquely, one Emmanuel Angel.
Angel performs 2 lengthy instrumentals on which he
plays everything - guitar, keys, bass, drums - and
quite well. The sounds are berzerk progressive
psychedelia via early Zappa/Mothers filtered through
distorted, fuzzed, speeded up guitars and organs.
Finally, the last track is titled The End and lasts 1
second. The LP is housed in an incredible pink and
black psychedelic cover. There are plenty of pics of
our student stonees on the front. The back is a great
abstract design. [MA]
COOKIN' MAMA (CA)
"New Day" 197 (Rock Bottom cfs-3007)

"Cookin' Mama" 1980 (Piccadilly 3376) [boot reissue]
website version:
This is a pretty original and exciting West Coast
rock album, very hard to classify. It's too
structurally complex to be blues and rocks way too
hard to be rural rock. It's got horns, but they're
integrated into the overall sound in a way that makes
this no horn band. There are some similarities to the
Screaming Gypsy Bandits, though this band doesn't
cover as much stylistic ground and are more
consistently good. The guitar playing on this record
is powerful, and is what takes this way beyond the
realm of most commune-type albums. This isn't
literally a commune, but the band has about a dozen
members, the songs have chorus vocals, and they're
definitely hippies. Sherry Foxx, from Oasis and R. J.
Fox, is in this band and top billed (which leads to
record dealers inaccurately hyping this as a female
vocal album), but actually only sings lead on most of
one song (she sings the verses). That's a shame,
because though the chorus vocals are fine, the guys
who sing lead don't have half the personality or
excitement as Sherry. It's a blown opportunity,
because albums that rock this hard, have no cover
versions, and have female lead vocals are rare as
hen's teeth. If she had sung all of the songs this
would be something special indeed. As it is, it's
still a pretty cool album, recommended to people like
myself who wish that most of the jammy west coast
bands had more upbeat energy. Steve Miller is listed
as one of the album's three producers, by the way,
and it's quite impressive how many instruments and
voices are in the mix without sounding messy. For
some reason the liner notes say "no thanks to the
Illnois Highway Department". Two original pressings
exist with different label designs. [AM]
~~~
book version:
This is a pretty original and exciting West Coast
rock album, very hard to classify. It's too
structurally complex to be blues and rocks way too
hard to be rural rock (the guitar is very exciting.)
There are horns, but they're integrated into the
overall sound in a way that makes this no horn band.
They're something of a hippie commune, as the band
has about a dozen members and the songs have chorus
vocals. Sherry Foxx, from Oasis and R. J. Fox, is in
this band and top billed (which leads to record
dealers inaccurately hyping this as a female vocal
album), but actually only sings lead on part of one
song. That's a shame, because though the chorus
vocals are fine, albums that rock this hard, have no
cover versions, and have hot female lead vocals are
rare as hen's teeth. Steve Miller is listed as one of
the album's three producers, by the way, and it's
quite impressive how many instruments and voices are
in the mix without sounding messy. For some reason
the liner notes say "no thanks to the Illnois Highway
Department". Two original pressings exist with
different label designs. [AM]
V.A "COOL AID BENEFIT" (Vancouver, Canada)
"The Cool Aid Benefit Album, volume 1" 1970 (Arthfor 4001)
Local psych and rock groups including tracks by Hydro

Electric Streetcar, Mock Duck, Papa Bear's Medicine
Show, Spring, Route 9 and Black Snake. The Papa
Bear's track also appears on their rare LP, while the
Mock Duck track is on the Gear Fab reissue. Vancouver
Cool Aid provided legal assistance and other aid for
wayfaring hippies in the late 60s. Mike Harcourt,
future British Columbia premier, was one of their
lawyers. [RM]
BILL COOLEY & ALAN MUNSON (Santa Barbara, CA)
"In Debt" 1972 (Studio West 2874)
Much of this album is gentle folk, with a sound

similar to the early Chuck & Mary Perrin albums, if
they didn’t have female vocals. Japanese collectors
crave it for those songs, though psych collectors
will be more interested in “Sightly Sue,” which has
bizarre use of guitar vibrato, and “I Need a Change”
and “Where Is The Change,” which have a bit of mild
fuzz guitar (the latter has maybe the shortest and
most unlikely wah wah break ever.) A few other songs
have some jazzy lead guitar and complex chord
progressions. Overall, somewhere between stark hippie
folk and folky singer/songwriter. Loner folk fans may
enjoy it, as a couple of songs are pretty dark in
tone. [AM]
~~~
"There are nine original songs on the "In Debt"
album. The music style is predominately psych rock,
but also includes songs which have both a folk rock
and a bluesy acoustic feel. Instruments on the album
include electric and acoustic guitars, electric and
acoustic bass (guitarone), drums and other percussion
instruments. Effects used in the Psych rock songs
include guitar solos with distortion/wah-wah, and
some soaring echoed vocals. The album has strong lead
vocals and background harmonies (with many stacked
vocal harmony parts on the title cut). The production
objective was to record an album with Pop-rock
arrangement sensibilities applied to Psych music and
experimental sounds." (description supplied by Alan
Munson)
~~~
see -> Alan Munson
PAT COPALELLO (IL)
"Daybreak" 1977 (Kerygma 1001)
Nice Christian singer-songwriter with a very varied

style range. Ranges from folk (including a Dylanesque
talking blues) and country-influenced rock to heavy
fuzz rock and progressive AOR. All quite excellent.
[MA]
RUTH COPELAND (UK / Detroit, MI)
"Self Portrait" 1969 (Invictus)

"Gimme Shelter: Invictus Sessions" 200 (CD Castle, UK) [2-on-
1]
Copeland produced the first Parliament album and

wrote a few of its songs. As to her own album, what
can you say about a record that starts with a spoken-
word religious manifesto and ends by combining an
opera aria with an acid rock guitar solo by Eddie
Hazel? In between are all sorts of goodies. Listen to
Copeland screech horribly without conviction on the
hard rocking “I Got A Thing For You Daddy.” Drop your
jaw in awe as you hear her cry on the children’s tune
“Music Box.” Feel her pain as she reveals the pits of
masochistic self loathing on “No Commitment.” This
album has all this and much, much more! It goes in so
many directions, and Copeland’s sincerity is so
painful, that all the listener can do is scratch
his/her head and thank goodness Ruth got a chance to
put it on plastic. Totally ridiculous, and totally
compelling!! As proof that she could be as good as
she could be crazy, her version of “Silent Boatman,”
which she wrote, is even better than Parliament’s.
The CD reissue sadly omits the opera song. [AM]
"I Am What I Am" 1971 (Invictus snmas-9802) [gatefold]

"Gimme Shelter: Invictus Sessions" 200 (CD Castle, UK) [2-on-
1]
For her second album, Copeland went for a more

straight hard rock/soul feel. Her singing is powerful
but uncontrolled, and despite the comparative
“normalcy” there are moments as bizarre as those on
the debut. Sample lyric: “Hare Krishna/right on
baby/straight ahead/far freakin’ out”. Two Rolling
Stones covers give her a chance to exercise her
lungs. The whole album really rocks, but the opening
“Medal” is probably the highlight. A unique and
bizarre figure in rock history, whose histrionics and
sexual appeal (the gatefold cover has the best belly-
button photo of any rock album, ever) seem to have
disguised the fact that she was a true pioneer as a
female producer. [AM]
COPS LTD (WA)
"Play Old, New" 1975 (Tell International)
Weirdo fringe LP of some notoriety as it was featured

in one of the "Incredibly Strange Music" books; this
is real live cops playing covers from the 1950s-
1970s, incl "Knocking On Heaven's Door" and "Memphis
Train". Cover pics are priceless. For freak
collectors mainly.
FRANK CORBIN (Austin, TX)
"One Fell Swoop" 1976 (Prelude NS 10022)
Obscure local album from guy who apparently was dying

of cancer, which gives a chilly edge to the front
cover drawing of a hooded executioner holding a
guitar! Being Corbin's testament of sorts it's odd
that it opens with an instrumental track that is the
only thing he didn't write himself. The rest is
fairly appealing melodic mainstream rock with a 1970s
nightclub vibe I like. A couple of tracks have good
female vocals that give it a loungey westcoast edge
not unlike Titus Oates or T-Kail. Pro-sounding
throughout with a bit of sophistication in jazzy
piano embellishments, and suave guitar leads.
Corbin's singer/songwriter aspirations drag it down
but the overall moody vibe and a superb back cover
photo of the gang hanging out in true 1970s style
makes for a neat break inbetween this psych monster
and that psych monster. [PL]
CORILLIONS (Springfield, MO)
"Songs Of Divine Inspiration" 1977 (Corillions no #)
"Double Album" 1981 (Corillions no #) [2 LPs]
Basically the work of the seriously disturbed Marlin

Wallace, the Corillions LPs feature adept yet strange
singer/songwriter music based on Wallace's unusual
experiences of being tortured by communists with
invisible rays, as well as thoughts on the yeti,
jungle women, space travel, dinosaurs, and more. The
liner notes describe his background and the overall
threat of communist conspiracies in greater detail
than is really wanted. The 2-LP set is a classic of
the mid-period fringe/incredibly strange domain and
mandatory for genre fans, while the debut LP is
strange in its own way, with religious-spiritual
material. Various names are credited as performers on
the LP, but it appears that they're all actually
Wallace using pseudonyms, along with one Mildred
Morris. Supposedly only 100 copies were pressed of
the albums; there was also some 45s.
CORPORATION (Milwaukee, WI)
"Corporation" 1969 (Capitol st-175) [rainbow label]

-- also released in England and France
"Corporation" 1995 (CD Repertoire)
Bluesy fuzz rock. Their two Age of Aquarius LPs ("Get

On Our Swing; "Hassles In My Mind) are forgettable
but the earlier and superior Capitol LP features a
fine extended jam to John Coltrane's "India". [RM]
CORPUS (Corpus Christi, TX)
"Creation A Child" 1972 (Acorn 1001) [banded tracks]

"Creation A Child" 197 (Acorn 1001) [2nd press; green/pink
label; unbanded]
"Creation A Child" 1986 (Breeder RPR 007-3C-567, Austria)
[bootleg]
"Creation A Child" 199 (CD Flash 45, Italy) [digipak]
"Creation A Child" 2000 (Akarma 113, Italy)
"Creation A Child" 2000 (CD Akarma 113, Italy)
Underrated, partly outstanding ballsy 1970s rock

album in the Texas style, which means good
production, strong vocals, and solid playing all
around. Some of it is rootsy blues-rock which wins
out on pure class and power, but the highlights are
undoubtedly two psych-flavored epics that could
easily slide onto the Garrett Lund or D R Hooker LPs;
the nocturnal, moodily jazz-tinged "Mythical dream"
and the even better "Joy", whose combination of
soaring vocals and superbly controlled feedback licks
will have any fan of 70s private press sounds flip
out. About 2/3ds of the LP is truly great,
unfortunately the band starts running out of gas on a
couple of less inspired and pedestrian bar-rockers.
The LP is given additional appeal by realistic lyrics
about relationships and fatherhood, planned and
unplanned, that retain a male perspective without
degenerating into macho clichés. I bet these guys
were local heroes among kids cruising around Corpus,
and in another time and place they would have hit the
big time. Despite reservations, impressive and a must
hear for 1970s rock fans, while undoubtedly too much
of "classic rock" for 1960s guys. A marvy cosmic yet
primitive sleeve adds bonus points. [PL]
CORVAIRS (Montreal, Canada)
"Corvairs" 1964 (Olympia 106)
Obscure teenbeat with frat, instros and r'n'b. This

is their second LP.
COSMIC DEBRIS (Oklahoma City, OK)
"Cosmic Debris" 1980 (Non Compos Mentis 3-7K)
"While You're Asleep" 1983 (Non Compos Mentis 4-6K)
The debut is spacey avant/prog/psych with acid

guitar, moog and flute, mid-1970s sound. The followup
is not nearly as adventurous. Despite the locale and
similarity in name, the band had no connection to
Debris.
COSMIC MICHAEL (New York City, NY)
"Cosmic Michael" 1969 (Bliss no #) [paste-on cover; poster]
The first LP perhaps looks greater than it sounds,

but is still an appealing item for its compounded
freak value. One of the least "cosmic"-sounding
cosmic LPs around, with a loose urban soundcheck vibe
using equal parts Vox organ, piano and crude guitar,
on top of which Michael semi-improvs lyrics to a
steady basement boogie beat. Not downer folk or such,
but a 60s DIY r'n'r feel rare for Real People albums.
Top attraction is Cosmic Michael's "Theme" which
describes in third person the acid-induced
transformations he's undergone: "some kind of
chemical change is going on in poor Michael's
brain..." set to a rockin' garage fuzz beat. Has a
female bluesy Joplin clone on one track, the extended
"Mother Earth", which could have sucked but wins on
rawness and realness. Unusual LP that falls between
any genres you can think up; he would have made an
excellent double bill with Bob Edmund. The poster is
a larger version of the paste-on xeroxed front sheet.
The LA album is considered inferior by most. A rare
45 featuring a track from each LP also exists. [PL]
"After A While" 1970 (Bliss) [wraparound cover slick]
The followup is stoned acoustic folk psych and was

done in Los Angeles. It's not as jawdropping as the
debut but "Woodstock Nation" is hilarious.
COSMIC SOUND OF GANDHARVA (a k a Gandharva) (CA)
"Energy" 1977 (Saddhu)
"The Money Box" 1978 (Saddhu 522 516)
Cosmic trance/meditation folk. "Energy" is not bad

for the genre; a moody echoey soundscape and slightly
eerie vibe rather than starry-eyed peace & love
ramblings. Acoustic guitars, deep vocals, semi-
improvised jammy songs with some crude sound
experiments; imagine the Acid Symphony guys 10 years
down the line. Brief spoken bit featuring a phony-
sounding Indian guru. "The Money Box" has one side of
spoken word with background music, and one side of
trancey folkpsych songs with acoustic guitars and
tablas. Short playtime. [PL]
COSMIC TRAVELLERS (Los Angeles, CA / Oahu, HI)
"Live At The Spring Crater" 1972 (Vulcan ct-00004) [poster;

1000p]
"Live At The Spring Crater" 2002 (Dodo, Italy) [poster]
-- the poster is 18"x24" and features 24 black and white live
shots
"Live At The Spring Crater" 2004 (CD Dodo, Italy)
Top-level guitar blowout in the form of a Hawaii live
recording featuring 4 great musicians, ex-Raider
Drake Levin among them. Long, intense jams on a mix
of covers and originals, the total impression being a
fine blend of vintage Quicksilver and Sly & the
Family Stone. Essential to any fan of west coast acid
rock jam bands. Great cover, and a cool poster that's
included with the classy (bootleg) reissue. The band
was formed for this concert while Drake Levin and
Joel Christie were vacationing in Hawaii. The
festival was a big deal with several bands (incl
Little Feat) and an estimated crowd of 55.000. The
recording and release of the LP wasn't pre-planned
but happened as a consequence of the band's terrific
performance. Christie was formerly with Orange
Colored Sky and together with Levin plays on Lee
Michaels' 6th LP, while Dale Loyola play on the Hook
LP. I've been unable to document any other recordings
of the superb lead guitarist Jimmy McGhee. [PL]
COUNTRY WEATHER (San Francisco, CA)
"Country Weather" 1969 (no label, no #) [no cover; 1-sided;

50p]
"Country Weather" 2005 (RD Records 015, Switzerland) [2LPs;
booklet; bonus tracks]
A much anticipated reissue of some historical

importance featuring this mythical Bay Area band.
Side 1 is studio recordings from a later (1971) phase
in the band's career, leaning more towards rural CA
early 70s rock than westcoast psych, pretty good and
with brilliant sound. Side 2 is the original 1-sided
demo LP from which the whole CW legend sprang, much
better in sound than the old Italian "California Acid
Folk" bootleg (which omits 1 track). Dominated by two
extended psych/jam tracks with lots of originality
and atmosphere, this remains a great 20-minute album,
with a '67-68 Bay Area vibe and even a Yardbirds
cover. Side 3 of the reissue is a live recording from
Walnut Creek 1970 in terrific sound, which will send
you back to "Happy Trails" in its jam mood and
audience participation. Hits the prerequisite SF
Ballroom vibe where the improvisation is organic, not
some lame showoff. Couple of long jams on covers &
originals. Side 4 is more from the same show(s), and
continues in the same excellent acidrock style,
although I personally don't go for the bass & drum
solos on the closing "Wake me shake me". So: 1 OK
side studio, 1 great side studio, and 1.5 good side
live. All in superb sound. The historical importance
of this Country Weather release shouldn't outshine
its musical merits, but given the Rolls Royce
pricetag I think some people should wait for a CD
version (if there is one), while diehard westcoast
fans will want to get the 2LP set. This is the first
but hardly the final word on the band -- there's
still plenty of unreleased material out there,
including 3-4 tracks (such as "Confusion") that are
superior to what this RD set delivers. Around the
time of these recordings the band also backed up
Terry Dolan on his excellent, unreleased Terry & The
Pirates recordings from 1970, and Greg Douglass went
on to play with several noteworthy Bay Area outfits.
[PL]
COUNTS FOUR (Montreal, Canada)
"Counts Four" 1965 (London eb-87)
Obscure teenbeat album in goofy cover showing the

members as "counts". Geared towards non-Invasion
dance hits such as The Monkey, The Swim, The Watusi,
and so forth.
COUNTS ( )
"Introducing!" 1965 (Reliable 12048)
Teen-beat and blue-eyed soul in generic-looking

cover.
BILLY R COUVSON (S F Bay Area, CA)
"Bongo Sensational Soul" 1977 (private)
There’s nothing else like this one, a mixture of

bongos, vibes and Billy’s incoherent ranting, all
bathed in deep reverb. It’s not really soul, or jazz,
or anything recognizable (or even classifiable as
“music”). It is, however, a blast. You’d think that
something so simple would get boring over the course
of entire album, and it kind of does, yet Billy is so
far out and the beat so hypnotic that it mostly
works. Once in a while he starts blowing a harmonica
or laughing hysterically for no obvious reason.
Mostly he just sounds like he’s talking to himself.
If you make it through the first six songs you’re
rewarded with a completely different arrangement on
the seventh and eighth: heavily echoed piano, about
four thousand unidentifiable percussion instruments
(or whatever he found in his kitchen), and something
actually resembling melodies. This album is a “real
people” classic! Billy has recently resurfaced and
has recorded a number of new albums, so his madness
can spread to a new generation. [AM]
COVEN (IN)
"Witchcraft" 1969 (Mercury sr-61239) [gatefold]

"Witchcraft" 2003 (CD Hardrock Yankees)
"Witchcraft" 2006 (CD Akarma, Italy)
This is the same band who had the hit "One Tin
Soldier" from the "Billy Jack" movie. They claim that
at the time of this first album they were
legitimately interested in Satanism. Whether it's
real or not, I defy you not to laugh at the scream of
"kiss the goat" during the black mass that takes up
most of side two. This isn't especially musically
interesting; it's collectable because it's an oddity
and for the creepy picture of a topless Jinx Dawson
on the inner sleeve. An unfortunately timed Esquire
magazine cover photo of Charles Manson holding the
album cover in his hands assured that the label would
bury it without hype. Coven did release two more
albums, though neither of them are of interest to
collectors. [AM]
COXON'S ARMY (Richmond, VA)
"Live From Sam Miller's Exchange Cafe" 1972 (Trace) [black

label with orange picture of Phil Coxon]
"Live From Sam Miller's Exchange Cafe" 1972 (Trace) [purple
label with no picture]
Funny bad lounge rock barband featuring a teenaged

Pat Benatar. The album is taken from a soundtrack to
a one hour television special produced by WCVE-TV and
Sam Miller Exchange Cafe. Ten member group (nine guys
and Pat) with four on horns. The purple label version
was only sold at the club and only a handful are
known to exist. [RM]
COYOTE (MD)
"Coyote" 1973 (Chariot CH-500)
Silly mid-1970s hard rock album that wastes almost

seven minutes on a goof of a song called “Horney
Coyote” and also includes an ode to a “Flat Chested
Woman.” Even the straight hard rockers here include
lyrics like “I think he’s a turd.” This would all be
well and good if the novelty songs were funnier, or
if they rocked, but they’re as lame musically as they
are lyrically. There are also a few throwaways
(including an organ-heavy instrumental). All of the
above is just side one. It’s hard to imagine why
anyone ever would turn the record over, but
surprisingly there are some decent hard rock songs on
side two. The rhythm section is solid, and the
keyboardist is quite good too. The style’s a bit
prog/AOR, though, and the album ends with a terrible
attempt at a soul ballad. You’ve been warned. The
album cover is pretty twisted, by the way. [AM]
COYOTE ( )
"Cast Off Your Old Tired Ethics" 1975 (Old Dog no #)
Biker hardrock from bearded quintet, "Peter Gunn

Theme" is an unexpected cover among the band
originals. Housed in appropriate primitive cartoon
cover. No relation to the Coyote on Chariot.
CRACK ( )
"Day Of Doom" 1976 (Tiger Lily tl-14048)

"Day Of Doom" 2004 (CD Radioactive 083, UK)
Classy mid-1970s melodic prog sounds from

multiinstrumentalist duo with a completely
professional, urban sound like many Tiger Lilys.
Opening track is a pretty lame rootsy bar-rocker,
after which it gets more adventurous. Good guitar-
leads throughout, prog-rock keyboard, some flutes and
agreeable non-operatic vocals. Reminiscent of
Thunderpussy at times, which is meant as a
compliment. "Andrea" is a weird swamp-rock twilight
zone excursion with burbly synth sounds, while the
title track has some psych vibes. Side 1 rocks hard,
while side 2 gets more introspective and spooky.
Lyrics hint at Christian concerns, as also suggested
by the title. The 1970s gasoline rationing is taken
as a sign of the impending "day of doom". Very
clearly from the post-psychedelic era, yet strong
enough to be worth checking out for open-minded heads
and 70s prog fans in particular. [PL]
~~~
This Tiger Lily album actually has credits, so it’s
presumable that this really was at one point intended
for a regular release. It’s mainstream 70s rock and
hard rock with an occasional prog edge. It has plenty
of keyboards and a significant amount of flute, but
also some hot lead guitar. It’s nothing especially
unusual or innovative, but it’s quite good. The
playing is solid, and the arrangements are creative
(dig the crazy piano playing on “Early Riser” and the
weird synth section in “Evil And Cruel.”) The
occasional Christian lyrics are more interesting than
the usual…there’s a definite sense of urgency here
that works in Crack’s favor. A couple of songs border
on cheesy (“Earth” is somewhere between MOR and jazz-
rock), but this is a very cool mid-70s artifact. Just
to prove this is, indeed, a tax scam record, the
closing instrumental sounds unfinished. [AM]
CRAFTSMEN (OH)
"What Can We Say?" 1966 (Zap 3009) [100p]
Mix of fratrock and Beach Boys covers. The cover is

an oversized mailing envelope with band photo, song
listings, and bio.
MIKE CRAIG (AZ)
"Daughter Of The Moon" 197 (MM Records)

Circa 1974 obscure private pressing in a downer folk
vein with a slight hippie troubadour vibe.
CRASH COFFIN (OH)
"Crash Coffin" 1974 (Mus-I-Col cc-69) [plain cover w/ label

logo]
This wellknown LP has a couple of great moody psych

tracks with excellent vocals like "Alone together"
and "God loves the loser", but also some less
appealing stuff and is a rather inconsistent
backwoods trip all over. "Amazon women" is a pretty
funny 1950s b-movie throwback. Many sleeves come with
artistic embellishments by Crash himself. Contrary to
popular belief there were no "original covers"
destroyed in a mythical fire, but simply a case of
real sleeves being too expensive to print. A 1980s
followup (Cuyahoga, 1984) is reportedly more in a
hippie jugband style. [PL]
~~~
This is true oddball loner stuff. The mix of styles
is unlikely to make anyone enjoy this from start to
finish, but there are some great moments
nevertheless. A few songs are straight ahead rock and
roll, one is a completely offensive anti-feminism
song (“Mama, get back in the kitchen”), three are
goofy novelties with kazoos, a few others are cool
folky psych tunes, and “Alone Together” is an
absolute semi-heavy psych monster. Most copies of
this are in hand-decorated covers, but some have a
plain white cover with a Mus-I-Col label (after a
while, Coffin got tired of decorating!). [AM]
CRAZY PEOPLE (Canada)
"Bedlam" 1969 (Condor 2457)

"Bedlam" 200 (CD Gear Fab 156)
"Bedlam" 200 (Gear Fab/Comet 404, Italy)
Late 60s freaky psych-rock of some notoriety, with

Johnny Kitchen. The music is partly reminiscent,
perhaps even overlapping, with Wildman Fischer's
debut LP on Bizarre, but the story remains obscure.
Shortly after this Kitchen was involved with the
folk/protest-oriented Trio Of Time (Condor 2460).
CREATION OF SUNLIGHT (Long Beach, CA)

"Creation Of Sunlight" 1968 (Windi 1001)
-- a Brazilian pressing from the mid-1970s exists
"Creation Of Sunlight" 199 (Windi, Europe) [bootleg]
"Creation Of Sunlight" 1997 (CD Mystic)
"Creation Of Sunlight" 2002 (Void US)
"Creation Of Sunlight" 2005 (CD Lion)
Despite the reissues many are still unfamiliar with

this Sunset Strip-style psych wonderama, so full of
60s summer charm you'll play it over and over.
Strawberry Alarmclock's first two LPs are the obvious
reference for these guys and they pull it off with
equal talent and class, hardly a dull moment as
"midnight travels to Mulholland Drive" are projected
with swinging Hammond/guitar interplay and upbeat
vocal harmonies. To me, one of the most essential 60s
rarities. Original's on the same label as Merkin.
They also did a non-LP 45 as Sunlight's Seven, as
well as an acetate for the LP. According to the legal
re on Void the band's name was actually just
"Sunlight" but it will be time before this gets
around; furthermore a 45 taken from the LP clearly
lists the band as Creation Of Sunlight. [PL]
~~~
The perfect summer album. With harmonies to die for,
colorful arrangements that highlight great organ and
guitar playing, and, most of all, an album full of
hit-worthy songs, this is an all-time classic. Like
the similar SAC, at times the oh-so-happy sound veers
towards the cheesy, but never quite pushes it too
far. Instantly memorable, but also with a lot of
depth. Every song is a winner. In a better world they
would have been superstars. [AM]
CREME SODA (Milwaukee, WI)
"Tricky Zingers" 1975 (Trinity CST 11) [group pic cover]

"Tricky Zingers" 1977 (Trinity CST 12) [2nd press; paste on
'titles' cover]
-- this later pressing in a new sleeve has fewer tracks,
removing "Numero Uno" from side 1
"Tricky Zingers" 198 (no label, Austria) [bootleg; 385#]
"Tricky Zingers" 199 (Trinity, Italy) [bootleg; gold vinyl]
-- several tracks on this boot reissue suffer from surface
noise, there's also dropouts in the opening track
"Tricky Zingers" 1993 (CD Cosmic Mind, Italy)
An impressive and unfairly overlooked LP. Despite the

vintage this has a strong 1966/67-sound, I'm in
particular reminded of 2nd-tier Sunset Strip bands
like Fenwyck or Fifo-era West Coast Pop Art. Strong
folkrock/early psych songs with hooks and
originality, while a lo-fi recording adds some garage
ambience. Two experimental tracks with drone effects
and backwards guitars are perhaps the highpoint,
while a couple rootsy r'n'r numbers are a bit
misplaced. Two tracks from the LP appear on Endless
Journey vol 2. Member Billy Tanon made an LP in 1982
("Free man's rainbow", Trinity). [PL]
~~~
1975, not a year you might associate with
psychedelia, overblown ELP "synth-workouts", maybe.
Then up popped Creme Soda in Milwaukee. Their songs
perfectly combine pop harmonies with a harder sound,
every track is good. "Tonight", "Keep it Heavy" and
"Roses All Around" are moving and brilliant. "Numero
Uno" features a "debate" between kind man and nasty
man which makes for an interesting, menacing song.
Billy Tanon was arrested for broadcasting to the
world from the fifth storey ledge of a building that
"Creme Soda is more than just soda pop". So you know
it must be good, nearly 30 years on their efforts
still stand up. The LP sports one of the best "local"
sleeves, with the band looking beyond cool sitting on
the sidewalk. Dig Jim Wilson's sideburns and Ron
Juntunens hard-nut stare. Style wise these guys give
Zerfas and Rayne a run for their money. [RI]
~~~
Despite the fact that everyone seems to like it, this
great latter day psych album has yet to get its due.
They could do pretty much anything, from ballads to
melodic soft rock to crazed rockabilly to wasted
psychedelia with Iggy-like vocals. A few songs here
tread in truly untested waters. Flat production dulls
the impact a little, but this a major album worthy of
a high-quality reissue. This is another band that
lends credence to the theory that the very best
psychedelia was made in the 70s. [AM]
CRISTAL WEBB (Baltimore, MD)
"Misty Morning" 1973 (no label)
Recently discovered obscurity with dreamy

folk/folkrock.
CROMAGNON (CT)
"Cromagnon" 1969 (ESP Disk 2001) [color cover]

"Cromagnon" 1969 (ESP Disk 2001) [b&w cover]
"Cromagnon" 199 (Get Back)
"Cromagnon" 199 (CD ZYZ)
"Cromagnon" 199 (CD Caliber, Holland)
An aural stew of experimental vocal sounds (tribal

chanting, eerie whispering, animal-like screeching,
monster sounding growls, ghostly howls, outright
screaming, violent puking sounds, etc), various
effects (over-dubbed sound bites played backwards,
old sirens, common household sounds, manipulated
electronics, field recordings) and the occasional use
of a conventional instrument (spooky bagpipes,
frantic rhythm guitar, scratchy fiddle) that are all
meshed and held together with various forms of
primitive percussion. A couple tracks have no rhythm
instruments and are simply gravity defying acts of
freeform music. Surprisingly, after being subjected
to over 30 minutes of unintelligible voices,
Cromagnon finally reap the benefits of evolution and
use coherent words from the English language on the
final two songs on the album. Cromagnon is ominous
and experimental tribal music for the bad acid trip.
An acquired taste that most will have trouble
swallowing. [JSB]
CROME SYRCUS (Seattle, WA)

"The Love Cycle" 1968 (Command rs-925-sd) [gatefold]
This appears to be another mainstream pop band who

got caught up in the psychedelic craze, resulting in
a far out album cover and a side-long epic. The
soulful vocal style and slow tempos make this hardly
something I expect most psych fans to like. The epic
has its moments, but like all side-long tracks from
so-so bands it could have put all of those moments
into one solid single. Not an especially interesting
album. [AM]
CROSSCURRENT COMMUNITY (Toronto, Canada)
"Let The Cosmos Ring!" 1970 (Avant Garde AVS 131)
Interesting experiment here as Presbyterian ministry

from Toronto seeks to discuss spiritual questions
with people from a variety of backgrounds (including
non-Christians) through the medium of music. The end
result is sort of a musical equivalent of a rap
session, with lyrics that reveal a search for meaning
yet also express the Christian response. Don’t let
the word “community” scare you off – this isn’t a big
massive choral production or anything. There are
eleven people listed in the instrumental credits,
plus another five providing the vocals. The Avant
Garde label certainly lives up to its name on this
release with not only rock and folk styles, but also
jazz, psychedelia, and bizarre poetry readings (check
out the hip ‘The Wart Where It Was’). Horns are used
effectively in parts, though thankfully they’re
usually playing second billing to the organ and
electric guitar. Psychedelic guitar noodling
intermingles with spacey washes of organ on the
album’s centerpiece: the thirteen-minute ‘Genesis’,
an avant-garde ‘Also Sprach Zarathustra’-influenced
composition structured around three cosmic spoken
passages identified as Fluctuations 1, 2 and 3 (note
how they work in the melodies from ‘Jesus Loves Me’
and ‘Onward Christian Soldiers’). [RM]
CROSSCUT SAW (FL)
"Mad, Bad, and Dangerous to Know" 197 (Surprise 0001)

"Mad, Bad, and Dangerous to Know" 2005 (CD Akarma 133, Italy)
Blues-rock and boogie with lots of guitar and

harmonica, like the Groundhogs and Johnny Winter. The
release year has been given as 1975, but looks to be
a bit later from the sleeve design.
CROSSRODE (SC)
"Crossrode" 1980 (Strawberry Jamm lp-801)
Rural Southern hardrock with dual leads.

CRUCIBLE (Richmond, IN)
"Shaggy Joe" 1971 (Earlham Crucible)
"Crucible Two" 1972 (Earlham Crucible)
Local coffeehouse folk various artist-assembly from

the same college scene that spawned "Attention Span",
"Sequoiah Stream", and the Hoi Polloi LP. Solo and
band performances, some UK trad folk, etc. The second
LP is the more interesting and features Charlie
Bleak, one of the main guys behind Hoi Polloi.
V.A "CRY 3"
"Cry 3" 1975 (Clearlight cl-102) [envelope format cover]
Soundtrack to a x-ian multimedia presentation with a

variety of musicians participating including Mike
Johnson (Exkursions). Features a couple fine spacy
instrumentals with synth and covers of Stephen Stills
and Cliff Richard songs. Decent but not too
memorable. [RM]
CRYSTAL CIRCUS (Santa Barbara, CA)
"Crystal Circus" 1968 (All American test press) [no cover]

"In Relation To Our Times" 199 (Akarma 134, Italy)
"In Relation To Our Times" 199 (CD Akarma 134, Italy)
Yet another obscure LP in the ridiculously entangled

web that surrounds the All-American label. This band
features Greg Mumford who sang on "Incense &
Peppermints" and unsurprisingly aims for a total SAC
sound on several tracks, while others move in a
generic late 1960s psychrock domain. Good news is
that it's pretty good; songwriting, vocal and playing
all deliver and while not up to SAC levels it
surpasses all the other All-American albums. Band
also had an official 45 release as "Strawberry SAC".
[PL]
CRYSTAL HAZE (Decatur, IL)
"Crystal Haze" 1977 (no label erk-5207) [plain cover with info
sheet; 100p]
Guitar/keys hardrock with terrific wailing leads and

weak vocals. Mostly rages but some delicate westcoast
moments in there as well. [RM]

CRYSTAL IMAGE (Lodi, CA)
"Crystal Image" 1974 (Dream lrs-rt-6070) [insert]

"II - Rock and Roll" 1975 (Dream)
"II - Rock and Roll" 2001 (CD Red Lounge Records)
This is the second and most well-known of this band’s

three albums, all on their own Dream label. They also
released 25 singles between 1968 and 1982! Crystal
Image was the quintessential small town bar band. The
music ranges from boogie to mild hard rock to funky
rock to countrified rockabilly; they have both male
and female singers, and songs are about roadies,
hoping to be a star, and about desperately trying to
get radio play. The feel is of a band who played
covers for years and years and had enough local
popularity to occasionally slip a few originals into
their shows. The songwriting is so-so, and often kind
of silly (lots of references to “dropping drawers”),
and the production is crude, but the band has the
kind of professionalism that comes with years and
years of playing oldies. The funkified bass player is
especially good, though his overenthusiastic playing
doesn’t always fit in that well. I can’t honestly say
that this is good, but it has a certain kind of
nostalgic appeal (and historical value) to people
like me who often went to see bands like this in the
70s and early 80s. As is often the case, the songs
with the female singer are highlights; she doesn’t
have much style but her voice is pretty sexy. The CD
contains, as bonus tracks, half of their first album,
which is similar in style and quality to the second.
[AM]
~~~
If you look beyond bonehead descriptions of this as
"Airplane style psych" and take it for what it is,
Crystal Image's second LP is a rather enjoyable
showcase for a local 70s smalltown bar-band with
above average aspirations. The band is supremely
tight, which can't help but impress, and a couple of
tracks with mixed male/female vocals and serious
lyrics are quite respectworthy. Other facets to their
output is more of a predictable 70s bar mentality and
less enjoyable, but made passable by the performances
and excellent recording. If nothing else, the LP
works as a yard stick for the style, and may appeal
to those who like Titus Oates and T-Kail, although
this is a more humble affair. Being stuck in a Lodi
isn't all bad, apparently. [PL]
"Sure Feelin' Loose" 1976 (Dream)
More barband guitar rock with rural edge and female

vocals.
V.A "CTV'S AFTER FOUR" (Canada)
"CTV's After Four" 1968 (Yorkville yvm 33003)
Sampler of bands who played on the TV show, including

Ugly Ducklings (non-LP track), Big Town Boys, Terry
Black, and others.
CYCLE (Canada)
"Cycle" 1970 (Tamarac 1003)
"Cycle" 199 (Tamarac) [bootleg]
Yet one more UK-influenced Canadian poppsycher, a bit

later in sound than the others but still in a
Swinging London mood, comparable to '68-era Small
Faces, the Herd etc. Strong vocals and a tight band,
though parts may be too loungey/top 40:ish. The
extended "God" track has a good fuzz riff and
interesting lyrics. [PL]
~~~
Canadian popsike band fall into the same boat as the
Sundowners. They seem to either be a studio
concoction or a band whose natural instincts were
torn into several directions by their record company.
So you start with a fuzz-guitar pop tune, end with a
killer semi-heavy psych track called “God,” and in
between is a bunch of soulful mainstream pop that’s
nowhere near as interesting. There are a few more
nice guitar moments and some catchy tunes, but most
of it is disposable. Somehow, it feels like the
mediocre stuff is what these guys were really all
about and the fuzz guitar and trippy finale are
producer-inspired experiments. Horn-laden B-side of
the “God” single seems to confirm this theory. Either
way, it’s not a great album but if you just listen to
the first and last songs and sleep through the middle
you’ll think it is. The 45 version of “God” is
heavily shortened. [AM]
"Magic Music" 1973 (Tamarac)
Obscure 2nd LP with lots of keyboard and some heavier

aspirations.
CYKLE (Lumberton, NC)
"Cykle" 1969 (Label 59-261) [500p]

"Cykle" 1988 (Label, Austria) [bootleg; 385p]
"Cykle" 1994 (CD Flashback, Austria)
"Cykle" 1997 (CD Gear Fab 106) [+7 tracks]
"Cykle" 199 (Gear Fab 203) [+bonus tracks]
Opinions divide on this, some think it an absolute

monster while others (like me) are less impressed.
Sure, there are 2-3 awesome fuzz garage tracks here,
some of which have been comp'd, but like Mystic Siva
there's also a fair share of slow numbers and pop
tunes that seem to go nowhere. High point is the
incredible "Lesson to learn", a work of sheer garage-
psych perfection, with great acid lyrics to boot.
Drummer/band leader Jimmy Sossamon is about 3 times
as good as any other band member, with amazing fills
and grooves that contrast with the rather primitive
songwriting. The "production" is unusually clear for
a garage band and makes liberal use of stereo
separation, which isn't always to the Cykle's
advantage as it reveals the less developed aspects of
their artistry and vocals. Cool cheesy sleeve. [PL]
~~~
Local teen garage album that sounds/looks more like
'67 than '69, so don't let the release date scare
you. Maybe the band had been going for a coupla years
before finally deciding to make an LP so some of the
songs might've been written as early as '67? Liberal
doses of fuzz, vox organ and snotty Sky Saxon vocals
in the punkpsych tracks makes for great listening.
The slower tracks are moody, but don't quite match
the quality of the punkers. On side two the quality
drops somewhat and the ending 7:26 track gets a bit
tedious, to say the least. About 50% of the LP
delivers all the way and the rest is definitely
weaker. All originals though, which is a plus. One of
the better-sounding Gear Fab reissues. [MM]

DADDY WARBUCKS ( )
"Daddy Warbucks I" 1976 (Tiger Lily)
This typically obscure Tiger Lily LP has something

most do not: accurate credits. Members of this band
were previously in Goodthunder and would later form
the melodic hard rock/AOR bands L.A. Jets and 1994.
Daddy Warbucks are cut from the same cloth, but with
some added prog moves (despite short songs.) This
album is chock full of wonderfully used synthesizer
and has its share of tricky rhythms/time signatures.
It also has a bunch of catchy tunes. Check out the
frantic bass playing on "Blue Eyes" or the atonal
synth on "There's a time" and you can see that these
guys had serious pop smarts. In fact, if it wasn't
for the typically early 70s bluesy male vocals, this
would be a grade-A power pop album. As it is, it's a
grade-A mainstream rock album. In a similar fashion
to the first two Cars albums, it shows that
synthesizers need not be used only to make
"synthesizer music," but can be beautifully
integrated into a rock band as lead and rhythm
instruments. It's a bit mainstream for psych fans,
but if Crack and Steve Drake can be highly sought
after by collectors, it stands to reason that this
equally (maybe more?) rare album should be too. Note:
A song from the Goodthunder album is remade here with
a new title and new lyrics. In usual hilarious tax
scam fashion, the back cover lists a song that's not
on the album and the total time is a scant 21 minutes
and 53 seconds, not a second of which is wasted. [AM]
DAILY FLASH (Seattle, WA)
"I Flash Daily" 1984 (Psycho 32, UK)

"I Flash Daily" 199 (CD Flash 60, Italy) [bootleg; +2 tracks]
The only album release from a historically

significant and occasionally brilliant folkrock/psych
outfit that travelled up and down the west coast in
1966-67. Contains their 45 tracks, a couple of
unreleased studio tracks, and two stunning live
numbers on side 2 including the ahead-of-its-time
acidrock magnum opus "Cantaloupe Island". A must for
any fan of early psych. A recent CD boot titled "SF
Odds & Ends" contains more tracks from this Seattle
concert. [PL]
DAISY CHAIN (CA)

"Straight Or Lame" 1967 (United International lpm-13001) [mono
cover, mono record]
"Straight Or Lame" 1967 (United International lpm-13001) [mono
cover, stereo record]
"Straight Or Lame" 200 (CD Sundazed 6200) [mono mix]
Somewhat legendary all-girl lyte-psych/top 40 album;

its status perhaps due more to its unique nature than
the perceived quality. The sound is typical So Cal
sunshine product with harmony vocals, cheesy organ
and occasional brass, reminiscent of Birmingham
Sunday in parts. At best it approaches vintage
Strawberry Alarmclock in its mix of easy listening
and dreamy psych; the track "Zzotto" is an excellent
example of this. The LP has some weaker moments of
fake soul and bouncy pop but enough winners (I
counted four) to be worth checking out for pretty
much anyone. Reportedly 500 covers were made. All
covers say "mono", but mono discs are considerably
rarer. The stereo discs are binaural 'fake stereo'
and rather badly done. [PL]
~~~
This is one of the holy grails of femme psych,
terribly rare and with a fantastic sleeve design.
About half of the album is quite trippy, with great
use of swirling organ and just a bit of garagy
sloppiness. The other half is commercial pop, with
occasional horns. The mainstream songs are pretty
good, though clearly this album would have been more
fun if all of it was in the style of "Zzotto" and
"Love Them All." Not the masterpiece insane
collectors of female psych would hope for, but a
worthwhile album with a few killer songs. [AM]
DA KINGFISH BAND ( )
"Tennessee Feelin'" 1975 (JJ Sound Records)
A four piece band (keyboards, guitar, bass & drums)

unleash a strange concoction of countrified rock.
RAY DALAN (Canada)
"For Mature People" 1974 (Sky)
Acoustic, introspective folk.
DALLAS (TX)
"Casualty of Love" 1979 (Shimmer Bros. 97-15)
Nice acidic folk with originals and Byrds and Neil

Young covers.
KAREN DALTON (NY)
"It's So Hard to Tell" 1969 (Capitol ST-271)
Unique, magical downer folk album that stands

stranded in time (sounds like it could have been
recorded in 1948, or 1998.) On these starkly recorded
folk songs, Dalton sounds just like Billie Holiday,
with the same power and resonance. She wasn't a
writer, which is probably why she's a cult figure and
not a household name. Even so, her singing style and
obvious conviction makes this a completely coherent
listening experience. Two of the songs are by her
pal, Fred Neil, and his sad lyric about watching
hotel lights blinking on and off is a perfect
encapsulation of the feel of this album. The CD
contains extended liner notes about her mostly
unhappy life; all of it makes perfect sense when you
hear the music. This is quickly approaching
labelmates like Gandalf and Euphoria in
collectability value, and in many ways is a better
album. [AM]
"In My Own Time" 1972 (Just Sunshine/Paramount pas-6008)
Dalton's second album was a disappointment to fans of

the first. It lacks the same coherence and conviction
of the Capitol LP, and the more rock-oriented
arrangements don't suit her particularly well. Even
so, she still has a voice like nobody else in the
genre and this is intermittently fascinating. [AM]
DON DALY (TX)
"Matilda" 1971 (Matilda's Child 710 820)
Busker folk with 2-chord songs and loud vocals.

Acoustic guitar, bongos. "Sodomy With a Carrot" is a
memorable title.
DAMASCUS ROAD ( )
"Damascus Road" 1973 (Icthus)
Acoustic rural rock with some heavy garagy moments.
DAMASCUS ROAD (GA)
"I Am The Light" 1982 (Damascus grp-1105) [500p]
No sugar on this cool custom Skynyrd-type hard rock

ripper from Georgia trio. If you like zippy loud
slide guitar you’ll not be disappointed as they pound
through titles like ‘Outer Darkness’ and ‘Hell’.
Good production, no keyboards, an occasional flash of
Byrdsy guitar. Southern rock saw a handful of
releases on Christian labels; unfortunately most just
weren’t quite there or blew it by tossing in token
fluffola ballads - but these guys are the real McCoy.
[KS]
DAMIN EIH, A.L.K & BROTHER CLARK (Minneapolis, MN)
"Never Mind" 1973 (Demelot 7310) [orange/white back cover;

lyric insert; 500p]
"Never Mind" 199 (Demelot) [bootleg; thin cover with b&W
back]
"Never Mind" 2003 (Orange Double Dome) [300#d]
One of those elaborate Midwestern headtrips that will

send you into an aural space you didn't even know
existed, like CA Quintet or side 1 of Yezda Urfa. The
longer suites are particularly impressive, while the
shorter tunes less so. A unique mix of multilayered
acoustic guitars, treated vocals and extensive use of
cymbals creates a piercing yet enjoyable high
frequency soundscape that demands your attention,
while some moog and fuzz bass round out the bottom.
Someone spent a lot of money on this one and I would
deem it largely successful, with parts that are truly
spellbinding, even though the "message" remains
obscure. Pretentious and rather Euro-proggish in its
sensibility, yet playful and exotic enough to appeal
to more adventurous psych fans. The band's
ridiculously unwieldy moniker and the lack of a high
profile reissue keeps this one buried. [PL]
~~~
One of a kind album from a truly warped, unique
sensibility. It's a tough to describe mix of acoustic
guitars, pop melodies, folk, prog, and just plain
weirdness. Often brilliant (i.e. the truly classic
"Thundermice") but just as often impenetrable. Those
who "get it" seem to instantly place this in their
personal all-time top tens. I can't say I'm one of
those privileged ones, but on every listen I do
discover something new and enjoy bits and pieces of
it. The album is constructed to feel like one
continuous whole rather than a collection of songs,
which actually makes it harder to enjoy-other than
"Thundermice" the individual songs don't really
distinguish themselves. It reminds me of the better
Gong albums, where you wade through a couple of
minutes of forgettable jamming, and hit a great 20
seconds or so, thinking "wow... if they just
developed that into a complete song rather than
noodling around so much this would be an amazing
record." The problem, though, is that they really
don't have enough focus or fully-formed ideas to do
so even if they wanted to, and my instinct is that
Eih (whoever he really is) has the same problem. The
good moments make you want to forgive the dull spots,
thinking they're over your head, but I suspect
they're just Eih rambling rather than Eih in the
midst of inspiration. Of course, those chosen few who
"get it" would certainly say I'm wrong about this.
[AM]
DAMON (CA)
"Song Of A Gypsy" 1969 (Ankh 968) [textured gatefold, blank

back]
"Song Of A Gypsy" 1969 (Ankh 968) [single sleeve]
"Song Of A Gypsy" 1993 (Fanny, Belgium) [single sleeve; 400#d]
"Song Of A Gypsy" 1994 (CD no label)
"Song Of A Gypsy" 1994 (CD Afterglow 13, UK)
"Song Of A Gypsy" 1998 (CD Daily Bread)
"Song Of A Gypsy" 2000 (3 Little Indians, Germany) [gatefold;
bonus EP; insert]
"Song Of A Gypsy" 2004 (Guerssen, Spain) [gatefold; bonus EP]
One of the classics of the field, not without

detractors but a great and special experience in my
ears. Sometimes described as folk or folkpsych it is
in fact tranced out gypsy Arabian acid fuzz crooner
psych with deep mysterious vocals, an amazing
soundscape and excellent songwriting. The tracks may
at first seem too similar, and several plays are
suggested before making your call. Unique, though
Darius is a distant relative. The inner gatefold
design was used for the single sleeve front and back.
Of the reissues, most are vinyl-sourced bootlegs; the
Daily Bread CD was done by Damon himself from taoes,
and the Guerssen album is legit. He had several 45s
including one great non-LP 45 track, and a
surprisingly good comeback album in 1999 with sound
and vibe close to 1969 LP, recommended to any Damon
fan ("Gypsy Eyes", CD Daily Bread). [PL]
~~~
Mystic eastern sound fuzz psych with prominent
rhythms and haunting vocals. You can dance to the
beast! Hipster crooning vocals in Darius territory
put to mystical lyrics which, for the most part, are
about sex. Surgical fuzz leads and trippy effects
throughout. One of the few eastern trippers with a
backbeat. Similar to the British monster, Sam Gopal.
The single sleeve version is somewhat more common.
The front and back cover match the insides of the
gatefold design.[RM]
~~~
Eastern/gypsy inspired psych with lots of finger
cymbals, fuzz guitar and sincere crooner vocals. All
the songs are in the same key though, and almost the
same pace as well. Individually almost every song
sounds like a winner, but it doesn't really work as
an album for me as it quite frankly gets downright
boring with the lack of variety. [MM]
~~~
see -> Atlee, Highway Robbery
~~~
DAMON (ND)
"Feeling Alone" 197 (Witherspoon 30522)
This Damon was a DJ in North Dakota who was kind

enough to record his deep thoughts for posterity in
the early 70s. The record is a strange mix of hip
spoken word and loner folk. The music is mostly
acoustic and deeply personal with lost soul lyrics. A
couple of tracks have fuzz guitar as well. [RM]
DANIEL (IN)
"Phoenix" 1978 (no label)

"Phoenix" 2002 (CD World In Sound, Germany) [+2 tracks]
Obscure 1970s singles bar macho rock LP by pompous

classically trained cellist who recorded this en
route to Hollywood, where he proceeded to make
softcore movies. Much of this borders on
unlistenable, the soulful "Debra" and a nightmarish
calypso track in particular. Interest in this is
based on two extraordinary psychish tracks where all
his confused ambitions unexpectedy fall into place -
these must be heard. He's a good cello player, too
bad he wanted to be a rock star. Recorded in AZ and
NY. [PL]
DANNY & LYNDA see First Revelation
D'ARCY (Canada)
"Back At The Beginning" 1972 (Polydor/Absolu 33001)
Canadian obscurity in a nice color sleeve, poppy soft

rock and CSN-type folkrock.
DARIUS (Cleveland, OH / Los Angeles, CA)
"Darius" 1968 (Chartmaker 1102)

"Darius" 1986 (Breeder 565, Austria)
"Darius" 199 (CD Flashback 009, UK)
"Darius" 2000 (World In Sound 010, Germany) [500p; +3 tracks]
"Darius" 2000 (CD World In Sound 1001, Germany) [+3 tracks]
A desert island LP for some guys I know and a

splendid time for just about everyone else, this
emotional LA folkrock/psych/r'n'b blowout rips
throughout with ten strong tracks. Heavy macho
postures mix with transcendental folk-psych and you
can tell by the sleeve photo this guy already was a
star in his own head. Unfortunately few agreed back
then. Uncredited backing by session pros also in
label-mates Goldenrod. The unreleased material that
appeared in 2002 ("Darius II", World In Sound 11) was
more in a soul/nightclub direction, with a few good
tracks. Some copies of the LP came with a bio insert.
There was also a non-LP 45. [PL]
~~~
Darius sounds something like Tommy James with a
messiah complex. These are basically pop songs, but
they're great ones, and more importantly are chock
full of drama and elaborate arrangements. He easily
could have crossed the line to parody, but he holds
it all together, and the results are powerful and
compelling. A great one. [AM]
DARK SHADOWS see Cold Sun
DARKSTAR (Toronto, Canada)
"Into The Heartland" 1978 (Ariel)
This hardrock/AOR trio had a series of subsequent

LPs, but this debut LP is the one collectors seek and
reportedly has a less mainstream sound with some
psych and prog moves. There is another unrelated
Darkstar from Canada, who cut a selftitled AOR LP in
the early 1980s.
DAVID (Los Angeles, CA)
"Another Day, Another Lifetime" 1968 (VMC v-124) [mono; also

exists as mono promo]
"Another Day, Another Lifetime" 1968 (VMC vs-124) [stereo]
"Another Day, Another Lifetime" 1993 (CD Eva b-34, France)
"Another Day, Another Lifetime" 1995 (CD Flashback, UK)
"Another Day, Another Lifetime" 2001 (CD Jamie/Guyden)
"Another Day, Another Lifetime" 2005 (VMC/Scorpio)
If you can handle some lavish L A easy listening type

horn and string arrangements then this LP is well
worth checking out. Uplifting flowerpsych sounds with
great production value and strong songwriting that's
often compared to Strawberry Alarmclock. They had
some good 45s as well. [PL]
~~~
Even with the horrible remix of the 2001 CD reissue
(it was mixed by someone who'd never even heard the
original LP), the brilliance of this album shines
through. It's gotten plenty of praise elsewhere, all
of which is deserved. To put it simply, these guys
had not only a genuis ear for melody, but were able
to perfectly match the right experiment to the right
song. There are more ideas here than on ten other
albums. Even all of the horns and strings work.
Practially a how-to of American popsike. [AM]
DAVID (Canada)
"David" 1969 (Sound Canada)

"David" 2000 (CD Gear Fab 163)
"David" 2000 (Gear Fab/Comet, Italy)
Obscure Canadian late 60s top 40/psych LP with female

vocals and a fairly professional sound. An even mix
of UK & US influences, the worst part being a "Hey
Jude" cover while a couple of Neighb'rhood
Childr'n/Birmingham Sunday-style gems can be found on
side 2. Listenable. [PL]
~~~
see -> Bridge
MOSSY DAVIDSON (Alaska)
"North Wind Calling" 1977 (Northwoods MD 101) [2 LPs]
Mellow rural femme hippie folk LP with Alaskan

themes, samey in sound but highly rated by some genre
fans. Acoustic guitar, flute, piano, steel guitar.
JEFF DAVIS (TX)
"Dear Jeff" 1977 (Tap 0030)
Mostly acoustic Christian folk on Houston label,

originals all through, some use of female harmonies
and environmental sounds.
DAVY & THE BADMEN (Lawrenceville, NJ)
"Wanted!" 1963 (Gothic wa-63054)
Primitive instro rock covers leaning into garage r&b,

one of the earliest eastcoast LPs in this direction,
from prep kids at Lawrenceville School.
~~~
see -> Toads
TIM DAWE (San Diego, CA)
"Penrod" 1969 (Straight STS-1058) [wlp exists]

"Penrod" 2004 (CD Radioactive 0095, UK)
I had a great time listening to this album, even

though it's not necessarily an outstanding piece in
my ears. It's a bit of a paradox, with a terrific,
lively sound thanks in no small part to
arranger/producer Jerry Yester, and no matter where
it goes it grabs your attention. However, it does go
in two or three directions too many, and while almost
every track sounds either good or great on its own,
there is a weakening at the centre which begs the
question exactly what Tim Dawe (who is not the same
person as Jerry Penrod) was trying to do. There are
moves into goofy Kingston Trio folkpop, raga
psychedelia (the great "Sometimes alone"), UK-
influenced artrock and, on more than one occasion,
schlocky showbiz balladry with Neil Diamond
overtones. This LP may have been intended as an
eclectic, egocentric Tim Buckley type showpiece for
Straight, but to me sounds more like Rex Holman on a
$20.000 budget. Of course, Rex Holman is great and
"Penrod" is undeniably entertaining, but I'd say that
at least half its greatness lies in the excellent
studio embellishments it was awarded, which holds
together an album that threatens to dissipate into
directionless zeitgeist. Special mention must be made
of Chris Kebeck's brilliant guitar leads; possibly a
more famous player under pseudonym. The LP was
assigned a Warner Bros catalog # (WS 1841), but this
appears never to have come out. Dawe released two
obscure LPs in 1976 and 1978. [PL]
~~~
This is a rarity: a singer/songwriter album that's
"rock" and not "folk." Often Dawe strives for a dark,
grungy feel, most successfully on the album's
centerpiece "Junkie John". Elsewhere some clever
organ and guitar arrangements give the songs solid
rock strength. Side one is great straight through, in
my opinion as good as any obscurity in the genre.
Side two isn't bad, but not quite at the same level.
Highly recommended, especially to fans of weird
singer-songwriter characters (i.e. the Rex Holmans,
Bill Jerpes and John Brahenys of the world.) [AM]
DAWSON (KY)
"Can You Feel It" 1975 (Bridges)
Side one is mainstream 70s AOR-style rock at its

best: great tunes, nicely constructed arrangements
that build in intensity, solid harmonies, melodic
lead guitar. The title track would have been a huge
hit if on a major label. A bit of silly talkbox
guitar goes by harmlessly at the end of the side, and
there's a brief backwards bit on side two that
confirms their willingness to experiment a bit. The
lyrics on side two, though, cover every lame 70s
cliche. Respectively: horny rocker, hardworking (and
horny) roadie, hardworking rocker whose life was
saved by rock and roll, and prog geek mythological
fantasy. The music on this side is reasonably good,
especially the Sweet-like chorus of the roadie song
and most of the prog song, but overall it's nowhere
near the level of side one. Still, half of a great
album. Cool album cover with shiny metallic silver
(similar to the gold on the Cambridge album cover,
and like the Cambridge album this is extremely prone
to ring wear). [AM]
JOHN DAY (NC)
"John Day" 197 (no label 4123N12)
Pastoral folkrock with full band including congas,

mellotron, steel guitar, harmonica, housed in nice
appropriate artwork.
DAY BLINDNESS (San Francisco, CA)
"Day Blindness" 1969 (Studio 10 101) [promo; plain cover;

insert]
-- promotional copies were issued in a plain white cover with
business card attached and an insert promoting the label's acts
"Day Blindness" 1969 (Studio 10 101)
"Day Blindness" 198 (Studio 10) [bootleg]
"Day Blindness" 1997 (CD Flash, UK)
"Day Blindness" 2005 (Studio 10/Scorpio)
Unexciting teen psych-rock with an obvious Doors

influence similar to those many 1969-70 Canadian LPs.
Parts are so lame that it sounds almost like a Doors
parody album, the deadpan sub-Lizard King vocals in
particular. Lead guitarist has a nice garage fuzz
sound but doesn't show much creativity, despite
plenty of "jams" with equally cool-sounding and
equally clueless Vox organ guy. "Heavy" lyrics about
"squares" add entertainment / embarrassment factor.
Songwriting doesn't account for much, and while they
do achieve a nice cheese epic doom vibe on the last
track, Ultimate Spinach did these dumb teen dope
sounds much better. [PL]
DAYBREAK (Pearl River, NY)
"Daybreak" 1971 (RPC az-97731) [400p]
Obscure LP with two raw basement psych winners, also

a "Down By The River" cover, a Steppenwolf medley,
and more. Haven't heard the whole LP, but those two
originals seem to be the highpoints.
DAYBREAK (Richmond Hill, NY)
"A Celebration Of The Individual" 1974 (Dome 51374) [two

posters; lyric insert]
This high school project album is typically

amateurish rock, folk, soul and even jazz, with the
drummer and lead guitarist both being way
overenthusiastic and the many lead singers (both male
and female) ranging from terrible to adequate to
charming. Give them credit for trying awfully hard.
The gospel-styled chorus that backs the guy on
“Proclamation 1” steals the show from him.
“Loneliness” moves from stark folk into a pseudo
jazz/flamenco guitar solo that must be heard to be
believed. “Black Child Speaks To God” has a flute-sax
duel that’s equally entertaining. There are so many
styles here that if weren’t for the consistent
sloppiness, out of tune guitars and piano, and absurd
fast guitar runs, it would sound like a various
artists’ album. Some of the lyrics are funny, but I
can’t tell if it’s intentional or not. One of the
singers sounds awfully old for a high school kid; I
wonder if the music teacher is responsible for the
terrible piano-and-voice ballad “I Strive To Make You
Happy.” These high school records have a certain
perverse charm, and since this is one of the very few
not to have any cover versions, it’s probably a good
one with which to satisfy your curiosity. [AM]
D-DRIFTERS 5 (Canada)
"Sing And Play Beatles Songs" 1965 (V-Records 3025)
Beatles songs plus a couple of other Invasion numbers

sung in Ukranian by a Canadian band. Lord knows why.
Label is the same that had Neil Young's legendary 45
with the Squires.
MICHAEL DEACON (Omaha, NE)
"Runnin' In The Meadow" 1975 (Mustard Seed S80-1008)
"When You Know It's Home" 1977 (Mustard Seed S80-1512)
Folky singer/songwriter obscurities.
HARRY DEAL & THE GALAXIES (Charlotte, NC)
"I Feel Good All Over" 1966 (Lotus 6-7116)
Mostly frat circuit soul rock, covers "My Girl",

"Midnight Hour". Similar sound to Jack Bedient and
the Chessmen but with a beach beat influence. Two
cover variations exist, one red and one black. [RM]
"United" 1968 (Eclipse)
All originals this time straddling the frat and

garage beat sounds. Harry Deal later ran his own
studio, which recorded the May Street Tops among
others.
DEAN BROTHERS (NY)
"As They Are" 1976 (Pilgrim DB1002)
This is a private press, but has a professional sound

and easily could be mistaken for a major label singer
songwriter album. The obvious influence is Elton
John, though there Are a few country-influenced songs
that give away their rural roots. About half of the
album is quite good, with some nice acoustic ballads
and a terrific long song about wanting to live on
Mars. Not a killer album by any means, but enjoyable
for genre fans and a nice semi-rarity you can still
pick up cheap. [AM]
DEBRIS (Chickasha, OK)
"Static Disposal" 1976 (Pig 0000)

"Static Disposal" 1999 (CD Anopheles 004) [+10 tracks]
"Static Disposal" 1999 (Anopheles 006) [1000p; +1 track]
Freaky yet accessible mid-70s psych/avant-punk

crossover album from a most unlikely spot on the map;
talent, originality and good clean fun present
throughout. I'm not too hip on this era & style but
enjoyed it just the same. The band has no relation to
fellow Okies Cosmic Debris. [PL]
~~~
Great '76 proto-punk private press, kinda similar to
Cleveland scene of the same time. Basement trippy and
freaky with obvious Beefhart and Stooges influences,
it also includes a more unexpected Hawkwind vibe due
to the quite massive use of electronic sound fx,
echos, tape loops and such, to a great druggy effect.
Not really your typical psych LP but definitely
rewarding after a few spins, especially if you're
into early Pere Ubu, Electric Eels and such. Maybe
experimental, but never arty, this is a great LP.
When you wake up in your living room at 04.00 in the
morning, totally confused because someone obviously
spiked your cough syrup with acid, this might be the
perfect soundtrack. [MM]
DECADENCE (Chicago, IL)
"Savagery and Grace" 1980 (Daystar dslp-8001) [1000p; bonus

45; booklet]
Basement hard guitar progressive with female vocal.

Only 500 of the 1000 copies came with the bonus 45
and booklet. The band had a couple of 45s also, one
under the earlier name Doublecross, and released a
second LP "Je Ne Sais Quoi" in 1982. CD reissues
supposedly exist, but we have no details.
DECEMBER'S CHILDREN (Cleveland, OH)
"December's Children" 1969 (Mainstream s-6128) [wlp exists]
Another interesting Mainstream release. Like many of

the albums on the label, this has both male and
female vocals, and a mix of Airplane-light
psychedelia and heavier bluesy rock. The guitar
playing throughout is creative. The album starts
slowly but improves as it goes along, closing with
what are probably the two strongest songs. Nothing
phenomenal, but worthy of investigation. [AM]
THE DEEP (New York City, NY)
"Psychedelic Moods" 1966 (Cameo Parkway p-7051) [mono]

"Psychedelic Moods" 1966 (Cameo Parkway sp-7051) [stereo]
"Psychedelic Moods" 1989 (Cicadelic) [remix]
"Psychedelic Moods" 1993 (CD Collectables 0521) [remix]
"Psychedelic Moods" 199 (Thorns, Europe) [remix]
"Psychedelic Moods" 2004 (CD Radioactive 074, UK)
"Psychedelic Moods" 2004 (Radioactive 071, UK)
Something of a psych head's dream, this LP dates from

August 1966 when conceptual acid albums was still
uncharted territory. Consequently Rusty Evans and his
NYC ex-folkie pals managed to create an LP that
sounds fresh and unique even 40 years on. The 12
tracks are essentially a series of musical trip
reports covering the whole emotional spectrum from
chaos and euphoria to introspection and melancholy
with an intense, challenging atmosphere. The three
tracks that have been comp'd give you an idea of the
LP's full lysergic madness. Due to the bad remix
originals used to be mandatory for this one, but
finally the original trip became available via the
exact Radioactive bootleg. Stereo copies are
preferrable in my opinion, although the mono is
enjoyable too, with a garage edge. An original
Canadian pressing with Quality labels exists.
Collectables' "Psychedelic Moods" series (vol 2-5)
has some session outtakes and an interview with
Rusty; vol 2 is an excellent garage psych sampler
featuring Hydro Pyro which was a Deep-related
project. [PL]
~~~
This groundbreaking album is widely misunderstood. It
may have originally been intended as an exploitation
record, but all these years later it sounds like the
best NUGGETS-era garage album ever. Rusty Evans'
songs are great, spanning snotty garage, melodic pop
and thoughtful experimentation. Regardless of the
reason, he sure was inspired when making this album,
and while maybe the purposely awkward phrasing on
"Psychedelic Moon" comes off as a gag, it's a
fascinating one. Beyond that, it's hard to find any
fault with killer songs like "Turned On," "Trip #76,"
"It's All A Part Of Me" and "On Off Off On." While
the Shadows of Knight and Blues Magoos and everyone
else were packing their albums with filler, here's a
1966 record full of creative, diverse originals. This
is the kind of great record that could only have
happened before the genre had any established
"rules." Evans' creativity shines bright. [AM]
~~~
Killer LP from '66 ranging from punk psych, folk
psych to true madness, it sounds like a missing link
between the beatnik/prankster era and full on
psychedelia. Just one year later this album would
probably have been impossible to release on a major
label - I don't think the A&R's at Cameo had a clue
to what this was about at all! Titles like "Trip
#76", "Turned On", "Color Dreams" and "Crystal Nite"
should give a hint. It may look like an exploitation
album, but it's much more than that. The songwriting
is inspired and the recording/instrumentation is full
of spontaniety and variation. It sounds like they had
a blast recording this album. Lots of it actually
sounds like it was recorded in early mornings, after
nights of tripping, and it's full of all sortsa sound
fx in the mix! The stereo mix is widely panned and
reveals some mad soundscapes - one of the more
successful examples of early stereo. The mono mix on
the other hand has more punch in the bottom end, and
sounds more "garagey" over all. Some songs are
totally different in mono and stereo. [MM]
~~~
see -> Freak Scene; "Fifth Pipe Dream"; Marcus
DEERFIELD (Houston, TX)
"Nil Desperandum" 1971 (Flat Rock frs-1) [envelope; letter]

"Nil Desperandum" 199 (Flat Rock) [bootleg]
"Nil Desperandum" 2000 (CD Gear Fab 148)
This is a solid LP. It's somewhere between acoustic

west coast rock and late-period Beatles (esp George
Harrison). The songwriting is strong and reasonably
ambitious, including a well-realized Kak-like suite
on part of side two. The album has a fresh, summery
feel to it. Originals (pressed on thick vinyl, in
thick covers) come with a clever insert, an envelope
that has some of the song lyrics written into letter
form. The bass player of this band was in 1960s
Austin band Bryan's Blokes, whose members would
occasionally fill in for absent 13th Floor Elevators
members on live gigs. [AM]
"Live" 199 (Flat Rock) [#d]
1972 live recordings in Houston with four songs not

on the LP.
JAMIE DEFRATES (Jacksonville, FL)
"Pegasus in Flight" 1976 (Sweet Appaloosa jd-123) [3000p]
The first Defrates’ album is just guitar and voice,

but quite accomplished singer-songwriter fare, with
the opening “Illinois Central“ being the highlight.
The tone is serious throughout and the songs are
relatively long, so after a while fuller arrangements
would have been welcome, but this is a solid album in
the style. Just don’t expect “acid folk". Defrates’
acoustic guitar playing is excellent throughout. One
song has a repeated lyric about “Fruit of the mother
and semen spray” that paints a pretty vivid picture,
for better or worse. Defrates has been active in the
Florida music scene for many years and has won
numerous awards for composition (he has done scores
and soundtracks, in addition to his own career as a
singer/songwriter. He also has a number of impressive
credits as a producer. He has several further
recordings that fall outside of the scope of this
book, but will be of interest to fans of these two
albums. [AM]
"Son of Dust" 1978 (Sweet Appaloosa jd-333) [3000p;

gatefold]
The second Defrates’ album is a much more elaborate
production, something that could be characterized as
progressive folk. There are synthesizers, a solid
rhythm section, flutes, and the guitars are laced
with effects. The opening “Ride” is a stunner, with
soaring falsetto vocals and a powerful arrangement.
There are a couple of short instrumental interludes,
and overall this has the feel of a loose concept
album. As with the previous album, the lyrics are
personal and evocative (and occasionally religious.)
As the album moves along there are some songs with
sparser arrangements, and while it continues at the
same level of quality as the first album, it doesn’t
again match the same level of musical passion and
complexity of “Ride.” Nonetheless, this is quite
worthwhile. [AM]
DEL-PHONICS ( )
"Del-Phonics" 196 (Edgewood Recordings Studio no #) [1-

sided]
Recently discovered circa 1966 one-sided demo LP from

Edgewood Studios in Washington DC, featuring an
unknown teenbeat/garage band with organ. Five tracks
including an excellent Zombies-style original and an
inspired frat/medley called "Farmer Louie". Cover is
plain except for the band name.
DEMIAN (TX/CA)
"Demian" 1971 (ABC 718) [gatefold; wlp exists]

-- a Japanese pressing exists with a different cover
"Demian" 199 (CD TRC, Germany)
This album ranks up there with Jericho; it's a wholly

successful transformation from psychedelia to hard
rock. The obvious hard rock tendencies they showed as
Bubble Puppy are tightened and sharpened, and the
group harmony vocals are dropped. There's an
unnecessary remake of a Bubble Puppy song, but
there's not much else to quibble about. There are
enough tempo and rhythm variations to keep the
formula from getting dull. [AM]
DEMIAN (East Moline, IL)
"Rock Star Farm" 1974 (Starburst arc-33-01) [insert]
A non-Texas group that recorded their LP in Austin,

also into heavy guitar rock. [RM]
DENNIS THE FOX (WA)
"Mother Trucker" 1975 (Musart 801)
Priceless loungerock extravaganza like if Jade Stone

& Luv had John Ylvisaker on vocals. Lengthy review is
being prepared.
DESERT ESKIMO ( )
"Desert Eskimo" 1982 (North Star)
California label. Aggressive 70s sound power trio,

good LP.
BOB DESPER (Portland, OR)
"New Sounds" 1974 (Rose City Sound)
The Pacific Northwest is a dark, dank place, with a

suicide rate higher than Keith Richards on a four day
binge. Even their most articulate native son, Kurt
Cobain, drowned in the sea of despair and offed
himself. And what's the cause of this environmental
depression??? It may be the constant grey skies and
rain, it may be the extremely high runaway and
homeless rate or it just may very well be the music
of Bob Desper. Bob recorded his "New Sounds" LP in
one take at the local Rose City Sound studios. Just
him, his acoustic guitar and an amazing insight to
the dark side of the human psyche. So dark in fact,
that only a blind man can see it. Bob is that man,
and on this LP he taps into a place that very few
people have visited. His voice is quiet with an edge
sharper than a Ginzu knife. His lyrics reflect a
lonely man who recognizes the shortcomings of human
kind. This LP gives me goosebumps each and every time
I play it. Side one starts off with "Darkness Is Like
A Shadow". A spooky, echoey tune where Bob introduces
a topic that becomes a re-occurring theme throughout
the entire LP, the fact that people with eyesight are
blind to the things that are truly important in life.
"It's Too Late" and "Lonely Man" follow and continue
the introspective soul search, all accompanied by
Bob's extraordinary guitar playing. The fourth and
last cut on side one is "To A Friend Of Mine". This
is where I usually start thinking about going into
the bathroom and slitting my wrist with a razor blade
just to prove to Bob that I could begin to understand
what true suffering is. This 15+ minute journey is,
in my opinion, the most flawless chunk of
downer/loner folk music ever recorded. Side two is
good, but pales in comparison to it's flip side.
Songs are "Let It Shine For You", "Don't You Cry For
Me", "Liberty" and "Time Is Almost Over". [RH]
DETROIT (Detroit, MI)
"Detroit" 1979 (no label)
This youthful hard rock album isn't great but has its
charms. Among them are high energy songs (all but the
ballads are fast), amusing use of talkbox and
electronics, and spastic bass and lead guitar
playing. Certainly there's more enthusiasm than
talent here, but it's fun nonetheless. The snotty
vocals are clearly inspired by another Motown hard
rocker, Alice Cooper, but lack his sense of theater
and irony. Eventually they become annoying,
especially on the otherwise enjoyable ballads. Side
one has five medium length songs, side two three long
songs, including the two ballads, which respectively
have nice reverbed lead guitar and crazy dual leads.
Often this album is reported as having a lot of
synthesizer, but actually it's only a small amount on
two songs. [AM]
EDDY DETROIT (Phoenix, AZ)
"Immortal God's" 1982 (Pan)

"Immortal God's" 2005 (CD Majora)
Real-people two-chord voodoo folk craziness of some

notoriety, with nasal vocals, percussion, fiddle and
more. The songs deal with Vampires, Beelzebub, the
god Pazuzo, and Mephisto Cigars. The cover shows a
horseback Eddy holding his own head in his hand. He
released more albums during the 1980s, such as
"Philosopher's Journey" (1987).
DEVIL'S ANVIL (New York City, NY)
"Hard Rock From The Middle East" 1967 (Columbia cl-2664)

[mono]
"Hard Rock From The Middle East" 1967 (Columbia cl-9464)
[stereo]
"Hard Rock From The Middle East" 199 (Fantazia, Europe)
"Hard Rock From The Middle East / Psychedelic Psoul" 199 (CD
Collectables) [2-on-1]
Early Middle-Eastern trip from Columbia's NYC office

(just like Freak Scene, from around the same time).
This mixes reasonably authentic ethnic sounds with
"rock" moves, and is less exploitative and more
genuine than one might expect. A couple of mid-tempo
Arabian excursions get truly trancey, while the
ballads suffer from over-length and foreign language
vocals. The mix of prominent bass and piercing string
instruments is familiar from the Freak Scene album,
and like that LP this is a partly successful
exploration that should have been given more thought
and time. Worth checking out, though clearly inferior
to John Berberian on Verve. [PL]
DIALOGUE (Philadelphia, PA)
"Dialogue" 1972 (no label dm-68425) [orange cover; lyric

insert]
"Dialogue" 1974 (Cold Studio) [white cover; lyric insert; no
address on back cover]
"Dialogue" 1974 (Cold Studio) [white cover; lyric insert;
address on back cover]
Obscure, pretty impressive local studio-pop LP in the

early 1970s post-Beatles style; songwriting as good
as any major act, solid vocal harmonies, charming
California Sunshine pop arrangements with extensive
use of keyboards. One really bad track, rest of the
LP is enjoyable to anyone with an ear for a clever
McCartney/Boettcher/Emitt Rhodes excursion;
comparisons to Left Banke have also been made.
Although the original "no label" pressing is
supposedly rarer, most copies sold seem to be that
version. Recorded in Alabama. There was also a non-LP
45. [PL]
~~~
Peculiar 1970s pop album that is a product of its
time but really doesn’t sound like anything else. In
other hands these songs would have a quasi-McCartney
feel but there’s a dreamy, dark aura that would never
have made it on 70s radio. Takes a while to sink in;
the songs are thoughtful and moody but not especially
catchy. Wall of sound may have more to do with low
budget production than intent. One goofy song with
fake children’s vocals spoils the mood, but this is
an interesting record nevertheless. [AM]
DICK WATSON 5 (NJ)
"Baker Street" 1966 (United Int'l 1001)
Haven't heard the entire LP which is very rare,

however a pretty interesting folk-garage track has
appeared on a comp where the group was mistakenly
placed in Kentucky. They also had a 45 and were
supposedly regulars at a local Jersey TV show. The LP
is based on a Sherlock Holmes theme. The LP title has
also been listed as "The World Of Dick Watson". After
seeing the Fugs play live in NYC, two members left
this band and started ESP legends the Godz. [PL]
LES DIFFERENTS (Chambly, Canada)

"Differents" 1967 (Disque Monde 65001)
"Soyons Differents" 2005 (CD Disques Mérite 22.962)
The seldom seen Les Differents LP is usually rated as

one of the best French-Canadian 60s LPs, and it's
easy to see why. The band shows a Stones-inspired
"punk" edge on most tracks, with several uptempo
garage/r'n'b originals using fuzz riffs and a snotty
attitude. The opening 3-chord snot-fest of "Je ne
veux plus" sets the tone perfectly. The mid-tempo
tracks work well too, although the language barrier
may be more noticable for non-French speakers here,
at least on the 6-minute "Je partirai". Good, soulful
vocals and effective, minimalist guitar band
arrangements give the music a timeless quality which
impresses. The super-cool sleeve provides the final
clue -- these guys were the Chocolate Watchband of
Quebec. The CD reissue contains the whole LP with the
running order changed. [PL]
DIMENSIONS (Chicago, IL)
"From All Dimensions" 1966 (no label 1666)

"From All Dimensions" 1983 (Eva 12018, France) [altered cover]
"From All Dimensions" 1999 (CD Collectables)
Celebrated Chicago frat-garage LP that's also one of

the real rarities of the local mid-1960s LP scene.
For those who find the North-East preprock LPs too
lowkey this is the remedy - a solid party mood
similar to the Raider's best albums with some Stones
thrown in. The tape splice in "Mary Lou" derives from
the original LP, apparently. A solid dose of mid-60s
fun, all covers naturally. [PL]
DIMITROFF, BURGESS & FRIENDS (Canada)
"Dimitroff, Burgess & Friends" 1970 (no label)
Basement covers and a freakout track.
V.A "DIRECT FROM THE RAINBOW BALLROOM" (Edmonton, Canada)

"Direct From The Rainbow Ballroom" 196 (Pace Records RS-101)
Obscure teenbeat LP featuring local Edmonton groups

circa 1967, produced by one Ray Schwartz. Bands
include the Lords, It's Us Inc, Southbound Freeway.
DIRT ROAD (AZ)
"A Sunny Days Dream" 1977 (Compassion Records)
Local obscurity on Phoenix label, described as good

70s psych-rock with only one weak track.
V.A "DIRTY FEET" (CA)
"Dirty Feet" 1965 (Fink 1007) [booklet]
Soundtrack to an underground surf film. The music is

primarily folk, however, with singers Tim Morgon,
Vicki Arthur, and some eastern style instro
wanderings as well. Phil Pearlman of Beat Of The
Earth was involved with the crew behind this, but
does not appear on the actual LP, which was released
on the same label as his first 45.
DIRTY JOHN'S HOT DOG STAND (MA)
"Return From The Dead" 1970 (Flying Dutchman/Amsterdam AMS

12004) [gatefold]
Heavy fuzz rock, some horns. "Growing old" is the

psychiest track. Due to a pressing flaw many copies
are virtually unplayable on side 2. Ex-Ill Wind.
DISCIPLE ( )
"Come and See Us As We Are!" 1971 (Avco Embassy ave-33015)
Fun co-ed rock band who for once don’t sound west
coast at all. The cover versions on the album are the
first clue that they’re more into the Beatles and
Motown than the Airplane, and the power-pop styled
shouts of “hey” and punky guitar riffs confirm that
these are not necessarily hippies. The dreamy, catchy
title song shows up in a few incarnations (once
backwards) and frames the album nicely. A few duds
are scattered about, and the soul cover doesn’t work
really well, but an upbeat energetic take on “Got To
Get You Into My Life” will grow on you and two or
three of their own tunes will stick in your head for
days. An underrated album, probably ignored by
collectors because of the lame drawing on the album
cover and the lack of freak appeal. [AM]
DIXIE DREGS (GA)
"The Great Spectacular Dixie Dregs" 1975 (no label) [500p]
This one is more of a wild, garagy raveup than their

later, more commercial releases.
DIXIE PEACH (Dayton, OH)
"Dixie Peach" 1975 (Raintree SP-827)
Allman Brothers influenced rockers with searing dual

leads. Despite the name the band came from Ohio and
had roots in 1960s garage band the Pictorian
Skiffuls.
V.A "D M A FANTASTIC FIVE" (Detroit, MI)
"D M A Fantastic Five" 1976 (DMA)
Booking sampler of five heavy rock groups, including

Badge. [RM]
MICHAEL DOBBINS (ID)
"Music For The Seeker" 197 (no label)
Amazingly pompous acoustic folk with overblown

Ceasar's Palace-style vocals. The guy presents his
Eastern (Eckankar) philosohopy in the most
uncompromising manner, with several references to the
"Sugmad" whatever that is. Not really a "seeker"
hippie LP, more like Charlton Heston narrating the
Rig-Veda. I like this, though it's certainly not for
everyone. Custom press in generic sleeve. [PL]
~~~
Lost monotonic religous seeker folk with sincere
crooning in Dino Valenti / Arcesia territory.
Unfortunately, the music is uniformly boring aside
from the mystic trip "Two Keys". [RM]
DOC ROCKIT (Spokane, WA)
"Doc Rockit" 1979 (P.S. ps-0002) [750p; two covers exist]
Raging hardrock with superb metallic guitar. The band

had another LP in the late 1980s, titled "Azugi"
which is more mainstream hardrock. 450 copies had the
silver cover, while 300 copies had the white cover.
DOCTOR FEELGOOD (MA)
"Something to Take up Time" 1971 (Number One)

"Something to Take up Time" 2005 (CD Synton, Austria)
Jazzy rock. Heavy saxophone, guitar, flute. No

relation to Piano Red's group. Three members came
from Teddy & the Pandas. [RM]
DOHTERS (NY)
"Dohters" 197 (no label MSTRS-1) [no cover]
Female choral group from upstate New York female prep

school. “Sing around the campfire” real people
quality duets of Byrds, Cat Stevens, Neil Young and
more. They are accompanied by either piano or
acoustic guitar. The highlight is their haunting
cover of "Wooden Ships" with a very spooky organ.
This would fit well on a future Hippie Goddesses
compilation (and will). I would call this the most
garage sounding female high school/college folk group
LP I’ve heard. Two known copies; neither with a
cover. [MA]
"Dohters '70" 1970 (RPC AZ 60871) [no cover] 1]
This one features more contemporary covers ("Coming

Into L.A", "Morning Dew", "Helplessly Hoping", "White
Bird"). Straighter choral versions with acoustic
guitar accompaniment. Still charming, but lacks the
real people edge of the other LP. Again no cover.
This only known copy came in a blank textured gold
cover with “Dohters ‘70" hand written on it; not sure
if this was done by whoever did the pressing or the
owner of the copy (there is a girl’s name in the
upper corner - could be one of the group - the
lettering is much different than on the title). [MA]
DO IT NOW FOUNDATION (Los Angeles, CA / Tempe, AZ)
"First Vibration" 1969 (Do It Now)
Amphetamine-themed antidrug LP with songs donated to

the organization. Includes "The Dancer" by Things To
Come, the non-LP "Long Road" by (the LA) Genesis, and
famous bands up to and including the Beatles. This is
all music, no spoken word. Two cover variations
exist; one with a big "Speed Kills" logo. The
organization went on to release more LPs, tons of
pamphlets, and is still around today.
"Do It Now - A Realistic Drug Education Album" 1972 (Do It

Now) [2 LPs; blank gatefold w/ sticker; insert]
Educational production in radio show format partly

based on the mass market release above, including
several of the same songs such as the excellent non-
LP Genesis track. The commentary is pretty cool too.
It's not one of those fire & brimstone anti-drug
records, but rather an attempt to relate on a cool
level to their intended school-age audience. The
insert contains all the vital info. There is also a
single LP mass market release called "Do It Now" from
the same era featuring again some of the same songs,
plus Neil Diamond and others. This should not be
confused with the rare 2LP set. [MA]
JEREMEY DORMOUSE see Jeremy Dormouse (under "J")
DOUG & DONNA ( )
"Abide In Me" 197 (DD-1001)
Mid-1970s Christian folk obscurity.
DOUGLAS FIR ( )
"Hard Heartsingin'" 1970 (Quad qus-5002) [wlp exists]

"Hard Heartsingin'" 2000 (CD Gear Fab 149)
"Hard Heartsingin'" 2000 (Akarma, Italy)
Recorded in Portland, Oregon. Mystic folkrock and

bluesy, roots sounds. A bit Doorsy at times with the
moody vocal and organ backing.
"DOWN A DIFFERENT ROAD" (Long Beach, CA)
"Down A Different Road" 197 (Living Sound)
Early 1970s project LP with one side choral work from

the Long Beach State A Capella Choir, the other
freaky vocal and electronic experiments with an eerie
vibe. Rated as one of the more worthwhile school
project LPs by some.
DOWN FROM NOTHING (Chicago, IL)
"Down From Nothing" 1971 (no label 23309-01)
Jazzy prog/psych with sax.

~~~
see -> Pound
DRAGONFLY (CO/CA)
"Dragonfly" 1970 (Megaphone 1202) [gatefold]

-- a gold title sticker was attached to the shrink wrap
"Dragonfly" 1992 (CD Eva b-27, France)
"Dragonfly" 2004 (CD Gear Fab 208)
Well-loved heavy psych album is worthy of the hype,

for the most part. No one song stands out and blows
you away, but it’s solid throughout, and the
occasional trippy effect adds to the fun. It includes
a Who ripoff even more obvious than that on the
Morgen album, but stealing from the classics is what
hard rock is all about, right? [AM]
~~~
"Dragonfly" offered up an excellent set of fuzz
guitar-propelled psych/hard rock. Strong melodies and
searing vocals made original material such as 'Blue
Monday', 'Enjoy Yourself' and 'I Feel It' well worth
hearing. Personal favorites were the fuzz and
backward guitar drenched 'Crazy Woman' and the
extended closing number 'Miles Away'. The set wasn't
perfect; several numbers on the flip side found the
band occasionally incorporating C&W elements into the
mix, but overall the collection was nothing short
than great. [SB]
DRAGONWYCK (Cleveland, OH)
"Dragonwyck" (1st LP) 1970 (Pama no #) [85p: no cover]

"Dragonwyck" (1st LP) 1990 (Rockadelic 4) [400 #d; sides
reversed]
"Dragonwyck" (1st LP) 1996 (CD Rockadelic)
"Dragonwyck" 2004 (World In Sound RFR 023, Germany) [+10" w/ 5
tracks; poster]
"Dragonwyck" 2004 (CD World In Sound 023, Germany) [+5 tracks]
Demo only LP of intense Doorsy hard psych/rock that's

become somewhat legendary over the years. The LP
retains some of the appealing cheesiness of the
style, yet is charged with enough presence and fire
to transform itself into a winner before your eyes,
with recurring feedback leads its strongest asset.
One of the best of all the countless "Morrison Hotel"
excursions around. The wide appeal and small press
has made it one of Rockadelic's more famous releases,
although their CD version has poor sound and is not
recommended. The tape-sourced WIS reissue reinstates
the original running order and adds 5 tracks from a
1968 studio session which yielded the band's pre-LP
45 (released as by Sunrise), but the 1970 material
seems to lose a bit of the trebly garage intensity of
the Rockadelic LP. The band was also known as Speed,
Flying Turns and Fun at various stages in their
career. There was another 45, "The music" on the
Peckar label, and a later one "Lovin' The Boys" as
part of the "Fun" project. [PL]
"Dragonwyck" (2nd LP) 1973 (Cleveland Recording Company no #)

[acetate]
"Dragonwyck" (2nd LP) 1995 (Fantasia, Europe)
"Chapter II" 2006 (CD World In Sound, Germany)
"Chapter II" 2006 (World In Sound, Germany) [+ 7"]
Pretentious proggy album that works surprisingly

well. Professional recording job and relatively
mainstream arrangements makes it sound like they
could have easily gotten a major label contract.
Grows on you and has plenty of cool moog action.
Their songwriting and performance instincts are good.
Albums like this usually have lots of highs and lots
of lows; there are very few dull spots here. [AM]
"Fun" 1976 (acetate)
Contrary to popular belief, the band name was still

Dragonwyck at the time of this acetate, while "Fun"
was the project name and album working title. The
band did adopt the name Fun later on. After the
impressive prog-rock of their 2nd album, this shows
the band retaining some of the prog aspects while
bringing in AOR and glam elements, as well as a
humorous Zappa-inspired twist, which undermines the
impact of the music. The end result is confused and
confusing, and it seems this ambitious band were
unsure of their direction at this point. The
recording quality is clearly inferior to the pro-
level sound of the 1973 acetate. Even at this late
stage, the late 60s "Music" track was still part of
their repertoire. The band eventually became
Moonlight Drive, a Doors cover band with at least one
release. The "Fun" acetate copy I've heard had some
skips. [PL]
STEVE DRAKE BAND (Long Island, NY)
"Cold Sweat" 1976 (Odyssey)
"Nature Intended" 1976 (Tiger Lily tl-14054)
Unbelievable "karaoke rock" with Long Island wizard

dubbing his own vocals onto existing, official
recordings by various obscure and famous
rock/hardrock bands, mostly from UK import albums.
The story behind this is unbelievable, and since
"Drake" had good taste when selecting his karaoke
targets, the records are quite enjoyable too. "Cold
Sweat" has the excellent "Earthworm" (Stackridge) as
well as Bebop Deluxe and Orpheus numbers, to name a
few. Apart from the "karaoke" concept, several tracks
have been fiddled with in terms of speed, edits,
fadeouts, etc. The Tiger Lily album has some Babe
Ruth tracks along with more Bebop Deluxe, and it
appears that Drake (or whoever put it out) here
didn't even bother to dub on new vocals, but simply
taped the tracks from the original sources. Pretty
enjoyable collections of 1970s rock even without the
bizarre background, but bear in mind what you're
listening to before getting too impressed with
Drake's "talent".
~~~
see -> Steve Kaczorowski
DRAMA (Canada)
"Loneliness" 1979 (Psycho)
This synth record straddles the line between 70s

Kraftwerk-styled experimentation and 80s new wave
synth pop. Side two is entirely instrumental. Both
sides are pretty good, with some compelling moods and
catchy riffs. Mysterious album cover gives no
information of any consequence at all. Ex-VIIth
Temple. [AM]
DREAM (MI)
"Living in a Dream" 1979 (Dreamusic Ltd. 5354) [lyrics insert;

300p]
Light mystic proggy folk floater. Delicate 12-string,

piano, flute, baroque shadings.
DREAMIES (DE)
"Auralgraphic Entertainment" 1974 (Stone Theatre 68481)

[insert]
"Auralgraphic Entertainment" 199 (Stone Theatre, Europe)
[bootleg; blue vinyl]
"Auralgraphic Entertainment" 2000 (Gear Fab gf-206)
"Auralgraphic Entertainment" 2000 (CD Gear Fab gf-146)
Headphone tripout concept LP with two extended

Lennonesque folk tracks upon which has been imposed
all kinds of electronics, tape loops of old radio
broadcasts (JFK, Ali, and more), moogs and stereo
effects. Elaborate sorta stoned college artefact,
interesting for its freak value and pretty clever;
could be seen as an analog precursor to the ambient
artists of the 1990s. [PL]
~~~
This experiment was intended to redefine people's
notions of "pop music." Bill Holt, just past the age
of 30, quit his job and devoted an entire year of his
life to this ambitious musical collage, which at more
than 50 minutes is alternately fascinating and
tedious. There's no question that even the most
random-sounding bits and pieces here were planned
very carefully and put together painstakingly. There
are only three real "songs," which are surrounded by
and interrupted by spoken news clips and sound
effects. The lack of drums dulls the impact of these
songs, which are otherwise excellent Beatles-inspired
soft-rock. Headphones help; this is not background
music and for full effect each album side needs to be
listened to without interruption. The long series of
Moog bleeps and blips on side two can be really
hypnotic if you're in the right frame of mind. Like
Kraftwerk, Holt had an understanding of how
repetition can be used to alter your concept of what
music is. Fans of the Church of the Subgenius should
love it. This is one of those albums that you won't
listen to often but will really experience in a new
way every time you do. Its success is arguable, but
its uniqueness is unquestionable. [AM]
JOHN DRENDALL, B A THROWER & FRIENDS (MI)
"Papa Never Let Me Sing The Blues" 1972 (Deacon no #) [500p]
This is an extremely accomplished private press

album. They play acoustic and electric blues-rock,
psych/funk jams, snappy acoustic folk, honky-tonk,
and moody near space-rock, all with great success.
The guitar playing is excellent, the vocals world-
weary and evocative, and the arrangements clever
(listen to the way the organ swoops in and out of
“Old Man Gibbs,” for instance). A solid album, very
worthy of reissue. [AM]
~~~
see -> Thrower Spillane McFarland
DRNWYN (Salem, OH)
"Gypsies In The Mist" 1978 (Wilderland 31778) [insert; 800p]
Ambitious but rather disappointing hippie folkrock

LP, has an appealing garage sound like Gandalf The
Grey, but vocals suck in the bad 1970s street
troubador melodrama style, and the basic vibe is that
of overreaching without the necessary real people
charm. Some neat arrangements and guitar leads,
fairly consistent but unlikely to be anyone's
favorite LP. Sounds more NYC/Village than Ohio. [PL]
D R S & FRIENDS (WI)

"From Me to You" 1977 (Safari sa-77001)
Eastern sounds hippie folk with sitar, tabla,

dounbek, woodwinds. Long flowing tracks. D.R.S. was
led by Dennis R. Schultz.
"DRUGS: INSIGHTS & ILLUSIONS" ( )
"Drugs: Insights & Illusions" 1971 (Scholastic Records FS

12010)
One of the more entertaining spoken word drug

education LPs, with several hilarious segments such
as "Reaching Out To A Glue Sniffer". Heads, doctors
and judges speak out on the terrible drug menace
sweeping across the nation. A corresponding book
exists.
DRUIDS OF STONEHENDGE (NY/LA)
"Creation" 1968 (UNI 3004) [mono]

"Creation" 1968 (UNI 73004) [stereo] [promo labels exist]
"Creation" 199 (UNI) [bootleg]
"Creation" 199 (CD Synton, Europe)
The originals on this album are terrific, mixing

garage-punk, folk-rock and some raga rock with punky
Jagger-influenced vocals in a powerful Ugly
Ducklings, Shadows Of Knight, Chocolate Watchband,
etc, fashion. “Earthless” is an especially effective
blend of the above-mentioned styles. Unfortunately
the album contains four familiar cover versions that,
while they allow the singer to really belt it out,
interrupt the flow of the album. Even so, this is one
of the best albums in the late garage style, and
highly recommended to fans of the bands mentioned
above, and also bands like the Jellybean Bandits and
Lollipop Shoppe. Also released in Canada, both mono
and stereo. [AM]
DRYEWATER (CA)
"Southpaw" 1974 (JTB 122) [1000p]

"Southpaw" 1974 (JTB 122) [no cover]
"Southpaw" 1996 (Void 04) [lyrics insert; photo; 350#d]
There are many evocations of cold, bleak landscapes

in this 1974 rural rock LP that is a cut above the
rest and reveals something new with every listen. The
playing is frantic and wonderfully emotive, in parts
it is utterly brilliant. The band mash together drums
and guitars in a dense soundscape with alternately
delicate and strident vocals flowing over the
surface. ‘Winterground’ starts a strong downer theme
that runs through the whole LP. They sound like
Hickory Wind grown up, grown wiser, after having
taken some hard knocks. They have transformed a back
porch sound into something much bleaker and darker.
The first side is full of powerful hard rock riffs
with subtle country influences. The second is slower
and more reflective. They have a unique sound that I
would guess is borne out of rural small town
ambitions to ‘make it big’. It’s a formula for
success because they avoid the clichés of ‘normal’
rock and tell us something about their own lives
worth hearing. [RI]
~~~
Appealing local hardrock in the melodic style, mixing
CA roots/rural influences a la Zini with a tight
British mainstream hardrock sound like Fuzzy Duck and
vintage Deep Purple. Very skillful band with fluent
fuzz and good use of keyboard, but Dryewater's
strongest asset lie in the vocals which are way above
average, full of soulful teenage smalltown dreams not
unlike similar LPs like Felt and Top Drawer in
particular. Good songwriting with hooks and riffs;
borders on UK prog bombast at a few turns but comes
out unscathed. Recommended to pretty much anyone into
local early 70s rock sounds. Fewer covers than
records were pressed, and many copies were destroyed
by the band when they failed to sell out. [PL]
~~~
"Southpaw" is a highly professional sounding hard
rock album: tight rhythm section, solid heavy guitar
playing, excellent backing vocals, strong lead
vocals. There are echoes of well-known bands,
including Cream and Led Zeppelin, but the pieces come
together in a way that makes it more than just a
genre piece. The songwriting is varied and clever.
The trebly guitar patterns, poppy choruses, brief
song lengths and speedy tempos show that they’re not
beholden to any idea of what hard rock should or
shouldn’t be. Keyboards are used sparingly, but to
nice effect, and there’s a refreshing limit to the
soloing here. Satisfying throughout, with the
possible exception of “Thunder,” which has
pretentious vocals, and constant and annoying phased
lead guitar runs. Like great albums should, it ends
with its most powerful song. A great one. [AM]
DRY ICE (MA)
"Mary’s Meth Dream" 2005 (American Sound) [300p]
This archival release collects everything this lost

Boston-area band ever did. There wasn’t really enough
to fill a whole LP, so there are three versions of
one song, two versions of two others, and a few
uninteresting cover versions. Scrap the filler,
though, and this would make a very nice side of an
LP. The overall sound is very British, akin to some
of the better popsike bands of the era. Fans of
Kaliedoscope, July, etc... should like this quite a
bit. Lots of sound effects, wah wah, fuzz, spacy
vocals, and phasing here. The thrice-included “Mary
Is Alone” is a real killer, and the other originals
aren’t too far behind. Some of the best tracks
appeared earlier on the New England Teen Scene
Unreleased CD from Arf Arf. [AM]
DRYWATER ( )
"Backbone of the Nation" 1973 (R.P.C.) [lyric sheet]
Primitive crude inept garage rock with a solid 70s

sound. Highlights are "Airplane Rider" and the title
track. Though not everyone rates this highly, it is
exactly the sound a lot of private press fans crave,
and is a personal favorite. Somewhat reminiscient of
the excellent JC & The B's LP. [Mike Krafcik]
DU-CATS (Port-Aux-Basques, Canada)
"Du-Cats" 1965 (RCA pc-1018) [mono]
Teenbeat with instros and several Stones covers from

band looking square in crewcuts and plaid jackets.
DUCK (NY)
"Duck #1" 1968 (no label) [500p]
Three tracks, two are spoken word beatnik poetry with

jazzy background music, one is a good blues jam. One
of those "Why does this exist? What were they
thinking?" specimens. Credited to "Jerry & Mike".
[RM]
THE DUO ( )
"The Duo" 1967 (Saxon) [10-inch]
Primitive electric folk rock guitar and organ, mixed

vocals. They are actually a trio!
RICHIE DUVALL & DOG TRUCK (CA)
"Richie Duvall and Dog Truck" 197 (United Sound usr-5825)
Early 1970s (?) hippie jazz and rock underground

oddness.
DYNAMICS ( )
"Dynamics" 1966 (Quintet 2004)
Obscure beat/blue-eyed soul on North Carolina label.

EARLYWINE (CA)
"The Long Journey Home" 1977 (Award)
Rural rock guitar jams.
EARTHEN VESSEL (Lansing, MI)
"Hard Rock" 1972 (NRS 2587-slp)

-- the label lists the title as 'Life Everlasting'
"Hard Rock" 1999 (CD Gear Fab 127)
"Hard Rock" 1999 (Akarma 098, Italy) [insert]
It’s hard to figure why this album is so sought after

by collectors. It’s inept Christian rock with
unappealing, soulless vocals and a rhythm section
that can’t keep time. The only thing it has going for
it is the over the top lead guitar, which is really,
really heavy. Maybe guitar fans can tune out
everything else and focus on the fuzz, because I
can’t imagine any other way to enjoy this mess. A 45
with a pic sleeve also exists featuring two cuts from
the album. [AM]
~~~
see -> U.S. Apple Corps
EARTHEN VESSEL (Lafayette, CA)
"'72 Tour LP" 1972 (Century 40970)
"Earthen Vessel" 1973 (Century 41978)
X-ian hippie folk with mixed vocals. Back cover of

the debut LP has photos of them in monks robes. No
relation to the "Hard Rock" group.
EARTH FREE (NY)
"Conjerti, Morreale & Dibley" 1972 (Sundance no #)
Recently discovered Christian hippie 1970s folkrock

LP with a nice, loose vibe. Sound is typical for the
style, rooted in a melodic CSNY sensibility,
recalling Stills' melancholic moves in particular. I
also catch an Eastcoasty "Big Pink" vibe here and
there. Opening track is deceptively soft and poppy,
after which the LP gradually increases its depth,
ending up with some truly great numbers that rate
alongside the best of the genre. Overall this is less
SF jammy than Wilson McKinley or Last Call Of Shiloh,
yet it clearly has a more personal, earthy vibe than
things such as Harvest Flight or Chenaniah. Vocals
are not remarkable but fit the overall reflective
mood well, while the band plays loose (sometimes very
loose) and laidback, with a bass unusually high in
the mix for added groove. Comparisons made to Kansas
City Jammers are useful, if you imagine this LP as
the dark mirror image of the upbeat KCJ. There was
also a 45 from the band. [PL]
~~~
This obscure folkie private press seems to have
escaped notice for thirty years or so. The reason is
probably that it took that long for psych dealers to
get desperate enough to “discover” mainstream west-
coast acoustic folk and folk-rock with lousy singing.
This album has a few long, solo acoustic pieces, and
some slightly more ambitious rural folk-rock tunes.
The solo songs border on the tedious, but have some
emotional depth to them. The full-band songs, by
relying on harmonies, actually expose the band’s
weaknesses more. The “dit dit dit” backing vocals on
“I Lost My Love” are beyond absurd. A few songs have
a powerful sadness to them, and the weak singing
actually contributes to it, as with Neil young's
shaky voice. This album definitely has its fans, but
I can't recommend it. [AM]
EARTHRISE (NJ)
"Earthrise" 1977 (Arcedem)
Progressive trio. Dynamic synths, solid drumming,

effects. Nice complex jazzy quality and the few vocal
interludes are suitably soaring. Excellent LP. Press
size has been reported as 400 copies. [RM]
EASTER ISLAND (Louisville, KY)
"Easter Island" 1979 (Baal 999) ['gold eye' cover]

"Easter Island" 1979 (Baal 999) ['silver eye' cover]
"Easter Island" 1997 (Void vlp-05) [altered cover; lyric
inner; photo; 350#d]
Complex heavy progressive rock like Yes. Mellotron,

organ, guitar. A total of 300 records were pressed.
Early demo copies came in the 'gold eye' cover.
EASTFIELD MEADOWS ( )
"Eastfield Meadows" 1968 (VMC 133)
The predominant sound is harmony-rich country-rock a-

la Gram Parsons era Byrds. "Travelin' Salesman" and
"Cowboy Song" actually sound a little like something
Michael Nesmith might have penned for The Monkees.
Less typical, "Only Girl" and "Silent Noght" sport
more of a rock/psych-oriented sound, while "Young
Love" sounds like a Buffalo Springfield effort and
the ballad "Helpless Is a Feeling" recalls The
Association. [SB]
V.A "EAST SIDE REVUE" (Los Angeles, CA)
"East Side Revue, vol 1" 1969 (Rampart) [splash vinyl]
"East Side Revue, vol 2" 1969 (Rampart) [splash vinyl;

poster]
"East Side Revue" 1969 (Rampart 3303, 2LPs) [2LPs]
Mostly East LA Chicano bands on these classic comps.

First volume is mainly pre-Invasion r'n'b, and
includes Cannibal & Headhunters, Premiers, Ronnie &
Pomona Casuals, Ambertones, Romancers, and others.
The second volume is more garage/teenbeat incl Thee
Midniters, the Premiers fuzz classic "Get On This
Plane", Romancers, Ambertones, Sunday Funnies, East
Side Kids and more.
V.A "EAST VILLAGE OTHER" (New York City, NY)
"East Village Other" 1966 (ESP 1034)

"East Village Other" 199 (CD ESP-Disk 1034)
"East Village Other" 199 (Get Back, Italy)
Aural montage with music and spoken word tracks

dubbed over a broadcast of Luci Johnson's (the
president's daughter) wedding. With Fugs, Velvet
Underground, Ginsberg, Warhol. [RM]
EASY CHAIR (Seattle, WA)
"Easy Chair" 1968 (Vanco 1004) [1-sided; photo; handbill]
Hallowed 1-sided westcoast LP with Jeff Simmons

(Mothers of Invention); mature post-flower power
psych sounds that are every bit as good as the legend
would have you believe. Opens with 9-minute epic
psychrocker that sounds quite a bit like D R Hooker,
then a shorter track with dual fuzz/wah-wah raga
interplay, and finally another extended moody
tripout. Comparable to Bob Smith and Wizards From
Kansas as a transition piece from the great ballroom
60s sound into the equally great epic early 70s big
ego-psych style of D R Hooker, Garrett Lund, etc.
Strong, understated vocals and some of the best use
of piano around gives a 1970s flavor, while the
guitars and overall feel is moody 60s acidelia.
Recorded as early as April 1968. Each copy came with
one of four different promo photos. Press size
reports differ. In a combination of status, rarity
and quality this is probably the heaviest title out
there that has never been reissued. Lord knows why.
[PL]
EASY STEAM (Duluth, MN)
"To Be Alive" 1976 (Conglomerated) [red or blue peacock cover;

lyric insert; photo]
"To Be Alive" 1976 (Conglomerated) [paste-on or blank cover]
Rather dull melodic jazzy progressive. A total of 600

records were pressed, but the silk screen machine
used for the cover design (alternately done in red or
blue) broke before all covers were completed. The
rest came in a paste-on cover approximating the silk
screened original, or were sold without the cover at
all.
STEVE EATON (Boise, ID)
"Hey Mr. Dreamer" 1974 (Capitol ST-11245)
"Steve Eaton" 1979 (Mountain Bluebird SE 46753)
Eaton was previously in the horn band Fat Chance and

wrote songs that were covered by better known artists
(including Art Garfunkel and Glen Campbell). His solo
LPs are in a folk/country singer-songwriter vein, and
the Capitol album is every bit as hard to find as the
privately pressed second album. He continues to
perform and has several subsequent releases.
EBBANFLO (Kent, WA)
"Spectre Of Paradise" 1980 (Harmonic Tremor Records)
Though this co-ed folk duo's album was released in

1980, the back cover lists dates next to each song,
and those dates range from 1969 to 1979. There's no
way of knowing if the dates refer to the year the
songs were written or the year they were recorded,
but the sparse arrangements (acoustic guitar, some
congas, some flute) and unfettered production
certainly don't scream out "1980." They also have a
very 70s hippie aura to them. The album is heartfelt
and energetic, but there's nothing to separate it
from a hundred other albums of its type, and it
really could have used some kind of edge (and the
flute, which I find annoying, isn't that edge.) The
title track is by far the highlight of the album, a
jazzy folk-rock tune that has the album’s only drum
track, and is the only song with a remotely dark mood
to it. Susan Smith's vocals are quite nice. Overall,
this is well-meaning but not distinctive, only
recommended if you're truly in love with the style.
[AM]
ECHOES AND A DREAM ( )

"Echoes and a Dream" 1973 (no label)
1970s folk/psych.
ECLIPSE (IN)
"Eclipse" 1983 (Sweetwood 1010)
Biker power trio.
ECLIPSE (MA)
"Eclipse" 1983 (Third Avenue) [1000p]
Heavy guitar rock.
BOB EDMUND (New York City, NY)
"I See No Colors" 1970 (Rabo) [500p]
Bob is backed by the organ-led group Byrth. Rhythmic

folk aggression. Dylanesque vocal, churchy organ,
jangle strumming, and a strong anti-war component. A
good record with the vocals and rhythmic organ
playing being the highlights. [RM]
EDSELS ( )
"At Last" 1965 (no label co-1761)
Garage/teen-beat.
808 RIDGE (Allegheny, PA)
"808 Ridge" 1969 (Gateway aip-1119)
"'71" 1971 (CH Records 01195)
Garagy folk psychy school project recorded in a local

coffeehouse by students of the Community College of
Allegheny County. The debut is rated as one of the
best in the "genre" by some, with several strong
tracks. Their second album is more into hippie
commune backporch folk rock.
ELDERBERRY JAK (WV)
"Long Overdue" 1970 (Electric Fox ef-lp-555)

"Eldeberry Jak" 1977 (Forrest)
"Long Overdue" 2002 (Comet/Gear Fab, Italy)
"Long Overdue" 2002 (CD Gear Fab)
This band was the early 70s pride of West Virginia,

that rare rock band in backporch country heaven. They
position themselves as something of a band of all
trades, as if their status as the area’s only ace
rock band compelled them to master every possible
rock style in order to attract wider audiences. So,
this album includes stark acoustic ballads, organ-
heavy hard rock with occasional Led Zeppelin-inspired
vocals, breezy westcoast folk-rock with CSN-style
harmonies, etc. They can sure play and do each of
these types of music very well, but it’s a bit
brainless and faceless, making this a solid but not
exceptional album. My pick hit is “Mr. Sun,” which
combines a bunch of styles: folk-rock, straight-out
rock, ballad, guitar pop. For some reason, the tax
scam company Album World bootlegged this album (they
probably mastered it from vinyl) and released it on
the fake “Forrest Records” label about seven years
later with informative liner notes. This re-release
spelled the band’s name wrong (“Eldeberry Jak”),
presumably so that the band wouldn’t instantly find
out about it? [AM]
ELDERS (OH)
"Looking For the Answer" 1971 (Audio Fidelity)
Christian flower psych, soul and bluesy moves. Also

released in Italy and Israel. Formerly garage band
Jerry & the Others who appear on the WONE
compilation.
ELECTRAS (St. Paul's School, Concord, NH)
"Electras" 1962 (Electra elt-201)
Instro guitar raveups and surf covers. No relation to

the Minnesota group. A custom pressing by RCA. This
band featured 2004 presidential candidate John Kerry
on bass!
ELECTRIC TOILET (Memphis, TN)
"In The Hands Of Karma" 1968 (Nasco 9004)

"In The Hands Of Karma" 1983 (Psycho 8, UK)
"In The Hands Of Karma" 1996 (CD Golden Classics)
"In The Hands Of Karma" 200 (Akarma, Italy)
"In The Hands Of Karma" 200 (CD Akarma, Italy)
Mixed bag with four OK songs and two killers. "Within
Your State Of Mind" is a long brooding psych number
with fantastic swirling organ, an absolute classic.
The almost gospel-like "Goodbye My Darling" is great
too despite the last three minutes of it being
basically the same thing over and over. They're from
the south, and though "Mississippi Hippy" laments
their location, the lesser songs here are in a rural
rock/bar band style that doesn't seem unlikely at
all. [AM]
ELECTROMAGNETS (Austin, TX)
"Electromagnets" 1975 (E.C.M. sd-1001) [green front cover;

1000p]
"Electromagnets" 1975 (E.C.M. sd-1001) [red front cover;
3000p]
"Electromagnets" 199 (CD, Italy) [bootleg]
"Electromagnets" 1998 (CD, Rhino) [+2 tracks]
Jazzy guitar rock with Eric Johnson. Heavier than

most bands of this ilk, with a strong Return to
Forever influence.
~~~
see -> American Peddlers; Mariani
THE ELECTRONIC HOLE see Beat Of The Earth
ELEPHANT PATCH (NC)
"Elephant Patch" 1979 (JTO)
Unusual-sounding LP with female vocals.
ELIZABETH (Philadelphia, PA)
"Elizabeth" 1968 (Vanguard 6501) [gold label]

"Elizabeth" 199 (no label, Holland) [bootleg]
"Elizabeth" 2001 (CD Akarma/Vanguard 6501, Italy)
"Elizabeth" 2001 (Akarma/Vanguard 6501, Italy)
Enjoyable trip through East Coast psych reminiscent

of the 2nd Fallen Angels LP, not quite as outstanding
with a couple of weak cuts, but mostly classy
songwriting and execution; get this if you dig the
melodic-neurotic NY/PA psych sound at all. Still
unknown to many. Great psychy collage sleeve. Also
released in Germany and Canada. [PL]
~~~
Strong major label effort which ranges from folk-
psych to heavier stuff. Nice mix of styles,
surprising feedback on one song, good songwriting. If
it were a private press it would be worth a bundle.
One of many interesting acts on Vanguard in the late
60s/early 70s. Has been reissued but originals aren't
very hard to find. [AM]
PETER ELIZALDE (CA)
"Winter Playground Mystery" 1982 (no label)
Elizalde is to Todd Rundgren what the Leopards are to

the Kinks: an absolute dead-on soundalike of the
artist's classic period, and with songwriting more
interesting and inspired than the artist's then-
current work. Unlike, say, the Rutles, there's no
hint of parody. It's either a heartfelt tribute or an
unbelievable natural resemblance in both voice and
songwriting style. Mostly this album is pretty
mellow, eschewing Rundgren's hard rock and electronic
leanings in favor of songs that would sound at home
on side one of "Something/Anything" or on "Hermit Of
Mink Hollow." There are two exceptions, though:
"Passion Play," an unpleasantly spiteful fast song
that sounds completely musically and vocally
different from the rest of the album, and the 7-
minute "Day Dreamer," which has an exciting
synthesizer/heavy lead guitar duel that brings the
album to a memorable close. A couple of songs in the
middle of the album are so-so, but at least half of
this album is excellent. Anti-80s collector types
will like the old-fashioned production style. Fool
your friends: play the album's best song, "Winter
Reflexions," to them and tell them it's a lost 1972
Todd demo. It's more convincing than the stuff on
side one of Rundgren's "Faithful." By the way, either
this album has a vague lyrical concept to it or
Elizalde just loves to write about winter. [AM]
ELLIE POP (Detroit, MI)
"Ellie Pop" 1968 (Mainstream s-6115)
Simply said, Ellie Pop's self-titled 1968 album

stands as a lost mid-'60s pop classic. Whoever these
guys were, they definitely had a thing for Anglo-pop,
tracks such as "Some Time Ago" and "Caught In the
Rain" literally dripping Beatles influences. To many
folks that's probably the kiss of death. Normally
they'd be right, but not in this case. Exemplified by
material such as "Seven North Frederick", "Seems I've
Changed" and "Watcha Gonna Do" (love the "yeah, yeah,
yeahs"), the Dunns avoided the usual clichés, turning
in a wonderful set that was catchy and commercial,
but retained an innovative edge that made ever
selection worth hearing. One word of warning; while
the set's occasionally been billed as psychedelic, in
spite of isolated distorted guitars and a few oddball
time signatures, to our ears it's simply too
mainstream to be considered anything other than pop.
[SB]
~~~
This album doesn’t get as much attention as most of
the Mainstream releases because it’s a straight post-
Beatles pop album lacking the heavy, psychedelic, and
folk-rock aspects of the better-known albums on the
label. That’s too bad, because it’s actually one of
the label’s best: a solid, unpretentious effort with
excellent singing and catchy songs. The only problem
is that there’s no one song that really stands out
above the others; nothing sounds like it could have
been a hit, but all of it is good. [AM]
STEVE ELLIOT (New York City, NY)
"Steve Elliot" 1969 (no label SE 1000) [handpainted cover]
Folk/singer songwriter with session musicians

backing. Acoustic guitar, piano, flute, sincere
seeker lyrics. A CD-R "reissue" exists.
ELLIOTT, WALTER & BENNETT (Houston, TX)
"Zeta Reticuli" 1977 (Jam 106)
Subtitled “a science fiction love story,” this

concept album is a true labor of love. No doubt these
guys thought they’d produced a masterpiece. If you
can imagine a synth-heavy prog album with country
crooner vocals, spoken sections and several really
cheesy ballads, you might have an idea what to expect
here. Even so, I doubt anyone could be prepared for
just how weird the clash of styles can be. By the
time an operatic female vocal appears on side two you
won’t be surprised by anything. When they remember to
rock (basically the first song on each side), this is
pretty interesting, but by the end it’s so cheesy and
humorless that it’s almost unlistenable. Comparisons
are hard to make, but it sounds to me like low-rent
backwoods Alan Parsons, if he’d hired cowboys instead
of the Hollies to sing for him. A real head-
scratcher. [AM]
STEVE ELLIS & THE STARFIRES (Pipestone, MN)
"Steve Ellis's Songbook" 1967 (IGL 105)

"Steve Ellis's Songbook" 1994 (CD Arf Arf) [bonus tracks]
"Steve Ellis's Songbook" 1994 (Get Hip 5003) [+4 tracks]
Legendary Midwest folkrock LP originally done as a

tribute to bandleader Ellis who died in a motorcycle
accident in 1967. Consists of eight good (but not
outstanding) basement Love/Nightcrawlers style
folkrockers interspersed with interviews with band
members which not only shows Ellis to be a real cool
guy and talent but also gives full technical data of
his souped up 1938 DeSoto. An interesting and unusual
snapshot of a time and place, but far from the
masterpiece it's sometimes described as. The band
also had a track on a local comp from the era. [PL]
ELLISON (Quebec, Canada)
"Ellison" 1970 (Supreme 2900)

"Ellison" 199 (vinyl, France) [300p; insert]
"Ellison" 1999 (World In Sound 003, Germany) [gatefold]
"Ellison" 199 (CD)
French-Canadian Doorsy hardrock with psych leftovers.

Those into the style swear bigtime by it but there's
too many slow cuts for my tastes. Most original
copies have press defects. [PL]
EMBERS (Raleigh, NC)
"The Embers Roll Eleven" 1965 (JCP Recording 2006)
Fratrock beach beat r&b stompers with guitar, organ,

sax. The first LP is the one of interest to garage
collectors, the later ones head more in a lounge
direction. Despite being a white beach music combo,
some of the band's 45s are sold as "Northern Soul".
[RM]
"Just For the Birds" 1966 (JCP Recording 2009)
"Burn You a New One" 1967 (EEE 1069)
Released by the Raleigh, North Carolina-based EEE

label, 1967's "Burn You a New One" is likely to
appeal to anyone with a fetish for stuff on the
Justice label. Musically this wasn't a major change
in direction from the band's first two collections.
Like the earlier albums, this one offered up a set of
popular pop and soul covers. What was truly
interesting was how four of the nerdiest white guys
you've ever seen (check out the back cover photos),
could turn in such impressive performances. Sure,
covers such as Get Ready', 'Groovin', 'Wish You
Didn't Have To Go' didn't offer anything to improve
on the originals. Still, vocalist Jackie Hamilton
Gore displayed a truly amazing chameleon-like talent
and the rest of the band turned in stellar backing.
The results make for a wonderful set of 1960s beach
music. In addition to sporting a classic album title,
I've always loved the throwaway album cover design.
The Embers have several subsequent albums and,
amazingly, are still performing. [SB]
EMERALD CITY (Montreal, Canada)
"Waiting For The Dawn" 1976 (Hippopotamus hlp 97202)

"Waiting For The Dawn" 1996 (Hippopotamus, US) [bootleg]
Canadian hardrock with keyboard and guitar, opinions

differ on its merits.
EMERALD WEB (CA/FL)
"Dragon Wings And Wizard Tales" 1979 (Stargate 4230) [lyric

insert]
New agey folk electronica opera from male/female duo

with Tolkien based fantasy theme. Synth, flute, and
hippie femme vocals. The couple had several later LPs
and achieved some success composing soundtracks.
TIM EMERY (KY)
"Alias Red Garrett" 1979 (Ros Sound 130) [1000p]
Hardrock power trio guitar showcase. Half heavy and

Hendrixy, half bluesy and rural outlaw.
EMMANUEL (Canada)
"You Color My Life" 1976 (EM)
Christian folk rock with rural songs and some pop-ish

and soft rock moves and mixed male/female vox. Not
terribly memorable.
EMMAUS ROAD BAND (NJ)
"This Could Be The Beginning" 197 (Trutone tr-520573)
I gave this a lukewarm review at first but it has

grown on me a bit; the ferocious guitar-leads and
upmarket production make for a powerful sound,
although I still prefer the west coast-inspired X-ian
style of Kristyl or Wilson McKinley over this
mainstream mid-1970s Southern rock/AOR trip. Pro-
sounding female nightclub vocalist is a bit misplaced
but adds to the classy vibe. Long title track is
great. [PL]
~~~
It’s pretty strange hearing such blatant Christian
lyrics over what is essentially 70s redneck rock. The
opening “Gospel” has guitar fills that come straight
from the catalogue of any competent but unimaginative
cover band of the time, but just when you start to
think it’s lame the closing guitar solo goes into
territory (and volume levels) that you aren’t
expecting. The rest of the album follows suit,
sneaking up on you only when you really pay
attention. This isn’t usually a subtle style of
music, but the songwriting here is sly and tasteful,
and the two long songs at the end are powerful and
deep, almost reaching classic status. A couple of
songs are out of place, though: a so-so country
rocker and a schlocky ballad. They’re not awful, but
they do interrupt the guitar-heavy mood that builds
impressively throughout the rest of the album. A
female vocalist on a few songs sounds nothing like
the stereotypically “pretty” Xian folk singer, but
more of a cross between a soul singer and an angry
torch singer. Odd, but effective. The album closes
with a brief version of “Jesus Loves Me,” sung by a
child. It definitely wipes away the intensity of mood
left by the two epics that precede it. Ack. [AM]
~~~
see -> Maranatha
EMORY ALMANAC see So It Goes
EMPORIUM (IA)
"I'm So Glad" 1970 (Peace no #)
Clean teen mixed vocal jangle guitar Christian

collegians turning the corner and getting 'real' with
rock covers. Highlights are a great 6 minute trippy
"Jesus Jesus/ Trails of Your Mind", an insane go-go
rumbling "I'm So Glad", and a really bizarre
doubletime "For What It's Worth". Great fun, high
'real people' quotient, warp ten strumming, and
stunning acid cover design. [RM]
ENERGY PAK ( )
"The Answer" 1968 (Sound Associates)
Grand Rapids, Michigan label. Mixed gender Christian

folkrock teens. Nice psychedelic collage cover.
GEORGE ENGLER ( )
"The Inside of the Outside or the Outside of the Inside" 1965

(Serenus sep-2010)
Representation of avant and electronic sounds

encountered on an outer space voyage! Creepy sounds
and tape effects like a sci-fi movie soundtrack. A
CD-R "reissue" exists.
ENGLISHMEN ( )
"Summer Is Here" 1967 (Justice 155)

"Summer Is Here" 1995 (CD Collectables col-0609)
If you believe everything you read, this is one of

the "best" Justice albums. In the real world it's the
same lame standards, surf, frat and beach music with
weak vocals and a sleepy 1962 mood, making the band's
hip name seem a mystery -- unless the Shadows is your
idea of Brit Invasion. Title track original could be
seen as a whiney New England type ballad if you're in
a generous mood, but the only really appealing aspect
of this LP is a superb drummer who is given plenty of
space on "Penetration" and the band's "Theme".
Hippest things are covers of "96 tears" and "Catch
the wind", both done in an incorrect manner which
suggests the band played from sheet music and never
actually had heard the tunes. Stunning low-point is
an instro "Girl from Ipanema". [PL]
V.A "EPITAPH FOR A LEGEND" (TX)
"Epitaph For A Legend" 1980 (International Artists 13) [2LPs;

5000p]
"Epitaph For A Legend" 198 (Decal UK) [2 LPs]
"Epitaph For A Legend" 199 (CD Collectables) [2CD]
"Epitaph For A Legend" 200 (Get Back, Italy) [2 LPs]
Compilation of 1960s odds and ends from the IA

vaults, plenty of unreleased tracks with a few
winners and some garbage. Some obscure teen/garage
acts plus disappointing rarites from the Lost & Found
and Red Krayola. Also has one side of blues including
spoken word bits with Lightnin' Hopkins (originally
intended for the IA 1968 Lightnin' LP), and about 1
sides worth of Elevators-related material, some of
which is unique to this release. The original plans
for the 2 LP set were very ambitious, but as the IA
revival didn't catch the full momentum Lelan Rogers
hoped for, the end result is pretty stripped down.
The album is sometimes referred to as "rare", but the
press size tells you it isn't. This was the last
release from the revived IA label, after which Lelan
sold the rights to Charly Records in England. The
Decal reissue replaces two Spades tracks with two
Elevators 45 tracks. On the Collectables CD the
Spades tracks are back, but the mastering is bizarre,
with some unexpected jumps in volume and occasionally
poor sound. [PL]
CARL ERDMANN ( )
"Bizarrophytes" 1980 (no label)
Excellent later day hippie gets lost in eastern Acid

Symphony trip. Instro guitars, sitar, kalimba, tabla,
percussion, sax, even some flute. [RM]
WENDY ERDMAN ( )
"Erdman" 1970 (Audio Fidelity)
This surprisingly scarce album is oddly appealing.

Erdman has a warbly, classical-styled voice that’s
pretty strange in the context of the folk-rock and
piano-based soft rock on this record. Somehow it
works, though, and these deceptively simple songs
grow on the listener. In her own way, she’s as out
there as Essra Mohawk or Sally Eaton. Recommended
more to fans of quirky singer-songwriters than to
fans of folk-rock. Ex-Monkee Peter Tork played bass
on most of this album. [AM]
ERIC (OH)
"Eric" 1970 (CEI 11047)
Mostly soft folk psych with a couple of songs that

get a bit on the heavy side with fuzzed out passages.
MARK ERIC ( )
"A Midsummer's Day Dream" 196 (Revue 7210)

"A Midsummer's Day Dream" 200 (CD Revola 18, UK) [+bonus
tracks]
Inaccurately hyped as psych, this is basically a

Beach Boys imitation, which still makes it appealing
to collectors. It’s comparable to Billy Nicholls, as
Mark Eric has a very similar voice, but it lacks the
songwriting talent and diversity of arrangements of
the Nicholls album. Some of the album too soft and
sweet to work, but about half of it is quite good,
peaking on “Night of the Lions,” which proves even
wimps can have a healthy sex drive. [AM]
RIN ERIC (Los Angeles, CA)
"Soundtrack To The Movie In Your Mind" 197 (no label)

[booklet]
Mighty obscure fringe/loner folk LP. According to Rin

Eric himself, only 50 copies were pressed.
ERICA [Pomerance] (Canada)
"You Used to Think" 1968 (ESP Disk 1099)

"You Used to Think" 199 (ESP Disk)
"You Used to Think" 199 (CD ESP 1099, Germany)
"You Used to Think" 199 (CD ZYX)
Housed in an album cover that's shocking today, never

mind for its time, this fits in perfectly with all of
the other weirdness on ESP. It's as unmusical as the
Godz, and as confrontational as the Fugs. It's not
exactly all that listenable, though, but it's a
pretty amazing period piece. Erica and most of her
band dropped acid after the three short songs on side
one, and it's worth noting that even those songs,
while having some "structure" and sense of melody,
are as messed up as the long, meandering
improvisations that follow. I'll be straightforward
here -- I find this to be a self-indulgent mess that
has freakshow appeal, but it's awfully hard to listen
to. Admittedly, it is full of inspired moments. Erica
starts singing in French half way through "The
Slippery Morning" for no apparent reason. The
competing vocals on the title track are effective,
whether she can "sing" in the traditional sense or
not. The album's most accessible song (OK-that's
stretching it a little, you won't be hearing it on
mainstream radio any time soon), "The French
Revolution," is pretty great (and groundbreaking-one
of the first uses of the f-word in a rock setting.)
And when you can keep your attention long enough to
pick up the lyrics, they're pretty amusing, and
occasionally ingenious. The whispered/spoken moments
and falsetto intro to "Anything Goes" have an
appealing beat-poet feel to them. All that is well
and good, but the monotonous "drumming" on "We Came
Via" is headache-inducing, and on the long songs the
memorable moments are spread awfully thin between the
dull spots. Trevor Koehler, of Insect Trust, plays
some sax here and seems as comfortable screwing
around as he does playing it straight on the Trust's
much more well-conceived albums. [AM]
ERIC & THE NORSEMEN (Manhattan, KS)
"Live" 1966 (Audio House)
Garage/teen-beat from popular club band formed at

Kansas State University. The LP contains overdubbed
crowd noise that the band was dissatisfied with.
There are no originals except for a brief "Norsemen
Theme". The band also had a local 45 and some
unreleased recordings.
ERIK ( )
"Look Where I Am" 1968 (Vanguard vsd-79267)

"Look Where I Am" 2004 (CD Radioactive 0061, UK)
Most of this album is decent folky hippie stuff, but

side one ends with a killer fuzz guitar downer tune
that blows away everything else. The rest of the
songs sound pretty samey except for one jaunty
British-styled folker. Neat colorful album cover. Not
a great album, but decent, and another cool Vanguard
obscurity. [AM]
~~~
Obscure one on the label and not bad, with a psychy
Eastcoast folkrock sound, sort of like where Jake
Holmes might have gone after his debut LP. The guy's
crooner nightclub moves and ambitious arrangements
recall Darius, although a slightly flat voice and the
two-chord "drone" songwriting fall short of such
promise. Instrumentation includes bells, muted
trumpets, flutes and strings over flowing basement
folkrock. The LP could be hyped as "great" but
ultimately the vocals and lack of strong melodies
keep it from true greatness. Still, the middle third
is strong with a couple of killer psych tracks with
fuzz and backwards bits, and as a period piece with a
distinct sound worth checking out. Nice crude psychy
cover art. Who was this guy? [PL]
ESCORTS (Richmond, VA)
"Bring Down the House" 1966 (TEO lp-5000) [mono]

"Bring Down the House" 1966 (TEO lps-5000) [stereo]
Judging by the LP, The Escorts were your typical mid-

'60s frat band. Produced by guitarist Colleran,
"Bring Down the House" consists of a dozen popular
rock and soul covers (Beatles, Otis Redding, Stones,
Them, etc.) with a couple of lesser known tracks
thrown in. Lead singer Faber won't exactly knock you
over (check out his out of tune performance on
"You're Going To Lose That Girl" - understandable
given the band didn't have any feedback speakers),
nor will you be awed by the rest of the band's
technical merit, though they do bring an admirable
sense of enthusiasm to their performances and
Colleran turns in several nice performances (he
nail's Roger McGuinn's 12 string performance on their
cover of Drylan's "Mr. Tambourine Man"). Highlights
included a nice "These Arms of Mine" and an
enthusiastic "Turn On Your Love Light". In spite of
the fact it was recorded live with extremely
primitive equipment (four microphones recorded
straight on to a two track tape), the sound's
surprisingly crisp. At least to our ears, musically
the set compares favorably to better known frat acts
such as The Ace's Combo, The Englishmen, The Invaders
or any group signed to Justice Records. [SB]
~~~
With a massive thank you to singer/lead guitarist
Nick Colleran for all of the wonderful information,
here's a quick bio on the band. As a 16 year old
attending Richmond's Douglas Southall Freeman High
School, Colleran formed the band in 1961. The
original line up included bassist Bob Buhrman,
Colleran on guitar, sax player Buzz Montsinger and
singer Sam Owen. The call of college saw Buhrman
replaced by Richard Parrish, with Tom Hill taking
over for Montsinger. The line up was eventually
rounded out by drummer Richard Eastman. In spite of
the band's relative youth, they became fixtures on
the Richmond music scene, playing school dances,
proms and local beer joints. The band continued to
perform through college, although in 1964 Owen and a
date were killed when the car they were driving was
crushed by a 15 year old engaged in a drag race.
Singer Jimmie Faber was subsequently brought in as a
replacement. When the Army draft claimed drummer
Eastman, Sandy DeWitt was added to the line up.
Perhaps reflecting the fact Colleran was taking
accounting courses at the University of Virginia, the
band proved themselves business trendsetters. Having
formed their own label - TEO Records (The Escorts
Operation), a 21 year old Colleran borrowed $1,200
from a local bank. Having long promoted their own
events, the funds were used to rent Richmond's Mosque
Ballroom, where the LP was recorded on June 24, 1966.
Giving new meaning to the word independent, the band
rented and set up the recording equipment, sold their
own tickets, ran the show's concession stand,
designed and prepared the album cover art work
(Hill's father took the cover photo), wrote the liner
notes (Colleran's father set the hot type for the
back cover), hired the recording engineer, and
arranged for mastering, pressing and final assembly.

ESPERANZA ENCANTADA (Chicago, IL)
"Esperanza Encantada" 1970 (Certron 7016)
Young Hispanic vocal group doing mixed English and

Spanish language material, about half covers of the
Beatles, Stones, and Tim Hardin. The rest is
originals with crystal clear teenage female vocals.
Highly rated by some. The trio is backed by a pick-up
band who provide some fuzz on "Gimme shelter" among
the folkrockers.
ESTES BROTHERS (OH)
"Transitions" 1971 (Edcom 7101)

"Transitions" 1995 (Rockadelic 17) [300p; altered sleeve;
bonus track]
"Transitions" 2002 (CD World In Sound 1013, Germany) [+bonus
tracks]
Solid underground stoner blowout which is the way you

wish all hardrock LPs were, relentless guitar jamming
with a loud basement sound, punky vocals and a
druggy/wasted attitude, only a few weak moments. Not
slick or overpowering, but the sound of local no-
counts letting it rip with no thought of the
consequences. Strip-joint piano adds an unusual
touch. They also had a pre-LP 45 with PS. The
original sleeve was a generic/custom ocean image,
which is reinstated for the CD reissue. [PL]
~~~
The Estes Brothers sound pretty much like the stoned
kids next door, for better and for worse. They have
average chops and are sloppy with them, which means
the guitar solos are too long and the drummer does
too many rolls. The grooves aren't bad, though, and
this has a kind of earthy appeal. The vocals are
hardly professional but don't have any of the usual
annoying hard rock tendencies either. The album loses
steam toward the end; they have a likeable sound but
didn't have too many ideas. I think this album is
overrated by collectors, but can see why people like
it. It's a refreshing alternative to the pretense and
posturing of so many other hard rock albums. The
World In Sound CD has a ton of mostly worthwhile
bonus tracks, including their best song, the non-LP
45 "Tomorrow's Sunlight" (also on the Rockadelic LP).
GENE ESTRIBOU & JEAN-PAUL PICKENS (San Francisco, CA)
"Intensifications" 1966 (Scorpio MIA #CL-1)

"Intensifications" 2004 (CD Locust)
Split LP of guitar/banjo avant/improv instrumental

folk with the guys getting one side each to strut
their stuff. Pretty interesting experience with trad
material reshaped beyond recognition, long tracks
with plenty of raga moves and an intense live
atmosphere. Can't really decide who wins this unusual
battle of the bands, very solid playing that has been
compared to Sandy Bull. A historically significant
artefact from the early S F scene, and a must for
genre fans. [PL]
~~~
Acoustic acidic edgy folk and banjo psych. Homemade
meandering quality similar to Acid Symphony. Gene
Estribou recorded the first Grateful Dead single that
came out on Scorpio. [RM]
~~~
see -> Serpent Power
ETERNAL SAVINGS & TRUST COMPANY (Acton, MA)
"Wind and Spirit" 1972 (Amphion Modern)
Christian folk with mixed vocals, using electric

instruments and flute, percussion, harmonica.
ETERNITY ( )
"Eternity" 1981 (Band of Gold 004)
Dual lead hardrock with early 1970s sound.
ETERNITY'S CHILDREN (Biloxi, MS)
"Eternity's Children" 1968 (Tower t-5123) [mono]

"Eternity's Children" 1968 (Tower st-5123) [stereo]
"Eternity's Children" 1999 (CD Revola 062) [+bonus tracks]
The Curt Boettcher-produced first Eternity’s Children

album is orchestrated pop that’s even more far
removed from rock and roll that the Sagittarius
albums. Like a lot of the records Boettcher was
involved with, this is hardly a coherent band effort
or an honestly presented record, with a number of
inaccurate songwriting credits and with two songs not
even actually performed by the Eternity’s Children.
The mixed vocals recall lightweights like Spanky &
Our Gang. Occasional there are some surprising
moments (i.e. the fuzz guitar and rave up at the end
of “Lifetime Day”) but this is cloying and lacks
soul. A few catchy songs win out nevertheless. One
song that’s played as a straight ballad with a lead
vocal from the woman (as opposed to the harmony leads
elsewhere) is a standout. The LP was also released in
Canada by Capitol. The Revola CD contains both LPs
and some additional material. [AM]
"Timeless" 1968 (Capitol 6302, Canada)

"Timeless" 2005 (CD Revola) [+bonus tracks]
The second album, sans Boettcher, was definitely a

coherent band effort. Since the US release was
scrapped (Tower #5144 was allocated but never used)
and the small Canadian release went unnoticed, it’s
become one of the rarest and most sought-after major
label records of the era. It’s still a zero in the
soul area, but is a more consistent listen and a more
inspired work than the first album. Lots of catchy
songs here. No fuzz guitar, though. There is also a
Gear Fab CD from 2004, "The Lost Sessions". [AM]
JEFF EUBANK (Kansas City, MO)
"A Street Called Straight" 1983 (Dorothea Records)
This singer-songwriter LP was discovered by

collectors some twenty years after its release.
Eubank was a bit later on the Kansas City scene than
Michael Angelo and the great late-70s power pop bands
that gave the city its reputation as a 70s pop haven.
Rare record dealers will probably try to compare him
to Michael Angelo anyway, because that's what they do
every time they have a scarce singer-songwriter album
that they don't know how to sell. This is better than
most that fall into that bag, but it’s not
particularly unusual; it’s folky in feel with about
half of the songs being just voice and guitars (which
are electric as often as they’re acoustic.) The album
cover and some of the lyrics evoke outer space, and a
couple of songs are very spacy in feel with echoed
flutes, sound effects, martian voices, drony
soundscapes and otherworldly falsetto vocals.
“Kamikaze Pilot,” in particular, is excellent, the
kind of song that would really turn heads if it was
on a compliation. Eubank is a strong singer and the
album is well-produced, but the solo songs drag and
you’ll wish he went freaky more often or tried to
rock out once or twice. For the most part, side two
is better than side one, so stick with it despite the
dull spots. If you’re a fan of mellow dreamy folk and
folk-rock you’ll certainly like at least half of this
album. It’s a shame, though, that there aren’t more
hooks here and that the arrangements aren’t all as
effective as on “Kamikazi Pilot.” [AM]
EUCLID (ME)
"Heavy Equipment" 1970 (Flying Dutchman ams-12005) [wlp

exists]
Well-regarded psych/hard rock transition LP and

undoubtedly one of the better LPs in that often
disappointing genre. Obvious influences from the UK
mod scene, covers two tracks from that era with
fairly good results. Tight, pro-sounding affair with
the token macho vocals a minus and a good modern-
sounding drummer a plus. Not 100% up my alley, but
respectworthy. Ralph Mazzola of Lazy Smoke plays
guitar, while other members came from the Ones and
the Cobras, making this a New England "supergroup" of
sorts. [PL]
~~~
It's understandable why this has become one of the
most collectable hard rock albums of the period. A
couple of ace songs on side one veer from the
straightforward heavy sound towards a moodier psych
sound, and the rest rock hard and true without
succumbing to boring guitar solos or bluesy
posturing. Great rhythm section--the bass playing on
their cover of "Gimme Some Loving" is powerful and
chill-inducing. [AM]
~~~
see -> Lazy Smoke
EUPHORIA (CA)
"A Gift From Euphoria" 1969 (Capitol 363) [green label]

"A Gift From Euphoria" 1996 (CD See For Miles, UK)
"A Gift From Euphoria" 2004 (CD Rev-Ola, UK)
"A Gift From Euphoria" 2005 (Capitol/Scorpio)
This ridiculously rare album begs the question: why

was Capitol squandering such huge production budgets
to create records that no one would ever hear? I
suppose it wasn't the world's easiest marketing job.
Who would expect the public to latch on to an album
that alternates heavily orchestrated dream-state
music with country rock with fuzz-guitar freakouts,
not to mention lyrics that are equal parts
spirituality and suicide? There's nothing else quite
like this. The orchestration is as heavy as on the
Food and Common People albums, but sounds completely
different. The country songs sound "authentic," but
also don't really sound like any other country or
country-rock artist. The fuzz-guitar blowouts manage
not to sound "heavy." The piano playing is equal
parts Paul McCartney and honkytonk. The highly
disturbing lyrics could either signal the apocalypse
or treat suicide as a joke, and either way it's
riveting. (By the way, most reviews of this album
mention lyrics about drugs, but unless I'm totally
misinterpreting something, I don't see them.) This is
one instance where two madmen threw everything they
had against the wall, and it pretty much all stuck.
At its best this is the kind of record that will
remind you why you got into psychedelic music in the
first place-there's so much originality, so much
willingness to experiment, and so many ideas here
that whether it all works or not it's bound to be a
completely fascinating listen. They also had a non-LP
45, a few tracks on "A Pot Of Flowers" and some
unreleased stuff recorded during their spell in
Houston, all of it ranging from good to great. [AM]
~~~
see -> A Pot Of Flowers; Bernie Schwarz
~~~
EUPHORIA (Milwaukee, WI)
"Lost in Trance" 197 (Rainbow 1003) [blank back; group photo

insert]
"Lost in Trance" 199 (Rainbow) [bootleg; b & w cover]
"Lost in Trance" 200 (CD Mason)
Obscure biker guitar psych with long tracks and acid

lyrics, I was impressed with this at first but
further plays revealed it to be a bit sterile in a UK
prog sense, all the right local underground psych
moves but no real warmth or personality. Still it's
listenable throughout and has some great guitar
passages. This has the same generic rainbow cover as
Skydog's LP. [PL]
~~~
I find this LP a frustrating listen. The guitar is
meaty with lots of effects and there is some good
heavy pounding drumming. However, it’s all let down
by the vocalist who insists on some very silly vocal
intonations. Pronouncing words in a ponderous,
affected way does not add any gravity to them. What’s
especially annoying is that the lyrics are good and
meaningful enough not to need this bizarre treatment.
The high sung vocal parts would have had me tossing
this in the bin when I was a youngster, now I just
shift uneasily wondering if I’ve descended too far
into the world of prog. ‘Just for a Moment’ is the
stand out track for me, it could have been
‘Brotherhood’, but then singing United Nations as
Natoooons just blew it! [RI]
EVERPRESENT FULLNESS (Los Angeles, CA)
"Everpresent Fullness" 1970 (White Whale ww-7132) [promos

exist]
"Fine And Dandy" 2004 (CD Rev-Ola, UK)
Released 4-5 years after the material was recorded,

several tracks such as the instrumental "Yeah!" come
off as little more than demos. Featuring a mix of
originals and cover material, the album's pop-rock
sound recalled a cross between The Lovin' Spoonful
and The Turtles (checkout their cover of John
Sebastian's "Wild About My Lovin"). The lead singer
had an engaging voice and tracks such as "You're So
Fine" and "Leavin' California" offered up radio-
friendly top-40 melodies. The set was also
interesting for including an early Warren Zevon cover
("The Way She Is"). Less impressive was the band's
penchant for quirky numbers; the vaudeville-styled
"Fine and Dandy" and the C & W-ish "My Girl Back
Home". All-in-all not half bad, particularly if you
can pick it up for a couple of bucks. The LP is
sometimes referred to as "rare" but actually sells
pretty cheap. The remixed Rev-Ola CD contains all
tracks from the LP except one, plus other material.
[SB]
~~~
see -> The Moon; Rocket Science; Thorinshield
EVERYDAY PEOPLE (SC)
"Born Too Soon" 1976 (United Music World)
Mixed bag of sounds including one killer track,

"Stepping out of the darkness" with acid leads and
messed up vocals. There were at least two other
unrelated bands with this name.
V.A "THE EXIT" (New Haven, CT)
"The Exit" 1969 (XPL)
Sampler from New Haven club with folk and blues

locals. Same label as D R Hooker. Notable for two
garage psych tracks by Better Daze. Lead guitarist
for Better Daze played with Nova Local. Sticker on
front cover promotes Tony Mason who made a semi-
interesting bluesy folk LP a few years later.
EXKURSIONS (Chicago, IL)
"Exkursions" 1971 (no label)

"Exkursions" 199 (Hidden Vision)
"Exkursions" 200 (CD Hidden Vision)
Pretty irresistable Christian bluesy guitarpsych

exkursion featuring the prolific Mike Johnson in his
younger days as a bible-carrying Hendrix epigon. Has
to be one of the coolest x-ian LPs of all time, with
a confident powertrio groove, laidback Jimi-style
vocals, and several truly great tracks like "Third
Eye". Despite being a private press originals aren't
difficult to find. Two tracks can be found on the
"Holy Fuzz" compilation if you want a sample. [PL]
~~~
If you weren’t paying attention, you wouldn’t notice
that this is a Christian album, which is a good sign.
Mike Johnson is a truly talented guitarist and a few
songs here have a fuzz sound to die for. The
songwriting doesn’t match the performances, and there
are a few bluesy/hard rock clichés, but for the most
part this is solid hard rock and one of the best in
the Christian realm. [AM]
~~~
see -> "Cry 3"; Mike Johnson
EXPANDING CIRCLE (GA)
"Conscious" 1980 (no label 75251) [500p]

Cosmic folk with piano, 12-string guitar and vocal
harmonies, housed in weird brain cover.
EXPEDITION (Montreal, Canada)
"Live" 1971 (Cegep 1652)
Seedy hard fuzz blues rock with English vocals. [RM]
EX-TA-C'S ( )
"X-Ta-C's" 1966 (no label)
Primitive teenbeat/garage.
EYES (Cleveland, OH)
"Stroke a Horse's Navel" 1977 (Eyes 710206)
This album is often mistakenly listed as "rural

rock," when in fact it's light power pop in an Emmit
Rhodes/Paul McCartney vein. There are lots of
keyboards, especially piano, and very little guitar.
It's unlikely to appeal to too many psych fans, but
it's quite good for those who like pop. The harmonies
are weak, but the melodies are strong and the songs
are zippy. They grow on you. It's a mysterious
record--the credits (including songwriting credits)
don't mention any band members' name, though they do
list a producer and recording studio. I wonder if the
two Ohio bands named Eyes were aware of each other?
[AM]
~~~
I've seen this one hyped on high priced dealer lists
as a psych masterpiece, a Beatlesque triumph, and as
a slice of mind-warping hard rock. You probably won't
be surprised to learn that it isn't any of the
above. Musically this is slightly under-produced
power-pop that will probably appeal to folks who like
other mid-1970s Cleveland-based outfits like The
Choir and Eric Carmen and the Raspberries. Originals
such as 'Mornings' and 'Oh, To Be a Child Again'
boast nice top-40 melodies that with a little bit of
clean-up could've been massive radio hits. That
comparison isn't 100% accurate since tracks like
'Probate Me Baby', 'Yesterdays' and 'Such Is Life'
are more rock-ish than what you'll find on the
formers releases. I'll also tell you that it took a
couple of spins for this to click with me. The first
couple of times I played the album I focused on the
set's shortcomings (notably the lead singer's
occasionally quivering voice and the less than
perfect production), but by the third spin the
album's low-tech charms caught my ear making this one
of the few albums I've bothered to put on CDR. [SB]
EYES (Butler, PA)

"New Gods: Aardvark Through Zymurgy" 1977 (World Theatre TC-
1/2) [photo insert; 200p]
"Nova Psychedelia" 2005 (CD Anopheles 010) [2CDs; bonus
tracks]
Rather amazing teenage suburban prog/proto-punk

science fiction concept epic with a garage psych feel
in the fuzz leads and Vox organ, while moogs and
oscillators galore add a mid-70s Ohio avantgarde
layer. The listening experience is difficult to
describe as the LP deflates any "good/bad"
dichotomies and comes across as an irresistable piece
of zeitgeist, straight out of home-made drugs, bad
sci-fi TV re-runs and hazardous bedroom science
projects. Musically quite competent with solid
playing and inventive prog hardrock arrangements, yet
Todd-O:s half-sung deadpan teen vocal style spells
"incredibly strange" across the board. You haven't
truly lived until you've heard morose recitations
such as "My eyes blazing like a death ray/When the
new gods unite in me/I shall conquer the universe".
With a regular vocalist this would have been a
completely different but not necessarily better LP.
What is it all about? Not sure but it involves a new
evolution of the human brain, somehow. Do not miss.
Todd Clark has hung around the psych scene for many
years and made several more recordings. The Anopheles
CD was released as by Todd Tamanend Clark and
contains the entire Eyes album. [PL]
~~~
see -> Todd Clark Group
EYES ( )
"We're In It Together" 1978 (Quiet Canyon) [lyric inner]
Melodic hardrock AOR with Jeff Cannata (Arc Angel,

Jasper Wrath) and James Christian (House of Lords).
Searing guitar work and great vocals up there with
Alpha Centauri.
EZEKIEL (WA)
"Inspired At The Cross" 1977 (Cross 75-101) [plain white

cover; insert]
Christian 1970s rock and hard rock.

FACEDANCERS ( )
"Facedancers" 1972 (Paramount pas-6039)
Early crossover album headed in a prog direction but

before the ground rules for that genre had been
established. Some uninteresting solos, but mostly
creatively designed songs that show thoughtful
experimentalism. The lead singer claims that he hits
the highest note ever recorded by a man on a rock
record, and it’s hard to dispute that claim. Indeed,
the girly-sounding vocals work well in this context.
A few songs are pretty creepy, with one called
“Nightmare” being a stand-out. Interesting album that
rewards a few close listens. [AM]
FACTS OF LIFE (TX)
"Facts Of Life" 1970 (Sevens International 1038)
Mostly garage and AOR covers with great original "All

Strung Out". The front cover is a black and purple
negative image of a Drive In Theater. The album is
exceedingly rare and hard to put an accurate value
on.
FAINE JADE (Long Island, NY)
"Introspection" 1968 (RSVP 8002)

"Introspection" 1983 (Psycho 13, UK)
"Introspection" 198 (RSVP) [bootleg; b & w labels]
"Introspection" 1996 (CD Sandiland)
"Introspection" 1996 (CD Big Beat wikd-141, UK)
Well-known and well regarded Eastcoast psycher,

recorded with acidpunk legends Bohemian Vendetta as
backup band. Although not exceptional and somewhat
derivative, this is an enjoyable trip through UK-
influenced 1967 landscapes with the Long Island
garage roots showing now and then. "People games
play" is a highpoint to me, with a genuine tribal
psych feel and above-average acid lyricism. There is
also an outstanding non-LP 45 that has been comp'd
many times. Faine made a comeback recording in the
1980s. There is a sampler of unreleased tracks "It
Ain't True" (Distortions, 1992). [PL]
~~~
Jade sounds and even looks British, and this well-
produced LP could easily pass for a UK major label
popsike album of the era. It’s all very groovy and
mod and full of sound effects, trippy arrangements
and eastern-flavored lead guitar; the far out album
cover prepares you perfectly for what’s within. The
songwriting, which spans pop, folk-rock, minor-key
ballads and garage rock, is reasonably good, but this
strikes me as one of those albums that people love
more for how cool it sounds than for the actual
content. Oddly, despite the attention paid to the
musical arrangements, there’s a scarcity of backing
vocals. The few there are noticeably improve their
songs. In the album’s favor, there are no dud songs
(though some may not be so thrilled about the freaky
instrumental at the end), so it’s a continually
enjoyable listen. Better than most in the genre, but
not top of the heap. [AM]
FAIRCHILD (MN)
"Fairchild" 1978 (Flight FR 1706)
Flashy progressive rock in Yes style.
FALLEN ANGELS (DC)
"It's a Long Way Down" 1968 (Roulette sr-42011) [gatefold]

-- also released in Germany
"Roulette Masters, part 2" 1995 (CD Collectables vol-5446)
-- reissue of the second LP
"It's a Long Way Down" 2004 (Roulette sr-42011)
One of the ultimate examples of the East Coast psych

sound; moody, intricate, with a peculiar intensity. A
long time favorite of late 60s collectors and no
wonder as it has the makings of a masterpiece. Hard
to pinpoint really, but some parts are like a high-
brow Common People, others like a folkrock Mandrake
Memorial. Arrangements and songwriting are most
impressive, with "A Horn Playing On My Thin Wall"
being a personal favorite. Often compared to the
equally rare Morning Dew LP but this is deeper and
more original. The Sgt Pepper of DC, though of course
much better! [PL]
~~~
From the depths of despair and angst comes this
masterpiece, a howling wail of pain and discomfort
that sounds like nothing else. Somewhere in here are
elements of loner folk, Beach Boys-style pop and
psychedelia, but all are used in a unique way that
makes this as personal an album as I know, despite
being recorded by a “group”. Great songwriting and
solid performances throughout. By the time the upbeat
pop of the title song appears (it’s the second to
last song) it just drips with irony. A truly great
album that justifies the high price tag. Very hard to
find for a major label release. The band's common
first LP (also on Roulette) is poppier and less
interesting, with a good track in "Room at the top".
[AM]
TYLER FAMULARO (WI)
"Down Deep" 1975 (Audiofex ax-7081) [plain cover; red label]

"Down Deep" 1976 (Audiofex ax-7081) [plain cover; yellow
label]
Probably the best of those mid-70s “Advance reviewer
copy” albums that were sold through ads in Rolling
Stone. Mostly a solid power pop album with minor hard
rock moves, a bit of wah-wah. Nice vocals. One ballad
with a lot of moog veers in the direction of
cheesiness, but still works reasonably well. Like
most of the albums in this series, "Down Deep" is
very short —- about 25 minutes. This Audiofex LP and
others on the label were issued in plain, disco-style
covers (labels exposed) and stamped "Advance Reviewer
Copy -- Confidential". [AM]
MERRELL FANKHAUSER (Los Angeles, CA / Maui, HI)
"Things" 1968 (Shamley 701)

"Things" 1985 (Time Stood Still 2, UK)
"Things" 1997 (CD Afterglow 015, UK)
"Things" 1997 (CD Sundazed 6094) [+3 tracks]
Fankhauser fans will naturally go on at great length

about the qualities of this LP (released as by
Merrell Fankhause & HMS Bounty) but to others it may
seem no more than a decent flowerpsych LP with strong
UK influences. A couple of really good tracks like
the sitar trip of "Ashiya" and fuzz-psych of "Driving
Sideways", but also a bit of the mid-60s pop stuff I
found hard to dig on the earlier Fapardokly album.
Hardly the stuff of legend, but a good one for genre
fans. [PL]
"Merrell Fankhauser" 1976 (Maui 101) [lyric inner]

"Maui" 1997 (CD Xotic Mind, Sweden) [album +7 tracks]
A k a "The Maui Album", this has some great melodic

psych and some weaker pop. Not quite on level with
the MU albums. The CD contains several bonus tracks,
at least one of which is a psych killer. Modern
recordings, some of which are considered to be quite
good, include "Dr. Fankhauser" (1986, Full Blast/
Line, Germany); "Message to the Universe" (198?, One
Big Guitar); "Flying to Machu Picchu" (1992, CD
Legend, France); "Further On Up the Road" (CD/2LP
200?, Akarma, Italy). [PL]
~~~
see -> Fapardokly; Mu
FANTASTIC DEE-JAYS (McKeesport, PA)
"Fantastic Dee-Jays" 1966 (Stone 4003)

"Fantastic Dee-Jays" 1984 (Eva 12028, France)
-- the spine lists the title as 'Fight Fire'
"30th Anniversary" 1996 (CD Millenia) [altered sleeve]
"30th Anniversary" 1996 (Millenia) [altered sleeve]
Above-average local beat-garage LP by Pittsburgh

maniacs who later transformed into the Swamp Rats.
Two killer tracks (also out on 45) have been comp'd
on Hipsville vol 1 but there's some other good stuff
too, though more beat than garage. Some tracks have a
lo-fi dawn of man feel, such as "Apache". They had
several 45s as well. The old boot reissue has some
sleeve wear from the copy that was used. [PL]
FANTUZZI (NY)
"An Open Heart" 1978 (Akashic)
Eastern mystical swami sounds with sitar, flute,

female backing vocals and percussion.
FAPARDOKLY (CA)
"Fapardokly" 1967 (UIP 2250) [1000p]

"Fapardokly" 1983 (Psycho 05, UK) [300#d; altered cover]
"Fapardokly" 198 (5 Hours Back, UK)
"Fapardokly" 1995 (CD Sundazed sc-6059) [+3 tracks]
A legendary LP, both for its (supposed) rarity and

the appearance of future Mu-wizard Merrell
Fankhauser. This is mid-60s pop/folkrock rather than
the psych dealers might it hype it for; the hazy
"Gone To Pot" excluded. Pretty classy stuff with
traces of the Byrds and Beatles but also obvious
remnants of an earlier, pre-Invasion pop era of Buddy
Holly and the Everly Brothers. Merrell's talent is on
clear display even at this early stage, with each
track being a finely tuned and completely realized
pop song. Fave tracks include the dreamy opener
"Lila" and the inspiredly weird "Mr Clock". Quite
enjoyable all through as long as you don't expect
Lemurian hippie psych magic. A retrospective Merrell
& the Exiles LP titled "The Early Years 1964-67"
exists on the American Sound label with the same
lineup as the Fapardokly LP and collects earlier
tracks. [PL]
~~~
This early Fankhauser album feels like two eras of
recordings stuck together on one album (and
apparently is a mix of recordings from a few
different years). There are great moments from both
the pop/folk-rock songs and the more experimental
psychedelic tunes, but not enough to make this worth
the $300 price tag it commands (even after a box was
unearthed in the 80s). “Super Market” is the best
song, a sparkling folk-rock tune with surprisingly
effective horns. [AM]
~~~
see -> Merrell Fankhauser; MU
FAR CRY (Boston, MA)
"Far Cry" 1968 (Vanguard Apostolic vsd-6510)

"Far Cry" 2000 (Comet/Vanguard, Italy)
"Far Cry" 2000 (CD Akarma/Vanguard, Italy)
A true mess of an album, psychedelic jazz freakout

that must be the strangest thing released on the
Vanguard label. The singer is utterly unhinged and
unable to carry a tune. He makes Fred Cole of the
Lollipop Shoppe and the guy from the Hampton Grease
Band sound mellow and in control. The long songs are
boring, even the moody slow one. Some people like
this but it’s more remarkable for its weirdness than
for the quality of the music, which I find
unlistenable. Recommended to people who like the
Erica Pomerance album but wish the songs were more
well-played. [AM]
~~~
Geez, ever heard the phrase something is "an acquired
taste"? Well, it's certainly an applicable
description for the Boston-based Far Cry. An early
entry to the horn-rock sweepstakes, this seven piece
outfit was signed by the short-lived New York-based
Vanguard Apostolic Records, and the band's self-
titled debut teamed them with producer Daniel Weiss.
Imagine Blood, Sweat and Tears locked into a closet
with Captain Beefheart and Quicksilver Messenger
Service's John Cipollina... Largely original (the
lone exception being a cover of Riley King's 'Sweet
Little Angel'), the album featured a strange blend of
jazz, fusion and psychedelic rock moves. While it may
not have sounded particularly promising, the
combination of styles was actually intriguing.
Whiting's bizarre and wild voice (on tracks such as
'Shapes' and 'Hellhound' it sounded as if he were
about to suffer a terminal stoke), Martin's free form
sax (sometime it sounded as if he were reading the
charts for a different song) and Lenart's fluid
guitar (check out the introduction to 'Earthlight')
made for an album we play on a regular basis. [SB]
GLENN FARIA (KY)
"Glenn Faria" 197 (Tiger Lily 14058)

"Glenn Faria" 2002 (CD World In Sound 1007, Germany) [+7
bonus tracks]
Wellwritten rootsy folk/blues recorded in the early

1970s and performed in an agreeable manner. Best
tracks have a Perry Leopold quality, and it's
perfectly listenable all through. He speaks of
learning from "older musicians", and for a white guy
his gritty down home sound is unusually convincing.
Good voice too - strange he never got a real
recording contract. Worth checking out, though it's
not psychedelic in any way. [PL]
~~~
Faria’s album, credited to “Glen Faria,” is one of
the most valuable Tiger Lily releases, and unlike
many on the label appears to have been a complete
album intended for actual release (probably on
Roulette). It took a good five years from completion
of the recording to the release of the record (and
more than thirty before a legitimate release.) One of
the quirks about a label like Tiger Lily is that it
creates a situation where major label-quality
recordings end up on records that as rare as any
private press. In other words, this is no “real
people” recording. Faria’s album is a highly
professional mix of and electric rock and acoustic
folk/blues. On a couple of songs he adopts a macho
growl that doesn’t appeal to me, and the album is
somewhat sluggish at times, but otherwise it is very
good. It has a cool mellow sound, thoughtful songs
and some nice understated lead guitar. Recommended to
singer-songwriter fans. The CD includes seven okay
demo-sounding bonus tracks, six of which are acoustic
recordings that the CD claims are from 1964 but sound
much later than that. Interestingly, the one song
that would be re-recorded for the album is much
faster in the original version. The other bonus track
has the exact same melody as Bob Seger’s well-known
“Turn The Page,” but the CD claims it was recorded in
1969, which is before the Seger song was released.
[AM]
~~~
see -> Headstone Circus
FARM (IL)
"Farm" 1970 (Crusade Enterprises 465) [500p]

"Farm" 1995 (Crusade Enterprises, Austria) [bootleg; gatefold;
300p]
"Farm" 2000 (Akarma, Italy) [10"; brown vinyl]
Seen some excited ramblings on this but was

disappointed upon hearing it as it's straight boogie
for most part, has about two decent tracks in a
westcoast style while the rest sucks. Maybe I'm
missing something here but I can't recommend it to
anyone. [PL]
~~~
Featuring largely original material, the set's fairly
varied. The opening instrumental "Jungle Song" and
"Sunshine In My Window" are both strong guitar-
propelled numbers that sound heavily influenced by
both The Allman Brothers and Santana. Elsewhere,
'Cottonfield Woman' was a nice slice of blues-rock,
while as you'd probably expect from the title "Let
the Boy Boogie" and a cover of "Statesboro Blues"
were okay slices of boogie. [SB]
~~~
see -> Gene Hood
FARM (Los Angeles, CA)
"The Innermost Limits of Pure Fun" 1976 (Series 2) [swirl

label]
"The Innermost Limits of Pure Fun" 1976 (Dendra) [red label;
plain cover with title sticker]
"The Innermost Limits of Pure Fun" 1976 (Series 2) [red label;
plain cover with "Farm" stamped]
Soundtrack to great obscure surf flick, mostly

instrumental jams in a psychy 1970s surf style. One
track has been comp'd. Also released in Australia in
a laminated sleeve (Rebel label), and the movie does
include Australian footage. Apart from the many surf
soundtracks the Dragon brothers were involved in a
ski movie called "Winter Equinox".
~~~
Here's some info on the band collected by Mike
Cooper: "The lead guitarist Denny Aaberg was a keen
surfer and well known surf writer from Pacific
Palisades ("Big Wednesday" was based on Denny
Aaberg's surfing youth, with Bill Pritchard who is
also in this soundtrack band), while others in the
band have been Beach Boys-connected in the 1980s-90s.
Ernie Knapp briefly played bass with the Beach Boys
before getting thrown out, while Dennis Dragon did
sound work for them. The Dragon brothers hailed from
Hollywood and Doug and Dennis (drums and organ on
this soundtrack) were brothers to Daryl Dragon of
"Captain and Tenille" (Daryl was a
friend/collaborator of Dennis Wilson), and Daryl is
an additional musician on this soundtrack, which was
one of 30 produced by Dennis and Daryl in Dennis's
Malibu bedroom. Movie producer George Greenough is a
surfing legend for his many films with cameras "on-
board" and his surf philosophy. He financed the
making of "Pure Fun" entirely from the proceeds of
his fishing business, and resides in Australia
today".
~~~
see -> Corky Carroll and Friends; A Sea For Yourself
FARM BAND a k a TENNESSEE FARM BAND; STEPHEN & THE FARM BAND (TN)
"Farm Band" 1972 (Mantra 777) [2LPs; gatefold; lyric

innersleeves; poster]
"Farm Band" 2004 (Akarma 287, Italy) [2LPs; gatefold; poster]
"Up In Your Thing" 1973 (Farm fe-1776)
Religious communal group with westcoast jammy sound,

led by noted hippie activist/philosopher Stephen
Gaskin. The debut double is usually considered the
best. The 1973 LP is credited to Stephen and the Farm
Band. Later LPs include "On the Rim of the Nashville
Basin" (Farm 1001, 1976; reissued by Akarma) and
"Communion" (Farm 1013, 1977), credited to Tennessee
Farm Band. They also recorded as Nuclear Regulatory
Commission (1970s; Official 1180).
J.W. FARQUHAR (Philadelphia, PA)
"The Formal Female" 197 (no label)
Early 1970s fringe art-avant/psych obscurity, highly

rated by the few who have heard it.
FAT (western MA)
"Fat" 1970 (RCA lsp-4368)

"Fat" 2005 (CD Radioactive 138, UK)
"Fat" 2005 (RCA Victor) [bootleg?]
Somewhere between the Bosstown psychedelic sound and

a more mainstream 70s rock sound, these guys put
together a pretty solid album. The pick hit is the
very catchy “Shape I’m In,” but all of it is
worthwhile. The last song has a painfully out of key
or out of tune harmonica (I can’t believe nobody in
the recording studio noticed!), which closes the
album off on an appealing, if unsettling, freaky
vibe. A Canadian pressing exists. There is also a
more mainstream-sounding 2nd LP released by the band
themselves, "Footlose" (Dream Merchant, 1976). [AM]
FATE (ME)
"Fate" 1969 (no label, no #) [test pressing]

"Sgt Death" 1999 (Rockadelic 37) [insert; booklet; marble pink
vinyl]
"Sgt Death" 2001 (CD Shadoks 017)
One of the few 1960s-era titles in the Rockadelic

catalog, this piece of zeitgeist plays like a
completely finalized album that could, and probably
should, have come out back then. Archetypal ambitious
mainstream psych with a New England slant a la St
Steven while extensive use of keyboards recalls the
1st Mandrake Memorial; the all-bases-covered approach
could appeal to fans of Food as well. Vocals are a
bit too Morrisonesque/operatic, while the production
and arrangements are impressive. Not a bad LP but
spread a bit too thin for my tastes; the sarcastic
anti-Vietnam title track is what makes it stand out.
Die-cut sleeve design makes the reissue look like a
local heavy metal LP. Band (or main guy) recorded a
rare garage 45 as Euphoria's ID prior to this. Here
is a description of the original album: "a no info
test pressing, other than the words FATE SIDE 1 and
FATE Side 2 written on it. Side one dead wax says "6
25 68 a 1", side 2 dead wax "2 1 69 b 1". The reissue
rearranges the track order and has a somewhat
different (less compressed) sound than the original
disc. [PL]
FATHER YOD & THE SPIRIT OF '76 see YA HO WHA 13
FAUN (San Francisco, CA)
"Faun" 1969 (Gregar gg-70000) [wlp exists]
Odd mix of pop psych and swing band sounds. Ex-

Frumious Bandersnatch.
DIDI FAVREAU (NY)

"Rebirth of Wonder" 1968 (RSVP es-8004)
Jazzy trippy femme folk with some avant jazz moves

somewhat in Erica Pomerance camp. Same label as Faine
Jade.
FAXX (AK)
"Faxx" 1977 (Faxx no#) [500p]
Hard rock.
FBC BAND (Fort Wayne, IN)
"Worth a Fortune" 1982 (no label, no#)
Heavy progressive rock guitar/keys with high pitched

vocals and a mid-1970s sound. Side 2 was recorded
live. The album title is of course wishful thinking.
[RM]
FEAR ITSELF (CA)
"Fear Itself" 1969 (Dot 25942)
Overlooked Big Brother/Janis-style psychrock LP with

wailing femme vocals, crude guitarleads and two very
good acid freakout tracks the main attraction.
Attains some genuine intensity and the band
definitely was more at home among freaks than
teenyboppers. Three unimaginative blues/soul covers
keeps this from being a classic. A French pressing
with a different sleeve exists. [PL]
~~~
This is Ellen McIlwaine's first recording, and one of
the very few female-led rock bands of the time.
McIlwaine would soon make her name as a bluesy folk
artist who plays a mean slide guitar, but here she
tried to get heavy. Supposedly Led Zeppelin ripped
off "In My Time Of Dying" from this record. The
band's name refers to McIlwaine's feeling of being a
woman in the male-dominated rock business, and
admittedly there are moments where a certain kind of
uncertainty shows through here. The album has some
excellent moments and a nice tough sound, but feels
like it was recorded before they were entirely ready.
Nonetheless, it's quite listenable and a solid album
that rivals the male heavy psych records of the era.
[AM]
FEATHER DA GAMBA (LA)
"Like It or Get Bent" 1971 (D.G 7743)

"Like It or Get Bent" 2000 (Void)
Lo-fi basement swamprock obscurity covering an

eclectic field of Ant Trip Ceremony late-night
jazzrock, quirky jugband moves, murky Stone Harbour
rock with funny lyrics - doesn't appear to be
entirely serious, but hard to tell the jokes from the
seriousness. Organ and what sounds like a clarinet
(?) upfront, lack of strong guitarleads may
disappoint some. Plenty of atmosphere, closing track
in particular is good. Not a great LP, but a cool
trip for an open mind. [PL]
FEDERAL DUCK ( )
"Federal Duck" 1968 (Musicor mm-2162) [wlp exists]

"Federal Duck" 2004 (CD Radioactive, UK)
Underrated album whose silly cover gives no clue to

the moody, late-night sounds inside. Comparable to a
more structured Freeborne, with a mild jazz
influence, great bass playing and a dark vibe. A few
upbeat songs break the mold (one sounds just like the
Holy Modal Rounders), but this is consistently good,
much better than a lot of albums with ten times the
price tag. [AM]
FELLOWSHIP CHRISTIAN CHURCH ( )
"Man Of Sorrow" 197 (no label)
Moody xian folk psych. Acoustic and electric guitar,

piano, some synth. Nice lost downerdom in the
biographical 'lost musician finds God' title track
and the downright weird "The Prostitute" which brings
to mind Peter Grudzien's "Redemption". Pretty female
vocal on "Rose of Sharon". [RM]
FELT (AL)
"Felt" 1971 (Nasco 9006)

"Felt" 2000 (CD Akarma 127, Italy) [digipak]
"Felt" 2000 (Akarma 127, Italy)
Strong Southern psychrock LP that's probably the best

thing on the label. Excellent teenage vocals and a
wide-ranging spectrum of influences including late
Beatle-psych, mellow west coast-jamming and early
1970s hardrock, held together by a tight band who
obviously put a lot of effort into this album.
Strange that this took so long to get reissued,
although the bizarre cover may have contributed. [PL]
~~~
Solid album that goes from Beatlesque pop to bluesy
hard rock, this one gets everything right. The ten-
minute song that starts side two has an awesome riff
and maintains a fantastic level of intensity. Sounds
awfully mature for the work of a supposedly 17-year-
old singer/songwriter. A really good one. The album
was mastered a little off-center, and the Akarma
reissue was mastered from the vinyl. The last song on
both orig and re has an annoying wavery sound to it.
A reissue from the master tapes would be very
welcome. [AM]
~~~
This album is unexpectedly diverse and impressive.
The opener 'Look At the Sun' served as an atypical,
but gorgeous ballad. It sounds kind of strange but
the song actually benefits from Jackson's somewhat
quivery vocal performances. Couple with some great
lead guitar at the end of the track, it's also the
most commercial song on the album. Sporting an anti-
drug lyric 'Now She's Gone' starts out with a pseudo-
jazzy flavor complete with scat segments before
mutating into a bluesy segment and then going back
into jazz mode. It probably doesn't sound very
promising on paper, but somehow these guys make it
one of the album's most entertaining pieces.
Musically 'Weepin' Mama Blues' is a pretty standard
keyboard and guitar propelled blues workout that
sports some killer drum work and a lead guitar and
scat vocal combination that won't quit. It may also
have Jackson's best vocal performance. He sure
doesn't sound like a 17 year old on this one.
Clocking in at over ten minutes and going through
numerous time changes, "The Change" is an
entertaining mix of progressive and hard rock moves.
As for the two other tracks; "World" was a decent
hard rock number that's knocked down a notch by
Jackson's strained falsetto vocal (though part of the
problem may explained by a pressing defect that saw
the album mastered slightly off center). The final
selection "Destination" was simply bland. All in all
a real surprise with great songs, great performances
and surprisingly clean and sophisticated production
work. [SB]
FEMININE COMPLEX (Nashville, TN)
"Livin' Love" 1969 (Athena 6001)

"Livin' Love" 2000 (Teenbeat TB-196)
"Livin' Love" 2001 (CD Gear Fab) [+bonus tracks]
"Livin' Love" 2001 (Gear Fab)
"Livin' Love" 2004 (CD Rev-Ola, UK) [+bonus tracks]
"Livin' Love" 2004 (CD Beatball 13, South Korea) [+bonus
tracks]
Legendary femme psych album that, like the Daisy

Chain album, mixes horn-led pop with some much more
interesting experimental songs. It opens and closes
with screaming fuzz guitar blowouts, and nothing in
between (except maybe the catchy pop tune "I Won't
Run") is anywhere near as good. Would have made a
great single or EP. For years it was questioned
whether they really existed but the reissue confirms
that they were an actual band, though session
musicians helped with the album. The reissue CD has
tons of bonus tracks of dubious value, making the
album seem endless. [AM]
~~~
Nashville's little known The Feminine Complex have to
be seen as groundbreakers (albeit some twenty years
ahead of popular tastes). As an all girl, self-
contained band, simply having had the talent, skills
and fortitude to record an album in the late-'60s
stands as an amazing accomplishment. The fact the set
is as good as it is, makes it all the more
impressive. "Livin' Love" was a strange effort.
Largely penned by Mindy Dalton, musically the set
offered up a weird mix of raw rockers and
surprisingly tame MOR ballads. On one hand, fuzz and
feedback propelled rockers such as the leadoff
stomper "Hide and Seek", the feedback paced "It's",
"Time Slips By" and the soulful, horn-propelled "Run
That Thru Your Mind" were apparently a true
reflection of the band's live act. At the other end
of the spectrum, backed by studio musicians and
elaborated arrangements, "Now I Need You", "Are You
Lonesome Like Me" and "I Won't Run" reflected
Kilpatrick and Powell's desire to give the band a
more polished and commercial sound. With the latter
material recalling the Petula Clark school of top-40
success (check out "Forgetting"), guess which numbers
were more impressive? Ironically, by the time the
record was released, falling victim to parental
pressure to complete school, Napiers, Stephens and
Williams had all quit the band. That probably
explains why Dalton and Griffith were the only two
band members shown on the back cover. [SB]
HANS FENGER & LANGLEY SCHOOLS CHORUS (Langley, Canada)
"Hans Fenger & Glenwood Region Group" 1976 (no label)
"Hans Fenger & Wix-Brown Elementary School" 1977 (no label EPN
7259)
"Langley Schools Music Project - Innocence & Despair" 2001 (Bar

None) [2LPs; gatefold]
"Langley Schools Music Project - Innocence & Despair" 2001 (CD
Bar None)
The title of the reissue (a compilation from the two

albums) is perfect, as these high school recordings
beautifully portray the exuberance and innocence of
an age when everyone loved to sing. The stark and
heavily reverbed production, combined with the huge
wall of voices, give the songs a certain kind of
eerie sound that would be awfully hard to duplicate.
This is the kind of album that some people will
absolutely fall in love with. An objective opinion,
though, is that it’s really cool for a couple of
songs but doesn’t really need to be a whole album.
Klaatu’s “Calling Occupants” is an inspired song
choice. The highlight, though, is undoubtedly
“Desperado”, with a heart-wrenching solo vocal from
one young girl. It makes me think that an entire
album like this, but with children singing the lead
vocals rather than in chorus form, would be
spellbinding. Of the original LPs, the first one
includes things like "Space Oddity" and "Band On The
Run", while the second has "Venus & Mars", "In my
room", etc. Only a few hundred copies were pressed of
each. [AM]
FENNER, LELAND & O'BRIEN (Hamilton, NY)

"Peace In Our Time" 1969 (RPC AZ 41771/41772) [laminated
cover; 50p; insert]
"Fenner, Leland & O'Brien" 2003 (CD Wild Places) [2-on-1 re w/
2nd LP]
Superrare debut LP only known to exist in a handful

of copies. More of a demo vibe than the 2nd, with
flubbed lines left intact and a DIY attitude. Opens
with a great but atypical 10-minute fuzz/organ
folkrock excursion, while rest of the LP is lowkey
and intimate hippie folk. Excellent unpretentious
vocals reminiscent of the guy in Shadrack Chameleon,
while lyrics address 'Nam concerns and other
counterculture themes of the era, plus some
introspective laments. Has a NYC college dorm vibe
similar to Patron Saints, although the band was from
upstate (Colgate University). A solid trip for genre
fans, holds up well to the sequel. Generic tree
foliage/sunlight sleeve. [PL]
"Somewhere, Someday, Somehow" 1970 (RPC AZM 70402) [250p]
"Somewhere, Someday, Somehow" 2000 (Wild Places) [altered

sleeve]
"Fenner, Leland & O'Brien" 2003 (CD Wild Places) [2-on-1 re w/
1st LP]
-- 3 tracks from the original LP are omitted on the reissues
Obscure hippie folkrock/singer-songwriter LP on the

mythical RPC custom label, discovered and reissued
only recently. A good one too, with a CSN&Y influence
typical of the genre, consistent and with quality
songwriting. Some tracks utilize an electric setting
+ organ, others are more lowkey acoustic. I'm
reminded of Timmothy and Brigg here and there, even
has some Patron Saints vibes. Admirably relaxed and
unpretentious vocals recall some of the more famous
UK rural hippiefolk rarities. Worth checking out.
Generic sky/clouds sleeve. [PL]
FERRON (Vancouver, Canada)
"Ferron" 1977 (Lucy Records no #)
"Backed Up" 1978 (Lucy Records)
Lesbian singer/songwriter with a long career; her

first two albums contain downer folk moves with
earthy vocals. Several tracks from these two privates
were re-recorded for her first commercial release,
"Testimony" in 1980.
FIELDS (CA)
"Fields" 1969 (Uni 73050) [unipak]

"Fields" is kind of an oddity; especially for a
record label that's best known for a more pop-
oriented catalog. The album's overall feel is very
blues-rockish. A number of reviews we've seen draw
comparisons to Cream. In this case the comparison
isn't bad, with tracks such as the leadoff rocker
'Elysian Fields', 'Take You Home' and 'Jump On It'
baring more than a passing resemblance to Clapton and
company. Exemplified by tracks such as 'Bide My
Time', the performances are quite raw. Personal
favorite - the bizarre, sidelong 'Love Is the Word'.
With backing from Motown singer Brenda Holloway, the
song offers up a weird blend of rock, psych and soul
influences. Stretched out over nearly 20 minutes, it
has to be heard to be believed. [SB]
~~~
Decent hard rock effort by a band with a Cream
fixation (but thankfully no drum solos). Lots of lead
guitar on the normal length songs on side one. Side
two is one 20-minute song that has a lot of creative
ideas and builds in intensity. It's much better than
most side-long songs of the era and is an actual
composition, not just an excuse for jamming. Overall,
a good but not great album that is interesting enough
to be recommended to fans of the style. [AM]
MIKE FIEMS (AZ)
"I Would Dream" 1974 (Vermillion V-1974W)
Little-known singer/songwriter produced by Ray Vernon

for his label. Fiems collaborated with Vernon on
another production around the same time.
15:60:75 a k a NUMBERS BAND (Kent, OH)
"Jimmy Bell's Still In Town" 1976 (Water Brothers no #)

"Jimmy Bell's Still In Town" 2005 (CD Hearpen Records 112)
This is a cool, unique record. The standard Grateful

Dead-meets-Velvet-Underground description isn't
accurate at all, if you ask me. These guys peppered
their soulful rock with jazzy jamming and a street-
poet style of vocalizing to create a distinctive
sound. Lots of saxophones, but plenty of guitar too.
The long songs are well-thought out and the live
recording is very crisp and clear. They project
coolness throughout. They're legends in Cleveland and
some think they were one of the best live bands ever.
It's likely that this live LP is better than anything
they could have done in the studio, and later records
don't come close to it. Other LPs include "2" from
1982 and "Among The Wandering" from 1987, both on the
Water Brothers label. They also recorded a cassette-
only live show, "Blues" (1991, Reedurban). [AM]
~~~
Amazing droning urban 1970s guitar/sax underground
rock outside of any known genre, with the tightest
groove section since Bubble Puppy. A melting pot of
inner city sounds grabbing you by the throat and
shaking you down until you've forked over the $$$
needed to keep the Numbers Band party going with
cocaine, women and Sly Stone records all night. Blows
95% of all "psychedelic" LPs off the map. [PL]
FIFTH FLIGHT ( )
"Into Smoke Tree Village" 1970 (Century 39398)
Unexceptional lounge rock covers with fuzz and organ,

including heavy version of Neil Young's "Sugar
Mountain". Beautiful generic mill wheel cover.
V.A "FIFTH PIPE DREAM" (San Francisco, CA)
"Fifth Pipe Dream" 1968 (SF Sound 11680) [1st issue with b/w
cover; gatefold; sticker inserts]
"Fifth Pipe Dream" 1968 (SF Sound 11680) [2nd issue with color
cover; gatefold; sticker inserts]
"Fifth Pipe Dream" 198 (SF Sound) [bootleg; color cover; no
gatefold]
While many obscure San Francisco LPs are

disappointing, here's one that delivers in full.
Tripsichord and It's A Beautiful Day turn in some of
their best tracks ever and the obscurer acts are
great too, particularly Indian Puddin & Pipe who
contribute heavily to the aura surrounding this comp
with "Hashish" and "Water or Wine" (both comp'd).
Black Swan are also featured. This was an attempt
from notorious scoundrel Matthew Katz to cash in on
the S F scene and as far as music goes, he succeeded.
Produced by Rusty Evans of The Deep under his real
name. Most tracks were recorded in 1967. The band
logo stickers are quite rare and may have been promo
only. [PL]
FIFTY FOOT HOSE (San Francisco, CA)
"Cauldron" 1967 (Limelight 86062) [lyric inner sleeve; ylp

exists]
"Cauldron" 1995 (CD Weasel Disc) [+3 tracks]
"Cauldron" 1996 (CD Big Beat wikd-158) [+bonus tracks]
An old cutout bin staple and underrated for many

years, has been revaluated and is now seen as a
pinnacle for the true acid sound. Fillmore-style
guitar jams mix with garage electronics and strong
songwriting to create a truly unique and essential
experience. The epic "Fantasies" is as good an
approximation of an LSD trip as you'll ever find. I
rate this among my personal top 20 60s major label
LPs. Something of a mystery group as they didn't play
live much, even in their native San Francisco. An
original UK pressing on Mercury exists. Opinions on
their early 45 and unreleased pre-"Cauldron" material
(issued as "Ingredients", Del-Val 1997) differ,
personally I found it a bit too arty and
unpsychedelic. There is also a "Live and unreleased"
CD on the Jaspac label featuring 1995 recordings.
[PL]
~~~
Fantastic electronic album that really pulls out all
the stops. It’s experimental, but not at the expense
of great songs. The obvious comparison is the United
States of America, and this album is better in some
ways, weaker in others. Most notably, the United
States of America succeeded in integrating their
sound effects, synthesizer noise and other
electronics directly into their compositions in
logical ways, while here much of the noise and
electronics sounds random. They’re still fun and
exciting, but don’t have the same power as the more
carefully thought out U.S.A. arrangements. The result
is that the best songs here don’t match the best of
U.S.A. On the other hand, unlike that album’s three
or four weak songs, there aren’t any duds here. Nancy
Blossom isn’t half the singer Dorothy Moskowitz is,
but she also takes more risks, with the eerie, freaky
title track being a wholly successful example. The CD
adds the earlier “Bad Trip” single, which has to be
the most abrasive and free-from song to have been
recorded in 1966. It’s not exactly “good,” and is
more enjoyable when heard separately from the album
as a whole, but it shows this ahead-of-their-time
band’s willingness to try just about anything without
letting “good taste” get in the way. [AM]
~~~
see -> Leland
FILET OF SOUL (Thorp, WI)
"Freedom" 1970 (Moniquid 4857)
"Freedom" was different from a lot of era albums in

that it showcased a largely original set of material.
Largely penned by member Mike Peace, the album
showcased an interesting mix of blue-eyed soul
("Treat Her Right"), top-40 pop ("Here's Where I Get
Off") and tougher rock material ("Come To Me"). As
lead singer Peace had a great voice that was more
than capable of handling the band's diverse
repertoire. It was all performed with the kind of
naive enthusiasm that more than compensated for
whatever performance short comings the band had and
for the somewhat low-fi sound and production.
Interestingly virtually every one of the twelve songs
had commercial potential, but these guys were at
their best when playing straight ahead rock - the
wah-wah guitar propelled title track, "Big City USA",
the fuzz-driven "Standin At the Wrong Machine" and
the raging garage screamer "Steppin Into You Fire".
There was also a nice cover of the Zombies' "Tell Her
No". Certainly not the most original album you've
ever heard, but thoroughly charming and one that I
continually spin. The b & w cover is due to a color
sleeve being beyond the band's means, after
purchasing the rights to the album from Chess, who
chose not to release it. [SB]
FINCHLEY BOYS (Champaign, IL)
"Everlasting Tributes" 1972 (Golden Throat 200-19) [1000p;

some copies w/ sticker]
"Everlasting Tributes" 1983 (Golden Throat)
"Practice Sessions" 1984 (Eva ev-102, France) [altered sleeve;
bonus tracks]
"Everlasting Tributes" 1993 (CD Eva b-28, France) [+3 tracks]
"Everlasting Tributes" 2004 (CD World Psychedelia, Korea)
Wasted bluesy album that has its moments, especially

“It All Ends.” This is best when they veer from their
bluesy base, but overall it’s a pretty solid heavy
rock album. The material was recorded in 1968-69 but
not released until 1972. Contrary to popular belief,
there was no 'indistinguishable repress' by the band
in the 1980s. The numerous copies that turned up then
was due to someone connected to the band buying the
remaining 500 copies that were held by the
manufacturer. All these copies are originals, with or
without the sticker. The 1983 reissue has a '1983'
copyright on the label and a slightly thinner sleeve.
The Eva CD reissue stupidly changes the running order
and inserts mostly mediocre bonus tracks in between
the songs from the album proper. If you listen to it
in this context, you’ll really underestimate the
quality of the original LP. [AM]
~~~
see -> Don Thompson
PETE FINE (NY/AZ)
"On a Day of Crystalline Thought" 1974 (no label 4374) [100p;

insert]
"On a Day of Crystalline Thought" 2001 (Shadoks, Germany)
[insert; 450#d]
"On a Day of Crystalline Thought" 200 (CD Shadoks, Germany)
Post-Flow fullblown acid orchestrations, closest

thing to a hippie symphony you can find. Covers a
track from the Flow LP though you'll hardly recognize
it in this context. Don't know how he could afford it
all, and stranger still it actually works - the total
effect is like walking around in a summery national
park on acid. Only LP in this direction I've heard,
interesting and worthwhile. The reissue has somewhat
inferior sound to the original. [PL]
~~~
Massive production full of strings and classical
themes. Must have cost a fortune for a record Fine
knew would never make him back his investment. If
you’re in the right mood it sounds like a
masterpiece, but really it’s overblown and tries way
too hard. Clearly Fine is a unique voice with a lot
of ideas, though this album feels kind of like the
Damin Eih album, in that it’s too personal and quirky
for more than a few bits and pieces to work unless
you’re on Fine’s wavelength. A couple of songs from
the Flow’s album are re-done here in a completely
unrecognizeable form. [AM]
"Northstar" 2004 (Shadoks, Germany)

Previously unreleased 1976 recordings with female
vocals, reportedly not very exciting.
FINGLETOAD, STRANGE & SIHO (IL)
"Fingletoad & Strange" 1969 (IRC acetate) [plain white sleeve;

inserts and photos]
Recently discovered acetate from Chicago area guys

which lead to the find of the great "Mazzola" LP
detailed below. This first album is enjoyable with a
demo-like feel; most tracks are in an introspective
rural folkrock style, reminiscent both of westcoast
and British bands of the era. Use of flute and a
loose, moody vibe recalls Traffic, while other parts
show a Flying Burrito Bros embryonic countryrock
influence. Extended last track on side 1 is great
while the rest is either listenable or good. Reissued
as disc 2 of "Mazzola" on Shadoks, below. [PL]
"Mazzola" 1970 (Zut 1147) [plain cover with band photo

attached]
"Mazzola" 2004 (Shadoks 055, Germany) [2LPs; 350#d; lyric
insert]
Unlike the debut album this was properly released

although in such a limited pressing that it was
unknown to exist until recently. The moody
westcoast/early rural rock moves from the 1969 effort
are explored further and given a full "rock" sound on
this superior album. New band member "Siho"
contributes some of the best tracks, like the
brilliant opener "Marshland". The influence from
"Everybody Knows"-era Neil Young is obvious and like
similar albums (Shadrack Chameleon springs to mind)
the derivation is successful. Recorded more or less
live in the studio the sound is appealingly warm and
organic, with talent on display across the board. The
band temporarily breaks out of the rural CA mood on
"Screaming Spiders" which has some remarkable acid
guitarwork. Not all tracks are equally great although
the band shows a lot of class in letting the three
(by my count) killers run on, while some less
remarkable countryrockers are kept short and sweet.
All over one of Shadoks' best reissue picks by my
ears, not a killer all through but with moments of
outstanding greatness and a whole that works fine.
[PL]
~~~
The 2004 re-release of this previously unknown album
was met with hype that's impossible to live up to.
But if you don't expect it to be one of the top few
psych albums ever, you're sure to find it worthwhile.
They have a very interesting mix of influences, with
a Beatlesque bit here (especially the McCartney-style
bass playing), a CSN-style harmony there, some San
Francisco style guitar here and some jazz there. Most
of this is mellow and languid, with "Marshland" being
particularly beautiful and dreamy. One pure country
song falls a bit flat, but otherwise it's all very
good or better. The absolute highlight is "Screaming
Spiders," with stunning walls of feedback-heavy
guitar. The songwriting has depth and this album gets
better with multiple listens. The cheap production
will appeal to some of you, but I think it detracts
from the quality of the music. [AM]
FIRE & ICE, LTD (Los Angeles, CA)
"The Happening" 1966 (Capitol t-2577) [mono]

"The Happening" 1966 (Capitol st-2577) [stereo]
All bases covered on this early psych & soul

exploitation. This band included noted musician John
Greek, known for "City Jungle" by the Beautiful Daze
as well as session work that included Lollipop
Shoppe, the Seeds' "Wind blows your hair", the "LSD"
album on Capitol, a classic garage 45 by the Puddin'
Heads, and more.
FIRE & SNOW ( )
"Reflections of a New World Order" 1969 (Baha'I Publishing

Trust CBF 2009)
Not exactly Jesus music since it was recorded by the

Baha'i Publishing Trust, but in terms of concepts and
enthusiasm for the cause it actually fits in the same
category. A compilation featuring 16 tracks with
material from eight artists. Most of the performers
are allotted two songs, though Phil Lucas is credited
with four selections. The material is largely
acoustic folk with religious oriented themes running
through it, though such themes are more apparent in
some selections than others. I'm assuming all of the
performers were/are members of the Baha'i faith. Most
of the tracks are at least mildly entertaining in a
weird, dated kind of way. Probably because they
reflect an Eastern influence, tracks like
'Baha'u'llah' and 'Baha'u'llah, The Nightingale' are
the most interesting efforts (Mighty Baby fans might
find those tracks worth hearing). To my ears the
standout track is Chris Ruhe's 'Blues for Jere'. A
rather personal narrative of his trek to preach the
Baha'i faith in Honduras, it's funny and touching at
the same time. Best voice probably goes to Joany
Lincoln, though her crystal clear voice is wasted on
two rather bland tracks. [SB]
FIREBIRDS ( )
"Light My Fire" 1968 (Crown cst 589)

"Light My Fire" 2002 (CD Radioactive 003, UK)
This is as cool as exploito gets. Other than the

opening instrumental version of the title song, it's
pure grungy hard rock with heavy guitar, spastic
drums and pained vocals. It's one of the best heavy
albums of the 60s and sounds like nothing else. That
is, it sounds like nothing else except the 31 Flavors
album, since that's the same band from the same
recording sessions (and actually includes two songs
that are mistakenly listed on this album's front
cover.) Great album cover, too. A 4-track format
version on Flair exists with no band name credited
and additional tracks, presumably the 31 Flavors
material. [AM]
~~~
see -> Underground Electrics
FIRE ESCAPE (CA)
"Psychotic Reaction" 1967 (GNP Crescendo 2034) [mono]

"Psychotic Reaction" 1967 (GNP Crescendo 2034) [stereo; wlp
exists]
"Psychotic Reaction" 198 (GNP Crescendo 2034) [reissue;
orange label]
"Psychotic Reaction / Raw & Alive" 1991 (CD Demon, UK) [2-on-
1]
Some great snotty fuzz exploito. Cover says group is

from San Francisco area but this is a Hollywood
studio project with arrangements credited to Michael
Lloyd. Half cover tunes including two Seeds tracks,
one Music Machine and one Count V. Thee Midniters
cover "Love Special Delivery" is pretty cool.
Produced by Hank Levine. A Canadian pressing exists.
[RM]
FIRST CHIPS (Chicago, IL)
"Clay Pidgeon vol 1" 1972 (Clay Pidgeon SFCV1)

"Clay Pidgeon vol 1" 199 (Clay Pidgeon) [bootleg]
Raunchy guitar rock wasted jamming. Not really a

group but a collection of Vyto Baleska's recordings
made at Clay Pigeon Sound Unlimited and at Crown
Studios. One track dates back to 1964. Vyto produced
and is backed by a variety of musicians on these
tracks. [RM]
~~~
see -> Vyto B
FIRST FRIDAY (Notre Dame school, South Bend, IN)
"First Friday" 1970 (Webster's Last Word S 2895) [500p]
Recorded September 1969 at Golden Voice in Illinois

and released by Chuck Perrin's local Indiana label,
this was the work of Notre Dame's other recording act
(apart from the Shaggs), and is a mix of heavy blues
rock and rural folk.
FIRST LITE (NJ)
"A New College Experience" 1982 (Nexusonics)
Strange LP with eclectic mix of electronics, straight

singer/songwriter, jazzy instros and one track with a
psychedelic feeling. Titles include "The wabe",
"Galaxy", "The beckoning". Odd, non-descript color
cover photo looks like someone cut a postcard in half
and blew it up in size. An album for the bold and the
bored.
FIRST REVELATION (Long Island, NY)
"Gospel" 1972 (Revelation dl-4045)
Credited to Danny & Lynda, this is a X-ian rock

husband and wife team with drummer John Hauser (Blue
Ridge). Half the LP is relatively normal soft rock
praise and hymn material but on the remainder Danny
goes into freakout distorted rubber band wah-wah
riffs that are bizarre and heavy. The hard-rocking
numbers include "Show Me One Place", "Keeper Of My
Soul" and "Sing It Out". [RM]
"This Side of Eternity" 1973 (Revelation d-5051) [first

version]
"This Side of Eternity" 1973 (Revelation d-5051) [second

version; different recordings]
What’s cool about the Danny & Lynda/First Revelation

albums is that Danny is a hot guitarist in about ten
different styles, with or without distortion and
effects, slow, fast, country, 1950s style rock
ballads, hard rock, bluegrass, you name it. He’s just
fantastic, and he’s equally adept at the banjo. Lynda
has one of the stronger voices in the genre—capable
of real power. Unfortunately, like a lot of Christian
singers she’s very precise and not very passionate.
The few times she almost busts loose it’s obvious she
could have been really great, as cool as Danny, if
she lost a few inhibitions. This album offers a
little of everything, for better or worse. (I could
have done without “Jesus Loves Me,” for example.) “As
Long As you Listen,” among others, rocks convincingly
and the guitar gets pretty far out. An unexpected
highlight is the world’s only banjo/moog duet, an
instrumental version of “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot,”
of all things. My kids, 1 and 5 when they heard it,
danced like crazy to the song and asked me to play it
again. Not the most consistent album in the world,
but that’s part of its charm. It’s worth it for the
good parts, and there’s nothing else really like
Danny & Lynda. The re-recorded second version with
new drummer Bob Argirio is superior. The copies from
the band find were this version. [AM]
"Upon This Rock" 1975 (Revelation d-6736)
Danny and Lynda are back and a bit more convential

(read: solemn) but there are still some fine moments
of Danny's flash guitar and Lynda's moog on "Upon
This Rock", which has a more pastoral edge.
"First Revelation Of Danny And Lynda" 1999 (World In Sound

rfr-001, Europe) [500#d]
A useful sampler of material from their career,

focusing on the harder guitar stuff. Hidden Vision
has released a CD featuring two live recordings from
1975 ("Alive in New York", 2005).
FIRST VIBRATION see Do It Now Foundation
ERNIE FISCHBACH & CHARLES EWING see A Cid Symphony
DAVID FISHEL (PA)
"Food For Thought" 1976 (Kats Eye CS 8106)
Eccentric lost folk.
KEVIN FISHER (CA)
"First of Fisher" 1977 (P. Pan p-101) [75p]

-- issued in a black and white silkscreened cover with blank
back. The band members' autographs are around the border.
Clearly a home grown vanity project. Technically the

album has a fairly primitive sound, but in musical
terms it's all over the spectrum. The acoustic ballad
"Lullabye" has a heavy classical feel (Pentangle came
to mind the first time we heard it), while "Flying"
sports a 1950s' vocal group feel and the horn-
propelled "Pirate's Song" recalls a post-David
Clayton Thomas Blood, Sweat & Tears. The second side
sports some mundane progressive moves in the form of
"Indian Dance" and "In Search". Again it's fairly
raw, but not without it's low-keyed charms, including
the pretty ballad "A House for Wendy". [SB]
JEF FISK (MI)
"It's All Rootbeer" 1974 (Bird Productions BP-61851)
Rare loner folk LP from Michigan. It has some great

humorous songs with titles such as "Travellin'
Pancakes", "Peanutbutter Buddy", "Blue Jean Day" and
"Lawnmower Boy", with gruff vocals and great offbeat
lyrics to match. Fisk also had a rare duo LP with one
Tom Shader which was a numbered pressing of 100
copies. This solo LP isn't numbered, but one can
figure it to be about as rare. Comes in great
homemade looking cover with great handmade drawings
of Fisk and a very crude label logo. [MA]
ED FISSINGER (MN)
"Light Years Away" 1978 (no label)
"Lunar Blues" 1983 (no label)
"Lunar Blues" is loner folkrock with flute and 12-

string. Some downer fuzz psych moves as well. Sounds
ten years earlier. These albums were recorded with
local musicians including ex-Podipto members.
Fissinger has released a CD sampler of tracks from
the two albums, titled "Fishbowl", as well as a self-
titled CD of recent recordings. [RM]
FIVE EMPREES (Benton Harbor, MI)
"Five Emprees" 1965 (Freeport 3001) [mono and stereo exist]

"Little Miss Sad" 1966 (Freeport 4001) [mono and stereo
exist]
"Little Miss Sad" 2004 (CD Arf Arf) [+bonus tracks]
Clearly recorded in a rush, this album offered up a

mixture of popular pop and soul hits, including a
cover of Curtis Mayfield and the Impressions' "Mama
Didn't Know". While there wasn't anything
particularly original to be found here the
performances were surprisingly engaging and
enthusiastic. Don Cook had a surprisingly versatile
voice that was capable of handling the band's diverse
repetoire. Moreover, in spite of their youth and
clean cut all-American looks, on tracks such as
"Georgianna" and "Johnny B. Goode" the band played
with an enjoyable garage edge. As is frequently the
case, the best track here was the lone original,
"Why". There were also a couple of non-LP 45s on
Freeport and Smash. "Little Miss Sad" is a repackage
of the debut LP to exploit their near hit. [SB]
FIVE KINETICS ( )
"The Snow Children" 1967 (RPC 81262)
Garage covers, nothing special for the most part

excepting a 3.5-minute cover of "You're Gonna Miss
Me" with a jawdropping manic distortion solo for
about a minute and a half! The band may have been
from Michigan. [RM]
FLAMIN' GROOVIES (San Francisco, CA)
“Sneakers” 1968 (Snazz r-2371) [10"]

"Sneakers" 1975 (Skydog mlpfgg-003, France) [10"]
"Sneakers" 199 (Munster, Spain) [10"; poster; 3 handbills]
"Supersneakers" 199 (CD Sundazed sc-6077) [+10 tracks]
Notable for being the first really well-known self-

released album, this 10-incher is also the Groovies
album most likely to appeal to psych fans, with
plenty of fuzz guitar. They’d get better, but this is
still an enjoyable artifact with a few really good
songs. Later Groovies albums are outside of the scope
of this book. "Supersneakers" is a reissue of
"Sneakers" plus ten live tracks from 1968 at the
Matrix in San Francisco. [AM]
FLAT EARTH SOCIETY (Lynn, MA)
"Waleeco" 1968 (Fleetwood 3027)

"Waleeco" 1983 (Psycho 17, UK)
"Waleeco / Space Kids" 1993 (CD Arf Arf 042) [2-on-1]
Well-known local moody teen psych LP, originally sold

as a marketing device for candy bars! There's three
tracks with an outstanding flowing melodic westcoast
feel and acid guitar runs, also some downer
introspections, and a few longer instrumental
passages which show obvious ambitions. The only non-
original is a unique deconstruction of "Midnight
Hour". "Portrait of grey" goes on a couple of minutes
too long, while "Satori" is an unexpectedly
atmospheric "peak time" instro with sitars and
backwards masking. Way cool transition item from the
MA prep/garage scene into the Freeborne/Ill Wind
Bosstown psych era, better than most. Stellar sleeve
too. [PL]
~~~
This album is most remembered for being sold as a
candy bar wrapper offer. It’s hard to imagine what a
ten-year old candy-holic would have thought of this,
because while it has a pop sense, some of it is
pretty freaky. A couple of instrumentals are
particularly far out, though the rest of the album
shows that they could write and perform tight songs
too. A good album, one of the better Bosstown
artifacts. "Space Kids" on the Arf Arf CD is 'a space
opera' by another Boston area band, The Lost. [AM]
FLOATING BRIDGE (Seattle, WA)
"Floating Bridge" 1969 (Vault vs-124)
This hard rock album has a few really killer tunes

mixed in with pedestrian heavy blues and two long
instrumentals (both are covers of well-known 60s
songs, where the chord progressions are used as a
basis for jamming. Different idea, but the jams are
only OK). Overall it's a really patchy album but is
recommended to hard rock fans for the good songs. The
UK version apparently has two songs that are not on
the US version and vice versa. The Japanese press has
the same songs as the US press and is on blood-red
vinyl. [AM]
~~~
A standard mix of originals and popular covers, but
the results sported a distinctively heavy, Hendrix-
inspired sound. Propelled by Gossan's likeable voice
and Dangel and Johansen's twin leads extended guitar
rave-ups like "Crackpot" and their Byrds/Stones
instrumental medley should strike a chord with the
two hard rock fans out there reading this. Elsewhere
another "Hey Jude" cover wouldn't have sounded like
the year's most imaginative move, but these guys
managed to pull it off. Envision the song redone as
an instrumental with a heavy edge that would have
sounded good on an early Allman Brothers album... In
fact the only real disappointment is the routine
bluesy closer "Gonna' Lay Down 'n Die". Much better
than the standard references would have you think,
and surprisingly hard to find in decent shape. [SB]
FLOOD (NY)
"The Rise Of Flood" 1972 (Maple m-6005)

"The Rise Of Flood" 1995 (no label, UK) [altered sleeve;
300#d]
Came with the typical dealer hype when reissued but

is a disappointment along the lines of Farm above.
Local mid-70s sort of barrock/basement AOR vibes with
(God forbid) honkie funk moves. Pretty stiff and flat
soundscape a la the first Agape as well - only
redeeming factor is a passable consistency. Don't
waste your money on this one. [PL]
FLOSS ( )
"Cruisin'" 1976 (Silver Crest Custom) [100p]
New York area high school basement covers. Garagy

guitar primitive versions of songs by Bob Dylan,
Rolling Stones, Beatles etc. Lo-fi recording.
Described as dull and inept by some. The small press
size has been reported by the band.
FLOW (NY)
"Greatest Hits" 1972 (no label) [1-sided version]

"Greatest Hits" 1972 (no label) [2-sided version]
"Greatest Hits" 199 (no label, Europe) [bootleg; 1-sided
version]
"Greatest Hits" 199 (Shadoks, Germany) [2-sided; poster;
bonus 45; 450#d]
"Greatest Hits" 2003 (CD Shadoks 050, Germany) [+3 tracks]
Interesting, unusual LP that stands as a missing link

between the late 60s hard psych era and the mid-1970s
"first wave" Eastcoast punk bands like Television.
Plenty of intense inner city vibes which make the
occasional acid hippie digressions seem out of
context. Loud, in yer face soundscape is great, and
the playing packs a lot of punch -- just dig that
bass player. Some or all of it recorded live in the
studio, it seems. With a bit more consistency on side
2 this would have been a major classic. As few as 100
copies may have been pressed of the original. Shadoks
re has a bonus 45 which is pretty disappointing. [PL]
~~~
Fool your friends by playing them this album and Pete
Fine’s solo album and telling them it’s the same
artist... they’ll never believe you. This album is
heavy, full of chunky guitars. It has some powerful
moments and an appealing rough sound. A few much
quieter, more delicate songs manage to somehow fit in
just fine. Like Fine’s solo album, it’s been a bit
overhyped by collectors, but it’s definitely worth
hearing. All original copies that came in plain
covers read "1-sided" on the back, even though some
discs have music on both sides. Some copies were
issued with the paste-on 'amp' cover. [AM]
~~~
see -> Pete Fine
FLUID OUNCES (GA)
"Picked Green" 1972 (Atteiram)
Obscure private press from local band with soul and

rock covers. Some dealers have tried to hype it with
little success.
FLY BY NIGHT ( )
"Zoo Road" 1980 (Maniac) [lyrics insert]
Hardrock/AOR.
FLYING DOGS OF JUPITER (NJ)
"American Dream" 1975 (Jovian jr-1213-sd)
Grateful Dead sound rural rock.
FLYWHEEL ( )
"Flywheel" 1977 (Central Sound) [500p]
Really bad AOR/prog with horribly dumb love songs and

a wimpy vibe. Dealers try really hard to sell this
one, because it is rare, but don't trust anyone who
calls it "hard rock," "psychedelic" or anything
resembling competent. [AM]
FOLEY AND KAVANAUGH (AZ)
"Ways to Get Through" 1973 (Merlin mk-37-167) [2LPs;

gatefold]
2 LP set of the never-ending kind; songs upon songs

with the same "sincere" 60s folk vibe, half-assed
songwriting and light guitar arrangements. What makes
it hard to swallow are the vocals, of which one is
unexceptional and the other a poor man's Art
Garfunkel that becomes pretty unbearable and only
occasionally matches the lyrical content. There is a
distinct lack of connection between the lyrical
topics, the accompanying melodies, and the
presentation that gives the whole thing a phony feel,
sometimes with an unintentional comic effect as on
the grade A turkey "Peas, carrots and cabbages". With
80+ minutes of playtime there will of course be some
good tracks, although wading through 4 sides of bad
Simon & Garfunkel to get there is hardly worth the
effort. Apparently a Christian outfit, although I
didn't catch much of it, except in a slight
liturgical feel. This is the kind of album that gives
hippiefolk a bad name. [PL]
FOLKLORDS (Toronto, Canada)
"Release the Sunshine" 1969 (Allied 11)

"Release the Sunshine" 2000 (Void 14)
"Release the Sunshine" 2003 (CD Folklords) [+2 tracks]
"Release the Sunshine" 2005 (CD Pacemaker 047)
Disappointing hippie folk LP with a garage sound a la

Gandalf the Grey and the presence of an autoharp the
redeeming factors. Opens OK with Donovan and Brazda
Bros moves but becomes progressively predictable and
uninspired until it's pretty unbearable towards the
end. Bad, deadpan male vocals, sloppy drumming and
clichéd songwriting all help define mediocrity. Not
many people seem to like this. Nice cover though.
There was also a non-LP 45, "Forty Second River" on
the C.O.B (!) label. [PL]
FOLKSWINGERS (Los Angeles, CA)
"Raga Rock" 1966 (World Pacific wp-1846) [mono]

"Raga Rock" 1966 (World Pacific wp-1846) [stereo]
This is an early exploitation cash-in, instrumental

versions of hits of the day, all performed with
Indian instrumentation in a rock context. Many of
them (i.e. “Norwegian Wood,” “Paint It Black,” “Eight
Miles High”) had sitars, tablas and/or Eastern-
sounding melodies in their original versions, so the
choice of songs is pretty logical. This isn’t exactly
“authentic,” and in a few cases there are very few
Indian instruments at all, but rather fuzz guitars
that have a sitar-like sound. One original is tacked
on to the end of the album. This is reasonably well
done, and if the description appeals to you, you’ll
find it a fun record. The "band" had more LPs. [AM]
FOLLIE'S BAZAAR (RI)
"Follie's Bazaar" 1977 (no label 4257)
First LP from RIU college project is a mixed bag with

hippie-folk, boogie and bluegrass. The cover shows a
drawing of a castle. Some of these guys were formerly
with Right Of Little Rest and there's also a
connection to Closely Watched Trains.
"Follie's Bazaar" 1978 (no label 45284)
This appears to be untitled, like the debut, but has

different contents and comes in a cover that shows a
photo of a VW bus. This is progressive folkrock with
some jazzy horn moves. There is at least one more LP,
"No 10" from 1980.
FOLLY'S POOL (Fresno, CA)
"Folly's Pool" 1977 (Century 44675)
This is an unusual album, kind of to prog what The

Third Estate is to psych, with the same combination
of acoustic guitars and wide-open low-budget
production sound. It’s highly ambitious despite
obvious recording limitations. It’s also extremely
varied, going from California-style 70s rural rock to
long folk songs with jig beats to flute-heavy prog
epics. The creative approach to an otherwise
mainstream style is intriguing, though the sound is
really smooth, with harmonies that occasionally make
me long for the good taste, restraint and passion of
the Eagles and Seals & Croft. The sharp acoustic
guitar sound doesn’t exactly mix well with the
showoffy electric leads either. There seems to be a
good deal of talent here to go along with the
creative ideas, but ultimately it sounds like the
slickest possible major label recording (but without
a major label budget.) I find much of it irritating,
but I think that if the basic sound of it doesn’t
turn you off, with deep listens you’ll find a lot
more to like here than I do. In fact, this is the
kind of unique record that may become an absolute
favorite to the right person. The way they turn “Jig
in A” from an old fashioned folk tune into a prog
epic and back is unlike anything else I’ve heard.
Also noteable: the last song is based around the
interesting lyric “we’re waiting on a mountain to
die.” [AM]
~~~
These guys tried hard to eat their cake and have it
too, as they mix Eagles-style 1970s westcoast with
musically advanced UK guitar-prog and hope that
noone's going to complain. Few people probably will,
as they do both styles in a surprisingly adept way
for a vanity label band, with nice country-flavored
melodies and strong vocal harmonies on the LA cowboy
stuff, and adventurous and technically impressive
guitar arrangements on the prog moves. Possibly
originating from Jethro Tull, the end result recalls
another Tull-influenced band, Denmark's great
Culpeper's Orchard, although Folly's Pool don't quite
reach that level of consistency and inspiration.
Third Estate is another possible reference, although
the dreamy psych x-factor magic of that LP isn't
really to be found here. Still, I enjoy this LP quite
a bit, and as a merger of two seemingly opposite
musical styles it's a rare experience. [PL]
FOLLOWERS OF THE WAY (MA)
"Followers Of The Way" 1973 (Sadbird SLP-2513)
Christian folkies, originally from MA but later based

in Des Moines, IA. This first LP is basically
straightforward Catholic folk/singer-songwriter with
a sincere 60s folkboom vibe and Joan Baez school
high-pitched female vocals, sometimes mixed with a
male singer. Instrumentation includes piano, acoustic
guitar tapestries, and a fullblown church organ
instrumental. May appeal to some, but too Sunday
School squeaky clean for me. "Community Lives"
reflects a 1970s missionary zeal, "The humble way"
has a nice psychy Simon & Garfunkel feel, while
"Creator Blues" is not very successful. [PL]
"Blessed Weakness" 1975 (NFCLC)
The second LP from the sextet is more ambitious.

Female vocals with acoustic and 12-string guitar,
flute, recorder, piano, and hand percussion. Band
originals all through. Recorded in St Louis.
ROBERT LESTER FOLSOM (GA)
"Music And Dreams" 1976 (Abacus)
Obscure album in a mid-70s pop/singer-songwriter

direction with full band and some psych seasoning.
FOOD (Chicago, IL)
"Forever is a Dream" 1969 (Capitol st-304) [green label]

"Forever is a Dream" 2000 (CD Ascension, Australia)
"Forever is a Dream" 2003 (Breeder, Austria)
"Forever is a Dream" 2005 (Capitol/Scorpio)
Overlooked and fairly impressive major label studio-

psych LP in the Sgt Pepper tradition, comparable to J
K & Co, the psych angles of Rainy Daze, and the 2nd
Mandrake Memorial. Some ripping fuzz reveals the
release date as 1969 rather than 1967. One of several
good Capitol psych LPs, although a little too
zeitgeist derivative for my ears. Vocalist Steve
White later did an obscure Christian 45 as Vision.
[PL]
~~~
Mysterious, wondrous masterpiece that most collectors
dismiss as the little brother to the other Capitol
monsters (Gandalf and Common People) when it’s
actually the best of the three. Intensely emotional
and dramatic; these guys had a vision and multiple
listens begin to reveal its depth. String-laden
ballads hold hands with fleeting blasts of power
chords. Bits and pieces that seem to have no purpose
blend together to create a surprisingly coherent
whole. It’s hard to know if they even intended this
to be a “concept album,” but it’s definitely a case
of the whole being more then the sum of the pieces,
good as the pieces are. [AM]
~~~
FOOTCH KAPOOT ( )
"Good Clean Fun" 1978 (Cornball nr-9348)

"Good Clean Fun" 2005 (CD Radioactive 111, UK)
Ridiculously hyped dull rock with some progressive

leanings. Nashville label. [RM]
FORD THEATRE (Milford, MA)
"Trilogy For The Masses" 1968 (ABC s-658) [gatefold]

"Trilogy For The Masses" 200 (CD Black Rose 173, Germany)
Trippy guitar and organ on this debut LP which is

pretty solid and has seen some interest. The followup
"Time Changes" (1969, ABC s-681) is common and rather
weak. [RM]
LOUISE FORESTIER (Quebec, Canada)
"L.F." 1969 (Canadian Gamma 121)
Forestier followed up her work on the

Charlebois/Forestier album with this solo album,
which is even wilder (and, due to the topless
picture of her in the cover collage, just as
controversial.) The first song sounds like Edith
Piaf, but is instantly wiped out by a wash of
backwards instruments, heavy fuzz guitar, frantic
bass and squawking organ. She sounds like she can’t
keep up with the instruments and the effect is wild,
indeed. She does seem more comfortable afterwards,
as the songs mellow a bit to jazzy pop/rock and
spooky ballads. This album is definitely wilder in a
rock sense than the Charlebois album. The sense of
“anything goes” is appealing, though this album
doesn’t quite have the same creativity or
consistency as that superior work. Forestier’s
tendency to get overdramatic makes it seem that no
matter how much she wants to experiment she’ll never
be 100% suited to a rock setting. Still, it’s
recommended, and doesn’t sound like any other US or
Canadian psych-era album. [AM]
~~~
see -> Robert Charlebois
FORMULA ( )
"Formula" 197 (no label) [blank back cover]
Very obscure early 1970s westcoast style rock with

covers of Neil Young, Traffic etc; the highlight has
been reported as the band original, "Berkeley Woman".
Band member David Riordan released a major label LP
in 1973.
FORT MUDGE MEMORIAL DUMP (Boston, MA)
"Fort Mudge Memorial Dump" 1970 (Mercury 61256) [wlp exists]
Johnny-come-lately Airplane epigon with an impressive

full & tight sound and versatile musicians enjoying
the freer reins of 1970 while performing 1967-type
material. Vocalist chick very much in a Grace mode
sets things rolling nicely but is inexplicably
scuffed aside by less impressive tunes & male singers
as the LP progresses. Still enjoyable with good
guitar and a real band presence like most MA hippie
outfits; Ill Wind's promising kid brother perhaps.
[PL]
~~~
So-so Bosstown album that suffers from a lot of
clichés of the genre, including a drum solo, boring
bluesy numbers and the world’s most pretentious and
annoying male vocalist. The female vocalist is good,
though, and a few of the songs she sings are pretty
strong. Too bad there aren’t enough of them to make
up for the dreck that surrounds them. Not at all
original; this album lends credence to the “Bosstown
just wants to be San Francisco but can’t hold a
candle to it” theory. [AM]
FORTUNE TELLER (Baltimore, MD)
"Inner-City Scream" 1978 (R.M.T. Studios 4956)
Raw 70s garage rock with a rough urban edge as hinted

by the title; obvious influence from late 60s Stones
but with the macho posturing replaced by a bleak blue
collar outlook that gives it a realistic presence,
not unlike the rootsier tracks on Rayne. Minimalist
and concise, devoid of any hippie dreams, very
appealing in its honesty. Imagine the guys in Clap
after a week of hard factory shifts, or Boa's older
Viet Vet brothers. Killer 60s garage-psych moves on
"Looking Glass World" is a highpoint with fuzz-lead
and bass runs straight out of "Psychedelic Disaster
Whirl"; a couple of tracks show a more sensitive
melodic side that works well too. A mysterious "1968"
date on the sleeve and label had people thinking the
LP was from the late 60s, an indication of its
timeless nature. May appeal to fans of 70s punk/DIY.
Originals all through I think. Judging from this and
the George Brigman LP, Baltimore was a pretty heavy
place in the late 1970s. [PL]
~~~
This album exists in a time warp. It’s from the midst
of the first punk era, but sounds genuinely 60s
garage the way no neo-garage band ever did. The fuzz
guitars are everpresent, and the songs are pure
garage pop and garage rock, rocking hard without ever
sounding remotely “hard rock.” The sound is as cheap
as can be, which only accentuates the coolness of the
fuzz. Despite some awkward singing, there are a lot
of catchy melodies here, and I can imagine that
Baltimorians who discovered “Nuggets” in the late 70s
went nuts over this band. A few songs flirt with
rural rock, but basically it’s teen-sounding angst,
just as cool as their punk peers. [AM]
49TH PARALLEL (Calgary, Canada)
"49th Parallel" 1969 (Venture 7001)

"49th Parallel" 1969 (Maverick MAS 7001, US)
"49th Parallel" 199 (no label, Italy)
"49th Parallel" 1997 (CD Flashback, UK) [album + bonus tracks]
"49th Parallel" 2005 (CD Pacemaker 019) [album + 9 bonus
tracks]
The mix of 60s pop sounds and garagy rock works well
here, and there are surprising production fillips
(i.e. the acoustic guitar licks on the opening “Now
That I’m A Man.”) A few songs flirt with soul with
reasonable success, while others have some noisy fuzz
guitar. I think this is much better and more
ambitious than a lot of US Monkees-style pop albums
(i.e. Lewis & Clarke Expedition), but it’s probably
not unusual enough to explain the hefty price tag.
The Canadian and US pressings seem to be about
equally rare. The Pacemaker CD includes some
excellent non-LP tracks as bonus. [AM]
FORUM (WA)
"A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Our Tree" 1971 (Vanco)
Early 70s organ fuzz barband AOR jams with covers of

"Southern Man", "Evil ways" etc. Same label as Easy
Chair.
FOUL DOGS (Concord, NH)
"No 1" 1966 (Rhythm Sound ga-481)

"No 1" 1985 (Resurrection CX 1296)
One of those rare New England prep-rock (St Paul's

School) LPs, this has a great sleeve but musically
little to distinguish it. Punkier than the Half Tribe
or the Ha'Pennys, more professional than Rasputin &
the Monks (then again, what isn't?), closest relative
is probably the Other Half from CT. Several Stones
covers as always, with goofy "manly" Eric Burdon
vocals plus two good originals. Will satisfy those
familiar with the style, others should proceed with
caution. [PL]
FOUR OF US (CO)
"Illusions Of Hope" 1972 (RPC AZ 66401)
Live recording of vocal harmony folk-group, in the

same generic sleeve as the second Fenner, Leland &
O'Brien.
4TH CEKCION (TX)
"4th Cekcion" 1970 (Solar 110)
Loungy barband rock in a cool, primitive cover.
4TH MOVEMENT (Burlington, VT)
"4th Movement" 1980 (Tryangle)
"Totally" 1982 (Tryangle 10018)
Christian black power trio, with throwback to bluesy

funky Hendrix - Funkadelic style riffs. Has been
hyped but none too impressive to these ears.
FOWLE, FOSTER & BRIGGS (MI)
"Across the Horizon" 1981 (Michigan Nickel Company)
Mix of southern rock and progressive sound with good

guitar. Same generic cover as the rare Asylum LP.
JOHN FOWLER & HARPOON (CA)
"Live" 1980 (Lightworks 0002) [10"]
Heavy Christian bluesy rock featuring dual leads and

harmonica.
FOXX (Granite Falls, NC)
“Sirens Serenade” 1979 (World Records) [inserts]
Hardrock. Reportedly only about 100 copies pressed.
FRACTION (Los Angeles, CA)

"Moonblood" 1971 (Angelus 5005) [die-cut plastic window cover;
inner sleeve; 2 inserts; 1000p]
"Moonblood" 1987 (no label, Austria) [385p; altered sleeve]
"Moonblood" 1993 (CD Flashback, Italy)
"Moonblood" 1995 (Angelus) [window cover]
"Moonblood" 1995 (Cryptrock) [window cover; 500p]
"Moonblood" 199 (CD, Italy)
"Moonblood" 200 (CD Rockaway 01231) [+3 tracks]
"Moonblood" 2004 (CD Radioactive 054, UK)
"Moonblood" 2004 (Radioactive 054, UK)
The underground heavy psych monster to conquer them

all! A bunch of Christians on an Old Testament style
crusade armed with long intense tracks, dual fuzz/wah
wah guitars and the grungiest vocalist imaginable.
There is a strong late-period Doors influence that
extends to direct quotes from "L'America", yet the
emotional charge and completely different band
setting turns this into an advantage, somehow. The
holy song trinity that make up tracks 2, 3 & 4 is
among the most powerful music ever laid down. Many
rate this as the best local LP anywhere, though as
originals currently sell for $2500 you might wanna
try a reissue. Various bullshit figures on the
miniscule press size are in circulation, but the
guitarist has reported 1000 copies being made. The CD
bonus tracks are only OK -- in order to realize just
how great the album is, you shouldn't play those
along with the album proper. The Rockaway CD is the
only legit reissue, and it should be pointed out that
none of the reissues capture the sound of the
original, which is a hi-fi recording with much
presence and clarity. The mid-90s vinyl bootlegs on
'Angelus' and Cryptrock reproduce the expensive "LA
Woman"-style gimmick window cover, and may be worth
searching out. [PL]
~~~
I would be very hard pressed to name a better private
psychedelic LP than "Moonblood". Like the CA Quintet
album this is that very rare thing, a concept album
that works. Where the CA Quintet floods our minds
with images of the various hells we create on earth,
Fraction seize on the heaven we fail to create. I
always feel my spine tingle when listening to this
album, it never fails to astonish me. The vocalist
Jim Beach sounds like he is undergoing agonized
conflicts of faith, a righteous man, growling,
snarling and finally screaming at a world where
seekers after truth are downtrodden. The guitars are
so overloaded with effects that they sound like a
storm raging on the surface of another world. The
drums have fantastic range, at times very delicate,
at other times, pounding with raw energy. Every band
member gives it all they have and all the songs were
recorded as ‘one takes’. This really works as they
sound very fresh and alive, like the band is playing
right next to you. There is nothing righteous or
preachy on the LP. You can feel the inner turmoil
boiling over. The themes are broadly Christian, but
with a very strong pagan element incorporated. The
Son will come to birth and free Mother Earth. I find
the lyrics deeply moving, spiritually uplifting and
filled with apocalyptic vision: “Come out of her/
Come out of her/Embrace the Sons quiet warmth ever
upward”. On the final track ‘This Bird (Sky High)’
Jim Beach is screaming the lyrics: “No clown on the
ground/Tries to put me down/Since I found the Lord”
Without the lyric sheet you could only guess at what
he is saying, which only added to the mystery. ‘Eye
of the Hurricane’ is amazing. Mind-bending lyrics
spat and shouted over a haze of fuzz and wah-wah, it
builds and builds to an impossible intensity, you
wonder where else the vocal chords can go, the
fingers of the guitar players must have been wrecked.
The hazy image of the band on the front of the 1986
Austrian boot (which was the first reissue) showed a
band that looked beyond cool, crazy shaggy burns,
shades and leathers. They stare down at you like some
crazed pack of angry bikers about to ink over your
tattooes. “Extend your thumbs and burn the darkness
out of her” -- indeed, Brother, indeed. [RI]
FRAGILE (Camden, NJ)
"This Side Up" 1968 (Rubia't) [stamped front cover]
Folk from the local Dulcimer Coffeehouse.
FRAMEWORK (San Diego, CA)
"Skeleton" 2000 (Rockadelic 32) [2LPs; inserts]

"Skeleton" 200 (CD) [2CDs]
Glossy 2LP set uncovering the story and 1968-69

studio/live recordings of an obscure San Diego
outfit. Touted as "the second Brain Police" by
hopeful dealers, the connection between the bands was
marginal and this won't gain as many fans, I think.
The informative but longwinded liner notes refer to
the band as a power trio and Hendrixy, but in
actuality this is a pretty low-key, latenight bluesy
club affair for most part. Some tracks have an Ant
Trip Ceremony ambience, others are a bit like the
Metromedia Christopher - you get the idea. Despite
the generous space given the total impression is
"ambition but no direction" for me. Their rare 45 is
included and one of the highlights. The packaging is
unusual and appealing but maybe this one should have
remained a standard format single LP. [PL]
FRANCISCO (Santa Barbara, CA)
"Cosmic Beam Experience" 1976 (Cosmic Beam Records CBE-001)

[1000p]
"Cosmic Beam Experience" 2005 (CD Radioactive 112, UK)
Based on the title and cover art, I was expecting to

hear a collection of instantly forgettable new age
dribble. Well, I was only partially correct. The
album starts out with a killer piece of pop - with
it's catchy chorus and uplifting lyrics 'Heal
Yourself' would have made a dandy top-40 single. The
flip side opener 'Love Sweet Love' is almost as good.
Spread across two extended sections (at least part of
it recorded in L.A.'s St. Paul's cathedral), the
title track is much more in keeping with my original
expectations. Musically the mix of sound effects
(waves, rain, thunder), electronics, acoustic sounds
and choral segments is mildly entertaining. Imagine a
mix between 1990s industrial noise and a band of
stoned hippies deciding to take a tape recorder along
as they enjoy a day at the beach and you'll get a
feel for how weird it is. I'll at least admit that I
like it more than say, Atlantis Philharmonic. By the
same token you're not going to get up an' dance your
ass off to any of this. The album also attracted some
attention when composer Hans Zimmer sampled some of
it for his work on the soundtrack to Terrence
Mallick's film "The Thin Red Line". [SB]
~~~
If someone had played this for me unseen, I would
have guessed on a late 1980s release date. It opens
with a strong, conventional rock song which is a dead
ringer for the tribal "world-beat" sound that Peter
Gabriel and others popularized in the 80s. The rest
of the LP is electronica and ambient, mostly spooky
and cerebral stuff without the lame new age angles.
Parts sound like the "Apocalypse Now" soundtrack, but
mostly I'm reminded of the more serious 1990s ambient
artists, like David Toop. This music is currently out
of fashion, and it's too bad Francisco missed the
boat back around 1990, because I believe he really
could have seen a bit of retro-rediscovery buzz at
the time. [PL]
TERRY FRANK (WI)
"Loaded To Fire" 1981 (no label)

"Loaded To Fire" 2005 (CD Synton, Austria)
1970s style heavy guitar LP.
ALAN FRANKLIN EXPLOSION (Orlando, FL)
"Climax" 197 (Horne)
"Blues Climax" 1970 (Horne 888)

"Blues Climax" 1983 (Psycho 18, UK)
The wellknown Horne 888 LP is a bluesy garage club-

sound blowout with desperate vocals and a sidelong
jammer. Despite the early reissue it's hardly the
stuff collector dreams are made of, but a nice local
basement testament anyway. A cool primitive sleeve
adds some points. "Climax" may be a demo press
variation of "Blues Climax", and comes housed in a
black cover bearing only the LP title on the front.
It reportedly contains alternate, even rawer versions
of tracks also on "Blues Climax". An acetate has also
been found, having some overlap with the Horne 888
LP, and may simply be the "Climax" demo in yet
another format.
"Alan Roy Franklin" 197 (Underground OVL 88-2) [no sleeve]
This obscure, sleeveless LP released under the name

Alan Roy Franklin has been described as a whacked out
heavy guitar effort with "boogie" moves. The label
notes a pressing defect on one side, which apparently
makes Franklin's vocals sound even weirder. There is
also a 1979 LP on Aladdin ("Come home baby"),
credited to Alan Franklin, which is more refined
electric blues rock housed in an ugly sleeve, and not
very interesting. None of Franklin's LPs feature a
real band, it's just him plus local session
musicians. [PL]
FRANKLIN & HAYES ( )
"Autumn To May" 1969 (no label)
Mixed vocals loner folk/folkrock obscurity, rated

highly by some, others are less impressed. Some Peter
Paul & Mary numbers, Simon & Garfunkel, etc.
FRASER & DEBOLT (Canada)
"Fraser & Debolt With Ian Guenther" 1970 (Columbia C 30381)
This remarkable album has left an imprint on many.

It's hard to find another record that is so
unanimously treasured by the rare people who have
heard it, and has had such a huge influence on so
many while being heard by so few. The reason is the
same reason the record sold squat: it's full of
gorgeous ragged edges and inspired imperfections.
It's human and heartfelt with no pretense or gloss.
We're talking out-of-tune violin licks, intentionally
dissonant chord progressions, backing vocals that are
out of time and out of sync, and a general loose
feeling in which every experiment seems to have been
dreamt up on the spur of the moment (though it's more
likely that they picked and chose wisely after years
of trial and error.) On all but one song (which adds
sax and piano) the musical backing is merely two
acoustic guitars and violin, often arranged with a
punk-like simplicity. Yet every song sounds full and
rich, each is different from the others, and the
unique approach to dual vocals fills the songs with
left turns, sublime beauty, and moments that will
make the most jaded listener smile. It's been called
"art-folk," which is as good a description as any.
It's also rock and roll without electricity or drums,
and acid folk without any of the daze or confusion.
More than anything else, this is a style of singing
that usually drives me nuts, a type of instrumental
arrangement that usually leaves me wanting, and the
type of duo for which I usually wish one or the other
would just shut up and let the other sing, yet it's
done so well that none of those thoughts ever cross
my mind. Brilliant. A US pressing also exists. Their
second LP, "With Pleasure" (Columbia, 1973) is
inferior. [AM]
~~~
V.A "FREAKOUT USA" (CA)
"Freakout USA" 1967 (Sidewalk t-5901)
Good comp with various LA styles from fuzz punk to

jangly folkrock. Bands include Aftermath, Mom's Boys,
Hands Of Time, Glass Family (with great fuzz-punker
"I'm losing it") and others. [RM]
FREAK SCENE (New York City, NY)
"Psychedelic Psoul" 1967 (Columbia cl-2656) [mono]

"Psychedelic Psoul" 1967 (Columbia cs-9456) [stereo]
"Psychedelic Psoul" 1996 (Head 2896, Germany)
"Hard Rock From the Middle East / Psychedelic Psoul" 199 (CD
Collectables) [2-on-1]
"Psychedelic Psoul" 200 (CD Headlite, Germany)
"Psychedelic Psoul" 2005 (Columbia)
Rusty Evans' second classic after the Deep LP and

pretty similar in style; industry-approved
acidpunk/acidpsych with sound effects and weird
lyrics. Adds a student counterculture dimension for
further cheesiness and illumination. Underrated for
long, but most people I know enjoy this LP quite a
bit. My take is that almost all tracks have good
basic ideas but often aren't adequately developed,
and that some tunes go on too long. Nevertheless I
prefer this over a whole bunch of turgid late 1960s
heavy guitar LPs that sell for three times as much
money. "Serious" progressive rock fans may not enjoy.
Mandatory to any 60s-oriented psych collection. [PL]
~~~
Some like this as much as the Deep's album, but I
think it's much more of a mixed bag, without the
pioneering spirit and inspired songwriting that makes
the Deep so special. Both albums are "exploitation
records," but only this one feels that way.
Nonetheless, there are some cool, unique songs here
and it's worth wading through the failed experiments
to find them. [AM]
FREAKY BILLY (Hollywood, CA)
"Loose" 1969 (Nocturne nrs-906)
This is obviously the work of studio hacks, as there

are no musician credits. It’s pretty tame by biker
standards, moderate blues rock with some soul moves.
The lead guitarist, who makes liberal use of wah-wah
and other effects (but no fuzz), is quite good. He’s
the best thing about the album. The songs on side two
are a bit more interesting than the fifteen minute
“motorcycle cantata” that comprises side one, but all
of it ends up being pretty forgettable. The album
cover (especially the collage on the back) is cool,
though. Released as by Freaky Billy, The Wheelie
King. [AM]
FRED (PA)
"Fred" 2001 (World In Sound 007, Germany)

"Fred" 2002 (CD World In Sound 1003, Germany)
Unreleased early 1970s recordings from band who cut a

cool psych 45, "A love song". The LP has been
reported as being mainly in a progressive style.
There are two more retrospective releases, "Notes On
A Picnic" (CD World In Sound 1016) and "Live At The
Bitter End, 1974" (CD World In Sound 1020).
FREDRIC (Grand Rapids, MI)
"Phases & Faces" 1968 (Forte 80461)

"Phases & Faces" 1993 (Medium) [bootleg; 1 track omitted]
"Phases & Faces" 1996 (CD Arf Arf 061) [+5 tracks]
"Phases & Faces" 200 (Medium, Germany) [laminated sleeve]
Top notch pop album from the future David Geddes.

This is a truly solid record, full of interesting and
well-conceived songs, a nice mix of styles, and a few
production moments that place it firmly into the
psychedelic era. That may just be a product of its
time (the liner notes to the CD confirm that the song
"Old Fashioned Guy" is wholly sincere), but however
the influence got to them, it's welcome. Comparable
to the David's album in songwriting and production
quality, though the sound is quite different. The CD
reissue contains good bonus material, although one
bonus track listed on the sleeve is not on the actual
CD. [AM]
~~~
We've seen various reference works describe 1968's
"Phases and Faces" as flowery pop, leaving the
impression these guys might be little more than
Association clones. Having listened to the LP a dozen
times, that's not exactly an apt description. With
all five members contributing material, the set's
actually quite diverse, much of it exhibiting a weird
pseudo-English feel. While tracks such as "The Girl I
Love" and "All About Judi" are rather commercial pop,
the opener "Federal Reserve Bank Blues" and "Morning
Sunshine" sport distinctive psyche influences.
Elsewhere, "Taggin'" and "My Yellow Tree" offered up
great slice of fuzz guitar-propelled garage rock.
Strong melodies, some great harmonies ("Born In
Fire") and surprisingly impressive production
(particularly for a small label), make for an
impressive package. [SB]
FREEBORNE (Boston, MA)
"Peak Impressions" 1969 (Monitor 607) [wlp exists]

"Peak Impressions" 199 (CD Aftermath 014, UK)
"Peak Impressions" 199 (CD Arf Arf) [+bonus tracks]
"Peak Impressions" 199 (Fantasia, Europe) [altered sleeve]
Good subtle organ-led studio-psych with serious

ambitions, similar to Mandrake Memorial's "Puzzle"
but more low-key and spooky. Takes time to get into
and not entirely successful, but worth checking out
for any fan of classic psychedelia. An original
German pressing exists. [PL]
~~~
The most unusual of the Bosstown groups. Jazzy free-
form experimentation and really far out arrangements
make this album truly one of a kind. No song stays in
any one direction for any length of time; they had so
many ideas they didn’t seem to know how to cram them
all in. Side one is fantastic from start to finish.
Side two’s experiments aren’t quite as interesting,
but still this is a great and unique album
recommended to all. [AM]
~~~
FREE DESIGN ( )
"There Is A Song" 1972 (Ambrotype 1016)

"There Is A Song" 2005 (Lita 015, UK)
"There Is A Song" 2005 (CD Lita 015, UK)
The last Free Design album was self-produced and

released on this small Rochester, NY label, and thus
is significantly more valuable than the ones on
Project 3. It has a similar airy soft rock sound with
the usual bubbly harmonies. This contains more self-
penned material than their other, less obscure
albums, which fall outside the scope of our archives.
NAT FREEDLAND (CA)
"The Occult Explosion" 1973 (United Artists) [2LPs; gatefold;

booklet]
Thee occult documentary! Probing dialogue about UFOs,

psychic powers, witchcraft, ESP, yoga(!), Indian
magic, satanism, etc. With an all-star cast including
Anton La Vey, Louise Huebner, Alan Watts. Freedland
published a book of the same name. UK band Black
Widow provide two songs, rest is spoken word. [RM]
FREEDOM EXPRESS (PA)
"Brings Fresh Air" 1975 (Fresh Start RD 1)
Deadish loose bluesy jams, mix of acoustic and fuzz,

even some biker snarls.
FREEDOM HIGHWAY (San Francisco, CA)
"Made In '68" 2000 (RD Records 9, Switzerland)

"Made In '68" 2000 (CD RD Records 9, Switzerland) [+3 bonus
tracks]
Retrospective release of Bay Area band who played the

ballrooms and festivals back then but never had any
records out. This material dates from a slightly
later area than their best stuff, as heard on a few
live tapes, and goes in a rural/roots rock direction.
Beautiful packaging. [PL]
FREEDOM NORTH (Canada)
"Freedom North" 1970 (Aquarius 501)
This scarce Canadian LP is a good one in the late 60s

co-ed sweepstakes. They may try to cover too much
ground, mixing in some horn-heavy soft pop and
country rock with a bunch of nice fuzz-guitar-laden
rock songs. The album starts out wimpy, but soon
enough a few songs really rock in a late garage
style. The long "Lonely Man" is very strong, and "Dr.
Tom" is even better, a should-have-been-hit with
awesome fuzz guitar and evocative singing. (It was
released as a single in the US and UK, under the
band's new name "Freedom of Choice," and with a non-
LP B-side. That was this band's only release outside
of their native Canada.) Both the male and female
vocals on the album are quite good. While a few songs
end up being disappointingly out of place, even those
kind of grow on you after a while, and a few have
neat surprises (i.e. "Hey Carmen," which starts as
pure country and ends in a wash of fuzz guitar.) All
in all, pretty cool. [AM]
FREE ENTERPRIZE ( )
"The Eye Of The Beholder" 197 (no label)
Very obscure downer folkrock duo with introspective

vibes, housed in primitive homemade cover.
FREE FLIGHT ( )
"Night Hawk" 1976 (Pepperhead)
A bit seedy rural Deadish guitar rock.
FREEMAN SOUND (OH)
"Heavy Trip" 2005 (World In Sound rfr 25, Germany) [+bonus 7"]
"Heavy Trip" 2005 (CD World In Sound 1028, Germany)
Unreleased recordings from obscure Ohio band with

1970 45 on the same label as Morly Grey. Much of this
is actually modern recordings, nevertheless about
half of it is enjoyable sinister psychrock with a
late Doors vibe.
FREEPORT (OH)
"Freeport" 1970 (Mainstream s-6130) [wlp exists]
Mix of soft pop, bluesy garage psych, and heavy rock.

Organ, fuzz. One of the weaker albums on the label.
FREE REIGN (Louisville, KY)
"Live" 1973 (Rondo 119)
"Antonymous" 197 (Bridges)
Southern sound rural rock/ roadhouse covers with

horns like First Friday. The live LP is exceptionally
rare but not anything to write home about musically.
[RM]
FREE SPIRITS ( )
"Free Spirits" 1967 (ABC 693) [mono]

"Free Spirits" 1967 (ABC s-693) [stereo]
Larry Coryell led this group, which made jazz rock

before such a thing existed. It's hardly a fusion
album; it's a garagey rock album with short, tight
songs that just happen to have jazzy instruments and
chord progressions. It's a unique and experimental
record that makes the listener wonder why the two
musical styles weren't combined in such a fashion
again. In a way, it's an oddity, but in another way
it's as groundbreaking as the Deep's album. The
recording was apparently rushed and sloppy, and the
songwriting is up and down, so the album is by no
means a masterpiece, but it is an interesting and
enjoyable listen with some excellent moments.
Coryell's LPs on Vanguard and Flying Dutchman are
also of interest to guitar-rock fans. [AM]
FREEWAYS ( )
"Last Roundup" 1965 (private)
Prep rock with horns.
FREE WILL ( )
"Free Will" 1977 (Guiness gns-36041)
This is one of the most interesting albums on

Guinness. It's not great all the way through, but the
good stuff on it is probably the best music to be
released on the label. Side one comprises an intense
Yardbirds cover, some really hot boogie rock and a
few jazzy pop/rock songs that sound like what the
Zombies may have been in the 70s if they added a sax
player and great lead guitarist. Best of all is the
first song on side two, "Are You Gone?," 7:39 of
heavy riff rock, jam packed with fantastic lead
guitar patterns and powerful drumming. So far, a
truly great album. Too bad the next song is a ten
minute Chuck Berry medley. It's unusual, to be sure,
and something of a tour de force, as they turn his
songs into just about every rock genre you can
imagine, but it's basically a novelty that becomes
annoying with multiple listens. The album ends with a
sax-heavy jazz instrumental that's almost as
unexpected as the disco song on the T. Kail album.
There really isn't anything you can compare this
weird album to. As good as it is, it sounds like an
unfinished rough mix. It occasionally seems like they
hadn't finished all of the overdubbing, and here and
there certain instruments are mixed too loud or too
soft. Unlike a lot of Guinness records, the back
cover does list full band credits. [AM]
FREEZE BAND (Phoenix, AZ)
"Freeze Band" 1978 (no label)
Eclectic dual guitar progressive jammers running the

gamut from rural, to Southern, to jazz and funk. THe
band also had a track on the local "Arizona Dream"
compilation.
FREIGHT TRAIN (Philadelphia, PA)
"Just the Beginning" 1971 (Fly by Nite fbn-1001)
Heavy blues rockers doing classic blues covers

similar to Chicken Shack. Songs by Jimmy Reed, T-Bone
Walker, Sonny Boy Williamson (II), Willie Dixon. [RM]
FRENCH LICK (CA)
"Glider" 1976 (Fric Frac) [blank back; insert]
"Glider" is a smorgasbord of 70s prog and AOR

clichés, but they're assembled in a rather likeable
way, as is the case with, say, Oz Knozz, though this
isn't nearly as heavy. There are plenty of synths
here, high male vocals, tempo shifts, and funky
rhythms. Each side ends with a lengthy three-part
suite. There's also an acoustic ballad, some obvious
Yes influences, and a ridiculous synth instrumental
that brings to mind 70s moog novelties like
"Popcorn." All of it is very well-played and sung;
they have a good youthful spirit and enough ideas for
two albums. Not all of the experiments work, and the
instrumental suite on side one falls a little flat,
but if you’re inclined to like this kind of album
it’s recommended. I don’t expect it to convert
skeptics, though. Pick hit: “Talk About Love,” which
has backwards drum bits and a haunting hook/melody
line. Some copies of this album came with the cover
already pasted on while others came in a white sleeve
with front and back cover both included as inserts.
[AM]
FRESH AIR (Los Angeles, CA)
"A Breath Of" 1970 (Amaret st-5005)

"A Breath Of" 2004 (CD Radioactive 076, UK)
Obscure band on MGM subsidiary caught in transition

from west coast psych to west coast rock with
keyboard/guitar mix. Not rated that highly but I
think it's pretty solid, with 2-3 great psychy tracks
and a "heavy" cover of "For What It's Worth". Should
appeal to fans of the '69-70 style of Sugar Creek or
Wizards From Kansas. Pro-sounding affair with nice
use of organ throughout. The band was originally
called California Grassfield and competed locally in
Ventura County with psych legends Children Of the
Mushroom. [PL]
~~~
Standard semi-heavy rock with prominent organ, a
soulful singer, and a pretty mainstream sound. If
this album wasn’t so rare, no one would notice it.
It’s not bad for what it is, but not particularly
distinctive either. The LP was also released in
Australia. [AM]
FRESH BLUEBERRY PANCAKE (Pittsburgh, PA)
"Heavy" 1970 (no label, no #) [no sleeve; stickers; 50p]

"Heavy" 2001 (Shadoks 022, Germany) [new sleeve; 450#d]
"Heavy" 200 (CD Shadoks, Germany)
Local hardrock/guitar-psych jammer in the typical

post-acid OH/PA bag, with a bluesy feel and a few
lyrical jazzy elements. The sound is echoey and
somewhat chaotic a la Brigade minus the organ. Should
appeal to genre fans, although the vibrato vocalist
may be a turnoff for some. Even after several plays
the album sounds rather flat to me with no obvious
depth or personality, but it's consistent and has a
raw feel. The opening "Hassles" gives a good taste of
the entire LP, and is probably the best thing on it
if you want a sample. [PL]
~~~
Bluesy heavy psych rock. Mix of ferocious fuzz
sustain and ringing, flowing leads. Incredible
quavering vocals like Perry Farrell. World weary
songs, a couple jazzy psych tracks, and a xian
element sneaks in. The monstrous "Hassles" brings to
mind Phantasia's "Transparent Face"! [RM]
FRIAR TUCK & HIS PSYCHEDELIC GUITAR (CA)
"Friar Tuck and his Psychedelic Guitar" 1967 (Mercury mg-

21111) [mono]
"Friar Tuck and his Psychedelic Guitar" 1967 (Mercury mg-
61111) [stereo]
Studio psych exploito with half covers, featuring
Mike Deasy and Ben Benay, produced by Curt Boettcher.
Highly rated by genre fans. According to some there's
actually some overlap in the music tracks with the
Goldenrod LP. [RM]
V.A "FRIDAY AT THE CAGE A-GO-GO" (Detroit, MI)
"Friday At The Cage-A-Go-Go" 1965 (Westchester 1005)

"Friday At The Cage-A-Go-Go" 1988 (Hide The Sausage) [new
sleeve]
A rare local LP that was first issued as above, but

as the Cage-A-Go-Go went out of business the
remaining copies were retitled "Long Hot Summer". One
of the better local comps, this has some cool
R'n'B/dance covers by the Lourds and the Individuals
as well as four great folkrock originals by the
Fugitives and the Oxford Five. Enjoyable stuff,
despite a new cheesy psych sleeve the reissue is
worth checking out. Very short playtime, though. Some
tracks have been comp'd. [PL]
RUTHANN FRIEDMAN ( )
"Constant Companion" 1969 (Reprise rs-6363) [wlp exists]
Superb moody femme folk psych with fragile singing

and delicate acoustic guitar playing. stark and deep
meditations on lost love, topsy-turvy moons, ringing
bells. [RM]
~~~
Loner folk album with just voice and acoustic guitar
throughout. She's got an unusual vision and writes
some strong songs here, but it's hard to listen to
this without wishing some of the songs had more
elaborate arrangements. Worth it for fans of the
genre, especially since there are so few women who
made albums like this. Friedmann also did the music
for a biker movie called "The Peacekillers". [AM]
FRIENDS ( )
"Time For a Crossing" 1977 (R.P.C.) [insert]
Basement folk on vanity label.
FRIENDSOUND (Los Angeles, CA)
"Joyride" 1969 (RCA LSP-4114)

"Joyride" 200 (Joyride 01-1, Europe)
"Joyride" 200 (RCA)
Anyone expecting to hear something in the Paul Revere

or Brotherhood vein is going to be in for one major
shock! Self-produced, 1969's Friendsound makes
absolutely no attempt to go down the commercial road
and to our ears may deserve to be noted as one of the
first real "jam" albums. It's also one of those rare
instances where the liner notes are dead-on: "We
rounded up all our musician friends in the area and
headed for a recording studio to have a musical free-
for-all." That pretty much says it all. Exemplified
by material such as the title track and "Childhood's
End", the six extended numbers were largely
instrumental in nature. Credited as group
compositions, songs such as "Childsong" and "Empire
of Light" are full of studio experimentation,
including backward tapes, sound effects and acid-
influenced ramblings. Some of it's mildly
interesting; some of it simply a bunch of guys too
stoned for their own good. Luckily Raiders members
Levin, Smith and Volk were too grounded in top-40 pop
to totally abandon such concepts as rhythm and
melody, but it's pretty clear late night parting
imbued them with a lot more freedom and creative
latitude than your typical Paul Revere & the Raiders
session. Not for the faint of heart, or top-40
junkies, but worth checking out for the more
adventuresome of you out there. This band featured
one Ron Collins, reportedly of Beat Of The Earth, on
organ. The LP is sometimes listed with band name and
LP title reversed. British and Australian pressings
exist. [SB]
~~~
see -> Cosmic Travellers
JOHNNY FRIGO QUARTET (Chicago, IL)
"Afro-American Jazz Dance" 196 (Orion lp-115)
The one to have by this group. Black group bohemian

jazz meets rock with long tracks and no horns. Loads
of fuzz and wah wah churning over the bongos, bass,
and drums underbelly though you'd never know it from
the world music looking cover. [RM]
FROGGIE BEAVER (Omaha, NE)
"From the Pond" 1972 (Froggie Beaver dsi-7301)

"From the Pond" 1999 (CD Gear Fab gf-132) [+5 tracks]
"From the Pond" 2000 (Akarma, Italy) [+bonus 45]
These guys have a keyboard/guitar sound as shimmering

and peaceful as the pond on the album cover. There
isn’t a lot of variety here, but the sound is very
appealing, the vocals are solid, and the mood set by
the album is strong. A grower. The nine-minute “Away
From Home,” with some great melodic lead guitar, is
particularly good. Most reviews call this a prog
album, but it’s farther from Yes and ELP than it is
from, say, a less experimental version of Spirit.
[AM]
FROGS (Valley Stream, NY)

"For Everybody" 1976 (Lily Pad lp-68) [insert]
Self-produced and released on their own Lily Pad

imprint, "Frogs for Everybody" was a rather low-keyed
and surprisingly charming set. To be perfectly honest
anyone expecting to hear Mr. Flood, Part 2 was
probably disappointed by the collection. On the other
hand, almost all of the dozen songs were quite
tuneful and commercial, though widely diverse in
musical styles. With Toscano responsible for most of
the material, the opener 'For Everybody' offered up a
nifty slice of folk-rock. 'Drivin' On' mixed a rock
base with some great jazzy leads from Prezioso. '
Floatin'' and 'Crashin'' were pretty if unoriginal
acoustic ballads. Personal favorites included the
goofy 'Been So Long' and the bar rocker 'Shakey Dave
McCoy'. My only real complaints are the absence of
one true killer track and the fact that my copy of
the album has a somewhat flat, thin and tinny sound.
[SB]
~~~
see -> Mr Flood's Party
FROLK HAVEN (Berkeley, CA)
"At The Apex Of High" 1972 (LRS 6032) [blank back; two
inserts; circa 500p]
"At The Apex Of High" 1995 (LRS) [bootleg]
I've seen some inaccurate descriptions of this

("Yahowa-style psych" etc) but it is art school
experimental music with atonalities, free-form
rhythms, and more. Parts are too much like amateur
avant jazz, others are inspired and trancey; could be
compared to the most farout aspects of the first
Velvet U or vintage Krautrock. Mostly instrumental
with some bent vocals. From Berkeley, where the
freaks are in majority. Note: this is not psych, much
of it isn't even rock. Features Stuart Copeland,
later of the very un-psychedelic and non-freaky
Police. Some copies had one of the inserts pasted to
the back cover. [PL]
~~~
One has to assume the reason this 1972 set continues
to attract attention has to do with the fact the line
up included a young, pre-Police Stuart Copeland, or a
lot of folks just enjoy hearing minimally talented
California kids thrash their way through 30 minutes
of vinyl. First off, let us warn you, we've seen
various sales list advertise the LP as psych. It
ain't! While it's hard to provide an accurate
description of the album, just imagine hearing
guitar, clarinet and drums in a free fashioned jam
and you'll get a feel for much of the album.
Exemplified by "Idiomatic Interlude" and "Zonation of
Galactic Cosmoidal Entities" (the latter recalling
something out of Lou Reed's "Metal Machine Music"),
most of the seven tracks are experimental
instrumentals, full of oddball sound effects, but
lacking much in the way of melody or rhythm. While
the instrumentals were challenging, the LP included
several vocal performances (we use the term loosely).
None of the principals had much of a voice; a fact
that wasn't hidden when they joined together in a
sing-song effort to power their way through material.
At least to our ears, the overall effect is of three
art college kids with too much time and money on
their hands. [SB]
FROM BRITAIN WITH BEAT ( )
"From Britain with Beat" 1966 (Modern Sound 544)
Southern fake Merseybeat studio cash-in covers. One

of the best in the style, so obnoxiously bad its fun!
FRONT PAGE REVIEW see Saint Steven
FRUMIOUS BANDERSNATCH (Berkeley, CA)
"A Young Man's Song" 1999 (CD Big Beat, UK)

"Golden Songs of Libra" 2002 (Get Back) [purple vinyl]
Legendary Bay Area outfit that should need no

introduction. The rare EP is the only thing they
released during their original era, but both
retrospective releases contain brilliant unreleased
material; perhaps the "Libra" album most of all.
There's also several live tapes in existence, so more
may be to come.
FRUNK ( )
"If At First..." 197 (RPC Z69821)
A real people masterpeice, this is a candidate for

the weirdest release on the legendary vanity label.
Five possibly stoned and/or drunk young women hang
out in someone’s den with a TEAC reel-to-reel and
sing their favorites. At first, it sounds like a very
poor recording with their accompaniment mixed way too
low in the background. However, as they are singing
“El Condor Pasa” and you can hear Paul Simon singing
with them, you realize their “accompaniment” for each
song is the original recording itself. Thus, you hear
them singing along with Karen Carpenter on “Close To
You”, Maureen McGovern on “Morning After”, etc. They
are often not very well in synch and even more
frequently, you can hear the original singer
“soloing”. It comes in a very primitive cover with
11" x 11" slicks paste on front and back. The labels
are tan, which was the color used toward the end of
RPC’s production in the late 70s & early 80s. [MA]
FUGITIVES (Detroit, MI)

"At Dave's Hideout" 1965 (Hideout 1001)
Great local mid-60s r'n'r from Detroit legends with

several Kingsmen covers and some swell originals. The
LP captures perfectly the exciting but brief post-
Invasion, pre-garage era, when bands would freely mix
frat, instros, soul and "the new sound from England",
and getting kudos for it. Recorded in the Quackenbush
parents' basement in 1965, the tapes were played back
at Dave Leone's Hideout club, where applause and
teenage ambience were ingeniously recorded on the
second track. It's interesting to note that "Louie
Louie" is met with greater crowd enthusiasm than "A
Hard Days Night". There's also a couple of originals,
including alternate versions of scene staples like
"Friday at the Hideout" and "You're Gonna Be Mine".
One of the best local '64-65 LPs around, to my ears.
According to Hideout owner Dave Leone, 300 copies
were pressed, although a 500 and 1000 press have also
been mentioned. [PL]
~~~
see -> SRC
FUGITIVES (Richmond, VA)
"On The Run With The Fugitives" 1967 (Justice 141)

"On The Run With The Fugitives" 1996 (CD Collectables col 0613)
Title track is classic garage (comped on Hipsville

vol 2) with crude fuzz and untrained teen vocals.
Rest is more of a club/frat affair with energetic
sax-lead takes on things like "Lovelight" and
"Tossing and turning", plus some echoey ballads for
that special last dance. Superb take on "Bo Diddley
is a gunslinger" is a high-point. Very much a 1963
Otis Day & the Knights trip with no Brit Invasion
audible, but within the genre this is fun and with
plenty of atmosphere. Excellent drummer, neat organ
and good raw vocals, best party LP on Justice along
with the Knights 5 + 1. Unusually punchy recording
too -- not bad for a bunch of white teens from
Richmond. [PL]
~~~
The Fugitives easily fit in the top-5 Justice LPs in
terms of talent and enthusiasm. It isn't radically
different from most of the Justice catalog, including
a soundscape as if it had been recorded at the bottom
of a toilet. That said, this set has two things going
for it. First, overlooking a couple of the lame top-
40 covers (a painfully out of tune "Until" and yet
another needless cover of "Ebb Tide"), the band plays
with considerable enthusiasm which usually makes up
for their limited technical skills. Blown notes and
off-key vocals abound, but on material such as "Turn
On Your Love Light" and "Bo Diddley" it just sounds
like these guys were having fun. The other winning
factor is the album's high self-penned content. Four
of the album's twelve selections are originals, with
the roaring fuzz-propelled title track (which was
apparently intended as a never-to-be-released
single), and "Kidding Around" standing out among the
most impressive performances. A worthy addition to
any garage rock collection. [SB]
FULL MOON (PA)
"Full Moon" 1980 (Montagne) [lyric insert; 1000p]

"Full Moon" 1996 (Monster)
"State of the Artist" 2000 (CD Monster) [+5 tracks]
Obscure private press 1980 hard rock album that

really delivers. Occasional pig-squeal guitar and
histrionic vocals place it firmly in the 80s, but
this is one of the very best of its kind. These guys
obviously spent tons of time perfecting their dual-
guitar hooks and solos, and all seven of these songs
are full of great guitar work and memorable riffs,
with the harmony guitar parts comparable to the best
work of Boston or Thin Lizzy. Better than Tailgunner,
Winterhawk, Sorcery, or any other latter-day hard
rock rarity you can think of. The retitled CD reissue
has a number of good bonus tracks that show they
might have developed in some very interesting ways
had they stuck around. [AM]
FUN see Dragonwyck
FURNITURE STORE see Northern Front
FYTER (AR)
"Fyter" 1978 (FMP) [500p]
Hardrock with dual leads.

GABLES (MA)
"Snake Dance" 1966 (Fleetwood gab-1)
Garage beat teens.
GABRIEL GLADSTAR (Bellingham, WA)
"Garden Song" 1973 (Flying Guitar no #, Canada) [color art

cover]
"Garden Song" 1981 (Flying Guitar no #) [reissue; b & w photo
cover]
Mostly acoustic flowing cosmic folk. The album was

recorded at Haveaniceday Studios in Seattle and
received some local airplay.
GALAXY (FL)
"Day Without Sun" 1976 (Sky Queen 1677)

"Day Without Sun" 1989 (Sky Queen, Europe) [bootleg]
"Day Without Sun" 1997 (CD Flash, Italy)
"Day Without Sun" 1999 (Akarma 008, Italy) [+2 tracks]
"Day Without Sun" 1999 (CD Akarma 008, Italy) [digipak; +2
tracks]
Pretty late in the game but rooted firmly in the late

1960s sound, with female vocals and hippierock moves
mixed with heavy riffing and spacerock ambitions. Has
some pretty good tracks, the reissues might be worth
checking out. The 1989 counterfeit is close, but can
be recognized via the fine print on the back cover
which is blurry, and the cover is of thinner stock
than originals; furthermore in the dead wax the
figure '7' is written the European way, i e crossed.
[PL]
~~~
1970s spacerock rarity by a heavily female band (the
keyboardist is named “Space Mama Geiger"!) It’s the
only album I know to have a drum solo by a woman...
but it’s still a drum solo. The songs are long and
somewhat tedious, but there are some neat ideas here
and overall it’s a pretty enjoyable record for
something so uneven. The band recorded two later
unreleased LPs in 1976 and 1984, which are reissued
in the Akarma set "Very 1st Stone" (LP and CD,
Italy). These LPs are more in a traditional blues
rock style and are less interesting.[AM]
BOB [ROBERT] GALLO see A New Place To Live

JAMES GALYON ( )
"James Galyon" 197 (no label) [test pressing; no song titles;

300p]
Loungy singer-songwriter with cheesy synths. Ex-

Mason.
GAMES (CA)
"Stargazer" 1977 (Cascade Court DAT-LP211)
Melodic synth progressive pop with delicate female

vocals. Too pop for some on the love songs but the
synth textures, sweet vocals, and lively production
are quite distinctive for a local LP. [RM]
~~~
Take this review in context, because there may be
nobody who likes this album as much as I do, and it's
possible that this album could send a pure psych fan
off of a bridge. But... for what it is, this is an
amazingly accomplished record. It's possible to
describe it as the world's only disco/prog merger, as
it has dance beats, keyboard textures and high female
vocals that could only have come from 1976/1977, but
also long complex songs with elaborate structures and
clever synth playing. Fans of Abba (or early
Cardigans, for that matter) will love the vocals and
the melodies. The unusual jazzy chords and sweet
vocals definitely have the same feel as the first few
Cardigans albums, but the long songs, keyboard-heavy
arrangements (there are no guitars on this album) and
occasional rhythms straight out of Broadway put this
somewhere else entirely. Disco that you can do a
chorus line dance to? Every song has an infectious
melody, yet at the same time the songs are
complicated and unusual enough to reveal new depths
multiple listens. The vocals are lovely (even the
cheesy backing vocals), but show real strength when
necessary, and it's clear that tons of time was put
into perfecting these songs. Lead singer Colleen
Fitzpatrick is very, very talented. Every vocal
nuance is perfectly suited to the songs. For a
private press, this is very well produced, too. Your
friends will make fun of you for playing this, but
collectors should be brave, no? [AM]
GANDALF (Greenwood Lake, NY)
"Gandalf" 1968 (Capitol st-121) [rainbow label]

"Gandalf" 198 (Amos, Europe)
"Gandalf" 1991 (CD See For Miles see-326, UK)
"Gandalf" 199 (Fantazia am-121, Europe)
"Gandalf" 200 (Capitol/Scorpio)
"Gandalf" 2002 (CD Sundazed 6152)
"Gandalf" 2003 (EMI-Capitol 121) [blue vinyl]
"Gandalf" 2003 (Radioactive 15, UK) [picture disc; 500p]
Moody melodic studio psych classic which most 60s

fans dig. Predominantly covers and some seemingly odd
choices at that, looking back to 1940s-50s easy
listening on things like the opening "Golden
earrings" and Eden Ahbez' "Nature boy". The Gandalf
guys run these songs through their own sophisticated
baroque organ/guitar machinery with compelling
results, bringing out a rare reflective mood from
this meeting. Still, the band original "Can you
travel in the dark alone" is clearly the best cut,
and the album is in a sense a victim of its own
cleverness, since you can only squeeze so much head
action from old crooner hits. Some unreleased tracks
exist that have not yet been made available. [PL]
~~~
Clearly a case of sound/mood over material (there are
only two originals here), this album has achieved
true classic status over the years. It's not actually
a rare LP, but every collector wants one, and as with
Morgen or Linda Perhacs the quality and uniqueness
has allowed the value to stay high despite a copy
being offered on eBay virtually every week. There
really isn't anything else that has a comparable
feel. From the spooky vocals to the heavy reverb and
phasing to the unusual use of strings, this is just
plain otherworldly. Essential to any comprehensive
psych collection and easy to obtain as it has been
reissued several times. [AM]
~~~
GANDALF THE GREY (New York City, NY)
"The Grey Wizard Am I" 1972 (GWR 007)

"The Grey Wizard Am I" 1986 (Heyoka hey-207, UK)
"The Grey Wizard Am I" 2003 (Gear Fab 208) [+bonus tracks]
"The Grey Wizard Am I" 2003 (CD Gear Fab 202) [+bonus tracks]
Fashioning himself after a Tolkien figure (with a

cape and hat no less), this NYC wizard cut a rare DIY
folkrock trip that's been known for decades on the
private press scene. I love the title track and a
couple of other hobbit-oriented numbers, while some
of his neighborhood observations sound less
interesting and more typical Village product in my
ears. Nice basement sound is a plus in this context.
Opinions diverge a bit on this one, but the reissue
is worth checking out. He made a rare pre-LP 45 under
his real name (Chris Wilson) and even a comeback 45
in the 1990s. [PL]
~~~
Some people love this, but to these ears it’s an
amateurish, monotonous, poorly played folk rock
record. Knowledge of Tolkien will help the listener
to enjoy the lyrics. Otherwise all of the songs sound
the same. Recent reissues include some bonus tracks
in the same vein, making it an even more tedious
listen. This gets points for having been discovered
really early in the collecting world: it was well-
known back in the early 80s. [AM]
GANDHARVA see Cosmic Sound Of Gandharva
GANIMIAN & HIS ORIENTAL MUSIC ( )
"Come With Me To The Casbah" 1959 (Atco 33-107)
Rather amazing late 1950s forerunner of the Orient

Express and John Berberian east-west amalgamations.
Very good LP with superb Middle-Eastern belly-dance
vibe, not dry or academic but as real as a hazy party
night of spicy food and liquor at the local kebab
parlour. Personal fave falls out of most psychedelic
timeframes yet belongs in here with flying colors.
Guy also had some 45s under various names, and
probably more album releases. One track pops up in a
cover version on the great John Berberian LP on Verve
10 years later. [PL]
JULIANA GARZA ( )
"Communion Muse" 1973 (NALR 31607)
This one was recommended to me by some trustworthy

parties but I was initially put off by Sister
Juliana's vocals, which are lacking both in terms of
hitting the right notes and staying with the beat.
Repeated plays reduced this stigma and brought the
album's qualities more into light, such as a charming
basement folkrock sound with harmonica, flute, organ
and even some light wah-wah guitar. Songwriting isn't
bad at all and fittingly goes in a John Ylvisaker
direction, with a definite leftover 1960s folk-boom
vibe, and even some psychy minor chord moves. The
lyrics seem to be a mix of trad psalms, prayers, and
self-penned meditations. Sister J is joined by a male
singer on the best track who sings a lot better than
she does, which makes for an odd effect. All over
worth checking out for fans of local 1970s sounds
with some unusual aspects. Possibly recorded in
Cincinnati. A few copies came with a booklet. Sister
Juliana did a Catholic folk LP in 1967 on the Audio
Recording label. [PL]
GATES OF DAWN (Alberta, Canada)
"Keep On Truckin'" 197 (Vocal)
Rural rock barband with a healthy share of fuzzed

rock covers from the late 1960s, like "Jumpin' Jack
Flash" and "Magic Carpet Ride".
GATES OF FREEDOM ( )
"A Religious Rock Service" 196 (Covenant)
Jewish x-ian rock service with garage teen backing

group. Sitar on one track, haunting melodies, femme
choir, and overblown vocals in the Ylvisaker
tradition. Likely to appeal to 'real people' fans.
[RM]
V.A "GATHERING AT THE DEPOT" (Minneapolis, MN)
"Gathering At The Depot" 1970 (Beta s80-47-1414s)
Local bands recorded live, with unique tracks from

the Litter, Thundertree, Danny's Reasons, and others.
V.A "GATHERING!" (Madison, WI)
"Gathering" 1969 (Coliseum lp-711-dm)
Local bands including Wizzard, I D E C, Danny & the

Aces, Parabolic Rush and Myrckwode.
GATORS (Nashville, TN)
"In Concert" 1965 (Bulletin 27981)
Obscure teenbeat LP from band featuring Dan Folger on

keyboards, who later became a successful songwriter.
Line-up includes piano and sax and the sound is
mainly non-Brit Invasion, with instros, frat, pop and
soul covers; not terribly exciting. Front cover is a
cool live shot of the band.
GATSBY (Philadelphia, PA)
"Life Goes On" 1977 (Maxfield) [insert]
Basement hardrock and loungy progressive covers.

Dedicated to the Moody Blues.
ARTHUR GEE (Toronto, Canada / CA / Denver, CO)
"The End Is The Beginning" 1969 (Two:Dot) [1-sided]

"In Search Of Arthur" 2004 (RD Records 13, Switzerland)
[+bonus tracks; insert]
Ron describes this better than I can, see below. The

last track is a killer deep guilt-trip on level with
Perry Leopold, re-done in a less effective way on the
Tumbleweed LP. Arthur Gee was originally from Canada
but spent some time in Colorado and in California
where this 1-sided demo LP was recorded for a small
label in Ojai. After this he returned to Colorado
where he put together the Arthur Gee Band. The
Canadian link is obvious from the Canada BMI
registration on the label. This 1-sided demo contains
a track with the exact same (unusual) title as a
number on the Fraser & Debolt LP from Canada, but
oddly it is a completely different tune. Bonus tracks
on the reissue include unreleased material and a pre-
LP 45 he made in Canada. [PL]
~~~
Dark, damaged acoustic strum folk in Perry Leopold
style but a bit stronger vocally. Missed notes,
stream of consciousness lyricism, and obsessions with
mystic and biblical imagery. Saddened reports on the
lost state of the planet. A great loner mini-LP,
although you really can feel too much. The label was
a contract service in Ojai, California. Unlike his
later LPs, this (as well as the reissue) was credited
only to "Arthur". The label has no title but the
sleeve shows the album title "The End Is The
Beginning". Some copies came with promo photos. [RM]
"Dawn Of Time" 197 (Marcus 2502) [no cover]
Recently discovered demo LP that seems to date from

between the Two:Dot demo and Arthur getting signed
with Tumbleweed. Several track titles overlap with
both the preceding and subsequent LPs, but since the
production credit (Marcus Demerst) differs from
these, it may be alternate mixes or alternate
versions altogether. This LP has 10 tracks.
"Arthur Gee" 1971 (Tumbleweed TWS 101) [gatefold; booklet]
Gee's real debut LP is also the first release on the

Tumbleweed label, and a fine start for both. Upscale,
intricate production typical of the label with
Arthur's atmospheric voice given an appropriate
context that involves a full folkrock setting plus
bells, violin, even jew's harp. Opens on a strong
psych vibe, then goes through various chameleon
tricks including outlaw country, Tim Hardin folk, and
some obvious Dylan "Blonde On Blonde" moves. It's all
quite appealing and held together by the expensive,
elaborate arrangements. The LP has obvious 60s
remnants and is less singer/songwriter than most
Tumbleweeds. Two tracks from the Two:Dot demo LP
appear in more elaborate versions, although I prefer
the sparser 1969 sound of "Meditations". Easy to find
and well worth checking out. Gee's second LP for
Tumbleweed ("City Cowboy", 1972) is inferior in a
countryrock direction. [PL]
GENERATIONS (NC)
"Meet the Generations Combo" 1967 (Justice 158)

"Meet the Generations Combo" 1994 (CD Collectables 0614)
The last of the label's rock'n'roll/r'n'b releases

does suggest a sort of development for the
Justice/Southeast scene, but needless to say it's not
in the right direction. Nope, this is a mission
statement from 7 white Durham teenagers that Las
Vegas lounge-soul is the way to go, with fake ID
crooner vocals and seducto assembly hall sax up the
wazoo. The limited funds and lack of reality checks
puts a Twilight Zone spin on things, like seeing
expensive stock footage inserted into an Ed Wood Jr
movie; there's glitzy female harmony vocals but the
drummer can't keep time! Eerie psych version of
"Don't let the sun catch you crying" is a high-point,
and the organist likes to do Procol Harum "acid" runs
on his keyboard, even on James Brown tunes. There's
also an apathetic, pedestrian "Walk away Renee", and
an uptempo track where the entire rhythm section
falls apart. What a mess, like the Checkmates on
cough syrup. Closest of all Justice releases to
Incredibly Strange domains, this needs to be heard at
least once. The Collectables CD reissue displays tape
damage at a few spots, this may or may not derive
from the original album. [PL]
GENESIS (Los Angeles, CA)
"In The Beginning" 1968 (Mercury sr-61175) [textured cover;

red label; gold label promos exist]
"In The Beginning" 197 (Mercury sr-61175) [2nd press; non-
textured cover; skyline label]
"In The Beginning" 2001 (CD Black Rose BR 137)
Most of this album is pretty typical post Jefferson

Airplane co-ed psych/folk-rock, better than most but
not exactly stunning. But they really shine on the
16-minute blowout on side two, which follows up a few
haunting verses with a long guitar solo that's
exactly the opposite of what you'd expect: it's
carefully constructed, like a set of short guitar
solos and repeated hooks strung together rather than
one long jam. Not a note of it appears to be
improvised. It's not at all complicated, but that
means that no time is wasted showing off, and it ends
up being one of the best long solos you'll hear. The
rest of the album pretty much pales in comparison,
but for the one song alone it's worth owning. [AM]
~~~
see -> Do It Now Foundation
GENTLE SOUL (CA)
"Gentle Soul" 1969 (Epic bn-26374)

"Gentle Soul" 2003 (CD Sundazed 11123) [+9 bonus tracks]
"Gentle Soul" 2004 (Epic 26374) [legit reissue]
Light drifting psych rock produced by Terry Melcher.

With Ry Cooder, Van Dyke Parks, Bill Plummer, Mike
Deasy, Larry Knechtel, and other session pros helping
out. [RM]
~~~
Nice, pleasant folk duo featuring noted songwriter
Pamela Polland. Some slide guitar from Ry Cooder on
one track and some dreamy moments help make it a
little more appealing to adventurous listeners than
many others of its ilk. It probably would have
benefited from drums, though, and it’s hardly in the
league of, say, the two Kathy Smith albums with which
Polland was closely connected. [AM]
GENTS (CT)
"We Gotta Get Outa This Place" 1966 (RPC 70481) [mono]

"We Gotta Get Outa This Place" 1966 (RPC 70481) [stereo]
"We Gotta Get Outa This Place / The Best" 199 (no label)
[partial reissue]
Connecticut Coast Guard Academy students who paid for

this vanity LP and sold it at gigs. 12 tracks in
total, mostly Brit Invasions covers with a few
instros. Great version of "Don't let the sun catch
you crying" is a highpoint, but mostly it's very
familiar ground for Eastcoast teenbeat LPs. The
partial reissue is on a split LP, with other side by
the Best (see entry) and uses the Gents front cover.
GEOFFREY (MD/NY)
"Geoffrey" 1972 (Concert Arts CA 7506) [gatefold; 500p]

"Geoffrey" 1996 (Psychedelic Archives 1004, UK) [no gatefold;
295p; insert]
I've done my best to get into this but it's still so-
so singer/songwriter stuff rather than the
"mindblowing" "acid folk" dealers hype it for.
Consistent and wellwritten but no real depth or
freakiness. Has that UK troubador vocal style that
ruins so many local 1970s LPs. Neat sleeve photo of
the weird-looking guy. [PL]
~~~
Similar musically to Perry Leopold but not as dark.
Sensitive guy acoustic folk psych with flowery
lyrics. Different textures and changing tempos within
songs. His vocals are quite beautiful and delicate
but all-in-all this is a good record to sleep
through. [RM]
SIDNEY GEORGE ( )
"Sidney George" 1976 (no label)
Lo-fi mid 1970s rock with a sleazy real-people feel,

some flute and wah-wah guitar.
WINSTON GEORGE (London, Canada)
"Any Direction" 1970 (Ergo 7001-S)

"City Wilderness" 1976 (Ergo 7602-S)
First LP is highly rated basement folkrock/singer-

songwriter with organ and a moody Dylanesque feel.
The recording is pretty primitive. The second LP is
more conventional with bluesy moves, a bit like
Philip Lewin. Privately made reissues on CD-R exist.
GEORGE EDWARDS ( )
"38:38" 1977 (no label) [blank cover]
Seldom seen melancholic basement folkrock with 60s

psych overtones, nice echoey fidelity, spooky
mellotron. A track such as "Wintertime" is similar to
Kath in sound and atmosphere, while the obvious
hippie remnants and nice melodic feel on other tracks
recalls a nocturnal Michaelangelo. This is the work
of a band rather than a single guy, which is why it's
listed under "G". From LA or Detroit, I'm told.
GEORGIA PROPHETS (GA)
"Fever" 1971 ('Custom 8')
Local hippie bar-rock groove band, with an unusual

mix of funk and soft westcoast moves. Half is covers
including a memorable "Down by the River", while the
originals aren't very exciting. The LP's mix of
styles has seen it offered as both "garage", "psych"
and "Northern Soul". You have been warned. Supposedly
less than 200 copies pressed.
JOHN GILBERT / MEADE RIVER (KY)
"John Gilbert/Meade River" 1972 (AV)
Posthumous tribute LP to 17-year old Gilbert who died

in a car crash; crude home recordings of basement
guitar-rock with plenty of atmosphere and a couple of
killer tracks. Side 1 is unaccompanied instro guitar
workouts; side 2 is partly full band psych-rock,
partly sparse basement folk. Not for everyone, but
for purveyors of the most buried local sounds, this
is one of the big ones, with an unusual context on
top. [PL]
~~~
Moody psych and folkrock. The LP is a memorial to
John Gilbert put out by his parents. Some tracks are
John's solo recordings and some feature his group,
Meade River. Great amateur live-in-living-room
ambiance, the tracks range from garage folk to fuzz
blues with raging guitar heading into Alvin Lee
territory at times. The second side has some
wonderful acoustic tracks with basement vocals and
downer lyrics. If you ever wondered what acoustic
guitar shards sound like, check out the revelatory
"Travelin' Free". No-fi beast that conjures up
memories of lost hours clanging away in friends'
garages before reality held her sway. [RM]
~~~
RICHIE GILBERT ENSEMBLE (CA)
"Richie Gilbert Ensemble" 1978 (Chestnut)
Soft rural folkrock with mixed vocals and off-key

Dylan moves on Gilbert's part. A couple of good
tracks with femme vocals. The recordings seem to date
from an earlier era than the release year.
GINGER (Minneapolis, MN)
"Ginger With Bob Edwards" 1973 (Cheap Swank no #) [no cover; 2
inserts; 100p]
Obscure Minneapolis album released as a posthumous

tribute to vocalist Bob Edwards, who is featured on
side 1 of the LP, which is live recorded 1970-71
barrock with westcoast moves and Hammond upfront, a
bit like side 1 on Soup or a lo-fi Short Cross/Sweet
Toothe. Side 2 is more interesting and features 1972-
73 studio recordings of the band without Edwards and
is a more esoteric rural rock/singer songwriter trip
with a Band/Hickory Wind vibe. Main attraction is an
unexpected acid sound collage straight out of 1967,
apart from that this is an average local early 1970s
artefact, although some people rate it highly. The
record was not issued with a cover. Some covers were
made up recently by a dealer, utilizing the inserts
and a concert flyer for the design.[PL]
~~~
Except for tragedy, we would never have had this most
essential human real people experience. Lead singer
tragically dies in a car wreck and group reforms with
his twin brother on vocals/lyrics. Side one is crude
bar band rock recorded live, never intended for
release. The magic is on side two with unbelievable
emotion and tortured lyrics. "He'll Talk To You" says
that if you don't think of him he will talk to you,
and on "The Early Morning Rehash," he does! That song
is a truly strange and eerie psych masterpiece. A
glimpse into humanity [Mike Krafcik]
GLORY (Houston, TX)
"Glory: A Meat Music Sampler" 1969 (Texas Revolution cfs-2531)

"Glory: A Meat Music Sampler" 199 (Texas Revolution, Europe)
[bootleg]
"Glory: A Meat Music Sampler" 2000 (Akarma 114, Italy)
"Glory: A Meat Music Sampler" 2000 (CD Akarma, Italy)
This has caught some attention of late but should be

considered an aquired taste only. The basic feel is
of late-night spontaneous blues-based studio jams
revolving around main guy Linden Hudson who sings,
plays percussion and also coordinated the session,
which was partly recorded at Andrus Studios of
"Easter Everywhere" fame. A rootsy Southern all-night
bar feel evolves with a certain appeal, but the
tracks are really hit and miss affairs, for example
the vocal riffs on "Wish ta heck" are so annoying I
can barely listen to it. Despite trying hard Hudson
isn't good enough a vocalist to make it memorable,
though jazzy wee hours keyboard improvs add the right
touch. There isn't much songwriting to talk of, more
like excursions from basic mood riffs. Any attempts
to sell this as a "guitar killer" should be
considered dishonest hype. With a strong female
vocalist such as Lisa Kindred this would have worked
better, but still remained a marginal item. Not sure
why this was reissued, really. [PL]
GLORY (San Diego, CA)
"On the Air" 2002 (Rockadelic 40)
Personal fave among the Rockadelics of the new

millennium; a no-frills teenage hardrock blast cut
live afterhours at a radio station in San Diego in
June 1970. No traces of flower power whatsoever as
the remarkably tight band blows through their Ya-Ya's
era Stones/Led Zep club set of ½ covers and ½ great
originals. Vocalist is right on, lead guitarist won't
quit, but the real show is the stunning interplay
between the rhythm guy and the drummer. Perfect loud
soundscape with 100% presence, the whole thing
recalls Oda and the rootsier side of the Estes Bros.
Cover is disappointing - bring back the old skulls
and needles! A future meat & potatoes hard rock
classic... this is not psych. The band recorded
several 45s and more material may be released. In the
1980s they resurfaced as popular combo the Beat
Farmers. [PL]
GLORY ROAD (AZ)
"Exit" 1977 (Hand In Hand HHGR-1000)
Christian proggy melodic rock.
GOD UNLIMITED ( )
"Ride On" 1970 (GIA 123)
Wellknown Jesus music vocal harmony folkrock group

led by Tom Belt with several releases, this one
usually rated as their best. Contains a long song
with lots of lead guitar and some spooky folky songs
as well. The self-titled debut from the late 1960s
(Century 34122) supposedly also has its moments. None
of these LPs are expensive.
GOLD (San Francisco, CA)
"Gold" 1996 (Rockadelic RRLP-20) [600p]
Yet another Rockadelic discovery, "Gold" is one of

those projects that takes a little effort to get
into. Apparently recorded and shelved in 1969, the
set has a distinctive late 1960s West Coast feel to
it. It's certainly not the most ground breaking LP
you'll ever buy, but is kind of interesting for the
decent male/female singers and it's mix of musical
styles. bouncing between rather conventional hard
rock (the crazed opener "No Parking" and "Summer
Dresses"), Latin-rock influences (the instrumental
"Conquistadore"), and an occasional soul touch thrown
in. [SB]
"Mission Rock" 2002 (CD World In Sound 1014, Germany)
This 1971 live set has been described as

disappointing, but does include two rare Country Joe
tunes, as he was collaborating with the band at the
time.
"San Francisco Origins 1970" 2003 (World In Sound RFR 019,

Germany) [+bonus 7"; poster]
"San Francisco Origins 1970" 2003 (CD World In Sound 1018,
Germany) [+bonus tracks]
The LP has a 1970 live set from Fillmore West with

raw version of their 45 track "No parking", plus the
flipside from the 45. The CD adds the Rockadelic LP
material (see above). Gold's unreleased material are
good examples of the Bay Area sound of the early 70s,
with Santana and horn-rock moves creeping in and
psychedelia creeping out. There's even more live
stuff in the vaults, including a pretty good tape
from a live radio broadcast circa 1971.
GOLDEN DAWN (Austin, TX)
"Power Plant" 1968 (International Artists 4) [wlp exists]

"Power Plant" 1978 (International Artists 4) [IA box-set
reissue]
"Power Plant" 198 (International Artists) [bootleg]
"Power Plant" 1988 (Charly lik-24, UK)
"Power Plant" 1992 (CD Eva b-26, France)
"Power Plant" 199 (Get Back, Europe)
One of my (and many people's) personal top 20 1960s

LPs. Killer garage-folkrock-psych sounds with Tommy
Hall-inspired lyrics and great melancholic vocals.
The emotional range is remarkable for such an early
album, going from the snotty acidpunk of "Evolution"
over the classic psych of "My time" into the brooding
introspection of "Reaching out to you". "This Way
Please" is one of the ultimate acid introspections of
all time. Add to that a killer cannabis/shroom dayglo
sleeve and you've got a major classic on your hands.
Almost everyone loves this, essential to any decent
psych collection. The LP was recorded July 1967 but
not released until the turn of the year in order for
IA to focus on the 13th Floor Elevators' "Easter
Everywhere". Originals have cover slicks and "IAS 4
Side 1 IA" in the dead wax on side 1, while the box-
set reissue is boardprinted and has a matrix # that
begins "Ach...". The mid-1980s reissue is close but
has less bright front cover colors than the original.
There are probably more reissues & bootlegs. "George
Kinney's post-Golden Dawn band Headstone saw a
retrospective CD release of circa 1970 material in
2002 (Splash 2, UK). [PL]
~~~
Most people rate this as second best IA album after
"Easter Everywhere", and I'd agree. The Elevators
comparisons are warranted, especially in the vocals,
but most of the album has a really garagy feel. They
seem more youthful and energetic than the Elevators -
- "Fire Engine" and "Earthquake" are the Elevators
songs that have a similar feel to Golden Dawn. Good
variety of songs, with just enough effects and trippy
moments to keep it interesting. Lots of hooks... if
stuff like "Pushin Too Hard" and "Psychotic Reaction"
could have been hits, these should have been too. The
Get Back vinyl reissue has poor sound and even a
couple of dropouts. None of the reissues including
the legal 1978 one are from master tapes, as these
were lost in the early 1970s. [AM]
GOLDEN DRAGON (San Francisco, CA)
"Golden Dragon" 1981 (no label) [handmade cover]
Heavy fuzz psych rock with riffing Hendrix sound.

There is also a 12" single from 1983 with paste-on
covers in different designs, the song is "Too Late"
in an entirely different version from the LP. There
is also a 45 (again with varying sleeve designs) with
"Highway Child" in the same version as the LP, but
with a non-LP B-side. However, some copies of the 45
are 1-sided with only "Highway Child".
GOLDENROD (Los Angeles, CA)
"Goldenrod" 1970 (Chartmaker csg-1101)

"Goldenrod" 198 (Heyoka 205, UK)
"Goldenrod" 199 (CD World In Sound, Germany) [+bonus tracks]
"Goldenrod" 2000 (World In Sound 011, Germany)
A one-off congregation of LA session heavyweights who

also perform on Darius' classic LP, this is long
heavy psych instrumentals in an acid context.
Opinions differ on this, I think it's pretty
interesting & trippy. Has a great sleeve too. [PL]
GOLDEN THROAT (HI)
"Golden Throat" 197 (Trim tlp-1981)
Early 1970s jammy folk, organ, mixed vocals.
GOLDTONES (Riverside, CA)
"Live At The Teenbeat Club In Las Vegas" 1965 (La Brea 8011)
[mono]
"Live At The Teenbeat Club In Las Vegas" 1965 (La Brea 8011)
[stereo]
Club rock r & b pounders including "Gloria" and good

moody original "I'll love her". With Randy Seol (pre-
Strawberry Alarm Clock). An earlier incarnation of
the band featured Glenn Ross Campbell (Misunderstood)
and made a very good surf 45 in 1963.
GOLGOTHA (NJ)
"Old Seeds Bootleg" 1973 (no label) [paste-on cover; 200p]
Westcoast sound rural guitar rock that has been

compared to a mellow Little Feat. This is a remake of
an unissued LP recorded for Jubilee. The small press
size has been reported by the band.
GOLIATH (IN)
"Hot Rock & Thunder" 1972 (Bridges bg-2704)
Progressive hardrock effort with standard rock

setting plus moog. This album was quite plentiful and
sold cheap for several years, but the price is
finally rising again. Virtually all known copies have
a minor edge warp. Same label as the much rarer album
by Dawson.
GOOD CHEER (IN)
"Good Cheer" 1972 (ORS 1007)
Basement rural rock with covers and some psych moves.

Organ-led sound is somewhat similar to Hickory Wind.
GOOD DOG BANNED (CA)
"Good Dog Banned" 197 (no label dm-1001) [paste-on cover;

500p]
"Good Dog Banned" 2002 (CD Gear Fab 125)
A rural rock obscurity that covers every Marin County

cliché in the book to the point of sounding almost
like a parody of the genre. "Smokestacks" is a nice
hippie folkrocker with ringing guitars, but the rest
ranges from mediocre to outright infuriating in its
weedsmoking easygoingness. The key to this genre is
songwriting, vocal harmonies and guitar arrangements,
and these guys underperform in all three. Featuring
an ex-Sons Of Champlin member, some tracks sport
Sons-style sax and could be seen as an anti-urban
variation on that band. Obviously derived from 1970
Dead, but disappointing even to genre fans. Worst
track features a dialogue between a band member and a
tree (!). Not all rare albums are good. [PL]
GOOD SOIL (IN)
"Good Soil" 197 (Barn Recording Studio)
Mainstream Christian folkrock with Marsha Rollings of

Anonymous on vocals.
GOODY TWO SHOES (Canada)
"Come Together" 1969 (Allied/Paragon 237)
Rural and rustic bayou rock with guitar moves, mix of

originals and covers like "Come together". Two
members were formerly with A Passing Fancy, and there
is a version of "I'm losing tonight" on this LP.
JON GORDON ( )
“Jon Gordon” 1976 (Tiger Lily 14008)
There’s quite a bit of variety here: folk rock with

12-string guitars, guitar-heavy blues rock, rural
rock, mild prog, old-style rock and roll and even a
violin hoedown. Gordon has a decent pop sense and
there are several catchy songs here, as well as some
nice guitar hooks and solos. At least two songs steal
blatantly from the Beatles. Amusingly, the album’s
one ballad is a love song to his television. This
certainly isn’t an unusual or freaky record in any
way, but as mainstream 70s rock goes it’s pretty
enjoyable. In typical Tiger Lily fashion, the cover
and label omit mention of one song, and there are a
few obvious mastering glitches. Unlike a lot of tax
scam records, though, it has a substantial running
time. [AM]
GRACED LIGHTNING (IL)
"Side" 1975 (no label GL-1) [1-sided album; paste-on cover;

inserts]
Three tracks of instrumental heavy guitar progressive

with Gary Gand. Recorded at Golden Voice Studios.
GRADUATES (Memphis, TN)
"Graduates" 197 (Renegade 1003)
Semi-competent early 70s lounge rockers. Mostly

covers including "Let It Be", "Hey Jude", "Thank You
For Letting Me Be Myself Again" (good one), and a
lightning rendition of "Come and Get It".
GRAFFITI (DC/NY)
"Graffiti" 1969 (ABC s-663) [gatefold]
This is a very good major label psych album that’s

hard to define. It has a few semi-heavy moments, some
fuzz guitar, soulful vibe, lots of effects, and
occasionally crazed singing. The songwriting and
playing are solid all around, and the album opens and
closes with very strong songs. Worthy of close
listens—there’s a lot going on inside this one. Some
copies of this album are incorrectly mastered, with
one song repeated and another missing. [AM]
~~~
Interesting and somewhat underrated late 1960s
psych/artrock transition piece, one of several
respectable ABC albums from the era. Each song is
jampacked with ideas and sounds, a sizable amount of
$$$ must have gone into this. The overall style is
reminiscent of the more highbrow Bosstown trips (like
Freeborne) with a bit of UK Moody Blues/Procol
Harum/"Abbey Road" classical and jazz ambitions. The
second track has all the pieces fall into place
including lyrical fuzz leads, while the band
elsewhere often fall victim to an inability to get
their ideas sorted. Bringing in Association/Boettcher
highpitched vocal harmonies doesn't work that well,
while several instrumental passages are so elaborate
that the songwriting goes AWOL. This is an album
where each of the elements is appealing by itself but
when put together the puzzle seems a bit contrived
and due to its overly complex nature, impersonal.
Still worth checking out at the current low price,
just like label-mates Ill Wind and Bold. The band
also had a non-LP 45. [PL]
GRANDEURS (Los Angeles, CA)
"The Grandeurs" 196 (JH-1001) [no sleeve?]
Obscure teenbeat/club LP, possibly issued without

sleeve. Covers of "Wooly Bully" plus various Brit
Invasion, soul and frat numbers.
GRANDMA'S ROCKERS (IA)
"Homemade Apple Pie & Yankee Ingenuity" 1967 (Fredlo 6727)

"Homemade Apple Pie & Yankee Ingenuity" 1993 (Del-Val 009)
[350p]
Some were disappointed with this addition to the Del-

Val reissue roster and while it ain't no DR Hooker, I
think it's pretty enjoyable. A local garage LP on the
famous Fredlo label with mostly '67 top 40 covers all
done in a convincing manner plus one monster fuzz
original, "Blue peppers". One of the better local
teen-beat cover LPs but not much for those who want
psych. Silly name & title, great sleeve. According to
the band, about 300 copies were pressed. [PL]
GRAND THEFT (Mercer Island, WA)
"Grand Theft" 1972 (no label GT-1) [no cover]

"It's Eating Me Alive" 198 (Hablabel, Italy) [new sleeve]
"Hiking Into Eternity" 1996 (CD Epilogue ep-1004) [+6 bonus
tracks]
This LP sounds like a gang of crazed teenagers

causing audio-induced subsidence in the
neighbourhood. If you enjoy instruments being sledge
hammered to within an inch of their lives to the
sound of top quality high pitched screaming vocals
(and let’s face it, who doesn’t), this might be the
ticket. The sound is so extreme it will make you grin
and finally fall around laughing. Any LP with a
10’12” track about buying a burger, fries and a
milkshake is well worth having, in my world anyway.
Just marvel at the deepest lyric from “Closer to
Herfy’s”: “Went driving by the lake...lookin’ for a
milkshake”. Better than “Stairway to Heaven”,
certainly more relevant. If ponderous, meaningless
guitar based rock is your thing, then you may feel
the finger of mother fun poking rather hard at your
ribs. “Scream/It’s eating me alive” introduces side 1
with patent super-screaming and wasted,
reverberating, guitar riffs. “Log Rhythms/Meat
Midgets” chugs along with a cool, almost punk vibe.
Faux mystic chanting on Ohms with lyrics like “they
used to put strychnine in that stuff, we had a
reeeaaal good time” cannot fail to make you laugh out
loud. As we all know (now) it was ‘just a joke’, and
a very funny one it is too. The sheer commitment to
making something so extreme ends up producing a genre
classic. The folkrock group Bluebird made it to make
fun of Grand Funk. The original plain sleeve is
stamped "Made in Canada". Both reissues are retitled,
for some reason. [RI]
GRANICUS (Cleveland, OH)

"Granicus" 1973 (RCA apl-0321)
"Granicus" 1997 (CD Free, Europe)
Far out 1970s hard rock album by some American

Indians who just hated Ohio, and maybe everything
else as well. They're not very fond of their own
record, feeling that the major label production
stripped them of their energy. Though much of it is
sloppy and chaotic, some is unexpectedly smooth as
well. It's hard to imagine just how heavy they think
it should have been, though, because it has some
excruciating moments as it is. The singer is really
crazed, screeching at a high level that could hurt
the ears of Led Zeppelin and Leafhound fans. Hell, it
could even go too far for Rush or Pavlov's Dog fans.
The songs ramble to good and bad effect. The 11-
minute "Prayer" is incredibly powerful despite
(because of?) being very repetitive, but the long
songs on side two aren't nearly as interesting. A
stupid song insulting their home city of Cleveland
assured that they blew their only chance to sell any
records anywhere. The album's "ballad" is an
instrumental with lots of mellotron. Some think this
is a lost classic, and during moments of the first
side, maybe it is. But not much else here hits the
mark the way "Prayer" does, and the band's own
assessment of the album as promising and unique, but
heavily flawed, is on the mark. [AM]
GRANMAX (MO)
"A Ninth Alive" 1976 (Pacific 1001)

"A Ninth Alive" 1976 (Panama prs-1001) [white vinyl]
"Kiss Heaven Goodbye" 1978 (Panama 1023)
Fans say that the addition of Nick Christopher is

what made this such a leap forward from their less
interesting (and much easier to find) first album.
The band sure gels here, but Christopher's warbly,
nasal voice is an acquired taste. I defy anybody to
listen to him screeching "I am the prince" without
chuckling. Maybe that's the point, though, and
there's no denying the musical power of this record.
It's hooky, full of energy and speed, the songs are
concise and the band is tight. The tone is varied by
excellent use of acoustic and slide guitars and
tasteful phasing. Once you get used to the voice
you'll find plenty of melody too. Highly recommended
to fans of 70s semi-metal hard rock. [AM]
GRAPES OF RATHE (PA)
"Glory" 1969 (Tarus)
A mixed bag of sounds that mixes dreamy psych with

bad top 40 and horns. Has a good reputation but is
actually a fairly weak album with no real identity
and some nonsense. Full review once I get around to
playing it again.
GRAVITY ADJUSTERS EXPANSION BAND (Fairfax, CA)
"One" 1973 (Nocturne nrs-302)
Spacy experimental cosmic trance. Communal trip of

homemade instruments, sound generators and
percussion.
GREAT AMERICAN DREAM ( )
"Home And Free" 1975 (Audifex) [blank, stamped cover]
This is another one of those "Advance reviewer copy"

releases that were sold via ads in Rolling Stone.
This time the fake label is "Audifex." Side one is
mostly soulful 70s rock, and is pretty good. The band
is tight and there's some cool lead guitar (played
through Leslie speakers.) The album's best song is
the proggy "You Can Fly," which has excellent
harpsichord/flute interplay. Side two, unfortunately,
only continues the style for one song. The others are
two blues tunes and a rock/soul ballad, none of which
are very interesting. Like a lot of the records in
this series, it's quite short: 9 songs, 26 minutes.
The production is raw and demo-like. [AM]
GREAT LOOSE BAND & OK CHORALE (CA)
"Stone Crow" 1976 (Blue Bong no #) [150p]
The "Stone Crow" album was a musical play recorded

live around 1975 at he University of California in
Irvine. The original recording has narrative between
all of the tracks telling their story of seeking the
ultimate THC induced high. The leader of the band,
guitar player Brook Meggs, had a strong tie to
Capitol Records through his dad, Brown Meggs, a high
level excutive famous for signing the Beatles to
Capitol for state side distribution. According to
Brook, the album was a custom Capitol press of 150
copies. Unfortantly, the recording was too long for a
single album so all of the spoken parts between all
the tracks were edited. Without the narrative, the
album is still very longwinded which is why all the
songs run into each other without any dead space
between the tracks. Musically, it's an enjoyable
record and unlike most other albums that deal with
the same subject matter, this one has a low "goof
factor." Being that it's a live recording by
musicians that obviously already found the ultimate
high backstage before the show, they truly live up to
their name and have a good time sharing their buzz on
stage. [JSB]
GREATRIX FREEDOM BAND (Canada)
"Better Days Ahead" 1970 (Paragon 294)
Rock trio doing Creedence, Janis Joplin covers plus

originals, on the same label as Christmas.
GREEK FOUNTAINS (LA)
"Take Requests" 1967 (Montel Michelle 110)
Popular local garage/teen-beat band with several good

non-LP 45s. This LP, released as by the Greek
Fountain River Front Band, was made when the band was
essentially history already, and is a disappointingly
stiff affair and not the frat garage blowout you
might hope for. An all-covers lineup mixes jugband
folkrock, blue-eyed soul and two Beatles covers for
bad effect. The band sounds uninspired, the drummer
sucks (strange for a club act), and the recording is
flat and unexciting. I have to rate this one of the
least interesting albums from the era that I've
heard; comparable to the weakest Justice label titles
and several notches below something like the first
Spiffys LP. "For No One" is the highpoint, mainly
because it's such a great song that not even these
guys could screw it up. A 45 was released from the
LP. [PL]
GREEN (Dallas, TX)
"Green" 1969 (Atco SD 33-282)

"Green" 2003 (CD)
Psych fans hate horns, which is the only possible

reason that this ace album has been ignored for so
long. The horns here aren't your typical soulful
saxes, trumpets and trombones, but a large variety of
instruments, used to add color and mood. There's no
bombast at all. Strong songs have the ante upped by
the unusual arrangements and a variety of cool
production tricks. A few songs on side two cover the
same ground as better ones on side one, but the
majority of this record is terrific. Their 2nd LP
("To Help Somebody", 1971) is considered much
inferior. [AM]
~~~
Obscure title receiving some interest of late, and
deservedly so. An easily accessible late beat/psych
LP that nevertheless has a lot of odd angles going
for it that keep surprising you. The overall style is
late 1960s McCartney/Odyssey & Oracle pop channeled
through the high-IQ east coast psych sensibility that
produced albums such as the second Fallen Angels and
Elizabeth. Use of horns is remarkably good and an
asset to the album, as are the moody teen vocals. You
can tell the release date by some raw guitars and the
inventive rhythm section playing, but a charming
Anglo '67-68 vibe is retained throughout. It's too
early to be retro and comes off more like a testament
to the tight grip the Beatles maintained on many
musicians across the US, even as they were falling
apart. "Sgt Pepper" is explicitly mentioned in the
lyrics, which combined with four bars of Dick Dale at
the end of the fuzz-laden title track indicates the
fun and artistically conscious nature of this LP.
Judging by the catalog number the LP was released in
the Spring 1969. The band came out of the North Texas
State University in Denton. [PL]
~~~
GREENWOOD, CURLEE & THOMPSON (St Paul, MN)
"One Time, One Place" 1972 (no label gc-72105) [insert]
Local communal hippiefolk artefact with a couple of

really good psychy tracks and the rest passable
singer/songwriter sounds. In general the guitar-based
songs are good, while I think the piano tracks drag
the album down. On level with the similar-sounding
Big Lost Rainbow, although most people seem to rate
this LP higher than I do. My favorite track has the
entire commune joining in on a mix of 1970s "aware"
lyrics with raga acoustic and flute, like a
politically correct Manson Family. [PL]
~~~
Cool counterculture artifact from well-meaning
hippies who spent two years perfecting their craft.
Most collectors lament that there's too much piano
here but even the overlong ballads are good. This is
a great album. The intelligent lyrics are foul-
mouthed in a wholly appealing way, and the mellow
music is very well-played. Nice little guitar parts
come when you least expect them, giving energy to the
quieter songs, and the vocals are confident and laid-
back. [AM]
GREER (NC)
"Between Two Worlds" 1973 (Sugarbush sbs-109)
Obscure artefact out of a local scene that produced

cult music for a 15-year period; this is a powerful
trip in a song-oriented 1970s British rock/hardrock
style, with psych moves on the two long epics. Plenty
of raw guitar, some piano and synth, heartfelt
vocals, all wrapped in a consistent package that
displays talent and self-confidence. May be too much
of a 70s mainstream sound for some, and indeed it
would have deserved to come out on a major label.
Should appeal to fans of Felt on Nasco. According to
an article in Kicks #1, some of the songs had been
recorded for a 1971 LP by related band Arrogance that
never came out. [PL]
~~~
This is one of those albums that gets hyped as
"psych" or "prog" when in reality it's mainstream AM-
styled 1970s rock, made more collectable by rarity
and pedigree. As such, though, this is very good.
It's heavy when necessary, melodic when necessary,
and has a crude enough production sound to appeal to
those who would never listen to, say, a BTO album.
The opening song could pass for heavy power pop,
which should please fans of new wave-era NC rock.
This is not as good as Arrogance's outstanding
"Prolepsis," but due to the longer songs and less
professional sound, it may be preferred by readers of
this book. [AM]
SPARKY GRINSTEAD (Oakland, CA)
"Won Out" 1978 (Sparlene Records)
Here’s a charming little pop album, 25 minutes of

peppy melodies, acoustic guitars, simple
arrangements, and lyrics about gurls. The best song
by miles and miles is the opening “Fall On Me,” which
has a lovely melody and some really cute-sounding
fuzz guitar. It’s a triumph of low-budget recording,
and by comparison makes early Shoes or the Toms sound
like they were recorded at Abbey Road. The rest of
the album isn’t as fantastic, but it’s fun straight
through and Sparky has a really nice voice. The CD
reissue doesn’t list the memorable “Big Ass” (he’s
attracted to them), but includes it as a surprise
bonus track. I wonder what his svelte girlfriend
(pictured on the back cover) thought about that one.
This is certainly not an album for psych or even folk
collectors, but it’s recommended to pop fans and also
fans of “real people” who can actually sing and
write. [AM]
GRODECK WHIPPERJENNY (OH)
"Grodeck Whipperjenny" 1970 (People ps-3000)

-- a Canadian pressing exists
"Grodeck Whipperjenny" 199 (People, Austria) [bootleg]
"Grodeck Whipperjenny" 2003 (CD Radioactive 0017, UK)
I've returned to this LP for a second look as

opinions differ so much on it. It certainly doesn't
sound like the Airplane much, but I do find it a bit
tough to swallow. The playing and arrangements are
mostly fine, but the vocals mess it up a bit, both in
terms of sound and mixing. It's almost as if the LP
had been recorded with another set of vocals in mind,
or that the overdubs were made in a rather hurried
manner. The opening track may in fact have been
intended as an instrumental. In any event, the
unusual, almost Eartha Kittish femme vox don't blend
well with the adept psych-funk-rock fuzz/keyboard
groove tunes, and on several occasions they fall out
of step with the beat. Added reverb and echo effects
make the awkward soundscape seem worse than it had to
be. About half the LP is still very good, with a peak
in the long track on side 2 where everything falls
into place for a few minutes. The CD reissue has good
sound and is worth checking out, due to the LP's
esoteric nature and the individual responses it
triggers. [PL]
~~~
Utterly unique album that has aged extremely well. It
was released on James Brown's label, and is awfully
funky, but it also has ideas from all different
musical worlds. Great playing abounds, and the
strange female singer, who isn't feminine in any way
whatsoever, has an understated power. A long jam on
side two suffers from a few blues/jazz/hard rock
clichés, but otherwise this is wholly original and
impossible to describe. I can't for the life of me
understand why everyone lumps this one in with the
Airplane-soundalike bands, as there's absolutely zero
resemblance to West Coast rock. There is also a
"second" LP credited to James Brown, with
instrumental groove funk-rock ("Sho' is Funky Down
Here", King 1971). [AM]
THE GROOP (Los Angeles, CA / Vancouver, Canada)
“The Groop” 1970 (Bell 6038)
The Groop had a single release and also a song on the

“Midnight Cowboy” soundtrack, but for some reason
their album’s release was cancelled. Though there was
no actual release and cutouts never appeared,
mysteriously a few sealed copies surfaced, all in the
same spot, in a record store in the early 90s.
Apparently no other copies have yet to be found,
making this possibly the rarest of all major label
releases. It’s quite good too, a top rate harmony
soft rock album, with a nimble rhythm section, co-ed
vocals and horns. It’s a bit funkier/more soulful
than similar examples of the genre like Roger Nichols
and the Free Design. Like a lot of west coast bands,
the Mamas and Papas were an obvious influence. [AM]
RICK GROSSMAN (Northbrook, IL)
"Hot Romance" 1978 (Thunderbolt)
This labor of love private press is as bad as the

cover photo would lead you to imagine. It feels like
the work of a horny 12-year-old, but Grossman’s chest
hair proves it’s the work of a horny adult (or overly
mature teenager?) He’s a truly terrible singer,
unable to hold any of the three notes in his range,
and projecting absolutely zero personality. When his
vocals are backed by equally inept instrumentation
(shooting for mellow jazz rock or music-hall styled
pop), it is enjoyably comic. This is most true on the
songs where the “congos” are way up in the mix for
added faux-romantic effect. Sax and vibes give an
indication that he got a few cues from porno movies.
As bad as this record is, Grossman has a reasonably
developed pop sense, and the upbeat songs have a
contagious energy. “Mellow Heaven Clout, in
particular,” is really catchy, especially the echoed
handclaps. The ballads, however, are deadly. This
isn’t nearly at the level of prime real people
artists like Kit Ream or Kenneth Higney, and in the
long run two sides are a bit much. For a song or two,
though, it’s a kick. Best lyric: “Up all night, ya,
we roll in the sack/just the kind of place she’d like
to do you at.” [AM]
GROUND ZERO (Wheaton, IL)
"Ground Zero" 1979 (Retread)
This gets hyped by dealers as a hard rock album, but

don’t go expecting anything heavy or fuzz-happy. It’s
actually hard power pop, decently played and sung,
but not especially inspired or creative. There’s also
an acoustic Latin-flavored song, a couple of weak
funky rockers and, towards the end, a complete
abandonment of harmonies and melody. There’s some
cool lead guitar here and there, but this isn’t
anything special. The closest comparison in the
private press world is the album by Roundhouse,
though that is better than this. [AM]
GROUNDSTAR (CA)
"Forced Landing" 1980 (Stellar sr-2549)

"Forced Landing" 1980 (Stellar) [2nd press; altered cover]
By 1980 AOR was all over the airwaves, but within the
genre this is a bit of an oddity and is rather
special. Bits of hard rock, prog, space rock mix with
a pure pop sensibility, and the powerful helium-
voiced woman and poppy-sounding man are much more
appealing than the eunuch-like wailers who ruled the
genre in the 80s. The songs are reasonably short and
the rockers are fast. The kind of pomp and arrogance
that gave the genre a bad name are nowhere to be
found here. This doesn’t resemble heavy metal at all,
even on the power ballads. The album has been
compared to Styx and Yes in their poppier moments,
but this is much more (pardon the pun, given the
album title and cover) down-to-earth. This ranks just
a notch below Marianus for me as top of the heap
early 80s AOR private press fun. The second pressing
altered the cover art a bit, changed the song order,
and re-named a few of the songs. [AM]
GROWING CONCERN ( )
"Growing Concern" 1968 (Mainstream 56108) [mono; wlp exists]
"Growing Concern" 1968 (Mainstream s-6108) [stereo]

"Growing Concern" 199 (Mainstream) [bootleg]
"Growing Concern" 1996 (CD Golden Classics Rebirth)
"Growing Concern" 2004 (CD Radioactive 069, UK)
One of many bands rooted in the melodic sides of

early Airplane and Mamas & the Papas, this mystery
group brings a crystal clear vocal sound and more
reverb than Dick Dale ever dreamed of to create a
cathedral type sound which has blown many minds.
Several cover versions but mostly good ones, such as
the outstanding opening Hollies interpretation, and
their own tracks are enjoyable too. Not a total
classic, but a winner on charm and impressive
surface; one of my Mainstream label faves along with
Bohemian Vendetta and Orient Express. [PL]
~~~
Most people consider this top of the Mainstream heap,
and for the length of side one they're close.
Beautiful, haunting instrumentation (great use of
harpsichord) and an excellent set of songs makes for
very pleasant listening. The male singer has a voice
that gets cloyingly sweet though, moreso with each
listen, and by the end of the album it gets downright
irritating. Side two also suffers from the
unnecessary inclusion of some very common cover
tunes, and on the whole this is only half of a great
album. [AM]
PETER GRUDZIEN (New York City, NY)
"Album No.1 (in two sides): The Unicorn" 1974 (P.G 101) [500p]
"The Unicorn" 1995 (CD Parallel World cd-2) [+6 bonus tracks]
If you want to go as far out as it gets, this

underground cult album from a gay hillbilly NYC
visionary provides a map. One of the more remarkable
LPs I've heard, or to quote its original advocate
Paul Major's classic description: "Johnny Cash and
Gandalf the Grey drop acid and meet under the altar
to discuss religion while perfoming weird sex acts."
One track is like stumbling into a Salvation Army
meeting while tripping, another is a 9-minute lament
with incredible lyrics. There's ripped off choral
music, basement electronics, lots of bluegrass, and
more. The primitive recording and occasionally
unfinished arrangements should not obscure the fact
that "The Unicorn" is an artistically aware statement
from a unique artist, inhabiting a unique world --
the van Gogh of 1970s folk. Grudzien has plenty of
more recordings waiting to be reissued, and has
achieved a cult fame in recent years including TV
features. [PL]
~~~
Eccentric country psych with bluegrass picking,
religious imagery, and gay concerns. very special
'real person'. Home studio compilation with tons of
claustrophobic sounds in the thick, Trimblesque mix.
Some of the material dates back to 1956! A dreamy
psych aura hovers over the essentially country
playing which tends to stagger rhythmically. Amazing
songs about hard-luck gay romance and hallucinatory
religious visions with an upfront sincerity that's
breathtaking. The vocals are something else too,
spoken-sung in a nasal baritone. This is a very
special work of art that's almost too complex and
otherworldly to grace mere vinyl. [RM]
~~~
This one of a kind blatantly gay psychedelic country
album deserves pretty much all of the praise it gets
in collectors circles. There’s nothing even remotely
like it, and it works not because of the “real
people” appeal, but because Grudzien is a fantastic
songwriter with a bunch of great ideas and a wholly
distinct personality. It’s insulting to speak of him
in the same breath as the many talentless “incredibly
strange music” folk he’s usually lumped in with.
Truly great stuff that stands the test of time. Even
the 90s bonus tracks (with drum machines) on the CD
reissue are great. Everyone needs to own this. [AM]
GRYPHON (MI)
"Gryphon" 1975 (no label nr-12487)
Dual-lead hardrock and prog with melodic moves.
GUILD (Seattle, WA)
"Susurrus" 1978 (KM 2381) [500p]
First LP by introspective folkrock duo, Renee and

Daryl Redeker, with mixed vocals, rock setting, 12-
string guitar and some synth. Mostly originals but
also a "cover" of John Cage's "Silence", which scores
points in the humor department.
"Musik" 1980 (no label)
Second LP is similar in style with short songs, some

fuzz breaks, and lyrics concerning mental illness.
GUITAR ENSEMBLE (Las Vegas, NM)

"Have Faith" 1970 (no label)
Charming Christian strum folk teens, harmony vocals.

Seven acoustic guitarists, two bassists, two
"rhythm"(!), and godsend Mary Kay Johnsen on organ
and vocals. This first LP is more in the folkrock
direction with less of Mary Kay's vocals and a
somewhat more primitive feel.
"The You-N-You" 1971 (no label lps-812)
The followup is a special latenite beast that sneaks

up on you with its aching sincerity and visionary
lyrics, the creepy ones by Bob Rivas. This manages to
be clean cut and way lost simultaneously... like an
acoustic New Dawn with better vocals! Inspirational
verse: "It is you seeing others as you would have
them see you. It is you seeing you in others. It is
others seeing you in them." [RM]
~~~
Despite that everyone who hears it seem to like it,
this is still one of the most underrated local LPs
around. Enjoyable all through in its introspective
light-folkrock moodiness, with superb peaks in tracks
like "The Answer" and "Lamb of God". Back cover
photos of the band in very goofy school yearbook type
photos adds to the appeal. [PL]
~~~
see -> Concern
~~~
"GUITAR PICKS & ROACH CLIPS" ( )
"Guitar Picks and Roach Clips" 1973 (Stoneybrook) [2 LPs]
Mostly instrumental jams in a psych/prog style. This

is a various artists LP featuring Gordon Alexander,
Bob Jameson, Road Apples among others, and also
Alicia May who did "Skinnydipping In The Flowers".
The album is a movie soundtrack for an obscure
animated feature which briefly played theatres.
SANDY GURLEY & THE SAN FRANCISCO BRIDGE (CA)
"Sandy Gurley and the San Francisco Bridge" 1968 (Tower st-
5135)
Gurley has a great voice and though most songs have

horns, there are a couple with wild fuzz guitar too.
Kind of a mixed bag, but enjoyable. Oddly, the
version of "Can't Buy Me Love" is exactly the same
backing track as that by Neighb'rhood Childr'n, just
with Gurley as lead singer. Produced by Larry
Goldberg & Leo Kulka (Afterglow, Maze, Mesmerizing
Eye...) [AM]
MARGO GURYAN (MA)
"Take A Picture" 1968 (Bell 6022)

"Take A Picture" 2000 (Siesta, Spain) [altered sleeve]
"Take A Picture" 2001 (CD Franklin Castle/Oglio) [+bonus
tracks]
Guryan is one of the few female songwriters to claim

a heavy "Pet Sounds" influence, and while this
doesn't touch, say, Billy Nicholls, it's a lot better
than, say, Marc Eric. Psych fans dig it for the
closing "Love," which has a freakout section, but
pretty much all of the album is easy to like. The
songwriting is complex and thoughtful, and while it
lacks the inspiration of the classic that inspired
it, it's one of the better soft rock albums of its
time, and blows away stuff like Wendy & Bonnie or
Lily & Maria. Unreleased material has appeared on CD
in recent years, such as "25 Demos" (Franklin
Castle). [AM]
GWYDION (Oakland, CA)
"Songs For The Old Religion" 1975 (Nemeton 101) [insert]

"Songs For The Old Religion" 1995 (Psychedelic Archives, UK)
[insert]
This is an LP that sounds pretty good under special

circumstances, but the other 364 days of the year it
sounds like what it is, namely a piece of mediocre,
derivative Northern California pagan hippiefolk. The
style is Brit-trad:ish with mostly selfpenned
material and female vocals on a few tracks, which
incidentally also are the best. The lack of
originality and a dull, non-dynamic recording makes
this hard to enjoy, except as an odd artefact from a
poorly documented scene. The most appealing aspect is
the cover, with Gwydion doing his best to convince us
that he is a Glastonbury/Stonehendge druid - even has
the costume act down, although a big spliff in his
hand blurs the impression. Gwydion's story is still
somewhat mysterious, and there is a strange tribute
website done by his lady disciples which paints him
as a man of Father Yod-like stature, unlike the Pig &
Whistle talent contest reject this LP radiates. The
second LP ("The Faerie Shaman", 1981) is inferior.
Gwydion passed away shortly after, thus fulfilling a
premonition of premature death that he had in England
a few years earlier. [PL]
GYE WHIZ see Dave Lamb & Gye Whiz

ROSEMARY HADDAD (Tabor, NJ)
"Coming Hohm" 1975 (Hohm ll-136)
Hohm commune cool psychy watercolor cover, the music

is flowing female vocal eastern religion meets hippie
socially concious commune folk with acoustic backing
guitars, flute, percussion, sax. Nice latenite
sounds. [RM]
~~~
One of the best hippie commune albums. Rosemary even
includes a photo of her guru on the back cover.
Rather than being new agey dullness like, say, The
Oneness Space, this music is strong folk-rock with
Rosemary's lovely voice to the forefront. She seems
truly at peace with her lifestyle; the album has a
comforting vibe to it. Some of the songs are only OK,
but the album ends with a bang. The last two songs
are the fantastic "Kitchen Floor Song," full of
purposely funny pseudo-psychology and chaotic backing
vocals, and the utterly gorgeous reprise of the title
song. [AM]
DAVE HALFORD ( )
"Tulesburg" 1973 (no label) [100p]
"Second LP" 197 (no label) [100p]
"Tulesburg" is amateurish DIY folkrock with an

undercurrent of drug themes, as on "Ride on your
horse". The actual title and contents of the second
LP are unknown. From Oregon or California.
HALF TRIBE (Reading, PA)
"Only Startin'" 1965 (Frank Webber Productions FW-1) [500p]

"Only Startin'" 1985 (Resurrection CX 1386) [bootleg]
One of the original North-East preprock artefacts,

though more in an Astronauts-inspired surf/frat-bag
than the usual Stones clones. The extremely
moody/low-key approach adds a mysterious dimension
that I enjoy. Some psych fans rate this LP very
highly. All covers but one, with a cool sleeve photo
a bonus. Some guys went on to the somewhat punkier
Other Half combo. [PL]
~~~
see -> Other Half
BRUCE HAMANA (AZ)
"Hamana" 1974 (Canyon c-7111) [inner sleeve]

"Hamana" 2006 (CD World In Sound 1029) [+2 bonus tracks;
booklet]
"Hamana" 2006 (World In Sound)
Although it took a long time to get reissued, it's

easy to see the debut "Hamana"'s appeal, but it also
has a few problems. A couple of weak Nashville-style
country numbers drag the middle third of the album
down, and there's a few weaker moments on side 2 as
well. Apart from these it is a very appealing and
atmospheric rural rock/westcoast excursion, the usual
Neil Young, CSNY and even Eagles influences on clear
display. The band (actually Bruce Hamana himself) is
good with an organic garage edge here and there, and
Hamana adds a DIY feel when his soulful vocals fall
out of synch with the backing; possibly the tunes
were all written on acoustic guitar and the studio
arrangements were done rather fast. The overall
acoustic/electric mix is very tasty a la Relatively
Clean Rivers, the songwriting is strong and full of
hooks, and there's some snakey SF guitar excursions
although it is essentially a song-oriented album. Too
bad the playtime is pretty short, else this could
have been transformed into a killer simply by
removing two of the weaker tracks. In any event it is
worth hearing for pretty much anyone into local early
70s melodic rock sounds. Bruce Hamana is a Hopi
Indian, and reportedly later became chief of his
tribe. [PL]
~~~
No album gets the feel of drunken reservation life
down quite like this one. A few pure country songs
are duds, but the rest of the album is good
folk/rural/roots rock with hard-living, heartfelt
vocals from Hamana. The rhythm section is a bit
sloppy (and the bass is mixed too loud), which is
either distracting or charming, depending on your
point of view. The lyrics, which aim to proselytize,
are a little awkward and obvious in some places, but
since it's authentic (the album was originally
intended to be sold on reservations), it's
forgivable. Interestingly, he blames his "maker" for
his personality faults. The first two songs are the
strongest ones. A much later (and much less
enjoyable) second album by Hamana goes further in the
country direction, almost to the point of parody
("Indian Dream", Mother Earth 49-7). [AM]
LYNN HANEY (Cleveland, OH)
"Rebirth" 1972 (Tribute fr-2395-sm)
Early 70s Christian folk beat flower vibes from ASFB

vocalist, with Glenn Schwartz guesting on one track,
also some use of harpischord and flute.
~~~
see -> All Saved Freak Band
HANG MANN 5 (Norfolk, VA)
"Sounds Of The Sixties" 1967 (Century fv-23815)
Typical Mid-Atlantic seaboard teen club band of

mostly soul covers and a couple of white-boy tunes,
including Young Rascals, Dylan ("Like a rolling
stone") and Animals. Tuxedo-clad 5-piece group with
organ, released on celebrated custom label. The cover
and the label actually credit the band as 'Hang 5
Mann'.
HA'PENNYS (Andover, MA)
"Love Is Not The Same" 1966 (Fersch 1110)

"Love Is Not The Same" 1985 (Resurrection CX 1331)
The band that preceded the Rising Storm as school

rock group at Phillips Andover. These guys took a
more lowkey approach to their LP, which is mostly
British Invasion covers fed through a basement
folkrock sound with some rave-up aspirations. I like
it, especially the whiney title cut original, but as
usual with prep rock/local teen-beat LPs you should
be aware that it sounds nothing like the Litter or
Nightshadow. Great sleeve design. [PL]
HAPPY DRAGON BAND (MI)
"Happy Dragon Band" 1978 (Fiddlers Music Company 811015-1157)

[200p]
"Happy Dragon Band" 199 (Fiddlers Music Company) [bootleg]
"Happy Dragon Band" 2004 (CD Radioactive, UK)
Surprising about-face from the Phantom "Divine

Comedy" guys, this avant-flavored basement late 1970s
trip mixes synth-led proto-new wave songs with social
commentary lyrics and a sense of a lot of things
being possible. Vocal effects are in an abundance
while several moogs seem to play off against each
other, yet the whole thing is tight and controlled
enough never to degenerate into freeform chaos.
Strange "Eraserhead"-like moods creep into your skull
as eerie vocals serenade a fucked-up world much like
sardonic space aliens might. The band achieves an
impressive effect by playing big, moody chord
sequences and harmonies on crude analog synths, which
enhances the experience of alienation and
telescopation. Some 70s glam-pop and raw guitar riffs
can also be picked up among the electronics and drum
machines. Very clearly a product of its era
(including some tentative reggae backbeats), I find
this an enjoyable LP and for all its weird, angular
sounds, a lot less challenging than much of the lame
"rock" stuff that was being released at the time.
Psychedelic in its use of contradictory and unusual
moods, but even more likely to appeal to fans of
1970s synth-punk/avant in the Ohio/Eastcoast style.
[PL]
~~~
This bizarre freaky rock album is as different from
the Phantom album as Relatively Clean Rivers is from
Beat of the Earth. It mixes several 70s styles and
buries them under sound effects, synthesizers and
weird vocal arrangements. There are a few electronic
instrumentals, some lyrics that are as obtuse as the
arrangements, and some very faint nods to the
disco/funk trends of the time. Despite an occasional
"Dark Side Of The Moon" influence, they are more
psych than prog or space rock, and at times they have
the same feel as some early new wave synth bands
(i.e. the Units, Assassin Of Silence.) It takes a
number of listens to grasp the actual songs because
they're so disjointed and because the melodies are
somewhat hidden behind the walls of noise. Once the
songs finally sink through, it's almost a surprise to
discover that they're very good, and the electronics
enhance them rather than mask their weaknesses. Like
the U.S.A album, even the most insane synth noises
here have been well integrated into the flow of the
songs and don't sound random at all. This is my idea
of a synth album! [AM]
HARBINGER ( )
"Second Coming" 197 (AE 100)
Excellent acoustic lost folk psych with 12-string

that sounds like a sitar at times, harmony vocals. A
strange little beast full of murky strum darkness,
cosmic imagery, and rich vocals. Hard to know what
this group was aiming for with an equal mix of cosmic
and biblical references. Musically, this has more in
common with Leopoldian despair than any Jesus Music
counterparts. They even appropriate the melodies to
Bowie's "Space Oddity" and the Beatles' "You Can't
See Me"! File under: Tripping For Jesus. ...'the
psychedelic sounds of the dirty circus grounds'. [RM]
HARDIN & RUSSELL ( )

"Ring Of Bone" 1976 (no label) [insert]
Male/female duo with countryrock/bluegrass setting

including banjo and fiddle and weird, dark lyrics.
HARD KNOX (East Haven, CT)
"Roughcut" 1981 (RC 1001)
Self-released hardrock/AOR mini-LP in primitive

cover. There was also a pre-LP 7".
JACK HARDY (New York City, NY)
"The Mirror Of My Madness" 1976 (no label) [plain cover]
Well-known 70's/80's Greenwich Village folk scene

mainstay. The LP has a few great whacked out songs,
the Dylanesque “Murder” being a crack-up fave ('you
know he wasn't out there just to dig some clams").
Fellow scenesters The Roches are featured on some
backing vocals. His 2nd LP, this was a homemade
private press that came in a plain white cover with
name and album title hand-written in pencil (the few
known copies are all like that). [MA]
RAY HARLOWE & GYP FOX (MN)
"First Rays" 1978 (Waterwheel wr-711)
Enjoyable local stoned hippie barrock Dead groover

with peak in druggy epic "Getting Keyed". True psych
vibes from "the bar at the end of the world" to quote
one of the album's original advocates. Excellent
musical value in relation to the low going rate. The
weather always keep changing... [PL]
~~~
One of those albums that’s known almost exlusively in
collector’s circles. Despite the 1978 recording date,
this is wasted late 60s/early 70s-style guitar rock
in a West Coast bag. The guitar playing is pretty
good and the songs have hooks buried here and there.
An album that makes you feel like you’ve wandered
into a swamp by mistake, but the water is warm and
comfortable. [AM]
~~~
see -> Ghostdance
JEFF HARMON (CA)
"To The Core" 1979 (Avocado) [plain stamped cover; insert]
Very obscure LP recorded in Lakeside CA, described as

"odd basement McCartney vibe, with some spacey
keyboards and Christian/seeker overtones."
ARTHUR LEE HARPER (Los Angeles, CA)

"Love Is The Revolution" 1969 (Nocturne 905)
"Love Is The Revolution" 1998 (Synton 9806)
"Dreams & Images / Love is the Revolution" 2002 (CD Papa's
Choice) [2-on-1]
I'm a bit puzzled by all the raves I've seen on this

singer/songwriter artefact -- I've heard it many
times but never found much. A couple of good psychy
tracks with gypsy violin and odd production tricks in
the background but also lots of wimpy James Taylor
laments; I can think of about a hundred LPs that blow
this away. Still, some reliable people rate it
highly. As few as 250 copies were reportedly pressed.
This is the same Arthur that had a Donovanish LP on
the LHI label, which I prefer over this. There is
also a retrospective album "Memories" (RD Records 11,
Switzerland 2003) with modern, or at least updated
recordings, according to the comments I've seen.
Arthur Lee Harper passed away right around the time
of the 2003 LP release. [PL]
~~~
Recorded with his backup band 'The Second Coming'.
Bent flower power love tunes and war concerns. Much
better than his earlier 'Arthur' LP with more of a
beat (bass upfront) and gorgeous melodies throughout.
Mix of acoustic and subdued electric guitar, violin.
Superb delicate vocals worth of Donovan or Don
Thompson. [RM]
~~~
see -> Arthur (LHI)
SHAUN HARRIS (CA)
"Shaun Harris" 1973 (Capitol st-11168) [red label]

"Shaun Harris" 2005 (CD Revola/Cherry Red 127, UK)
Ex-WCPAEB member Harris goes all out for 70s pop

stardom here, failing miserably because no matter how
smooth the melodies and vocals, he’s just too
freakin’ weird. At first you’ll think these are just
dumb love songs, but soon you’ll notice that half of
them are about suicide and self-loathing, and those
stupid melodies will start to grow on you. A guilty
pleasure, and proof that talent will defeat any
attempt to sell out. Harris also released a number of
non-LP 45s during this era. [AM]
~~~
Produced in association with Michael Lloyd, to be
perfectly honest, the first time we played this one
the pop orchestration had us double checking to
ensure we hadn't put a Lobo album on by mistake.
Luckily we were willing to give this one another spin
and, as is so often the case, it turns out our
initial impressions were largely off base.
Admittedly, anyone expecting WCPAEB-styled psych is
probably going to be disappointed by this set. Harris
originals such as "Empty Without Her", "I'll Cry Out"
and "Underachiever" were considerably more pop-
oriented than his earlier catalog, but the top-40
sheen was punctuated by some of the year's darkest
and self-abusive lyrics. Tracks such as
"Underachiever", "Color of Your Eyes", "Today's a
Day" and the glistening ballad "Love Has Gone Away"
showcased a young man with more than his share of
personal demons. [SB]
~~~
see -> West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band
BOB HARRISON ( )
"Yellow Moon" 1975 (Bobco)
Sort of the garage reverb take on the lost Elvis

impersonator angle. A couple of jumpsuit big ballads
but mostly atomic age rockabilly throwback moves with
deep thoughts. J.D. Brennan meets Stud Cole? Housed
in a terrific cover. His nickname is "Li'L Elvis".
[RM]
HARVEST FLIGHT (CA)
"One Way" 1971 (Destiny D-3303) [inner sleeve; individual

photos on back]
"One Way" 1972 (Destiny D-3303) [inner sleeve; group photo on
back]
"One Way" 200 (CD Dodo, Italy)
Very pro-sounding 1970s Christian hippie folkrock LP

with a slicker sound than universally loved Jesus
rock monsters like Kristyl et al. Impressive vocal
harmonies manage to convey a wide range of emotions
within the realm of an elaborate production. Other
notable features include typical 70s keyboard
wizardry, some good guitar, and intricate Third
Estate-style arrangements that occasionally stray
into the overambitious. Includes a cover of "One in
spirit", rest is group originals. May be too much of
a mainstream studio Steely Dan trip for some, but
apart from one atypical country track I think it's
pretty good. Release year seems to be 1971 but it
actually sounds more like 1975-76 to me. Apart from
the back cover difference, the original press has a
different font on the front cover logo, and the label
logo in the left corner instead of the right. [PL]
HARVEST OF DREAMS see Bobb Trimble
HAUNTED (Chateauguy, Canada)
"Haunted" 1967 (Transworld 6701) [mono]

--
"Haunted" 1984 (Psycho 9, UK) [altered sleeve]
"Haunted" 1995 (CD Beat, UK) [+6 bonus tracks]
Inconsistent Canuck rarity with some good tracks,

some covers, and blatant ripoffs of "Season Of The
Witch" and "Security". "1-2-5" is a different version
from 45. The printers failed to use the color yellow,
and as a result both yellow and green are missing on
the cover print on all original Haunted albums. Apart
from the LP the band cut several 45s, some under
pseudonym, and have been fully covered via
retrospective releases on Voxx (LP and CD). No stereo
pressing exists.
HAYMARKET RIOT (Berkeley, CA)
"Live '67" 199 (RD Records 7, Switzerland) [gatefold]
First ever release of live recording from this

somewhat legendary Bay Area underground band,
recorded at the F.U.C.K centre in late 1967. Crude
teen garage jams with some extended numbers.
Essential to any vintage S F aficionado.
HAYMARKET SQUARE (Chicago, IL)
"Magic Lantern" 1968 (Chaparral CRM-201)

"Magic Lantern" 1987 (Osmose, Europe)
"Magic Lantern" 1996 (Sacred Temple 2001, UK) [400p]
"Magic Lantern" 1996 (CD LSD 007)
"Magic Lantern" 2001 (Gear Fab/Comet GF-176) [gatefold]
"Magic Lantern" 2001 (CD Gear Fab GF-176)
More famous for its rarity than musical quality, this

is yet another Airplane meets Cream hippierock
workout. Unlike most similar groups these guys
couldn't really play much, which gives their jams an
odd garage edge, and may sound tedious. The reissue
may be worth checking out, but don't expect another
Wizards From Kansas. A ten minute track has been
reissued on "Psychedelic Patchwork" if you want a
sample. According to the band, as few as 80 copies
were pressed. Great sleeve, so the reissues might be
worthwhile. Beware though: the Osmose issue has a
skip in the first track from the vinyl transfer. [PL]
~~~
Crude hard rock with decent female vocals and
ridiculously overlong songs. Long jams are dull
enough when played by Cream or Blind Faith, but when
the band has no skills to speak of they're even
worse. A few songs show promise, if only they'd been
held to three minutes. Another high-priced rarity
that leaves me scratching my head. Perhaps it appeals
to jaded collectors who prefer a bargain basement
rough production and performance style to anything
that evidences any talent. [AM]
BILL HAYMES ( )
"I Shall Be Released" 197 (Resist bh-101)
Houston label. Early 1970s solo guitar folkie peace,

love, and protest. Half covers. Haymes also had a
second LP on Resist, titled "USA", and a recent CD
release as well. [RM]
V.A "HAZLETON '68" (Hazleton, PA)
"Hazleton '68" 1968 (Empire 868-577)
Teen garage cover bands. About half pop with some

nice primitive garage psych tracks. Highlights: the
Lost Dimensions' worst ever "Purple Haze", the
Pedestrians pedestrian fuzz-o-rama "Sunshine Of Your
Love", and the Boston T's "Hold On I'm Coming". Also
covers of Critters, Doors, Young Rascals. [RM]
ROY HEAD & THE TRAITS (San Marcos, TX)
"Roy Head & the Traits" 1965 (TNT 101)
Local pre-Invasion sounds from wellknown r'n'r & pop

performer, released to cash in on his rise to fame
with the "Treat her right" 45; this track is not
included, instead we are treated to Head's 1959-61
recordings, some of which have been "updated" with
mid-1960s stylings such as tambourines. An oddball
release of interest mostly to Texas completists.
HEAD OVER HEELS (MI)
"Head Over Heels" 1971 (Capitol ST-797)
Another surprisingly rare Capitol release; this is

first-rate power trio hard rock. The ballad "Right
Away" will rip your guts out. Two songs recorded live
succumb to annoying blues-rock clichés, but otherwise
this album is hot, and has an appealing variety for
an album of its type. The strident vocals work
perfectly in this context. Better than just about any
of the 70s hard rock bands who actually sold a few
records. Too bad the song "In My Woman" didn't take
advantage of the obvious opportunity for double-
entendre. Both green and red 'target' labels are
considered originals as the LP was released right at
the design switch. [AM]
HEAD SHOP (New York City, NY)
"Head Shop" 1969 (Epic BN 26476) [yellow label]

"Head Shop" 199 (Epic) [bootleg; dark label]
"Head Shop" 1998 (CD Synton DR9856)
"Head Shop" 2004 (CD World In Sound 1024) [+7 bonus tracks]
"Head Shop" 200 (Epic BN 26476) [legit re?]
Average late-60s psych album, full of sound effects,

fuzz guitar and creative arrangements, but without
the songs to elevate it to keeper status. A couple of
Beatles covers are particularly ill-advised. The
heavier songs are probably the highlights. Good but
not great. The LP was apparently masterminded by
Milan, a k a The Leather Boy. An original Dutch
pressing exists. [AM]
HEADS OF OUR TIME (Toronto, Canada)
"The Subtle Art of Self-Destruction" 1970 (Goodgroove GS-7001)

[foil cover]
This LP offered up a mix of original material and

contemporary pop and soul hits done in an exploito
fashion that you'll either love, or curse. Musically
the album could serve as a primer for studio psych
effects - it's all here including waves of fuzz
guitar, sitar, backwards tapes, channel panning, tons
of sound effects and hysterical over-the-top belly
button gazing insight such as that found on
"W.O.R.D.S" ("a burning desire for a woman with a
blank look on her face, who will assist you in the
subtle art of self destruction"). These guys just
didn't waste a single trick in pulling the album
together. Highlights included the blazing opening
instrumental "Airhead" and the weirdest cover of
"Wichita Lineman" you'll ever hear. Less impressive,
but still worth hearing were a couple of the covers,
including a lame 'Mercy, Mercy, Mercy', a heavied-up
"With a Little Help from My Friends" and one of the
stranger Hendrix covers I've ever heard "Crosstown
Traffic". Sure it may not have been great art, but
the LP was a load of fun! [SB]
~~~
Cool exploito-rock with stereo tricks, sound effects,
fuzz guitar, groovy organ, phasing, cosmic spoken
word bits, and backwards instruments. It mixes soul
and rock covers with far out instrumentals. The cover
versions have plenty of horns, and the oddest thing
here is probably the soul take on “Crosstown
Traffic”. It’s hard to think that the jazzy/soulful
stuff will appeal to the same people as the guitar
freakouts, but sometimes the two styles mix on the
same songs, creating a rather odd effect. If you’re
an exploito fan you’re sure to get a kick out of
this. As with most exploito, it’s well played and
sung. It’s cool, but there aren’t as many thrills
here as on, say, the first Aorta album. The silver
album cover is neat. A US pressing on Audio Fidelity
exists, credited to Jay Jackson & Heads of Our Time.
[AM]
HEADSTONE (Columbus, OH)
"Still Looking" 1974 (Starr slp-1056)

"Still Looking" 1988 (Starr) [bootleg]
-- this is a very close counterfeit. The color of the carton
inside the cover is clear gray on the original and more
brownish on the reissue. The label of the original is slightly
clearer and has visible circular lines.
"Still Looking" 1997 (CD Anthology, Italy)
The opening seven minute title track is a killer

journey through local underground guitar psych, and
there's plenty more good stuff aboard including some
more lyrical moves. Underrated LP, solid all through,
better than many $1000 LPs. Great generic sleeve of
eagle "still looking". The band also had three non-LP
45s which are pretty good. [PL]
~~~
Ohio was full of obscure hard rock bands in the 70s,
and it’s surprising how many of their self-released
albums have stood the test of time. Despite
relatively simple songs, this album has real power.
The long title track is the highlight, but the rest
of the album comes close to the standard. The songs
carry on a bit too long, but the solid guitar/organ
sound is backed up by an energetic rhythm section and
the overall feel of this album is strong, and gets
better with repeated listens. They don’t seem like
they were particularly talented, but they made the
most of what they had. [AM]
HEADSTONE CIRCUS (DC)
"Headstone Circus" 2004 (Shadoks 061, Germany) [350#d]
Unreleased 1968-70 tapes from band featuring Glenn

Faria, in a CSNY/Buffalo Springfield style. No
relation to any other Headstone Circus.
HEARD (Lawrence, KS)
"Heard" 1967 (Audio House acetate) [1-sided 10" acetate]
Drawing members from two local high-school bands,

this 1-sided album offers four tracks and a total of
11 minutes to get into the Heard trip. The band is a
lot more energetic than the Chosen Ones, with an
obvious ambition to create a true soul groove rather
than just sanitizing Memphis numbers for the wedding
crowd. Vocalist -- none other than future Nashville
music biz mogul Garth Fundis -- sounds like he would
fit better in a snotty garage band but gives it an
enthusiastic shot anyway. Apart from charming,
energetic opener "I Dig Girls" the tracks are played
unusually slow which combined with a confident
drummer makes it sound almost late 60s in execution.
Did I mention there's a full horn section? Sound is
reminiscent of some of the more bizarre Justice label
teen acts, with a strong recording and a nice live
feel to their advantage. Not garage nor psych nor
beat, this is a Midwest horn band doing Billboard
r'n'b 100 covers. Vocalist and bass player later
joined the Upside Dawne. [PL]
GERALD HEARD (England / Los Angeles, CA)
"Explorations vol 2 - Survival, Growth & Rebirth" 1961 (World

Pacific 1413) [3LP box set]
Heard is one of the Founding Fathers of psychedelia

through his work on LSD during the 1950s/early 1960s,
often in collaboration with his friend Aldous Huxley.
He was also an eminent lecturer, philosopher and
author, and his writings cover many fields apart from
the psychedelic experience. From an acid perspective
the 1961 box set is the most interesting as the third
disc contains the world's first LSD trip guide,
inspired by the Tibetan Book Of The Dead and later
blatantly copied by Tim Leary for his "Psychedelic
Experience" book and record. This disc contains some
spooky organ music and classical vocalizing, while
the rest of his recordings are all spoken word. As
the trip is peaking towards the end Heard chants out
cosmic wisdom in a way that is quite psychedelic.
Recommended and likely to become as desirable as
Aldous Huxley's recordings over time. There are two
different versions of disc #3, which is the key
"psychedelic" one. Presumably Heard was dissatisfied
with the first version and went to the trouble of re-
recording it (with some minor changes) and having a
new run pressed of only disc #3, which was then
inserted into the existing box sets. Therefore many
copies found contain 4 discs, including both versions
of disc #3. The re-recorded version can be identified
with a "-2" extension to the matrix number. Heard's
earlier, non-psychedelic album releases include
"Explorations" (Pacifica, 1957), "Reflections" (World
Pacific, 1959) and "Indications" 1959 (World Pacific,
1959). [PL]
~~~
HEARTS & FLOWERS (Los Angeles, CA)
"Now is the Time" 1967 (Capitol t-2762) [mono]

"Now is the Time" 1967 (Capitol st-2762) [stereo]
"Now is the Time" 1986 (Bam Caruso, UK)
Excellent early country-rock album with terrific

harmonies. The album relies too heavily on covers,
but is really a very solid record, being very well
played and having a distinctive feel. [AM]
"Of Horses, Kids, and Forgotten Women" 1968 (Capitol st-2868)

"Of Horses, Kids, and Forgotten Women" 1986 (Bam Caruso, UK)
"Now is the Time / Of Horses, Kids, and Forgotten Women" 199
(CD Edsel, UK) [2-on-1; bonus tracks]
The second Hearts & Flowers is similar to the first,

but more produced, and benefits from having one truly
wonderful dreamy psych song that isn't "country" at
all, but somehow still fits in well with the rest.
Both albums are recommended to fans of country rock
or rural folk rock. CD samplers of the band's output
have also been released by Collector's Choice and
Rev-Ola. [AM]
HEATHER BLACK (TX)
"Heather Black" 1970 (American Playboy 1001) [2LPs; promo-

only; different cover]
"Heather Black" 1970 (American Playboy 1001) [2LPs; gatefold;
photo]
Live barband melodic rural guitar jams with organ.
Roots covers of 1950s & 60s staples mostly, some weak
ballads. Produced by Huey Meaux. The rare promo
variant has a cover with a drawing of a fat man,
while the regular version shows a cover design with
lots of illegible scribblings. There is also an easy
to find single LP on the Double Bayou label, also
self-titled and possibly a condensed version of the
2LP set. The band included Gaylan Ladd who did some
garage recordings in the 1960s.
HEAVEN (NE)
"Heaven" 1970 (W.W. 8701) [insert]
Guitar and keyboard-led bluesy horn rock jammer. Very

much in the garage, even some fuzz in spots.
HEAVEN & EARTH (IL)
"Refuge" 1973 (Ovation 1428) [wlp exists]
Great female hippie folk-rock duo with some nice

psych touches. Echoplexed flute on one song, a dreamy
wavey vocal mix on another give the album some oomph.
The two voices sound great together, and this album
was put together with great care. A few songs in the
middle of the album don't quite match up with the
rest, but the LP begins and ends with very strong
songs (side one ends strong as well). One of the best
female psych albums, this is a quadrophonic release
from the industry's brief flirtation with that
format. Great album cover too. Most (all?) copies
seem to be wlp:s. They also did a non-LP Christmas
single that sounds much more country than folk. [AM]
HEAVY BALLOON (New York City, NY)
"32.000 Pound" 1969 (Elephant V Ltd evs-104) [wlp exists]
Exploito heavy rock/blues with songs like "Lead

Zeppalin" and "Owed to Sgt. Pepper". "Barnyard Blues"
is a pretty good original with a stoned biker vibe.
HEAVY CRUISER (CA)
"Heavy Cruiser" 1972 (Family fps-2706)

"Heavy Cruiser" 1976 (Tiger Lily) [remix; altered cover]
This is the same situation as the Velvert Turner

album -- the "real" Heavy Cruiser album was on the
Family label, and Morris Levy somehow got acccess to
the master tapes and released a variation on it on
Tiger Lily. Heavy Cruiser is a Neil Merryweather
project, basically Mama Lion without Lynn Carey's
vocals (though she did co-write a few songs.) It's
70s hard rock that isn't especially good or bad but
is weird enough to be worth a listen or two. As with
all Merryweather projects it contains a couple of
terrible, pointless cover versions. Canadian and
Spanish (on Philips) pressings exist. [AM]
HEAVYFEATHER (TN)
"Soft, Hard, and Heavy" 1972 (Ace of Hearts 0226) [wlp

exists]
Here's a review from a knowledgable source: "Truly

awful harmony vocal loungy pop with cheesy lyrics and
occasional string orchestra backing. Only winner here
is the last track on Side 1 " Can You help" which is
a short 2 minute fuzz rocker. There is also a 5
minute track on side 2 which is decent with plenty of
swirling organ and dreamy vibes but ends in a bad
drum and bass solo. Judging by their outfits (bright
smiles, ties, leather jackets and matching sideburns)
they appear to be a Nashville lounge outfit releasing
this LP to showcase their many "talents" (soft, hard
and heavy) in hope of securing as many gigs as
possible at the local Holiday Inns. I'd stay clear of
this LP". It's a noisy pressing.
HEITKOTTER ( )
"Heitkotter" 1971 (Ego)
Intense real people/fringe LP popular among psych

mafiosos, a 3-man band with guitar, bass and drums
led by Steven David Heitkotter, presumably recorded
inside the mental institution where the guy has been
for decades. Track titles include "Hangin' All
Night", "Quaker, Dog Got Away" and the 14-minute "Fly
Over The Moon". The vibe is intense and feverish like
a nightmare, unique LP that lives up to its
reputation. This may have been a test press only and
comes in a blank cover, except for the handwritten
title. He was also in a garage band in the 1960s that
released a few 45s. [PL]
~~~
This is a truly disturbing record... so far out-there
it goes beyond what could be classified as "genius".
At times all three musicians sound like they are
playing different songs and somehow you're able to
groove along on three different levels. This is not
for everyone, but if you've been down every "psych"
road out there and enjoyed each and every one of
them, Heitkotter might be for you. I can see 20-25
people thinking this is the greatest LP ever recorded
and everyone else thinking it was a piece of trash.
[RH]
HELENE & MARC ( )
"The Beginning" 1971 (Veritable)
Downer folk with mixed vocals and unsettling suicidal

vibe on Helene's tracks. Cover artwork has amateur
drawing of the couple with gigantic eyes and freaky
long necks. More comments will follow. [PL]
HELGESON SCRANTON (OR)
"Black Bootleg" 1971 (Rex RL 5071) [1-sided; plain cover]
Obscure one-sided custom pressing of local hippie

folk; a mono recording housed in a white cover with
handwritten title.
HELLERS (Los Angeles, CA)
"Creative Freakout" 1967 (no label) [10"]
Extraordinary exercise in zany 60s cool of the kind

that is almost forgotten today, projecting images of
hip guys driving sports cars, reading Marshall
McLuhan, and sipping dry martinis -- preferrably all
at the same time. It's a showcase for the Heller-
Ferguson ad firm, presenting a long string of their
(often brilliant) radio ads tied together in a
hilarious concept about a suave ad man strolling
around among hippies and folkies on the westcoast.
LSD parties, civil rights, square protesters & groovy
Sunset Strip chicks all flash by while narrator
"Johnny Spots" manages to turn it into inspired
tongue-in-cheek jokes related to the tough
advertising business. Incidentally one of the ad
voices sounds exactly like John Rydgren. Various
songs are parodied to great effect, "What have they
done to the rain" becomes "What have they done to my
line" (i e: his ad copy is distorted by manager and
client), etc. The whole thing is very modern in its
mindset and obviously done with a lot of work put
into it. The sheer talent on display has an
invigorating effect that may cause you to see ad
people in a new light, and in any event is a reminder
of just how cool the pre-hippie 1960s were. [PL]
"City Songs" 1967 (no label) [10"]
"Brief Bouncers" 1967 (no label) [10"]
All three 10-inchers above were released as a 3-disc

set in an elaborate foldout cover, but it appears
that at least "Creative Freakout" also came out as a
standalone item. The other two have been described as
being similar in style. There's more releases under
the Hellers name, including a 45 for a client in
Vancouver, BC.
"Singers, Talkers, Players, Swingers and Doers" 196 (ABC

Command rs-934-sd) [gatefold]
"Singers, Talkers, Players, Swingers and Doers" 2002 (no label)
This more wellknown Hellers LP on a real record label

is appealing too, but feels more dated than "Creative
Freakout". Partly an early moog LP, partly a
McLuhanesque collage of "now" sounds with softpsych
songs, soundbites, gags and parodies. The vibe is a
bit weird and subdued, and not everything hits home,
with a few 3-minute jokes terminating in halfassed
punchlines. There is a recurring space exploration
theme typical for the era. Housed in an eye-popping
color cover it's a fun artefact from the era. [PL]
HELP (CA)
"Help" 1970 (Decca dl-75257)

"Help / Second Coming" (CD Free Records, Europe) [2-on-1]
Help's first album hasn't attracted as much attention

as their collector-friendly second, but it's by far
the superior record. It's a solid mix of rural rock,
folk rock and pop, and rocks really hard despite
there not being any distortion on the guitars. There
appear to be no instrumental overdubs, just a trio of
guitar, bass and drums, yet the excellent
musicianship (especially the rock-solid rhythm
section) makes the sound full and rich. Side one is
full of energy, melodic songwriting, and excellent
vocals, and is solid all the way through. Side two is
somewhat less inspired, but still pretty good, and
the album is definitely recommended. [AM]
"Second Coming" 1971 (Decca dl-75304)

"Help / Second Coming" (CD Free Records, Europe) [2-on-1]
This much heavier second album is the one that most

collectors know, due to lots of fuzz and wah wah on
the guitars. The sparse trio format is the same as on
the first album, except that the clean guitar is
replaced by distortion and effects. Strangely enough,
that makes the sound less full than on the debut. It
admittedly sounds pretty cool, but after a few
listens it becomes apparent that the songwriting is
actually pretty weak, with only two or three songs at
a high standard. Worth listening to for those songs,
but overall a patchy record. [AM]
HENDRICKSON ROAD HOUSE ( )
"Hendrickson Road House" 197 (Two:Dot hrh-81-670)
Mega-rare light psych item is one of the few in the

genre in which the creative force is a woman, Sue
Akins. This isn't really much like all of the
Airplane-wannabe bands, either; Hendrickson Road
House has a distinctive sound with mildly jazzy
arrangements, subtle lead guitar, a tad of autoharp,
smooth vocals and a definite late-night feel. The
guitar playing has a bit of a West Coast influence,
though it's not the least bit heavy. The closest
comparison would be the Serpent Power songs with Tina
Meltzer on lead vocals. One jazzy instrumental with a
lot of sax manages not to sound out of place.
Otherwise Akins sings all of the songs, and the album
has a coherence not often felt in the genre. Not a
masterpiece, but quite good, and the lack of a
reissue is truly puzzling given its quality and
rarity. [AM]
~~~
Remarkable femme-vox folkrock/psych that must rank as
one of the best local LPs not yet reissued. Draws on
1960s Bay Area vibes but adds a jazzy nightclub
sophistication that places it in a slightly later
area. Femme vocals are superb whether solo or in
tandem (possibly doubletracked), soaring in full
control over a sparse backing with classical inspired
acoustic guitar. The best tracks have a folkrock
setting yet retains an intimate nocturnal feel. Apart
from a superior variation on Serpent Power (as Aaron
suggests above) I am reminded of These Trails, though
this is less rural exotica and more of an urban
afterhours scene. Tracks such as "Tomorrow your
sorrow" and the opening "Forget about you" are likely
to blow anyone's mind. An atypical saxophone medley
towards the end breaks the mood on what is otherwise
a very well-crafted and consistent album that would
have fit better on Elektra or Vanguard than an
obscure contracting service in rural CA. Two:Dot had
a couple of other interesting releases, including the
rare Arthur. [PL]
MARK HENLEY (MN)
"Riversong" 1976 (Sanskrit SR 0763)

"Riversong" 2005 (CD Small Town, UK)
Mellow acoustic hippie folk with a variety of

stringed instruments, credit shared with one Michael
Johnson. Henley and Johnson also collaborated on
Johnson's "Aint Dis Da Life" (Sanskrit, 1977).
HENRY TREE (Cleveland, OH)
"Electric Holy Man" 1969 (Mainstream s-6129) [wlp exists]
This is one of the “lesser” Mainstream psych albums,

though it’s more interesting than you might expect.
It’s a pure power trio with no overdubs (not even
backing vocals), but the song structures are complex
enough to make up for the simple arrangements. They
mix rural rock ,blues, jazz, acoustic ballads and
some Xian lyrics, and it’s rather an odd result. At
its best it’s quite challenging. “Mr. Fear,” in
particular, has a lovely melody and is an evocative
work. All of side one is pretty good, actually,
though some fast noodly guitar leads are a bit
bothersome. The long songs meander, recalling Nucleus
(also on Mainstream), but it’s much better: the worst
bits sound much more like failed experiments than
stoned indifference. Side two is quite a bit less
interesting than side one, though, and this ends up
being half of a promising album. [AM]
HENSKE & YESTER (Los Angeles, CA)
"Farewell Aldebaran" 1969 (Straight sts-1052) [wlp exists]

"Farewell Aldebaran" 2005 (CD Radioactive)
I am less impressed than most by the "Aldebaran"
title track, but numbers such as "Lullaby" and "Three
Ravens" have an appealing icy acid-folk edge. Hard to
understand all the brouhaha around this album,
though. Both Jerry Yester and Judy Henske had long
careers with several noteworthy aspects, none of
which fit into this archive. The LP is sometimes
listed as by 'Yester & Henske'; a 2nd pressing on
Reprise (RS 6388) has been listed but appears never
to have come out. [PL]
~~~
Noted folksinger Judy Henske (originally from
Wisconsin) and her husband, Jerry Yester. There's
three great and radically different songs on
"Farewell Aldebaran": the hard fuzz "Snowblind"; the
medeival stomper "Raider"; and the keys and effects
on the title track are riveting. The remainder is
pretentious mixed duo folk with pretty playing,
ludicrous hipster lyrics, orchestral backing, and a
dreamy carnival organ sound. [RM]
~~~
This album's inclusion in Ritchie Unterberger's first
book sent collectors scurrying everywhere, trying to
dig up lost copies. Too bad he hadn't written about
some of those lame psych albums that no dealer can
get rid of instead; that would have caused a laugh or
two. While this album's reputation has become a
little overstated in the wake of the book, it still
stands up as one of the better and most creative
folk/psych albums of the period. Henske made the
transition from her earlier career as a comedian/folk
singer/torch singer to a rock singer with no problem
at all. She has an amazing talent, and her throat-
ripping vocal on the opening "Snowblind" is an eye-
opener. That particular singing style is not
revisited, but from bubblegummy pop to morbid dirge
to psychedelic hoedown to wicked social commentary to
electronic freakout this album really shows what can
happen when willingness to experiment is high and
talent is ripe. A few songs in the middle don't
really live up to the rest, which is what keeps this
from being an eternal masterpiece, but still it's
close. Henske and Yester's next collaboration, as
"Rosebud," sadly shows little of the inspiration of
this album. [AM]
HENTCHMEN ( )
"Hentchmen" 1966 (Sanders no #) [no sleeve]
Teenbeat demo LP from NYC recording studio.
HERE COMES EVERYBODY (OK)
"Here Comes Everybody" 1974 (Cab 101)
Westcoast sound stoner barband with side-long "L'

Opera: Johnny Got His Raygun", in handmade cover.
HERMON KNIGHTS see Knights

DANNY HERNANDEZ & THE ONES (MI)
"Back Home at the Brewery" 1972 (Spirit 52003)
Funky jams in Sly & the Family Stone style. The cover
notes all proceeds will be donated to a marijuana
legalization fund. No doubt that plan went up in
smoke.
JAMES HERSCH & TIM MILLER (MN)
"Butterman's Ball" 1975 (no label) [300p]
Folk/folkrock with mellotron, recorded in 1974 in Jon

Burrell's studio in Brooklyn Park and mastered at
Sound 80 in Minneapolis. James Hersch released a solo
LP in 1980, "Audition" (Whitewater).
CAROLYN HESTER COALITION (TX/NY)
"Carolyn Hester Coalition" 1969 (Metromedia md-1001) [wlp

exists]
First LP is fine westcoast style hippie fuzz

folkrock/pop with Hester singing in a decidedly non-
folky acid bubblegum style, a few tracks such as the
great "East Virginia" excepted. Solid all through,
should appeal to any fan of Neighb'rhood Child'n,
Birmingham Sunday, Daisy Chain and similar semi-light
trips. For whatever reason, both CHC albums sport
some of the ugliest covers of the era. Carolyn Hester
recorded extensively as a pure folkie from the early
1960s on. [PL]
~~~
Traditional folkie moves confidently into folk-rock,
complete with fuzz guitars and Buddha references. The
opening “Magic, Man” is well-known due to its
inclusion on the Hippie Goddesses compilation, but
there are plenty of other treats in store here as
well. The more standard folk songs are as good as the
psychy ones, especially if Hester’s clear, girly
voice is your cup of tea. Housed in one of the
absolute ugliest album covers ever, despite (or, in
part, due to?) Carolyn’s brave display of cleavage.
[AM]
"Magazine" 1970 (Metromedia md-1022) [wlp exists]
Hester’s second venture into folk-rock is equally as

good as the first, if not better. How far you go with
these albums depends on how you feel about her voice,
but if you like her this is definitely recommended.
Nice folk rock sounds abound here, with just a little
bit of fuzz guitar to keep things interesting. A
cover of “Dock of The Bay” is pointless, but the two
other covers, “St. James Infirmary” and “Swing Low
Sweet Chariot” are made quite interesting by the
addition of topical political lyrics. Another cool
record and another terrible album cover! [AM]
~~~
"Magazine" is a bit harder to find than the CHC
debut, and perhaps due to this usually written off
blindly as "not as good". Actual hi-fi encounter with
it suggests otherwise, as this is highly enjoyable in
a style similar to the first; a small step or two
towards moody folkier sounds all over and a little
less Sunset Strip bubblegumish - some may consider
this an improvement. Setting is unchanged with a
stripped down teen guitar/organ sound supporting
Hester's candy acid vocals. There are a handful of
covers including the album's one dud, a useless take
on "Dock Of The Bay", while the acid fuzz rework of
"St James Infirmary" with modernized political lyrics
is very good. Personal faves include opening psycher
"Rise Like The Phoenix" and the superb introspective
folkpsych of "Just Follow Me", while "Calico Sky"
should appeal to fans of soft femme vocal pop. [PL]
MARK HEYES (CA)
"Words and Music of Mark Heyes" 197 (Good Sounds jat-101)
Early 1970s teen organ blues rock produced by John

Tartaglia. Hal Blaine, Joe Osborne, and Larry
Knechtel help the 17-year old Heyes out, presumably
out of the Heyes Sr pocket. Housed in spooky cover
photo of Heyes staring blankly into space.
PAUL HIBBETS (GA)
"Childhood Dream" 1974 (Ascension)
Good dreamy Christian psychrock with fuzz and

keyboards backing from the band Ascension, has been
compared to Azitis and Joe Peace. Nice double
exposure color cover.
HICKORY WIND (IN)
"Hickory Wind" 197 (Gigantic 1104) [black and white cover;

100p]
"Hickory Wind" 1996 (Gigantic/T.U.T, Austria) [bootleg; purple
cover; 300p]
"Hickory Wind" 1999 (Void 11)
"Hickory Wind" 200 (CD Beatball 06, Korea) [+4 bonus tracks]
Rural rocker with lots of rootsy Band-type numbers
and country-influences; as you guess pretty far from
the usual psych/guitarrock. Quite unusual LP that can
sound vastly different depending on the listener's
mood, although at the end of side 2 I usually
conclude that it's an enjoyable and wellstructured
piece. Vocals are a bit flat and the playing often
unexciting, but somehow this contributes to the
album's earthy, realistic feel, like strolling into
an Indiana bar one afternoon and finding a band on
stage rehearsing. One track has fuzzed rock
aspirations and there are a couple of good slow
numbers with organ as well. The closing ballad is a
personal favorite. Moves in the same Americana roots
and bar-rock regions as Riley and Traveler's Aid but
is stronger all over, with an appealing smalltown
charm and grower qualities. [PL]
~~~
The most well known song here is garagy fuzz screamer
that's hopelessly out of place among a batch of
country-influenced rock songs. About half of them are
pretty cheesy and weak (the nadir being a song about
begging a police officer not to give the singer a
speeding ticket), but a few of them have an eerie
out-of-place-and-time quality that's quite effective.
"Father Come With Me" is the highlight, with spooky
organ and heavily echoed vocals. The album-closer
"Judy" is lovely folk-rock, as out of place on this
record as the one fuzz rocker. I think this is only
half good, even if you're intrigued by the thought of
a basement recording of a stoned country crooner, but
the good half is unique and memorable. The Void
reissue has been described as inferior in sound. The
Korean CD has bonus tracks by B F Trike. [AM]
~~~
see -> B.F. Trike; Lee Hyatt
GARY HIGGINS (CT)
"Red Hash" 1973 (Nufusmoon 3673) [lyric insert; 2500p]

"Red Hash" 199 (CD Flashback, UK)
"Red Hash" 2005 (CD Drag City 295)
Highly enjoyable smalltown hippie folk/folkrock with

a professional sound, good vocals and songs full of
hooks and strong melodies. A dreamy melancholy
dominates, but the sharp arrangements and elaborate
production keeps it from ever drifting off. Lyrics
deal with dope and being in prison, which is a true
story & probably what kept him off major labels.
Higgins received a severe 2-year-9-month sentence for
possession of weed, but had time to record this album
shortly before going to jail. "Red Hash" is a
nickname he aquired when being in custody. Underrated
LP is a personal fave and better than almost all the
overpriced items in this genre. To illustrate
Higgins' qualities I'm picking two different fave
tracks than Aaron does below; "Stable the Spuds" and
the closing "Looking for June". Do not miss this.
Some copies came with promo sheets with newspaper
clippings about Higgins' trial. [PL]
~~~
To these ears this is one of the best loner folk
albums. Apparently recorded before Gary went to
prison, which gives it an extra edge. Higgins is a
great songwriter, and has an appealing soft-but-gruff
vocal style. The lyrics reach into some pretty
unusual places, and the melodies and hooks are full
of unexpected left turns. He even uses moog to nice
effect here and there. Pick hits are the beautiful
“It Didn’t Take Too Long” and the pissed off “Down On
The Farm.” [AM]
HIGH MOUNTAIN BAND ( )
"Music From Mountains, Rivers And Oceans" 197 (no label 45640)
Eastern influenced trance folk.
HIGH TREASON (Philadelphia, PA)
"High Treason" 1971 (Abbott ABS 1209) [gatefold with plastic

window and rolling papers]
"High Treason" 2002 (CD Gear Fab gf-165)
"High Treason" 2002 (Akarma, Italy)
Somewhat bizarre concept of a loungy nightclub jazz

band tackling the mid-era Airplane sound and coming
off a lot different than they had intended, I would
think. Lady vocalist makes up for her lack of Grace
by yelling at the top of her lungs, while cocktail
organist and supperclub guitarist "jam" on long
tracks, including an unsuccessful Dylan cover. Didn't
like this much though others may find some appealing
angles on it. Several of the musicians also played
with Perry Leopold. [PL]
HIGHWAY (Mankato, MN)
"Highway" 1975 (no label 854) [500p]

"Highway" 1996 (no label) [bootleg; paste-on cvr; 300#d]
"Highway" 200 (CD no label) [+4 tracks]
One of the better finds of the 1990s to my ears,

guitar-driven rural rock/west coast trio similar to
the harder sides of Homer or the melodic sides of
Morly Grey. Opens with two killer tracks and a good
2/3 of the LP is excellent, some instrumental
passages veer too much towards jazzrock for me
though. The LP was recorded in Iowa and remained
unknown among psych fans until the 1990s. Some
original copies included promotional handbills. The
CD reissue is from master tapes. [PL]
~~~
Unusual power trio album that's one of the best of
its kind. It's hard but not heavy; there's not a
single distorted guitar to be heard. What you get
instead are intricate, complex riffs and hooks a-
plenty in which speed and agility take precedence
over pure noise. The drums and bass compensate by
being loud and frantic. At times it appears that
they're overreaching their grasp, but the feeling of
them teetering over the edge of a cliff is actually
kind of exhilarating. The two instrumentals are
especially hot. The production, on the other hand, is
thin and trebly. It's arguable that a more
professional job could have given them a richer and
less chaotic sound, but it's equally likely that the
individual performances would have had less impact.
As it is, the rumbling drums on "Just To Be With
You," for example, sound something like a landslide.
That's mostly a good thing. As usual with this kind
of band, lyrics are not their strong point, but the
vocals are quite agreeable, not macho or obnoxious at
all. It simply appears that these guys were doing
their own thing without caring whether they fit into
any genre or if they appealed to the kids. Great
album. The folks who reissued the album pressed more
LPs than covers, so occasionally it turns up in a
plain white cover or with just a non-pasted-on front
cover. [AM]
HIGHWAY ROBBERY (CA)
"For Love and Money" 1972 (RCA lsp-4735)
Great early 70s hard rock. Two soft pop songs sneak
their way onto the album, and somehow sound fantastic
next to the noisy guitars and in-your-face vocal
style of the rest. Funny lyrics, out of control slide
guitar and high speed put this miles ahead of your
average hard rock album. A keeper. Michael Stevens
was previously in Boston Tea Party. Atlee Yeager also
played with Atlee and Damon. [AM]
HIGHWIND (KY)
"Highwind" 1980 (Forum FR 1001)
Pomprock/AOR with keyboard/guitar.
KENNETH HIGNEY (NJ)
"Attic Demonstration" 1976 (Kebrutney 516)

"Attic Demonstration" 197 (Kebrutney 516) [2nd press]
New Jersey open wounds real person basement psych

damage strums with buzzfuzz bursts. Mix of Spencian
floaters and warped rhythm ravers. At times sounds
like 1/2 Japanese doing Cale-era Modern Lovers
outtakes. Way lost no-fi monsterdom. The repress used
left over covers and labels. There's a sticker on the
cover and the label, over the address, listing a
Lyndhurst, New Jersey address. The first press shows
a Bayonne, New Jersey address on cover and label.
[RM]
~~~
Many years after this album had become a cult
classic, Higney came clean and admitted that the
sloppy performances and off-rhythm singing weren't
his natural sensibility, but actual mistakes. Since
he had recorded the songs to shop them to other
artists, not to showcase himself as a performer, he
wasn't too concerned with the quality. That said,
there's still no question that something is bizarre
and "off" with his world view. This is one "real
people" album that really is enjoyable, because he
has just enough songwriting talent to make the songs
listenable, and there are enough quirks and goofy
moments to push it one step further into its own
unique realm. Occasionally this music seems like
ahead-of-its-time proto-punk. There's definitely no
shortage of energy here. Lots of people love this
album, and for good reason. [AM]
HI HOPES (Anaheim, CA)
"Ability" 1970 (Band 'n' Vocal bvrs-1200)
"Hi Hopes" 1971 (Activity ar-696) [booklet]
The band is Hi Hopes (from Hope School) but some

releases are credited to High Hopes. Basement rock
from adult students at the school which cares for the
'trainable mentally retarded'. The first LP is a
legend in Shaggs' territory with four CCR covers and
"Wipeout" taken to their minimalist extremes. Their
later LPs ("Play Along, Sing Along", 1975 and "To You
With Joy", 1978) have less interesting songs.
BILL HILL ( )
"Free Advice" 1983 (no label) [insert; 200p]
Burnout paranoid hippie new wave psych with a couple

of worthwhile tracks like "In Control". The small
press size has been reported by Hill himself. Some
unreleased stuff from 1985 appeared in 1996 on the
Swiss RD label ("Maps & Signs").
~~~
Inventive metallic guitar mystic rocker with quirky
bouncing rhythm new wave keys. Great multi-textured
leads and effects, industrial leanings. [RM]
HILLARY BLAZE (AZ)
"Exposure" 1977 (30th Century Fox)
Distinctive and strange hard rock/space rock. Two

cover variations exist. The first pressing is b & w
and the second has the word "Exposure" in orange.
V.A "HILL COUNTRY FAITH FESTIVAL '74" (TX)
"Hill Country Faith Festival '74" 1974 (ACR-KNO-BEL 33-7427)
Moody x-ian folk with good pre-LP Redemption track.

Also has Trinity, Cliff Lockear, Glory Bound,
Children of Faith. Lo-fi recording and noisy press.

HILLOW HAMMIT (DC)
"Hammer" 1969 (House of the Fox hof-lp-2) [mono wlp]

"Hammer" 1969 (House of the Fox hof-lp-2) [stereo]
"Hammer" 1978 (L & BJ)
Excellent hard guitar rock produced by Lelan Rogers

of IA/Elevators fame. Recorded at Sounds of Memphis
Studio in Memphis, Tennessee. Stock mono pressings
may not exist; it also appears that many or all
'mono' promos actually play stereo. The band name
incorrectly listed as 'Hillow Hammet' the House Of
Fox version. The 1978 release corrects the spelling,
while the cover is different and has incorrect song
listings. One track has been replaced. The sound has
been reported as inferior to the 1969 pressing.
V.A "HILLSIDE '66" (Columbus, OH)
"Hillside '66" 1966 (Hillside 18036) [no cover]
Not less than five tracks from this local

teenbeat/garage sampler have found their way onto
various comps, so maybe someone will reissue it in
its entirety some dat. Cover versions all through I
think, though with enough dumb teenage charm to make
for acceptable listening. Bands include the Possums,
Grim Reapers, King's English, Eggs, Deadlys, and
more. The LP has also been listed as 'Hillside Album'
and 'Hillside Sampler'. There is a later "Hillside
'67" EP with four bands doing one track each.
HILLTONES see Universal Ignorants
HILSS & LABLANC ( )
"A Time Lost" 1974 (AR 3939)
Private press of melodic 1970s folkrock in the same

generic sun-dial sleeve as Emmaus Road Band. Rock
setting with organ plus piano and flute; the main duo
has a couple of guys helping out. Originals all
through.
HITCH-HIKERS (Portage, IN)
"Thank You For Your Love" 196 (H-H Records HHMR 113)
Obscure mid-60s teenbeat from goofy-looking guys with

older vibe. One even has a moustache. Plenty of group
originals with mix of rockers and ballads, plus cover
of "Stormy Monday" and a track called "Five to
one" (!). The band also had two 45s out.
H M S BOUNTY see Merrell Fankhauser
HOI' POLLOI (Richmond, IN) see interview
"Hoi' Polloi" 1972 (Custom Fidelity CFS 2899) [insert; blank

back cover; 500p]
Recently discovered melodic rock/s-sw/psych delight

from students at Earlham College. Excellent
songwriting, dreamy vocals and skillful arrangements
combine to make for a trip with wide appeal, in
contrast to the crude packaging. Somewhat similar to
the Dialogue LP from PA, but really needs to be heard
on its own merits. Side 1 is great from start to
finish. Band member Charlie Bleak later had a minor
hit and cut a solo LP for Pickwick in 1976. [PL]
~~~
Here's proof that great finds are still out there
awaiting us. This is a truly excellent early 70s rock
and roll album. Collectors may miss out on records
like this because they lack any heaviness or fuzz
guitar (though there are a few trippy sound effects
here and there), but if you're looking for great
songwriting, creative arrangements, reasonably
complex chord progressions and solid performances
this sure fits the bill. For a home production made
by college students it sounds remarkably self-assured
and rich. The keyboard-based soft-rock sound can be
most closely compared to Dialogue, but this album is
significantly better. Obvious (and admitted)
influences are McCartney and LOW SPARK-era Traffic,
with a bit of jazz and even flamenco thrown in
unobtrusively. The occasional horn is used in a truly
likeable way. The album starts very strong, and the
best song, the moody "Old Bootstrap" comes early, but
even the slightly lesser second side has plenty to
offer. [AM]
~~~
see -> Crucible
JON HOLBROOK EXPERIENCE ( )
"Miserable You" 1976 (Tiger Lily 14046)
Bluesy guitar rock amateur moves. Covers of Young

Rascals, Steven Stills, James Gang, and Dick Dale.
RANDY HOLDEN (Los Angeles/San Francisco, CA)
"Population II" 1970 (Hobbit 5002) [green label]

"Population II" 1982 (Line 5211, Germany)
"Population II" 198 (Hobbit, Europe) [counterfeit]
"Population II" 2005 (Hobbit/Scorpio) [signed & #d]
Holden could have/should have been a major guitar

hero, but it was not to be. His decision to highlight
his playing by creating the world's first power duo
(the drummer played the bass part on pedals with his
feet) doomed this album to deadly slow tempos, though
his fans don't seem to mind. Power and volume are
here in abundance; no one played louder than Holden,
and no one made better use of a whammy bar. Still,
these are not really songs, but vehicles for his
soloing, which could have benefited from a few
faster, more energetic moments. This is an enjoyable
album, but it's not the step forward hoped for by
fans of his two great songs on the third Blue Cheer
album. A great case of "what could have been". Most
or all originals seem to be cut-outs. Original A-side
matrix # is '6-137-I-D Stereo / B 1'. The cover for
the bootleg has a cutout hole visible in the photo
reproduction. The retrospective CD sampler "Early
Works" (Captain Trips, Japan 1997) contains surf &
garage tracks from 1964-66 with Randy's previous
bands "Fender IV" and "Sons of Adam" [AM]
~~~
"Population II" is simply a hard rock guitar lovers
dream. The album's essentially a one man show with
Holden producing, writing all of the material,
handling lead vocals, as well playing most of the
instruments - former Kak percussionist Chris Lockheed
handles drums. The emphasis is on guitar and anyone
looking for musical subtlety need not bother.
Exemplified by tracks such as the opener "Guitar
Song" (perfect for this album), "Between Time" and
"Blue My Mind" the predominant sound is heavy blues,
albeit propelled by an almost endless stream of
monster Holden guitar solos. Elsewhere the album
includes a remake of "Fruit and Iceburgs" (sic) which
was one of three Holden contributions to The Cheer's
"New! Improved!" album. This molten version (divided
into two distinct parts) kills the original. In the
interest of being perfectly honest we'll also point
out nothing here is particularly melodic. The rhythm
section's kind of clunky. Holden's not exactly the
greatest singer you'll ever hear and spread across
the entire album the constant onslaught of mind
melting wailing leads starts to blur together. That
said, it's still a killer album and it's easy to see
why there's such demand for it. [SB]
~~~
see -> Kak; Other Half
HOLDING PATTERN (CT)
"Holding Pattern" 1981 (Savy) [mini-LP]

"Majestic" 1991 (CD Art Sublime) [album + bonus tracks]
Mostly instrumental progressive mini-LP with 4 tracks

inside a weird cover of a giant hand grabbing a 747.
Similar to Yes with guitar, mellotron, moog, etc.
HOLLIN'S FERRY (Baltimore, MD)
"Hollin's Ferry" 1977 (Port City)
70s power pop album that isn't top of the heap, but
perfectly enjoyable for fans of the genre, especially
those who like Badfinger's softer side. Several
songwriters all on the same wavelength give the album
an appealing consistency, but it could have used a
few rough edges and more uptempo songs. Released in
1977, but probably recorded a bit before that, as,
unlike other 1977 power pop albums, it shows no
influence whatsoever from the world of punk. [AM]
HOLLINS & STARR ( )
"Sidewalks Talking" 1970 (Ovation ov-1407) [wlp exists]
Unique blend of folk, jazz and soft rock with a

lovely dreamy, drifting vibe. Lots of flute, too much
for people who aren’t huge fans of the instrument,
but still this is a really interesting and
experimental album. A guest female vocalist adds
lovely harmonies to the album’s best song. Same label
as Heaven & Earth. [AM]
REX HOLMAN ( )
"Here In The Land Of Victory" 1970 (Pentagram 1001)
[gatefold]
"Here In The Land Of Victory" 2005 (CD Synton, Austria)
Undiscovered gem for Eastern Donovan '67 folkpsych

with acid-flavored cheese and dramatic vocals, like
an whole album's worth of Bill Plummer's "Journey to
the East", or Pat Kilroy and Mark Fry discussing the
Rubaiyat while eating dawamesk on a magic carpet
circling Las Vegas. Strong songs, trancey tabla flow,
deep lyrics. The cover artwork has inspired some to
interpret this as a recovering alchoholic acid
project, which if nothing else adds another
interesting dimension to the experience. Can still be
found relatively cheap but destined to climb the
price ladder eventually. Holman was a prolific TV
actor and also had some movie parts, including "Star
Trek, part V" in the 1980s. He must have been upwards
40 when he made this LP, making the LP an affordable
-- and more listenable -- kid brother to Arcesia.
Pentagram was a Jubilee subsidiary. A Canadian
pressing also exists. [PL]
~~~
This is an utterly fantastic folk-psych oddity. You
know you're in for something special as soon as you
see the back cover photo of a cross-legged
(meditating?) Holman in a park, ignoring a nearby
passed out drunken bum. There isn't an ounce of humor
on this record, but Holman's vibrato-heavy voice
(think Gordon Lightfoot with a head full of
mysticism) suits the depth and mystery of the songs.
There are moments of blues (especially the despairing
"Red Is The Apple"), but mostly it's Eastern-flavored
folk. Instrumentation includes some nice sitar and
tabla, trance-like flute, and sparing but demented
lead electric guitars. The songs themselves aren't
really that strange, but Rex's delivery, the
intensity of the arrangements and a few oddball chord
progressions make them unique and special. The lyrics
create poems that a hack like Jim Morrison could only
dream of. And there's not one dud song on the album.
[AM]
JAKE HOLMES (New York City, NY)
"The Above Ground Sound Of" 1967 (Tower t-5079) [mono]

"The Above Ground Sound Of" 1967 (Tower st-5079) [stereo]
"The Above Ground Sound Of" 2003 (Radioactive 049, UK)
"The Above Ground Sound Of" 2003 (CD Radioactive 049, UK)
"The Above Ground Sound Of" 2004 (CD It's About Music) [+bonus
tracks]
Currently in vogue typical 60s folk-freak transition

LPs from guy famous for writing "Dazed & Confused".
The first one (with "Dazed") is pretty good NYC
folk/folkrock with fuzz and world-weary vocals, while
the second LP fails to live up to its lofty
pretensions in my opinion. It does however contain
the acid killer "Leaves Never Break", which has been
comp'd. His third LP on Polydor has been reported as
weak country-rock. [PL]
~~~
The first album as a whole, of course, is
overshadowed by its inclusion of "Dazed And
Confused," which truly is a brilliant psychotic
folkpsych song. "Lonely" is even more frantic, and
both will have you in disbelief that such intensity
can be reached without drums. For 1967, it's pretty
mindblowing stuff, and later folk/psych would sound
nothing like it. The rest of the album ranges from
jazzy to maudlin, none nearly as unusual as these two
songs. All of it has something to offer in the way of
a catchy melody or sharp lyric, though, and while it
may be a disappointment that the intensity dies down
after the first song on each side, there's plenty to
like throughout. [AM]
~~~
"Letter To Katherine December" 1968 (Tower st-5127) [stereo]

"Letter To Katherine December" 2004 (Radioactive 104, UK)
"Letter To Katherine December" 2004 (CD Radioactive 104, UK)
"Letter To Katherine December" 2004 (CD It's About Music)
[+bonus tracks]
A lot of people don't like Holmes' second album, but

as a whole, I find it even more interesting than the
first. The addition of drums and a fuller overall
production sound allows him to go in a lot of
directions, and while they're not all successful,
they're never less than fascinating. "High School
Hero" is the song all of us who were picked on in
10th grade wish we could write, except that I'm not
sure the rest of us would have the same kind of
whacked out stream-of-consciousness Holmes shows
here. His jazzy tendencies show up more than on the
first album, and that may put a few people off, but
his sensibility is so peculiar that every failed
experiment on the album seems to somehow make sense.
Side two begins with "Leaves Never Break," the most
disturbed song in his repertoire, and one of the all-
time great folk/psych songs. Flawed, but unique, and
it grows on you. [AM]
~~~
HOLY GHOST RECEPTION COMMITTEE #9 (New York City, NY)
"Songs For Liturgical Worship" 1968 (Paulist Press p-04425)

[lyric inner]
"Songs For Liturgical Worship" 200 (Void 26) [insert; 500p]
"Collected Works" 2001 (CD Void/Hallucinations 03) [2-on-1]
Some of the reviews we've seen label this as

throwaway pop, while others describe it as a lost
psych classic. Well, we'll try to set you straight by
telling you it's neither. The album featured 12
original numbers, though roughly half of the tracks
were apparently written by non-band member fellow
class members. Though some listeners might be
bothered by the set's overt religious orientation, to
our ears one of the biggest surprises stems from how
progressive selections such as "Day After Day" and
"Pray" are. Sure, there's lots of mention of God, but
for the most part the sentiments are subtle, rather
than in-your-face. Musically the collection's also
surprisingly impressive. Given all four members were
still in their teens, they play with considerable
confidence - the addition of a "guest percussionist"
certainly helped. On tracks such as "Hand On Your
Shoulder", "Step Into the Wind" and "That Day", the
band's affection for Byrds-styled folk rock is quite
apparent. Among our favorites, the rocking "The Magic
Ice Cube", "There's a Voice Inside" and "Pray" which
sports a nice social commentary lyric and psych-ish
feel to it. Sure the results aren't perfect (witness
the out of tune vocals on "The Resurrection"), but
the set's sense of innocence and raw sound are quite
appealing. [SB]
~~~
This is one of the very few “Xian” bands to have a
true early garage feel, and it’s a nice alternative
to all of the zillion folky and heavy Xian albums.
It’s a little bit sloppy, and the songwriting is only
OK, but it has a pure heartfelt vibe that works.
Enjoyable but slight. The Void CD contains both LPs.
[AM]
"The Torchbearers" 1969 (Paulist Press p-04426)

"The Torchbearers" 199 (Void 02) [lyric insert; 500#d]
Regis High School x-ian folk psych trio with a

charming lost sound. The first LP is soft folk but
"The Torchbearers" is especially memorable with a
great mix of sounds - rhythmic Byrdsy ringing guitar
and delightfully nasal vocals out front. "Them's a
Comin'" is a great soulful take on segregation, "Hey
Lord" is a rhythm punker worthy of Out of Darkness,
"Magnificat '70" dives into the tripped downer zone,
and "Jesus H. Clown" is just plain wierd. The Void LP
reissue has an inferior sleeve job. [RM]
HOME AGAIN ( )
"Home Again" 1973 (Balloon BS-501)
Seldom seen local LP, a mix of Hootch-style wah-wah

jams with crude hippie folk and garage exploito
vibes.
HOMER (San Antonio, TX)
"Grown In U.S.A" 1970 (URA 101)

"Grown In U.S.A" 1986 (Breeder 568, Austria)
"Grown In U.S.A" 199 (CD) [+2 bonus tracks]
"Grown In U.S.A" 200 (Akarma 210, Italy) [+2 bonus tracks]
"Grown In U.S.A" 200 (CD Akarma 210, Italy) [+2 bonus tracks]
Westcoasty Texas classic with some early rural rock

leanings, as heard on a track like "Dawson's Creek".
Despite the awesome dual guitar work on the best
tracks, this isn't really a guitar-driven LP but more
of a strongly played melodic hippierock delight in
the vein of Kak or Mother Tuckers. Several excellent
tracks, good vocals and no duds or misplaced ideas.
The group also had some very good non-LP 45 cuts.
[PL]
~~~
This Texas rarity comes from a bunch of places
(mellotron-heavy prog, mainstream AM rock) that could
have made it a piece of crap, but somehow it's great.
Chalk one up for great songwriting, tastefully brief
songs and the kind of eerie underground vibe that
permeates private press records. It's AOR for psych
heads! The first CD reissue has digital skips. [AM]
~~~
see -> Stardust; Ultra
HOMESTEAD & WOLFE (Cupertino, CA)
"Our Times" 1975 (Topo HB-100)

"Our Times" 2004 (CD Anopheles 008) [+6 tracks]
Despite being recorded at Gold Star in LA and

featuring heavy session names such as Hal Blaine and
Al Casey, this irresistable femme-vox melodic
folkrock/psych delight has remained mysteriously
unknown for 30 years. You'll be hard pressed to find
faults with its mix of various late 1960s California
styles, ranging from lyte Neighb'rhood Child'n top 40
psych over Carolyn Hester Coalition/Yankee Dollar
folk moves into all-out westcoast acidrock a la Ill
Wind. The songwriting and arrangements are excellent
throughout and come courtesy mainly of the remarkably
talented JoAnn Avery, although the entire group
contributes most skillfully. The blend of the female
vocalists works well in a manner similar to Mamas &
the Papas, and indeed the album as a whole plays like
something out of one of John Philips' more inspired
daydreams. The release year of 1975 seems almost
impossible, although traces of a more sombre 1970s
mood can be found in the "Soldier Blue"-inspired
Indian (and Vietnam) massacre lament of "See The
Children Die", and the Nashville-flavored "Rhythm of
the wind". I also have to throw in a word for the
super-catchy "King Of The Mountain" which is the
musical equivalent of a giant smiley face and will
send you right back to 1974 and upbeat children TV
shows of the era. In general the psychiest stuff such
as the twofisted punch of "Your Freedom's In
Question" and "I Am Cain" is the best, but the
lightest and tradiest moves are agreeable too. "The
beat of the drum" is perhaps the ultimate marriage of
the band's all strengths into one superb piece of
music, including hard raga leads straight out of
1968. Any psych fan not enjoying this album needs to
come up with a creative explanation why. [PL]
HONEYBEE RIDGE (IL)
"Honeybee Ridge" 1979 (Beaver Creek Revolution) [2 inserts]
Communal hippie folk and stoned country with full

setting plus accordion and piano. "What's Gonna
Happen To All Us Old Hippies" is a telling song
title.
HONEY, LTD. (Detroit, MI)

“Honey, Ltd.” 1968 (LHI 12002)
Though the band remembers Lee Hazelwood at one point

telling them the album was pressed, in boxes, and
ready to be distributed, to this day less than a
handful of copies have ever been located, and this
album goes on the very shortest list of rarest major
label releases, along with “The Groop” and The
Tokens’ “Intercourse.” The album itself doesn’t have
the appearance of something intended for actual
release, as it is in mono and has only 8 songs
(totalling barely over 20 minutes.) Nonetheless, it’s
excellent, as good a girl group record as I’ve heard,
one that has enough of a rock edge to appeal to fans
of garage rock and light psych. They later changed
their name to Eve, and released a less interesting
but much easier to find album for the label.
Hazelwood, notoriously silent and difficult, has
never shed any light on the reason for this album’s
rarity. [AM]
GENE HOOD (IL)
"Out of the Clouds" 1980 (OSR)
Ethereal progressive folk with synths. With two

members of Farm (on Crusade).
~~~
see -> Farm
D R HOOKER (CT)
"The Truth" 1972 (On/XPL 1029) [lyric insert]

"The Truth" 1993 (Del Val) [lyric insert; 350p]
"The Truth" 1997 (Xotic Mind, Sweden) [lyric insert]
"The Truth" 1997 (CD Xotic Mind, Sweden) [+bonus tracks]
"Armageddon" 1979 (On) [insert; cover slicks; 500p]

"Armageddon" 198 (Hadan, Europe) [bootleg; boardprinted]
"The Truth" is one of the big private press classics,

reissued enough times that most people should know it
by now. Covers all the bases in an impressive manner,
the songwriting, his awesome voice, the elaborate
psych-rock soundscape, even the lyrics are excellent.
The thematic range is truly mind-boggling, going from
ambivalent drug songs into pastoral hymns and ending
up in fullblown Jesus praise. A good LP to play for
your non-collector friends, although it's not without
detractors among mainstream psych heads, who probably
can't handle the ego-mania and lounge moves that are
part of what makes these 70s albums so great.
Recorded in 1974 but not released until '79,
"Armageddon" retains much of the greatness with some
minor UK progrock moves added, but not enough so to
damage the trip. There was also a cassette-only
release ("Rain On The Moon") from the 1980s which
again contains some good tracks. [PL]
~~~
Heavily hyped 70s private press album that mostly
lives up to its lofty reputation. Hooker’s singing is
a little to the lounge side of center, and here and
there it comes off as either overly sincere or not
melodic enough (the ballads hardly qualify as rock at
all). Still, he has an appealing warmth that works
especially well on the heavier songs. The synthesizer
effects on “The Sea” get the album off to a
rollicking start, and much of the rest live up to
that high standard. If the softer songs are your cup
of tea, this album will be an all-time favorite. If
not, it’s still a must-own for the rest. The Xotic
Mind CD reissue contains all tracks except one from
his proggier second album, which is also quite good.
[AM]
HOOTCH (WI)
"Hootch" 1974 (Pro-Gress 4844) [blank back cvr; 500p]

"Hootch" 1994 (Rollocks, Belgium) [400p]
Obscure high school-project westcoasty heroin vibe

guitar jams, mostly instrumental with two good vocal
cuts; the rest is laidback snakey Garcia-type
workouts with a slightly eerie vibe. One of the
better LPs in this bag, recommended to those into
non-heavy early 70s psych. "Arabian Style" is a
personal fave. Primitive purple silkscreened sleeve.
[PL]
HOOVER HIGH STAGE BAND (San Diego, CA)
"Gets It On" 1970 (Century 38672)
High school band doing stoned covers of Led Zep and

more.
HOPE (LaCrosse, WI)
"Hope" 1972 (A&M sp-4329) [unipak; wlp exists]
The most absurdly hyped 'psych' record in recent

years. Dull rural Christian guitar rock with
harmonies, violin, some fuzz. Too poppy and straight
on the rockers and too rural for Jesus Music fans.
Add on the glossy production and this should put most
everyone to sleep. The LP was also released in Canada
and Japan. [RM]
~~~
We bought this at a yard sale, slapped it on the
turntable and thought it was one of the dullest LPs
we'd heard in a long time. It ended up in a pile of
stuff that was destined for Goodwill. Fast forward a
couple of years and we start seeing the album pop up
on several high priced sales lists. Produced by Jack
Richardson (of Guess Who fame), the quintet's self-
titled debut is hard to get a handle on, but little
of the material is remarkable. Clearly interested in
making a grand statement, material such as "Where Do
You Want To Go", "One Man" and "Find Him" boasts a
Christian agenda. Unfortunately, for the most part
the band just couldn't deliver the goods. Exemplified
by material such as Croegart's "Deliverance", weak
vocals, inane lyrics and hackneyed arrangements
combined to make the album professional, but
plodding. Hard to imagine saying this, but give us
the Moody Blues any day. [SB]
HOPI KLANSMEN (NM)
"Hopi Klansmen" 1965 (Indian Arts Of The Americas R3003)
Native American teen band doing typical '65 pre-

Invasion mix of instros and frat/50s. The sleeve
shows an Albuquerque address. Apparently the band had
at least one more album.
HOPKINS & BRADLEY ( )
"Hopkins & Bradley" 1973 (H & B 7310) [plain sleeve]
Folk psych duo downer action with echoed vocal and

moody Beatlesque ballads.
HOPNEY (FL)
"Ends And Means" 197 (Illusion cm-1032)
"Perils Of Love" 197 (Illusion cm-1033)
"Cosmic Rockout" 1977 (Illusion cm-1034)

"Cosmic Rockout" 2001 (CD Dodo 513, Italy)
The first two LPs contain only cover versions, while

"Cosmic Rockout" is a blues psych rocker with strong
guitar and bent vocals. Produced by Mike Pinera
(Blues Image), who released all three LPs on his
mysterious Illusion label. Patrick Hopney was
originally from New York.
HORIZON (FL)
"Horizon" 1978 (Sweet Spirit SS1608)
Christian mellow rock reported as unexciting, but

housed in a great cover of a hooded figure on horse
slaying a dragon.
HORSES (CA)
"Horses" 1969 (White Whale WW 7121)

"Horses" 2003 (CD Gear Fab 201)
"Horses" 2004 (CD Revola 041, UK) [+bonus tracks]
Westcoast psych-rock that features pre-Miami Vice

actor Don Johnson in a Carter/Gilbert-mastered bid
for teen-idol success. The other band members later
turned up in Dead-related outfit Kingfish, and
reportedly have no fond memories of their spell with
Johnson. The LP has been compared to label-mates the
Rockets, and is worth checking out. The LP also came
out on 8-track, and an Australian vinyl pressing
exists.
HORTON ( )
"Dance Hall for Midgets" 1976 (Horton BH 1000)
Messed up hard blues psych from obscure trio, with

demented vocals similar to George Brigman or Circuit
Rider. Cool cover of stoner guy in a giant eye.
HOSANNA (Green Bay, WI)
"Hosanna... In the Morning" 1974 (Diversified Media 740607)
Mix of rural xian rock and dreamy introspection. Some

heavy fuzz moves a la Rainbow Promise.
HOT DOG (Memphis, TN)
"Hot Dog" 1977 (Guinness)
Hot Dog is the same band who released an LP and

single on the Ardent label as the Hot Dogs. They have
connections to Terry Manning and Big Star. The Ardent
recordings were moody 70s rock with powerpop
tendencies. This time around they're less poppy, rock
quite a bit harder and use more straightforward
arrangements. It's a solid but unexceptional
rock/hard rock album, not especially heavy and with
rather pedestrian lyrics. The singing and rhythm
section are excellent throughout, which elevates some
of the more mundane songs. The best song is "You
Can't Live," which has a strong guitar hook and
powerful, driving organ. This is one of the toughest
Guinness albums to find. [AM]
HOT FLASH ( )
"First Attack!" 1977 (Rockwell RW876101)
Progressive obscurity comparable to Lift, Fairchild

or Zoldar & Clark. Long tracks with complex
arrangements and keyboard, flute, heavy guitar
interplay and some dreamy passages. Highly rated by
some genre fans.
HOT POOP (CA)
"Does Their Own Stuff" 1971 (Hot Poop hps-3072) [lyric insert;
500p]
Like Cain’s "A Pound Of Flesh", this album is more

famous for the cover than for the music within. The
front shows the band in a barn, with three of them
shooting up, one passed out (or dead), and another
taking a dump. On the back cover they’re all nude,
except that the woman has a dick and the guys don’t.
Unsurprisingly, the lyrics are equally ridiculous,
mostly about sex and cars. Collectors should know
that other than some noisy fuzz guitar, there’s
nothing psychedelic about this. The music is more
like a combination of surf and roots rock played by
people who just learned their instruments last month.
A ridiculous falsetto vocal on a couple of songs
sends it into novelty territory. As sloppy and inept
as this is, it’s still pretty listenable, and
definitely gets points for grossness. It’s hard to
imagine that in 1971 or 1972 this album could have
been made at all. Sealed copies still show up today,
but since the band themselves hoarded them and sold
them to rare record dealers, the claim that there are
only 500 copies could be true. [AM]
JIMMY HOTZ (OK)
"Beyond the Crystal Sea" 1980 (Vision vl-777) [gatefold]
Hotz is a producer and electronics wiz, kind of the

Christian version of Tom Scholz. The list of people
he's worked with (or who have used his gadgetry) is
pretty impressive. His own album is considered my
many the pinnacle of Christian Prog, and
unsurprisingly his techological knowhow is to the
fore throughout. To be honest, I think it's a lot
more impressive than listenable. The songwriting
isn't the primary focus, but rather a vehicle for a
slick production style that, unlike most of the late
70s and early 80s recordings reviewed here, sounds
completely of its time. Also, his vocal style is
really pretentious in a Brit-prog-wannabe way.
Amusing cosmic fantasy cover art typical of the
genre. Jimmy also produced Arkangel. [AM]
LES HOU-LOPS (Montreal, Canada)
"Off" 1967 (Apex 1591)

"Les Hou-Lops, vol 1" 1998 (Merite 22-918)
A popular beat combo from Quebec comparable to the

Easybeats, this is their only album with vocals in
English. They released five albums in total 1964-
1968, but are generally considered inferior to the
top French-Canadian bands of the era. The Merite
reissue combines "Off" with the preceding LP, "C'est
Chip".
H P LOVECRAFT (Chicago, IL)
"H P Lovecraft" 1967 (Philips phm-200-252) [mono; wlp monos

exist]
"H P Lovecraft" 1967 (Philips phm-600-252) [stereo]
"This Is H P Lovecraft" 1972 (Philips 6336, UK) [altered
cover]
"II" 1968 (Philips phs-600-279) [gatefold]

"II" 2003 (Radioactive 018, UK) [gatefold]
"At the Mountains of Madness" 1988 (Edsel, UK) [2-on-1; bonus

tracks]
"This is H.P. Lovecraft" 1997 (CD Britonic 00010, UK) [2-on-1]
"H P Lovecraft I + II" 200 (CD Collectors Choice) [2-on-1]
While quite wellknown among psych fans, HP

Lovecraft's importance and qualities still remain
misunderstood. To begin with, their truly great LP
wasn't the debut, which is occasionally brilliant (as
on the classic "White ship") but patchy and
unfocused, but the eternally underrated "II"; a deep
pot-psych trip of the highest order. The band's
unique, dreamy European moods are superbly caught on
"Moebius Trip" and "Spin Spin Spin", and David
Michaels' classically trained vocals gives them a
rare edge. A more celebrated psych LP such as Wizards
From Kansas clearly owe a lot to HP Lovecraft, who
along with the Baroques were the first Midwest band
to adapt the new westcoast style. Respect. The debut
LP was released in September 1967 (a UK pressing also
exists), the follow-up 12 months later. There was
also an inferior third LP in 1969 ("Valley Of The
Moon", Reprise), and a reunion LP for Mercury in
1975. [PL]
"Live - May 11, 1968" 1991 (Sundazed 5004)

"Live - May 11, 1968" 1991 (CD Sundazed sc-11008)
I've seen this retrospective live release praised in

many places, but have to say that apart from the
extremely good recording quality it's a mixed
experience. One of the things that worked so well on
their studio LPs, namely the blend between the two
vastly different vocalists, here threatens to
dissolve the music into schizophrenia. The voices
aren't well-synched and seem to be competing rather
than harmonizing. Musically it's solid with an
energetic and tight sound from musicians not afraid
to challenge the Fillmore bands on their own
hometurf; the rhythm section is terrific. Opening
instrumental jam is adventurous and impressive,
although the band tends to favor organ over guitar as
lead instrument. The material is drawn mainly from
their first LP, including several mid-60s folk covers
that were beginning to sound dated at this point. "At
The Mountains Of Madness" from the 2nd LP is a
highpoint, and "White Ship" works surprisingly well
live. All over it sounds like what it is, a second
tier SF Ballroom act along the lines of Crome Syrcus
or Initial Shock having a pretty good night. The
infamous tension inside the band may be what keeps
them from delivering the appealing, ahead-of-their-
times vibes from their LPs in full. [PL]
HUCKLE (Canada)
"Upon A Once Time" 1974 (Homespun FO 2128)
"Wild Blue Yonder" 1976 (no label)
The second LP has been described as cosmic psych,

with Sky Sulamyth on guitar.
~~~
see -> Sodbusters
LOUISE HUEBNER (Los Angeles, CA)
"Seduction Through Witchcraft" 1969 (Warner Bros ws-1819) [wlp

exists]
"Seduction Through Witchcraft" 1996 (CD Infinite Zero)
Sexy witch incantations and rituals with background

sounds, like Barbara the Grey Witch. Huebner is the
officially appointed Witch of Los Angeles.
HUMAN BEINZ (Youngstown, OH)
"Nobody But Me" 1967 (Gateway glp-3012)

"Nobody But Me" 199 (Get Back, Italy)
Credited to 'Human Beinz/Mammals' with two thirds of

the tracks by the Mammals, including the title track
which of course was a big hit for the Human Beinz;
unfortunately Capitol owned the rights to that
version. Gateway owned the rights to some of the
(cool) pre-hit Beinz material and put this scam
together to cash in from unsuspecting buyers. The LP
is sometimes hyped as rare, which it isn't.
"Nobody But Me" 1968 (Capitol st-2906)

"Nobody But Me" 199 (CD See For Miles, UK)
"Nobody But Me" 1993 (CD Collectables col 0547)
Produced by one "Lex De Azevedo" (who also

contributed four songs), "Nobody But Me" found the
band finally making it to the big time via a contract
with Capitol. Musically the set was diverse and
pretty good. While their cover of "Foxy Lady" wasn't
anything special, elsewhere "The Shaman", "Turn On
Your Love Light" and "Dance On Through" were all
strong garage rockers. Blessed with a suitably taunt
and raw voice, Belley proved well suited for the
material, while the rest of the members displayed
more competence than expected from your average club
band. Elsewhere "Flower Grave" and the bizarro "It's
Fun To Be Clean" were interesting in that they found
the band taking tentative steps towards a more
psychedelic-oriented sound. With the aid of Capitol's
substantial promotional department the parent album
eventually hit #65. The LP was also released in Japan
on red wax. [SB]
"In Japan" 1968 (Capitol 8737, Japan) [gatefold; obi]

"In Japan" 199 (CD Cosmic Mind, Italy) [+bonus tracks]
"In Japan" 199 (CD) [+bonus tracks]
"In Japan" 199 (H.B.)
Rare Japan-only release from the famous "Nobody But

Me" guys, this shows them to be a tight, impressive
club act with a tough fuzz edge as shown by killer
takes on "Foxy Lady" and their own "Gotta keep on
pushing". Some remnants from a pre-psychedelic
dancehall sound make for an odd mix with the hard '68
material. Well worth hearing - they were the real
thing. Another Japan-only LP release from the band
was "The Golden Album" on Capitol 8596 from circa
1968. [PL]
"Evolutions" 1969 (Capitol st-2926)

"Evolutions" 1987 (Decal, UK)
Absolutely one of the best albums from a Nuggets-type

band. People remember them for "Nobody But Me," but
on this second album they wrote their own songs and
showed all sorts of growth. Great pop, garage and
proto-hard rock, including an absolute monster
instrumental blowout at the end. If it wasn't for two
utterly dull minutes where they destroy a piano with
an axe, this one would be killer from start to
finish. [AM]
~~~
Impressive late 1960s beat that shows the band
further refining their characteristic mix of acoustic
guitars, fuzz, subtle orchestrations and Beatles-
style songs. Nothing here is quite as brilliant as
"Flower Grave" on the debut, but all over it's
clearly a stronger LP, delivering in all the key
areas including some above average lyrics. Hendrixy
hardrock aspirations creep into a few songs but the
end result is closer to power-pop than anything else.
The piano destruction is surprisingly effective
because it's so graphic -- no cheapo sound fx library
snips here, the Human Beinz smash a piano to pieces
and you can hear it! Appealing title from a band who
certainly deserve to be remembered for more than just
a hit 45. [PL]
HUMANIST ADVENT CONCEPT (Canada)

"Invasion" 1979 (Reveal rc-77-2)
"Supra Surge" 1980 (Reveal rc-77-3)
Heavy space freeform psych/prog from communal heads,

with fuzz and atmospheric keyboard. Not for everyone,
and not expensive.
HUMAN ZOO (CA)
"Human Zoo" 1971 (Accent 5055)
Mixed bag of era sounds with the occasional fuzz,

rare but disappointing LP on legendary label.
K C HUMPHREY ( )
"For A Smile" 1975 (MSS-1106)
Loner/troubador folk and folkrock LP with mandolin,

keyboards and effects, housed in a typial period
front cover DIY pencil drawing of a young man sitting
under a tree playing guitar for his girlfriend.
HUNGER! (Portland, OR)
"Hunger!" 1969 (All American) [test pressing]

"The Lost Album" 199 (Void 08) [500#d]
"The Lost Album / Strictly From" 199 (Akarma ak-045, Italy)
[2 LP box-set]
"The Lost Album / Strictly From" 199 (CD Akarma, Italy)
The "Lost Albums" is an earlier version of the

"Strictly From" LP that was discovered in the 1990s.
Although more guitar-oriented and possibly superior
to the Public label release it's still not really a
killer in my book as the basic problems (inability to
jam, so-so songwriting) are the same, no matter what
the tiresome hype tried to convince you. As far as I
can tell, the takes are all the same but they are
unedited, which means far lengthier instrumental
excursions on several tracks. As an example there is
a 2-minute section in the middle of "Workshop" that
was cut out from the Public label release; however it
is just mechanical riffing that couldn't be mistaken
for true acid-rock jamming. Various stories exist on
the origins of this variation, none of which seems
entirely correct. My personal theory is that the
band/label simply were dissatisfied with the original
(acetate) mix, and edited the LP down into the
official version, accidentally losing a few guitar
leads in the process. The oft-mentioned appearance of
Ed King on this LP is dubious, at least King himself
had no recollection of it and did not recognize
Hunger when hearing the music recently. The Akarma CD
omits a few tracks from the test press due to
playtime limitations; the vinyl box-set contains all
the music. [PL]
"Strictly From Hunger" 1969 (Public 1006)

"Strictly From Hunger" 1983 (Psycho 14, UK) [altered sleeve]
"Strictly From Hunger" 1993 (CD Afterglow, UK)
"Strictly From Hunger" 199 (CD Belgium)
"The Lost Album / Strictly From Hunger" 199 (Akarma ak-045,
Italy) [2 LP box-set]
"The Lost Album / Strictly From Hunger" 199 (CD Akarma, Italy)
A longtime legend of the scene though I have to say

it's a bit too patchy to be a real biggie in my ears.
Starts off like it could be the greatest LP ever but
loses its vision somewhere during the third track and
never regains it. Apart from the two opening psych
classics songwriting is mediocre, and the rhythm
section is lamentably unable (bassist) or unwilling
(drummer) to follow the druggie jam paths gloriously
laid out by organ & lead guitar, making the end
product halfhearted. The reissues might be worth
checking out so you can decide for yourself. The
group had a couple of 45s as well. An interesting
aspect is that the 8-track version of the Public
label LP features yet another mix of the album. [PL]
HUSTLERS (Columbus, OH)
"Their Finest Album" 1965 (Caronet 850C-9455)
Collegians doing loungey covers of the Beatles

(several), r'n'b standards, and ballads. Standard
rock setting with no horns.
HUSTLERS ( )
"Hustlers" 196 (Voice 8965) [no sleeve]
Teenbeat obscurity on Florida label.
ALDOUS HUXLEY (UK / Los Angeles, CA)
"Human Potentialities, vol 1" 1969 (Gifford Associates A-

101)
The first volume in a projected series dealing with

"the human situation", issued posthumously by Laura
Huxley. In this 1962 live recording of a lecture
Huxley considers man's potentialities for rationality
and creativity, and makes some interesting
observations and suggestions concerning education.
Unlike vol 2 below, this contains no reference to
psychedelic drugs and is mainly for Huxley fans, but
then again, who isn't one?
"Visionary Experience, vol 2" 1969 (Gifford Associates A-102)

"Visionary Experience" 197 (All-Disc LHA 23768)
Huxley is in great form on this 1962 lecture before a

Los Alamos scientist crowd, speaking of the visionary
experience and how it relates to the history of art
and religion. Substantial time is spent on
psychedelic drugs, covering something like half of
side 1, and this is the best audio document of
Huxley's thoughts on LSD and mescaline around. The
non-hallucinogen talk is equally interesting and
thought-provoking, and the mood is upbeat and
progressive in a typical early 60s manner. The
recording isn't perfect, but who cares? Terrific.
[PL]
"Sum and Substance" 197 (Modern Learning Aids 5602)
A "dialogue on contemporary values" from a TV show of

the same title
"Speaking Personally" 1973 (Caedmon 74-750212) [2LPs]

"Speaking Personally" 2003 (CD Artifacts ARTSW001) [+bonus
tracks]
One of the founding fathers of psychedelia left a

handful of LP recordings behind. The posthumous
Caedmon 2LP set features a 1961 London interview
including a great 6-minute section towards the end
where Huxley praises LSD and mescaline, among other
things -- a good place to score samples. The LP was
released by Lansdowne in the UK. Contrary to what you
may read, the interview was not conducted by Alan
Watts. Huxley's other LPs and recordings (not listed
here) deal with literature and philosophy. [PL]
HYDE (Canada)
"Hyde" 1969 (Quality sv-1832)
This derivative folkrock LP is sometimes inaccurately

described as the "second Rockadrome album". Hyde was
a solo artist who recorded in the same studio as the
Rockadrome album, using Rockadrome members as back-up
band. There was no creative input from Rockadrome on
the Hyde LP.
HYE STARS (Chicago, IL)
"'70-'74" 1974 (no label)
Obscure primitive fuzzed bar-rock with Led Zep,

Beatles and Chicago covers done by Armenian guys,
also some band originals.

FRANK IANNI (Cleveland, OH)
"No Moon Night" 1977 (Night Wax)
This album is a rare private press, but has the look

of a major label LP, with the album and artist title
on the spine, and some copies have a punch hole,
implying some sort of nationwide distribution. Ianni
is bascially a 70s pop songwriter with a decent
songwriting sense but not a whole lot of inspiration.
These songs are pleasant but not especially
memorable. Even a power pop nut like myself finds
this pretty bland. There's not much here for the
psych or prog fan either; the arrangements are
tasteful but completely conventional. For some reason
this album has been mistakenly described in various
catalogues as "soul," "new age," and "Beatlesque
pop." It certainly isn't the first two, and it's too
complimentary to describe it as the third. [AM]
ICE (Chicago, IL)
"Melting Your Mind" 1972 (Bonny 20446)
The title of this album is not even remotely

accurate. There are no psychedelic sound effects,
blazing hard rock, or any other kind of mind-melting
madness here. It's merely lameass folky, bluesy and
countrified rock, badly produced, performed and
conceived. The occasional female vocals are kinda
sultry at times, I suppose, but really this is the
kind of thing that makes you understand why all of
these private press artists had no choice but to
release their records themselves. If this record is
valuable, then start raiding the thrift shops now,
because absolutely any rare record will sell for $200
some day. At least it has a fun generic album cover.
[AM]
ID (Los Angeles, CA)
"The Inner Sounds Of The Id" 1967 (RCA lpm-3805) [mono]

"The Inner Sounds Of The Id" 1967 (RCA lsp-3805) [stereo]
"The Inner Sounds Of The Id" 199 (Fantazia, Italy)
"The Inner Sounds Of The Id" 2005 (CD World In Sound 1026,
Germany) [+bonus tracks]
"The Inner Sounds Of The Id" 2005 (World In Sound 1026,
Germany, 2LPs) [+bonus tracks]
Mysteriously ignored album that would have been

groundbreaking if anyone paid attention. The eastern
influences and long experimental album closer were
unlike just about anything else in 1967, and while
they’re not wholly successful, this album is
interesting at worst, compelling (the crazed “Boil
The Kettle Mother”, one of the greatest garage
rockers ever) at best. The Id project was recorded as
early as mid-1966 and consisted of studio pro:s also
connected to the infamous Custom label exploitation
sweatshop; some of the Id backing tracks appear on
the Projection Company's "Give Me Some
Loving" (Custom CS-1113) as well as the wellknown
Animated Egg and 101 Strings LPs. Appropriately, the
bonus tracks on the WIS reissue are from the
Projection Company album. [AM]
ID (TX)
"Where Are We Going?" 1976 (Aura 1000)

"Where Are We Going?" 199 (Aura)
"Where Are We Going?" 199 (CD Flash 53, Italy)
Fronted by multi-instrumentalists David and Gary

Oickle, this Id survived long enough to record one
blazing slice of spacey, meltdown guitar. Recorded in
New York, the LP is largely instrumental and clearly
intended as a concept piece, with "Sunrise (A New
Deal)" and "Solar Wind" both having a wild sci-fi
flavor to them. While the plotline's wasted on us,
the front cover mushroom cloud and back cover UFO
probably have something to do with the story. Neither
band member were much in the way of singing, probably
helping to explain why the emphasis is clearly on
Gary's roaring, feedback guitar. The latter part of
"(Part One) Where Are We Going" briefly recalled the
theme from "Dr. Who". It makes for one of those great
"headphone" listening experiences. [SB]
~~~
If you want to make the case that the live Terry
Brooks album is the wankiest guitar album ever, your
only argument is that it's a double album and this
one is just 44 minutes. "Where Are We Going" is 44
full minutes of a guitarist picking as fast as he
possibly can with no attempt whatsoever at melody or
finesse. Back the guitar with mellotron, play loud
enough to create some feedback, put the guitar
through a phase shifter, and voila, you have
spacerock for those stoned enough not to notice that
for three quarters of an hour basically nothing
happens and nothing changes. Somewhere in here are a
couple of minutes of singing, and there are three
songs listed, but really you'd be just as well served
by taking ten seconds of the Mariani album, backing
it with a mellotron, phasing the guitar and making a
tape loop of it (or putting it on an 8-track tape.)
Recommended to fans of "Metal Machine Music". [AM]
IGUANA (MD)
“Winds of Alamar” 1975 (Quadratrack A101) [quad sound]

Professional sounding album released on the band’s
own label in quadraphonic (starts with a voice saying
“front left, front right, back left, back right.”)
It’s a progressive version of the kind of west coast-
flavored laid back rock that was popular at the time,
with lovely crisp acoustic guitars, CSN-styled
harmonies and intricately arranged songs. Despite the
use of backwards instruments, violins and pedal steel
guitars, the arrangements are thoughtful but not
challenging. The songs are pleasant, but only the
last two have any bite to them, and only one song on
the album even attempts to rock out. You’ll come out
of a listen feeling better about the album than you
should, since the best songs are at the end. It’s
good but not great. It should appeal to the same
people who like, say, Folly’s Pool. In 1977, they
were signed to a major label (UA) and the album was
released with an inferior cover, two additional
songs, and minus the quadraphonic sound. The UA
version of the album comes a lot cheaper than this
one. [AM]
I.H.S. BAND ( )
"The Answer" 1980 (Forrest Green fgs-102)
Crude xian rural rock sound with some heavy guitar on

a couple tracks.
ILIAN (CA)
"Love Me Crazy" 1977 (Kitty AW #14051)
This is probably the best of all of the Album World

releases. In usual tax scam fashion, the cover has an
incorrect song listing that promises two songs more
than there really are, there's a weird mix of styles
that almost sounds like more than one band, and the
album is quite brief. The basic sound is late 70s
mainstream rock with some quirks and an occasional
jazzy edge. It's mellow but not wimpy. Melodic stuff
like "Hey Denise" and "Tell Me" are highlights, but
the more experimental stuff is cool too. The spacy
fuzz guitar on the title track, for example, is weird
and exciting. An acoustic song and a couple of
instrumentals sound like demos but are still pretty
good. As is usual with this kind of thing it's
erratic, but for the most part this album is very
worthwhile. [AM]
ILLUSION (HI)
"Illusion" 1974 (Sinergia 7654) [insert]
Soft rock with a couple good anti-war tracks like

"Not Yet" (with loud fuzz break) and a stunning
reverse-negative cover. Same label as These Trails,
but not at all on the same level.
ILL WIND (Boston, MA)
"Flashes" 1968 (ABC 641) [mono; wlp]

"Flashes" 1968 (ABC s-641) [stereo]
"Flashes" 199 (Flash)
"Flashes" 199 (CD Afterglow aft-012) [+bonus tracks]
"Flashes" 2001 (Akarma AK 162) [+bonus tracks]
"Flashes" 2001 (CD Akarma AK 162) [+bonus tracks]
Westcoasty hippiepsycher that has to rank as one of

the best Airplane epigons from anywhere. The group
played the club circuit before making the LP, giving
them a solid rocking backbone most of their
comptetion lacks - great fluid guitar jams. The
opening track is a wasted jugband tune, but after
that they kick in with a 4-minute guitar solo. Mostly
female vocals and an appealing live feel, a simple
yet attractive sound with effective chord
progressions. One track takes on a "heavy" Kantner
feel, there's also some early rural rock moves and a
Music Emporium style spinechiller. One of the best
from Bosstown, with spaced out poetry typical of the
area, while the musical style is essentially
Californian. One of my favorite versions of "High
Flying Bird" too. The rare promo-only mono mix has a
notably clearer sound with better instrument
isolation and rivals the stereo mix on the more
folkrocky tracks, while the heavier numbers come off
less well. The mono version of "Hung up chick" has a
Mystic Siva-style mixing error where the wrong
channel (rhythm instead of lead guitar) is raised for
the duration of the solo! Furthermore, there are two
different stereo pressings of this LP, one with a
'drop-out' moment of silence during "High Flying
Bird" and one without. Visually, if the edge of the
vinyl has ridges cut into it, the pressing does not
have the drop-out. ABC didn't display much care in
their handling of this fine band. The reissues have
some worthwhile bonus cuts. [PL]
~~~
Here's yet another cool Bosstown album from an
Airplane-wannabe band. The first song on the album is
a terrible cheesy country-rocker, but it picks up
from there, and pretty much everything else is
worthwhile. Some freaky moments and creative
songwriting make up for somewhat inept performances.
The female singer is appealing (when by herself), and
her dreamy ballad "Dark World" is the album's
highlight. The warped "L.A.P.D." is also extremely
cool in a screwed-up Ultimate Spinach vein. Side two
begins with yet another version of "High Flying
Bird," and while it would have been better to hear
something that hadn't already been done by 100
similar bands, some manic vocals at the end give it a
unique energy. The production of "Flashes" is weirdly
stark, sounding almost like a CD-era mixing job. The
lead vocals appear to be entirely without reverb; it
feels like it was recorded in a small room without
insulation. No other 60s album sounds like this one.
Like the Linda Perhacs album, it's a notoriously poor
press. Even "mint" copies play with surface noise, as
do the boot reissues. [AM]
~~~
see -> Dirty John's Hot Dog Stand
V.A "I LOVE YOU GORGO" (El Paso, TX)

"I Love You Gorgo" 196 (Suemi 1090) [100p; wlp exists]
"I Love You Gorgo" 199 (no label, Austria) [300p]
Atmospheric late 60s El Paso comp that's clearly

better than the average local sampler. Three groups
are featured with four tracks each; Intruders who are
late beat, Lode Star who are west coasty garagepsych,
and my personal faves Truth, who do bent folkpsych
like the Patron Saints. Originals throughout and all
three groups are obvious talents. Lodestar later
evolved into Swift Rain who recorded for Hi. Classy
reissue. [PL]
ILTAR (PA)
"Iltar" 1977 (Tiwa 777)
Stoned progressive/jazz-rock a k a "new fusion".

Fuzz, sitar, flute, sax.
IMAGINE (Tampa, FL)
"Images, Clear Skies, and Rainbows" 1980 (Light Horse)

"Images, Clear Skies, and Rainbows" 2001 (Akarma 160, Italy)
[+bonus tracks]
"Images, Clear Skies, and Rainbows" 2001 (CD Akarma 160,
Italy) [+bonus tracks]
Melodic guitar prog, produced by David Peel,

featuring ex-members of Peel's band. Same generic
cover as Euphoria's "Lost in Trance". There is also a
second LP, “Playin’ Around” 1981 (Light Horse) which
is similar to the first album, and has a John Lennon
tribute.
IMMIGRANTS (NJ/NY/KS)
"Immigrants '66" 1966 (Starburst SRA 9837)

"Immigrants '66" 199 (Starburst) [bootleg]
"Immigrants '66" 200 (CD Starburst)
One of the more obscure local garage LPs, recorded in

Kansas by a group of NY/NJ college boys. Has a cool
sleeve like most albums in the genre and some pretty
decent sounds inside; two cool beat-garage originals
and some unusual covers (like the Beatles' "Run for
your life") all fed through a whiney New England type
sound. The recording is lo-fi and not exactly
dynamic. It ain't the Sonics but it sure beats the
Rolling Stones! The band also had a 45. [PL]
IMPALA SYNDROME (Venezuela / Chicago, IL)
"Impala Syndrome" 1969 (Parallax p-4002)
They were an excellent garage beat group previously,

Los Impalas. Fuzz beat flower psych infectious
tripper with both heavy and flower moves. Great
guitar throughout and amazing acid cover. The LP was
also released in Spain, Venezuela and Brazil. [RM]
~~~
Musically diverse, the band managed to successfully
dip their collective toes into a number of genres.
"Love Grows a Flower" stood as a pretty Association-
styled flower power ballad. "New Love Time"
demonstrated they could handle blue-eyed soul (with a
nice Latin touch). The closing number "Run (Don't
Look Behind)" sported a then-trendy Eastern-flavored
aura. More impressive to our ears were fuzz guitar
propelled rockers "Too Much Time" and "Let Them Try".
Seriously, there isn't a bad track here, though it
barely clocks in at 30 minutes. [SB]
IMPECCABLE (TX)
"Live on the Rox" 1979 (G.B.C. no #)
Hardrock with strong Van Halen and Judas Priest

influence. Cover is primitive with just the title and
a small drawing of an Impeccable fan declaring that
disco sucks.
INDESCRIBABLY DELICIOUS (Los Angeles, CA)
"Indescribably Delicious" 1969 (All American AA-5743) [test

pressing; no cover]
"Indescribably Delicious" 1994 (Fanny, Belgium) [paste-on
cover; 500p]
"Indescribably Delicious" 1999 (Akarma 046, Italy)
"Indescribably Delicious" 1999 (CD Akarma 046, Italy)
Legendary but to my ears musically disappointing

artefact from the infinitely complex All-American
label web. Only three tracks on the album feature the
real I.D band, the rest was some studio demos
featuring one member of the band, plus some SAC-
related guys. The whole story can be found on the
internet. The music is a mixed late 60s bag with
mellotron, but suffers from soulrock moves and
unconvincing vocals, much like later-day SAC. [PL]
INDEX (Detroit, MI)
"Index" 1967 (DC Records no #) [black sleeve w/ photo; black

label; mono]
"Index" 1983 (Voxx 200.023) [altered sleeve]
One of the major legends of the private press
collector scene, known already in the early 1980s
when Greg Shaw reissued it in "Paisley Underground"
type re-packaging and kept it in print for many
years. The lo-fi sound, amateur vocals and smoke-
thick atmosphere have an instantaneous jaw-dropping
effect, and it's a good one to play for "square"
friends. Incredible primitive surf-garage-psych with
off-key teenage vocals and an unreal soundscape;
imagine Dick Dale jamming with 1966 Velvet
Underground in an airplane hangar after a night of
booze & quaaludes. Great band originals share the
stage with unparalleled Byrds deconstructions, while
some of the feedback and drone passages are bordering
on avant noise. A true missing link item bridging the
early and late 60s sounds. Beware of the "Index
Anthology vol 1" CD as it omits most of the best
tracks (the covers) from this. The band formed at the
University of Detroit and recorded in Grosse Point,
Michigan. [PL]
"Index" [2nd LP] 1968 (DC Records no #) [black sleeve W/

drawing of heads; red label; stereo]
"Index" [2nd LP] 1991 (Sears) [altered sleeve]
"Index Anthology 1967-68" 1997 (CD Top Jimmy)
Obscure isn't the word for this very rare 2nd LP

(again self-titled) which few people knew existed
before the reissue appeared. Only three or four
original copies have been found. It contains basement
surf-folkrock-psych sounds similar to their classic
1st LP, but also some uninspired blues and Bee Gees
covers. The super-atmospheric basement sound of the
debut is gone due to normal recording facilities now
being used. All over not the mindblower the above is
but a pretty insteresting artefact anyhow, with a
couple of great tracks on side 2. Some copies came
without sleeve, others have been found inside the
sleeve for the first LP. Both their LPs are well into
the four figure realm. The 'Sears' bootleg has a
reverse negative of the original front cover. The CD
contains the 2nd LP plus selection of tracks from 1st
LP. [PL]
~~~
see -> Just Us
INFINITE COMPANIONS (OH)
"Sanity Rests In The Ability To Fly" 1972 (no label 30102)

[insert]
Obscure spacey folk/prog led by Glenn Saiges, with

keyboard and sax.
INN CROWD (LA)
"Live At The Belmont" 1968 (Continental 100 484)
Local club act with Hammond organ and covers of

Buffalo Springfield, Beatles, etc.
INNERVISIONS ( )
"Beginnings End" 1977 (private)
Seedy femme-vox lounge-rock with appeal for genre

fans, in a psychy cover.
INNOVATION (Canada)
"Innovation" 1970 (Birchmount 577)
Dorky-looking guys & gals folk quartet.
INSIDE OUT (IA)
"Bringing It All Back" 1968 (Fredlo 6834)
This little known garage/club LP on the famous

Midwest label has to be one of the very last local
Top 40 cover band albums in the whole USA, at least 6
months after Granma's Rockers and the final Justice
releases. Sound and vibe is all 1966 with teen
vocals, nice Vox organ and jangling guitar, which
makes for an interesting marriage with '68 covers
such as Blue Cheer's take on "Summertime blues" and
"Jumping Jack flash" (both have good fuzz). Band is
solid and enthusiastic and still have several '65-66
numbers on their set list despite the late date.
Version of "Pictures of matchstick men" is charming.
No group originals. [PL]
INSTINCTS (Wallingford, CT)
"The Loving Sandwich" 1967 (The Choate School tcs-3952) [split

LP]
A prep-rock LP from the Choate school with the

Instincts on one side and the (forgettable) Maiyeros
school chorus on the other. Two Instincts tracks have
been comp'd, one of which amazingly is a Savages
cover. Standard New England garage covers of "Hold on
I'm comin'", "Gimme some lovin'", "Don't look back"
etc, with jangly guitar and organ, in a great
primitive psych sleeve. [PL]
INTERNATIONAL SUBMARINE BAND (NY/CA)
"Safe At Home" 1968 (LHI s-12001) [multi-colored label]

"Safe At Home" 198 (LHI) [bootleg w/ fake wlp design]
"Safe At Home" 1991 (CD Magnum CDSD 071)
"Safe At Home" 2000 (Sundazed LP 5112) [+bonus track]
"Safe At Home" deserved immediate notice as one of

the first true country-rock outings. Offering up a
mixture of covers and original material (penned by
Gram Parsons), tracks such as "I Must Be Somebody
Else You've Known", "Folsom Prison Blues" and "I
Still Miss Someone" left no doubts as to the the
band's country roots and interests. That shouldn't
scare anyone off, since the combination of Parsons'
melancholy voice and a rhythm section with one foot
firmly in the rock camp, made for a thoroughly
entertaining effort. Parsons-penned originals such as
"Blue Eyes" (first song we're aware of to make
reference to getting stoned) and "Luxury Liner" were
genre standards. While the album generated a buzz
among critics and with musicians themselves, it was
simply too odd for mainstream radio - too rock for
country audiences and too country for rock audiences.
Sales proved non-existent. The band also had a very
good non-LP track, "Sum up broke". Watch out for the
1980s white label bootleg; legitimate promo
copies had stock labels and were stamped.
[SB]
INTERSYSTEMS (Toronto, Canada)
"Number One" 1967 (Allied 1)

"Number One" 2001 (Cortical 25) [+bonus 45; gatefold; comic
book; 500p]
The debut LP from these noted avantgarde freaks is

basically a spoken word album with sound effects. A
narrator who sounds like a college student parodying
JFK rants and rambles poetry and surreal short
stories while primitive synth and oscillator noises
pass through the soundscape. There is not much
"music" per se, but it has a certain psychedelic
feel. The connection between the words and the sound
fx isn't consistent, and it seems that both elements
were at least partly improvised. The last track gets
into some interesting eerie "ambient" moods, while
the mannered, one-note narration is a drawback over
the full duration of the LP. A testament of the
freaky arty 60s with happenings, music concrete and
"why not?" aesthetics, but ultimately I guess you had
to be there. Respectworthy, but for genre fanatics
mainly, and a somewhat inauspicious start for the
label that would later bring us Plastic Cloud and
Reign Ghost. [PL]
"Peachy" 1968 (Allied 2)

"Peachy" 199 (CD Streamline 1010, Germany)
More comments will come on this second LP, sometimes

referred to as "#2".
"Free Psychedelic Poster Inside" 1968 (private) [poster]

"Free Psychedelic Poster Inside" 1994 (CD Streamline 1007,
Germany)
This privately released LP is a clear improvement on

the debut, both in terms of narration and overall
artistic coherence. Originally created as a
soundtrack for an art installation in Montreal 1968.
More comments will follow. The band leader would
later form Syrinx, who cut two LPs of progressive
electronics on the True North label in the early
1970s.
TOM INTONDI (New York City, NY)
"City Dancer" 1976 (no label TI-1)
Greenwich Village folk scene mainstay. Pleasant tenor

voice; mixed folk bag, at times jazzy, often minor
key downer vibe. The lyrics have a slightly non-
sequiterous feeling to them. Credits are given to
fellow Village scensters Jack Hardy (inspiration &
song) and Terre Roche (drawing - I presume referring
to the paste-on cover picture). I'm not sure if this
is the actual LP release or a test pressing. There is
no mention of the album title anywhere. The record
has blank white labels. The cover has only the
picture pasted on the front. There is an insert with
credits and the lyrics of the title track. [MA]
JACK INTVELD (Irondale, MN)
"I'll Sing of Life" 1978 (Art 9048) [insert; 200p]
Yes-influenced basement progressive from high school

kid multi-instrumentalist.

INVADERS ( )
"Golden Hits" 1965 (RPC 1272)
Local teen-beat with sax on famous custom label.
INVADERS (Richmond, VA)
"On The Right Track" 1967 (Justice 157)

"On The Right Track" 1994 (CD Collectables 0608)
Opens with OK beat original with tough fuzz break,

then immediately starts sucking with brassy soul and
beach music covers. Vocals are really weak and the
band isn't terribly tight either, in spite of
ambitious arrangements. You need a strong stomach to
sit through the off-key horn takes on various Memphis
standards that make up the bulk of the album. Bizarre
interpretation of "Summertime" with the melody wrong
and a tortured harmonica solo is worth hearing for
its oddness, but apart from the passable opener this
LP's only redeeming factor is a neat Farfisa organ
sound. Don't be fooled by the cool cover, this is a
real stinker. [PL]
~~~
Pretty standard garage/frat party faire. Backed by
horns, the focus was on popular pop and soul covers
such as "Midnight Hour", "Double Shot" and "Shotgun".
At least one reviewer's deemed the album
unlistenable, but to our ears their ragged, haphazard
performances are a big part of the charm. Check out
their lumbering cover of "Summertime" and the more-
enthusiasm-than-talent cover of "Knock On Wood".
Personal favorite is Steve Pollock's what's-the-next-
note guitar solo on "Hold On". That said, the set's
highlights came from the pair of band originals "Have
You Ever" and "Just for Kicks". [SB]
INVADERS (Bermuda)
"Spacing Out" 1970 (Duane 1101)

"Spacing Out" 1997 (no label, Europe) [500#d]
Rare instrumental jazzy funky rock groove with brass,

on the same NJ label as the Savages. Highly rated in
some circles.
INVICTAS (Andover, MA)
"The Invictas" 1962 (no label MBOP 5817)
Early prep-rock album, and the first known rock LP

from the Phillips Academy in Andover (Rising Storm,
Ha'Pennys, etc) and thus of some historical
importance. The music is pre-Beatle, pre-surf
instrumentals straight out of Ventures and Johnny &
the Hurricanes-land, with a classic guitar-band
covering "Wild weekend", "Sleepwalk", "Bullwhip rock"
and so forth. Occasional use of sax and piano while
one track has vocals, a version of "Hully Gully". Not
bad at all for the era with a solid band who must
have played quite a bit live judging by their
confident interplay. Highpoints include a dynamic
"Walk don't run" and a minimalist "Apache". One track
may be a band original. Some fake crowd noise added
here and there for live ambience. An RCA custom
pressing. [PL]
INVICTAS (Rochester, NY)

"A-Go-Go" 1965 (Sahara 101)
"A-Go-Go" 1983 (Eva 12016, France)
Local bigwigs from upstate N Y who enjoyed some chart

success with "The Hump". More frat/dance than garage,
enjoyable for those who dig the Dimensions and
similar. Great snotty vocals and an energetic sound,
with a number of fine originals. Along with the
Tormentors one of Eva's rarer reissues. A rare case
of bearded garage rock. [PL]
~~~
Standard mix of popular covers and originals
performed with considerable enthusiasm, if with a
decidedly low-tech sound, the collection's actually a
blast to listen to. The lead singer wasn't anything
to write home about in the way of range and
occasionally recalled a dog yelping in pain ("The
Hook"). Still, there was something attractive about
the way these guys blew their way through popular
covers such as "Hang On Sloopy", "Land of a 1000
Dances" and "Satisfaction". The five originals
weren't particularly impressive (the closer "Do It"
being the best), though "The Hump" was apparently a
large regional hit (liner notes: "the biggest selling
record in the New York state area, exceeding sales of
those English Mop Tops, The Beatles"). It won't
change your life, but makes for a great party LP.
[SB]
IOTA (El Paso, TX / Memphis, TN)
"Iota" 2002 (Rockadelic 46)

"Iota" 2003 (CD Shadoks 042, Germany)
1969-72 recordings from El Paso band who moved to

Memphis mid-career. Their best track "Within these
precincts" is also available on the "Growing Slowly
Insane" comp. Rest is competent but to my ears mostly
unexceptional fuzz/Hammond club hardrock with funk
moves, highpoints being covers of two tracks off the
earlier "I Love You Gorgo" sampler which was released
by the same management team that handled Iota. All
four 45 sides by Iota are included. Packaging is nice
though the fantasy front sleeve gives off a very
different vibe from the sounds inside. [PL]
I.O.U (MI)
"I.O.U." 1977 (no label)
Hard guitar rock.
V.A "IOWA EAR MUSIC" (IA)
"Iowa Ear Music" 1976 (Corn Pride 28155)
Compilation of Iowa State University 1967-76

avantgarde Cage/Tudor style aural experiments with
members of Tree. A CD-R "reissue" exists.
IRON LUNG (IL)
"High Bail" 1975 (KDR 1063)

"High Bail" 1994 (Casket, Belgium) [400#d]
Hilarious teenage suburban loser blues, like a 1970s

equivalent of those whiney New England 60s groups.
Great sleeve of them in jail and lyrics like "I've
been thinking/About my drinking" lets you know this
ain't no rocket scientists. Can't really recommend
it, though it's fun to listen to once in a while.
Warning: this is pretty lame basement stuff rather
than the hard guitar blues some might hope for. [PL]
~~~
Rhythm fuzz rocker with warm bluesy and xian vibes.
Some good world weary crying for help from above
songs. The slower bluesy tracks are sabotaged by some
hideous vocals but there's fine playing throughout
this record. [RM]
IT'S ALL MEAT (Toronto, Canada)
"It's All Meat" 1970 (Columbia 374)

"It's All Meat" 199 (no label, Italy)
"It's All Meat" 199 (CD Fingerprints)
"It's All Meat" 2001 (Void)
"It's All Meat" 2001 (CD Void) [+bonus tracks]
Stones-influenced hard rock with psych remnants, has

a great immediacy to it thanks to a typical classy
Columbia recording. Dynamic band with lots of ripping
fuzz; only problem for me is a sometimes operatic
singer a la British LPs like Open Mind and Ghost. If
you have no problems with that this will rank as one
of the best albums in the style. "Crying into the
deep lake" is an epic Doorsy psych trip, "Sunday
love" is somewhat similar with raga leads, while the
rest of the album is more hard rocking. The early
bootleg re's have cover wear residue from the
originals that were used. The band also had a non-LP
45 track. [PL]
~~~
In that uniquely Canadian way (think Ugly Ducklings,
Churls), these guys manage to seamlessly make the
leap from 60s garage to a sort of Stones-influenced
late 60s rock sound and do so in a truly exciting,
powerful way. A couple of drawn out psych monsters
are surrounded by cool hard rock, making this one of
the best of many great albums from up north. [AM]
V.A "IT'S A REVOLUTION MOTHER" ( )
"It's A Revolution Mother" 196 (KW Records 001)

Fake soundtrack for probably non-existing movie,
contains hip "now" collage of biker and freak
counterculture snips, plus Steppenwolf-type music by
a band called Mandarin Gate. The Aliens biker gang is
featured. Nice cover with the right AIP 1-sheet look.
IVORY (Los Angeles, CA)
"Ivory" 1968 (Tetragrammaton t-104)

"Ivory" 2002 (CD Gear Fab 182)
Another good co-ed Airplane-influenced band. Decent

fuzz guitar on most songs, though a few ballads are
highlights (“Losin’ Hold” is the best song here).
This isn’t as experimental or as varied as, say, Ill
Wind, but the songwriting is quite good and the sound
very appealing. If you’re a fan of stuff like Yankee
Dollar, Art of Lovin, Genesis, etc… you’re sure to
like this. [AM]
IXT ADUX (Los Angeles, CA)
"Brainstorm" 1982 (Madame X) [insert]
In some ways, this private press album is pretty

impressive. The songs are quite complex and the
guitar playing throughout is challenging and
unpredictable. In typical amateur prog fashion,
though, the instrumentation is often usurped by the
lousy vocals and melodies (this is a case where the
"singer" doesn't really even try to sing, hoping that
weirdness will work.) There's enough of interest here
to keep prog fans satisfied, most likely, but it
sounds much more like some promising experimentation
than an actual set of real songs. It's to prog what
Zenith Effluveum is to psych. Unlike most prog, this
is entirely guitar-based. It has the same kinds of
odd song structures, time shifts and speed shifts as
traditional prog, but without the keyboards. [AM]


J A BLUEZY (Detroit, MI)
"J.A. Bluezy at the Delta Lady" 1980 (ERK)
Live heavy blues rock trio with earlier vibe and

stinging metallic guitar sound. The recording was
direct miked, so there's barely any audience sound.
JACKAL (Canada)
"Awake" 1973 (Periwinkle 7309)

"Awake" 199 (Periwinkle) [bootleg]
"Awake" 199 (CD Lazer's Edge)
"Awake" 199 (CD Labyrinth)
In my ears rather unexceptional 1970s mainstream

AOR/progrock popular among collectors on that scene.
Definite post-acid sounds and not garagey or freaky
enough to arouse my interest, the teen Jaggeresque
vocals being the strongest asset. [PL]
JACKPINE SAVAGE (NY)
"Together" 1971 (Dimension-5 151)
Freaky kiddie psych LP with electronic effects,

narration and treated vocals. Fuzz and swirling organ
on some tracks. Actually Bruce Haack.
MIKE JACKSON ( )
"Alive" 1975 (Yi Yi)
X-ian progressive psych with good guitar.
BOB JACOBS ( )
"Ray Bradbury's Dark Carnival" 1969 (Tower ST-5172) [insert]
The spoken intro to this album gives you an idea what

you're in for: the works of Ray Bradbury
(specifically, the short stories from his collection
"The October Country") turned into music, sort of in
the same fashion as Paul Klee's art and the album by
the National Gallery. Some of this is soft AM pop,
but there are some baroque pop songs with occasional
fuzz guitar and plenty of creepy moments. The most
memorable song is "The Jar", in which Jacobs recites
the poem in a weird poetic speak/sing style over a
series of eerie and intense sound effects. Jacobs'
singing is a bit overwrought throughout, though it's
not entirely out of place. Bradbury's work is intense
and imaginative enough to make for a lot of
interesting lyrics. This is an unusual album that
won't appeal to everyone, but it's pretty cool and
will really be enjoyed by the right listener.
Bradbury wrote the liner notes for the album. [AM]
JACOB'S REUNION (VT)
"Jacob's Reunion" 1975 (Chelsea House chr-2001) [500p]
Nice rural folk by Vermont hippies, very well

conceived, performed and recorded. It's an intriguing
mix of styles, from British-type folk to a variety of
old American musical genres (not just folk but blues
and vocal jazz.) The mix of all things Americana
evoke the Insect Trust and the laid back vocal style
and violin sound a bit like Fraser & Debolt, but
Jacob's Reunion is nowhere near as strange as either
of those artists (and, admittedly, not as exciting.)
It probably won't appeal to strict psych fans, but
it's a good album, with the highlights being the two
long, dreamy, almost eerie side-closers. Mix of male
and female vocals. No full drum set, but there are
quite a few instruments and arrangement ideas. The
album is about 48 minutes, yet is diverse enough not
to feel overlong. [AM]
JADE (Cincinnati, OH)
"Faces Of Jade" 1970 (General American 11311)
This came to me with an "underrated?" tag attached,

and I'm inclined to agree. It's late 60s Brit-
psych/pop of the McCartney/Roy Wood variety
transplanted to 1970s Cincinnati, serving up plenty
of innovation, fun and a fair amount of label $$$ on
hand. Opens with dreamy psych mini-epic that recalls
the 2nd Fallen Angels album, the rest holds a middle
ground between London'68 and the clever pop that Ohio
would become famous for, leaving the listener to
decide if this is a late 60s lytepsych LP or in fact
an Anglo-retro 70s trip. Lots of piano, "Penny Lane"
fanfares, high-pitched teen harmonies and unexpected
studio tricks including a high-point which has vocals
sung backwards then replayed forwards for an eerie
"Twin Peaks"-style effect. A couple of tracks are too
poppy for me, but a worthwhile experience all over;
should appeal to fans of Lazy Smoke in addition to
the pointers already suggested. [PL]
~~~
This starts out with a long dreamy ballad and
includes a cool backwards experiment (the music
played backwards while the singer uses stilted,
strange phrasing in order to keep up, an idea that
would be used more popularly by the Stone Roses
twenty years later.) Otherwise, though, it's
basically a Beatles-inspired pop album. It's not
unusual at all, but it's very good, one of the best
in the style. It's highly recommended to fans of
bands like Grapefruit, Ellie Pop, Sleepy Hollow, etc.
Some pressings are missing the song "My Honey," which
is the oddball song on the album anyway (and a
complete steal of the Beatles "Honey Pie").
Strangely, even copies without the song have a
sticker that says "includes the hit 'My Honey.'" [AM]
JADE (OK)
"Crossfire" 1980 (Gem Stone 102)
Rural rock/hard rock with a 1970s sound, half harder

sounds with searing dual leads, and half more mellow
with light AOR moves. Good songwriting. "Sister
Sawbuck" is usually cited as the best track.
JADES (Dallas, TX)
"So Tough" 1964 (Ching)
Pre-invasion greaser rock from Dallas teens whose

legacy has been poorly taken care of, despite leaving
two albums behind. This isn't exceptional but
enjoyable for what it is, and may in fact surpass the
second LP.
"Live At Disc A Go Go" 1965 (Jarrett 21517)
Live recording of local club band, classic r'n'b &

Brit Invasion covers like you'd expect. Excellent
drummer, nice ringing undistorted rhythm guitar and
an enthusiastic live feel, reminiscent of the TC
Atlantic album, although a couple of non-rock
selections like a nightmarish "Hello Dolly" lower the
batting average. "House of the rising sun" is in an
unusual arrangement and with different lyrics, sounds
like they picked it up from outside the regular
sources. Last track provides background music for the
go-go girls to demonstrate the Monkey, the Swim etc
for the crowd, and is thus wasted on vinyl, unless
you have a strong visual imagination. A reasonably
entertaining half-hour for teen-beat completists.
[PL]
JADE STONE & LUV (Austin, TX / Nashville, TN)
"Mosaics, Pieces Of Stone" 1977 (Jade 4351) [circa 1500p; some

copies w/ poster]
Interest in this is on the rise and rightly too,

cause this is one cool ultra-1970s artefact by a
couple decked out in full period regalia including a
handlebar moustache (Jade Stone), hot pants (Luv),
and a psychedelic VW bus. The music is notoriously
hard to describe, but projects scenes of all-night
cruising through Edge City in a stolen Cadillac,
downing reds with cheap sparkling wine that you refer
to as "champagne", with the 8-track blasting
"Mosaics" at full volume. Neon sign singles bars,
pool halls and re-opened nightclubs flash by while
Jade Stone sings like the rock star he hopes soon to
be. Not metropolitan hip, but dreams of stardom and
glamour from the American underbelly, two renegade
souls zooming down the highway between Austin and
Nashville. Well-produced, with some fantastic tracks
like "Man", featuring great keyboard and fuzz
interplay, and soulful-loungey vocals. "Trailer-park
music" someone called it. Major personal fave, but
hardly for everyone, and the cover shot alone will
scare a lot of potential buyers off. The poster
(which is great) has only been found in a handful of
copies and is worth almost as much as the album
itself. Most copies have a promo sticker on the front
cover. They also had some non-LP 45 tracks. [PL]
~~~
Like Darius (to whom his voice has been compared),
Jade Stone wanted to be a big star! It was obviously
not to be, and the world is left with this unique
album, which is a mixture of 60s hippie, 70s country
and timeless lounge rock, jacked up by inspired
songwriting, Jade's overwhelming personality and
tremendous arrangements. The closing "Reality" is
packed with killer wah-wah guitar, and that should
hook most of you, but the rest of the album, while
mellower, is terrific too. Jade really has a flair
for the dramatic, and comes off sounding quite
important indeed. Songs like "Waiting For The Rain"
have an elegant power. Luv doesn't sing lead, but she
adds to the album cover's goofball appeal. [AM]
JAIM ( )
"Prophecy Fulfilled" 1969 (Ethereal 1001)
Moody orchestrated pop duo with harpischord, may

appeal to Gentle Soul fans.
JAKE (WI)
"Dedication" 1973 (Banana 5179) [500p; insert]
Melodic rural rock from locally popular Midwest band

housed in goofy dog cover. Opens with a heartfelt
Graham Nash type lament to a dead dog which seems to
be seriously intended. The rest makes more sense,
with a professional sound, competent songwriting and
good harmony vocals. The band were apparently big
Beatles fans but it sounds more 1970s westcoast than
anything else. Recurring countryrock moves work OK
but are occasionally too squishy, while the stronger
tracks go in a harder guitar-oriented direction, with
Bay Area and progrock aspects on things such as the
droning "Can tell" and the dramatic "May Day". The
album has a mature, self-confident feel that
compensates for the familiarity of the style. The LP
was pressed privately and sold out immediately to
fans at their shows. Previously they released two 45s
as "SELTAEB" - (read it backwards). There was also a
45 released from the 1973 album. Banana was a
subsidiary to the wellknown regional Cuca label. The
band also had a lesser second LP in 1983. [PL]
~~~
If you think the picture of the dog on the front
cover is odd, wait until you hear the opening and
closing odes to him! Those lyrics are weird, but for
the most part this is nothing a collector would
normally care about. Some countrified rock and
ordinary ballads share space with mildly heavy west-
coast sounding excursions and mainstream 70s rock.
Overall, it's competent but unexceptional with the
usual imperfect vocals, the kind of LP that would be
ignored if it were on a major label. The best songs
(which are basically the heavier and longer ones) are
more "promising" than they are "successful", with the
exception of one great song, "Can Tell". This is one
more in the trend of recent "discoveries" of
mainstream albums that had been ignored by collectors
for years because there's nothing unusual or
exceptional about them. [AM]
STEVE JAM ( )
"Songs Of A Songwriter" 1975 (no label) [200p]
Demo LP from melodic 1970s rock/prog multi-

instrumentalist with full rock setting, some
percussion and lots of keyboard.
GRAHAM JAMES (NE)
"What is Me?" 197 (Rene 1141)
70s hippie folk with a couple of interesting tracks.
JAY JAMES ( )
"Good Times & Bad Times" 1976 (Tiger Lily)
Obscure one on Morris Levy's infamous tax-loss label,

has been described as "rural loser roots honky tonk
country rock with the usual quirky blandness the
label seemed to pick up on".
MICHAEL JAMES (MN)

"Runaway World" 1978 (no label het-1857) [1000p]
Oddball pro-sounding local late 1970s artefact that

is not easily described; recurring spoken Guatemala
theme will have you puzzled, as may the mix of downer
ballads, generic studio fill instrumentals and moody
fuzz psychrock with an occasional D R Hooker or
Marcus slant. Good vocals, the guitars may be too
metal for some, but the echo-fx "Sleepers" psych trip
and a closing atmospheric acid lullaby about death
should appeal to anyone. Album opens poorly, then
becomes increasingly appealing, worth checking out
for open-minded heads. A lot of time and some $$$
obviously went into this one. Cool 50s flying saucer
cover. James had a cassette-only release in 1985 and
is still around playing and releasing music. [PL]
JAMESON (Los Angeles, CA)
"Color Him In" 1967 (Verve v-5015) [mono; ylp exists]

"Color Him In" 1967 (Verve v6-5015) [stereo]
The first “real” album by the guy who masqueraded as

Chris Lucey. This album is way more commercial than
the Lucey album, with female harmonies and poppy
melodies, but it’s actually equally as good, and
actually pretty weird when you get past the more
mainstream sound. [AM]
~~~
see -> Chris Lucey
JAMRA (CA)
"The Second Coming" 1972 (Stygian)
Satanic cult. Doomy organ, spooky effects, and creepy

invocations by Jamra. Recorded live at Audio Genesis
Studios. [RM]
JAN & DEAN (Los Angeles, CA)
"Save For A Rainy Day" 1967 (J&D 101) [mono]

"Save For A Rainy Day" 199 (CD Sundazed)
Private press obscurity from surf/hot rod kings, put

together by Dean Torrence and session pros while Jan
was in a coma after his car crash. All tracks deal
with rain, making this one of the odder concept LPs
around. Mostly covers. A solid LA '67 top forty pop
LP a la the lighter sides of Strawberry Alarmclock. I
like it. CD has lots of remixed bonus tracks which is
good as the original has a pretty muddy sound.
Needless to say, Jan & Dean released tons of records
that fall outside the scope of these archives. [PL]
JAN & LORRAINE ( )
"Gypsy People" 1969 (ABC s-691) [gatefold]
This is about as good a 60s femme psych album as

you'll find. It's wholly original and unlike a lot of
singer/songwriter types of the era, the women with
their names on the album cover had considerable
creative input. The duo wrote seven of the ten songs,
and the other three were written for them. They play
all of the guitars on the album, and also some
keyboards, and are credited with "ensemble
arrangements." It's a reasonable cross between
British folk-rock and American psychedelia (with a
strong Indian influence), and is the most interesting
and successful album by a folk-psych duo, male or
female. It also rocks with conviction, and while it
does contain two off-the-wall experiments it doesn't
lose its focus. More importantly, unlike virtually
every late 60s/early 70s album by women, there's not
a song here with a bland or simplified arrangement.
In other words, there's no song or arrangement that
seems to have been thrust upon them by a sales-happy
label or producer. They never opt for the easy way
out, erring on the side of daring rather than on the
side of omission. Even the two orchestrated ballads
avoid the traps of mainstream pop, as the strings
create an eerie atmosphere not far off from the
sitars and effects elsewhere. The women's voices are
high and a little thin when apart, but rich and
evocative together, even when one or the other hits
an unlikely note here or there. They're full of
substance. Throughout there's an exciting "anything
goes" feel that makes the album more than the sum of
its excellent parts. The band covers Spikedrivers and
Perth County Conspiracy tunes and appears to have had
a Michigan/Canadian connection to Richard Keelan who
was a member of both those bands. [AM]
~~~
JANDEK / UNITS (TX)
"Ready For The House" 1978 (Corwood)

"Ready For The House" 198 (Corwood) [insert]
Notorius "cult" artist of the outsider/fringe type

whose two dozen albums are popular topics for
discussion. Most of it falls outside the scope of the
Archives on ground of not being psychedelic in any
way, so this rare debut LP will work as a proxy for
the rest. It's just the guy's voice and amateur
picking on an electric guitar; a loner late-night
mood persists, and the lyrics are unusual and fairly
interesting. Supposedly 8 different tracks, but it's
really like one and the same throughout, and more
like a spoken word record with incidental music than
actual songs. May be worthwhile for hardcore
downer/loner folk enthusiasts, while others can
settle for a few attentive needle drops to decide
upon its merits. This LP was released as by the
Units. The 2nd press has an insert that refers to
later Jandek albums. [PL]
~~~
If this is the first artist you've looked up, you're
reading the wrong book. Obviously opinions vary about
the enjoyability (not to mention the purpose) of
Jandek's music. While I've always believed that he's
way more intersting to read about than to listen to,
unquestionably his music makes more sense over his
entire ouvre than on just one record. That said, of
the many Jandek albums I've heard this is undoubtably
the most boring, just the same bloody out of tune
chord strummed the same way for forty minutes. Later
albums would throw in a bit of variety, all of which
sounds way more compelling in context than out of it
(i.e. after half an hour of one chord, a song with
four sounds like the most melodic thing you've ever
heard). This album doesn't even have that, and you
will never get this 40 minutes of your life back.
[AM]
J-ANN-C TRIO (MO)
"At The Tantara" 196 (Burdland 3300)
Square-looking mid-1960s trio with female bass-player

doing r'n'b, surf and more, popular title among
Incredibly Strange aficionados.
JARVIS ST REVUE (Thunder Bay, Canada)
"Mr Oil Man" 1970 (Columbia ES 90020) [gatefold]

"Mr Oil Man" 198 (no label, Italy) [bootleg; 340p; insert]
"Mr Oil Man" 199 (CD)
"Mr Oil Man" 2000 (Void 12) [gatefold; +bonus 7"]
"Mr Oil Man" 200 (CD Pacemaker 033) [+bonus tracks]
Pretty good psychrock sounds from a bunch of Thunder

Bay pothead environmentalists. Ecological concerns
mix with relaxed hippie reflections in a style
similar to the Borealis LP, though the heavy acid
guitar excursions and spooky whispered vocals on the
13-minute title track is what makes this trip
worthwhile. The sleeve shows Christ holding up an
earth globe covered in toxic slime - these guys
weren't joking. The band had 2 non-LP 45s. [PL]
~~~
Give them points for ambition. The 13-minute title
track is rife with wacky singing, strange
arrangements, sound effects and wonderful fuzz bass,
and the environmental lyrical theme rings loud and
clear throughout the album. The mellower, moodier
songs are as successful as the heavy, fuzzy ones. A
few blues/boogie rockers threaten to be kind of
pedestrian, but rise above, mostly due to nice drifty
fuzz guitar that buzzes in your ear. This is a
distinctive and innovative album, of similar quality
to other excellent Canadian major label rarities like
It's All Meat and the Rabble. The CD reissue contains
an early single (much poppier than the album), and
six tracks that were intended to be part of their
never-completed second album. This second album
dispenses with the fuzz and finds them in an upbeat
rural rock and singer-songwriter acoustic pop/rock
mode. It's also pretty good, but due to the style
would certainly have been a disappointment to fans of
"Mr. Oil Man." [AM]
JARVO RUNGA (Chatham, NJ)
"Jarvo Runga" 1972 (no label) [100p; info sheet]
Local basement rock with DIY vibe and Neil Young and
Creedence influences in there somewhere, wrapped up
in a stripped down urban Eastcoast sound. The
unpolished vocals and no-frills directness are
reminiscent of Odyssey, but this is not a hardrock LP
but more like a bunch of auto mechanics playing bars
in their spare time and ending up with an album. The
drummer has an unusual homemade style where each song
is given a particular drum arrangement to which he
then sticks no matter what. Some non-heavy guitar
jams but mostly song-oriented with originals all
through, I think. May appeal to fans of Neutral
Spirits and Fortune Teller, which means that I like
it. Apparently recorded on LSD, though if true this
must rank as one of the least acid-sounding acid LPs
around. Short demo LP with some 22 minutes
playtime. There is a handwritten band name on the
front cover and an info sheet taped on the back.
Other cover variations may exist. According to the
band, most copies were given to labels in an attempt
to get signed. Only a couple of copies are known
outside the members. [PL]
JASPER WRATH (CT)
"Jasper Wrath" 1971 (Sunflower snf-5003) [insert; wlp

exists]
"Jasper Wrath" 2005 (Sunflower/Scorpio)
"Anthology 1969-76" 1996 (CD Oxford Circus 001) [2CDs; book]
The 1971 LP is an intriguing psych/prog crossover

item should appeal to just about everyone. It has
excellent songs, lots of fuzz guitar, soaring
harmonies, hooks and loud drums, and for the prog
fans a few flutes and a long pretentious fantasy epic
to close things off. Cool album cover too. "Look To
The Sunrise" was a near-hit, and in some places is
listed as a bubblegum (!) song. It's not, but it is
awfully catchy. Ten years later members of the band
would front successful AOR bands, though the most
intriguing chapter of their career (the Arden House
and Zoldar & Clark albums) almost disappeared without
trace in the mid-70s. The anthology finally gave a
legitimate release to some songs from both of those
records, as well as many unreleased live and studio
tracks. [AM]
~~~
Brit-influenced melodic artrock with psych remnants.
Skillfully produced and arranged with a classy major
label feel; lots of ideas going in different
directions as is typical for the style and era.
Songwriting is fine with hooks and memorable moments,
vocals are OK (but not great) in the Moody Blues
style, often sung ensemble, and there's atmospheric
piano and good fuzz throughout. So what's the
problem? Well, there is an abundance of flute that
casts a dork spell on things (much like Westfauster),
and the pompous UK artrock spectre means a lot of
emphasis on the surface and too little on personal
expression. A more tangible psych feel would have
helped, and that is precisely what we get on the
superb "Odyssey" with its dreamy Strawberry
Alarmclock afternoon tripout textures. The album as a
whole is impressive and enjoyable but unlikely to be
anyone's desert island pick. [PL]
~~~
see -> Eyes; Arden House; Zoldar & Clark
ABNER JAY (GA)
"Abner Jay Sings & Plays Stephen Foster" 197 (Plantation

Records 5628)
"True Story of Dixie" 197 (Brandie 1002)
"Swaunee Water and Cocaine Blues" 197 (Brandie 1001)
"Swaunee Water" and "Terrible Comedy" are rated as

Abner's best LPs by most aficionados.
"Terrible Comedy Blues" 197 (Poison Apple 3420)
The word “terrible” isn’t a comment on the comedy or

the music, but a word he uses over and over in all of
his jokes, most of which seem to have been stolen
from Redd Foxx. They take up maybe 20% of this album,
the rest of which is his usual one-man-band electric
blues. Even if some of the jokes are corny, this is
very enjoyable, as are all of his albums. Jay’s voice
is warm and real, and I find him way more
entertaining than just about any of those heavy blues
rockers with wanky lead guitar players and macho
singers. My dream double bill would be Hasil Adkins
and Abner Jay! Terrrrrrrrr-ible!!! [AM]
"The Backbone of America is a Mule and Cotton" 1976 (Brandie

122161) [Abner with guitar cover]
"The Backbone of America is a Mule and Cotton" 197 (Brandie
122161) [Abner lying down cover]
If this one doesn't fit under the weird/real people

category, then nothing in my collection does. That
poses a number of problems, including trying to
describe an album as plain strange as "The Backbone
Of America Is A Mule And Cotton". This isn't rock,
progressive, or psychedelic, rather a very strange
mixture of blues, country, Gospel minstrel and freak-
out. Starting to see how odd this album is? Next,
making Leon Redbone sound like a young choir boy,
Jay's voice is definitely an acquired taste. All
hyperbole aside, this is one of those albums that can
clear a party out in record time. Released on his own
Memphis-based Brandie Records, the LP is a little
different than most of his other releases in that it
largely forgoes original material (the rambling title
track being the lone exception). Call this Jay's
covers album in that it finds him taking on a series
of classic American songs like 'Way Down Upon the
Swanee River and 'Amazing Grace'. Propelled by his
deep growl and electrified banjo, the results are
definitely strange in that Jay slows every one of
these songs down to a funeral pace that will either
drive you crazy, or make want to check the results
out time after time. It's not clear which "Backbone"
cover came first. The first variation is subtitled
"This is Real Show Nough Bicentennial Music", so 1976
is an educated guess for the release year. [SB]
"One Man Band" 2003 (CD Subliminal Sounds, Sweden)
Abner Jay is a blues artist, regarded by some as the

last in the line of original Southern minstrel
performers. However, many of his most ardent fans
seem to be of an esoteric mind-set, which is why he
belongs in these Archives. I've only heard the recent
"One Man Band" sampler CD, which is remarkable and
recommended. You've never heard Georgia blues this
way before, mixing hilarious spoken rants with high
intensity one-man-band numbers and lyrics that deal
with 'modern' topics (hippies, LSD, Vietnam) as seen
through the eyes of an original Dixie bluesman. Jay
is a strong vocalist and performer, and some numbers
achieve a startling intensity, after which you're
thrown into burlesque jokes like an X-rated WC
Fields. As pure and invigorating as the Swaunee river
water, an essential piece in the Americana puzzle.
There is a brochure that came with some of the
records with additional information. In addition,
there are a couple of early 45s, probably from the
1960s. [PL]
J B & THE PLAYBOYS (Montreal, Canada)
"J B & the Playboys" 1966 (RCA 1086)
Pre-Freedom North beat. The band also cut a 1-sided

LP of Coca-Cola jingles for the Hallmark label.
J C & THE B's (PA)
"1st and 10" 1975 (Essay sa-325) [paste-on front; blank back;
200p]
Mixed bag of 1970s sounds ranging from pop to soulful rock.
J D BLACKFOOT see J D Blackfoot

JELLY BEAN BANDITS (Newburgh, NY)
"Jelly Bean Bandits" 1968 (Mainstream 56103) [mono]

"Jelly Bean Bandits" 1968 (Mainstream s-6103) [stereo]
"Jelly Bean Bandits" 199 (CD)
"Jelly Bean Bandits" 2003 (CD Bandits)
Teen dorks' (just look at them on the cover) album is

about half good fuzzpsych and half Young Rascals type
Eastcoast teen-beat, all over one of the more
enjoyable Mainstreams. Given another 6 months they
probably could have made a really good LP, but such
quality control was not part of the Mainstream
agenda. The priceless "heavy" gluesniffer epic about
a "Caterpillar's eye" must be heard to be believed,
and there's good fuzz drive on "Generation". Fun and
dumb, worth checking out. There is also a
retrospective CD from a 1967 live show titled "Mirror
Music", and a CD of newly recorded material titled
"Time and Again" that contains 5 unreleased bonus
tracks from the original era. [PL]
~~~
Upstate NY group with great garage punk sound. One of
the best on the label. Fun bouncing church organ,
wailing fuzz from the cavern Mystic Siva sounds,
trippy dippy lyrics, and snotty vocals like a
grittier Music Machine. The occasional studio cheese
moves only add to the Nuggets punk psych sing-along
style. Inspirational verse: "The bandits love your
mind and what remains of society is manure.". The LP
was also released in Canada, and in France (Vogue)
with a slightly altered sleeve. [RM]
JEREMIAH ( )
"Blowing Your Mind" 1977 (Wong 14068)
This is Johnny Kitchen doing messed-up lounge-go-go

fuzz 10 years too late.
~~~
see -> Tarots; Victims of Chance
JEREMY DORMOUSE (Ontario, Canada)
"Toad" 1968 (no label t-13)

"Toad" 2001 (CD Hallucinations/Void)
"Toad" 2003 (Void 31)
Obscure folk LP with a transition sound from 60s

coffee house into 70s downer/loner moves. Lost in
time atmosphere and idiosynchratic singing and
playing makes for a trip with a clear identity, yet
the connection between the arrangements, vocal
mannerisms and underlying tunes seems random and "for
the hell of it", rather than conscious explorations.
Some tracks work, others don't, and all over it's
pretty inconsistent. Covers of Dylan, Cohen and Bo
Diddley (!) come off more like insults than bold
interpretations, while the Lynda Squires led take on
"High Flying Bird" is pretty cool. Of the originals
most is average contemporary folk, with a high-point
in the only track not by "Dormouse" (Cris Cuddy) or
Marcus Wattington, Don Tapscott's sublime "Just To
Hear The Bells". The album is semi-acoustic with
electric bass and occasional percussion. Oddly, the
LP has a similar sound (minus the autoharp) and the
precise same problems as the Folklords. The album was
recorded in 1967, and precedes the Rejects LP
sessions. The Hallucinations CD is titled 'The Toad
Recordings' and shows traces of vinyl press noise and
high-end distortion in a few spots. [PL]
~~~
see -> Reign Ghost; Rejects
BILL JERPE (Utica, NY)
"Bill Jerpe" 1970 (Shortwheel sw-100) [insert]
Jerpe’s only album is an odd duck in the

singer/songwriter world. Unlike most of the genre, it
is clearly rock rather than folk. Nonetheless,
despite electric arrangements, the production
(heavily reverbed vocals mixed so high that the
instruments sound almost muffled) keeps these songs
from reaching their full rock potential. Jerpe is
obviously influenced by Dylan (The voice is Dylan
circa "Nashville Skyline"), but I could see this
album appealing to Velvet Underground or Bowie fans
(it doesn’t sound like either of them, but has a
certain underground vibe.) The songs aren’t exactly
hooky, but have enough weird moments with pianos,
slide guitars and falsetto vocals to make them
memorable. Despite the low budget production, this
music is quite colorful. Add all of this to the
mildly eerie cover photos/art and this album is as
distinctive as anything in the genre. The songwriting
is decent to very good, and this neat record will
appeal to a wide variety of quirky tastes. Jerpe had
some earlier 45s with his last name spelled "Hjerpe".
[AM]
JESSE J & THE BANDITS (Minneapolis, MN)
"'65 Top Teen Hits" 1965 (Re-Car 2001)
Garage frat sound typical of the region. They also

backed Wolfman Jack on his local LP.
JESTERS (Kansas City, KS)
"Jesters" 1966 (Audio House ah-466) [no cover]
Garage/teen-beat covers on this demo LP with instros,

Kingsmen and Beau Brummels tunes.
JESUS GENERATION (TX)
"A Thief In The Night" 197 (Gospel World 467)
Primitive oddball folkrock from young Jesus movement

band doing originals and Beatles covers, including
"Yesterday" with the title word changed to "Calvary".
Not for everyone.
WILL JIMA ( )
"The UFO Message" 1974 (Jima AE-1974)
"Revelation 666" 1975 (Jima AMD-1975)
Very whacked spoken word; the guy was transformed

into an evangelist by Aliens who told him the secret
meaning of the Bible, but apparently Will didn't take
notes and seems to have gotten a mite confused along
the way. Lots of stuff about the importance of the
number "3" and "11". The record sounds as if the
engineer who mixed it had Will on 1 track and this
weird dark spooky synth on the other, and as he did
the mix he was reading a book or something and every
once in a while he'd bump the synth WAY up high in
the mix at totally random moments. [SD]
J K & CO (Las Vegas, NV)
"Suddenly One Summer" 1969 (White Whale wws-7117) [promos

exist]
"Suddenly One Summer" 2001 (CD Beat Rocket 126)
"Suddenly One Summer" 2001 (Beat Rocket 126)
"Suddenly One Summer" 2001 (Akarma 2015, Italy) [10"]
On first listen, this sounds like a masterpiece, but

after you get used to it you’ll probably notice a few
blah songs in the middle. Still, this is a cool moody
pop/psych album that aims to be the Beatles at their
most down and out. A consistent lyrical theme about
addiction is kind of surprising considering that the
album is said to be the work of a teenager.
Backwards guitar, sound effects and bleak-sounding
acoustic guitar are all used to good effect. The
Akarma reissue is on a 10” LP, though this isn’t an
especially short album. The LP was recorded in
Vancouver BC with members of Mother Tuckers helping
out.[AM]
JO JA BAND (GA)
"Cold Winds" 1977 (Rag Doll)
Rural Allman Bros-style rock/hardrock.
RENE JOHN (MI)
"On The Road To My Cathedral" 1975 (no label M1001)
There are less than five known copies of Rene John's

"On the Road to My Cathedral," a 100-press holy grail
for collectors of Michigan rarities. The record
certainly looks promising, a classic home-made 70s
loner folk vibe all over it, and one of the really
great LP titles in the genre. Musically the quickest
reference point is a mid-period Neil Young LP with Ed
Sanders on vocals. And, while that may sound
promising, go make a list of the first hundred things
that makes Ed Sanders interesting and then check it
to see if "vocalist" is on there. The Neil Young
reference is also really stretched. John's writing
has a few flashes along the way that grab your
attention -- 3rd song on side one, the solo acoustic
"Material Disease" has some promise -- but the back
up band sure isn't Crazy Horse and Rene isn't Neil by
any stretch of anyone's imagination. If it's possible
to break free of the gravitational pull of the "ultra
rare private press LP" radiation coming off the
record in waves and listen as if it were just another
record, "On the Road..." comes off like a C grade
local LP, not at all horrible, but thoroughly
undistinguished and one I doubt I'll pull out to
listen to again. [SD]
JOHN BUNYAN'S PROGRESSIVE PILGRIM'S (CA)
"Apricot Brand and Albatross" 1969 (Alshire S-5154)

Apparently aimed to cash in on British "rock" sounds
of the era, the cover claims the set was recorded in
London. A doubtful claim. In all likelihood 1969's
"Apricot Brandy and Albatross" was recorded by
anonymous, cash starved studio musicians - perhaps
the same group responsible for the label's earlier
rock exploitation releases. Like the earlier albums,
the set offered up a mixture of popular hits and
similarly-styled originals. An all instrumental
collection, the covers weren't half bad, though the
rote performances really didn't add much to tracks
such as Fleetwood Mac's "Albatross" or The Who's
"Summertime Blues". Originals such as the freak out
"Mozart's Dilemma", "Spaced Out" and "Winter Draws
On" were full of fuzz guitar solos and screaming
organs, making them surprisingly good for what were
clearly throwaway efforts. All told one of the better
exploitation LPs out there... [SB]
JOHNNY & THE HURRICANES (Toledo, OH)
"Live At The Star Club" 1965 (Atila alp-1030)

Monster early garage sound as they move from their
teen dance roots to ferocious guitar rockers. It is a
studio LP with applause overdubbed. Their previous
LPs are of an earlier dance rock style. All except
one of the original members were gone at the time of
this LP. One track can be found on the "Ho-Dad
Hootenanny" compilation. [RM]
DEBB JOHNSON (MN)
"Debb Johnson" 197 (Monolith MMS 7025)
Basically an all white jazz/rock group with four

members named Johnson. Has about three great cuts
providing you're not hornophobic. Not a rare LP.
MIKE JOHNSON (IL)
"Happy And Alive" 197 (Freedom Light ns-2036)
Credited to "Mike & Karen", this is the rarest known

LP from ex-Exkursions main guy Mike Johnson. Eclectic
rock with folk, rural and jazz inflections, with both
acoustic and electric guitars. The highlight is the
psych track "City!" with its fast and furious rhythm
and ripping fuzz guitar leads climaxing in a multi-
tracked jam. There is also the rather strange ditty
"I'm High", with slurred vocals that make it sound
like he really was high, although it's actually Jesus
praise. Johnson has recorded many albums over the
years, including "Lord Doctor" (Freedom Light, 1972),
"The Last Battle" (Creative Sound, 1972), "Gentle
Spirit" (Newpax, 1974), "The Velvet Prince" (Freedom
Light, 1973) and more. [MA]
JOINT EFFORT (Canada)
"Final Effort" 1974 (Little Records 101) [insert]

"Final Effort" 2005 (CD Radioactive, UK)
Obscure rural rock LP which opens with two trad

bluegrass numbers, then goes into unexceptional
westcoast country-rock with a mix of covers like
"Tequila Sunrise" and band originals. "Winter" is the
highpoint of the album, with a good riff, fine vocal
harmonies and an SF Bay Area feel. The last third of
the LP has them breaking out their "rock" gear and
sounds almost like a different band, with crude
rootsy fuzz-rock including a basement take on "Horse
with no name". The LP is a lo-fi live recording done
as a farewell present to whatever fans they had,
housed in a nice Escher-style sleeve drawing. Despite
enthusiastic dealer hype, a lack of creativity and
the uninspired playing makes this one a concern for
rural genre fans and Canadian completists only. [PL]
JOINT EFFORT (MI)
"Two-sided Country... Blues" 1971 (Home Made 11034)

"Two-sided Country... Blues" 2002 (CD World In Sound 1094,
Germany) [+4 bonus tracks]
Not to be confused with any other Joint Effort, this

is a rare acoustic hippiefolk LP featuring two guys.
Sympathetic and enjoyable, a Dylan spectre on some
songs and vocals are a drawback, though others are
dark and trancey; counterculture lyrics on drugs and
more. Not bad. Some later recordings have been
released on LP as by the Jones Family band (WIS 015),
these have been reported as less impressive. [PL]
JOINT EFFORT see Cannabis
JOKERS ( )
"Jokers" 196 (no label) [no cover; 1-sided]
Demo LP of garage covers.
JOKER'S MEMORY (Canada)
"Joker's Memory" 1976 (Marc Studios 11843) [paste-on; 1-sided;

100p]
Genesis style melodic keyboard prog with basement

sound and arch vocals.
MICHAEL JON (Canada)
"Michael Jon" 197 (Trend T1009)
Obscure one on the same label as Bent Wind and Cargo;

Tim Buckleyish folkrock with Hammond and piano and
cover of "Season of the witch", plus originals.
Reportedly only 200 copies pressed.
JON & JODI (Dover, DE)
"Two Sides Of Jon & Jodi" 1971 (Del-Ray Records)
This lovely and unusual folk record is a small

treasure. Jon & Jodi were two undeniably sweet kids
from Delaware who charmed some local businessperson
enough to finance this record. The best songs, like
the opening "Ladybug," are haunting ballads, with a
dreamy production sound and forlorn harmonies; they
really have beautiful voices. A few songs have a bit
of a country/bluegrass edge (with banjo, steel guitar
and "dobrow"), but even on these the vocals have the
loner folk feel to them. The upbeat songs don't quite
match the moodier ones, but there really aren't any
duds here. Most albums that sound like this are
Christian, but this is not, despite their innocence
(from the liner notes: "In this freaked out world,
Jon & Jodi seem almost unreal. For example, neither
smokes, drinks, uses drugs or marijuana. They do have
one minor vice, they chew gum!") All songs on this
album are originals. [AM]
JONATHAN & CHARLES (VA)
"Another Week to Go" 1968 (InterVarsity lps-02498)

"Another Week to Go" 2004 (CD Gear Fab 210)
British-American duo on Simon & Garfunkel or Chad &

Jeremy wave-length. Chiming guitar/organ fragile
Christian folkrock with slight psych moves and
beautiful vocals. On some copies, the song "Why" was
replaced by "Colors and Shades". Also released in
England by the Herald label.
DEL JONES' POSITIVE VIBES (Philadelphia, PA)
"Court is Closed" 1973 (Hikeka) [first 'psych' mix; group

photo cover]
"Court is Closed" 1973 (Hikeka) [second 'soul' mix; Africa map
cover]
"Court is Closed" 1999 (Loopden 2P-001) ['psych' mix; insert]
The first version of this album (sans the overdubbed

horns of the second pressing) is a great document of
true inner city grit. While the anger is surprisingly
subdued, these guys obviously know the down and dirty
life of which they sing. Despite all of the lyrics
about drugs and being put down by the man, there’s an
essentially positive message here. A few of the songs
stretch out into long jams that build in intensity
and really stand up well to multiple listens. There’s
a lack of real “singing” here, with most of the
stories being told in a kind of matter-of-fact sing-
speak, and the few times real melodies break out make
you wish there were more. Nonetheless, this is a
killer LP: powerful, memorable, uncompromising and
full of life, and it doesn’t sound like any soul/funk
album you’ve heard. If "Maggot Brain" is "Superfly",
this is "Sweet Sweetback's Badasssss Song". [AM]
~~~
Extraordinary eyewitness report from the Philly
ghettoes surprisingly packaged in a non-aggressive
funk/jam rock grooooooove that surpasses pretty much
everything else in the genre, especially the opening
title track with a westcoast jazzrock feel that just
kills. Supported by the best housing project funk
band anywhere Del Jones raps about the terrifying
state of America '73, while the flipside deals
directly with heroin use and how to get out of it.
One of the top funkrock LPs ever, blows most of your
starry-eyed white-boy psych LPs away. Del Jones is
still active in the African-American cause as evident
from the insert he penned for the honkie reissue.
"You've got to liquidate your assets". [PL]
GEORGE M JONES (Dallas, TX)
"George M. Jones" 196 (OA no#)
"Contrasts" 1972 (Gambit gam-12-001)

Noted songwriter. Dylanesque folk with studio psych
fills on the debut, a cool record in the Del Shannon
"Charles Westover" style. "Contrasts", released on a
Nashville label, is reportedly good as well, in a
singer/songwriter direction. [RM]
JOSEFUS (Houston, TX)
"Dead Man" 1970 (Hookah 330) [3000p]

"Dead Man" 1983 (Eva 12010, France)
"Dead Man" 199 (Texman tex-1001, Germany)
"Dead Man" 199 (CD Sundazed) [+bonus]
"Dead Man" 199 (Akarma, Italy)
“Dead Man” is a professional sounding outlaw hard

rock album, a bit ahead of its time. The rhythm
section is solid and the songs have lots of energy.
The singer strains for all he’s worth but it sounds
pretty genuine. A cover of “Gimme Shelter” is a waste
of 4 minutes, and the 18-minute title song has the
expected boring spots. Otherwise, though, this is a
good one. The vibe is similar to Jamul, though it
sounds a bit more youthful. A brief rip from “I Want
You (She’s So Heavy)” in one song is a cool surprise.
The Sundazed CD contains the early version of the
album, which is similar in quality. It’s definitely
of interest to fans because it includes four songs
not on “Dead Man". This early album version was also
released as a stand-alone LP on the Epilogue label in
the 1990s, title "Get Off My Case". The original
Hookah LP is a classic rarity but actually sold
several thousand copies locally. [AM]
"Josefus" 1970 (Mainstream s-6127) [wlp exists]

"Josefus" 198 (Mainstream) [bootleg; white label]
"Josefus / Dead Man" 200 (CD Alcinous, Russia) [2-on-1; +2
tracks]
Recorded in Miami's Criteria Studios, the follow-up

teamed the band with Mainstream producer Bob Shad.
Originally interested in re-recording their debut,
Shad instead insisted on new material, sending the
band into a frantic creative spasm. Exemplified by
material such as "Bald Peach" and "America" musically
the set wasn't much different from the debut. Once
again Bailey remained a marginal singer who had
consistent trouble staying in tune ("Feelin' Good").
Making up for that, Mitchell was a wonderful lead
guitarist, turning in several exceptional
performances (check out his leads on "I'm Gettin'
On"). Unfortunately, the overall results were mixed;
much of the set coming off as sonically flat and
creatively uninspired; "Sefus Blues" was simply
dreadful. The bootleg reissue of the promo has a thin
cover and no spine printing. [SB]
JOSEPH ( )
"Stoned Age Man" 1970 (Scepter sps-574) [wlp exists]
The cover drawing of a cave man is completely apt.

Joseph sings like he’s about to hit you in the head
with a club. His gruff, gravely voice is completely
perfect for songs with titles like “I Ain’t Fattenin’
No More Frogs For Snakes” and “Cold Biscuits and Fish
Heads.” The backing is solid bluesy organ and guitar,
with a few surprising moments here, like “Mojo Gumbo”
speeding up at the end. While a bit of Howlin’
Wolf/Captain Beefheart shows through here and there,
he’s really one step behind those guys on the
evolutionary chart. His lead guitar playing is
equally as crude as his vocals. This is a short
album, with 9 songs in 29 minutes, and not a second
is wasted, except maybe for the cover of “House of
The Rising Sun.” Really cool! [AM]
ERNIE JOSEPH see Big Brother
RON JOSEPH & LOJO MUSIC (New York City, NY)
"Rainbow Rings" 1975 (R.P.C.) [insert]
X-ian folk and singer/songwriter with piano, on noted

custom label. The songs were recorded in churches.
JOSHUA ( )
"God Spoke... And Said 'Lead My People'" 1973 (Impact r-3228)

[black label]
"God Spoke... And Said 'Lead My People'" 197 (Impact r-3228)
[red label]
Surprisingly good Christian psychrock with strong

vocals and blistering guitar, consistent throughout
and still unknown to most. Utilizes the "California"
sound popular among x-ian bands across the US, with a
bit of Brit hardrock influence as well, esp from the
Who. Perfect CSN/America-style vocal harmonies may
annoy some though I don't mind. Not deep like Search
Party but enjoyable, a lot better than Earthen Vessel
as an example. The band was from the Southwest, while
the label was based in Tennessee. The LP was also
released on the British Key label (self-titled), on
Impact in New Zealand, and in Canada. [PL]
JOSHUA (Sacramento, CA)
"Opens Your Mind" 2004 (Rockadelic 50) [insert]
An early 70s band of local longhairs who flirted with

the SF ballroom scene and have some of those vibes
entering their sound. The basic style is jammy rural
CA hardrock with a bit of an r'n'b groove and vibe.
The LP opens strongly with a track that sounds like
it could have gotten some airplay, succeeded by the
excellent title track. A couple lesser tracks follow,
before the side closes in strong fashion. Side 2 is
similar and the band has a distinct sound and
identity obviously born out of plenty of regional
live gigs. While the songwriting isn't overwhelming
there's still a fair sprinkling of hooks, and the
playing is raw and enthusiastic throughout. Edgy
vocalist and the gritty blue collar sound may recall
Fresh Blueberry Pancake, although this is somewhat
looser. Last track opens with an anti-war speech and
has some ferocious guitar excursions. It should be
noted that although the sound is good it's not a
perfect hi-fi recording with lots of high-end and
less bottom. For me the most memorable aspect of
Joshua are the above-average lyrics which avoid the
usual cars & chicks clichés and deal with reality
issues such as the Vietnam draft and doing time for
drug possession. This in combination with the honest,
straightforward face the band presents makes for a
genuine local 1970 feel that is appealing. The album
fits in well with Rockadelic's earlier Northern
CA/Pacific NW releases, slightly better than Sleepy
John but not as good as Stone Garden. Nice gatefold
cover with a spooky Rick Griffin type drawing on the
front and info/photos inside. [PL]
"JOSIE'S CASTLE" ( )
"Josie’s Castle" 1972 (Mascott)
This is a soundtrack for a movie which was originally

titled "The Grass Is Always Greener," and in fact the
album cover has the new title pasted on a sticker
over the old one on both the front and back covers.
The original title makes plenty of sense, given the
pot plant on the front cover and the drug themes in
the movie. The music is basically soft rock with
horns, very mainstream in a "groovy" way. About half
of the songs are instrumentals and have some decent
wah-wah guitar and a few sound effects. For fans of
the softest soft psych. Not especially good but
interesting, and a rare LP. [AM]
"JOURNEY OF PERSEPHONE" (Newtown, PA)
"Journey Of Persephone" 1973 (private) [insert]
Obscure high school play LP from the George boarding

school (Quaker), a concept album based on the Greek
myth with off-key female vocals and amateur musicians
playing folk and some crude hippie-rock jams with a
high entertainment factor, should interest genre
fans.
JOVE (Los Angeles, CA)
"Sweeter Song" 1974 (Pax Records J777)

"Into The Shrine" 1977 (Aleph Records No#) [1000#d; white
vinyl]
Poet turns singer/songwriter and covers a lot of

stylistic ground. Jove dabbles in folk & folk rock,
country, rock-n-roll, pop but most of all, it's
middle of the road singer/songwriter fluff usually
with just piano or acoustic guitar accompaniment.
Jove does manage to create some material that's
pleasantly appealing when he breaks from the
singer/songwriter mode and gets the backing band more
involved. A decent wordsmith, but I can't recall any
lyrics that were truly memorable or even slightly
stimulating. Of the two albums, "Sweeter Song" is the
better one. "Into The Shrine" has a couple good
tracks, but "Sweeter Song" has by far Jove's better
and more unusual material. Songs like a nice grooving
rural rocker ("Thief"), hard garage rock with
restrained fuzz guitar ("What's So Special") and some
honky-tonk country tracks ("Circus" and "The Judge").
With both albums having disturbing front cover art
(Jove as a Centaur with bow and arrow on the first
album, and as a haunting figurine that was pieced
together from non-matching parts on the second
album), rear cover slicks full of mystical
symbols/cryptic notations and trumped up liner notes,
you would anticipate music that's strange &
intriguing folk psych but instead, you get mostly
sobering material by a singer/songwriter. According
to the liner notes and credits, Jove traveled a lot
and some tracks on these albums were recorded outside
of the States implying Jove might be a foreigner.
However, a majority of the recordings took place in
Los Angeles and both records were printed in the USA.
[JSB]
JOYFUL NOISE (IL)
"Nativity" 1975 (no label LPS 20038) [insert]
Christian 1970s melodic rock, not terribly

interesting despite the hype you may see. Two cover
variations exist.
"No Room In The Middle" 1976 (Christ Is The Answer)
The rare second LP is similar to the first,

mainstream 1970s melodic rock with a gospel feel,
full band setting including Hammond and guitar leads.
Basically a poor man's All Saved Freak Band,
suffering from weak male vocals and a distinct lack
of edge. One track has operatic female vocals, while
the title track and "Lay down your life" are
agreeable hippie-rock excursions. Slightly better
than the debut, but we're still miles away from the
likes of Kristyl or "Spirit Of Elijah". Stunning full
color cover depicts the difference between the
Christian and the secular world. There is also a
collection of 1977 recordings titled "Songs For
Soldiers" in a mellow westcoast/MOR style and with
better vocals. [PL]
JOYFUL NOISE (FL)

"Electric Gospel" 197 (Noise tc-1155) [500p]
Oddball mix of styles on this Christian obscurity,

one of many in the genre that strives to show how the
devil's music can be used for something good.
Southern accent preacher man vocalizes over a musical
landscape ranging from 50s popabilly through typical
Jesus folkrock into tentative 70s funk moves. While
unusual this didn't really strike me as weird as
reputation has it, simply because the gospel root of
the title makes a lot of musical tangents possible.
Still, the use of incongruous wah-wah guitar
throughout casts a strange shadow across the ten
tracks. Lyrics are feel-good salvation stories and
musings upon the Savior. Would make a good double
bill with Juliana Garza. Earlier LPs from this
particular Joyful Noise include "The Sounds
Of" (Classic, 197?) and "The Greatest Day" (Noise,
197?), both of which are less out-there variations on
the trip above. [PL]
JOYRIDE see Friendsound
JR & HIS SOULETTES (Oklahoma City, OK)
"Psychodelic Sounds" 1971 (no label)

"Psychodelic Sounds" 199 (no label)
"Psychodelic Sounds" 199 (CD no label)
Black pre-teen group led by Harold Moore Jr, age 10,

who is songwriter, vocalist, and guitarist for the
group. His sisters Vinita Marie, age 9, plays bass
and organ, Denise Marshall, age 7, plays drums, and
Jacquelin Carol, age 6, plays Waw-Waw organ (!) and
sings. Amazing real people funky psych with non-stop
wah-wah guitar throughout and most tracks have rhythm
(Waw-Waw) and lead organ. Approaches that cheesy
Sunset Strip b-movie exploito psych sound but this is
the real thing. When they sing, this beast approaches
Shaggs' territory. Great tunes like "Momma, Love
Tequila", "Waw-Waw Rock", and "Rock 'n Roll Santa".
The incredible cover shows three shots of them in
action including one with Jr in a failed split
playing licks behind his head! Approximately 500
copies were pressed but most were destroyed from
being shrink wrapped on a meat packing machine. [RM]
J RIDER (Indianapolis, IN)

"No Longer Anonymous" 1996 (OR 016)
"Anonymous / No Longer Anonymous" 2000 (CD Aether-OR 0009) [2-
on-1]
"No Longer Anonymous" 2002 (Akarma 176, Italy)
Great post-Anonymous 1977 tracks from Midwest genius

Ron Matelic's vault, the best stuff is guitar-driven
westcoast folkrock as good as the awesome Anonymous
with a similar sound and male/female vocal mix as on
"Inside The Shadow", main difference being a more
professional recording. Much more interesting than
the average unreleased LP. Matelic recorded a new
round of (unreleased) demos in the 1990s, again of an
outstanding quality. [PL]
~~~
This set of demos, intended to draw major label
interest, is slightly slicker-sounding than the
Anonymous album, but essentially more of the same,
with continued excellent songwriting. It's not really
a full album, lasting about 30 minutes and including
a remake of an earlier song, but it's still a must-
own. It's not in the same league as "Inside The
Shadow," but what is? It's good enough not to be a
let-down, which is saying a lot. [AM]
~~~
see -> Anonymous
J TEAL BAND (SC)
"Cooks" 1977 (Mother Cleo mcp-lp-7721)
Hot Southern guitar-rock album that blows away

everything else in the genre. It’s not “rural rock”
at all. There’s a tad of funk influence, but
certainly no country. The vocals are snotty and
nasal, which actually gives the music a dangerous
edge more genuine than the usual throaty he-man
voices that go with this kind of thing. Lots of great
lead guitar and a real backwoods sleazy vibe. You get
the impression these guys’ days are numbered, and
they play with that kind of urgency. In the meantime,
you wouldn’t want them getting anywhere near your
sister, but you’d be honored to let them borrow your
guitar. [AM]
JUICY GROOVE (Los Angeles, CA)
"First Taste" 1978 (no label) [picture disc; 550p]
Various LA 60s drug survivors assembled by Rainbow

Michael Neal for a pro-sounding 70s hippierock
excursion that includes three Sky Saxon numbers,
among other things. Nice picture disc design. Not a
rare LP. Much of the same gang turned up on the
Rainbow Red Oxidizer LP (Bomp/Quark, 1980) which is
more modern in style. [PL]
JULIUS VICTOR ( )
"From the Nest" 1970 (AJP) [gatefold]

"From the Nest" 2001 (CD Dodo 517)
This organ-rich heavy rock album has the sound

collectors like, but is pretty average without any
one song standing out. The lyrics try hard to be deep
and don't really pull it off. It's more "heavy" than
"hard," and has a few powerful moments. Recommended
only to genre fans. [AM]
JUNGLE (Los Angeles, CA)
"Jungle" 1969 (no label 3027) [no cover]

"Jungle" 1997 (Little Indians 8, Germany) [760#d]
"Jungle" 1998 (CD Little Indians 8, Germany)
This and Victoria were reissued simultaneously, using

some of the most overblown hype ever. The packaging
is beautiful, but the music is mostly loungy (in the
wrong sense) psychrock/AOR with offkey vocals and
unimpressive songwriting. Two good tracks in a Bob
Smith/DR Hooker direction close the sides but the
rest of the LP is pretty weak in my ears. Others are
more enthusiastic. Originals are ultrarare, possibly
a demo press only. 400 copies of the reissue came in
a blue velvet embossed cover, 260 in a black
variation on the same design. Other cover variations
exist. [PL]
~~~
Overly serious singing mixes with a slightly heavy
guitar-and-organ base and some bizarre frantic
drumming to make this a completely unique listen.
It’s certainly not the masterpiece some have claimed,
but it grew on me. The weird-ass drumming style may
be inept, but somehow it fits in this context, and a
few hooks sneak up on you. The songs are very long
and meander a bit, but they’re not exactly boring. A
strange one that’s gotten more attention than it
deserves, but if you don’t get your hopes up too high
you might enjoy it. [AM]
JUPITER (CA)
"Multiple Choice" 1980 (Jupiter j-1005)
Power trio with a garagy sound and some more mellow

folkrock moments.
JUST US (MN)
"Just A Thought" 1978 (no label 80 1526) [insert]
I was undecided at first on this one, but after

several plays I concluded that it sucks. Basically
it's an example of the late 70s jazzy westcoast
sound, when the last hippie psych remnants had been
replaced with unfortunate funky Steely Dan studio
moves and even more unfortunate caribbean rhythms and
feel-good vibes. Castanets and steel drums are just
around the corner, no doubt. The sound is
professional with overlays of acoustic and electric
guitar-picking, amateurish but passable vocals and
some nice harmonies. That's the good news. The rest
is all bad news, including a halting mock-Jamaican
rhythm employed on almost every track, a dull
whitebread "blues" excursion, and a painful disco
flirtation with terrible lyrics. The LP was recorded
in LA but pressed in Minnesota, and it really sounds
like some Midwest nerds trying to get David Geffen's
attention. The Windwords LP from Ohio is a much more
successful exploration of this style. Don't let the
nice cover fool you; unless you're a fan of bloodless
LA '78 cocktail sounds this is the pits. [PL]
~~~
This folky band has jazz ambitions, instantly
apparent by the acoustic guitar gymnastics on the
first song. It's pretty well-played and sung
throughout but is awfully precise... you know, no
soul. They definitely have the feel of a college
coffee-house band who think they're pushing the
envelope by combining so many disparate styles. It
works OK for a song or two (the title track is pretty
enjoyable, and a catchy one with an "mmm" chorus near
the end is pretty neat), but wears thin quickly,
especially as they start trying on styles as if they
were hats. Admittedly, they're much more talented
than a lot of the other acoustic-heavy bands listed
here in the Archives, but their album isn't really
any more listenable. I'm not going to go out on a
limb and say I'd rather listen to something as
amateurish as, say, Virgin Insanity, but I suspect
that most of you would go right out there on that
limb. The disco and old-time rock/blues songs are the
last straw for me. The lyrics are terrible, by the
way. Sample: "anticipation eyes, you need a shot of
visene." [AM]
JUST US (MI)
"The U.S.A. From the Air" 1969 (Valord 2630)
"Index Anthology II" 1997 (CD Top Jimmy) [2 CDs]
Melodic rock covers with garage execution. With Jim

Valice and John Ford of Index. The CD reissue was
credited to Index and has 28 tracks including 1969
sessions and the entire Just Us LP.
JUVENILES (Norman, OK)
"Bo Diddley" 1980 (Piccadilly 3371)
Frat rock organ & garagy guitar 1960s tracks

originally recorded for Jerden, recycled in the same
series as Magic Fern, P H Factor etc, although less
desirable than these. The title track is a classic,
super-raw version.

STEVE KACZOROWSKI (NY)
"What Time Are You?" 1970 (UA Records 20842)
Recently discovered obscurity on private Long Island

label, pro-sounding guitar/organ psychy rock mixed
with introspective moments. The story on this album
and its possible connections to certain "name"
musicians is very weird and currently being unfolded,
but most of the tracks consist of Kaczorowski adding
his own vocals to existing LP recordings by
mainstream rock bands, such as Stackridge! While this
gives a very high reading on the Incredibly Strange
scale, the LP could also be enjoyed as an obscure
piece of post-psychedelic rock. Kaczorowski would
explore his "karaoke rock" scheme further on the two
Steve Drake albums. [PL]
~~~
see -> Steve Drake
KAK (Sacramento, CA)
"Kak" 1969 (Epic 26429)

"Kak" 1987 (Dino, Italy)
"Kak" 199 (CD Israphon, Europe) [bootleg]
"Kak" 199 (CD Epic)
"Kak" 1998 (Epic, Europe) [bootleg]
"Kak-Ola" 1999 (CD Big Beat 187, UK) [LP+bonus tracks]
Much loved mountain air hippie psychrock classic,

though I remember being disappointed when first
hearing it due to the rootsy Moby Grape-type rockers
on side 1. The album has major grower qualities
however and tends to sound better with each passing
year, plus the two extended psych killers on side 2
deliver instantly. Still not among the top
westcoasters for me, though I'm sure a lot of people
disagree. The Big Beat CD includes the Gary Yoder
non-LP 45 and the rare pre-LP version of "Rain". [PL]
~~~
Wonderful heavy guitar bluesy psych rocker. warm
vocals, chugging rhythms, and gritty, inventive leads
throughout. The slower tracks have a murky darkness
to them that's quite arresting. One of the classic
westcoast guitar LPs. Gary Yoder also played with
Blue Cheer and Randy Holden. [RM]
~~~
A true classic, a great guitar rock album that mixes
a lot of different styles successfully. My favorite
track, “Electric Sailor,” has a chorus that could
actually pass for 70s punk rock, but elsewhere the
West Coast late 60s feel is strong. Supposedly its
rarity is due to cutout copies being destroyed,
rather than sent to stores. [AM]
~~~
I'll readily admit that "Kak" took a little while to
warm up to. The first couple of times the set's
musical diversity kind of put me off. That said, by
the third spin I was converted. The musical diversity
I originally found disconcerting is actually
endearing. In fact this is one of those albums that's
fun to play 'spot-the-influence' with. My ears hear
lots of Moby Grape including the country-influenced
'I've Got the Time', a bit of The Seeds ('Electric
Sailor') and even a little Donovan (the acoustic
ballad 'Flowing By'). Yoder may not have been the
most accomplished singer, but was never less than
professional and had an almost chameleon ability to
handle the band's different styles. Propelled by
Patten and Yoder's dual guitars, tracks such as the
blazing 'Hyco 97658', 'Everything's Changing' and
'Lemonade Kid' are simply first rate West Coast psych
charms. Personal favorites are the extended
'Trieulogy' and 'Disbelievin'. [SB]
MAITREYA KALI see Maitreya Kali
KALLABASH CORP (Greensboro, NC)
"Kallabash Corp." 1970 (uncle Bill kb-3114)
Drifting bluesy guitar rock with organ and a comic

edge. Gorgeous psychy cover but the music is
mediocre. Recorded at Mega Sound Studios in Bailey,
North Carolina. [RM]
KAMMERZELL (OK)
"Hot For Your Love" 1979 (Artco-Alpha)
Barband guitar rock with supposed Marble Phrogg

connection. The band also cut a demo 8-track which
precedes the album.
KAN-DELS ( )
"Our Most Requested Songs" 1965 (Capatone 1001)
Obscure teenbeat in the pre-Invasion style. Crewcut

action on fratrock staples such as "Shout", "Ooh poo
pah doo", "Green onions", etc.
KANSAS CITY JAMMERS (Columbus, OH) see interview

"Got Good If You Get It" 1972 (no label, no#)
Highly enjoyable CSNY/Dead-style westcoasty mix of

uptempo folkrockers and more introspective numbers; a
couple of bluesy rock moments with raw guitar leads
point in another direction but all over definitely
worth checking out and underrated at this point, with
a classy late Beatle feel. The band cut a couple of
non-LP 45s and also had connections to local
colleagues Owen-B. [PL]
~~~
Accomplished folk-rock and blues-rock from Ohio
college students. A few dreamy songs will appeal to
collectors, but the strong vocals and songwriting
throughout make this a solid, enjoyable listen for
all. [AM]
KAPLAN BROTHERS (IL)
"Universal Sounds" 1969 (Kap)
The debut from the kings of lounge-rock predates the

other two by several years and is from a completely
different era, yet quite enjoyable and in fact "their
best" according to one specialist within the field.
Although only two (not three) brothers at this point,
the whistling and congas are already in place. The
very humorous back cover photos promise a wide range
of sounds for Midwest Holiday Inn crowds, including
"Continental" (posing with bowler hat and cane) and
"Rock'n'Roll" (smoking a joint). A couple of swell
Kaplan originals alongside typical lounge covers of
Tom Jones, Bobby Hebb, etc. "A taste of honey" with
"acid" guitar is an unexpected delight. Mandatory for
genre fans, incomprehensible to others, and perhaps
not their "best" to me. [PL]
~~~
Released on their own Kap Records, "The Universal
Sounds of the Kaplan Brothers" is the first of their
highly sought after albums. Musically it offers up a
mix of originals, popular MOR hits and the truly
bizarre (c'mon, can you imagine the crowd bopping
along to 'Hava Nagilia'?). Backed by bassist Jeff
Czech and guitarist Scott Klynas, the album starts
out with a bang. The self-penned instrumental
'Running Scared' sounds like the brothers had been
listening to a lot of Enrico Morricones spaghetti
western soundtracks while stoned out of their minds
(love the whistling segment). Their popular covers
are equally fascinating. Bobby Hebb's 'Sunny' makes a
congas propelled appearance that is as wrong spirited
as you can get. Their dark and pained cover of 'A
Taste of Honey' is equally wrong-headed though it
sports some killer fuzz guitar (courtesy of Klynas).
Elsewhere 'Malaguena Solorosa' offers up a bizarre
mixture of Spanish and Balkan influences, while Jimmy
Webb's 'Gentle On My Mind' is reworked to give it a
lounge edge that has to be heard to be believed.
These guys must have been a blast to hear live
(particular after a couple of beers). [SB]
"Kaplan Brothers" 197 (Kap no #)
The second LP from circa 1975 shows the three Bros in

a regular lounge-band mood, yet being who they are
this is still pretty damn entertaining. Unusual
arrangements with the trademark spaghetti western
whistling and LOTS of congas carry you through a mix
of crooner standards such as "More Today Than
Yesterday" and classic rock, including three Beatles
covers in drastic rearrangements that are not to be
taken lightly. What they do with "Because" cannot be
explained in words. The family's Russian-Jewish
heritage is on display here just as on "Nightbird",
with an extensive interpretation of "Hava nagila" and
odd slavic flourishes. Two originals, one of which is
terrible and the other is an earlier version of
"Happy" which is pretty close to the "Nightbird"
version. Sleeve design and liner notes are excellent,
and indicate that the LP was manufactured mainly to
sell in conjunction with lounge performances.
Mandatory for incredibly strange and 70s loungeband
fans. Two different pressings exist, one with a
yellow label, the other with a red label. There is
also an obscure variation called "Electric Three Man
Hebrew Band" in a plain white title sleeve, with
'Eleanor Rigby' misspelled as 'Rugby'. A 45 was
released from the LP. "Fun is the only way to go when
you're with the Brothers". [PL]
"Nightbird" 1978 (Quinton no #)
The ultimate loungerock extravaganza sounds as good

today as it did back in the late 1980s when word
first got around on it. A self-proclaimed "Electric
symphony" that mixes Ennio Morricone with King
Crimson as recorded by a Holiday Inn/Bar Mitzvah band
from outer space. Crooner vocals soar on top of
overly elaborate keyboard arrangements as the music
abruptly throws you from one intense mood into
another in true psychedelic fashion. No ideas are
discarded as the meaning of life unfolds in glitzy Z-
grade fashion -- if there's a bad, cheesy move to be
made, they'll go for it. These guys probably thought
they'd made the greatest LP of all time and in a way
I guess it is - even regular folks with no interest
in this scene are blown away by the Kaplans'
unsurpassed pretense and lack of reality checks. Must
be heard to be believed, preferrably on acid. [PL]
~~~
"Nightbird" is a real people classic. Low rent genius
schmaltz kings with proggy ballad supperclub Holiday
Inn moves and Arcesiaesque vocal stylings. These guys
were the real thing for lounge lizard prog. This
kitchen sink symphony with Grudzienesque cut-and-
paste production is apparently a concept LP but
you'll never figure it out sober. Tinkling piano,
synth washes, flutes. Highlight: King Crimson's
"Epitaph" segued into a rewrite of the Cascades'
"Rhythm of the Rain"! Lots of sounds most of which
have no business being there like the sound
generators. [RM]
ALAN KAPROW (NY)
"How To Make A Happening" 1966 (Mass Art Inc.) [gimmick

cover]
Spoken word pre-hippie NYC art aesthetics and

philosophy in the form of an 11-step instruction on
how to stage a happening. Kaprow was the leader of
the 'Paths of Action' movement and influential in the
evolution of "happenings" in the early 1960s. Side 2
adds some poetry to the instructions. An important
piece of 60s crossover culture, but today mainly for
those with special interest in the era or modern art
history. "A happening is a gang with a high". [PL]
KASPER (St Louis, MO)
"Hammered" 1976 (Lark Ellen)
Bluesy rural rock with good slide guitar.
KATH (MD)
"Kath" 1975 (no label) [60p; gatefold]

"Kath" 2005 (Rockadelic 51) [+bonus tracks; no gatefold; 500p]
Obscure and quite impressive melodic basement

garage/psych excursion with a lo-fi atmosphere that
would have most purveyors flip out, hits the Ampex
two-track echo & tinny drum sound dead on. The sound
is a bit "Canadian" to me, with a few French language
snips and a typical Maple Leaf sound with lots of
keyboard and reverbed vocals, not unlike the best
tracks on Rockadrome. As it turns out the band was
actually from Maryland, though leader Val Rogolino
was part-French. In any event, it's mostly originals
with a few covers including a fuzzed-out cough syrup
take on "Norwegian Wood" that could be the best
version ever. The selfpenned material is good, with a
60s teenbeat sensibility rather than heavy/hard rock.
At times the vibe is almost like Mystery Meat or
Index, and that's not something you run across every
day. At the same time there are obvious hints that
this dates from a later era, and it was in fact
recorded over a period of several months in 1974.
Good fuzz throughout, charming amateur vocals, and a
late-night rehearsal space ambience. "It doesn't
mean" is a highpoint for me. There are also brief
snips of aural experiments for the right $15
avantgarde touch. "Kath" appears to be a reference to
the main guy's girlfriend. The band also had a non-LP
EP from 1978 under the name Badge, with a more
polished version of "It doesn't mean", and a 45
around the same time. The Rockadelic removes one
track from the original, and adds a couple new ones.
[PL]
KEATNIKS (Labrador, Canada)
"Keatniks" 1965 (Melbourne 4011)
Obscure teen-beat from guys with really short hair,

pre-Invasion cover versions mostly.
TODD KELLEY ( )
"Todd Kelley" 1969 (ESP/ORO-6)
This moody folk LP is one of the more obscure titles

in the ESP catalog, highly rated by some.
RICH KENDALL (WI)
"Food For Thought" 1974 (Unknown Records)
Mid 1970s rural folkrock LP from guys with Jake

connection via one band member. More of a band effort
than "loner", with some nice electric leads.
DAVE KENNEDY & THE AMBASSADORS (LaCrosse, WI)
"Breaking Up Is Hard To Do" 1965 (Coulee clp 1001)
Farewell LP from popular local band going into army

service, mostly pre-Invasion frat and instros, a
couple of Beatles numbers.
KENNELMUS (Phoenix, AZ)
"Kennelmus" 1971 (Phoenix Internat'l 42171) [promo]
This previously undocumented promo variant on the LP

came in a homemade, primitive sleeve. Some or all
promo copies also came with a 45 and insert. Only 1
copy of this variant has been found, which provenance
has been confirmed by a Kennelmus member. The disc is
identical to the standard run.
"Folkstone Prism" 1971 (Phoenix Internat'l 42171) [1000p]

"Folkstone Prism" 1994 (Rockadelic 15) [300#d]
"Folkstone Prism" 1999 (CD Sundazed sc-6129)
Weird desert group with mysterious guitar psych Ennio

Morricone & middle eastern instrumentals on side 1,
backed with equally odd vocal folkrock/garage stuff
on the flip. Play this and something strange enters
the room that you'll enjoy having around after a
while. Hard to describe accurately, and certainly one
of the more unusual albums to be reissued by
Sundazed. The LP was pressed in two runs of 500 each
with a minor label design difference, the "ring"
imprint is close to the spindle hole on the first
run, and close to the dead wax on the second run.
Both runs are considered originals. [PL]
~~~
One of that handful of truly unique psych albums. On
side one they’re an all-instrumental freaked out surf
band, and a fantastic one. Side two adds vocals,
which are perfunctory song/speak, and thus these
songs aren’t as interesting. They were way ahead of
their time, before the surf/skate punkers of the
early 80s, and before the sing/speak avant garde 70s
bands like MX-80 Sound and Debris. Cool stuff,
absolutely worth owning. [AM]
"Beyond Folkstone Prism" 1995 (RD Records 1, Switzerland)

[insert; 400p]
Unreleased material from 1969-74, I found this

disappointing and a far cry from the 1971 LP,
although others may enjoy it. It does contain the 45-
only version of "Black Sunshine" with vocals, and
this is a psych killer that must be heard. More
unreleased material exists that has yet to appear.
[PL]
KENNY & THE KAMMOTIONS (Texarkana, TX)
"In Motion" 1970 (Candy 1023)

"In Motion" 200 (Candy) [bootleg]
Post-garage bar-rock covers, mostly, plus a couple of

band originals. The band had several 45s including a
couple of really good ones.
KENNY & THE KASUALS (Dallas, TX)
"Impact - Live at the Studio Club" 1967 (Mark 5000) [500p]

"Impact - Live at the Studio Club" 1977 (Mark 5000) [insert]
"Impact - Live at the Studio Club" 199 (CD Flash 26, Italy)
Legendary fake live LP famous among all sorts of

collectors and pulling in $500 even back in the
1970s. Cover versions only, about ½ British Invasion
and ½ US 1950s/frat. The performances are tight and
rocking with no weaknesses and the sound is great and
raw, though the cocktail crowd noise is as silly as
the Elevators "Live". Very good period LP, up there
with the Raiders' "Here they come", the Dimensions
and the Hideout Fugitives. A couple of tracks also
appeared on Kasuals 45s. Their non-LP 45s are
excellent garage/teenbeat and have been collected on
two 1980s comps by Eva Records in France. Oddly, no
Kasuals comps have been made since then. Note: sealed
copies of the 1977 repress are sometimes offered as
originals; however the original run was never sealed.
Early pressings of the reissue contain no 'Doug
Hanners' credit; later pressings have this credit and
an insert promoting "Teen Dreams". [PL]
"Teen Dreams" 1977 (Mark 6000) [200p; red vinyl; handbill]
Supposedly from an "unreleased second LP" but in fact

a sampler of scattered 1966-67 material. Very good
beat, garage and proto-psych and to my ears even more
interesting than the live LP. Originals all through,
local hit "Journey to tyme" among them. Most or all
copies are autographed by Kenny. The reformed Kasuals
cut two LPs and an EP in the late 1970s/early 1980s.
[PL]
KENTAURUS (WI)
"Kentaurus" 1981 (Wakefield)
Hard rock/AOR with freaky vocals that has been hyped

as metal and prog, but is neither.
KEN KESEY & THE MERRY PRANKSTERS (La Honda, CA) see website
"The Acid Test" 1966 (Sound City Production 27690)

"The Acid Test" 1982 (Psycho 4 UK) [300p]
"Acid Test, vol 1" 1999 (CD King Mob, UK) [+bonus tracks]
"The Acid Test" 2005 (CD UK)
Legendary documentation of the 1965-66 Bay Area Acid

Test scene "from 14 hours of the actual
trip" (recorded in a studio). Shows the other side of
acid culture which is fun, unpredictable and
avantgarde as opposed to the Leary camp's solemn
religious/ psychological approach. Lots of amazing
mind games and word play with Kesey and Ken Babbs in
good form, ad libbed poetry, fractured harmonica
solos, tape loops and the Grateful Dead lurking in
the background. Released in March 1966, just as the
Pranksters were splitting for Mexico. An essential
piece, though even the vinyl reissue is hard to find
nowadays. There was also a super-rare promo 45 pulled
from the 1966 LP, along with a promo poster. The King
Mob CD contains an entire album's worth of killer
material related to the hilarious Berkeley Vietnam
rally prank from the Fall 1965. [PL]
"The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test" 1986 (Fan-Club)

"Acid Test, vol 2" 1999 (CD-R, no label) [self-released CD-R]
Both the LP and the CD-R contain edited highlights

from the S F State Acid Test in October 1966.
Excellent trip stuff with mostly Kesey monologues
plus some cool music, both pre-recorded and
improvised. Wavy Gravy and Jerry Garcia are also in
there somewhere. The CD-R contains a significantly
longer edit, while the LP has snips from a 1980
interview with Kesey and Garcia. [PL]
~~~
see -> "LSD" (Capitol)
KEVIN & CLARE ( )
"All The Roads" 1975 (no label)
Mid-1970s moody hippie folkrock duo with male/female

vocals.
KEYMEN (Las Cruces, NM)
"Live" 1968 (Goldust lps-153)

"Surf Party A Go-Go" 1996 (CD Collectables 0685) [part of LP
+bonus tracks]
Dancehall organ, fuzz, r&b stompers. Despite the late

date, a pre-Invasion sound in the Kingsmen raucous
club style.
KHAZAD DOOM (Morton Grove, IL)
"Level 6½" 1969 (LPL 892) [two inserts; 180p]

"Level 6½" 198 (LPL) [bootleg; b & w cover]
"Encore" 1995 (CD 95) [book; autographed; 600#d]
Among the truly expensive albums few are as

controversial as this. Hard to say why as it sounds
no different to me than dozens of other LPs from the
era, but maybe the ill-fitting "prog" label and
Tolkien-inspired band name has attracted listeners
unprepared for Khazad Doom's amateur artrock. They
sound like a somewhat loungey, semi-professional
teenage band who got inspired by certain late 60s
British acts to create something out of their reach.
A song cycle with a vague theme related to "hunters"
recurs, and the music is made more "complex" by
unnecessary breaks and bridges. The band members'
skill varies, which contributes to the
basement/school project feel in both charming and
annoying ways. The opening track contains pretty much
all the elements of the LP, and could be used as a
testing ground. There is a long suite on side 2 that
isn't very successful and weighs down the album,
while the following "Narcissus" is perhaps the best
track, showcasing the band's number one strength, the
vocal harmonies. Otherwise, there's lots of organ
excursions, some fuzz interplay, and a clueless
youthful feel. Had it been successful, it might have
sounded like the Aggregation, but instead it's more
akin to Day Blindness or the more boneheaded Bosstown
bands. Serious prog fans should approach with
caution, or not at all. The very small press size has
been confirmed by the band. The "Encore" CD is a
reissue of the LP plus 8 tracks; it appears that some
parts of the original LP actually aren't included.
[PL]
KICKIN' (NE)
"Starbound Lady" 1978 (Class Rock 10205) [blue vinyl]
Regional AOR/prog-rock band in a Styx direction, led

by the Fritz twins. The band gigged in Canada with
some success. The album is a "limited edition".
KICKLAND & JOHNSON (Omaha, NE)
"Clay County" 1974 (Effenar 1000) [inner]
Hippie folkrock/s-sw in a James Taylor bag with nasal

vocals, rock setting plus harmonica and piano. J
Clemetson is given credit on the sleeve, and wrote
several of the songs. Not psychedelic in any way. Ed
Johnson did a solo LP in 1977, "Homespun", with the
same guys helping out.
KID CASHMERE ( )
"Kid Cashmere" 1977 (Guiness GNS36081)
Bluesy fuzz and P-funk on tax-loss label. Possibly

recorded several years earlier.
KID DYNAMITE ( )
"Kid Dynamite" 1976 (Flightstream 101)
The same band that had a major label release on the

Cream label. This is superior in a strong guitar-
charged blues/boogie hardrock vein.
PAT KILROY (San Francisco, CA)
"Light Of Day" 1966 (Elektra EKL 311) [mono; gold label]

"Light Of Day" 1966 (Elektra EKS 7311) [stereo; gold label]
Extraordinary and historically important bohemian

folk/raga LP with a timeless freak quality. About
half is swampy folk-blues that sounds like a coffee-
house version of early Captain Beefheart, the other
half is stunning Eastern trance/drone folk-
psychedelia years ahead of its time. Excellent use is
made of various minor instruments that include jew's
harp and bells, while Kilroy's voice goes from moody
introspection into all-out howling, whether due to
bad moonshine or potent peyote is hard to tell. A
raw, improvised feeling typical of westcoast avant-
folk is retained throughout, even as the lyrics and
arrangements indicate that a lot of work went into
it. Side 1 is somewhat more conventional, while side
2 zooms into hallucinatory acid folk domains on
things like "Vibrations" and the title track. A
couple of numbers sound remarkably like what Kilroy's
Elektra colleagues Incredible String Band would
become famous for in 1967-68, but this LP predates
them by at least a year... challenging at times, with
some tracks not quite successful, but still a must.
Kilroy was member of early SF folk-avant group New
Age (seen in the movie "The Love-Ins"), and sadly
passed away as early as 1967. A UK pressing in a US
sleeve exists. [PL]
~~~
On the front cover of "Light of Day", Kilroy looks a
bit like a cowboy, but a look at the back will inform
potential buyers that we're not in Hank Williams
territory. The album begins with a song called "Magic
Carpet," ends with one called "Star Dance" and also
includes the titles "The Pipes Of Pan" and
"Vibrations". The liner notes reference Hebrides'
Islanders' chants, "Moods of Spanish gypsies," "the
magnetic pulsations of African hypnotic drums," music
of India, dances of the Middle East, the writings of
Hesse, Huxley, George Gurdjieff, and, most
importantly, the Sufi Message. In the year before the
summer of love, he ends the notes with the single
word "peace". It's no surprise, then, that the music
tests previously uncharted waters, and as with an
equally unique 1966 album, "Psychedelic Moods of the
Deep", it goes places where no one would go again.
The Deep's album invented psychedelic music without
any noticeable influences, but went unnoticed when
the genre exploded via well-known artists. Kilroy
invented acid folk, though, unlike the Deep, he
didn't do so intentionally. The difference is a
significant one because there's no artifice or sense
of exploitation in Kilroy's music. (This isn't a
knock on the Deep's album, which I think is even
better than this, even if it's not 100% "genuine").
Regardless, nobody heard this album either, and the
wave of psychedelic folk-rock and singer-songwriter
types who followed would come from completely
different mindsets. Admittedly, "Light Of Day" is
mostly more experimental than it is "good", with
fragmented songwriting, rough singing and awkward
rhythms, but it has moments of true inspiration and
is a completely original work, something you all
should hear. [AM]
~~~
KING ( )
"King" 1980 (no label)
Since the only people who ever describe this are

dealers trying to sell it, we feel obligated to give
you the truth about this turkey: The female singer,
who is great, is only on one song, which is heads and
tails the highlight of the album. Side two is
entirely instrumental, and basically jazz-rock of a
not particularly creative or accomplished variety.
Side one sounds more new wave than "psych," which
would be fine if it was particularly good, but it
isn't. It isn't heavy, at all. It's not even
especially weird other than that the various styles
are an odd mix. The mysterious album cover, lack of
credits or information, and the fact that every
single copy seems to have ended up in the hands of
psych dealers have added to its mystique over time,
but don't shell out the $50-$100 it will cost you
without listening to it first. [AM]
DENNY KING ( )
"Evil Wind Is Blowing" 1972 (Specialty Records)

"Evil Wind Is Blowing" 2005 (CD Synton, Austria)
From Little Richard's label, here's a 1972 blues-rock

album whose liner notes inform you that "you'll soon
know why they call that place the high desert!"
King's vocals are in a Beefheart-out-of-Howlin' Wolf
mode, with Beefheart's high squeals and some very
deep grunts and laughter. This is a very funny
record, whether King is growling nonsensical
gibberish on "Bottle Blues," proclaiming that he does
"Lucille" better than Little Richard, or working the
double meaning of "Boogie Man." Along with Beefheart,
King makes me absolutely certain that this is the
most apt vocal style for this type of music. Listen
to King and realize that all those hard rock guys
just don't have a clue. The album features cool
harmonica and really hot slide guitar (courtesy of
ex-Beefheart sideman Alex St. Claire.) The rhythm
section is stellar too: check out the awesome bass
line on "Sunday Driver". My pick hit is "Desert
Sand," which starts with a lovely tapped-fretboard
riff, has a wah-wah/slide guitar battle for a solo,
and just plain feels like its title in a windstorm.
You'll probably read about a hundred blues-rock
albums here in the Archives. Most of them are full of
fuzz guitar, freaky lyrics and psychedelic production
tricks, but trust me, not a one of them is as good as
this. [AM]
KINGDOM (CA)
"Kingdom" 1970 (Specialty lp-2135)

"Kingdom" 1999 (Akarma 031, Italy)
"Kingdom" 2000 (CD Akarma, Italy)
Obscure hard rock album with heavy guitar and organ.
It’s a cool item just because it’s on Little
Richard’s label, but after several listens none of
the songs have stuck with me. It’s a well-played but
essentially generic heavy rock album that wouldn’t be
such a hot collector’s item if it wasn’t so scarce.
[AM]
KINGYO ( )
"Simplicity" 197 (Radnor 2002)
Native American a k a Tony Wright, folkrock with

bluesy moves, raw vocals and some orchestration. Same
label as Lumbee.
KITCHEN CINQ (Amarillo, TX)
"Everything But" 1967 (L.H.I. 12000) [mono]

"Everything But" 1967 (L.H.I. 12000) [stereo]
This album has a really nice teen-style garage-pop

charm, with enthusiastic playing and good harmonies.
The guitars are jangly, not fuzzy. They weren’t
songwriters, unfortunately, so while the album is
enjoyable from start to finish it’s also somewhat
disposable. They get extra points for turning
“Codine” into “Needles And Pins.” [AM]
TAYLOR KITCHINGS (MS)
"Clean Break" 1972 (Union)
Mix of Dylanesque folkrock and classical inspired

folk-prog, with a melancholic mood and good lyrics.
KLANSMANN (KS)
"Klansmann" 1968 (Audio House 269) [no cover]
One of many obscure pressings from the Kansas-based

Audio House custom plant, this is amateurish teenbeat
with covers of Young Rascals, "Hey Joe", Gerry & the
Pacemakers etc. Apparently the label photo shown in
one of the Collector Dreams books is not of the
original label, but a recent facsimile.
CAROL KLEYN (CA)
"Love Has Made Me Stronger" 1976 (Lyra no #)
Bobby Brown's girlfriend is equally as musically

bizarre as him. Side one of this album is just harp
and voice, and her warbly melodies blend with the
instrument to make for some truly unique voicings.
Her high voice can occasionally grate, but it suits
her odd sensibility and romantic vision (she's a true
dreamer.) Side two of the album is just piano (or
electric piano) and voice. The songs are as good as
those on side one, but after almost forty minutes
you're left wishing she'd hired a rhythm section.
Unique but not wholly successful. [AM]
"Takin' The Time" 1980 (Turtledove no #)
Most people have a strong preference of one Kleyn

album over the other, and strangely enough they seem
to be equally split about which one. To be honest, I
think it's a wash. This second (and rarer) album
benefits from more instrumentation, with drums, bass,
and electric guitar on most songs. There's still
plenty of harp, though, and when a few sparse songs
show up on side two they feel really good in this
context. The songs, on the other hand, aren't much
different from those on the first album. Same horny
hippie romanticism, same jarring vocal trills and
bird imitations. She's unique, and this is pretty
cool music if you're in the right frame of mind, but
just a few songs by her would probably be enough to
satisfy the average listener. What fails to excite in
the context of her own album might be a standout on a
compilation. [AM]
CURTIS KNIGHT (KS/NY)
"Down In The Village" 1970 (Paramount)
The oddball album in Knight’s extensive discography

is this heavy effort, featuring plenty-of Hendrix-
like lead guitar. The ten-minute “Give You Plenty
Lovin” is a room-clearer, as his repetitive screaming
and the endless guitar noise goes way beyond the
bounds of good taste. Some of you will really love
it, obviously. Elsewhere it’s a solid set of soul and
rock, given an edge by the heavy guitar playing and
Knight’s street vibe. A worthwhile album. [AM]
KNIGHTS a k a HERMON KNIGHTS (Northfield, MA)
"Off Campus" 1965 (CO 1269)
"Across the Board" 1966 (Ace Recording Studio mg-200854)
"Knights '67" 1967 (Ace Recording Studio mg-201302/3)
"Hermon Knights" 1968 (Ace Recording Studio co-2323)
Guitar, organ, horns prep cover band from the Mount

Hermon school with mix of folk, pop, jazz, and the
occasional raver. "Knights '67" is probably their
strongest garage LP, though none are exceptional.
Earlier LPs include "On The Road" (Ace, 1962) which
is very weak with big band covers and instros,
"Expressions" (Ace, 1964) and "Cold Days - Hot
Knights" (Ace, 1963). An annual album would be
recorded each Spring, with the earliest known Knights
LP dating back to 1958. The Cole brothers later
turned up in Quill who had a pretty wellknown prog-
rock LP on Cotillion. [RM]
~~~
see -> Silent Cheer; Together
KNIGHTS 5 + 1 ( )
"On The Move" 1967 (Justice 156)

"On The Move" 1996 (CD Collectables 0604)
Racially integrated Eastcoast club band unique to the

label and era, and also one of the more wide-
appealing titles on the Justice roster. Singer and
sax man are black, rest are honkie kids, although the
bass player is so good he sounds black. Vocalist is
thankfully in the cool Cooke/Gaye school rather than
a Pickett/Redding screamer, and the sax-man's loungy
digressions sets a mellow nightclub tone to the
affair, especially on a number of stylish
instrumental originals. The vocal cover selections
are a little too obvious but the wee hours approach
makes a lot of the Memphis standards different and
appealing. If I was throwing a wedding party this is
the Justice band I'd book. [PL]
KOALA (New York City, NY)
"Koala" 1969 (Capitol skao-176) [unipak cover; rainbow

label]
In a weird marketing gimmick, these guys were given

an Australian name and pretended to be Aussie
immigrants. It didn’t work, as the album bombed and
now takes its place among those very rare Capitol
albums we all drool over. A few songs here have some
really out of control fuzz guitar, and the vocalist
is strident in a Fred Cole kind of way. For the good
songs, it’s as exciting as hell and it’s not
surprising that this is a highly-sought-after album,
but the sound is pretty headache-including over the
long haul, especially when the songwriting
inspiration begins to wear thin halfway through each
side. Take the two side-openers, though, and you’d
have one whale of a killer garage/psych hard rock 45.
[AM]
KOPPERFIELD (MI)
"Tales Untold" 1974 (Kopperdisc 5014-n5) [lyrics insert]

"Tales Untold" 198 (Kopperdisc, Europe) [bootleg]
"Tales Untold" 199 (CD, Europe)
"Tales Untold" 2001 (Gear Fab gf-164) [2 LPs; +9 tracks]
"Tales Untold" 2001 (CD Gear Fab gf-164) [+9 tracks]
This heavy album with progressive moves is expertly

played and reasonably well produced, though it
suffers a bit from inconsistent vocals and too many
organ solos. It occasionally veers into 70s
mainstream AOR territory (vocals from the Uriah Heep
school, though not worthy of a passing grade.) It
rocks hard enough and the songs are fast enough to
give it points for energy. "Nothing Left To Give,"
with a propulsive rhythm and a strong vocal line, is
probably the best song, though some of the more
ambitious arrangements (i.e. the slower, keyboard-
heavy title track) are also appealing. Side two is
more experimental than side one. You can certainly do
much worse in the genre, but don't buy this if you're
looking for anything especially original or well-
sung. The Gear Fab reissue contains a complete
unreleased second album, which has stronger chops,
heavier songs, and a more confident sound. It also
experiments more with synthesizers and funky rhythms.
For the most part, it's a bit better than the
original album, but a terrible boogie song, titled
"Gonna Get Stoned," really hurts. [AM]
LOUIE KOTVA (Champaign, IL)
"It Used To Be Not Everybody Was A Lighthouse" 1970 (Prism)

[lyric inner sleeve]
Loner folk private press that falls into the "count

the number of known copies on one hand" level of
rarity. Illinois loner folkie with a few songs with
psych moves. Comes in a textured cover and includes a
homemade "custom" inner sleeve with paste-on lyric
sheets on front and back. [MA]
~~~
see -> Red Herring Fall Folk Festival
KREED (Fairbault, MN)
"This Is Kreed!" 1971 (Vision Of Sound 71-56)
Rare basement excursion from St James military school

band in the lower teens, famous for how strange some
of them look on the sleeve. Has piano rather than
guitars upfront which is a pity as this otherwise has
all the right moves; voice-change vocals, basic
garage tunes and lyrics about girls and the
environment (?!). All originals except an extended
cover of "In a gadda da vida" which is a pretty
faithful rendering with piano solos replacing the
organ. All over an interesting local piece in a '66
bag despite the vintage. [PL]
KRISTYL (Louisville, KY)

"Kristyl" 1975 (no label #4569) [200p]
"Kristyl" 1986 (Hype 1, UK)
"Kristyl" 199 (CD Titanic, Germany)
Highly regarded local Christian 1970s melodic guitar-

rock with an open late-1960s westcoast vibe, dual
guitars and great organic playing/vocals all around.
They have a very distinct sound which makes the
tracks seem similar at first, but it opens up after
some plays and remains that way. The best tracks such
as "Deceptions of the mind" and "Valley of life" are
truly monumental. Personal fave, one of the big ones
in the style. Great sleeve design - note the drummers
t-shirt. Originals were pressed on very thin vinyl,
so most copies have slight bowl warps. [PL]
~~~
Timeless pinnacle of teenage, rural, Christian
psychedelia. The consensus seems to be that this is a
1975 recording, but dealers always (accurately)
describe it as sounding much earlier. The psychedelic
playing on ‘Deceptions of the Mind’ often contrasts
with the anti-drugs/sex lyrics: “Alcohol and sex
unclean, copping drugs all over the scene/What is it
that we need, Lord it’s love and it’s for free”.
Kentucky can’t have been an easy place to strike a
deal to have this recorded, so maybe they felt they
needed to put an anti-drugs message in here and
there. The music is consistently wonderful, side 1 in
particular, with side 2 ending with the beautiful
‘Morning Glory’. The dual guitars are laden with
effects and full of interesting twists and turns. The
singing is honest and clear. Not as crazed as
Fraction, but in the same league of expressive,
sincere musicianship. A beautiful, naïve feeling
pervades the whole LP, like they believed anything
could happen, the world could change as a result of
their sounds. For me, they were right. Why is the
drummer wearing a shirt with a hash leaf on it,
perhaps it says “hash free zone” underneath? The
sleeve art is also top-ten, being a monochrome
crudely drawn snake encircling the earth. [RI]
KRYSTALS (Montreal, Canada)
"Krystals" 1971 (Fourmost 8943)
Late beat/pop with keyboard-led covers of Hollies,

Simon & Garfunkel, Chicago, and some originals. The
release date has been listed elsewhere as 1968, which
is obviously incorrect from the track list.
KUDZU BAND (GA)
"Chitlin' Circuit" 1976 (De Vine)

Guitar-driven Southern rock with a ZZ Top influence,
has a cover of "Back Door Man".
FRED KUHN & LIGHT (Long Island, NY)
"A Song Of Gods Gone Mad" 1980 (Daystar 0001)
Here’s a 1980 folk album that is more weird than

good. It’s not exactly satanic, but definitely pagan
and strange. It includes a bass-and-vocals-only
version of David Crosby’s “Triad” which makes an
already creepy song even creepier. Some songs have
pretty wild moog and others have twisted lyrics, but
overall the musical sound is actually quite tame.
It’s interesting when someone with this kind of
sensibility heads towards folk rather than heavy
metal, and this album is definitely a curiosity. It’s
not really that good, though, as little moments (a
phrase here or there, some synthesizer noise) stick
in my memory more than do any of the songs as a
whole. Nicodemus fans might appreciate it. [AM]
ROBB KUNKEL (Denver, CO)
"Abyss" 1973 (Tumbleweed TWS 111)
Obscure but surprisingly good LP on a Rocky Mountain

independent that rode high on corporate money for a
few years. It's one of the best, perhaps the best, on
the label, and opens with two terrific dreamy
westcoast psych tracks that alone makes this worth
getting. The rest is an eclectic bag of melodic rock
and singer/songwriter, with two weaker (but short)
rootsy tracks, and the rest quite enjoyable. Heavy
session names are all over this LP, which displays
the typical Tumbleweed combination of a stoned, loose
vibe and a classy production. When staff member
Kunkel's album was released the label's money was
running out, and it may have been pressed in as few
as 500 copies. [PL]
~~~
Having listened to this album a dozen times it's
still hard to slap it with a label. Much of it has a
laidback acoustic feel to it, but the songs are often
punctuated by Howard Robert's jazzy lead guitar
and/or Kunkel's percussive keyboards. 'Whispermuse'
is a perfect example. For the first couple of moments
in flows along as a pretty acoustic ballad before
Kunkel and Roberts kick in at the tale end. In
contrast, the title track and 'Turn of the
Century' (the latter being the standout effort) are
fairly conventional (and enjoyable) rock numbers.
Full of pretty melodies and some nice harmony vocals,
I can see why it's becoming somewhat of a sought
after collectable. The only real missteps are a
couple of country-flavored throwaways including the
forgettable "Country Blues". [SB]
KURT & NOAH (Canada)

"There Are Things" 1970 (Astra 1000) [inner]
A quintet despite the name, doing gentle folk with

acoustic and electric guitars and harmony vocals.
Some tracks have female vocals. The group had a
couple of 45s including a minor hit.
KUSUDO & WORTH ( )
"Of Sun & Rain" 1969 (Custom Fidelity 1881/82) [200p]
This is about as good as stark acoustic folk gets,

with evocative songs, beautiful and versatile
singing, unexpected acoustic raveups, and the
addition of some eerie slide guitar on one song. The
two voices work very well together and around each
other. "I Would Like To Hear Your Story" is really
intense, sort of like the side-openers of the first
Jake Holmes album. Very highly recommended, and way
overdue for a reissue. [AM]

LACEWING (Kent, OH)
"Lacewing" 1970 (Mainstream s-6132)
One of Mainstream's later-day releases, still mainly

in the typical westcoast Airplane/Mamas & Papas/Big
Brother bag but with hints of 70s things to come.
Starts off strongly with femme-vox folkrock and psych
and maintains a reasonably good level, with fuzz
leads and minor prog ambitions on side 2, while side
1 has more of a CA'68 sound. Use of piano and heavy
drum licks betray a "Volunteers" influence, while the
atmospheric instrumental passage during "The Storm"
may be the most original thing on board. It took me a
long while to figure out why it sounded so familiar,
but to my ears the overall sound is quite similar to
the British Julian Jay Savarin album, although less
coherent in its structure. About 2/3rds is excellent
femme-vox hippie-rock, with impact lessened by a
couple of uninspired tracks and a drum solo at the
close. [PL]
~~~
In terms of collectability, this is a second-tier
Mainstream album, but the opening “Paradox” is
possibly the best song by any band on the label. It’s
just a gorgeous folk-rock creation with sparkling
male/female harmonies and a bright, summery feel to
it. The rest of the album can’t possibly reach that
standard, but other than a typically dull drum solo
(at the very end—you can just turn off the record
early), this is a nice album, and some surprisingly
heavy bits enter into the mix. The female singer is
very appealing. [AM]
~~~
In an earlier incarnation this band was known as the
Measles and featured Joe Walsh on guitar. The band
was briefly called Lacewing around the time of the
Mainstream album, which (like other OH bands on
Mainstream such as Freeport and December's Children)
was recorded at Criteria Studios in Miami. Vocalist
Mary Sterpka was later drafted by Walsh to sing back-
up vocals on the James Gang hit "Midnight Man". Info
courtesy of George Gell.
LADY CHASER ( )
"Lady Chaser" 1981 (private)
Here’s an otherwise interesting private press album

that’s completely done in by horrible vocals.
Musically, it’s a mix of rural rock, jazzy soft rock,
and mellow bluesy rock, quite interesting and well-
played. They tend to be lumped in with late-70s post-
Dead artists like Walnut Band and Mad Fables, but
this is really its own animal. If the singing were
even remotely bearable, I’d recommend it. The fantasy
cover promises a prog album, which this most
definitely is not. Sometimes this album is listed as
being by “Michael Barash.” It’s not entirely clear if
Lady Chaser is the album name or the band’s name.
[AM]
LAFAUCI (LA)
"Lafauci" 1978 (Uncle Meat)
This is a pretty solid southern rock/hard rock album.

It's got that Molly Hatchet style of singing and the
ubiquitous dual lead guitars, lots of hooks, some
tasteful moog, concise, tight songs. A couple of
ballads are weak, but otherwise if you like this
style of music this is a good one. Short album, less
than half an hour. [AM]
LAKOTA ( )
"Lakota" 1979 (JSR Records 1506)
Rural/southern rock sound by Native American band on

New Jersey label, highly rated by some.
DAVE LAMB & GYE WHIZ ( )
"I'll Be Alright" 1971 (SYMA ad-1000)

"I'll Be Alright" 2000 (Fanny, Belgium)
Obscure basement hippie folkrock affair. Sound is

somewhat reminiscent of quirky rural UK folkprog LPs
like Gygafo or Candida Pax, especially the
enthusiastic amateur vocals. Primitive 1970s folkrock
setting with occasional keyboards, spirited
atmosphere and coffeehouse folk remnants. I've heard
some negative comments on it and while not too bad in
my ears, it's hard to single out any particular
appealing aspect to this LP. "Shine on me" is perhaps
the most interesting track, with a fragmented,
confused rural folk sound that may recall A-Austr.
One of those private pressings where the rarity is
more significant than the musical quality. [PL]
PAUL LAMONT (San Francisco, CA)
"Psychedelia" 1969 (Golden State)
Improvisational avant hippie piano noodling, two

side-long excursions that Lamont encourages you to
play loud for best effect.
LANDSLIDE (NY)
"Two-sided Fantasy" 1972 (Capitol 11006) [green label]

"Two-sided Fantasy" 2002 (Akarma 238, Italy)
"Two-sided Fantasy" 2002 (CD Akarma 238, Italy)
Appealing mosaic of various early 70s styles,

delivered with a confident smooth groove that had me
believe this was a black band which appears not to be
the case. Sounds more rural/west coast than NY to me.
Traces of Dead, Santana, Airplane plus some
harder/bluesier aspects, still with an original vibe
and even some Christian lyrics. [PL]
~~~
Here’s another Capitol rarity, and it’s a really good
one. It’s a dual guitar hard rock album with tons of
great hooks and some unique arrangements (“Creepy
Feeling” has a chord progression that lives up to the
title, the final song has an intense set of buildups,
and many songs appear to have two drummers.) Equally
good songwriting on the ballads and heavy songs, and
subtle and creative guitar playing make this one of
the best 1970s albums in the genre. Weird creepy
album cover too. [AM]
ROBBIE LANE & THE DISCIPLES (Toronto, Canada)
"It's Happening" 1966 (Capitol T 6182)
Teen-beat from popular band with several 45 releases

and a CBC TV slot. The sound is more pop than garage.
~~~
see -> "Meet The Lively Ones"
TONY LANE & THE FABULOUS SPADES ( )
"Introducing" 1966 (Justice 133)

"Introducing" 1996 (CD Collectables)
Good opening Them cover sets the tone for a fatter

and rockier club trip than most LPs on the label. Use
of organ, sax and Tony's tambourine creates a
contemporary mid-60s sound, and the big guy's vocals
aren't bad at all, making even the token ballads
acceptable, while a couple of energetic frat covers
garner bonus points. "Long Tall Sally" with awesome
bass runs is a highpoint, as is a fuzz-lead "See See
Rider" which I'd rate as one of the best versions
ever. Rated highly by Justice aficionado Jeff Jarema,
this LP's main drawback is the lack of group
originals. [PL]
LANGLEY SCHOOLS PROJECT see Hans Fenger
LARRY & MYRA (MA)
"Alien Nation" 1970 (Eat the Day ls-101)

Male/female acoustic folk with pretty voices but
forgettable songs. This is one of those albums that
sounds really nice on first listen, but just fades
away after that. Organ, flute, cello, guitars.
Sometimes hyped as rare, but actually easy to find.
[AM]
BOB LARSON (McCook, NE)
"Speaks Out On Rock Music" 1969 (Cornerstone CRS 4014)
Well-known Christian radio show host doing an early

anti-rock music sermon, except the message is
strangely deflated by Bob pulling out an electric
guitar and playing wah-wah solos by Cream, Iron
Butterfly, and more. Popular title among fringe
collectors. It was originally sold to Christians on
reel-to-reel tape. Larson had a number of other
albums that would not be of interest to readers of
this book. He also wrote the remarkably paranoid
"Larson's Book of Rock."
LAST CALL OF SHILOH (Sandpoint, ID)
"Last Call Of Shiloh" 1970 (Last Call src-5136) [500p]
Christian westcoasty psych/folkrock with several

tracks in the classic mold that fans of the genre
love, similar to Wilson Mckinley, Steve Powell etc;
ringing guitars, loose vocal harmonies and jammy Bay
Area moods - just dig that bass player. Has 2-3 truly
great tracks on level with Tripsichord with mix of
male/female vocals, a few others are more spiritual
in style. Only about half the original pressing came
with covers; it appears that repro paste-on covers
also exist. The original cover is flimsy and slightly
oversized. Still no reissue, which is strange. [PL]
~~~
Deep Christian rock with inventive playing and a
laid-back garage seeker vibe like the darker side of
Jefferson Airplane or the third Velvet Underground
LP. Soulful pretty vocals with female backup and
searching westcoast leads. Highlights: "Marriage
Supper of the Lamb" with soaring vocals and garagy
guitar, the delicate melancholy of "New Jerusalem",
and "Message of the Gospel" with its intriguing murky
rhythm. [RM]
~~~
Here's an album that's desperately in need of a
reissue. It's an early Christian rock record, which,
like Wilson McKinley, is basically a record of its
time with Christian lyrics rather than something that
has true roots in any Christian musical tradition.
Much of it is lovely folk-rock, and there are a few
very, very beautiful songs. The vocals are dreamy
and, dare I say, heavenly. It's not as consistent as,
say, Azitis or "Spirit of Elijah," but the best songs
here are the pinnacle of this genre. [AM]
~~~
see -> Living Sacrifice Band
LAST DAYS (on Rite) see Charisma
LAST DAYS (TX)
"Last Days" 1975 (Crusade Studios 487) [lyric insert]
Here’s a sleeper of a Christian folk record. The

lyrics are often cringe-inducing (how many times do
we need to hear the graphic details of the
crucifixion?), but there are some terrific songs here
and lovely male and female vocals. Best of all, at
the very end of side one, after nothing but guitar
and voice for four and a half songs, some searing,
punky, fuzz guitar comes out of nowhere. It turns the
song “His Love Is Real” into a surreal and very
exciting masterpiece of the highest order. Some more
heavy guitar pops up in a few places on side two, and
the album ends with a really soulful song that’s also
surprising and wonderful. This album works mostly in
bits and pieces, but at times it’s transcendent. [AM]
~~~
I was initially put off by the female vocals on this
LP which seem detached and impersonal, mostly in a
highpitched Joan Baez style. However, as the album
progresses weird little twists begin creeping up to
the surface. The male vocalist has a light
androgynous tone which makes for a strange vibe on
his tracks, as do some unexpected raw guitarleads
that almost seem tacked on by someone else. The music
is mainly straightforward Christian 70s folk with a
humble, honest vibe that occasionally goes into true
intimacy. Additional instrumentation includes piano,
flute and light drumming here and there. On "Only His
Few" they rock out in a delightfully fumbling way,
and suddenly sound like Wilson McKinley for a minute
or two before we're back in the awestruck Christian
serenades. One track seems to rip off the 60s cheese
garage classic "Shape of things to come". Hmm... odd
one, with some definite surprises up the sleeve, like
if the first Sons Of Thunder LP had been a 1970s
album. [PL]
V.A "LATITUDES 1973-74" (Blue Bell, PA)
"Latitudes 1973-74" 1974 (private)
Students from Montgomery Community County College of

interest for some strong tracks by the prog group
Puddleduck. Also features several more "bands" in
various styles, guitar-rock from Tubular Chamber
Ensemble, electric folk rock from an unnamed band,
stoned hippy/Dead folkrock from a band called “Y”,
trad folk from the Amber Ramblers, folk from Shack
People, a brief jazz piece, and a closing
electric/acoustic folk psych track.
LATTER RAIN (KY)
"Latter Rain" 1976 (New Life 610203) [500p]
Christian rock with churning organ, wah-wah, and

powerful vocals. Half the LP is smoking hardrockers
and the remaining mid-tempo tracks take on a more
progressive turn with the organ out front. Good LP.
[RM]
~~~
Most of this is pretty standard bluesy 70s Christian
rock, with vocals that don’t quite hit the harmonies
and a drummer and organist who try to overreach their
bounds. A few songs have some rather heavy guitar
with wah wah, which is surely what attracted psych
collectors to the album, but basically this is not a
hard rock album. The singer desperately tries to show
a little soul, but he just doesn’t have it. This is
the kind of album that may seem kind of daring within
the Xian context, but once you give it a few close
listens you’ll realize it doesn’t do anything a ton
of other bluesy rock albums do, and most of those do
it better. [AM]
ANTON LAVEY see "The Satanic Mass"
LAZY DAY (Sioux City, IA)
"Straight 'Atcha" 1973 (Magic) [insert]
Midwest bluesy rural piano/guitar rustic jamming.

Laid-back Allman Brothers moves. The band later
became Bonesteel and kept going for many years. [RM]
LAZY SMOKE (MA)
"A Corridor Of Faces" 1969 (Onyx 6903) [paste-on cover;

100p]
"A Corridor Of Faces" 1986 (Heyoka 206, UK) [altered cover]
"A Corridor Of Faces" 1993 (Onyx) [altered cover; 500#d;
autographed; booklet; bonus 45]
"A Corridor Of Faces" 1993 (CD Afterglow 003, UK) [bootleg]
"A Corridor Of Faces" 1997 (CD Arf Arf 065) [+12 bonus tracks]
Have to confess I've never understood all the

brouhaha around this LP, what with several reissues
and heavy dealer hype whenever offered. The final
word is yours, but to me it sounds like decent Brit-
style beat-psych with a major Beatles fixation
including Lennonesque vocals and low budget George
Martin production tricks. The songwriting is OK but
not great, and it's hard to catch a glimpse of any
true originality behind the anglo facade. While
charming and appealing in a 2nd-tier way, I've given
this album many chances to reveal itself in a bigger
way since the late 1980s, and have to file it among
items that I simply do not "get". [PL]
~~~
Drifting melodic Beatlesque psych. like if "Rubber
Soul" had all the "Sgt. Pepper's..." studio tricks
and Lennon handled all the vocals. Backwards guitar,
floating vocals, churchy organ, and haunting lyrics
about romance and regret. The original cover was a
paste-on xerox of the intended cover photo and liner
notes. The two surviving members released an album of
newly recorded acidic folk in 1996 on the Pondicherry
label, titled "Pictures In The Smoke". [RM]
~~~
World-renowned as the great Beatlesque psychedelic
album, but definitely overrated to these ears. The
singer is considered by some to be a dead ringer for
Lennon, but he lacks Lennon’s edge. There’s something
sweet, almost corny, about the vocal tone that may
resemble the Lennon of "Double Fantasy", but
certainly not Lennon from the 60s. The album is
pleasant and a few songs are excellent, but overall
it’s hardly worthy of the awe it seems to inspire in
some people. I’d certainly recommend Anonymous, or
Kaleidoscope, or Los Walkers, or even Badfinger,
first. [AM]
~~~
~~~
see -> Euclid
TIMOTHY LEARY (MA) see presentation
"The Psychedelic Experience" 1966 (Broadside brx 601) [1st

press; thick leathery sleeve; Broadside matrix #; booklet]
"The Psychedelic Experience" 1966 (Broadside brx 601)
[remastered 2nd press; thinner sleeve; Folkways matrix #;
booklet]
"The Psychedelic Experience" 1966 (Broadside/Folkways brx 601)
[3rd press; Folkways label; Broadside sleeve; booklet]
"The Psychedelic Experience / L.S.D (Pixie)" 2002 (CD
Expansion, UK) [2-on-1]
Leary's first LP was released around September 1966

but may have been recorded much earlier. It features
him and co-author Ralph Metzner reading from the
"Psychedelic Experience" book from 1964. Richard
Alpert is credited on the sleeve but may not appear
on the actual recording. The recording is a bit lo-fi
and is a working albeit somewhat dull introduction to
the phantasmagorical world of acid. The booklet is
necessary for the trip. [PL]
"Turn On, Tune In, Drop Out" 1966 (ESP 1027)
This has the same title as the more common Mercury LP

but completely different contents. This is Leary's
rarest LP and also one of his best; entertaining,
confrontational and timeless despite its heavy
zeitgeist facade. This was made just as Uncle Tim had
coined his famous slogan and was preparing to leave
the academic-scientific track and target the youth of
Middle America with his lysergic spiel. An
extraordinary piece of counterculture history. [PL]
"LSD" 1966 (Pixie 1069)

"The Psychedelic Experience / L.S.D (Pixie)" 2002 (CD
Expansion, UK) [2-on-1]
Leary's third LP to be released in a short timeframe,

this has a dry and somewhat bitter press conference
vibe, the great man's fatigue with square paranoia
and law persecution is not hard to detect. Fabulous
cover and still a good introduction. The title is
sometimes listed as 'Timothy Leary, Ph.D'. An odd 8-
track bootleg of this album from the late 1960s
exists, with only the legend "LSD" and a collage
artwork with Jim Morrison etc. [PL]
"Turn On, Tune In, Drop Out" 1967 (Mercury mg-21131) [mono;
wlp exists]
"Turn On, Tune In, Drop Out" 1967 (Mercury sr-61131)
[stereo]
"Turn On, Tune In, Drop Out" 199 (Performance, Germany)
"Turn On, Tune In, Drop Out" 199 (CD Performance, Germany)
Same title but completely different contents from the

rare ESP album above. Probably Leary's best LP, and
one of the top spoken word albums ever made. An echo-
laden and highly inspired Leary guides Ralph Metzner
through a rather eventful acid journey, with bad trip
aspects and a spellbinding exploration of cellular
memory the highpoints. There's also sound fx and lots
of incidental music in a psychy drone East Indian
style that's pretty cool. The movie for which this LP
is a soundtrack opened for a few pre-screenings in
mid-1967, but was never released theatrically and
remains unseen. Also released in New Zealand. A 45
was released from the LP. [PL]
"You Can Be Anyone This Time Around" 1970 (Douglas 1)

[gatefold; inner sleeve]
"You Can Be Anyone This Time Around" 199 (CD Rykodisc)
"You Can Be Anyone This Time Around" 199 (CD Ufo, UK)
"You Can Be Anyone This Time Around" 200 (Get Back, Italy)
[gatefold]
After 3 years during which the mainstream psychedelic

explosion he helped fuel exploded and fell apart,
Leary returned with this fun and charming LP, a part
of his gubernatorial campaign in California (Ronald
Reagan won). Supposedly featuring Hendrix and Steven
Stills, but the music is bland studio fill and of
little interest compared to Leary's raps about
legalization of marijuana, rebirth, and the central
nervous system, the latter being a particularly
inspired exegesis that points towards his 1970s-1980s
work. Great Mouse packaging. A Canadian pressing
exists. Leary also recorded an amazing European
psychrock LP, "Seven Up", with Ash Ra Temple while a
fugitive after his prison escape. [PL]
"The Joyful Wisdom" 1977 (Joy) [7 volume set]
This is a series of seven long playing record albums

in white sleeves without jackets. Produced by George
A. Koopman for WKGB, San Diego, each record features
an interview with Leary as well as other segments
(news, commercials, dramatizations) written or
performed by him. Other participants include Grace
Slick, Lindsay Wagner and Cheech & Chong.
Approximately 100 copies of each record were
distributed for promotional purposes to about 30
radio stations. No commercial release.
~~~
see -> "LSD" (Capitol)
LEATHERCOATED MINDS (OK / CA)
"Leathercoated Minds" 1967 (Viva v-6003) [mono]

"Leathercoated Minds" 1967 (Viva v-36003) [stereo]
"Leathercoated Minds" 2001 (CD Acid Symposium 001)
Ah. Early Jean Jaques (aka J.J.) Cale and a classic

slice of exploito rock. Released on Amos "Snuff"
Garrett's newly formed Viva Records, 1967's "A Trip
Down the Sunset Strip" was billed as a concept piece
- "In this album, we are trying to paint sound
pictures of the Strip - the voices you hear above
each recording are the actual voices of the Strip's
inhabitants. The traffic noises are real - recorded
on location. The songs contained in the album are
'What's happening' - most of them got their start in
the Hollywood area and later became national hits".
While the covers were largely rote in nature, Cale
and the Tillisons turned in some nice vocal
performances. The one exception was Cale's rather
ragged vocal performance on Dylan's "Mr. Tambourine
Man". Cale also distinguished himself via his guitar
work. Among the highlights, while clearly added to
the LP as filler material, were Cale's four original
instrumentals. Anyone hearing "Sunset and Clark",
"Non-Stop" or "Pot Luck" will instantly know why Eric
Clapton subsequently elected to record Cale's "After
Midnight". Personal favorite; the rollicking "Eight
Miles High" cover. Killer guitars throughout. The LP
was released in the UK by Fontana. [SB]
LEAVES (Los Angeles, CA)

"Hey Joe" 1966 (Surrey lps-3005) [mono; plain white cover with
promo sticker]
"Hey Joe" 1966 (Surrey/Mira lps-3005) [mono wlp; Surrey label;
Mira cover]
"Hey Joe" 1966 (Mira lp-3005) [mono]
"Hey Joe" 1966 (Mira lps-3005) [stereo]
"Hey Joe" 198 (Mira) [bootleg]
The debut LP from the fathers of "Hey Joe" is OK but

an obvious rush/filler job typical of the era. Apart
from the classic title track hit there's 2-3
worthwhile tracks like "Dr Stone" and "Too many
people"; the rest is 2nd tier beat & folkrock
comparable to the weaker aspects of the Blue Things
album. The band formed at San Fernando Valley State
College in Northridge. Also released in France, and
in Italy with an altered cover. [PL]
"All The Good That's Happening" 1967 (Capitol t-2638) [mono]

"All The Good That's Happening" 1967 (Capitol st-2638)
[stereo]
"All The Good That's Happening" 2005 (Capitol)
The second LP is often referred to as being superior

and more significant, and shows the band hinting at a
Buffalo Springfield type development. In all fairness
this isn't terribly impressive either but it does
have a more mature sound and some interesting tracks
like "Twilight Sanctuary". A combination of their two
albums would have been pretty enjoyable. There is a
green vinyl retrospective LP from 1982 titled "1966"
on the Panda label, including unreleased and live
tracks. Other retrospective releases and reissues
exist but won't be listed as the band is a borderline
inclusion. [PL]
V.A "LEBANON COMMUNITY THEATER" (Lebanon, PA)

"Lebanon Community Theater" 1973 (no label 7300101)
Local obscurity with covers of Doobie Bros, Crazy

Horse, Chuck Berry, some originals too. Bands include
Mourning Son and the Ashley Reflection. Some copies
came without sleeve.
LECTRIC MUSIC REVOLUTION (Guelph, Canada)
"Lectric Music Revolution" 1971 (Marathon ALS 331) [yellow

label]
"Lectric Music Revolution" 1971 (Marathon ALS 331) [red/white
label]
"Lectric Music Revolution" 1996 (Marathon) [bootleg]
"Lectric Music Revolution / Sex: The End Of My Life" 1997 (CD
Hipschaft) [2-on-1]
Moody late beat and folkrock with an occasional dark

psych/lounge feel, from older guys who look
ridiculous in "hip" mod gear on the sleeve, and don't
sound entirely comfortable with the music they're
playing. The LP has a number of great, understated
downer trips that are reminiscent of New Dawn and
Mississippi, plus a few lighter pop/top 40 tracks
that have been put down but don't sound that bad to
me. "Tanya Canya" on side 2 is a spine-chilling
classic, and the album as a complete package hits an
unusual spot which makes it memorable; burnt-out c &
w musicians trying to catch the 60s train 4 years too
late? Some rate this very highly and the reissue's
worth checking out. [PL]
TERRY LEE (Pittsburgh, PA)
"Magic Music" 1971 (Stone)
Terry Lee was a Pennsylvania DJ who also produced the

Fantastic Dee-Jays. Apparently a vanity project,
"Magic Music" is surprisingly enjoyable. Produced by
Richard Strang, musically the set's one major mess,
offering up a hodgepodge of music, sound effects,
spoken words segments and radio news snippets. The
surprise is that the music part of the LP's
surprisingly good. Propelled by Lee's nice voice, the
set offers up a mix of garage rock originals ("It's
Not Easy" and the second half of "Kennedy Nitemare")
with a couple of uncredited covers thrown in as
filler ("Gimme Gimme Good Lovin'"). Elsewhere, you
have to admire the completely tasteless cover - Lee
apparently relieving himself in a junked toilet. [SB]
TROY LEE (CA)
"Life Goes On" 1979 (Globe Export)
Local obscurity with appealing melodic psych/new wave

sounds on the title track, otherwise of no special
merit.
LEGEND (CO/CA)
"Legend" 1968 (Megaphone 101) [mono]

"Legend" 1968 (Megaphone s-101) [stereo]
Offering up a mixture of originals and popular covers

(Bob Dylan, The Troggs, The Who), musically the set
wasn't particularly original. With the band credited
with half the material, tracks such as 'The Sky That
Is Blue', 'Zepplin's Good Friday' and 'Yesterday's
Child' showcased a tasty blend of tight, Beatlesque
harmonies and surprisingly commercial melodies. It
wasn't perfect with the band occasionally drifting
too close to Mamas & Papas-styled MOR ('Gigi'). Far
more impressive were the band's stabs at a harder
rock sound, including the fuzz guitar and feedback
propelled 'Where Oh Where Is Mother' and their vox-
powered cover of Dylan's 'Baby Blue'; always liked
the song's sitar fadeout. All told, the results
weren't half bad; an album I pull out from time to
time. [SB]
~~~
The non-LP 45 track "Portrait Of Youth" is an
excellent track, other than that I'm not a great fan
of this outfit. The LP has covers of the Who, Troggs,
Dylan and more. The band had an earlier local 45 as
the Obvious on the Cheetah label. The band is often
linked to Dragonfly, but we've been unable to find
any obvious connection except the "Portrait" track
and the label. [PL]
LEGEND (CT)
"From The Fjords" 1979 (Empire 11186) [insert]

"From The Fjords" 199 (no label) [paste-on cover; 500#d]
Progressive hardrock medieval concept. Of interest

primarily for its rarity, even though as many as 1000
copies reportedly were pressed. There was also a rare
pre-LP 45 done as Judge, and a post-LP 45 with PS,
done as Mercenary.
LEGEND (OH)
"In Their Own Time" 1979 (no label 1199)

Obscure hardrock LP in the same generic "eagle" cover
as Headstone from Ohio.
JANE LEICHHARDT ( )
"A Woman Like Me" 1968 (Metromedia 1011) [wlp exists]
Quite scarce and rather good album on this always-

interesting label. Folk-rock that's not wimpy or
mystical. She's definitely a hippie, but more along
the lines of Elyse Weinberg than, say, Judy Collins.
There's nothing really psychedelic or experimental
here, and the generic-looking cover probably kept too
many collectors from checking it out. Still, it's
reasonably consistent and the singing and style are
quite appealing. [AM]
LELAND (San Francisco, CA)
"Leland" 1976 (no label r-2954) [paste-on photo cover;

inserts]
"This Is My World" 1978 (Contempt r-2954)
Leland is a freaky looking Asian dude who wears

tights, a cape and black nail polish. This album was
recorded in 1975, but it sure sounds like formative
“new wave” to me. That’s a compliment, as Leland’s
music has the same wild spirit and anything goes
attitude of the earliest DIY punk records. I’d
imagine White Boy fans liking it, for example. Most
of these songs have some crazy lead guitar, and the
album cover proclaims the music “hard rock,” so it’s
not surprising that psych and garage collectors like
it. There’s also a synth-heavy ballad with whispered
vocals, and a song where the tempo shifts wildly and
Leland starts unexpectedly singing falsetto. A few
other songs have a cool low-fi garagy feel to them.
Leland plays everything but the drums, though I think
hiring a bass player might have been a good idea.
When he sings it sounds like his throat is bleeding.
All in all, very cool. This is more like an EP than
an album, by the way, as the 6 songs clock in at 24
minutes. The first press is said to have an extra
song from an early single, though I can’t imagine why
they’d make the (retitled) second pressing so short
if another song was available. The LP was engineered
by David Blossom (Fifty Foot Hose). [AM]
"Live At Mabuhay Gardens, S.F." 1979 (Contempt r-2965)
Here's one for people who thought the recording

quality on "This Is My World" wasn't cheap-sounding
enough. It's a mono live album with cavernous echo,
barely intelligible vocals and "Sears special"-
sounding guitars that play spastically long after the
songs should be over. Terry Brooks fans might like
it. Since it's live with no overdubs, it lacks the
extra texture of the first album's keyboards. I like
"This Is My World" a lot, but this one is too anti-
melodic and sonically sludgy for me to take. My
favorite "song" is the last one, where Leland plays
random noise on his guitar, the drummer bangs
uncontrollably between guitar bits, and one of the
producers asks Leland why he insists on turning his
guitar up so loud. This is even shorter than "This Is
My World," a mere 16 minutes, about a third of which
is guitar noodling. [AM]
D LEMIEUX & JEAN PETERS (IL)
"Hey Jesus Christ, Welcome To This World" 1971 (Wright)

[booklet]
Unbelievable homemade variation on Jesus Christ

Superstar (different songs, similar concept);
"misguided" is only the beginning. Sounds like a
recovering addict project, crude in every aspect. A
must for incredibly strange fans -- don't miss the
"Inn-keeper"'s forceful performance. [PL]
LEND A HAND (FL)
"Lend A Hand" 197 (Lenihan LR101)
Lowkey Christian folk/softrock with female vocals,

piano and flute, plus some contemporary secular
covers. Housed in the same generic ocean sunset
sleeve as Asylum and Quoth The Raven.
GEORGIE 'PORGIE' LEONARD (RI)
"One Man Band" 1971 (Cheep ch-001)

"One Man Band" 1999 (American Sound 1006) [bonus 45; 500p]
Also known as Georgie Porgie of local 1960s folk-punk

45 fame, this finds the guy five years and several
jugs of Romilar later. Essentially a so-so
singer/songwriter LP somewhere between Geoffrey and
Arthur Lee Harper though possibly weaker than both.
Starved on worthwhile finds some dealers hyped this
in the 1990s, but apart from the great closing psych
spooker "The lake" (which exists in a different pre-
LP 45 version), it's pretty bad and embarrassing in
my ears. A reissue on the Belgian Fanny label was
advertised but hasn't been seen. Half the reissue
pressing came with the 'girls' cover, and half in
another cover design. [PL]
LEOPARDS (Kansas City, KS)
"Kansas City Slickers" 1977 (Moon mlp-300)
The Leopards are to the "Village Green"-era Kinks

what the Rutles are to the Beatles, except that
they're pure tribute with no sense of mockery. This
album is a blast for Kinks fans, but it's also very
nice for fans of 60s pop, as there are great melodies
and clever ideas sprinkled throughout. They also
released a few excellent non-LP singles. They were
around during the Kansas City power pop scene in the
late 70s and one has to wonder if Michael Angelo was
connected to them or any of the other bands in the
area. Promo copies include a printed folder with
press clippings. [AM]
PERRY LEOPOLD (Philadelphia, PA)
"Experiment In Metaphysics" 1970 (WS 1) [300p]

"Experiment In Metaphysics" 1995 (Psychedelic Archives, UK)
[275p; altered cover; insert]
"Experiment In Metaphysics" 1998 (CD Gear Fab gf-122) [+3
tracks]
Legendary LP of twisted folkpsych/singer-songwriter

crossover, like a Tim Hardin from hell. He has a
great beatnik voice and plays acoustic guitar like
noone before or since, the instrumental tracks are
more psychedelic than ten layers of Sgt Pepper tape
loops. The vocal stuff's even better, relating
Perry's unique wisdom and outcast experiences. Some
tracks go deep in a DR Hooker manner and all over
this is an essential LP in my ears. Recorded in a
basement studio beneath a Philly shoe store. The
original came in a plain copper cover with small
title sticker; not all copies have the sticker. The
vinyl reissue has an insert with a photo of Perry
with Bruce Springsteen! Good unreleased stuff from
1973 was issued in 2000 ("Christian Lucifer", Gear
Fab/Comet). [PL]
~~~
Damaged solo coffeehouse folk. The "Metaphysics" LP
is a dark folk classic. Aggressive, dark strumming
with biblical, metaphysical concerns, and just plain
lostness. Delicate high tenor vocals and torturous
acoustic picking, even on the slower cuts. Depressing
claustrophobic imagery and world weariness. The
playing tends to wander, changing tempo and
progressions but always retaining a sense of
schizophrenic foreboding to match his vocals. "Cold
in Philadelphia", a tale of living on the street,
puts you right there with him. The last two songs,
"When You're Gone" and "The U.S.S. Commercial",
really puts it all together - good tunes to check out
to. A thoroughly haunted recording. "Christian
Lucifer", originally unreleased, continues his
harrowing themes with an increasing concentration on
religious imagery. He also recorded a less effective
EP in the late 70s. [RM]
~~~
see -> High Treason
CLAIRE LEPAGE & COMPAGNIE (Quebec, Canada)
"Claire Lepage & Compagnie" 1970 (Trans-Canada)
Bluesy guitar psych with female vocals and a Beatles

cover. She has a whole bunch of albums, but this is
the one of interest to readers of this book.
LESLIE BROTHERS (MI)
"Wanted" 196 (Cupid)
Two hillbilly hipster brothers from Kentucky end up

in Michigan and recorded this record. Try to imagine
if Stud Cole had two younger inbreeded cousins that
were inspired by Chuck Berry instead of Elvis and you
get a good idea what this album sounds like. By the
way, it's rarer than all the other big ones (Index,
Mystic Siva, etc) from Michigan. The only other known
copy is trashed and without a cover. I suspect it's
from the late sixties and it's great! [JSB]
LET'S SPEND THE NIGHT TOGETHER (Canada)
"Let's Spend The Night Together" 1967 (Arc 728)
Canadian exploitation with six Rolling Stones covers,

plus some Yardbirds, Small Faces, Troggs etc.
"A LETTER HOME" see A Letter Home
MARK LEVINE (Los Angeles, CA)
"Pilgrim's Progress" 1968 (Hogfat hlp-1)
This album has the look and feel of one of the

Columbia albums of its time. It’s long (50 minutes),
has babbling liner notes from the artist, and Levine
the singer-songwriter is backed by an absolutely ace
group of musicians, including Ry Cooder and Mike
Deasy. Dylan comparisons are inevitable: Levine
doesn’t have much of a voice but his singing projects
plenty of personality and humor, and his lyrics are
complex in both personal and abstract ways. The music
is folk-rock with a bluesy edge (courtesy of Cooder’s
guitars.) Half the time it sounds like Levine was
trying to make the greatest album ever, and the other
half it just sounds like he’s having fun with his
buddies, and the record is appealing on both levels.
The lyrics are often obscene, and are frank and
explicit about sex and drugs. This must have been
quite shocking at the time and gives the album a real
underground hippie feel. The opening and closing
songs (two sides of the same coin, lyrically) are the
most instantly likeable, but there’s a lot of depth
here. This isn’t background music; you’ll want to pay
attention to the lyrics. This is one of the most
enjoyable and fascinating singer songwriter albums of
the era. [AM]
LE 25IEME REGIMENT see 25th Regiment
PAUL LEVINSON (NY)

"Twice Upon A Rhyme" 1972 (Happysad 3000)
Enjoyable but still fairly unknown LP of 1968-69

Buckley/Hardin-style folkrock with stoned psych vibe
throughout, lots of warmth and personality and
idiosynchratic vocals. Full rock setting with
feedback guitars, organ and druggy sound effects,
creating a flowing “Blonde on blonde”-like feel with
many layers and unpredictable moves. Upbeat 1960s
vibe, rather than the usual 1970s downers. Highpoints
include weird, dreamy tracks such as "Forever Friday"
and "The Lama Will Be Late This Year" (my personal
anthem). [PL]
PHILIP LEWIN (Toronto, Canada)
"Am I Really Here All Alone?" 1975 (Gargoyle no#) [paste-on

cover; 300p]
Appealing DIY hippie-folk LP with mostly acoustic

guitar, electric lead picking on top, and Lewin's
vocals. Relaxed and organic with an almost improvised
feel; I can imagine him as the Tim Hardin of some
local 70s coffeehouse scene. Not really a "downer"
album, although a couple tracks (one with piano)
reach into darker corners with a late-night blues
feel. Lewin's voice isn't strong but he uses it well
and creates an intimate presence that keeps your
attention throughout. As on many Canadian LPs there
is also a certain British feel which may recall Tony,
Caro & John, Red Television and similar efforts. The
album's main weakness may be the lack of a
"signature" song to stand out among the 11 tracks.
Packaging is great, a monochrome wraparound sheet
with an excellent psychedelic drawing of Lewin,
making this look like an old TMQ bootleg. Worth
checking out for both genre fans and those interested
in Canadian private press releases. Lewin's second LP
("Diamond Love & Other Realities", Gargoyle 1976)
comes with professional packaging and a full folkrock
sound with flowing keyboard, jazzy moves and some
female vocals, but is less successful as a whole.
JEFF LIBERMAN (Flossmoor, IL)
"Jeffrey Liberman" 1975 (Librah 1545)

"Jeffrey Liberman" 199 (Librah, Europe) [bootleg]
The debut LP which apart from being reissued also
supplied one track to a comp you might wanna check
out before diving into his stuff. Mixes heavy
feedback blowouts with mellow loungy bits. An
acquired taste as they say, though guitarheads
probably can dig it. [PL]
"Solitude Within" 1975 (Librah JL 6969)

"Solitude Within" 199 (Librah, Europe) [bootleg]
I wasn't real sure what to expect from this one since

folks seem to love it, or hate it. With that in mind
I'm happy to report that I fall into the pro-Jeff
Liberman camp. While 1975's "Solitude Within" may not
be the most original effort in my collection,
Liberman showed himself to be an excellent and
extremely versatile guitarist who was equally at home
on hard rock ("Rock or Roll Me"), jazz-rock, blues
('The Same Old Blues') and even a little out-and-out
experimentation (the instrumental "Myopic Euphoria").
While the focus was clearly on Liberman's guitar
chops, exemplified by tracks like the leadoff rocker
"I Can't Change" and "Life Is Just a Show" he had one
of those gravely voices that was surprisingly well
suited to a wide array of genres. Imagine Robin
Trower (another reviewer used Alvin Lee as a
comparison), but with a voice and less of a Hendrix
fixation and you'd be in the right aural
neighborhood. While psych and rock fans might not be
enthused by Liberman's jazz-rock excursions, I
actually found stuff like the instrumental Santana-
esque title track and "'Springtime"' to be a nice
change of pace. [SB]
"Synergy" 1978 (Librah) [insert]

"Synergy" 199 (Librah, Europe) [bootleg]
"Then And Now" 199 (CD Second Battle sb-034, Germany) [2CD]
-- collects the three Librah LPs on 2 CDs.
LIFER (Bloomington, IN)
"Lifer" 1980 (Ribbon Rail)
Hardrock obscurity with a slight prog touch.
LIFT (New Orleans, LA)
"Caverns Of Your Brain" 1977 (Guiness gns-36021)

"Caverns Of Your Brain" 199 (Guiness, Europe) [bootleg]
"The Moment Of Hearing" 199 (CD Synphonic) [+bonus tracks]
This is the most collectable rock (as opposed to

funk) album on the Guinness label, and it's easy to
see why, as it's one of the most accomplished
American prog albums you'll hear. There's a definite
Yes influence in the heavy bass playing, melodic
vocals and use of keyboards, but also a youthful
charm and refreshing lack of fantasy lyrical content.
The last song gets awfully repetitive at the end
(which makes me wonder if Guinness just used the
master tape and didn't fade the song out soon
enough), but otherwise these four long songs are
engaging and surprising throughout. Several years
later the band found out that "Caverns" (recorded
1974) had been released behind their backs, and they
decided to release the album on CD. This reissue
includes a whole album's worth of songs they recorded
a few years later with a female vocalist. This is one
of the rarest albums on Guinness, reportedly a
pressing of 500. [AM]
LIGHTNIN' (MI)
"Lightnin'" 1975 (Jojacq) [blank back cover]
Hardrock with funk and prog moves. Same songs on both

sides. There is also a John Sinclair-produced 1973
acetate with 5 tracks from a MI band called Lightnin'
which is better than this, with typical Detroit rock
sounds. It's unclear if it's the same band.
[WHITE] LIGHTNING (Minneapolis, MN)
"Lightning" 1970 (P.I.P. 6807) [wlp exists]

"Lightning" 1996 (CD Anthology 38.11, Italy)
Hard fuzz trio/quintet featuring the blazing leads of

Zippy Caplan (ex-Litter). The band was less garagy
and more pounding hardrock than the Litter. White
Lightning was a slang term for LSD at the time (and
bootleg whiskey prior to that). In this pre-LP power
trio format the band cut a classic hard guitar-psych
45, "William", released as by White Light on the
local Hexagon label and picked up by Atco for
national distribution. The group then added two new
members and shortened their name to Lightning. They
continued in the hardrock mode but now with dual
leads. "Lightning" is an excellent effort, just
missing the certain magic they possessed as a power
trio. Recorded at Sound 80 in Minneapolis. Early runs
mention Jimi Hendrix on the label; later runs do not.
Posthumous releases with enjoyable pre-LP material
include "Under The Screaming Double Eagle" and "The
Lost Studio Album/1969", both on the American Sound
label, combined to one CD on Arf Arf. [RM]
~~~
see -> Litter
LIGHT RAIN (Larkspur, CA)
"Light Rain" 1977 (Magi 004)
Douglas Adams' debut LP was released under his name,

while the "Light Rain" title became his band name for
subsequent albums. Rather appealing mid-1970s hippie
folkrock/s-sw sounds with a rich instrumentation and
lots of ethnic moves; especially into
Mediterranean/Arabian domains. I detect an influence
from "Desire"-era Dylan, which combines with a
typical guitarbased period sound (incl some fuzz
leads) a la David Sinclair on side 1, while side 2
gradually lays on an Eastern feel with flamenco
guitars and arabian violin, making the last 10-12
minutes quite psychedelic in feel. Hardly outstanding
but enjoyable all through for fans of 1970s folkrock.
Light Rain's subsequent work is instrumental Middle-
Eastern bellydance excursions with a westernized
feel, superb performances and high production value.
These include "Dream Dancer" (1978), "Dream
Suite" (1979) and "Valentine To Eden" (1983), all
reissued on CD. Several years earlier, Adams and his
brother were in El Paso band Wailing Wall (see
entry). [PL]
LILY & MARIA (New York City, NY)
"Lily & Maria" 1968 (Columbia CS 9707)

"Lily & Maria" 2005 (Columbia)
I picked up a copy of the LP given I'd seen various

references describing it as being "moody psych" and
"acid folk". Chalk that description up to dealer
hype. So if it ain't psych, what is it? Imagine a
female Simon and Garfunkel. Now eliminate some of the
songwriting talent; delete some of the vocal
abilities; eradicate most of that pair's limited
sense of humor and for good measure add on a mix of
cloying lyrics and nauseating arrangements. Yup,
that'll give you a pretty good picture of the
results. Basically it's hard to decide what worse,
the duo's lame stabs at making big and sensitive
statements ('Subway Thoughts' and 'Ismene - Jasime'),
or Neuman's little girl lost voice. To my ears the
woman can't come within a mile of hitting a song's
melody. Given the album vanished without a trace,
most folks (or at least the few that heard this),
apparently agreed. [SB]
~~~
This duo became of interest to collectors when a song
from this album appeared on the "Hippie Goddesses"
compilation. Housed behind a photo of the two, heads
together, naked to the shoulders, marvellous blue
eyes shining, the album is sensual and intimate, and
the voices blend in an appealing way. Most of the
songs are long; they drift. That's good and bad; at
its best the songs are passionate and delicate, but
at worst they're aimless and over-serious. It's
unique; I think it's a more interesting record than,
say, Wendy & Bonnie, but I also think it'll just
float right by a listener who isn't inclined the
right way. [AM]
LINCOLN ST EXIT (Albuquerque, NM)
"Drive It" 1970 (Mainstream 6126) [rarer wlp exists]

"Drive It" 198 (Mainstream, Europe) [bootleg; thin cover &
vinyl, matrix# scratched out]
"Drive It" 199 (CD TRC, Germany) [+2 tracks]
Along with Growing Concern and Bohemian Vendetta,

this is at the top of the Mainstream totem pole (in
terms of price), and it almost lives up to the hype.
Excellent teen hard rock from Native Americans who
are wise beyond their years, as good as almost any
other bluesy hard rock album from its time. Maybe the
best of the many excellent Mainstream album covers,
too. The band had a killer pre-LP garage/psych 45,
and also a retrospective EP on the Psychout label
with a great unreleased psych epic track. A German
pressing on London exists. [AM]
~~~
see -> Xit
JAMES CALHOUN LINDSAY BAND ( )
"Kinky Mersey" 1976 (Tiger Lily tl-14043)
Lord knows why this album was ever recorded. It's

covers of mostly British Invasion songs (including
four Beatles tunes), basically done with no effort to
distinguish them from the originals. It sounds like a
demo for a cover band trying to get gigs on the
oldies circuit. In fact, this was most certainly
demos rather than completed songs, as the songs end
sloppily, there appear to be no overdubs, and in some
places you can hear the singer giving cues to the
band. Side two is even less "complete" than side one
and sounds like it was recorded accidentally without
the band's knowledge. The only song that tries for
something different is a long, boring, obviously
improvised hard rock take on "Why Don't We Do It In
The Road." It's a song that could make for an
interesting cover version some day, but this isn't
it. Only the most fanatic Tiger Lily collector should
dare touch this stinker. In true tax scam fashion,
there are no musician credits, and some of the
songwriting credits and song titles are incorrect.
James Cahoon Lindsay was previously a member of
Goodthunder, and later would be a member of L.A.
Jets. Both bands also included members of another
(and much better) Tiger Lily band, Daddy Warbucks.
[AM]
LINKS (Las Vegas, NV)
"Presenting the Links" 1967 (Link lp-501)
"Once Again and Again" 1967 (Link lp-503)
Funny bad lounge rock cover band with lots of

accordion that's been criminally hyped as "garage"
and "folkrock" by deaf record dealers in the past.
[RM]
LIONHART (TX)
"Lionhart" 1977 (Hutch) [1st press; plain cover]

"Lionhart" 1977 (Hutch) [2nd press; printed red cover]
Crunching guitar hardrockers. There is a also a 45
release.
LISTEN (Oklahoma City, OK)
"Listen" 1973 (Treehouse S-12-432)
Seldom seen Christian hippie folk trio which is above

average, about half the tracks being strong.
LISTENING (Boston, MA)
"Listening" 1968 (Vanguard vsd-6504) [wlp exists]

"Listening" 2000 (Vanguard/Akarma 050, Italy)
"Listening" 2000 (CD Vanguard/Akarma 050, Italy)
Good but overrated Bosstown hard rock/psych album.

They try to do a lot, integrating jazz and blues
touches into the music. Some of the songs don’t
really make it, and they seem kind of self-conscious
at times (i.e. the Dylan-esque moan of “so stoned” at
the end of the otherwise great “Stoned Is”.) This one
hasn’t really aged all that well, probably because
they were trying too hard, but there are still some
hot moments and some excellent musicianship on
display here. [AM]
~~~
Between 1966 & 1968 you could easily have divided the
U.S. into five distinct geographic areas with each
one having it's own stereotypical, localized style of
rock music. The Midwest had horns, possibly as a
result of it's rich history of High School Football
and it's accompanying Marching Bands. The West Coast
had laid back, flowing guitar sounds, the results of
both the "Hippie"(drugs) and "Surf" lifestyles. The
Southwest(primarily Texas) had a punky, bad-ass
garage edge as a result of being... ummm... Texans.
The Southeast was influenced by it's native R&B and
the Justice label documents the results. And the
Northeast had blue-eyed soul, street smarts and the
legendary Hammond B-3 Organ. The Vanilla Fudge is the
band that can get credit/blame for leading a whole
barrage of organ dominated bands that played the
clubs of the Tri-State Area (NY, NJ, Conn, Pa,
Mass... yeah, I know there's five of `em). Most of
these bands did simplistic cover versions of R&B and
AM Rock hits, slowed down to barbiturate speed, with
this giant, living, breathing, pulsating organ
pulling the tune along like a tugboat. As stated
above, these characterizations are stereotypes, with
there being a considerable number of exceptions,
exceptions that usually produced the more interesting
music. Listening is one of these exceptions. Their
one and only LP, released on the Vanguard label in
1968 is certainly rooted in the Northeast stereotype.
Keyboardist Michael Tschudin uses what appears to be
classical and jazz influences to both expand and
explore the genre, without ever sounding pretentious.
(And continued to do so well into the 70's... more on
that later) The LP opens with the awesome "You're Not
There", a tune of matured teen angst that rather than
beg "Baby, please come back!", realizes it's way to
late and comes to terms with it. ("~You just stare,
Baby, you're not there~"). Great ripping guitar and
an organ that crescendos at all the right times.
Amazingly, this tune was covered by the NY band
Odyssey on their obscure private press as a result of
the band's management having heard the Listening
version and thinking it could "be a hit". "Laugh At
The Stars" has a very psychedelic Left Banke vibe
with once again, great guitar leads that are subtle
and in all the right places. The third cut "9/8 Song"
is where we might lose a few folks as the piano is
rolled out and used generously. Imagine The Wizards
From Kansas jamming with Dave Brubeck. It works for
me, it won't for everyone. Next up is the highlight
of the LP and one of my all-time personal faves
"Stoned Is". This is the herb smokers answer to Lou
Reed's "Heroin". It captures such a mellow, stoned
vibe that a mere listen may produce a contact high.
Features a sound that's described in the liner notes
as "Organ Wash" (This song was covered by Tschudin's
later band "Cynara" on Capitol in the early 70's) It
closes with the exclamation point of vocalist/drummer
Ernie Kamanis moaning "SoooooooooStoooooonnneeddd".
The LP is worth the price of admission for this tune
alone, and I don't say that about too many albums.
"Forget It, Man" and "I Can Teach You" are more
progressive in nature and upbeat which is not the
band's forte, but certainly tolerable. "So Happy"
sounds like a Boyce & Hart Monkees tune, catchy but
shallow. "Cuando" is a throwaway instrumental with a
Latin vibe. "Baby, Where Are You" is the highlight of
Side Two. A blues based tune that again has a Lou
Reed vocal vibe and a stoned Young Rascals meet Sam
Gopal musical vibe. The closer is "See You Again" and
it has a trashy Lincoln St. Exit guitar sound, the
hardest rocker on the LP and the tune where 16 year
old guitarist Peter Malick gets to show off his
chops. In my opinion this LP is the best of the more
obscure Vanguard efforts. If keyboards aren't your
thing, you'll think a little less of it. If you dig
the Odyssey LP or Stark Naked on RCA this is your
Holy Grail. [RH]
~~~
see -> Cynara
LITE STORM (Los Angeles, CA)
"Warning" 1973 (Beverly Hills 1135)
Hollywood breezy hippies with Kali Bahlu, one OK

track has been comp'd.
"God Is Love" 1973 (Beverly Hills 1136)
"God Is Truth" 1974 (Sai Sound Sumitee)
Obscure second and third LPs are more Eastern-mystic

and spiritual as the band disappeared into the guru
mist (as represented by Sai Baba, pictured on both
album sleeves). Mixed male/female vocals, indian
instruments. Later albums were released as by One.
~~~
see -> One
LITTER (Minneapolis, MN)
"Distortions" 1967 (Warick wm-671) [2000p]

"Distortions" 1981 (no label, UK) [bootleg]
"Distortions" 198 (Eva 12038, France)
"Distortions / $100 Fine" 1990 (CD Eva b-04) [2-on-1]
"Distortions" 1990 (K-Tel 835-1) [+2 tracks; 500p]
"Distortions" 1990 (CD K-Tel 835-2) [+2 tracks]
"Distortions" 1995 (CD Taxim tx-2003, Germany)
"Distortions" 1999 (CD Arf! Arf! aa-077) [+9 tracks]
"Distortions" 1999 (Get Hip ghas-5020)
One of the major local LP legends which had people

mortgaging their houses even back in the late 1970s.
Zippy Caplan is one great fuzz guitarist and there
are some brilliant originals here, but also several
unnecessary UK '65-66 covers which sort of irritate
me. Insane version of "I'm a man" is a classic, and
the sheer perfection of "Action woman" even more so,
but both these tracks were released on 45. So by
today's standards this LP doesn't really deliver all
the way in my ears, though I'm sure a lot of people
out there disagree. [PL]
"$100 Fine" 1968 (Hexagon 681) [1000p]

"$100 Fine" 198 (Hexagon, Europe) [bootleg; fuzzy photo and
fine printing]
"Distortions / $100 Fine" 1990 (CD Eva b-04) [2-on-1]
"$100 Fine" 1991 (K-Tel) [+1 track]
"$100 Fine" 1991 (CD K-Tel) [+1 track]
"$100 Fine" 1993 (CD Era 10002)
"$100 Fine" 1995 (CD Taxim tx-2004, Germany)
"$100 Fine" 1999 (CD Arf! Arf! aa-078) [+19 tracks]
"$100 Fine" 1999 (Get Hip ghas-5017)
Supposedly an acid fuzz kingpin LP from their "psych"

phase, though several people I know agree it isn't
really all that great. This may seem like sacrilege
but you got to remember that this LP got its'
reputation back in the early 80s when most of today's
monsters hadn't been discovered and reissued yet. So
compared to some LPs I could name (like Morgen) it is
a slight disappointment. The band's major label third
LP ("Emerge", Probe 1969) is in the heavy guitar rock
camp and nowhere near the quality of the first two,
but still better than most. Other Litter releases
include "Rare Tracks" on the French Eva label from
1983, which was a sampler of related (and non-
related) tracks by White Lightning, the Electras and
the Litter. "Live At Mirage" (CD on Arf! Arf! 079,
1998) and "Re-Emerge" (CD on Arf! Arf! 080, 1998)
both feature modern recordings. [PL]
~~~
see -> Lightning
LITTLE CEASAR & THE CONSULS (Toronto, Canada)

"Little Ceasar & The Consuls" 1966 (Red Leaf 1001)
Teen-beat LP from band with goofy Roman soldier

image, on the same label as the British Modbeats.
Covers of "Sloopy", "Dancing in the street", "Shout",
"Just like Romeo & Juliet", etc. Frat/club band
throwback, more than garage. They had a national #1
hit in 1965.
LITTLE HOWLIN' WOLF (IL)
"The Guardian" 1982 (Solidarity)
"The Cool Truth" 1985 (Solidarity)
Mainly late 1970s recordings of freaky fringe

blues/rock/anything sounds from DIY Polish guy who
played Chicago street corners and clubs, has garnered
many fans over the years. The name isn't too far-
fetched, he really does sound like a slightly smaller
(even at 6 ft 9) variation on the old blues legend at
times. Comparisons have been made to both Albert
Ayler and Abner Jay, take your pick. The guy
supposedly did more than 30 45s, from which the two
albums were assembled. The Heresee label has released
some retrospective CDs. This artist (James Pobiega)
shouldn't be confused with another Little Howlin'
Wolf, a black guy named Jesse Sanders.
LITTLE PHIL & THE NIGHTSHADOWS see Nightshadow
V.A "LIVE AT THE BLOOD & BONES" (CT)
"Live At The Blood & Bones" 1972 (no label) [100p]
Acoustic folk blues with basement charms. Record has

a purple tint under light.
V.A "LIVE AT THE FUNNY FARM" (HI)
"Live At The Funny Farm" 1966 (Scene 200) [gatefold]
Local Hawaiian club sampler with lots of r'n'b and

soul covers and a wild party mood, not bad. Bands
include Spirits, Undertakers, Val Richards V,
Casuals. "Rosalyn" by the Undertakers has been
comp'd.
V.A "LIVE FROM THE GROOVEYARD" (Vancouver, Canada)

"Live From The Grooveyard" 1967 (New Syndrome 1004) [2LPs]
Local beat and soul ravers on this rare double set,

with the Stages, Shockers, Shantelles, Epics, Stags,
Soul Unlimited, Nocturnals, Night Train Revue. Much
of the material is soul/r'n'b, but there's also
covers of the Beatles and the Byrds. Hardly any
(none?) band originals across the 28 tracks. It's a
fake live recording.
LIVING SACRIFICE BAND (ID/NJ)
"Living Sacrifice" 197 (Living Sacrifice ls-770816) [approx

200p]
"Beauty for Ashes" 1979 (Praise Jesus ears-36) [black & white
cover]
"Beauty for Ashes" 1979 (Praise Jesus ears-36) ['flower girl'
cover]
"A Call to Brokeness" 1981 (Shekinah shm-3019)
Mix of acoustic Christian folk and rock with extended

tracks and male/female vocals. The band moved to New
Jersey and recorded as The Living Sacrifice Band on
the latter two LPs. "A Call to Brokenness" is
outstanding with heavy guitar and Jethro Tull
sounding long tracks. Ex-Last Call of Shiloh. [RM]
SAM LLOYD (Canada)
"Sam Lloyd" 1972 (Chart On 2001)
Basement downer folk with some fuzz.
LOAD (Columbus, OH)
"Praise the Load" 1976 (Owl Intermedia st-2557)

"Praise the Load" 1996 (CD Lazer's Edge)
I've seen some references that leave the impression

these guys had psych leanings. Bullshit! Musically
the album offered up a conventional mix of rock-
adapted classical pieces (Bach's "Brandenburg #3" and
Rossini's "The William Tell Overture") and more
conventional rock numbers ("Flyaway" and "Dave's 'A'
Song"). Imagine something out of the early King
Crimson or ELP catalogs and you'll be much closer to
the mark, though material such as the Spanish-
influenced "Fandango" and "The Betrayal" were nowhere
as pompous as the ELP. Having listened to the set a
couple of dozen times, you'll be left with two
standing impressions. First, Hessler and the Smiths
may not have been the most talented writers but they
were exceptionally talented musicians. Secondly,
you're struck by the fact the album was clearly
lovingly made -- you'll be hard pressed to find a
private pressing with such good sonic qualities. An
unreleased 1977 LP appeared in the 1990s ("Load Have
Mercy", Lazer's Edge). [SB]
LOADING ZONE (San Francisco, CA)
"One For All" 1970 (Umbrella us-101)
Bluesy soul rock with horns and the vocals of Linda

Tillery. The band had an earlier self-titled major
label LP which is easy to find (RCA, 1968). Neither
album is very good, the Umbrella LP is mainly
collected as a rarity.
LOADSTONE (Las Vegas, NV)
"Loadstone" 1969 (Barnaby 21235004)

"Loadstone" 2004 (Barnaby 35004)
Features a side-long track, "Flower Pot", with wild

effects and found sounds. This is actually Bobby
Darin's backing group, and features a horn section.
LOCKSLEY HALL (WA)
"Locksley Hall" 1996 (OR 013) [500p]
While a lot of co-ed groups of the era sound rather

generic, Locksley Hall manages to escape identity in
a slightly different way. This album plays almost
like a sampler of West Coast music. On various songs
they sound like Country Joe & The Fish, Jefferson
Airplane, The Charlatans, Big Brother & The Holding
Company, and the Association. Despite the crudeness
of the recordings there’s a definite sense of
professionalism here. They’re more appealing as a
hard rock band than a soft rock band, but the only
real dud here is the good timey song that ends side
one. Both the male and female vocals are quite good,
though as is often the case they sound much better
apart than together. There is some excellent guitar
playing here and a few very solid songs, most notably
a long rocker on side one. The mix of styles is a bit
disconcerting, but overall, this is much better than
a lot of genre albums that did end up getting major
label releases at the time. The LP was recorded in
Seattle for Epic in the late 1960s but not released
at the time. [AM]
LODESTAR (Springfield, OH)
"Lodestar" 1978 (no label)
Hardrock with wailing leads. Good one. No relation to

the El Paso band on "I Love You Gorgo". A Rite
pressing, for those who track that plant.
LODESTONE ( )
"Mainstreet" 1974 (LD 101)
Rural bar rock sound with harmony vocals.
LODESTONE (CA)
"Lodestone" 1981 (Lodestone 7268) [textured cover]
Hardrock with metallic edge. Good guitar.
LOGOS (KS)
"Firesides And Guitars" 1974 (Audio House 113 L74) [300p]
Midwest aching folkrock with Vietnam era social

concerns. Beautiful vocals and sparse guitar backing,
similar sound and quality to Shadrack. [RM]
LOLLIPOP SHOPPE (Las Vegas, NV / Portland, OR)
"Just Colour" 1968 (UNI 73019)

"Just Colour" 199 (Edsel, UK) [+2 bonus tracks]
Despite "You must be a witch" of Pebbles fame this LP

is a bit overlooked. I think it's one of the craziest
major label LPs around and along with SAC the best on
the label. Fred Cole's vocals are so far out you
wonder how they ever got a contract plus tracks like
the awesome "Underground railroad" blows even private
press stuff away. Perhaps more eccentric than truly
good, but should be checked out. Lord Tim Hudson
tried a Seeds-style hype with them but it never
really clicked. [PL]
~~~
see -> "Angels From Hell"
JACK LONDON & THE SPARROWS (Canada)
"Jack London & the Sparrows" 1965 (Capitol t-6115) [mono]
This debut LP from future Steppenwolf bigwigs is rare

and goes in a typical mid-60s Brit
Invasion/Merseybeat style. Unlike most Canadian
albums from the era, this has several band originals.
~~~
see -> "Meet The Lively Ones"
TOM LONERGAN (NY)
"And Buddy Kelly, Donna Nylans & John Kroner" 197 (Paja's no
#)
Rare rural folkrock and blues in the typical early

1970s private press style, with electric guitar
leads, flute, some female vocals.
LONG HOT SUMMER see Friday At The Cage A Go Go
LONG TIME COMIN' (IN)
"Long Time Comin'" 1974 (no label)
Local rural rock with steel guitar and jammy feel.
LOOSELY TIGHT (AZ)
"Fightin' Society" 1981 (Star Struck Records TDS 020559)
Local hardrock/metal led by Dino Livingston. The band

later became Icon.
LORD SITAR ( )
"Lord Sitar" 1968 (Capitol st-3916) [rainbow label]
Session musicians featuring Big Jim Sullivan on

sitar. Fun lounge instro rock with lead sitar, organ,
and some bumblebee fuzz. Covers of the hip songs of
the day including three Beatles' covers. [RM]
LOS PERDIDOS (NJ)
"Los Perdidos" 1963 (LP 101)
Obscure pre-garage LP of surf, frat and instros,

included here as it's usually bought by garage LP
collectors. One band original, "Race riot". Cool
monochrome sleeve of the well-groomed band playing
around in a doghouse.
LOST & FOUND (Houston, TX)
"Everybody's Here" 1967 (International Artists 3) [cover

slicks]
"Everybody's Here" 1978 (International Artists 3) [box-set
reissue; boardprinted]
"Everybody's Here" 1979 (International Artists 3) [wraparound
slick]
"Everybody's Here" 199 (Decal, UK)
"Everybody's Here" 1993 (CD Collectables col-0552)
"Everybody's Here" 199 (CD Eva b-42, France) [+bonus tracks]
One of the more famous I.A LPs but to me none of the

best, has moves similar to the Elevators and Golden
Dawn but no real artistic vision -- more like the
local hipsters strutting their '66 fuzz discoteque
act. A couple of good tracks but also some throwaway
duds. Great sleeve though. The band was previously
known as the Misfits but had to change their name
after being involved in one of the earliest local TX
drug busts of a rock'n'roll band. This, like some of
the other lesser IA albums, sells for as much money
today as it did back in the late 1970s! The band's
finest moment was the non-LP IA 45; they also had
some unreleased material on "Epitaph For A Legend".
The 1978 reissue can be identified via the matrix
number, which begins 'Ach...'. The 1979 bootleg has
're-1' in the dead wax. There are probably more
reissues than those; all reissues are vinyl-sourced
as the tapes are lost. [PL]
V.A "THE LOUISVILLE SCENE" (Louisville, KY)
"The Louisville Scene" 1967 (Rod'N Custom 3001)
Rare local Battle Of The Bands LP including 12

showbands, soul and beat groups who were winners of
the Rod and Custom Car Show Battle. Bands include the
two solid garage tracks from the Rondells and
Malibus, plus the Pas-Tels, Romers, J.C. and the
Humans, Patriots, Sixpence, Centaurs, Vibratones and
more. The cover shows local DJs driving cartoon hot
rods.
LOVE EXCHANGE (Los Angeles, CA)
"Love Exchange" 1968 (Tower t-5115) [mono]

"Love Exchange" 1968 (Tower st-5115) [stereo]
"Love Exchange" 200 (CD Sundazed 6113) [+bonus tracks]
Poppy folkrock with organ, acid leads, mixed vocals.

A bit in the cheesy exploito bag.
LOVE IS A HEART-ON (New York City, NY)
"Love Is A Heart-On" 1970 (Heavy hs-111) [lyric insert]
Silly and not especially funny obscene rock nowhere

near as amusing as the "Let My People Come"
soundtrack, the Hot Poop album, or even Chinga
Chavin's "Country Porn." Some of this is pretty
heavy, and there's a bunch of fuzz guitar on display,
but this barely has value as a curiosity. I've yet to
meet anyone who played it more than once. The LP was
sold by mail-order ads in the back of Rolling Stone
magazine. Due to a large find, the value has dropped
considerably on this LP. [AM]
LOVE MACHINE ( )
"Electronic Music To Blow Your Mind By" 1968 (Design SDLP-

282)
"Electronic Music To Blow Your Mind By" 2001 (Design)
Exploitation instro "psych" with lots of sound fx and

fuzz, rated highly by some genre fans. A Canadian
mono pressing exists.
COLLEEN LOVETT (CA)
"Birds With Broken Wings" 1974 (ERA) [gatefold]
Somewhat legendary femme soft-rock with Ms Lovett

baring her soul and heart in a way that becomes
almost obscene in its naked honesty. She seems a
little too adept at playing the "victim" for my
tastes although it certainly makes for odd listening.
Some disturbed male record collectors may listen to
this in the wrong way, which is just as scary as
Colleen's comparisons of herself to a sandpiper with
broken wings. Featured on the notorious "Hippie
Goddesses" comp. [PL]
LOVING SANDWICH see Instincts
GORDON LOWE & LAUREL WARD (Canada)
"Prisms" 196 (Yorkville)
Late 1960s downer folk featuring guitar and bass and

female backing vocals, on the same label as Ugly
Ducklings.
L.R.Y. ( )
"The L R Y Record" 1968 (Congress of the Crow)
Liberal Religious Youth was a nationwide youth group

affiliated with the Unitarian Universalist
Association. This is technically a compilation in the
Christian teen folk style, recorded at the
continental conference at St John's College. The
label was in DeKalb, Illinois. [RM]
"L.S.D" ( ) see presentation

"LSD" 1966 (Capitol TAO-2574) [mono; gatefold]
"LSD" 1966 (Capitol TAO-2574) [stereo; gatefold]
Extraordinary documentary on the new drug craze

sweeping the nation, one of the best and most
entertaining spoken word LPs of the era. Narration
(by an uncredited Dick Clark) is superbly eloquent
and manages to portray the whole acid wave as a game
for con-men and loonies, without ever saying so
openly. Allen Ginsberg, Laura Huxley and Ken Kesey
get to see only their most bizarre sides exposed,
while Tim Leary fares better doing his usual ritual
spiel. There's interviews with dozens of teenage
heads, and an unforgettable peak is reached with an
actual trip recording of "Brian", a hipster acid head
who unfortunately happens to have his first bad LSD
experience while being recorded (with concealed
microphones). The "Brian" recording is authentic-
sounding and either very funny or pretty scary,
depending on how hard-core you are. A highly
sophisticated anti-drug LP, and the artwork and
photos are equally outstanding. All material
(including the Leary and Kesey/Prankster snips) is
unique to this LP. Judging from promo ads, the LP was
released as early as August 1966. [PL]
"LSD - Exclusive Open End Interview" 1966 (Capitol PRO 4153)

[promo only; single sleeve; b & w cover]
This rare promo variant on the "LSD" documentary LP

is of special interest as it has almost a whole
side's worth of unique material. The "open-end
interview" features the unnervingly warbling voice of
wellknown anti-LSD spokesman Dr Sidney Cohen, with
gaps of silence in between his responses so that any
local radio DJ could pretend that Cohen was right
there to answer his questions. Needless to say,
listening to this in a lysergic state will produce an
amazing, ghostly effect certain to drive
inexperienced travellers up the wall. Side 2 features
excerpts from the above-mentioned "LSD" LP and seems
to contain only material found on the official
release. There also exists a 3-side acetate set from
the production of these LPs, but the exact contents
of these are unknown; possibly they cover all the
unique material from the two releases above. [PL]
TED LUCAS (MI)
"Ted Lucas" 1976 (Om 5374) [insert]
Burnout downer folk from ex-Spikedrivers guy who must

have gone through a lot to end up with this world-
weary escapist testimony. High points include a very
good raga-folk workout recorded live, while "It's So
Nice To Be Stoned" manages to be both funny and
scary. Should appeal to downer/loner folk fans,
although a far cry from the spellbinding 1960s
folkrockpsych of the Spikedrivers. Some copies come
with a bonus 45. Housed in a beautiful Mouse Studios
cover that features the abstract bird logo made
famous by AOR band Journey shortly after this LP.
Lucas passed away in the 1990s. He also appeared on a
local MI sampler of folk artists from around the same
time, titled "The Detroit Folk Scene vol 1" (CLS
Archive Records). [PL]
~~~
One side of this album consists of solo voice-and-
guitar loner folk, some of which is very good. The
other side is made up of Eastern-themed guitar
improvisations which aren’t bad, but kind of overstay
their welcome. Not really what a Spike-Drivers fan
would hope for, but a reasonably interesting album if
you don’t set your hopes too high. The album cover
would soon be stolen and used by Journey. It’s pretty
weird to think that a stoner folk album would start a
major mainstream prog rock trend, but since you can
trace Journey back to Frumious Bandersnatch,
everything eventually integrates. [AM]
TOM LUCAS (NY)
"Red Letter Day" 1975 (New Fate lp-01-500) [lyric insert;

500p]
"Red Letter Day" 2004 (CD Radioactive 075, UK)
Great 1970s rock/folk-rock album. Lucas is vocally a

Neil Young clone, which suits his low-key songs well.
The songs are tight and well-crafted, and sparing but
clever use of synthesizer and fuzz guitar adds
interest. Most reviewers describe this album as
“weird,” but it really isn’t. It’s more “clever” than
“strange.” It definitely feels of its time, but also
feels like he was just a little too smart or a little
too indifferent to ever appeal to a mainstream
audience. [AM]
~~~
Professional sounding, fully realized mid-1970s
classic rock (in the good sense) with equal nods to
early 70s Neil Young and the Rolling Stones from the
same era, sporting Nick Hopkins-style piano, a rich,
lively studio sound and even some female backing
vocals. Lucas can't really decide if he wants to be
Neil or Jagger on the vocals, which gives an odd
tension to songs already charged with emotion.
Heartfelt lyrics cover a wide range of topics, and on
a track such as "They're coming" Lucas is not far
from the level of his heroes, while the downer ballad
"Days numbered" hits home well. Although derivative
and ultimately 2nd tier, it's hard to find faults
with this album, which would have fit much better on
a major label with some promotional push behind it.
The mainstream nature of this may be off-putting for
psych and hardrock collectors, but anyone who grew up
listening to the Big Guys of Rock is likely to be
charmed and impressed by "Red Letter Day". [PL]
CHRIS LUCEY (Los Angeles, CA)
"Songs Of Protest And Anti-Protest" 1966 (Surrey ss-1027)

[mono]
"Songs Of Protest And Anti-Protest" 1966 (Surrey ss-1027)
[stereo]
I seem to be alone in thinking this an unexceptional

pop/easy listening LP with folk moves, but apart from
a couple of memorable tracks -- typically the
dreamier ballads -- I don't find much of interest in
it, and some of it strikes me as outright poor. In
any event, whatever quality it has is overshadowed by
the remarkable background story. LA artist Chris
Ducey (of Chris & Craig with Craig Smith, aka
Maitreya Kali) had recorded an album's worth for the
Surrey label. Ducey being under contract elsewhere
wasn't allowed to release it, leaving Surrey with
album artwork and related material already completed.
In an unprecedented move it was then decided that a
new LP should be recorded, using the exact same
songtitles as Ducey's, although the new tunes were
completely different. This challenging task fell upon
Bobby Jameson, who delivered what is now known as the
"Chris Lucey" LP; the last name (and sleeve artwork)
changed from Ducey to Lucey for the same contractual
reasons. Interestingly a Canadian pressing exists
with the "Ducey" name intact, but still with
Jameson's music! In England a more accurate release
credited Bobby Jameson, and retitled the LP "One Too
Many Mornings" (Joy). Chris Ducey's original
recordings remain unheard to this day. [PL]
~~~
Considering that Bobby Jameson was given ten titles
and asked to fill in the songs, and that the whole
thing was essentially a throwaway quickie, this is a
really good early folk rock album. A stark production
sound gives it some depth and has helped it to age
well. The constant comparisons to early Love aren’t
really on target other than that both were ahead of
their time as far as the way they rocked up a basic
folk sound. That is Brian Jones flipping the bird on
the front cover, by the way. [AM]
~~~
see -> Jameson
LUCIFER (Rochester, NY)
"Lucifer" 1970 (Gallo 2869)

"Lucifer" 2001 (Void 25)
"Lucifer" 2001 (Akarma 044, Italy)
"Lucifer" 2001 (CD Akarma 044, Italy)
Heavy rock pounder with vocal harmonies. Sometimes

compared to Grand Funk Railroad but actually more of
a typical Eastcoast post-Fudge outing.
LUMBEE (PA)
"Overdose" 1970 (Radnor r-2003) [with drug game]

"Overdose" 2001 (CD Gear Fab gf-166)
Heavy drug rock with fuzz and some vocal. Pretty weak
but the drug game is cool, and represents at least
half the value.
GARRETT LUND (San Bernardino, CA)
"Almost Grown" 1975 (no label 5113) [gatefold; insert; demo

press w/ 'planet' label design]
"Almost Grown" 1976 (Terra Fertilis) [2000p; gatefold; insert;
white label]
"Almost Grown" 2000 (World In Sound rfr-006, Germany)
[gatefold; insert]
"Almost Grown" 2003 (CD World In Sound wis-1006, Germany) [+5
bonus tracks]
Rare westcoast guitar-rocker with a late psych vibe

and some fantastic tracks on level with DR Hooker and
Zerfas. "The only turnaround" and "Silver sails" are
good yardsticks for epic 1970s psych-rock. There are
a couple of (to me) weaker tracks as well, but above
average on balance, and rated very highly by some. A
couple of tracks feature ex-Misunderstood legend
Glenn Ross Campbell on steel guitar. There was also a
pre-LP 45 with an alternate version of 'Country
Livin' on the Tralfamadore label. "Lund" was formerly
in garage bands the Caretakers and Trane. [PL]
~~~
Progressive hardrock with tightly controlled playing
and strong songs. Stunning, trembling high vocals,
westcoast flowing leads and nice dynamics with a
surging quality to much of the playing. Like a
heavier Bobb Trimble. "Stop the World" is amazing,
managing to be both an alienation anthem and a love
song. The closer is likely the best cover of "(It's
All Over Now) Baby Blue" you will ever hear. [RM]
LES LUTINS (St Hyacinthe, Canada)
"Les Lutins" 1966 (Carrousel crs 5401)
The debut album from this popular Quebec band opens

on a deceptively beat-oriented note, similar to
Eurobeat bands such as the Mascots or Boots. Midtempo
tunes led by heartfelt teen vocals (in French) and
somewhat crude acoustic/electric guitar arrangements
paint them as yet another 2nd-tier "Rubber Soul"
outfit. However, after this so-so opening the band
begins to show both balls and chops with the dynamite
maraccas & fuzz-led Stones-influenced rocker "Je
Cherche", a dead ringer for the US garage punk sound,
except for the French lyrics. The energy and snot
factor remains high via "Pretty Girl" with powerful
fuzz leads running through and soaring vocals,
followed by the wild Diddley r'n'b of "Laissez-Nous
Vivre", again lit up by raw guitar-work and ace teen-
punk singing. After this impressive middle third, the
last part of the album mixes the Stonesy '66 rock
with the poppier styling of the first tracks, and
while not bad the energy seems to fizzle out a bit.
Overall an above average pre-psych LP from a talented
band still searching for their identity, damaged
slightly by a clumsy track sequencing. [PL]
"En Orbite (vol 2)" 1968 (Carrousel crs 5402)

"Laissez Nous Vivre" 1999 (CD Disques Merite) [2-on-1; bonus
tracks]
Lead off by the amusing but somewhat goofy "Monsieur

Le Robot", the second Lutins LP successfully mixes a
ballsy garage edge with a Swinging London, Who-
influenced mod sound on many tracks. "Petit Joe" has
a nice garage edge with atonal fuzz leads and is one
of the best numbers on board; "Girl" (sung in French,
despite the title) also provides an ace US 1966-style
rocker, with loftier ambitions creeping in towards
the end. As with most French-Canadian bands, the
vocals are strong in a snotty teenage way, while the
lead guitarist & rhythm section often go into Who-
type rave-ups that highlight a track such as the
dynamite "Les Yeux Fermes". This could have been one
hell of a good album, but unfortunately the band
inserts several lighter, half-jokey tunes into the
pop art fuzz dynamics, which makes for an awkward
mix, especially as whatever humor there is goes over
the head on non-French listeners. Impressive
musicianship and a strong band identity still manages
to keep "En Orbite" together as a coherent, almost-
great work, with a first half that is truly
impressive. The CD contains both albums with the
running order completely messed-up, plus the band's
debut 45. [PL]
LYD (Los Angeles, CA)
"LYD" 1970 (Sunwest Recording acetate) [1-sided]

"LYD" 1992 (Fanny, Belgium) [400p]
"LYD" 199 (CD Thorns, Europe)
"LYD" 2000 (Akarma 2013, Italy) [10"]
"LYD" 2000 (CD Akarma 913, Italy)
Originally recorded in 1970, unreleased one sided

acetate. Some great garage guitar psych with intense
basement atmosphere, long fuzz excursions, and wasted
junkie lyrics, well worth checking out. [PL]
LYONHILL (NE)
"Lyonhill" 1977 (no label)
Excellent mainstream rock/folk-rock private press

album that sounds SoCal, though they’re from
Nebraska. The album starts with a great moody folk-
rocker with some hot violin, and goes on to show a
surprising amount of diversity. There are shimmering
acoustic guitars, and absolutely spot-on harmonies.
This is the rare band where the male and female
singers sound perfect together. Highlights include a
bluegrass song with honkytonk piano that would make
the Dillards proud and some tasteful and effective
synthesizer. The songs are basically short and tight.
One song where the female singer takes on the
personality of a man is awkward, and a dumb cocaine
joke is a glaring reminder that the album is from the
mid-1970s, but otherwise this is a terrific record by
a multifaceted band. [AM]
JOHN LYONS & THE BLUE DIAMONDS (PA)
"Light In The Lowlands" 1979 (TNT Records BD 5805)
This is a unique blend of bluegrass and post Dylan

singer/songwriter music and it’s great. The sparse
instrumentation (banjo and guitar on some songs, two
guitars and an occasional hint of bass on others)
effectively frames a batch of intelligent, well-
written story-songs. A few of the songs are long in
the best Dylan tradition, without repetition, and
with stories that sustain the songs’ length. It’s all
deceptively simple and pure. The songs are about
mountains, freight yards and coal mines, about
Mississippi and West Virginia, but there’s nothing
backwoods about this music at all. The lyrics about
hobos and drifters feel less contrived than the
similar tales on the Modlin & Scott album, and Lyons’
voice is world-weary and evocative. As you may guess,
not your usual private press folk album, this is
really something special. [AM]

MACARTHUR (Saginaw, MI)
"MacArthur" 197 (R.P.C. 58932) [200p; inserts]

"The Black Forest" 198 (R.P.C., Germany) [bootleg] [300p]
Adventurous sweeping synth prog with guitar bursts

featuring Ben MacArthur, very spacy with long tracks
and echoed vocals. The LP was issued in a plain cover
with 'MacArthur' sticker pasted on, and was only sold
at shows. The small press size has been confirmed by
the band. The reissue is re-titled.
"MacArthur II" 1982 (Bay Music) [1000p; lyric sheet]
This progressive album (with material from 1977-82)

is adventurous but ultimately too derivative and
uninspired to win out. It opens with an instrumental
that resembles the first song on the Third Estate
album, then moves to space rock and classically based
rock. It commences with an acoustic
guitar/piano/synth instrumental that marks them as
obsessive ELP wannabes. This is technically well-
played, though the synth use is surprisingly
unimaginative for a band who use the instrument so
heavily. The production is smarmingly AOR; the lead
guitar and drums are really annoying in a purely 80s
way. As is often the case with do-it-all indie prog
artists like this (the much superior Atlantis
Philharmonic comes to mind), the singing completely
lacks personality. Most of the rhythm guitars here
are acoustic; there's a definite attempt to create
textures through a variety of instruments, but it's
undermined by the way Ben Macarthur thinks speedy
playing (on both guitar and keyboards) is both
impressive *and* compelling listening. It's the
first, but not the second. Without ideas, technical
prowess is worthless. [AM]
DOUG MACARTHUR (Canada)
"Letters From The Coast" 197 (no label)

"Letters From The Coast" 1976 (Rut) [2nd press]
Fragile folkpsych with sitar on one track. It seems

the guy had another LP as well.
MACHINGBYRD ( )
"The Road to Forbidden Ecstasy" 1980 (Arro Mountian Records

10001)
Folk and folkrock with psych moves, acoustic and
electric guitars, some synth embellishments.
MACKS CREEK BAND (MO)
"Macks Creek Band" 1980 (MCB)
Midwestern 1970s-style rock with a Southern feel.
MAD DOG (Los Angeles, CA)
"Mad Dog" 1969 (no label) [no sleeve; test press]

"C1 C2" 2000 (Shadoks 031, Germany)
"Dawn Of The Seventh Sun" 2003 (RD 12, Switzerland) [insert]
Here's another fine mess from the private press zone.

After releasing the "Chocolate Moose" LP members of
the Zoo moved on to the Mad Dog project, which was
recorded at a Hollywood Studio in 1969. A few test
pressings were made, but nothing else came from this.
Thirty years later one of the test pressings turns
up, with no details available, and is reissued as "C1
C2" as this matrix # was the only info contained on
the record. A few years on, RD decides to reissue the
Mad Dog test press, and in the process discovers that
this is identical to what had come out as "C1 C2" on
Shadoks. The main difference is that the RD release
is legit and master tape-sourced and has the original
sides reversed. To add to the confusion, the band was
also known as Joyful Noise at one point. The actual
music is good late 60s Bay Area-style guitar
psych/rock, like a Fillmore support band. Three of
the songs were used in the low-budget biker flick
"The Black Angels". [PL]
~~~
see -> Zoo
MAD DOG (Bay City, MI)
"617" 1977 (Fish Head fh-7701)
This is a weird minimalist hard rock album. The cover

is a b/w drawing of an outer space scene with a bunch
of headless naked female bodies, and the record is
just as stark and mysterious. Though the cover says
the songs were recorded between 1974 and 1976 the
music has an early punk rock feel with thick
distortion on the rhythm guitars and no apparent
instrumental overdubs. The drumming is frantic but
the songs are of medium speed. This is a curiosity
because it's completely bleak, it sounds like nothing
else and appears to have no specific influences, with
one unfortunate exception. The ghost of Michigan's
past rears its ugly head with the annoying throaty
vocal style, a dead ringer for the Frost's Don
Hartman, who made his presence known on the horrible
live side of Rock And Roll Music. In any case, if it
wasn't for all of the singer's growling, this would
be pretty interesting stuff. As it is, it's supremely
annoying. [AM]
MAD FABLES (NJ/NY)
"Get Off!" 1977 (Magic 520440) [blank back cover]
Eastcoast loose stoner outlaw jams in Grateful Dead

style, housed in weird cartoon cover. Most of the
album was recorded in Bloomfield, NJ in a three day
session.
MADHOUSE ( )
"Serve 'Em" 1972 (Today tlp-1010)
Here's a cool soul/funk LP for people who are tired

of their P-Funk albums. There's a strong Sly Stone
influence here, but also a bit of Funkadelic-style
lead guitar, a very heavy political message, and, on
one song, rhythms that sound like Tago Mago/Ege
Bamyasi-era Can. This isn't as heavy or "rock" as,
say, Purple Image, but it will appeal to psych fans,
especially on the two long jams, both of which are
quite dark (one is about an overdose, the other about
the apocalypse) and have a lot of free form
instrumentation. Spacious arrangements highlight some
excellent bass playing. A very good album, a sleeper
in the genre. Today was a subsidiary of New York
label Perception. The cartoon cover shows President
Nixon serving the group tea. [AM]
MADRIGAL (New York City, NY)
"Madrigal" 197 (Spyder 136)
If anything here in the Archives fits the term

"underground," it's this. Supposedly only about 50
copies were made and when one of the band members was
found he was rude and refused to talk about his album
or disclose the whereabouts of his bandmate. The
record itself is a basement-sounding recording by two
guys with no help from anyone else, and only a tiny
bit of overdubbing. One guy plays guitar, one plays
theremin, both sing, one of them runs a drum machine.
The vocals are heavily reverbed. About half of the
songs are random improvisations (including a 12-
minute mess called "Stoned Freakout") with unhinged
screaming, feedback-laden guitar and other various
noises. The other half are pop songs, basically done
with just voice, guitar and drum machine. Some of
these songs are quite good, and as awful as fake
drums can be, something about this primitive machine
only adds to the lonely DIY feeling here, making
these guys sort of a cross between Suicide, Moolah
and Index. The vocals are very good. "Ballad," which
is so quiet that you can barely hear the singing, is
especially eerie. The closing instrumental is really
lame, like the instrumentals on the North County Rock
Association album. Obviously, much of this album is
boring and/or annoying, but some of it is pretty
memorable too. More importantly, it's one of those
albums that sounds absolutely like nothing else,
which always means that someone out there will fall
in love with it. Considering the rarity and $1000
price tag, hopefully it will be reissued so that one
person won't go broke trying to find it. [AM]
MAD RIVER (Yellow Springs, OH / Berkeley, CA)
"Mad River" 1968 (Capitol st-2985) [rainbow label]

"Mad River" 198 (Capitol) [bootleg]
"Mad River" 198 (Capitol 038-85-882, Germany) [altered
sleeve]
"Mad River" 1985 (Edsel ed-140, UK) [inner sleeve]
"Mad River" 199 (CD Edsel 651, UK)
"Mad River / Paradise Bar & Grill" 2001 (CD Collector's Choice
1722) [2-on-1]
"Paradise Bar and Grill" 1969 (Capitol st-185) [green label]

"Paradise Bar and Grill" 198 (Capitol) [bootleg]
"Paradise Bar and Grill" 1986 (Edsel ed-188, UK)
"Mad River / Paradise Bar & Grill" 2001 (CD Collector's Choice
1722) [2-on-1]
The debut is fine westcoast guitar psych, while

"Paradise Bar and Grill" moves more into an acoustic
rural hippie direction. The debut LP recordings were
accidentally sped up during the original mastering
phase, which means that most releases including the
1968 original actually play at inaccurate speed. The
recent 2-on-1 CD reissue corrects this, but many
people still prefer the "speed" version. They
previously recorded a wonderful EP (1967, Wee) with
the standout "Wind Chimes". The EP was bootlegged in
the 1980s and comped on the CD "The Berkeley
Eps..." (Big Beat, UK 1995). [RM]
~~~
Extraordinary band whose greatness has yet to be
fully recognized. Unlike many I prefer the debut LP
and its enticing mix of unique vocals, complex moods
and angular sounds, as pure psychedelia as anything
ever made in the Bay Area. "Paradise" is enjoyable
and just as unusual but to me it seems somewhat
disjointed in its mix of rural folkrock, bombastic
psychrock, spoken poetry, and more. Of course, the
1967 EP may be even better than their LPs. The band
formed at Antioch College in Ohio and recorded some
demo tapes before leaving for the west coast; these
are partly excellent and have not yet been released.
[PL]
MAG-AMPLITUDE (OK)
"Mag-Amplitude" 1983 (no label MA-1983-01)
Strange and primitive LP that has been described as

"the Higney of Heavy Rock".
MAGI (IN) see article/interview
"Win Or Lose" 1976 (no label 6102) [1000p]

"Win Or Lose" 1987 (Breeder 560, Austria)
"Win Or Lose" 199 (CD Flash 51, Italy)
"Win Or Lose" 2005 (CD Radioactive, UK)
Tough hardrock from popular "Michiana" region band
with good songs, an admirably tight rhythm section
and pretty good vocals. Despite what you may read,
there is nothing psychedelic about this; a typical
mid-70s Midwestern sound with Aerosmith and Kiss
influences. A few guitar jams, one ballad, else more
of a concise urban sound with hints of AOR and
glamrock, but don't let that scare you. In the right
place and time these guys could have been major. One
song is about running out of weed. Recorded at Uncle
Dirty's in Michigan. Expensive but still slightly
underrated LP, to which the unfortunate front cover
photo may have contributed. There was also a non-LP
45 track in the same style, and some good unreleased
material exists. The band moved to LA in 1978 in an
attempt to make it big, but soon fell apart. Bass
player Tom Stevens later turned up in 1980s legends
the Long Ryders. [PL]
MAGIC ( )
"Magic" 1966 (no label 147606)
No relation to the "Enclosed" band, this is teenbeat

with organ.
MAGIC (MI)
"Enclosed" 1969 (Armadillo 8031)

"Enclosed" 1986 (Hype 02, UK)
"Enclosed" 199 (CD Flash 44, Italy) [digipak]
"Enclosed" 199 (Gear Fab gf-204)
"Enclosed" 1998 (CD Gear Fab gf-116) [+8 tracks]
"Enclosed" is mainstreamish hippierock sounds with a

westcoast groove and soul/funk moves, reminiscent of
a mellow Hendrix and the later-day Bay Area bands --
when it's good, it's on level with Kak, but
personally I find the blue-eyed soul Sons Of
Champlin-type material tough to swallow. The 12-
minute Kak/QMS guitarjammer "Play" has plenty of
admirers and rightly so, but overall I'm not as
impressed with this LP as others seem to be. Check it
out and decide for yourself. Recorded in Florida,
where the band was joined by a member of popular band
the Birdwatchers. CD has plenty of bonus tracks for
all you soulrock fans out there. Their second LP on
Rare Earth is generally considered much inferior.
[PL]
~~~
This seems to be a love-it-or-hate-it album, with one
side of soulful rock songs and one that’s simply an
extended guitar solo with bits and pieces of songs
appearing at odd moments. Side one is OK, but the
long solo is what makes this album essential. The way
it’s structured into what isn’t exactly a song gives
it a certain kind of intrigue and depth, and the
playing is diverse and fascinating... certainly one
of the best long guitar solos anywhere. The CD adds a
bunch of more mainstream bonus tracks that aren’t
very good, marring the listening experience to those
who only know it by that reissue. [AM]
MAGIC BUBBLE (Canada)
"Magic Bubble" 1970 (Columbia 90038)
This album's exceptionally diverse, including stabs

at pop, hard rock, blues moves and even what sounds
like an attempt at a calypso rhythm. That diversity
is simultaneously a strength and a weakness. Rita
Rondell has an okay, if less than overwhelming,
voice. While she has a bluesy voice that occasionally
recalls Maggie Bell, exemplified by tracks such as
"I'm Alive" and the ballad "If I Should Ever Love
Again" she's largely relegated to handling the
group's more pop oriented material. Her best
performance happens to be her toughest vocal - "Cry
Cry". That leaves brother Frank to handle the more
rock-oriented tracks such as "Whiskey Fire",
"Changes" and "Circles (Lonely Wind)". Occasionally
sounding like a more rock inclined David Clayton
Thomas, his performances provide the set's
highlights, including one bizarre bluesy cover of
George Gershwin's "Summertime". Elsewhere, there's
only one real duet between the siblings; the funny
"Me & Mr. Hohner". Nice product, though you might
think once or twice before shelling out the big bucks
for an original copy. The album didn't see an
American release. [SB]
~~~
This is yet another co-ed West-coast styled group
with organ, some fuzz guitar and a bluesy feel. And
yet again the half of the songs with the male singer
are pretty awful. His gruff voice might have worked
in some other context, but is horribly out of place
here. The songs with the female singer are poppier
and catchier, less hard-edged, somewhat soulful, and
this really sounds like two different groups. There
are two very strong songs, “I’m Alive” and “Cry Cry,”
both of which could have been hits. The album ends
with yet another version of “Summertime,” which is
another minus. Not a very satisfying listen straight
through, but it has its moments. The organ player and
the rhythm section are pretty solid. At their best
Magic Bubble rock convincingly without being the
least bit heavy. At their worst they’re forgettable
and annoying. Lots of lyrics about drugs (and some
paraphernalia on the album cover). Between that and
the guy’s style of singing, they seem to be trying
really hard to be hip. [AM]
MAGIC FERN (Seattle, WA)
"Magic Fern" 1980 (Picadilly 3386)

University of Washington band with circa 1966-67
tracks. Pop rock with some psych shadings. Like most
Picadilly albums, this was released posthumously
without the band's knowledge.
MAGIK (Canada)
"Magik" 1981 (Rayne)
Progressive hardrock in a primitive cover.
MAGIK DAYZE (OH)
"Magik Dayze" 1978 (no label) [lyrics]
Hard guitar prog with moog, mellotron and Rush and

Mahogany Rush influences. The cover has a paste-on
front and handwritten credits on the back. Keyboard
wiz Charles Thaxton went on to various projects.
MAGILL & YOUNG ( )
"Take 1" 1969 (Two:Dot)
Little-known title on the same custom label as

Arthur, Hendrickson Road House and the Mystic Zephyrs
IV. Basically it's lost in time 60s folkboom sounds
with female vocals all through, rudimentary folkrock
setting with two guitars and organ. The Baez-inspired
lady doth oversingeth quite a bit, which makes for a
strange vibe here and there, but may annoy if you're
not in the mood. Her theatrics work best on a spooky
cover of "Black is the color" with a sparse,
Japanese-style arrangement and a Sally Eaton:ish
psych feel creeping upon you. There's also a a couple
Dylan songs and a heartfelt version of "Wayfaring
stranger". Despite the band name the few original
songs were written by one Karen Gross. For female
folk completists mostly. Cool, primitive "period
cover" to both front and back. [PL]
TOM MAHAIRAS (NY)
"Seekers Of The Truth" 1972 (Janco 7256) [insert]
Christian fringe-folk/incredibly strange artefact

featuring amateur organ/guitar folkrock on one side,
and priceless spoken word drug-head salvation stories
on the other. Amazing front cover and funny liner
notes. A must within the genre. [PL]
~~~
One side of beautiful haunting christian psychedelic
folk from former drug user turned preacher. Mahairas'
voice and guitar is backed by chamber orchestration
similar to that used on the Arthur Lee Harper album.
The second side of the LP is spoken word featuring
Tom and his wife giving testimony on how they turned
from drugs to religion; plenty of talk about drug use
and someone who "went insane" on LSD. Might have some
appeal to the fans of incredibly strange music. [MA]
~~~
MAITREYA KALI (Los Angeles, CA)
"Apache / Inca" 1972 (no label) [2LPs; gatefold; inserts;

paraphernalia]
"Apache / Inca" 1999 (Little Indians 2, Germany) [2LPs; 450p;
3 inserts]
"Apache / Inca" 1999 (CD Normal/Shadoks 005, Germany) [2 CDs]
A very small number were made as a double LP before

the LPs were issued separately (reviewed below). This
package also contained a booklet, poster, feather,
josh stick, and inserts. The German reissue imitates
the release, except for the more exotic
paraphernalia. Background: in 1966-67 Craig Smith
made a bundle of cash writing songs for the Monkees,
Andy Williams and Glenn Campbell, which is what
financed his vast travels and subsequent
transformation into Maitreya Kali. The unissued Penny
Arkade recordings including several tracks also found
on the Maitreya LPs and were released by Sundazed in
2004. Check out the entry for Craig's old partner
Chris Ducey for an unrelated story that is just as
strange.
"Apache" 1972 (Akashic 2777)

"Apache" 1989 (Akashic) [bootleg; book; >300#d]
This was apparently released before "Inca" but the

recordings have a later sound. Continuing his trek
down Latin America, this is more lowkey and
introvert, as if the drugs caught up with him. The
strange poetry and scribblings on the Yahowa-style
sleeve confirm such suspicions. The album has a
couple of marvy acid folkpsych tracks such as "Color
Fantasy" but doesn't really live up to the hype I've
seen on it. Beach Boy Mike Love unexpectedly pops up
singing on a Monkees track (actually he's just
humming along from the mixing board) that Maitreya
wrote when he was still known as Craig Smith.
Originals can be identified via printing on the spine
and "masterdub" etched in the dead wax. Several other
differences exist but these should suffice. The
bootleg pressing is believed to be larger than the
300 stated.[PL]
"Inca" 1972 (United Kingdom of America cf-2964)

"Inca" 199 (United Kingdom of America) [bootleg]
Nominally Maitreya's 2nd album, but the material on

it is definitely from an earlier era than "Apache".
To me superior to the more wellknown "Apache" with a
fabulous folkrocky 1966-67 WCPAEB-sound for the most
part, especially on side 1. There's also some pretty
enjoyable mellow hippiefolk stuff, strange spoken
bits and interviews with latino chicks making fun of
this sensitive seeker-type guy. Worth checking out
for both 1960s and 1970s heads. [PL]
MAIYEROS see Instincts
MAJIC SHIP (Long Island, NY)
"Majic Ship" 1970 (Bel Ami 711) [circa 1000p]

"Majic Ship" 1985 (Heyoka 203, UK)
"Majic Ship" 199 (no label, Italy)
"Majic Ship" 1993 (Afterglow 009, UK)
"Majic Ship" 2000 (CD Gear Fab gf-107) [bonus tracks]
"Majic Ship" 2000 (Gear Fab/Akarma 084, Italy) [2LPs; bonus
tracks; booklet]
Extended "Down by the river"/"For what it's worth"

medley highlights this famous Long Island LP, the
rest is so-so Eastcoast post-psych FM rock sounds
reminiscent of Bubble Puppy or an earlier version of
Odyssey. Some good guitar and nothing overly
offensive about it, but hard to understand all the
fuss over this album. The Italian reissue is actually
a bootleg of the UK bootleg, while the Gear Fab CD
contains spoken interview bits between some tracks
and a messed-up running order. [PL]
MAJOR ARCANA (Milwaukee, WI)
"Major Arcana" 1976 (A Major Label 1000) [poster; lyric

insert]
The opening "Western wind" is a terrific folkpsych

classic while the rest of the LP suffers a bit from
the aggregated weight of all the different genres
squeezed in. The vocals are strong but sometimes
overstated in that typical 1970s troubador style,
while the flute ornaments are a bit, uh, effeminate.
Neat synth arrangements provide the same lounge
multiinstrumentalist vibe as on Bermuda Triangle;
this also has the odd rock musical/art school stage
project feel that's on a lot of these mid-70s hippie
LPs. Closing acidhead arrangement of "Greensleeves"
sounds like the Kaplan Bros could step in any minute.
Great psychy cover art. [PL]
~~~
This is a more complex album than Jim Spencer’s solo
work, with a lot of moods for what is essentially a
hippie folk album. It starts with a truly gorgeous
song, and has several highlights, including the
voodoo inspired (and sexually nasty) “Pappa Doc” and
the breezy “Back In The Spirit.” Not a wholly
satisfying album, and it has way too much flute, but
still an intriguing listen with some ace songs. One
of the best album covers you’ll ever see, too. [AM]
MALACHI (CA)
"Malachi" 1966 (Verve v6-5024) [gatefold; blue label]
Eastern and American-Indian influenced proto-

psych/ethnic folk. Recorded at Columbus Recording in
San Francisco in August 1966. Steve Cunningham would
later joined Red Krayola. Although neither rare nor
that highly rated, the LP is early enough to be
historically interesting, and also features an early
occurrence of the word "psychedelic" in the liner
notes.
MALT SHOPPE GANG (MA)
"Maltshoppe Gang" 197 (Fleetwood fclp-5100) [red label]
Early 1970s group doing retro 50s rock and doo wop
like a local Sha Na Na. Good, primitive guitar sound
for crossover garage appeal.
MAMMOTH ( )
"Mammoth" 1981 (RNA)
DeLand, Florida label. Southern rock like Lynyrd

Skynyrd.
MANDRAKE MEMORIAL (Philadelphia, PA)
"Mandrake Memorial" 1968 (Poppy py-40002) [mono promo; stereo

cover with mono sticker]
"Mandrake Memorial" 1968 (Poppy pys-40002) [stereo]
"Mandrake Memorial" 1996 (CD Collectables col-0691)
"Mandrake Memorial" 199 (Poppy, UK) [bootleg]
"Mandrake Memorial" 2005 (Poppy/Scorpio)
The first Mandrake Memorial album is one of those

records where the sound of one instrument so
dominates (like the jug with the 13th Floor Elevators
or the autoharp on Michaelangelo's "One Voice Many")
that your assessment of the album is based almost
completely on how you feel about that one sound. Here
the instrument is an electric harpsichord, which
gives the songs an almost synthetic feel. I like it,
but I can't speak for anyone else. What I can say
with conviction is that the songs on this album are
outstanding, and the guitar playing and singing is
very appealing throughout. The album is full of sly
hooks and dreamy melodies. It's simpler than the two
albums that would follow, but is unquestionably a
highly accomplished work from a very talented band
who should be better known today. [AM]
"Medium" 1969 (Poppy pys-40003) [gatefold]

"Medium" 1996 (CD Collectables col-0693)
"Puzzle" 1970 (Poppy pys-40006) ['wheel' insert]

"Puzzle" 1995 (CD MM, Europe) [bootleg]
"Puzzle" 1996 (CD Collectables col-0693) [+bonus track]
Great, great psych band and local Philly heroes,

underrated elsewhere to this day. The first LP is
drawn from their club live set and goes in a
garage/teen-psych direction, not bad at all but the
harpsichord makes for a somewhat awkward mix with the
overall sound in my opinion. Nevertheless, it went on
to sell a respectable 40 000 copies. "Medium" shows
them developing their studio psych ambitions with
carefully crafted introspective keyboard/guitar mind
trips while still retaining a song-oriented
structure. "Puzzle" is a masterpiece, one of the
truly great concept acid psych LPs on a major label,
drawing from modernist classical like Stravinsky and
Bartok, yet retaining a psychy headtrip feel
throughout. Side 1 in particular is devastating and
the LP as a whole a major personal fave. The band
also had a non-LP 45 around the time of "Puzzle". An
unreleased acoustic album from the same timeframe
exists on acetate, but nothing has been released so
far. [PL]
MANIACS see "Soundtracks 1966"
MANN MADE (Montreal, Canada)
"Mann Made" 1972 (Good Noise)
UK-sounding progressive rock with folk moves, some

horns and synths.
TERRY MANNING (Memphis, TN)
"Home Sweet Home" 1970 (Enterprise ENS-1008)
Manning may have done this album as kind of a lark.

He's not a songwriter, and there's nothing serious
about this record. Maybe that's why this is so good,
the kind of record that I can't imagine any rock fan
not enjoying. He begins with the unthinkable, a truly
minblowing cover of "Savoy Truffle," a ten minute
tour de force of creative arrangements that is as
good a Beatles' cover as anyone has ever done. The
fun doesn't end with just that one song. There are
trashy rock originals, more wild cover versions,
outrageous drum breaks, hilarious female backing
vocals, irresistible fuzz guitar riffs, feedback and
absurd lyrics. Side two is a notch lesser than side
one, but this is an enjoyable romp not quite like any
other. Manning shows equal parts reverence and
disdain for a whole host of rock and roll traditions.
Perhaps it's mostly a novelty, but psych fans will
like it, roots rock fans will like it, punks will
like it, garage fans will like it, and warped soul
fetishists will like it. Beatles fans might even like
it. Now let's all get down and do the trashy dog!
[AM]
CHARLES MANSON (CA)
"Lie" 1970 (Awareness 2144) [poster; 2000p]

"Lie" 1970 (ESP 2003)
"Lie" 1987 (Awareness 1)
"Lie" 199 (CD Grey Matter 05) [+bonus tracks]
"Lie" 199 (Fierce 001, UK)
It seems Charlie is bigger than ever these days and

the fringe underground is all too happy to keep his
shot at the charts in print. "Lie" would be a big
item even if it was by an unknown guy, with Man-Son's
great 50s beatnik outlaw voice and campfire folkpsych
like "Mechanical man", "Sick city", "Ego" etc. The
latter's my fave with a scary intensity and the
girls' seductive Spahn Ranch harmonies. A staple of
any reasonably twisted record collection. There was
also an odd gatefold Spanish release on the Movieplay
label from 1971, "12 Canciones". The poster
represents about half the value. The ESP version is a
legit 2nd press for Eastcoast distribution. The
somewhat noisy 1987 repro has 'Awareness' on the
front cover in print letters, not handwritten. In
recent years there's been a handful of subsequent
releases of material recorded in prison, including
"The way of the wolf" and "The white album". The
"Unplugged" CD features outtakes from the original
"Lie" sessions and is worth checking out. [PL]
~~~
see -> Manson Family
MANSON FAMILY (CA)
"Sings The Songs Of Charles Manson" 1991 (no label) [white

vinyl]
"Sings The Songs Of Charles Manson" 1991 (no label, Europe)
[bootleg]
"The Family Jams" 1998 (CD Transparency) [2CDs]
Circa 1970 tapes of the Family singing the Master's

songs in a communal desert campfire folkpsych setting
with mixed male/female vocals - the innocent songs
and evil lyrics make for great and spooky listening,
superior to Charlie's own LP in many's opinion.
Recommended, superior to most similar LPs not made my
hippie murder cults. The Transparency double CD
contains all material on the LP plus additional
material from the same sessions. [PL]
MANTIS (Montreal, Canada)
"Mantis" 1973 (Sweet Plum 952)
Prog and melodic rock from Quebec with liberal use of

guitar and keyboards, mixed male and female vocals.
MANTRA (Toronto, Canada)
"Mantra" 1970 (MMC 301)
Folk/folkrock featuring steel guitar and autoharp,

with a mellow vibe and some instrumental tracks,
highly rated by some.
MARANATHA (NJ)
"Soon" 1971 (no label no #)
X-ian hippie rock with equal mix of hard guitar and

moody acoustic numbers. Several unrelated x-ian
groups recorded LPs under this name. [RM]
~~~
Although they're from the opposite end of the
country, New Jersey's Maranatha has that same
longhaired homegrown west-coast guitar psych sound as
Spokane's Wilson McKinley. In fact, I might go so far
as to say that Soon is on equal footing with the
classic "Spirit of Elijah" - it's that good.
Guitarist Charlie Rizzo would later emerge with the
more Southern-edged Emmaus Road Band, but here the
style seems much more garage angled and hippie
jamming. ... An insanely rare private press and
easily one of the top US Christian monsters. [KS]
~~~
see -> Emmaus Road Band
MARAUDERS (PA)
"Check In" 1964 (PRC 64-303) [blank back cover]
"Maraudin' 65" 1965 (no label)
"Maraudin' 65" is a rare teenbeat LP with a mix of

pre-Invasion instros and covers of Animals, Gerry &
the Pacemakers typical of the era. Crude paste-on
cover displays their hip VW Beetle convertible. The
even obscurer first LP has been described as "hot
guitar instro surf" and has covers of Ventures,
Pyramids, Surfaris etc, plus one original.
MARBLE PHROGG (Tulsa, OK)
"Marble Phrogg" 1968 (Derrick 8868)

"Marble Phrogg" 199 (CD Derrick, Europe)
Covers only LP from local club band with Iron

Butterfly, Cream, Hendrix, Steppenwolf, and even a
belated Byrds number. More interesting than the
typical late 60s fuzz cover bands, as they put a lot
of effort in delivering and adapting the material,
while retaining a cool teen vibe. The reissue is
worth examining for those interested in the era, with
obvious similarities to the Smack LP.
MARCUS (NY/CA)
"Marcus" 1970 (Kinetic 3027)

"Marcus" 1993 (CD Collectables col-0571) [+2 tracks]
As everyone knows, this is Deep legend Rusty Evans

broadcasting from burnout island. Described by a
noted record dealer as "one of the blandest records
ever made" the 1970 LP still has a share of fans,
though I'm not one of them. Wimpy sub-Donovan
astrology hippie folkpsych, may appeal to Cat Stevens
fans. "Million Grains Of Sand" in an orchestrated
version is the best track. Kinetic was an Epic
subsidiary. Rusty made an LP with the All Night
Singers c1963 (Reprise R6117), and a Christian folk
solo LP in the late 1970s. There is a collection of
demos/outtakes from this album on CD from
Collectables (Col-0690). [PL]
MARCUS (KY/IN)
"From The House Of Trax" 1979 (House Of Trax nr-10788) [500p;

'disco' cover with small blue paste-on]
"From The House Of Trax" 199 (House Of Trax) [bootleg;
boardprinted]
"From The House Of Trax" 1995 (Fantasia, UK) [500p]
"From The House Of Trax" 199 (CD House Of Trax) [bootleg]
"From The House Of Trax" 2003 (World In Sound rfr-014,
Germany) [+2 tracks; +bonus CD-ROM; 500p]
"From The House Of Trax" 2003 (CD World In Sound wis-010,
Germany) [+2 tracks; +bonus CD-ROM]
A somewhat legendary late 1970s psych private from a

guy still living in the cosmic acid seeker mindset,
even as the sound is (for the time) modern, with an
FM-rock/AOR feel that may put some off. Similar to DR
Hooker as a "big ego" project with no resources
spared; the songs, the performances and the
production are flawless. Hearing this on acid is like
walking around inside a psychedelic cathedral, with
multilayered keyboards, dreamy female harmonies, and
a panoramic 24-channel soundscape. The strongly
psych-flavored A-side is awesome in my ears, although
the Cecil B DeMille production has its number of
detractors. I don't care - this is a longtime
personal fave. The original press was 500 copies, but
only about half of them came with the blue paste-ons
with Marcus image and titles that cover the center
hole front and back. In later years remaining copies
from Marcus' original stash appeared on the market in
the plain white disco sleeves only, without any blue
paste-ons. Copies have also appeared with what are
believed to be more recently manufactured paste-ons,
although they're more or less identical to the 1979
ones. The early 1990s bootleg enlarged the paste-on
images so that they fill the entire boardprinted 12"
sleeve space. Despite being legal reissues, the WIS
releases are vinyl-sourced and somewhat inferior in
sound to the original. The CD-ROM features a video of
a 1979 acoustic live performance by Marcus from local
TV. Only one song from the LP is performed, and the
material is less psychedelic and more
singer/songwriter. Marcus made a comeback LP in the
1990s titled "The return". [PL]
~~~
This is the ultimate example of an album that divides
psych fans. Some of you will hate it, though it's not
one of those albums whose legend comes from
misleading dealer hype, as there are people who
absolutely love it too. Like the best latter day
psych albums (Trimble, Zerfas, Anonymous, etc.) it
sounds completely of its time. Unlike those albums it
doesn't seem to have any connection to 60s music,
though, and if anything sounds a few years ahead of
its time. The reverbed and way up-front vocals, the
ultra-prominent cymbals (the rest of the drums are
buried in the mix so far they might as well not even
be there), the cheesy synthesizers and new age-
sounding female backing vocals are hallmarks of the
80s sound. Mixed with spacy sound effects and this
album's most prominent feature, heavy phasing, it
sounds like psychedelicized AOR (or, on the non-heavy
songs, new age soft rock) sung by a mystic and
recorded in an echo chamber. The sound is absolutely
going to be a hard sell for most of you, and in my
opinion the songs are only marginally more appealing.
Some of it doesn't even sound like "rock" to me, and
while about half of the songs are quite catchy,
there's not a lot of musical depth here. I find this
one more interesting for the way the confusing
release and "re-release" were hyped by dealers than I
do for the actual music within. This is a real
oddball, to be sure, and doesn't sound like anything
else. I recommend that you don't pay too much mind to
either its fans or its detractors and check it out
for yourself. [AM]
ROBERT MARCUS (Corpus Christi, TX)
"Robert Marcus" 1974 (Ankh 1001)
Soft rock with keyboards, orchestration, some fuzz

and wah-wah, housed in a funny cover.
MARIANI (Austin, TX)
"Perpetuum Mobile" 1970 (Sonobeat HEC 411/412) [plain stamped

cover; insert with typewritten info; 100p]
"Perpetuum Mobile" 198 (Hablabel, Italy) [150#d]
"Perpetuum Mobile" 199 (CD Germany) [+1 track]
"Perpetuum Mobile" 1994 (Fanny 300894, Belgium) [500p]
"Perpetuum Mobile" 200 (Akarma, Italy)
"Perpetuum Mobile" 200 (CD Akarma, Italy)
There are some really big rarities whose greatness

escapes me and I'm afraid Mariani is one of those.
Eric Johnson is probably a technically brilliant
guitarist but after you've been through ten minutes
of Hendrix/Alvin Lee imitations you sorta wish he'd
do something else, like write decent songs rather
than just excuses for guitar solos. A few promising
hints of psych, especially on a track like "Rebirth
day" and a powerful in-yer-face soundscape, but all
over I find this LP disappointing. For Eddie van
Halen fans, Texas completists and collectors of 4-
figure legends. The group had a non-LP 45 with
psychedelic drum solos. [PL]
~~~
Heavy blues psych band with sixteen year-old Eric
Johnson on stun guitar, Vince Mariani handling drums,
Jimmy Bullock on bass. Lead vocals are handled by
several singers including Bill Wilson, Darrel Peal,
and Jay Podolnick. The playing gets anthemic at times
but the lyrics are regrettable. The recording session
was done outside in a wooded area. The German CD is
made from a rough copy of the LP and is very noisy.
The bonus track is a much later Eric Johnson version
of "Little Wing". All reissues have new sleeve
designs as the original was plain cover. [RM]
~~~
Eric Johnson the wunderkind is on display here, but
the band was named after the drummer, and ultimately
is as boring as, say, a Ginger Baker solo album.
Johnson was talented but not especially original as a
teenager, and there isn’t a solo here that wouldn’t
have been better if it was half as long (the drum
solo, of course, would have been better if it didn’t
exist at all). Even with the Johnson connection, it’s
a mystery to me why this is such a sought-after
album. I can think of hundreds of better late
60s/early 70s hard rock albums. [AM]
~~~
see -> American Peddlers; Electromagnets; Bill Wilson
MARIANUS (Andover, MA)
"Visions From Out of the Blue" 1981 (Jupiter) [lyric insert]
This is hyped as a prog album (and occasionally as an

AOR album), but defining it by that genre doesn't
tell the whole story about this oddity. It takes cues
from pretty much every rock style of the preceding 25
years, even glam and new wave (those two are
especially apparent on the irresistible opening
track.) There's a bit of mellotron on the album, a
spacy instrumental, a bunch of catchy choruses,
bizarre backing vocals and a singer who is the
missing link between Steve Harley and Geddy Lee. The
guitar riffs on the early verses of "Man From Another
Planet" really hit the spot. The songwriting
throughout is creative and intelligent. This is weird
and distinctive! I'm not sure who the audience is for
this one, but it's pretty great. [AM]
DEREK SCOTT MARKEL (Canada)
"Derek Scott Markel" 197 (no label RH 074601)
Rural folkrock and singer/songwriter with full

setting, piano, even accordion, the Band moves and
some psychy guitar. Highly rated by some.
MARK IV (Canada)
"Vol 1" 1965 (Rusticana CKL 1225)
Obscure teen-beat LP in neat sportscar cover.

MARKLEY (Los Angeles, CA)
"Markley: A Group" 1969 (Forward st-f-1007)
I may be in the minority here, but I enjoy this as

much as any of the "proper" WCPAEB albums, as it's
full of left turns, crazy arrangments, freaky lyrics,
and catchy tunes. As with the first Reprise album, it
sounds like a killer garage pop album filtered
through the mind of a whacked out genius. Absolutely
a must-hear for popsike fans. [AM]
GARY MARKS (NY)
"Gathering" 1974 (ULT 74008) [booklet]
Little-known Tim Buckleyish singer/songwriter with

jazz moves, rated highly by some. The LP was
originally sold via mail-order.
MARLBOROS & JOKERS SIX ( )
"Real Live Girl" 1966 (Justice 126)

"Real Live Girl" 199 (CD Collectables 0610)
Unusual LP with black vocal group and white club band

joining forces to try and get a beach party
going. Apparently the two bands toured together, the
Jokers Six supporting the Marlboros who are an early
60s-style vocal 4-piece. The Marlboros don't sing bad
and some tracks may appeal to local doo-wop
collectors, although the recording is muddy and
tinny. The title track is a fairly good original and
there's another original on board, the rest is mostly
r'n'b/soul standards. While the vocal strength of the
Marlboros gives the album an edge over pretty much
all other Justices I find little exceptional about
it. There's an OK surf-style instro and an energetic
"Good loving" on side 2 but apart from that the
Jokers Six sound like any generic club band;
competent but dull. Embarrassed, one of the Jokers
Six guys comes right out in the liner notes and
admits that the Marlboros are the "up and coming
stars of this album". [PL]
MARR'DEL (OH)
"Mystery Of Love" 1979 (MSP 3001) [1000p]
Accurately described as "sparse cosmic female real

people" by the guy who invented this type of
descriptions. Her voice is somewhat arch and lofty,
but the refined, serious mood is effective. Acoustic
guitar and autoharp, some songs, some spoken poetry
with musical backing and occasional sounds of nature
such as rain and thunder.
MARSADEES (SC)
"Marsadees" 1967 (Justice 150)

"Marsadees" 1996 (CD Collectables)
Probably the rarest LP on the label, this wasn't even

known to exist for many years. It's not bad either,
clearly among the better in the Justice catalog, with
a crude surf and frat approach similar to the non-
garage stuff on the Tempos LP. Should appeal to
anyone interested in local pre-Brit Invasion sounds,
even though it dates from around 1967! Cool cover
photo of the very young band. One group original, a
sleepy surf instro. [PL]
MARY BUTTERWORTH (South Gate, CA)
"Mary Butterworth" 1969 (Custom Fidelity 2092) [350p]

"Mary Butterworth" 1988 (Breeder 562, Austria)
"Mary Butterworth" 1998 (CD OCCS)
Inside one of the greatest private press psych

sleeves ever you'll find pretty enjoyable LA area
(they were not from Idaho) highschool pothead sounds
with Hammond organ upfront and great echoey drums.
Mixes bluesy vibe with a westcoasty outdoors feel in
the vocals. Mellow and stoned rather than lysergic,
despite uninspired lyrics three out of six tracks are
excellent - check out the Gathering vol 3 comp for a
sample. The album was sold via gigs and to friends
and had no formal distribution. The band also had a
pre-LP 45 on Custom Fidelity. Surprisingly, one track
from the LP is used in the highly acclaimed "Lost In
Translation" movie. The CD is remastered and remixed.
[PL]
~~~
Bluesy hard rock with long songs and some jazzy flute
and sax. The lyrics are trite and uninteresting but
the songwriting is decent and the overall sound is
appealing: lots of reverb and echo, nice guitar
sound, ringing cymbals and eerie organ, vocals that
don’t fall into the usual bluesy macho trap. “It’s A
Hard Road” is particularly good. There are moments
where it seems pedestrian, but also moments that rise
above. Not top of the heap, but good enough to
recommend to genre fans. The guitar solos are pretty
dull, though. [AM]
CARM MASCARENHAS (Winnipeg, Canada)
"Someday Soon" 1975 (Mascanta)
Folk and folkrock with acoustic and electric backing

and powerful vocals.
MASON (VA)
"Harbour" 1971 (Eleventh Hour 1001) [paste-on yellow title

sticker; booklet]
"Harbour" 1971 (Eleventh Hour S-1001) [printed cover;
booklet]
"Harbour" 199 (Eleventh Hour) [bootleg]
"Harbour" 199 (Gear Fab gf-137) [+2 tracks]
"Harbour" 1999 (Akarma, Italy) [booklet]
Released on the local Eleventh Hour label, the album

offered up a surprisingly accomplished set of early-
'70s heavy metal. Acrese had a voice that was well
suited for the genre; Hampton was a first-rate
drummer and as a trio these guys generated
considerable intensity. Largely written by Galyon,
material such as the driving opener "Let It
Burn" (imagine Deep Purple having borrowed Ian
Anderson for a flute solo), "Tell Me" and the cool
instrumental "Electric Sox and All" were all
impressive. Great songs and great performances (geez,
Grand Funk sold millions and these guys couldn't get
arrested). Elsewhere, "Golden Sails" was a
substantial change of pace, opting for a progressive
song structure (it may be our favorite song). [SB]
~~~
This is an interesting and diverse hard rock album,
well liked enough to have been reissued several
times. If you can picture slow, organ-rich heavy prog
side by side with blues-rock, acoustic folk-prog,
jazzy sax instrumentals, and snappy riff rockers,
you’ll have an idea of what you’re in store for here.
It’s all done quite well, and there’s an air of
professionalism usually absent from this kind of
self-made record. My favorite is the brief “Goin’
Home,” which sports an undeniable hook, but there’s
enough to like here than half a dozen listeners might
pick half a dozen favorites. “Tell Me” has a fuzz
guitar tone to die for. The singing is strong, but
overly macho and humorless, unfortunately, the
album’s one major fault. First issues have paste-on
covers. The second issue has a black and white cover
drawing and an insert.It was remixed at Alpha Audio
but it's unclear whether there is any real difference
in sound. Eleventh Hour went on to release albums by
Polyphony and Vandy. [AM]
~~~
see -> James Galyon
MASS-TERS ( )
"Today" 1969 (Venus MS 001)
Very obscure folk quintet looking like they're about

5 years behind the times, and reportedly sounding
that way too, except for some appealing female vocal
harmonies. Mix of originals and covers.
MATILDA see Don Daly

MILT MATTHEWS, INC ( )
"For The People" 197 (Catalyst cas-1111)

"For The People" 2003 (Catalyst 1111) [reissue]
Early 1970s black group. Soul rock with some fuzzy

jamming similar to early Parliament but less
interesting. Matthews had several other releases.
MAX AND I (Long Island, NY)
"Max and I" 1976 (Western Hemisphere)
Rural jams with female vocals, featuring Maxine and

Ira Stone along with ex-Elephant's Memory members. A
Morris Levy tax-loss release.
MAX CREEK (CT)
"Max Creek" 1977 (Quack Sound 100)
Supposedly only 100 copies were pressed of this

"American Beauty" style rural jam LP. The band has
been going for decades and developed a Deadhead-type
fan-base. Later LPs include "Rainbow" (Wranger, 1980)
and "Drink The Stars" (Wrangers 2LPs, 1982).
MAXIMILLIAN (NY)
"Maximillian" 1969 (ABC 696)
This is remarkably inept for a major label release.

It's certainly wasted, and is full of fuzz guitar as
well as some organ, but it's not exactly the funk-
psych freakout people wish it were, as it doesn't
really go into particularly far out places. Add that
to the lack of chops and go-nowhere soloing, and
ultimately it's pretty boring. [AM]
ALICIA MAY ( )
"Skinnydipping In The Flowers" 1976 (Golden Anchor 7777)

[lyric inner]
Femme vocal folk that has been compared to Linda

Perhacs. California label.
~~~
see -> "Guitar Picks"
MAYAN CANALS see Rich La Bonte
MAYPOLE (Baltimore, MD)

"Maypole" 1971 (Colossus cs-1007) [ylp exists]
"Maypole" 2005 (CD Radioactive 114, UK)
Heavy psych rock that’s got a lot of ideas, but also

has a tinny metallic sound that grates on the ears
quickly (and this is a long record). A definite
favorite of some fans of hard rock, but it’s one of
those albums that sounds much better when you’re only
hearing one song on a mixed tape or radio show. Some
of the songs are put together in kind of a suite,
showing some obvious prog ambitions. [AM]
MAY STREET TOPS (NC)
"May Street Tops" 1974 (Death Valley no #) [300p]
Rural hardrock with dual drums, occasionally hyped.

Recorded at the same studio (Harry Deal's) as
Dryewater. The title is sometimes listed as "Sold
Out".
MAZANTI ( )
"Philosopher" 1979 (Mazanti Music)
Southern hardrock with some folky tracks and Jethro

Tull moves.
MAZE (Fairfield, CA)
"Armageddon" 1968 (MTA 5012)

"Armageddon" 1989 (no label, Europe) [bootleg]
"Armageddon" 1995 (CD Sundazed sc-6060) [+6 tracks]
"Armageddon" 2006 (Beat Rocket) [alternate mono mix]
The Maze seek a sense of drama, with long songs,

prominent organ, eerie harmonies, heavy lyrics and a
singer who becomes unhinged here and there. If you're
in the right mood for it, it's pretty enjoyable,
especially since there are some crazed fuzz guitar
breaks. One truly terrible semi-novelty song, "Kissy
Face", destroys the mood, which makes the rest a
little harder to take seriously. The overall effect
is similar to the album by The Phantom, though the
best songs here, especially "I'm So Sad", are more
worthy of semi-serious respect than anything on that
album. The short songs take a poppier approach, and
they're reasonably good, with the one above-mentioned
exception. Pretty cool, though not distinctive enough
to really stand out in the genre. The Beat Rocket
release has a previously unreleased mono mix with
some alternate takes, and is this not a true reissue.
[AM]
MCALLEN (MI)
"McAllen" 1971 (Spirit 964S-2002) [gatefold]
Downer folk/folkrock with Woolies member helping out,

acoustic and electric backing. Back cover shows
McAllen next to a huge cannabis plant.
BOB MCCARTHY (Cambridge, MA)
"Advice & Company" 1974 (Wandra no #)
Coffeehouse folk and singer-songwriter with

occasional band backing, including second guitar,
bongos, violin, dobro, bass and drums.
JAMES MCCARTHY ( )
"Born a Loser" 1971 (Audio House ahs-3771) [blank back cover;

translucent blue vinyl]
Acoustic flower folk from noted Kansas studio and

custom label.
KATHY MCCORD ( )
"Kathy McCord” 1969 (CTI 1001)

"Kathy McCord” 1999 (CD Vivid, Japan)
Female singer/songwriter album that is highly rated

among genre fans.
MCDONALD & SHERBY (MN)
"Catharsis" 1974 (Omniscient 80 1426) [500p]

"Catharsis" 1992 (Rockadelic 7.5) [altered cover; altered song
order; 300p]
Here's an interesting obscurity that mixes two really

long moody songs and some shorter hard-rockers. The
long songs have definite anthemic quality, and
there's some cool guitar, organ and synth soloing:
plenty of wah-wah and freaky noises. Most of this is
blues-based, most of it riff-oriented. Neither the
short or long songs are structured in a particularly
complex way. Both are vehicles for jamming. It's a
pretty cool record, and more distinctive than the
description would suggest, though it would have been
nice if a few of the songs had been developed a bit
further. Strangely enough, the shorter, faster songs
suffer from the repetition more than the long ones
do, maybe because the soloing on the epics is more
thoughtful. [AM]
MCGRAW BROS (NJ)
"Scotch On The Rocks" 1966 (Tore 1)
Scottish-American group doing club band frat & Brit

invasion covers with honking sax, dressed up as
Scotsmen on the sleeve. A couple of band originals
also.
LARRY MCHUGH (PA)
"Son Of David" 1978 (BE 845)
A fine example of the more subdued, reflective mood

that emerged on Christian rock LPs towards the end of
the 1970s. Post-acid westcoasty melodic studio rock
with a highly professional, sophisticated sound
create a backdrop for McHugh's relaxed, unassuming
vocals. Lyrics are typical Jesus movement concerns
and stay close to the known path, leaving the music
to do the peregrinations in a quite appealing way. In
fact this album has some of the best guitar-picking
I've heard on a private from the era, sparse flowing
jazzy scales that fit the mood perfectly. The band as
a whole radiates a selfconfident late-night groove,
occasionally getting into jammy bits that flow just
right. Keyboards and moog fx are used in a way
similar to the more relaxed tracks on One St Stephen,
while the overall nocturnal feel is reminiscent of
Christian colleagues Ark and Windwords. McHugh does
get dangerously close to the "better safe than sorry"
repetition spectre that can haunt this type of work,
but emerges a winner on the strength of some terrific
dreamy tracks such as "Come to me" and "Waters of
life". This is not a local basement trip like
Kristyl, but a very pro-sounding affair with mature,
jazzy moods. I was rather impressed. [PL]
~~~
Folky Christian singer who can’t really hit all of
his notes, but has a pretty solid musical backing.
The title track is pretty great, full of phase
shifter happy guitar solos (lots of scales), a dreamy
chorus, and ends with a great rock guitar solo and
some surprising moog. Terrific song! There isn’t
anything else here that gets up as much of a rocking
head of steam, but most of the album is decent
acoustic folk and soft-rock with a rhythm section
that stands out despite the quiet nature of the
songs. The Christian lyrics are reasonably subdued. A
few songs veer towards a jazzier direction, and
aren’t quite as appealing. A lot of the electric lead
guitar sounds like improvised noodling, and the weak
singing grates after a while, but the more carefully
constructed songs are quite good. Other than the
title track, the oddly structured “Hold Your Love
High” is probably the highlight, as it fits frantic
bass runs, dreamy “ah ah” singing and a somewhat long
instrumental introduction into three surprising
minutes. Not solid from start to finish, but a pretty
interesting album. [AM]
McKAY (Indianapolis, IN)
"Into You" 1977 (no label) [300p; plain back cover]

"Into You" 1993 (OR 001) [insert; 300#d + signed]
"Into You... Plus" 1996 (CD OR 007) [+bonus tracks]
"Into You" takes some time to get into but it's worth
the effort - a laidback, nocturnal rural rocker with
sounds ranging from country-tinged, almost Eagles-
like brooders to uptempo guitar movers with some ace
Jerry Garcia-style instros inbetween. Neil Young's
"Harvest" and "Tonight's the night" may also spring
to mind, but this is a distinctive album that needs
to be heard, rather than imagined via semi-accurate
comparisons. Some copies have a sticker on the back
with personnel info. The CD reissue features 16
unique bonus tracks, all from the same sessions as
"Into You" and "Take Two". I was not quite as
impressed with "Take Two", although others seem to
like it. [PL]
~~~
"Into You" has excellent sound and high quality
performances. It could easily have been mistaken for
a major label album of the time. It mixes acoustic
ballads, upbeat rockers with wah wah, and laid back
rural rock. The obvious reference points are 70s
Grateful Dead and, to a lesser extent, The Band. That
works for better (musicianship) and worse (vocals.)
It rarely rocks out, but on the few occasions it
does, it is convincing. The songwriting is pretty
strong, and occasionally (i.e. the propulsive “This
Road”) transcendent. I find the vocals weak (not in
the sense that they can’t sing, but moreso that the
singer sounds wussy), but otherwise this is one of
the best albums of the style. The CD contains an
albums’ worth of bonus tracks, many of which sound
more like demos and jams that completed songs. If you
listen to them separate from the album proper,
they’re pretty fun, and there are a few solid songs
mixed in too. [AM]
"Into You, Take Two" 1995 (OR 007) [book; 375#d]
McKay had a whole batch of unreleased recordings from

around the time of "Into You", some of which were
originally considered for the album. In 1995, the
material from the vaults was dug out, remixed and
released by OR records. The result is a collection
just as slapdash as the bonus tracks on the "Into
You" CD, including some jammy instrumentals and some
brief effect-laden experiments to go along with a
number of complete songs. Obviously this isn’t a
consistent listen, but the quality of the songs is
strong and even the most incomplete fragments are
pretty interesting. The album is also intelligently
structured to make the experimental bits and songs
fit well together. Fans of the first album are sure
to enjoy this, and, since unlike "Into You" this is
quite psychedelic, it could attract some new fans as
well. Also, it has a great album cover. [AM]
~~~
"Take Two" is the druggier and more interesting of
the two fine McKay efforts, taken from mid-70s
sessions at which time the group was going by the
name, The Loos Band. The "Take Two" material does not
overlap with the 1996 CD reissue at all. There is a
CD release on OR of 1997 recordings, "Tomorrow's
Tomorrow". [RM]
~~~
see -> Ray Pierle
MCLEISH, PETRIE, ROBINSON & FRIENDS (Canada)
"R P M" 1978 (Starfish 7801) [1000p; blue vinyl]
Rural rock and folkrock with guitar/keyboard demo

recordings gathered over a period of time, with
songwriting contributions from all members.
F J MCMAHON (Santa Barbara, CA) see Q & A here
"Spirit Of The Golden Juice" 1969 (Accent 5049)

"Spirit Of The Golden Juice" 2000 (Wild Places)
Recently discovered obscurity on the Accent label,

otherwise known for a number of great 45s. Late-stage
beatnik/coffee house-folk which reminds me of Fred
Neil; worldweary, introspective sound with an early
Viet Vet vibe. He has a good voice somewhat similar
to D R Hooker, and plays nice guitar figures
throughout the LP, which has a light folkrock
backing. Not bad, though the arrangements would have
benefited from some variation. McMahon recorded this
coming out of the air force, and "The Golden Juice"
refers to a brand of bourbon popular among enlisted
men. The album features Accent colleague Jon Uzonyi
(Peace Pipe) on bass. [PL]
MEADE RIVER see John Gilbert
MEAT PHREDD (OH)
"Meat Phredd" 1981 (Phreddhead)
Instrumental avant guitar progressive trio similar to

Viola Crayola. Recorded at Columbus' longrunning
Musicol studios and housed in an odd cartoon cover.
THE MEDIUM (Montreal, Canada)
"The Medium" 1969 (Gamma 503)

Usually this band is listed as “Medium,” but the
album cover clearly defines them as “the Medium,”
which takes on a whole different meaning. This
Canadian psych album is pretty interesting, starting
with a trippy instrumental full of organ and fuzz
guitar, and moving on to dreamy ballads and slightly
heavier (but never fast) songs. The guitar playing
throughout is somewhere between jazz and angular San
Francisco-style noodling. There seems to be little or
no attempt at melody, which actually makes the solos
pretty distinctive and weird. An organ/guitar battle
on “Give Me A Peace” is especially fun. The songs
don’t follow traditional verse/chorus structures at
all. The singer has a deep voice but isn’t exactly
soulful or bluesy. This album is pretty freaky, what
may have happened if bands like Aorta and Day
Blindness didn’t bother to tidy up their loose ends.
The style wears a little thin by the end, as the
songwriting on side two doesn’t really offer anything
new. Still, this is something most of you will enjoy.
It has some similarities to the more satirical and
pop-oriented Rabble, also from Montreal. [AM]
~~~
This one has a pretty good reputation, but I was
somewhat disappointed with it. It opens strongly with
some fairly complex and atmospheric UK artrock
excursions with classical influences in the typical
Procol Harum/Moody Blues school; skillful keyboard
and piercing fuzz themes keep your attention.
Unfortunately someone, probably the vocalist, decided
that something more was needed, which means that bad
sub-Justin Hayward crooner laments pop up where there
should have been more instrumentals. The guy's voice
isn't half as good as he thinks it is, constantly
hitting the wrong notes and straining in true amateur
night fashion. The songwriting for these numbers is
kind of lame too, with a remarkable lowpoint hit in
what sounds like someone's drunken halfspeed karaoke
reworking of the Hollies' old "Yes I will". When Mr
Wayward keeps quiet or slides into a more balanced
approach the music regains its footing, with a
playful inventiveness and semi-avantgardism which is
reasonably cutting edge for 1969. All over though, an
album such as Aggregation on LHI shows how to handle
and overcome the traps that pour sugar in the Medium
gas tank. Still worth checking out cheaply, and may
appeal to fans of early prog, but I wouldn't set my
expectations too high. [PL]
V.A "MEET THE LIVELY ONES" (Canada)
"Meet The Lively Ones" 1965 (Capitol DJ 100) [thin paper

cover]
Obscure promo-only sampler of Canadian beat bands

including early Sparrow(s), Wes Dakus Rebels, Big
Town Boys, Staccatos, Barry Allen, Diane Leigh, and
Robbie Lane & the Disciples.
MARK MELANSON (NY)
"Haunted Hearse" 1970 (Color Esoterics) [insert]
Real people/outsider folk with "Irish gravedigger

vocals", echo effects and more. Highly rated by some.
MELCHIOR ALIAS (Montreal, Canada)
"Melchior Alias" 1969 (Capitol 70024) [gatefold; insert]
Somewhat legendary French-Canadian LP with French

vocals, electronic psych and freak-rock.
MELISMA ( )
"Like Trolls" 1978 (no label)
Seldom seen local folk/prog, housed in nice pencil-

drawn cover.
MELOFIN (WV)
"Ivan Tale" 1984 (Sky Spy Studio)
The 1984 date belies the sound of this interesting

and unique record. Influences come from UK folk, UK
prog and US folk-rock. The singer sounds very
British, like a mixture of Roy Harper, John Lennon
and an oboe. A wide range of instruments including
mandolin, tasteful synthesizer, and many percussion
devices color the sound of the music, which is about
half acoustic, half electric. The lack of lead guitar
on most songs makes the few solos and guitar hooks
more powerful than they might be in another context.
A couple of the songs are overlong (everything here
has a leisurely pace to it), but for the most part
this is lovely and ethereal. I've seen comparisons to
the Strawbs and Jethro Tull, and that's not too far
off. How much you like it will depend on how you
respond to the unusual singer, but this is a pretty
neat album with a timeless feel. The back cover photo
shows the four least likely looking rock and rollers
you'll ever see. [AM]
DAVID & TINA MELTZER (San Francisco, CA)
"Poet Song" 1969 (Vanguard sd-6519)

"Poet Song" 1999 (Akarma 054, Italy)
"Serpent Power/Poet Song" 1999 (CD Akarma 053/054, Italy) [2-
on-1]
Obscure follow-up to the Serpent Power LP by the main

duo, like that band still somewhat underrated. He
reads some of his poetry which may turn some off
though the poems are brief and enjoyable (he's a
published poet with roots in the 1950s beat era), and
do not detract from the excellent folkpsych songs
that make up the bulk of the LP. Less poppy and more
meditative than the earlier album, some tracks are
truly great. Worth checking out. A Canadian pressing
exists. There was also a children's LP titled
"Faces" (Folkways, 1984) with Tina's vocals, guitar,
and banjo playing. [PL]
"Green Morning" 199 (RD Records 5, Switzerland) [500p]
This is the Meltzers' unreleased 2nd LP, recorded in

1970 for Capitol but never released except for an
acetate.
MENDELBAUM (Madison, WI)
"Mendelbaum" 2002 (Shadoks 034, Germany, 2LPs) [450p]

"Mendelbaum" 2003 (CD Shadoks 034, Germany, 2CDs)
Previously unreleased material, one disc studio, one

disc live, from obscure Midwest band who moved to the
Bay Area and cut some demos and played the ballrooms.
Most of this falls into an unexceptional late 60s
rock-club sound, like you may expect from a Fillmore
support act. Proto-heavy transition sounds with
typical guitar/Hammond B3 mix, bluesy vocals, some
Santana and Dead moves. The guitar-playing is above
average but that's really the only thing of note
here. The live stuff is slightly superior in my ears.
One of Shadoks' more dubious releases, though some
people have reported liking it. There was a local 45
released in WI around 1968. Both guitarist Chris
Michie (previously in the Grapes Of Wrath) and
drummer Keith Knudsen went on to bigger things. [PL]
MERCURY MAGIC ( )
"Mercury Magic" 1980 (Hughestone 557)
Flowing hippie & prog-rock with Jaggeresque vocals,

moog, sax and flute parts too. Spaced out black and
white cover art is a plus. Some copies came with a
bonus non-LP 7".
MERKIN (Orem, UT)
"Music From Merkin Manor" 1973 (Windi 1005)

"Music From Merkin Manor" 1994 (Merkin, UK) [bootleg; 350p]
"Music From Merkin Manor" 1997 (CD Gear Fab gf-109) [+3
tracks]
"Music From Merkin Manor" 1997 (Akarma, Italy)
A real enigma, popular with many psych fans despite

being easy-breezy sort of 1970s pop-psych rather than
the typical heavy guitar blowouts. Some have compared
this to the poppier, non-jammy side of early Santana.
I have heard it many dozens of times but can't really
put my finger on it - there's nothing quite like it.
The LP they play at seaside resorts when all the
summer visitors have left! "Take some time" is a
personal favorite with a simple yet memorable guitar
hook, while the sad ballad "Goodbye" has lots of
admirers. A marvy negative purple/silver sleeve adds
to the appeal. Recorded in LA 1972 but not released
until 1973. [PL]
~~~
I recall feeling disappointed when I put this LP on
the platter having eagerly purchased the first
reissue. I had read descriptions of the two copies
auctioned in lists that featured those four words
heavy, psych, private and monster. This was not what
I’d expected. My initial disappointment gradually
gave way to love and wonder. It was certainly three
of these overused descriptors and with that
thunderous and yet twangy bass it was genuinely
heavy. The impression left when the stylus reaches
the end is that of very, very happy musicians playing
together and having the times of their lives. Like
their label mates Creation Of Sunlight this oozes
good vibes from every groove. There’s a lounge feel
on some tracks like "Ruby" and "Sweet Country". The
sound is very professional, but those tunes, boy,
they had some great and sometimes brilliant ones up
their sleeves. You will be humming them all day.
Nothing else really sounds like this LP, it is as if
innocent sixties youths had been lifted out of their
dream and placed in bed with a well-meaning whore
with a heart. It occupies that fruitful transition
phase between psychedelic pop and more ‘meaningful’,
‘heavy’ music of the early seventies. Has the reverse
negative sleeve to end all reverse negative sleeves.
Special as it comes. [RI]
MERRY AIRBRAKES (MA)
"Merry Airbrakes" 1973 (St George International 06) [100p;

insert; blank back cover]
"Merry Airbrakes" 1999 (Shadoks 002, Germany) [450p; altered
cover]
"Merry Airbrakes" 2000 (CD Shadoks/NOrmal, Germany)
Folk blues cooker with Vietnam concerns. Organ, slide

guitar, harmonica. Some copies came without cover,
others have handmade embellishments. [RM]
V.A "MERRY CHRISTMAS" (WA)
"Merry Christmas" 1965 (Etiquette 025)

"Merry Christmas" 1984 (Etiquette)
Local Northwest X-Mas comp from label made famous by

the Sonics. Gerry Roslie and the boys supply four
unique tracks of which one has appeared on "Back From
The Grave". All can also be found as bonus tracks on
recent Sonics reissues. In addition there's some
charming yuletide stuff from the Wailers and the
Galaxies. One of the most expensive originals on
Etiquette.
LES MERSEY'S (Montreal, Canada)
"Mersey's" 1967 (DSP 417)
Well-produced French-Canadian pop/beat with Michael

Pagliaro, sung in French. Several Beatles covers. The
band also had many 45s.
MESSAGE ( )
"It'll Be Awhile" 1981 (Black Gold)
The production on this private press hard rocker is

crude, which makes the obvious 80s touches (mostly
the lead guitar sound) somewhat less slick. They
obviously have some prog aspirations, and have some
interesting synth breaks and thoughtful
instrumentals. The bass player obviously had listened
to a lot of Yes albums. The lead guitar playing is
often on the level of Id (of "Where Are We Going"),
though, fast and spastic without any attention to
melody or hooks. Basically their ideas are well
beyond their ability or songwriting sense, which is
kind of charming but not compelling on multiple
listens. One song is a long acoustic guitar solo, and
only about half of this album is vocal (and those
vocals aren't particularly good). A bit different
from your average hard rock album, but like, for
example, Ixt Adux, it's not especially successful.
The label was based in New Mexico. [AM]
MESSENDGER (GA)
"Messendger" 1982 (Jab 111)
This one is hyped as one of the best 80s rock albums,

and usually described as sounding like a 70s band.
That's just dealer hype, as it sounds completely
1980s to me. The songs and playing are pretty good,
but the guitar tone is annoyingly of its time and
there's nothing here good enough to make it really
rise to the top of the heap. [AM]
MESSENGERS & GOOD NEWS (VT)

Messengers.j
(66853
bytes)
"Born Again" 1971 (House VV 6285) [insert]
Split LP of two Christian bands, both enjoyable,

Messengers in a British 60s style with some fuzz and
standout track "The right way", Good News in a
acoustic folk duo direction. The sleeve uses the same
Jesus face image as the first Agape LP.
METZ (TX)
"Metz" 1974 (Chrome Star 1001)
Very obscure Texas 70s bluesy rock with supposedly

Johnny Winter guesting. There may be two cover
variants for this title, one standard cover with
large 'Metz' in script and a plain cover with stamped
title.
M.H.S ROCK (NJ)
"On Record" 1981 (RPC 574292)
Seven tracks by seven different bands from Manasquan

High School in New Jersey. Bands include Armadillo,
Pegasus, Dead-End, Voyager, Runaways, Alternate
Route, Mersey. Almost the entire LP has an early to
mid 70's sound with some heavy psych tracks. Only a
handful of copies have turned up and being released
on RPC it's probably a micro pressing.
MICAH (NY)
"I'm Only One Man" 1971 (Sterling Award 1001)
Depressing organ/guitar progrock with sidelong tracks

and some interesting passages. The sound is a bit
Santana-influenced, but mainly one for local prog
hardrock fans. They also had a 45 edited from the LP.
MICHAEL ANGELO (Kansas City, MO)
"Michael Angelo" 1977 (Guinn 1050) [1000p]

"Michael Angelo" 1997 (Guinn, Germany) [bootleg; 450#d]
"Michael Angelo" 2005 (Void 036) [+1 track]
Fabulous dreamy psych-flavored folkrock and anglo-pop

shrouded in the early hippie vibe despite the
vintage. Light and melodic in an L.A '67 & Donovan
direction, while the lyrics hint at darker dimensions
beneath the seductive surface. Possible points of
reference are Bobb Trimble and the 2nd side of
Marcus-House Of Trax, and don't doubt for a minute
this is just as good. Use of piano on some tracks
bring in a singer/songwriter sound, while retaining
the 60s feel. Very solid and well-written LP that is
loved by many, one of the classics of the
local/private press field, and one that may also
appeal to fans of the Shoes and similar melodic mid-
70s pop sounds. Sespite its deluxe profile the German
reissue is somewhat inferior in sound. An album of
previously unreleased material titled "Sorcerer's
Dream" (Void, 1999) may be worth checking out for
fans of the Guinn album. [PL]
~~~
Side one of this album is as good as anything, a
truly lovely blend of pop, folk-rock and light
psychedelia. Like the best music, it's of its time
but evokes many great artists from before its time.
He has a terrific voice too. Like Anonymous this is
just plain great songwriting and performance, and
whatever may or may not be psychedelic is secondary.
Side two is pretty great too, but repeats a few of
the ideas from the first side, and overall this maybe
ends up being a notch below Zerfas or Anonymous,
which still makes it in the top 10 or so for private
press LPs. It's something everyone should hear. A CD
reissue would be very welcome. [AM]
MICHAELO (CA)
"Michaelo" 1976 (Tomorrow tvi-140)
Here's another cool album on a mysterious tax loss

label (and by far the best album on Tomorrow). For
the most part, it's singer-songwriter stuff with a
strong Van Morrison influence, with a nice
acoustic/electric mix and some tasty organ. The
vocals are excellent and the songs, while simple in
structure, hit some nice grooves and are quite
hypnotic. What makes the album appeal to psych
collectors is "Mystic Rider," which varies the style
a bit with some great dreamy echo-laden lead guitar.
It's the best song on a solid album. For those of you
who can't find (or afford) the album, it was given a
major label release on London Records #660, under the
artist's real name, Michael O'Gara. It includes
"Gunfighter" which is missing from this Tomorrow
label release (despite being listed on the cover),
but instead omits "Naked Circumstances," so you need
both releases to get all tracks. [AM]
LUCINE MICHAELS ( )
"Turning Point" 196 (Koinonia 142626) [gatefold]
Heartfelt album dedicated to the assassinated leader

of the Koinonia organization. At times the lyrics are
almost too sincere to take, but there’s real charm in
the optimistic idealism here. I doubt you’d hear
anything like it today, especially the song about
poor little Leroy, a discriminated-against black boy.
Lucine’s vocals are similar to a lot of Xian singers—
pretty but without much soul. They don’t work for me,
but do seem to fit with her songs. More of an
interesting artifact and timepiece than an especially
good album. [AM]
MICHAELS & HACK (MD)
"Back To Back" 1978 (Mellow Magic 1) [insert]
Trippy hippie duo doing spacy folk floaters with fuzz

guitar, echoed vocals, and treated sounds.
MICHELE (Los Angeles, CA)
"Saturn Rings" 1969 (ABC s-684)

"Saturn Rings" 199 (ABC, Japan)
This hodgepodge of an album ranges from soft rock to

heavy acid guitar freakouts. Three songs are taken
straight from the first Sagittarius album, apparently
the exact same takes but with additional
instrumentation and Michele's lovely vocals. Some
electric violin here and there is pretty cool, and a
few songs have a really nice late-night dreamy vibe.
It's not exactly consistent, but this is mostly
terrific, to my ears as good as either Sagittarius
album or the Millenium album, and much tougher. Some
LA heavyweights help out. [AM]
MIDNIGHT (IL)
"Into The Night" 1977 (no label KM 1787) [1000p]

"Into The Night" 1996 (no label) [bootleg]
Local Chicago garage hardrock with a Doorsy '69-70

sound despite the release year. Covers all the bases
with lots of rocking stuff, some moody
introspectives, boogie moves, a doomy Sabbathish
attempt etc. Pretty decent for the genre and a cool
mid-60s Vox organ sound all through is a plus. [PL]
MIJ ( )
"Color By The Number" 1969 (ESP 1098)

"Color By The Number" 199 (CD ZYX)
Jim Holberg doing mystic folk weirdness with spooky,
echoed vocals that has dubbed him the "Yodeling
Astrologer". Less art/avant and more genuinely
strange than most ESP releases, worth checking out
for fringe fans. Issued in a color by number cover.
MILKWOOD see Under Milkwood
MILKWOOD (CA)
"Another Sunday" 1979 (no label)
Folk with 12-string, flute and mixed male/female

vocals.
MILKWOOD TAPESTRY (NY)
"Milkwood Tapestry" 1969 (Metromedia md-1007) [gatefold; wlp

exists]
Milkwood Tapestry’s only album is a weird mix of

baroque ballads and frantic fuzz-guitar screamers.
The combination doesn’t really work very well,
especially since the ballads outnumber the noisier
songs. The singer is a little too operatic to be
appealing in either context, and overall this album
is an interesting misfire. Still, a few songs,
especially “Beyond The Twelve Mile Zone,” are pretty
cool, and some of the arrangements are quite
original. Close listens will be marginally rewarding,
but also somewhat frustrating. Great song titles.
[AM]
MILLARD & DYCE (Baltimore, MD)
"Millard & Dyce" 1973 (Century Kaymar Dyce 7-265)
Mix of electric and acoustic folk blues, with three

guitars and bass. A Century custom, sometimes listed
as on Kaymar only.
MILLENNIUM (Los Angeles, CA)
"Begin" 1968 (Columbia cs-9663) [360 Sound label]

"Begin" 1990 (CD Columbia) [+2 tracks]
This is generally considered to be the

Boettcher/Usher masterpiece, though like the
Sagittarius albums it's pretty spotty. It does have a
remarkable timeless production quality to it, and
when it's good, as on the amazing "It's You," it's as
thrilling as pop can get. Otherwise, though, there's
a definite wimpiness to these albums, and the
songwriting is inconsistent. My lingering feeling is
that if the best songs from all of them were mixed
together into one compliation it would be heavenly,
good enough to make up for the lack of, um, rock. As
it is, this is definitely worthwhile and is
recommended, but it's not a five star record. [AM]
MILLENNIUM (TX)
"Millennium" 1973 (Shekinah 1512)
Christian quartet in a prog-rock direction with lots

of keyboard.
"MILLION DOLLAR MONKEY ON MY BACK" ( )
"Million Dollar Monkey On My Back" 1971 (no label)
Spoken word anti-drug rap with ex-heroin addict, some

musical background.
MILL SUPPLY (Montreal, Canada)
"Mill Supply" 1971 (Crescent Street 1860)
"Satan won’t you help me get in, I’m coming on down".

‘Satan’ opens Side 1 and left my jaw slack with
amazement. It sounds like a lounge-crazed, heavier
Dead making a pact with The Beast. The Christian
lyrics on the track ‘Memories’ make you wonder if
they are coming from Above or from Below. Sleeve
notes about an interest in Choir singing and the
Occult clarify nothing. This is a very solid LP with
some exceptional vocals and nice twangy bass lines (a
bit like Merkin in places). ‘Bedtime Stories’ is
almost as unsettling as ‘Satan’. Side 2 is loungier
and poppier, with ‘Voyage to Bhagdad’ and the drugged
‘Spider’ being especially interesting. The LP closes
with an amazing, sneering, downer ‘Henry was a
Loser’. Well worth tracking down. [RI]
V.A "MILWAUKEE SENTINEL" (Milwaukee, WI)
"Milwaukee Sentinel" 1966 (Century 23214)
Battle Of The Bands LP with 12 obscure bands and

terrible sound quality. Bands include the Radicals,
the Patriots, the Ethics, the Woodsmen, etc. Mostly
r'n'b and soul covers.
MINETTE (NY)
"Come to me at Tea Time" 1968 (Collectors Choice CCR VOL 1)
Rare LP of psychedelic cocktail lounge music by

female impersonator.
MIKE MINGO (OH)
"To All My Friends" 1976 (private)
Strange folkrock/rock with wah-wah and organ by army

veteran in a crude paste-on cover.
MINSTREL STRING GUILD (WA)
"The Nightbirds Are Screaming" 1976 (no label) [insert]
Folkrock and singer-songwriter from sibling duo with

fuzz and some captivating female vocals. There is a
second LP from 1977, "Music Swims Back To Me".
MIRTHRANDIR (NJ)
"For You, The Old Women" 1976 (Mirthrandir 2276) [insert]

"For You, The Old Women" 199 (CD Syn-Phonic)
Symphonic progressive with good and heavy chaotic

runs. Dual guitar, synth, flute.
LES MISERABLES (Quebec, Canada)
"Les Miserables" 1967 (Jupiter JDY-7011)

"Les Miserables" 1999 (No Tyme, Italy) [+bonus tracks]
Highly enjoyable garage & beat from moody French-

Canadian punks, with dynamite 3-chord action on the
best tracks, such as the two-fisted punch of
"Chemises" and "Miserablement votre", both of which
could have fit on any garage comp, with snotty
vocals, a stripped-down garage sound, and a dynamite
Bo Diddley mid-section on the latter. "Vivre avec
toi" is another great track in the same fuzzed style,
while the excellent "Ecoute-moi" brings in a driving
Spencer Davis Group organ club groove. Although
essentially a Brit-styled band, they are somewhat
less Stones-inspired than Les Differents, with a bit
of Yardbirds & Beatles influence reminiscent of
upscale Euro-beat bands such as the Mascots or the
Motions. Just to screw with this theory, there is a
French-language version of "Tell me", and indeed the
reissue CD contains a whole bunch of Frenchified
versions of current hits like "The letter", "Western
union" and (sadly) "When a man loves a woman". Some
discrimination is needed when swinging with Les
Miserables, but ultimately they were a respectworthy
band that need to be checked out by any fan of pre-
psychedelic 60s sounds, provided you can handle the
French-only vocals. They also had several 45s. [PL]
MISSING LINKS (MA)

"At The 5 O'Clock Lounge" 1965 (Fleetwood 3012)
Obscure LP from teen-beat top 40 cover band with a

tight, rocking sound that suggests many months of
playing at local clubs. Covers all through from what
I can tell, with the usual mixed bag of r'n'b/soul,
frat, crooner ballads and a few glances at the
British Invasion. Band had enough selfconfidence to
add small but significant personal touches to several
numbers. Hippest selections are "Just a little" and
"For your love" while "What I'd say" proclaiming that
"the Missing Links are in town" packs plenty of
charm. They also do the most credible whiteboy
version of "Earth angel" around, although this may
not wow hip garage fiends who bump into this album
looking for "fuzz" and finding none. Comparable to
the Justice and early prep-rock LPs and more
professional than the genre average. [PL]
MISSION SINGERS ( )
"Everything's Just Fine... Or Is It?" 1967 (Catholic Relief

Services)
Four Catholic priests with electric guitars! The LP

was issued to raise money for the Catholic Relief
Overseas Aid Fund Appeal. Notable for the atypical
closing track “Reconciliation”, a garage psych beast.
There is a second LP with folkrock and probing
discussion of the lyrics, "Disco-Teach" (Celebrities,
1969). [RM]
MISSISSIPPI (NY/CA)
"Velvet Sandpaper" 1973 (Taurus 169)

"Velvet Sandpaper" 199 (Taurus, Austria) [bootleg; altered
cover]
"Velvet Sandpaper / White Light" 1998 (CD Two Of Us 001,
Germany) [2-on-1]
Obscure LP from ex-White Light vocalist with unusual

worldweary "older guys" sound and titles such as
"Mistrust-Separation-Divorce". Hard to describe
accurately, but traces of late-period Doors and Tim
Buckley can be found on things like the excellent
"Blue Love". Comparable to the experience of sharing
a drink with a stranger down on his luck at a
desolate nightclub, then seeing him actually get up
on stage and sing a few songs about his misfortunes
as the closing hour approaches. Also a harder fuzz
edge with creeping menace on a couple of tracks such
as the terrific "Light", and some hints of the
barrock groove aspirations of White Light, but these
are exceptions to the overall scotch-laden
introspection Mr Mississippi projects. Pro-sounding
band and vocals that hit just the right spot. This
strikes me as a lot better than the White Light LP,
and it's strange that it hasn't become more well-
known. Originally from New York, Gary "Mississippi"
Abrams recorded this album in California 1973 with
two completely separate sets of musicians. In 1980 he
released another LP titled "Breaking Out". He worked
with the Perron Brothers (White Light) for several
years under various band names. There are also 3 non-
LP 45s. [PL]
~~~
Here we have two great albums in one. Side one, with
one band, is a terrific singer songwriter album with
mainstream tendencies and great songwriting (the
Chris Isaak-like "Blue Love" and the funky "Heat
Chills" are particularly good). Side two, with
another band, rocks harder, has some freaky moments
and is equally as well-written. Abrahms is a vocal
chameleon, sounding like Johnny Cash one moment, Jim
Morrison another, and also alternately sounding 50
and 20. There's a pretty wide range of styles here,
but it coheres. It has top shelf production for a
private press, and both bands are hot. Highly
recommended. [AM]
~~~
see -> White Light
MISSOURI DIRT ( )
"It's For You" 1977 (Ilmo)
This album looks like it’s going to be really sleazy,

as it’s obviously the work of drunken rural dudes who
are more in love with their shotguns and whiskey than
their girlfriends, but unfortunately it’s rather
bland and not very well played bar rock. It lacks the
kind of heavy guitar that would have given the sleazy
lyrics some bite. I wouldn’t say it to their face,
but this music is disappointingly wimpy. Illinois
label. [AM]
MISTREATER (OH)
"Hell's Fire" 1981 (no label CPI 1280)
Hardrock/metal. The band also had a 45 on the

wellknown 700 West label.
MISTRESS (CA)
"New Ground" 2005 (RD Records 17, Switzerland) [insert]
Post-Country Weather band with a shortlived career,

captured here with unreleased 1973 material of 70s
post-psychedelic Bay Area rock. There was also a 1996
release from Taxim ("Free Flyte", Germany)
MIZZOURI FOXX (MO/CA)
"Mizzouri Foxx" 197 (no label)

"Trapped Live" 1979 (Brother Studio)
Hard guitar/organ bar-rock with a Deep Purple sound

from band who moved to SoCal from small-town
Missouri. The second LP is recorded live and was
released on the same label as Chakra.
MOBIUS STRIP ( )
"Mobius Strip" 1982 (Nervous)
Basement AOR/ hardrock with high pitched vocals.
MOCK DUCK (Vancouver, BC)
"Test Record" 1969 (no label, acetate)

"Test Record" 2001 (Gear Fab 154, 2LPs) [+bonus tracks]
"Test Record" 2001 (CD Gear Fab 154) [+bonus tracks]
"Test Record" 2001 (Gear Fab/Comet 4072, Italy) [+bonus
tracks]
One of several interesting bands from Vancouver's

remarkable late 1960s freak scene. Unfortunately the
45 "Do-Re-Mi" is about the only really good thing
they did, the acetate material is disappointing
jazzrock and blues excursions, as is the other live
stuff added for the reissue. Rarity and legend factor
may dictate certain releases, but a double LP was
hardly called for.
MOD & THE ROCKERS (MD)
"Now" 1967 (Justice 153)

"Now" 1994 (CD Collectables 0618)
With a name like that you'd expect at least some

recognition of "the new sound from England", and
indeed these guys are really hip by Southeast
standards, covering the Zombies and the Beau Brummels
in addition to an unusual and great arrangement on
"Gloria" that's based on Them rather than the Shadows
Of Knight. The LP opens with a '66-sounding garage
fuzz winner and the band has a tight club sound with
organ and a strained soul-punk vocalist. The
recording is better than most Justices and this could
have been a winner, except that they manage to spoil
the party with several lame ballads from a bygone
era. Too bad. [PL]
MODALITY STEW (Vancouver, WA)

"Modality Stew" 1978 (UMP) [booklet; 1000p]
Predominantly instrumental acoustic raga folk with an

improvisational bent and quirky humor in the song
titles. Versatile playing and rich instrumentation
with sitars, bells, tablas, flute and more creates an
appealing soundscape although it does seem a little
late for this type of music. Vocals on first and last
track makes you wish they'd sung more, still a cool
item and mandatory for genre fans; clearly superior
to something like Peter Stark. Features ex-
Spikedrivers member Sid Brown. [PL]
~~~
Mostly intrumental, eastern-themed folk album that
meanders quite a bit but has its moments. Ends with a
really fantastic acid folk song. The singing is
appealing; too bad there isn't more of it. This album
is somewhat of frustrating because it's so off-hand,
and some of it is pretty boring, but the good parts
are better than most anything you'll hear in the
style. [AM]
~~~
see -> Peace, Bread, and Land Band; Spikedrivers
MODERN SOUNDS ( )
"Famous Songs of Hank Williams" 1969 (Alshire S-5136)
This is probably the most ridiculous of all of the

60s exploito albums, and that's saying a lot. The
album cover tells the whole story: "Famous Songs of
Hank Williams; a return trip with Modern Sounds; with
exciting vocals; in modern rock-acid sound." These
words surround a photo of a hippie girl feeding red
and blue sugar cubes to a horse. The liner notes
appear to have been written by a marketing agent
who's never actually heard rock and roll. The songs,
which are very well played, transform Williams'
compositions to organ-heavy rock-soul, kind of like
what the Detroit Wheels would sound like if they
replaced Mitch Ryder with a country singer and added
a fuzz-happy guitar player. The fuzz on "Your
Bucket's Got A Hole In It" and "Long Gone Lonesome
Blues" is truly wonderful, and a few songs have
effective raveups. Side two is better than side one,
so stick with this and you're in for a heap of fun.
The back cover notes say "the whole idea of this
album is to bring Hank's great music to the modern
young generation," but it's more intriguing to
imagine this album bringing red and blue sugar cubes
to the geriatric country music generation. See the
Animated Egg entry for more LPs from this scene. [AM]
DAN MODLIN & DAVE SCOTT (IN)
"The Train Don't Stop Here Anymore" 1976 (700 West 760715)
[500p]
Interesting LP on the same label as Zerfas;

ambitious, pro-sounding Americana/singer-songwriter
in a westcoast style comparable to Dillard & Clark or
Brewer & Shipley. Not psychedelic in any way, but not
quite countryrock either. Music has rich guitar and
banjo tapestries, solid rhythm section, some stray
keyboard flourishes and fine arrangements.
Nevertheless this must rank as a bit of an aquired
taste as the whole album is based on a romantic
notion of a bygone hobo/drifter lifestyle which seems
a bit clichéd to me. The band was serious enough
about this concept to have a real life old-timer
reminisce briefly in spoken word about the "good ol'
days" in a thick Okie accent that's hard to decipher.
At one point he sounds just like the bizarre spoken
bit at the end of the Kaplan Bros' "Nightbird", and
this is not a good thing. The band's vocals are good
but suffer slightly from similar boxcar/bourbon
posturing, and while the harmonies work they're not
up to the level of the big LA bands in the style. I
like this LP but am somewhat annoyed by the
presentation. [PL]
~~~
This highly regarded rural rock album really is one
of the best in the genre. It's not country rock, but
rather laid back 70s rock with strong vocals and a
very mild nod in the country direction. The usual 700
West high-quality production makes it sound as
professional as an Eagles album. Though it's a
concept album about hobos and drifters, these guys
sound way too practiced and educated to know anything
about the subject, and two spoken bits by a real hobo
are incoherent and distracting. Other than those
bits, though, you could listen to the whole album
without noticing the theme, as most of the lyrics are
smart enough to allow for multiple interpretations.
This album is melodically sharp and instrumentally
sound. It's very, very good. However, when people say
it's "better than Zerfas," that's because they don't
particularly like Zerfas, not because it actually
*is* better. [AM]
MOFOYA (HI)
"Send A Message" 1979 (no label)
Obscurity from Hawaii with melodic progressive rock,

some hard guitar, flutes and female vocals.
MOGAN DAVID & HIS WINOS (Boston, MA)
"Savage Young Winos" 1973 (Kosher 001) [inserts]
This band was led by Harold Bronson, who would go on

to run Rhino Records. The album was released in 1973,
upon the band's demise, and is a mishmash of whatever
material they could pull together. The packaging is
really cool and funny and worth the price of the LP.
It's chock full of notes and inserts, all of which
are a kick. The music on the LP is erratic, since
they had to dig the depths for enough material to
fill 40 minutes. The first four songs are from their
last singles, and are by far the best songs on the
album, terrific garage pop with funny lyrics and a
proto-punk feel. Side one is filled out by four
earlier recordings (one dating back to 1969) that are
extremely low-fidelity and sloppily performed
novelties. One is called "Nose Job," and two others
are obviously inspired by the Bonzo Dog Band. Fun,
but not as exciting as the songs that came before.
Side two is mostly a live performance of energetic
but unimaginative cover versions of well-known songs.
The final song is a home recording (even cheaper
sounding than the live recording) of a comic blues
song, which is OK but overlong. Obviously, only some
of this is worth hearing, but the single sides and
the liner notes make it a cool artifact. By the way,
there's a little bonus at the end of side two, so
don't lift the needle before it's over. [AM]
MOHS (NM)
"The Unexamined Life is Not Worth Living" 1979 (no label)
Little-known college project-type album that has some

of the usual counterculture brainstorms of the genre
but is dominated by excellent local hippiefolk sounds
with obvious psych overtones. Male/female vocals are
very good, as is the songwriting and the arrangements
which include flute and violin. Mix of westcoasty
folk and vintage Brit moves a la Shide & Acorn, plus
a hispanic element that may derive from the New Mex
locale. Two weaker tracks, rest is highly appealing.
A worthwhile addition to the late 1970s folkpsych
roster alongside Modality Stew, Yellow Autumn, etc.
[PL]
MOLES (FL)
"Moles" 1971 (Bandwagon DRP-1566) [color portraits cover]

"The Early Moles" 1973 (Sacrana NRS 5400) [altered cover]
Guitar/Hammond-B3 bluesy and psychy rock with several

good tracks and originals all through, some horns.
The retitled second version is rare in its own right,
although the press size has been reported as
everywhere between 500 and 2000 copies.
MOLKIE COLE (Cleveland, OH)
"Demo" 1975 (Owl) [plain cover]
Demo LP with 4 tracks of progressive rock and AOR

with an eclectic mid-70s bag of tricks, guitar, some
synth. The band played for many years and opened for
national acts, and also had a selftitled LP on Janus
in 1977. Only one copy known to exist of this demo.
MOLOCH (Memphis, TN)
"Moloch" 1969 (Enterprise ens-1002)

"Moloch" 200 (CD Lizard Records LR 0712-2)
Hard bluesrock with a lot of fuzz guitar and the

original version of the much-covered “Goin Down”.
Pretty good stuff for the most part, though there are
a few duds thrown in. The most effective songs are
the shorter, more effects-laden ones. Don Nix was
involved in this one. There was also a local post-LP
45 in the same style. [AM]
SCOTT MOMENTHY (Chicago, IL)
"Way Past Time" 1977 (Pepperhead) [lyrics]
Melancholy acoustic guitar loner folk with real

people depth. Simple yet striking horror cover
design.
V.A "MONEY MUSIC" (Minneapolis, MN)
"Money Music" 1967 (August 100)
This legendary local Minneapolis area comp is where

many 1980s garage compilers (especially of the
"Changes" LP) got their stuff rather than the 45s. In
retrospect it is totally unreal with a line-up
including C.A Quintet, Bedlam Four, Electras, T.C
Atlantic and other legendary garage & acid punks from
the area. Among the less familiar stuff is some
quickie garbage but also a good "Hey Joe" by the
Stillroven. There you go - an original 60s sampler
that blows most 1980s-90s comps away. Very rare. [PL]
MONSTERS (Montreal, Canada)
"Beat 'n' Hits" 1965 (Royal 3507)
Seldom seen LP in the typical Quebec mid-60s

Merseybeat style, with French vocals. "Le Theme Du
Cimetiere" is as spooky as they got.
CHRISTOPHER MONTGOMERY (CT)
"Connecticut Elegy" 1971 (Burning Deck) [booklet]
Little-known but interesting loner/fringe urban folk

trip full of quirky snapshots from the bleak early
1970s. Lyrics are offbeat with plenty of surprising
Dylanesque twists but generally deal with garbage,
city desolation, unhealthy relationships and
religious apocalypse all radiating from the guy's
bedroom. Stripped down demo sound with just
steelstringed guitar and a quite passable voice.
Comparable to Perry Leopold's "Cold in Philly" track
but not quite as heavy, yet clearly better than
something like Geoffrey. Recurring sense of irony and
overall artistic vision makes you sympathize with the
guy's total obscurity. Sample lyric: "I saw eternity
the other night/And I tell you, it scared me
shitless". 50+ minutes of Connecticut agoraphobia.
[PL]
~~~
This certainly is a weird one. Montgomery is openly
gay, and his lyrics are introspective and disturbed.
Musically, though, it's utterly endless, just the
same chord strummed the same way for 50 minutes, over
which he sings in a monotone. It's like early Jandek
if the guitar were in tune. If you connect with his
world view, you may get something from it (I'm sure
having the booklet to read along with it helps), but
I find it numbingly dull. [AM]
MONTREAL (Montreal, Canada)
"Montreal" 1970 (Stormy Forest sfs-6002)
Most of this album is straight ahead vocal folk/jazz,

quite good (the woman has a beautiful, if
unemotional, voice, and the band is outstanding), but
unlikely to appeal to psych or folk-rock fans. The
long closing song, though, is an absolute acid folk
masterpiece, with a haunting melody, gorgeous vocal,
backwards sound effects and a dreamy vibe that is
completely out of this world. It doesn't exactly "fit
in" with the rest, but it's a stunning song. The rest
of the album is very good for what it is as well.
Richie Havens produced and plays sitar and koto,
while Buzz Linhart sits in on vibes. A Canadian
pressing also exists. [AM]
MOODS (Luling, TX)
"Live at Turner Hall" 1969 (ACR Kno Bel 1002)
Full color cover obscurity with late teenbeat club

sounds. Basement soul covers with a couple country
tunes and frat throwbacks. Has a short fuzz break on
"Hey Joe".
MOOLAH (New York City, NY)
"Woe Ye Demons Possessed" 1974 (Annuit Coeptus)
I can't for the life of me explain why I like this

album so much, but I do. It's made up of long
instrumentals with no melodies, no structure,
disarmingly out of rhythm drums, and no guitars or
bass. It sounds like it could have been made up
entirely on the spot with no rehearsal by people who
don't know how to play their instruments. But it also
sounds like it every note could have been planned
carefully with an unknown purpose in mind. All of the
songs have white noise backgrounds, and waves of
synthesizer and piano creep in like a bad dream. Echo
effects create a sinister, creepy atmosphere.
Ultimately, it's fascinating and compulsive. Maybe it
puts a hex on the listener. Often compared to
Krautrock, but it's really a thing of its own.
"Mirror's" (sic) is unrelentingly intense. [AM]
TRAVIS MOON BAND ( )
"Big Train Rollin'" 1982 (Jammin' jlp-5001)
Southern sound heavy guitar and organ jamming, some

slide moves in the wake of the Allman Bros, some
harder moves.
MOONLIGHTERS (Nashua, NH)
"An Evening With" 1964 (Century 29132)
Alvin High School lounge prep rock instrumentals with

trumpet from the Century vanity label.

MOONLYTE (Philadelphia, PA)
"Better Late Than Never" 197 (Astro 217)
Early 70s Latino band doing half an album's worth of

killer mysterioso groove late night funk/soul/rock,
while the other half is latino material sung in
Spanish. Very obscure album. [PL]
MOON PIE DANCE BAND ( )
"Enchanted Mesa" 1978 (Goldust lps-174)
Rural rock with flowing guitar housed in a striking

color fantasy cover. Possibly from New Mexico. The
cover actually says "Daince" rather than "Dance".
MOONSTONE (Canada)
"Moonstone" 1973 (Kotai 3003)
Dreamy folk album from up north, sounds as cold as

its place of origin. The female vocals are operatic
and annoying, but when everyone sings together this
has moments that can be quite compelling. Some of the
songs are lovely and unique. I find it to be a mixed
bag, with side two considerably better than side one.
If you can stand the singing style you might like it
more than that. [AM]
MOONSTONE (PA)
"Moonstone" 1977 (Baldwin CS 8200)
Hardrock/AOR with keyboard and some prog moves, has

been compared to early Kansas.
JEFF MOORE & FRIENDS (Canada)
"The Youngest Son" 1974 (no label 07-42031)

"The Youngest Son" 2003 (Orange Doubledome) [300p]
High school project. Acoustic and dreamy folkrock,

mixed vocals.
LES MOORE (New Orleans, LA)
"Yesterday" 197 (Natural 2154)
Loner folk local recorded in his home direct to two

track. just a guy his guitar and dark thoughts. some
Leopoldian moments and a scary jump into the abyss
long version of "A Day in the Life". [RM]
R STEVIE MOORE (Nashville, TN)
"Phonography" 1976 (Vital 0001) [b & w collage cover; blank

back; 3 inserts; 100p]
"Phonography" 1978 (HP 30734) [2nd press; b & w portrait
cover]
"Phonography" 1998 (CD Flamingo) [+bonus tracks]
"Delicate Tension" 1978 (HP 30735)

"Delicate Tension" 2004 (CD Cordelia 036, UK)
R Stevie Moore is the all-time king of do-it-yourself

recordings, as for thirty years he produced home made
cassettes and sold them to his cult audience. He
produced literally hundreds of 60 minute albums.
Obviously anyone who never throws away a single idea
is unlikely to have particularly consistent albums,
but his occasional LP releases are best-ofs from his
tapes. The two LPs that will be most of interest to
Archive readers are "Phonography" and "Delicate
Tension", his earliest LPs on his own label. Moore's
music is basically guitar pop with quirky lyrics,
even quirkier arrangements, and all sorts of
weirdness (i.e. spoken sections, sound effects)
thrown in between. He's comparable to oddball bands
like, for example, Oho, except that he has much more
of a knack for a pop hook than any post-Zappa or
semi-prog weirdos. It's conceivable that he could
have had mainstream success if the breaks went his
way, but he also tended to sabotage such
possibilities (i.e. his catchiest pop song is called
"I Wanna Hit You"). He's a long-time favorite of
Trouser Press editor Ira Robbins. "Phonography" is a
great introduction to his music, with a number of
strong songs, all sorts of weird interludes, and a
killer guitar-heavy cover of the Andy Griffith Theme.
"Delicate Tension" is even better, a wild mix of pop,
prog, short experimental rock and even punk. It's
chock full of bizarre songs with clever lyrics. Moore
has a bunch of later releases that compile music from
the late 70s, and also a few 80s and 90s albums of
varying quality. A mid-80s album entitled "Teenage
Spectacular" is also very good. If you like these
early albums, there's a world of R. Stevie to
discover via his tape club. A 12" 4-track EP was also
released from "Phonography" in 1978. [AM]
MOOSETRACKS (Canada)
"Moosetracks" 1972 (Barge) [200p]
Introspective downer folk with psych moves and an

echoey basement production. Mostly acoustic, one
track has some wah-wah outbursts. All originals
except one. Primitive packaging with stamped plain
front cover and paste-on back.
MOREY STORE BAND (MI)
"Cry For The Dreamer" 1979 (Sound Machine 49007)
Bluesy barband hardrock with ripping guitar and

organ.
MORGEN (New York City, NY)
"Morgen" 1969 (Probe 4507) [gatefold; foldout insert]

"Morgen" 199 (Probe, France) [bootleg]
"Morgen" 199 (CD Eva, France)
"Morgen" 2003 (Radioactive 008, UK)
"Morgen" 2003 (CD Radioactive 008, UK)
We've been referring to this LP a lot here in the

Archives and it is a definite yardstick for the late
60s guitar psych style. Despite its major label
origins the sound is remarkably raw and garagey, with
no compromises anywhere. Some rate it as the best
major label LP all over and it sure blows a lot of
mega-rarities away, as well as ALL the LA heavy psych
competition from the same era, with an intense and
genuinely psychedelic mood. Punky vocals, great and
highly original material (especially on side 1), acid
guitars that won't quit - I can't see anyone into
psych not digging this. Incidentallly, none of the
reissues are from mastertapes. [PL]
~~~
It's easy to explain why this is *the* best heavy
psych album: It's a hard rock album that comes from a
garage tradition with no blues or heavy metal
influence at all. This results in two vocal styles,
both of which are superior to anything else you'll
hear on a 1968 hard rock record. The first, as heard
on the aptly named "Welcome To The Void," is a punky,
youthful snarl that suits upbeat hard rock better
than any macho swagger. The second, as heard on the
also aptly named "Of Dreams," is a breathy whisper
that is sexual and eerie. Steve Morgen is one horny
guy, and it's hard to tell whether he's more
interested in hallucinating or getting laid, but both
obsessions really create a kind of urgency here that
is powerful and exciting. Even the obvious Who rip at
the end of side one and the long jazzy guitar solo at
the end of side two work in this context. And, of
course, the songwriting and fuzz guitar are
absolutely top of the heap. [AM]
MORLY GREY (Youngstown, OH)
"The Only Truth" 1972 (Starshine 69000) [1000p; poster]

"The Only Truth" 1986 (Starshine) [counterfeit; poster]
"The Only Truth" 199 (CD Twilight Tone, Germany)
"The Only Truth" 199 (CD Flash 52, UK)
I've always liked this LP for its successful mix of

folkrocky westcoast and heavy guitar that few groups
manage to pull off. Might be too proggy for those who
want 1960s garage/psych sounds but to me it's
definitely worthwhile, with strong songwriting, in
your face hardrock action, and atmospheric moves on
the sidelong title track. One of the classic privates
from Ohio, with no weaknesses. The vinyl bootleg
includes the original poster and is exact enough to
look like a ripoff bid, but not many were fooled;
easiest tell is that the original has a wraparound
front cover slick with a tan background that extends
onto the back cover, while the bootleg wraparound
slick's tan background color ends at the seams and
turns into white on the back cover. The boot also has
some crackles on side 2 from the copy that was
counterfeited. There were two 45s released from the
LP, and also a rare pre-LP 45, "Sleepy Softness". The
band also put out a 45 of previously unreleased
tracks around 1990, with an art sleeve. [PL]
~~~
Essential heavy psych rock with wonderful mix of
heavy wailing and delicate wandering guitar leads.
Fine vocals and drumming as well. highlighted by the
anthemic title track, a 17 minute anti-war epic with
watery sustain. The drummer Paul Cassidy was fired
after the initial recordings. The group kept side one
and re-recorded the title track with new drummer, Bob
Lanave. [RM]
~~~
Strong hard rock album with some very subtle moments
and excellent production for a privately pressed
album. At times they sound like they could have been
an effective folk-rock band if they'd chosen that
route. Interesting and creative throughout. The 17-
minute song is surprisingly effective, and this album
has hooks galore. One of the best of its kind, that
rare hard rock album that mixes subtle and heavy
without ever sounding uncomfortable. [AM]
MORNING DEW (Topeka, KS)
"Morning Dew" 1970 (Roulette 42049) [wlp exists]

"Morning Dew" 1989 (Roulette) [bootleg]
"Morning Dew" 2002 (Akarma 195, Italy)
"Morning Dew" 2002 (CD Akarma 195, Italy)
"At Last" 2004 (Roulette/Scorpio)
Midwest legends who cut a handful of great garage 45s

before this swansong hippierock LP, which
unfortunately was issued way too late to make any
impact. Rated highly by many, it's a solid trip
through Airplane/Cream /Butterfly dimensions mixing
early heavy moves with strong folkrock/psych
material. Lack of macho vocals is a plus, and opening
"Crusader's smile" is a classic. Reminds me of the
Mainstream label sound, though this is more
consistent. A good LP all over, but perhaps not
enough of a mindblower to warrant the big price tag.
True originals have "Bell Sound" stamped in the
trail-off. An original German pressing exists. There
is also a sampler LP of their great 45s and
unreleased tracks titled "Cut The Chatter" (Caped
Crusader, 1988), and a couple of CD releases from
Collectables with the album, 45s and unreleased.
Caveat: despite utilizing the original album cover
art, and listing the album tracks on the sleeve, the
Scorpio vinyl LP contains completely different music;
unreleased material plus three alternate takes of LP
tracks! All this material had earlier been released
by Collectables on CD. [PL]
~~~
Good but overrated album that sounds fantastic on
first listen but comes down to earth once you get
used to it. Mostly it's pretty mainstream, with solid
vocals and performances and a few really great songs
on side one. All of it is decent, but it lacks the
kind of depth or originality that would give it
classic status. [AM]
MORNING GLORY (CA)
"Two Suns Worth" 1969 (Fontana srf-67573) [promo exists]
Typical westcoast Airplane/Mamas & Papas sound with

male/female vocals and full-on hippie-psych vibes. A
bit inconsistent, with 2-3 excellent tracks including
the classic trance psych floater "Jelly Gas Flame"
which must be heard, and a few duds. Not great, but
better than some albums five times as expensive.
Producer credit is "John Cale"! [PL]
~~~
This is a slight bit wilder than most of the
Airplane-wannabe albums, with some truly ripping fuzz
guitar. As with a lot of these albums it's pretty hit
and miss, but the best moments on it are more
genuinely psychedelic and experimental than on albums
like Yankee Dollar, Ivory, Spirits & Worm, and so on.
[AM]
MORNINGLORY ( )
"Growing" 1972 (Toya tstlp-2001)
Harmony-rich rural rock with some mild blues

tendencies. Pleasant and well done but not especially
exciting or memorable. Recommended to fans of the
genre, but unlikely to have much appeal to others.
[AM]
MORNING SKY (NH)
"Sea of Dreams" 1976 (SP 1110)
Spacy progressive with eclectic instrumentation and

female vocals. [RM]
MORNING STAR (MN)
"Message From the Throne" 197 ('Sound 80' s80-1071-4144s)
Magnificent dreamy rural acoustic rock/psych gem from

Minnesota trio. Even though there are no drums, or even
electric guitar for that matter, these guys have a
cutting-edge pastoral hippie/garage mood that’s like an
unplugged version of Wilson McKinley or Maranatha (Soon).
This album is an acoustic guitar lover’s dream, with long
tracks that feature sharp 6-string leads backed by bass
and hardy 12-string action. Mellotron adds a spacious
Moody Blues/King Crimson-ish atmosphere to cuts like ‘The
First Day’, ‘His Will’ and ‘The Ship Of Life’. Also some
great slide guitar and peppy harmonica stirring things up
in a bluesy country folk-rock way on ‘Steppin’ In &
Steppin’ Out’ and ‘The Conversation’. The 12-string
guitar gets a nice phased effect on the psychy opener
‘You’re So Free’, also with slide guitar. ‘Shine On (With
Jesus)’, ‘Joy In G Major’, every song a winner! Vocal
harmony sounds real similar to Wilson McKinley, with
straight-ahead Jesus-lovin’ lyrics to match. Totally
homemade black-on-silver cover drawing of scroll in the
sky floating above a cross on a hill, with the Biblical
reference Revelation 22:16 written at the bottom. Back
cover has a drawing of a van with “Jesus Lives” on the
back, heading down The Straight and Narrow Pathway. Very
rare custom record, mastered at Minnesota’s Sound 80
studio. [KS]
MORSE CODE TRANSMISSION (Quebec, Canada)
"Morse Code Transmission" 1972 (RCA 4575)
"II" 1972 (RCA 6092) [2LPs]
The first album by this French-Canadian band (who

would eventually change their name to “Morse Code”)
mixes mainstream orchestrated pop with soulful hard
rock. There’s great fuzz guitar on “It’s Never Easy
To Do,” but for the most part the hard rock songs are
unimaginative and the vocals annoyingly macho. The
pop songs are short, but pretty complex, and actually
are more successful than the rockers. I even like the
one that starts out as a country-styled hoe-down and
then becomes sugary AM pop. Interesting. The lyrics
on this album are in English. The rarer second album
is a 2LP set which moves in a progressive rock
direction and may appeal to genre fans. [AM]
MOSAIC (KS)
"Sea Caravan" 1972 (TAL Enterprises d-12977)
Dark instrumental piano and acoustic guitar folk with

classical shadings. Minor chords and moody strumming
latenite sound. [RM]
J MOSER & THE HOTS (AZ)
"For Life" 1975 (Moco Records FIT 003)
This unusual private press item comes from a distinct

area of American 70s rock that strangely is not all
that well documented. It has soulful but white vocals
(somewhat similar to Willy Deville or Willie
Alexander), mildly funky rock arrangements with as
many pianos as rhythm guitars, and ragged harmonies.
You expect a sax solo to appear at any moment, though
these guys actually use some surprising moog instead.
There were tons of bands who played this kind of bar-
band rock, but somehow it's a genre that isn't as
well chronicled on record as prog, hard rock, or
folk; private press albums with this sound are rare
indeed. Lyrics range from horny pickup attempts to
near-suicidal ruminations on the meaning of life.
There are some surprising production tricks
throughout, and the long title track gets way out
there, with sound effects, space age electronics,
freaky backing vocals, phased drums and unrestrained
lead guitar. That terrific song is probably what
attracted collectors to this record, but the rest of
the album, while more conventional, is nearly as
good. Every song is performed as if Moser's life
depended on it. This is a pleasant surprise, and a
record that sounds like nothing else here in the Acid
Archives. The back cover photo of Moser looking like
a lounge singer gives a clue that the soulful vocal
style developed from the many cover versions they
played on the hopeful way up. I have a soft spot for
bands like this. With a few breaks they could have
taken the long road to stardom like, say, Bob Seger
or REO Speedwagon. [AM]
MOSES (Lethbridge, Canada)
"End Of The Line" 1978 (Paradise Records)
Moses were a four piece band from Alberta who

recorded enough material for a long album (13 songs)
between 1974 and 1977, and this release was the only
one by the group and contained those songs. Being
somewhat wary of mid 70s private press outings I can
say I wasn't too sure about this one, It was
described as heavy psych and there was only a very
small press, but what really is on offer here is a
sometimes below average and sometimes decent brew of
westcoast guitar rock with both a left field and a
commercial edge exemplified in tracks like the opener
"Ballerina Dance" and the best track "Wastin' My
Time" which features an outrageous long guitar solo.
There are 3 to 4 or 5 at most really killer tracks
here out of 13, the rest being lukewarm, but you've
got to give these guys credit for trying. I didn't
like this one enough to keep it after about 8
listens, and you are unlikely to ever find a copy of
it. If you do, don't expect the usual boneheaded
trash associated with private press rock LPs from
this time, but don't expect a lost gem either. [Ben
Blake Mitchner]
MOTHER TUCKERS YELLOW DUCK (Vancouver, Canada)
"Homegrown Stuff" 1969 (Capitol ST 6304)

"Homegrown Stuff" 2000 (CD)
"Starting A New Day" (1970) (Capitol ST 6352)
The debut LP is excellent rural folkrock/psychrock

that's still reasonably easy to score. Closest point
of reference is probably Moby Grape and Kak, though
this is less rocking and more mellow/stoned. Two
duds, otherwise solid all through with a peak in two
guitar-psych killers on side 2 that will blow your
head clean off. Second LP is reported as being
similar but not quite as good. They also had a great
non LP 45. Some video material of the band performing
five songs live on Canadian TV is in circulation and
well worth tracking down. [PL]
~~~
Canadian answer to Wizards Of Kansas and other hard
rocking almost-rural late 60s/early 70s bands. Side
two on the debut opens with “One Ring Jane” an
absolute classic of out of control fuzz guitar and
heavy rock riffing, and not surprisingly nothing else
on the album is anywhere near as good. None of it
rocks nearly as hard either, so it takes a while to
put it all in context. When you do, you’ll probably
think that the spoken poem falls flat, but the rest
of it is reasonably good. Not great, but not bad.
[AM]
MOUNTAIN BUS (Chicago, IL)
"Sundance" 1971 (Good 101)

"Sundance" 198 (Good) [bootleg]
"Sundance" 1998 (CD Gear Fab gf-115) [+5 tracks]
"Sundance" 1999 (Akarma, Italy) [2LPs; +bonus tracks]
One of the most well-liked albums in the post-Dead

rural rock bag. Jammy and loose but well-played. The
vocals are in the Dead style but a little more
palatable to these ears. Long cover of “I Know You
Rider” is probably the highlight, but all of this is
quite good. [AM]
~~~
see -> Sky Farmer
MOUZAKIS (Wilmington, DE)
"Magic Tube" 1971 (British Main 90069)
I have no idea where their name came from, but I

suppose it wouldn't be easy to find an ideal moniker
for this bargain basement mix of funk, soul, hard
rock, 50's-style rock, jazzy prog and Christian rock.
They're pretty ambitious, and the music has a
contagious energy even though it isn't good. I can't
figure out what the songs are actually about, but you
have to appreciate a title like "Long Haired
Bombardier." This album includes a spastic live
recording of "Rock Around The Clock". Throughout, the
cheesy-sounding organ is mixed way too loud, and the
recording quality is awful. Most of the solos are
really bad. The singer is better, but barely. Somehow
this album isn't boring, but I wouldn't exactly
recommend it. Demo copies were issued with a four
page promo insert. [AM]
MOVING SIDEWALKS (Houston, TX)
"Flash" 1969 (Tantara 6919) [unipak]

"Flash" 1980 (Tantara, Europe) [counterfeit; 300p]
"99th Floor" 1982 (Eva 12002, France) [LP +bonus 45 tracks;
altered cover]
"Flash" 1993 (CD Afterglow 002, UK)
"Flash" 1994 (CD TRC, Germany)
"Flash" 199 (CD) [+bonus tracks]
"Flash" 2000 (Akarma 117/2, Italy) [3-sided LP; +5 bonus
tracks]
"Flash" 2000 (CD Akarma 117, Italy) [+bonus tracks]
If in the mood for guitar-driven late 60s blues-rock

with psych moves, this is one of the best LPs in the
style. For a debut album it's quite accomplished,
showing a band with no weaknesses and a lot of heart
in their music. The Hendrix factor becomes too heavy
on tracks like "Pluto, Sept 31st", but after hearing
endless generic "heavy psych" albums from the LA area
it's a delight to encounter an album in the same
style that sounds emotionally genuine, whether it'd
be bourbon-soaked laments or acid-fried studio
experiments. Though not a masterpiece, this LP has
aged well. Their non-LP 45s are excellent. The 1980
counterfeit is close, but the graphics are blurry and
lack the machine stamped 'MR' (enclosed in a circle)
in the trail-off. True originals also have title
stamped on spine inside the gatefold. [PL]
~~~
Well-known rarity outside of collector circles
because of the ZZ top connection and because of the
non-LP single on an early "Pebbles" comp. The album
moves beyond the garage rock of that single to
Hendrix-inspired heavy psych with lots of wild
guitar. The last two songs are a complete freakout
that surely baffled ZZ Top fans who dug this one up
in the 70s and 80s. Most of this is very good, though
it's marred the by one of those long blues jams
typical of the genre. [AM]
MR FLOOD'S PARTY (NY)
"Mr Flood's Party" 1969 (Cotillion sd-9003) [wlp exists]

"Mr Flood's Party" 2005 (CD Synton, Austria)
This is a tough one to describe, somewhere between

dreamy downer psych and clever popsike. It’s not a
masterpiece, but it’s a more interesting and
evocative album than many that sell for quite a bit
more money. Hard to find in strong condition, for
some reason. The band later released an LP as Corbett
& Hirsh, while another member went on to the Frogs.
[AM]
MU (Los Angeles, CA / Maui, HI)
"Mu" 1971 (RTV 300) [lyric insert; wlp exists]

"Mu" 1974 (CAS 100) [1000p]
"Lemurian Music" 1974 (United Artists uag-29709, UK) [altered
cover]
"Mu" 1988 (Reckless 4, UK)
"Mu" 199 (CD, UK)
"Mu" 1997 (CD Sundazed sc-11037) [2CD box set; +bonus tracks]
The band and LP that propelled Merrell Fankhauser to

international stardom, at least on the rare psych LP
collector circuit. Rated highly for decades, and less
hippie:ish than his later Mu work. This mix of bluesy
urban LA exhaust fume vibes and tribal desert
mystique is as archetypal an early 1970s SoCal trip
as you can find. Strong songwriting, pro-sounding
recording all around, given a clearcut identity from
the excellent slide guitar, harmony vocals, and
occasional sax. Too bad not more bands followed this
musical path. "Eternal Thirst" with spooky percussion
and chanting goes deep into the ancient regions of
your cranium. From a mainstream/classic rock
perspective, this is Merrell's most significant work,
although even better things were to follow for us
hallucinogenic purveyors. The retitled British 1974
version also came out in Brazil. [PL]
"The Last Album" 1981 (Appaloosa 017, Italy)

"Children of the Rainbow" 1985 (Blue Form 1) [#d]
"End of an Era" 1988 (Reckless 7, UK)
"The Band From the Lost Continent" 1995 (Xotic Mind xmcd-1,
Sweden) [2CDs]
Although not released until the 1980s, the 1974 Maui

recordings may be even better than the debut LP. This
is music as pure as you're ever going to hear, a
seemingly effortless flow of tremendous melodic psych
and folkrock most bands can only dream of attaining.
This and the "Mu" LP are cornerstones in any decent
psych collection. Hawaiian vegetarian UFO
hallucinations! It should be mentioned that while
this is seen mostly as a Merrell vehicle, many of
Mu's best tracks were written or co-written by ex-
Beefheart Jeff Cotton. All releases above feature
essentially the same material, the Xotic Mind CD
being the most complete collection. [PL]
~~~
see -> Merrell Fankhauser
MARC MUNDY ( )
"Marc Mundy" 1971 (Tomarc)

"Marc Mundy" 2006 (CD Companion)
Mundy expected this album to make him famous. His

songwriting actually is rather mainstream singer-
songwriter fare, but his sensibility is pretty weird,
and most importantly, he sings in an unidentifiable
accent (Asian? Eastern European? Gypsy?) that makes
this a true love or hate proposition. There's no in
between here, as the voice overwhelms everything: the
songs, the lyrics, the arrangements, even the backing
vocals. The whole thing has a very exotic feel, and
his guitar playing is vaguely Eastern. There is some
orchestration and much of this is barely "rock," but
it's hardly like any adult contemporary you've ever
heard. There are some transcendent moments here, like
the falsetto on "Give Up Your Pride." Truly unique.
[AM]
ALAN MUNSON (Santa Barbara, CA)
"First Light" 1979 (Parallax)
West coast 1970s laidback folkrock with mix of

acoustic and electric tracks. Munson was earlier with
Cooley-Munson, and also released the cassette-only
"Good Morning World" (1975, Parallax Records).
~~~
"There are eleven original songs on the "First Light"
album. The album doesn't easily fit into a music
category box, since the songs range from Psych rock,
to some fairly "laid back" folk-rock, and even a song
with a country rock feel. Instruments played on the
record include electric and acoustic guitars,
electric bass guitar and drums. Lead solos are all
played on electric guitar; there's a "clean" sound on
the acoustic based songs and guitar effects were used
on the Psych rock songs. Strong lead vocals and
background harmony vocals. Lyrics are clear and
meaningful." (Description supplied by Alan Munson)

P J MURPHY QUINTET (Madison, WI)
"P J Murphy Quintet" 1964 (Leaf 6475)
University of Wisconsin, weak frat rock from preppy-

looking guys & a female member. This has been hyped
as a rarity, so proceed with caution. Two cover
variations exist.
MUSHROOM (New York City, NY)

"Freedom You're A Woman" 1978 (Vulcan v-911)
Brooklyn hardrock recorded at The Record Plant, in

nice toadstool cover.
MUSIC (MI)
"The Book Of Music" 1972 (no label) [300p]

"The Book Of Music" 2004 (Rockadelic 49) [300p]
Although straightforward in style it required several

plays for me to get a feel for this. "My side of the
mountain" is the track people will talk about 10
years from now, and a good example of the typical 70s
teenage hardrock Rockadelic sound. The "lighter" side
was the one I had to ponder, but it came out on top
as well; the right vibe, good songwriting with some
nice hooks, and arrangements and playing are fine
throughout the LP. The original PR line of it
sounding like "Led Zeppelin and Neil Young" I think
sums it pretty well; oddly some of it sounds like a
British band trying to sound like an American band.
Possible local US references might be Top Drawer,
Dryewater, Magi and other 70s exponents of US/UK
melodic hardrock influences. I wouldn't rate this as
high as Wailing Wall, which was quite unique and
weird in a way I admire, but Music was obviously
worth reissuing and I'm guessing it will have a wider
appeal than W.W. among the general populace. The LP
was originally sold at the band's high school. [PL]
~~~
Side one of this album is solid CSN-inspired harmony
folk/folk-rock, very early 70s in sound, though the
crude production gives it a dark feel that mainstream
music of this type lacks. Side two is a whole
different story, opening with one of the best folk-
into-heavy-rock anthems you're likely to hear. "My
Side Of The Mountain" is a monster, and it alone
makes this album essential. The rest is pretty strong
too. A nice, surprising find. [AM]
MUSICA ORBIS (PA)
"To The Listeners" 1977 (Longdivity) [gatefold]
This group of Swarthmore College graduates (they

formed while still students, but recorded afterwards)
is rather unique and somewhat ahead of their time.
They’re not really a “rock” band, though most of the
songs take rock forms. They seem like a bunch of
music majors who were cool enough to go beyond their
jazz and classical roots, and were also too smart to
play mainstream pop or rock. This type of background
could lead to some really pretentious stuff, but not
in the case of Musica Orbis, who are more interested
in thoughtful experimentation than in showing off
their chops. Kitty Brazleton (who is still active in
the NYC music scene and has been leader of some
interesting experimental jazz/rock/chamber music
bands in the 90s and 00s) is the voice of the band,
and what a voice she is: reaching insanely high notes
here, and achieving an impressive calm there. The
chorus to “It’s Hard To Say,” where she really belts
it out, is stunning. Side one of the album is much
more experimental than side two, and includes a jazzy
instrumental as well as some progressive-style rock.
The instrumentation is diverse and unusual
throughout, and while this side is all over the map,
it’s pretty fascinating. If side one is a slightly
qualified success, side two, which comprises five
relatively short and accessible songs, is an
unqualified success. It’s impressive how no matter
what kind of experimentation they’ve got up their
sleeve, the melodies are memorable and the songs
sound like they could have been radio hits. The
lyrics are pretty great too. “Home” is a feminist
tale of self-reliance that predates the Waitresses’
“No Guilt” by five years. While they don’t go out of
their way to remind you, you’ll continually notice
how smart this band is. If only all progressive music
could be this heartfelt and passionate. Highly
recommended, even though the pressings are awfully
noisy straight out of the shrinkwrap. [AM]
MUSICAL THEATRE ( )
"A Revolutionary Revelation" 1969 (Metromedia) [wlp exists]
Exploito concept with a narrator asking in a God-like

voice how to make the world a better place. The
"answers" are these studio pop psych ditties with all
sorts of gratuitous sound effects.
MUSIC EMPORIUM (Los Angeles, CA)
"Music Emporium" 1969 (Sentinel 69001) [die-cut gatefold;

300p]
"Music Emporium" 1983 (Psycho 11, UK) [altered sleeve]
"Music Emporium" 199 (Afterglow, UK)
"Music Emporium" 199 (CD Afterglow, UK)
"Music Emporium" 1997 (CD Flash, Europe)
"Music Emporium" 2001 (Action Records 304)
"Music Emporium" 2001 (Sundazed) [+bonus tracks]
"Music Emporium" 2001 (CD Sundazed) [+bonus tracks]
This should be a wellknown item by now in view of the

legendary status attributed to it over the years.
Classy, seductive LA studiopsych with Bay Area
influences, terrific use of organ, some powerful
guitar leads, and beautiful male/female harmonies,
like a better produced Serpent Power or a better
composed Growing Concern. The band (who sported a
female drummer) was influenced by Iron Butterfly but
unlike most of their contemporaries turned this
influence into something useful and occasionally
truly haunting, be it dreamy floaters like "Velvet
Sunsets" or the powerful acid drone of "Day of
wrath". There are other LPs I rate higher but all
over one of the true classics among rare westcoast
60s psych LPs. The album used to be extremely rare,
until a fortunate soul came across more than 100
unplayed copies in a warehouse in the 1990s. As most
people know, the Psycho reissue suffers from a major
mastering screw-up and has one channel missing. The
Afterglow boots have good sound. The Sundazed
remastering job is OK but loses a bit of the
original's presence, in my opinion. Only the Action
bootleg and legit Sundazed reissue retain the
original die-cut gimmick sleeve[. PL]
MUSIC MACHINE (Los Angeles, CA)
"Turn On" 1966 (Original Sound 5015) [mono]

"Turn On" 1966 (Original Sound 8875) [stereo]
"Turn On" 1966 (CD Repertoire, Germany)
"Bonniwell's Music Machine" 1967 (Warner Brothers w-1732) [mono;

wlp]
"Bonniwell's Music Machine" 1967 (Warner Brothers w-1732) [mono;
gold label]
"Bonniwell's Music Machine" 1967 (Warner Brothers ws-1732)
[stereo; gold label]
"Beyond The Garage" (CD Sundazed sc-11030) [+bonus tracks]
Well-known cult band that needn't be explained here.

Often referred to as "garage" although they were perhaps
more of a cutting edge LA band like the Doors and Love,
with music so unusual and ambitious that it sometimes
sounds more like late 1970s post-punk than "60s". The
first LP is a mixed bag and can be avoided if you get the
45s instead; the second LP is a more consistent affair
allowing you a peek inside the unusual creativity of Sean
Bonniwell. Still, I'm not a great fan of the band whose
music often strikes me as overly intellectual and
elaborate, but when they get it right the intensity is
truly remarkable. Apart from the early 45s I think the
tormented "I've loved you" on the second LP and the rare
non-LP 45 "You'll love me again" are musts. The wlp mono
contains a unique rough mix of "Eagle Never Hunts The
Fly" not available anywhere else; probably included by
mistake instead of "Double Yellow Line", which is listed
but not included. The old Rhino "Best Of" sampler has
some rare tracks, but these are unfortunately mastered
slightly off-speed. There is a more recent Sundazed
sampler titled "Ignition" which has much of the same
rarities. [PL]
~~~
see -> T S Bonniwell
MUSTARD SEED (CA)
"Mustard Seed" 1971 (Spectrum lps-3501) [plain cover with

sticker]
Here’s a weird one. I’ve listened to this one

multiple times and I’m still not sure what to make of
it. I think I like it. Not quite sure how to describe
it either. There are some simple acoustic ballads,
melodic rock with low-key psychy organ, pop horns on
a couple tunes, an unusual psychedelic moody piece
with wah-wah electric, trumpet, and reverbed vocals.
‘Free People’ has a nice Doors-ish organ solo (sort
of a poor man’s ‘Light My Fire’) and a brief token
drum solo that all hip albums from this period were
required to have. Has flashes of brilliance and edge
that hearken to the “biggies” that sell in the 3-
digit figures, but overall it’s not quite up there
with the rest. Well produced. [KS]
MUTHA GOOSE (IN)
"Mutha Goose I" 1975 (Alpha Omega 26401)
Heavy underground rock with surging leads, organ, and

a progressive edge. "Freak Hitch-hiker" is a strong
track.
MYSTERIANS (Winslow, AZ)
"Mysterians" 1967 (Indian Arts of America p-3005)
American-Hopi Indian group doing frat, soul and beat

covers with guitar band setting plus sax, some female
vocals. "A Thousand Stars", "Money", "Wooly Bully", a
couple of possible originals. No relation to the "96
tears" guys, of course.
MYSTERIOUS MINDS ( )
"Mind Over Matter" 1975 (no label)

"Mind Over Matter" 2002 (Mystic) [300p]
Great weirdo 1970s groove rock by Korea War veterans

with unique vibe and using a custom-built pipe
instrument, the "Brass Orchestra Cabinet", for added
strangenss. Only a handful of copies known, good one
for the fringe fans.
MYSTERY MEAT (Carlinville, IL)
"Profiles" 1968 (Director 7303)

"Profiles" 2003 (Shadoks 041, Germany)
"Profiles" 2003 (CD Normal, Germany)
Extremely rare garage/folkrock LP whose existence was

long doubted, until a few copies were unearthed some
years back. The band came out of Blackburn College in
Carlinville and existed mainly to record this LP.
Great originals all through reminiscent of the Bachs
and UK group Complex, chock full of organ-led teen
atmosphere, tremendous melancholy vocals, and tunes
that grow with each play. My current faves include
the Dovers-like "Put me down" and "Girl named Sue",
but it's really a wide selection of great sounds,
enhanced further by the basement ambience. One of the
best garage-era albums you can find, to me better
than All Of Thus, Summer Sounds, etc. Primitive
sleeve design shows a piece of "mystery meat".
According to the band, the pressing was very small,
maybe 25-100 copies. Due to the lo-fi nature of the
original, substantial sound processing has been
applied for the German reissues, with mixed results.
[PL]
V.A "MYSTERY REVEALED" ( )
"Mystery Revealed" 1972 (Creative Sound 666/777)
Christian rock compilation with tracks by Mike

Johnson, Harvest Flight and Paul Clark, the reported
highlight being a number by unknown Jay Larremore.
MYSTERY TREND see S F O Music Box
MYSTIC SIVA (Detroit, MI)
"Mystic Siva" 1971 (VO Recording 19713) [gatefold]

"Mystic Siva" 198 (no label, Austria) [altered cover; 385p]
"Mystic Siva" 198 (Hablabel, Italy) [altered cover]
"Mystic Siva" 199 (CD Mystic)
"Mystic Siva" 199 (CD Anthology, Italy)
"Mystic Siva" 199 (World In Sound rfr-002, Germany)
[gatefold]
"Mystic Siva" 199 (CD World In Sound wis-1002, Germany)
The way I see it, this legend has four strong

basement guitar-psychers, while the rest is either
lame slow cuts or potential winners screwed up in the
mixing (these guys admit being so stoned in the
studio they brought the wrong channel up for the
solos). "Supernatural Mind" and "In a room" are
worldclass stoner killers, but I really have a hard
time sitting through some of the weaker stuff. As
this has many and loud advocates I've probably stuck
my head out too far. Some unreleased live recordings
from before the LP were released in 2003 as "Under
the Influence" (World in Sound 017, CD & LP), and has
garnered some fans. [PL]
~~~
The mixing mistake (which, bafflingly, is never
mentioned in reviews of the album) makes several
songs on this album very distracting and annoying.
The solo lead guitar is either so loud that it
completely drowns out everything else or is so quiet
that you can barely hear it. These solos, which are
plentiful, aren't all that great, either, rambling
endlessly with no apparent purpose. Otherwise, this
is stoned teen hard rock with many of the hallmarks
of the era: wah wahs, a few funky moves, prominent
organ, and youthful but bland vocals. I find the
slower songs, which have 12-string guitars and dreary
drone-like paces, more interesting than the rockers.
Even there, though, the weak vocals detract and keep
the songs from being total keepers. Occasionally the
singer aims for a Jagger-like snotty tone that
recalls 60s garage bands, and while he doesn't do it
especially well, it's an improvement over the
attempts at "melodic" singing. "Spinning A Spell" is
my pick hit. Even its ear-busting solo is a step up
from the rest on the album. A few other songs rise
above, but there are a bunch of duds as well. It does
have a mildly outrageous and spooky feel to it, and I
think it would appeal more to 60s garage fans than to
70s hard rock fans. Still, there are plenty of albums
as good or better, and it's hard to see why it is
rated so high in collector circles. [AM]
MYSTIC ZEPHYRS 4 (Ventura, CA)
"Maybe" 1974 (Two:Dot HRH-6873)
Incompetent teenage family band with sincere pop

songs and an extremely dated "have a nice day" 1970s
feel a la the Brady Bunch/Partridge Family. The vibe
is understated and nervous, as opposed to the in-yer-
face crudeness of the Shaggs. Some of the tracks are
truly memorable, and this is a recently discovered
biggie on the Fringe/Incredibly Strange circuit. The
drummer is only 12 and she sucks! An obvious cult
item, on the same label as Arthur and Hendrickson
Road House. The band were: Lynne (age 18) - guitar,
vocal, flute, songwriter; Keith (age 16) - bass,
vocals; Gayle (age 14) - organ, vocals; Joyce (age
12) - drums, vocals. There were also two 45s with
non-LP tracks released on Two:Dot.

DARRAGH NAGLE (Tempe, AZ)
"Lapis" 1975 (Star Rider 1175)
Nature folk, mostly acoustic with flutes, some synth.

The guy came out of the same pagan folk scene as
Gwydion and is still active, with several later album
releases.
NAOMI (UT)
"Cottage Songs" 1975 (Cottage Records no #)
Both Naomi albums are several cuts above your typical

singer-songwriter private press. She has a lovely,
clear voice, and the songs are intelligently
arranged. The vocals are in a folk tradition, but the
music covers a number of soft rock styles, with
liberal use of woodwinds, keyboards, even occasional
horn arrangements. Naomi's last name is Lewis.
"Seagulls And Sunflowers" 1976 (Cottage Records)
The second Naomi album is jazzier than the first, and

has a bit more guitar (even fuzz on one song!)
Otherwise it’s quite similar, and again there a few
really choice songs: “Tupa Tupa Tupa,” with cool use
of oboes (I think) and sly whispered backing vocals,
the hippie-folk “Love Song,” the funky “Rock Me,” and
the San Francisco-styled “There Will Be Music.” Her
voice is really beautiful when double tracked.
Overall, maybe a notch less enjoyable than the first
album, but still pretty great. [AM]
NAPOLEON XIV (Los Angeles, CA)
"They're Coming To Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa!" 1966 (Warner

Brothers w-1661) [mono; wlp exists]
"They're Coming To Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa!" 1966 (Warner
Brothers w-1661) [stereo]
"They're Coming To Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa!" 198 (Rhino RNLP-
816)
The title track is one of the greatest novelty songs

ever, disarming in its simplicity and complete lack
of good taste. Samuels had one more great trick in
his bag, as the B-side (also included on the album)
was the entire song played backwards, possibly the
first use of backwards recording in popular music.
The rest of the album shows little imagination,
unfortunately. It's basically just variations on the
one theme, without ever being anywhere near as clever
as the original song. The stereo version may be
preferrable to catch all the production tricks. A
Rhino CD release entitled "The Second Coming"
contains the album and some later Samuels comedy
songs/bits that are more "adult" but not funny at
all. [AM]
LES NAPOLEONS (Quebec, Canada)
"A Go Go" 1966 (Passe Temps PST-17)

"A Go Go" 2001 (no label) [bootleg]
Sporting a subtitle that says "music for dancing",

Les Napoleons offer an engaging mix of snarling
garage rockers and Mersybeat-inspired pop. While
isolated ballads such as "Tu es Partie" and "La Vie
Sans Toi" are okay, the band's at their best on up-
tempo rockers such as "Fou de Toi", "Reviens" and "Je
M'en Fou". The set's low-fi production feel adds to
the overall appeal. Translated covers of The Beatles'
"I Feel Fine" and "We Can Work It Out" are great.
Although all ten tracks are sung in French, the
energetic performances more than compensate for the
fact the lyrics are largely a mystery. Man, these
guys were every bit as good as their Anglo
competition. [SB]
NAVIGATOR (Kansas City, MO)
"Outlines" 1982 (Systems no #) [plain cover with handmade

artwork; insert]
Basement recording of late-stage 70s hardrock with a

compressed, tinny sound, a tight band and lots of
guitar leads. Early metal moves and even a punk feel
here and there, while some tracks bring in out-of-
control synth runs for good effect. Unfortunately the
vocals are weak and often inaudible, and the end
result is mainly for local hardrock completists,
although I must admit it had a certain wild DIY demo
charm. A couple of tracks lay on proggy sci-fi drama
moves typical for the era. Supposedly only 200 copies
were pressed. Some copies have spray-painted logos,
others are hand-drawn. [PL]
NAZCA LINE (Lima, OH)
"Outer Space Connection" 1979 (Nazca Productions RR1) [1000p]
Another Ohio private press here, a hard rock album

recorded in a barn. A lot of people like this, but I
find it pretty pedestrian with lousy vocals and not
very many hooks. The guitar has a nice metallic tone,
similar to the album by Constellation. The nine-
minute “Stranger,” probably the best song on the
album, steals the key guitar riff from Greg Kihn’s
“Breakup Song” and Television’s “Elevation”. The
lyrics throughout follow the outer space theme, but
musically the only “spacy” moments are the sound
effects on the first song, so space-rock fans
shouldn’t get their hopes up. [AM]
NEGATIVE SPACE (NJ)
"Hard, Heavy, Mean & Evil" 1971 (Castle NS-101) [plain cover
with stamped title; 200p]
"Hard, Heavy, Mean & Evil" 198 (Castle) [bootleg; 'trippy
pattern' cover; 100p]
"Hard, Heavy, Mean & Evil" 199 (Castle, Austria) [bootleg]
"The Living Dead Years" 2000 (CD Monster mcd-009) [LP +10
bonus tracks]
Underground hardrock/guitarpsych from guys who

probably lived in the same toxic waste sewers as St
Anthony's Fyre. Opens with an extended killer fuzz
track and has more in a Boa/Mystic Siva type bag,
plus some "ballads" and odd covers. Hardly a classic,
but worthwhile for those into the local '69-70 stoner
longhair sound. The band leader Rob Russen also cut a
solo 45 on the same label, with a different version
of an LP track. [PL]
TOM NEHLS (MN)
"I Always Catch The Third Second Of A Yellow Light" 1973 (no
label 7303) [paste-on; booklet]
Spooky late-night urban 1970s fringe psych excursion

that is surprisingly effective; covers a lot of bases
but all of them moody and introspective, like eerie
dreams rising to the surface. A Patron Saints-mood
here and there, esp the guy's voice, but also phased
fuzz-psych, Search Party downer trips with female
vocals, weary 3 AM Las Vegas lounge-jazz, backwards
effects, great use of vibes and moog; consistent and
determined in its ambitions and atmospheres. Sounds a
bit like 1990s guy St Mikael, actually. True
psychedelia for experienced midnight-to-6
trippers. The LP was recorded in Minneapolis and
released in June 1973. [PL]
~~~
Really nice 'production' LP with watery wah wah,
phasing, and loads of effects. Delicate and trippy,
not particularly arresting compositionally but lots
of depth in the production -- good one to break out
the headphones for. The echoed vocals and guitar
parts have a submerged quality. A bit lightweight on
the A-side but the flip gets hot and heavy. Two cover
variations exist, a rarer one with a full-size paste-
on, and one with a smaller paste-on. [RM]
~~~
Difficult and highly personal folky weirdness here.
At some points, it’s reminisicent of R Stevie Moore,
though without any or Moore’s catchy melodies or
sense of humor. I find it difficult, but complex
enough to be interesting. It definitely sets a creepy
mood. Too accomplished to be a “real people” album
but too idiosyncratic to appeal to most. [AM]
NEIGHB'RHOOD CHILDR'N (Ashland, OR)

"Neighb'rhood Childr'n" 1967 (Acta a-38005) [mono]
"Neighb'rhood Childr'n" 1967 (Acta) [stereo]
"Neighb'rhood Childr'n" 198 (Acta, Europe) [bootleg; thin
glossy cover]
-- this exact bootleg is a slightly noisy press
"Long Years in Space" 1997 (Sundazed 5023) [2LPs; LP +12
tracks]
"Long Years in Space" 1997 (CD Sundazed sc-11041) [LP +12
tracks)
An album that triggers a wide variety of responses

among listeners, and needs to be approached the right
way. Inaccurately described as some sort of deep
psych classic elsewhere, what I hear is trashy
sunshine lytepsych with a garage production value.
There are some starry-eyed acid moves that sounds
like a bunch of runaway kids groovin' on their first
week in the Haight, but it's undeniably teenybopper
top 40 at the core. I still think it's fun and
charming, with fuzz and organ and mixed male/female
vocals that all help create an appealing surface
straight out of an old AIP movie soundtrack. The
Sundazed re adds some unreleased and non-LP tracks of
shifting quality, but is recommended mainly for
diehard fans. In addition to the various official
releases there was a 4-track promo EP courtesy of
Vegas Productions, which was released in April 1967
and includes different versions of a few LP tracks.
Two of these were included on the Sundazed set, but
"Please please leave me alone" (1st vers) and
"Maggie's Farm" remain unreissued. [PL]
~~~
Newbies to this likeable album will probably learn it
from the Sundazed reissue, which scrambles the song
order, relegates their weird cover of "Over The
Rainbow," (which is the weakest song on the album
anyway) to bonus track status, and adds a mishmash of
bonus tracks of varying quality. Often, when you hear
an album like this in a way other than it was first
intended, it comes off as less than it really is (the
Blue Things is a good example.) In this case, though,
the revamped song order makes sense, and the
separation of the novelty song also improves the
situation, as long as you can separate the bonus
tracks in your mind from the album tracks. What you
end up with is a co-ed 60s pop album with organ and
fuzz guitar and one really freaked out song (which is
effectively short). As is usually the case, they'd
probably have been better off with the woman singing
all of the songs, not because anything's wrong with
the guys, but because she's much less appealing as a
backing singer than a lead singer. Though this is
basically pop, it does rock pretty hard here and
there, and it's a few cuts above the average album of
this kind. Yankee Dollar and Sapphire Thinkers
comparisons are apt, though both of those bands seem
to have a more consistent sound, while Neighb'rhood
Childr'n seem to have adjusted their mainstream
songwriting style to the trends of the time and are
more experimental. "Please Leave Me Alone," which is
the wimpiest and least psychedelic song here,
actually comes off to these ears as the best, as it
is pure pop with a lovely melody and fresh spirit,
untouched by any kind of pretense. The brief minor
key ballad "Hobbit's Dream" is also very nice. [AM]
AL NEIL TRIO (Vancouver, Canada)
"Retrospective 1965–1968" 1976 (Lodestone) [200#d; gatefold]
Very obscure collection of 1960s psych/jazz/avant

recordings from band who played the legendary 1966
Trips Festival in Vancouver. A variety of instruments
used including a "vortexorola".
NETHERWORLD (CA)
"In The Following Half-Light" 1981 (R.E.M./ Silver rem-4441)

[insert]
Pretentious prog that strives for something great and

comes off sounding like a poor cousin of many better
and more well-known bands. The songs are complex in
an annoying way: they shift gears every time a hook
or good melodic idea begins to take hold. The last
song attempts to be horrific, and ends up being
almost laughable. There are some decent synthesizer
bits scattered about and some of the album is
reasonably heavy, but this isn’t a pleasant listen by
any stretch of the imagination. [AM]
NEURON (Chicago, IL)
"For What We Are" 1980 (Erect 1000)
Flowing jazzy progressive with acidic guitar work and

a rural vibe. Some think it more pomp than prog,
while the cover art is an all-out prog fest. The
label had a few more releases around this time.
NEUTRAL SPIRITS (GA)
"Neutral Spirits" 1973 (Regency 101) [500p]

"Neutral Spirits" 2003 (CD Gear Fab GF 198)
Lost in time garage band with a primitive sound and

very basic songs; should appeal to fans of Cykle and
New Dawn. Prominent use of fuzz bass gives an
original edge, while the lead guitarist and drummer
work frantically within their limited capabilities.
Charming teen vocals and some atypical lyrics about
Vietnam and dope legislation. Pretty cool, though
mainly for fans of local early 70s amateur sounds.
Very short playtime. According to the band, 350
copies were destroyed in a house fire in 1981. The
Neutral Spirits also appear on a gospel LP recorded
the same day in 1972 as the Regency album; "Gospel
Songs Old & New" by Dot Henry (Jayla Records 1020).
[PL]
NEW AGE (Atlanta, GA)
"Neptuned" 1979 (Microdot no#)
Excellent, dynamic progressive with doomy organ,

violin and driving synth, housed in typical full-
color prog fantasy cover.
NEW BREED (Carlisle, PA)
"The Many Moods Of The New Breed" 1970 (New Breed 13634)
This local album offers up a mixture of nifty

original numbers and popular soul and pop hits.
Opening with a cover of "Shotgun" probably wasn't the
most original move in the book, but propelled by
frantic drumming and enthusiastic blue-eyed soul
vocals, the result may be the best cover of the
Motown classic I've heard. As good as the group's
covers are, the five originals are even better. The
only original on the first side, the molten
"Rockbustin Blues" served to show these guys were
rockers at heart. Showcasing a great lead guitar,
side two started out with another winner in the form
of "Mississippi Delta", while the other three
originals on side two were just as good. The only
disappointment was the closer "Never Ending Song of
Love" which sounded like it was being performed for
an audience of polka fans. All told, a nice obscure
find. The band had won a Pepsi Cola contest and their
rendition of the Pepsi jingle was used in an ad
campaign; in addition they were given a recording
contract for one year. [SB]
NEW COLONY SIX (Chicago, IL)
"Breakthrough" 1966 (Sentar 101)

"Breakthrough" 1984 (Eva 12008, France)
"Colonization" 1967 (Sentar St-3001) [mono]

"Colonization" 1967 (Sentar Sst-3001) [stereo]
"Colonization" 199 (CD Sundazed sc-6026) [+2 tracks]
"Breakthrough" is a rare early Chicago legend with
marvy teen-beat/folkrock moves along the lines of
the Rising Storm LP, even has a terrific "Frozen
laughter" counterpart, plus some swinging upmarket
Raiders-style garage and more. Easily one of the best
mid-60s LPs from the Midwest. The similar-sounding
and just slightly less outstanding "Colonization" has
its share of fans as well, while their later LPs are
universally despised top 40 fodder. Sundazed has done
a great NC6 CD comp that I recommend, "At The River's
Edge". There are also samplers on Rhino and Mercury
Japan. [PL]
NEW CREATION (Vancouver, Canada)
"Troubled" 1970 (Alpha Omega no #) [insert]

"Troubled" 2003 (CD Companion CR 1)
Mindbending "real people" Incredibly Strange

obscurity, featuring an essentially untalented trio
of square Christian folkies diving head-first into
the hippie revolution and all the bad stuff that came
with it. Like Peter Grudzien or Charlie Tweddle you
could write a whole book about the strange cerebral
buttons this album pushes, the aggregated effect of
which is truly staggering. The female vocalist is
unsure of things such as rhythm and accents and opts
for a very unusual half-sung/half-spoken style that
sounds like a 1950s housewife humming to herself at
K-Mart. The male vocalist has a flat, geeky voice
that lends little weight to the apocalyptic and often
quite bizarre lyrics about degenerate hippies, drugs,
Sodom & Gomorrah, immoral adults, sinners and more.
The most normal tracks sound like an off-key Guitar
Ensemble, while the rest is so out of whack that
proper comparisons can't be drawn. The LP opens with
a long, hip collage with snips of voices and sound
effects intended to put you in the buzzing chaos of
"now"; oddly it sounds like it was recorded live with
the three band members inserting their soundbites and
cheesy sound fx on cue from prepared notes. There is
also a ripoff of "Sky Pilot" that takes the latent
monotony of the verse melody and shoves it into your
face until time seems to stop. Many more examples
could be made. True psychedelia, and like Grudzien
and Tweddle flipped out enough to be enjoyed by folks
otherwise uninterested in fringe sounds. Excellent CD
reissue has celebrity endorsements from Paul Major
and Ron Moore, among others. There are also two non-
LP 45s. [PL]
NEW DAWN (Salem, OR)
"There's A New Dawn" 1970 (Hoot/Garland GR70 4569) [circa

1000p]
"There's A New Dawn" 1994 (no label, Germany) [altered sleeve]
"There's A New Dawn" 200 (CD Synton, Austria)
"There's A New Dawn" 2001 (Akarma 152, Italy)
"There's A New Dawn" 2001 (CD Akarma 152, Italy)
It's generally a good sign when a record opens with

the sounds of nature and this is no exception. The
central theme seems to concern suicide or a deep
seated sadness about Man's seperation from God. Maybe
even both! dreamy downer xian LP rhythm centered
(monotonic? monotonous?) drums, organ, and chiming
guitar. Moody heartfelt vocals and buzz fuzz breaks
fill out the claustrophobic soundscape. Full of
despairing lyrics about dissatisfaction with life and
feelings of hopelessness without God. No 'Up With
People' plastic smiles from these guys! "Dark
Thoughts" is the ultimate in doomy bumblebee with a
message guitar tracks and the gloomy closer, "Life
Goes On" is surely in the top ten of songs to check
out to. Inspirational verse: 'I sit all day... and
watch my hands. And feel self pity... ooze from my
glands'. Too deep and dark for some but could be the
pinnacle for xian sorrow. [RM]
~~~
Some rate this as an all-time favorite, probably
because it has such a consistently strong downer mood
to it. The consistency works against it in some ways
(all of the songs sound like they're in the same
key), but the album is quite distinctive. Side one
has stronger songs, closing with some great fuzz-
guitar on "Dark Thoughts." Side two moves in an
almost rural direction, and isn't as compelling.
Every time psychedelic music newsgroups have threads
about "grower" albums this always seems to turn up,
though I liked it reasonably well at first and
haven't changed my mind about it. [AM]
~~~
NEW EXPRESSION (OH)
"Good Clean Rock'n'Roll" 1975 (Jewel 544)
Fuzz/organ/harpsichord mix of dreamy ballads and 70s

rock in striking swirl design cover.
NEW HOBBITS (NY)
"Back From Middle Earth" 1969 (Perception PLP-10)
The "discovery" of this third Hobbits LP caused some

excitement a few years back. Unlike the two preceding
albums, this was released on Hobbit mastermind Jimmy
Curtiss' own Perception label, and probably pressed
in few numbers. This could have made for an
interesting story, but what the lyte-psych and soft-
rock brigade neglected to mention is that "Back From
Middle Earth" isn't a very good album. In fact, it
sounds just like the $10 LP it would have been
without the special circumstances. Jimmy Curtiss has
penned most of the songs, and the "group" was
probably just him plus some studio hacks. The opening
track, the "top 40 pick", is a reasonably catchy pop
number that might have worked even in 1969. The
second track is a musically agreeable minor chord
Association ballad, damaged by weak lyrics. It kind
of continues downhill from there, with uninspired pop
songwriting, throwaway arrangements, and a crude mix
with the vocals too loud. A low-point is reached with
a ridiculous Band ripoff that dissolves into 3rd rate
saloon crooner sounds before your eyes. The quickie
lameness of it all is hammered home by a 23-minute
playtime. Most or all known copies are promo. The two
preceding Hobbits LPs on Decca, "Down To Middle
Earth" (1967) and "Men And Doors" (1968) have caught
some interest in recent years. Curtiss was also
involved with Velvet Night and The Bag, but his most
memorable work might have been the fun "Psychedelic
situation" 45. [PL]
NEW LEGEND ( )
"New Legend" 1971 (Band'n Vocal 1269)
Rare LP on the same label as Brigade, psychy early

70s rock.
NEWS (CT)
"Hot Off The Press" 1974 (XPL-1045)
Here’s a unique and outstanding 70s pop album. The

lead instrument is a pedal steel guitar, played with
more imagination than anywhere other than the
Misunderstood’s studio recordings, often with some
nice fuzzy distortion. It rarely sounds “country.”
The songs are strong pop/rock, with Beach Boys-style
harmony vocals on the softer songs, and tougher (but
still melodic) singing on the rockers. Other than the
opening “song” (three minutes of a guy fiddling with
a radio dial), everything here is memorable, and no
two songs sound alike. My pick hits are the powerful
“Loser,” with a stunning steel guitar solo, and the
long album-closer “New York City,” but this is
consistent enough that any given listener could feel
equally strong about any two others. This is exactly
the kind of band a daring major label executive would
have struck gold with in the 60s, but nobody would
dare to touch in the 70s. [AM]
~~~
Excellent and still fairly unknown LP on the same
local CT label as D R Hooker. The bulk of it is
terrific 1960s westcoast-flavored folkrock with a
dreamy psych vibe and good vocal harmonies. I'm
reminded of other 60s-in-the-70s trips such as Creme
Soda or the good tracks on Spur more than anything
else, with lyrics that show the retro feel to be
deliberate on the band's part, openly referring to
old songs by the Byrds, the Beatles, etc. Not sure
what they were aiming for with this, but it does
produce an appealing sound. Another reference point
is Merrel Fankhauser in his melodic '66-67 phase.
Opening track of random radio chatter is unfortunate
and may have turned some buyers off, and there is a
so-so Creedence ripoff on side 2, but apart from that
-- meaning 8 tracks out of 10 -- this is a delight.
Recommended to any fan of melodic 60s sounds, and not
terribly hard to find. [PL]
NEW TROUBADORS (CA)
"Winds Of Birth" 1974 (Lorian no #)
New agey folky album tied in with the Lorian

organization that has some lovely folk songs on it
but a cheesy vocal style that really makes it
unlistenable to these ears. Sounds a lot like The
Trilogy "It Starts Again" album. You’ll like it on
first listen but once you really start to pay
attention to the singing, you’ll come to your senses.
Not as good as the similar Susan & Richard Thomas
album, and a lot of people hate that one. Both white
and blue cover designs exist. This is not an
expensive LP. [AM]
NEW TWEEDY BROTHERS (Portland, OR)
"New Tweedy Brothers!" 1968 (Ridon slp-234) [oversized

hexagonal foil cover; maroon label; 1000p]
"New Tweedy Brothers!" 1998 (Tweedy, France) [bootleg; altered
cover]
"New Tweedy Brothers!" 199 (CD Afterglow 004, UK) [hexagonal
CD digipak]
"New Tweedy Brothers!" 2001 (Shadoks 118, Germany) [inserts]
"New Tweedy Brothers!" 2001 (CD Shadoks 118, Germany)
[hexagonal CD digipak; bonus tracks]
Often referred to as a "missing link" album, this

band played the San Francisco ballroooms in 1966
before returning to Oregon, leaving only a weak 45
behind them, although they did make enough of an
impression in S F for Jerry Garcia to mention them in
a '66 interview. They continued to gig locally around
Oregon in 1967-1968, when this LP was cut and
released. In view of all the hype I've seen it's a
bit patchy and disappointing, though the best tracks
such as "Her Darkness In December" are awesome
folkrock-psych transitions, and they hit an appealing
rootsy Bay Area folkrock sound on a couple of others.
But it seems to me the historical artefact value of
the LP has led to its musical qualities being
somewhat exaggerated. Judging by a local ad, the LP
was released in early 1968. The supposed rarity of
copies with cover is cast in doubt by the number of
originals sold in recent years, all of which came
with the cover. The German vinyl reissue is not from
master tapes, while the German CD reissue is. [PL]
NEW WAVE ( )
"The Sound Of" 1967 (Canterbury 1501) [promos exist]
Most of the album's 11 tracks are originals that

showcase heavily orchestrated soft-pop moves. Lots of
references list this as a "psych" effort but other
than the cover art, be forewarned that it isn't.
Tracks such as "Shadows of Good Bye", "The Evening
Mist" and "In a Lonely Towne" aptly exhibit the duo's
decent voices and nice harmony work. Most of the
songs boast fairly attractive melodies, though the
arrangements are occasionally overwhelming and their
lyrics suffer from standard college student angst,
which probably drove young female English majors
crazy. Stuff like "Live for Today" and the dreadful
"Autrefois" (the one non-original) are simply too MOR
for my personal tastes, but anyone who likes late era
Chad & Jeremy or Peter & Gordon (the phase where they
started to get arty) might enjoy this lesser known
act. [SB]
NEW WINE (San Diego, CA)
"Holy Spirit Express" 1972 (Anodyne)
Unlike most records of this ilk, New Wine is mostly

solid with only a couple of weak songs but nothing
horrible. The band is basically two guitars, bass,
drums and vocals. The band consists of four stoner
looking long haired dudes that would look more
fitting on a Mothers album than a religious one. Then
there's the lead singer: A woman that looks like your
stereotypical mom from next door that spends more
time in the kitchen than your average Frenchman.
Don't let this generation gap between the band and
the lead singer fool you into thinking this is some
goofy unreal Jesus people record with vocal
overkill... Nope, it's quite the opposite! Good
vocals similar to Search Party but less powerful,
with a touch of maturity in her vocal style. Three of
the four guys in the band sing too with an occasional
lead part on a couple of songs. As for the music,
lots of nice electric guitar including some mild
buzzy fuzz leads. The songs have a strong westcoast
flavor and somewhat similar to Wilson Mckinley but
not as heavy. They do a good version of Spirit Of
Elijah, and most people would find this version
stands on it's own fairly well when compared to the
original. The album's production has a nice garage
feel to it too. [JSB]
NEXT (Canada)
"Dusty Shoes" 1973 (Warner Bros 9009)

This Canadian hard rock album has a sharp sound: a
nice blend of electric and acoustic guitars.
Unfortunately, though, it has undistinguished
songwriting and singing, and ends up sounding like it
should be a lot better than it is. One or two songs
stand out enough for me to recommend it to genre
fans, but this is nothing special. [AM]
NEXT MORNING (New York City, NY)
"Next Morning" 1972 (Calla 2002) [wlp exists]

"Next Morning" 1999 (CD Sundazed SC 6150)
I'll be the first to admit a fascination with black

1960s/1970s hard rock/psychedelic bands such as Black
Merda, Hendrix, Ernie Joseph and Purple Image. With
the exception of Hendrix, these outfits were caught
in an impossible Catch 22 situation whereby their
music was simply too white for black audiences and
too black for white audiences. Next Morning is
another example of this dilemma. Propelled by insane
keyboards and wicked feedback drenched guitar, self-
penned material such as "Changes of the Mind", "Life
Is Love" and "Back To the Stone Age" offered up
impressive slices of Hendrix-styled heavy rock. The
comparison was underscored by the fact that on
numbers such as the growling title track Lou
Phillips' vocals bore a modest resemblance to
Hendrix. Admittedly there wasn't anything 100%
original here, but the overall performances were
quite attractive, making for a first-rate set that
should appeal to all guitar rock lovers. Dock it half
a star for the butt ugly cover art. A French pressing
on Roulette exists. [SB]
B P NICHOL (Vancouver, Canada)
"Motherlove" 1968 (Allied 3)
One of the most obscure LPs on this label is yet

another avant trip with bizarre spoken word dadaist
and concretist excursions. Nichol was an avantgarde
poet with several works published from 1965 onwards.
This goes way into experimental art and sound-poetry
and is included mainly because of the label it's on
(Plastic Cloud, etc), unless you're a cerebral fringe
specialist.
NICKLES & DIMES see Victoria
NICODEMUS [& MATCHEZ] (Detroit, MI)
"Spacechild Squall" 1977 (Zedikiah 1069) [b & w graveyard

cover]
"Spacechild Squall" 1977 (Zedikiah 1069) [tan art cover]
"Spacechild Squall" 1995 (Zedikiah zed-1069) [500#d]
"Backstreet Orange" 1978 (Zedikiah 1070-b) [photo inner sleeve]
"What For?" 1980 (Zedikiah) [textured b & w cover; 150p]

"What For?" 1995 (CD Zedikiah zed-334) [+bonus tracks]
“What For” is a good place to start with Nicodemus, a

solid rock and roll album, not “hard rock,” but
definitely tough. He’s got a solid voice, equally
suited for rock and folk. Despite his creepy biker
image he has an impressive range of moods and styles,
many quite mellow, and these songs have a lot of
emotional depth. The production is bargain basement,
but there’s still a pretty good variety of
arrangements, and a few songs get a bit freaky
(moreso the folky ones than the “rock” ones.) Not all
of his albums are good straight through, and even the
best have some failed experiments. A smaller
discography might be a less daunting task, but he has
an impressive body of work, and his music has a cool
timeless feel to it. The CD re-release of “What For”
has some good bonus tracks culled from his rather
erratic 90s albums. [AM]
"A Light In The Dark" 199 (CD Parallel World cd-3)
Apocalyptic outlaw biker folk rock. "Spacechild

Squall" and "Backstreet Orange" are in a moody
acoustic folk style. On "What For?" he's into a
damaged booze and drugs biker sound, like Circuit
Rider with phased vocals. Fashion tip: He has rainbow
tattoos on his forehead. The "Spacechild Squall"
reissue is housed in leftover 'graveyard' covers from
the original pressing. Among Nicodemus' later LPs are
"The Strange Saga of Henryetta Flagetta" (1984),
"Better Art Music" (1986), and "Antennae
Moonlite" (1994), all on the Zedikiah label. The
Parallel World CD is a retrospective sampler. [RM]
NIGHTCRAWLERS (Daytona Beach, FL)
"Little Black Egg" 1966 (Kapp kl-1520) [mono]

"Little Black Egg" 1966 (Kapp ks-3520) [stereo]
"Little Black Egg" 1984 (Eva 12042, France) [+6 bonus tracks;
altered sleeve]
"Little Black Egg" 199 (CD Big Beat 203, UK) [+bonus tracks]
Wellknown folkrock/garage LP from Chuck Conlon and

pals who had a minor hit with the strange title
track. The rest is pretty solid, all originals with a
jangly local sound similar to the first Love LP. The
Eva reissue has a new hippie collage sleeve which
offended some moptops. Big Beat's CD comp is
excellent and includes all their non-LP 45s. [PL]
NIGHTRIDERS (NC)
"Introducing" 1967 (Justice jlp-157)

"Introducing" 1994 (CD Collectables 0603)
One of the last Justices is a straightforward mix of

organ/guitar instrumentals way past their due date
and classic frat sounds lifted from the Kingsmen
catalog. The usual soul element has been reduced to a
nervous cover of "Come see about me", while the band
shows class in covering "Double Shot" and "Louie
Louie". Only one lameass ballad makes this LP at
least in theory an agreeable basement instro/frat
excursion whose main fault is that it was made 3
years too late. Very basic soundscape from these 16-
year olds who probably were pleased that they managed
to play all songs through without mistakes on their
newly purchased gear. Drummer sounds like he's only
handled the sticks for a few weeks which messes up a
few tracks, but they get all the elements right for a
closing "Journey to the stars", the album's obvious
highpoint which has also been comp'd on Relics vol 2.
[PL]
NIGHTSHADOW a k a LITTLE PHIL & THE NIGHTSHADOWS (Atlanta, GA)
"Square Root Of Two" 1968 (Spectrum 2001) [bonus 45; poster;

1000p]
"Square Root Of Two" 1979 (Hottrax 1414) [remixed; altered

sleeve; 200p]
"Square Root Of Two" 199 (no label, Europe) [blue vinyl; +2
tracks]
"Square Root Of Two" 199 (CD Cosmic Mind, Italy) [+2 tracks]
"Vol 3: The Psychedelic Years 1967-69" 2003 (CD Hottrax 60012)
[LP +9 bonus tracks]
And here's another longtime legend, reissued as early

as 1979. The band was usually known as Little Phil &
the Nightshadows and had roots in the pre-Beatles
era, but changed their name due to legal
complications at the time. Unlike the Litter LPs I
think this really is as great as people would have
you believe, particularly side 1 which is like
listening to a comp of killer fuzz acidpunk 45s.
Beyond Phil's showmanship and the blatantly druggy
lyrics and sound fx the fact remains that the superb
songwriting puts most "Nuggets" classics to shame,
and the band is completely at home in a sound that
was unusual for the deep South. Some silly songs
close the LP but all over this must rank among the
top early garage psych LPs. Apart from the LP they
had some killer 45s in 1966-1967. [PL]
~~~
The Nightshadows discography is very complex and
includes multiple versions and remixes of the same
recordings, as well as 45s released under aliases,
withdrawn records, and more. Here's an attempt to
sort "Square Root" out: 1) The 1968 original came
with a bonus 45 that contained the band's risqué
songs 'Hot Dog Man' and 'Hot Rod Song' on Banned
records (both also on the LP); this with 900 copies
of the LP. The poster was supposedly included with
the remaining 100 copies that did not include the 45,
although some subsequent finds of sealed copies have
included both the 45 AND the poster. 2) The 1979
Hottrax release is a unique remix with "So Much"
having an extra guitar lead, while "60 Second
Swinger" has a loud fuzz riff added throughout.
"Anything But Lies" has been shortened by 1 minute.
Both front and back cover have been altered, as well
as the running order. 3) Both the European 1990s
bootlegs are sourced from the 1979 remix rather than
a 1968 original. 4) The recent CD series is the
easiest way to get a complete picture of the
Nightshadows. Vol 3 has all tracks from the LP except
"Hot Rod Song", which can be found on vol 2. "So
Much" is the 1979 remix version, while "60 Second
Swinger" and "Anything But Lies" are the 1968 LP
versions. The running order from the LP has been
completely broken up. Some of the unreleased bonus
material is very good.
"Live At The Spot" 1969 (Spectrum 2002) [no sleeve; 100p]

"Live At The Spot" 1981 (Hottrax 1430)
Although it hasn't been properly documented, the live

LP was pressed up in very limited quantities for demo
purposes in 1969. As the band was falling apart at
the time there wasn't anything left to demo, and it
didn't come out properly until 1981 in a cartoon
drawing sleeve. Three tracks are from a November 1967
show, while the rest comes from a March 1969 gig.
Opening with yet another version of "60 second
swinger" followed by an excellent version of the 45-
only "The way it used to be", the album mixes
familiar band originals with a few covers typical for
a late 60s club band, a 13-minute "Season of the
witch" and two Cream numbers among them. The
recording is pretty good, with a nice live
atmosphere, and the band is as tight, intense and
driving as you would expect. There's also some
humorous and raunchy between-song banter, as often
with the Nightshadows, including Little Phil
introducing sidekick Electric Bob as "a real
acidhead". Essential to fans of this great band.
Hottrax is band leader Aleck Janoulis' own label.
[PL]
"Invasion Of The Acid Eaters" 1982 (Hottrax 1450)
This was intended as a reunion LP, but for whatever

reason only one side was cut (reportedly not too
shabby), while the other side was used for remaining
tracks from the 1967 "Spot" club performance
partially reissued on the live LP above. Here we get
only cover versions of Hendrix and Cream etc, not bad
but obviously lacking that special Nightshadow acid
teen mania. There's also some stage raps from Little
Phil, one of which popped up on the "Vol 3" anthology
CD. There was also a 45 sampler titled "Patriarchs Of
Garage Rock" on the Spanish Penniman label in 2004.
[PL]
NIGHTWALKERS (Puerto Rico)
"Introducing The Nightwalkers" 1968 (Inca, Puerto Rico)
"El Gordo" 1968 (Borinquen, Puerto Rico)
The first LP is laden with weak covers. "El Gordo" is

better, half English vocals melodic jangle beat and
harmony folkrock with nice twelve string and fuzz
shadings. A fun pop beat Byrdsian charmer. [RM]
NIHILIST SPASM BAND (London, Canada)
"Nihilist Spasm Band" 1968 (Allied 5) [200p]

"No Record" 1996 (CD Alchemy arcd 082, Japan)
"Vol 2" 1979 (Music Gallery 13)

"Vol 2" 1996 (CD Alchemy arcd 083, Japan)
Experimental avant rock, freeform freakout with a

variety of homemade instruments. Prior to the Allied
LP the band released a flexi 7", "The Sweetest
Country This Side Of Heaven" which was included in
the Aug/Sep-1967 Arts Canada Magazine. It has been
described as a "proto-dada assault".
NOAH (OH)
"Brain Suck" 2003 (Head 001)
Posthumous release of early 1970s recordings from

obscure hardrock/prog band with long tracks and lots
of Hammond/guitar interplay. Overall vibe ranges from
Iron Butterfly drama to a more jammy Deep
Purple/Captain Beyond style. Worthwhile for genre
fans, provided you can find a copy. [PL]
NOCTURNES (NJ)
"Slightly Delightful" 1964 (Cook 977)
Military Academy fratrock band leaving a crude and

primitive testament to their skills, although just
what these skills were remains hard to tell.
Distorted lower-teen vocalist sounds like Sky Saxon's
younger brother on top of an energetic sub-Kingsmen
fraternity house band. Pre-Invasion covers all
through naturally, epic opening "Twist and shout" has
been comp'd while frantic takes on "Mashed Potatoes"
and "Money" give a high reading on the Stupid-O-
Meter. Most songs have crude fadeouts and the album
as a whole displays a lo-fi $15 production value. Not
bad at all for fans of local frat sounds a la "Ho-Dad
Hootenanny" or Hipsville vol 2 & 3, although the
total effect of a whole LP's worth is a bit mind-
numbing. The cover has a color photo of the group (in
matching red jackets) glued on. [PL]
NOMADDS (Freeport, IL)
"The Nomadds" 1965 (Radex 6521)
Way above average local beat (read: Merseybeat) LP

with five excellent originals and classy
sound/performances; an appealing snapshot of the
brief post-Invasion, pre-garage era. Songwriting is
remarkably mature and ambitious, and the band is very
tight after honing their craft on the local club
scene. Superb Gerry Marsden-like vocals add further
atmosphere, while a number of OK but more mundane
covers can't help but damage the total impression
somewhat. In another time and place, these guys could
have hit the big time. [PL]
NOMADS (Edmonton, Canada)
"Hits of the Nomads" 1968 (Point 333)
Later-day Canadian teenbeat LP with a variety of

covers, including an average version of "Hey Joe"
which was comp'd on Relics vol 2. There's also two
Box Tops covers, a couple of originals, and odd for
the time versions of "Stagger Lee" and "Dizzy Mizz
Lizzie".
NOONAN, LEVI & HOUSHMAND (CT)
"East River" 1975 (Cavern Custom no #)
Acoustic progressive folk trio with violin, good one.

The band were students at Yale but recorded in the
legendary Midwest Caven Custom studio. There is a
more jazz-oriented second LP "Laurasia", released as
by the East River Consort in 1978.
DAVE NORDIN (CA)
"In My Mind" 1974 (Specification Records 27874) [blank back

cover]
Demo press of obscure all-acoustic loner folk/s-sw

guy with titles like "All strung out again". Label
shows a Kentfield, CA address.
NORTH COUNTY ROCK ASSOCIATION (CA)
"Sampler" 197 (Nuthouse no#)
Recently discovered obscurity with a couple of great

tracks that hopefully will be reissued down the line.
A commune/friends & family type deal with different
guys providing a few number each, yet the total
effect is reasonably consistent. Main attraction is
two tracks on side 1; the first a marvy mixed vocal
Marin County folkrocker like the moodier tracks on
Anonymous, the other a fuzzed out female vocal
psychrocker with acid lyrics that sounds like the Bow
St Runners at their best. Rest of the LP is
listenable OK with a rural rootsy rock sound like
"Time Fades Away"-era Neil Young; originals all
through. Last two tracks are bluesy instrumentals
with a "filler" feel, although they do have strong
guitarleads. As far as unknown finds go, not bad,
although I wouldn't pay big $$$ for it. Crude artwork
on the cover, back cover has credits but no photos.
[PL]
~~~
I originally was kind in my assessment of this album,
describing it thus: "amateurish but likeable mix of
folk-rock and soft rock, with male and female vocals
and a definite 70s West Coast (LA) feel." But a few
more listens knocked some sense into me. This is
absolute proof that *anything* can be an expensive
collectable if hyped the right way. It's certainly
rare, but most likely the reason it remained
undiscovered for 25 years is that nobody in their
right mind would think collectors would be interested
in it. The band appears to have just learned to play
their instruments last week, the songs sound like
demos (many of them just end abruptly when the band
decides to stop playing), and the album is padded out
to almost full-length by two ridiculously dull
instrumental jams at the end. One weird and strident
anti-tax song is out of place on what otherwise feels
like the work of idealistic hippies. Dealers can get
away as describing this as "psychedelic" because they
use a phase shifter here and there. So did every
other band in the 70s. [AM]
NORTHERN FRONT (CA)
"Presents Furniture Store" 1975 (Kader k-4321) [2 inserts]
This humorous, proggy band falls somewhere between

Broken Bow & Idabell and Oho, with the addition of a
power pop edge. The style is reasonably appealing,
the instrumentation diverse, the vocals pleasant, and
the performances are nice, but the songs aren’t
memorable, leading to a pretty bland album. It came
with two inserts, and most copies are missing them,
leaving the listener with no information at all other
than song titles (listed on the labels). [AM]
V.A "NORTHLAND SHOPPING CENTER" (Columbus, OH)
"Northland Shopping Center 3rd Annual Battle Of The Bands 1967"

1967 (Magna 71014) [gatefold]
Battle of the Bands 2 LP set, featuring 1 side of raw

garage/psych covers by 4 O Clock Balloon. Classy FOC
packaging with band photos.
NORTHWIND (MI)
"Northwind Songs" 1974 (no label) [50p; plain sleeve; 2

inserts]
"The Woods Of Zandor" 199 (no label, Europe)
Bearing no relation to the UK group of the same name,

this nevertheless is folky progrock with strong
British influences, especially from Jethro Tull. If
you're still interested I can add that there's lots
of "complex" tempo shifts, long moog solos and
troubadorish vocals. Melodic and not overly self-
indulgent but in my ears not as appealing as
Thunderpussy, as an example. Should still be worth
checking out for prog fans, although even the
retitled reissue is hard to find. The original label
is plain white with handwriting/logo. Back cover
reads 'not for sale, for demonstration purposes
only'. The band recorded (but never released) a
second LP in 1977, one track from which was included
on a local Detroit sampler called "Home Grown". [PL]
NOSY PARKER (NY)
"Nosy Parker" 1975 (no label) [insert]
"Nosy Parker" 199 (Breeder, Austria) [bootleg]
"Nosy Parker" 2004 (CD Gear Fab gf-189)
Rare but to my ears dull NYC busker-style

folkrock/singer-songwriter LP with keyboards, some
fuzz and a claustrophobic basement sound, comparable
to the (much cheaper) Osh Sebrow LP. Wimpy Cat
Stevens sound for most part, not much psych and not
much of a fave for me. Guy has cited Ralph McTell as
an influence, which is audible in the grooves. Some
people seem to like it though. [PL]
CHARLIE NOTHING see Charlie Nothing
LA NOUVELLE FRONTIERE (Quebec, Canada)
"La Nouvelle Frontiere" 1970 (Gamma 137)

"La Nouvelle Frontiere" 2004 (CD Unidisc)
Dreamy French-Canadian folk rock featuring the Seguin

couple, with crystal clear female vocals. There is
also a less expensive second LP, "L'Hymne Aux
Quenuilles" (Gamma, 1970).
NOVA LOCAL (NC)
"Nova 1" 1968 (Decca 4977) [mono; wlp exists]

"Nova 1" 1968 (Decca 74977) [stereo; wlp exists]
"Nova 1" 2004 (Radioactive 063, UK)
"Nova 1" 2004 (CD Radioactive 063, UK)
Underrated middle-of-the-road lytepsych '67 trip

that's enjoyable with excellent vocal harmonies, fat
Eastcoast organ, and lots of fuzz leads for those who
demand such. Brit-influenced Hollies/Bee Gees '67
stylings mixed with the L A/Nuggets teen sound,
bringing in some Vanilla Fudge flavor on top via a
string of cover reworkings that display considerable
talent and cojones. Comparable to LPs such as Orphan
Egg, Phluph or Bold. The LP was also released in
England (MCA) and Canada. The Radioactive reissues
have some audible vinyl transfer noise. The band had
a good non-LP 45 "Games" that appears on the Echoes
In Time vol 2 compilation. [PL]
NOVELLS (Los Angeles, CA)
"That Did It! A Happening" 1968 (Mothers Records 73)

"That Did It! A Happening" 2004 (CD Radioactive 128, UK)
Boyce & Hart-produced harmony pop mixed with heavier

aspiration, covers of Cream, Lee Michaels' "Love",
Otis Redding.
V.A "NSS CAVE BALLAD COMPETITION" ( )
"Where Rain Never Falls" 1973 (no label BH3-1016) [plain cover;
insert]
This is a compilation of ballads in traditional folk

styles (blues, mountain, even a rag). NSS is the
National Speleological Society, the big caver group.
The label indicates this is a 1972 competition but
the credits on the insert indicate one of the songs
wasn't even finished until April 1973 and the others
vary in age from 1961-72. Maybe this ballad thing was
a regular part of their conventions and they just
took the best ones over the years? No idea, but first
through third place are mentioned along with
honorable mentions. Musically this is pretty cool.
Fifteen songs, ten or so are dark, damp
claustrophobic folk with stalactite sharp arpeggios
and mazes of twisty harmony all alike... he-he...
really though its mostly moody guitar (lotsa 12
string minor chords) vocal numbers half with female
vocals all about caving and several of 'em are tragic
or cautionary tales. Guess these folks are
pessimists. My fave is the nearly nine minute "Life
is Like a Carbide Lantern/ Endless Cavern" sung to
the hymn "Life's Railway to Heaven". Very stark and
mysterious with the theme that the journey never ends
because there's always more to map! "The Lonesome
Death of Endless Cave" is sung to Dylan's "The
Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll" and is every bit as
moving. "Histoplasmosis" is a terrifying cautionary
tale about... histoplasmosis... let's just say
there's better diseases to have. "Dedicated Caver" is
a wonderfully nasal rewrite of "Long Tall Texan". The
two 1961 tracks credit a Robert Novak as co-vocalist,
including the beloved family chestnut, "I Smell Bat
Shit". Could it be the conservative commentator he's
about the right age? Anyways, all for some and not
for all with absolutely no commercial potential but
great fun for jaded ears. [RM]
NUCLEAR DEBRIS (Adams, MA)
"In Space No One Can Hear You Fart" 1981 (Rock House Records
013)
This weird neo-garage private press sounds like the

improvised work of pre-teens, with crazy distorted
guitars, lyrical obscenities and completely
outrageous synthesizer noises. Among its 20 songs are
five versions of a terrific Dylan-soundalike called
“Poop From The Pope,” a country tune called “Al Haig
Is A Pig,” a crazed fuzz guitar/synth workout called
“Hydrogen Bombs Are Not Healthy For Your Health,” and
an irresistible riff rocker called “Brown Spots On
The Rim.” The highlight, though, is the epic folk-
rocker that closes the album, a ridiculously catchy
song called “Wang In The Window.” Liner notes
indicate that the album was “written as it was
recorded, live at the Rock House.” Band member names
include Joey Scrotum and Johnny Scum. Only one copy
of this oddity is in the hands of a collector, and
the mysterious owner says he’s holding out for $13
million before he will OK a reissue. This obscure
label also released albums by The Generators, Liquid
Sky and Pink Dolphin. [AM]
NUCLEUS (Toronto, Canada)
"Nucleus" 1969 (Mainstream s-6120)
Despite a promising album cover, this is one of the

real duds on Mainstream. It’s six long, dull proggy
organ/guitar workouts with a bit of jazz, bit of
blues, but not a whit of melody. If you can keep your
attention on these songs from start to finish you
might find one or two interesting moments in the mix.
That’s not because this is any good, but because of a
cool trick the human mind plays on you: when
accustomed to bland boredom, minor pleasures take on
major significance. Don’t let two or three minutes of
distraction among 40 minutes of ill-advised noodling
fool you. Also released in Canada. Pre-A Foot In
Coldwater. [AM]
NUMBERS BAND see 15:60:75
NUN PLUS (OR)
"Ljubimo" 1970 (Amato SLP 1)
Fringe-strange fun in the "nun-folk" category, female

vocal harmony folk with offbeat vibe and some spoken
bits. For experienced purveyors only. The title is
Croatian for "let us love".

OASIS (Marin County, CA)
"Oasis" 1973 (Cranbus no #)

"Oasis" 2005 (CD Radioactive, UK)
Professionally produced hippie folkrock with great

male/female harmonies, strong tracks and a general
uplifting quality about it. Pressed in Canada but the
group was from Marin County and had help from David
Crosby, who even on coke knew good music when he
heard it. There is also a double CD "Retrospective
Dreams" (Black Bamboo, 1995), which was issued by the
group themselves under their alternate name R.J Fox
and has about half the LP plus dozens of unreleased
cuts including personal fave "Parallel trains". The
LP was pressed in Canada but distributed primarily in
California. [PL]
~~~
see -> Cookin' Mama

OBJECTS (VT)
"Live At The Greatwood Cafe" 1980 (Gildersleeve) [insert]
Vermont show from 1978. Garage punkish trio with

Scott Gildersleeve (pre-Queers) and Marc Weinstein
(pre-MX-80 Sound). The LP has been offered as "rare
garage psych" by record dealers since the mid-1980s,
but not many people seem to like it, and it's not a
highly rated title today.

JUSTEN O'BRIEN & JAKE (MN)

"Time Will Tell" 197 (no label S80-1556)
"Time Will Tell" 2001 (Mystic, Europe)
One of the more recent finds to be introduced to a

wider audience, this is an atmospheric 1970s s-
sw/loungerock trip from the depths of Middle America.
Somewhat reminiscent of the loungier side of D R
Hooker, with idiosynchratic vocals and a glitzy mid-
70s production with keyboards upfront and fairly
professional playing. The total effect is like
driving around in late-night Minneapolis looking for
some action, but instead ending up alone in an
airport hotel lounge; a desolate 2 drink-minimum neon
light trip of creeping originality. I like it, but it
may not be the first LP you recommend to psych
newbies. [PL]
~~~
This is a tough one to assess. I hated it on the
first four or five listens, but a few months later
played it again and found it surprisingly enjoyable.
The vocals are very, very weak, and there’s an
amateurish feel that doesn’t really work in its
favor, but the songs are bizarre and occasionally
surprising. It’s singer/songwriter stuff from a very
bent perspective, with an unfortunate influence from
70s top 40. A definite labor of love, and it took
O’Brien about two years to complete it. There’s some
sort of overriding theme about aliens and abduction,
but I can’t figure it out. Not quite as far out as,
say, Damin Eih, but certainly more unusual than, say,
Richard Soutar. [AM]
OCTOBER (MI)
"October" 1979 (Charisma Sound) [insert]
"After The Fall" 1979 (no label) [gatefold; 25p]
Symphonic space progressive with acoustic guitars and

lots of keyboard, including moog. "After The Fall" is
excellent with spacy mellotron and hard guitar runs
and comes in a handmade watercolor cover.

OCTOBER COUNTRY (CA)
"October Country" 1968 (Epic) [wlp; mono]

"October Country" 1968 (Epic BN 26381) [stereo]
"October Country" 2003 (CD Rev-Ola 51, UK) [+6 tracks]
"October Country" 2004 (Epic) [exact reissue]
This band was in the hands of Michael Lloyd, and they

did two songs that would later be redone for the
Smoke album. In some ways, this is kind of a lesser
variation on that album, but it does contain one
atypical fuzz-guitar blaster, “My Girlfriend Is A
Witch,” which is totally great. It’s really a good
album, but just a little redundant (i e: like the
Michele "Saturn Rings" and first Sagittarius album).
[AM]
~~~
Anyone who enjoys "sunshine pop", the orchestrated,
harmony rich material that makes bands such as The
Association, Millennium, Orange Colored Skies and
Sagittarius such a delight, will certainly find
"October Country" a pleasure. That said, in many
respects this album is almost a Michael Lloyd solo
effort. In addition to producing, arranging, writing
all eleven tracks and providing much of the
instrumentation, Lloyd's distinctive creative
fingerprints are found all over the album. While
neither of the vocalists is much of a singer, in the
confines of this album they're individual vocal
shortcomings don't really matter that much.
Surrounded by breezy melodies, complete with
imaginative (and occasionally quirky) arrangements,
material such as 'Painted Sky', 'Little Boy Smiling'
and 'She's Been Away' just exudes a sense of joy and
innocence. [SB]
OCTOPUS (CT)
"Octopus" 1969 (ESP-Disk 2000) [color cover]

"Octopus" 1969 (ESP-Disk 2000) [black & white cover]
"Octopus" 199 (CD ESP, Germany)
Bluesy melodic rock with organ, sax, fuzz. real

amateur sound. A highlight is "U.S. Blues" with
trippy dippy counterculture lyrics, basement vocals,
and avant sax noise.

ODA (San Francisco, CA)
"The Black Album" 1973 (Loud 80011) [1000p]

"The Black Album" 1998 (Void 10)
"The Black Album" 2000 (CD Hallucinations 010) [+4 tracks]
Strong local hardrock in the stripped down, riff-

happy, non-bombastic style, comparable to the Estes
Bros and Glory on Rockadelic. Guitar playing from
Randy O is killer throughout, lyrical and fluent yet
hard and no-nonsense. Randy also plays the organ in
an unusual combination, while his brother Kevin plays
drums. Art Pantoja's vocals are OK in the non-
operatic style common to these bands (though clearly
not as good as on Dryewater and Top Drawer), and all
over I have to rate this one of the better within the
style. The CD bonus tracks show an impressive
versatility with more melodic moves, as well as a
very good take on Butterfield's "Mind to Give Up
Living". Randy Oda later had a taste of mainstream
success as member of Tom Fogerty's band Ruby in the
late 1970s, then reformed Oda for a 1984 LP. [PL]
~~~
This is above average 70s hard rock, with good guitar
leads and memorable riffing. The vocals are
uninteresting, though, and there’s not much variety
or originality here. A few pleasant exceptions: the
surprising funk/horn interlude on “Cheated,” and the
poppy melody and hot guitar solo on “Give It Up”. The
best songs are in the middle of the album, so give it
a chance if the first couple of songs underwhelm you.
The CD adds four bonus tracks that span more styles
than the original album. [AM]
KEVIN ODEGARD (MN)
"Kevin Odegard" 1974 (Wooff W4ST)
Unexceptional album with a westcoasty folk/rock

sound, one long Neil Young:ish track being the
highlight. The cover shows a drawing of the guy.
Odegard had at least one more LP, "Silver lining",
but is more famous for playing on Dylan's classic
"Blood on the tracks" LP, about which sessions he's
also written a book.
ALAN O'DAY (Los Angeles, CA)
"Songs By" 1973 (Edwin WH Morris AO-100)
Demo-only album from singer/songwriter who later

would achieve fame & fortune both as an artist and
composer. As few as 100 copies may have been pressed.
ODYSSEY (Brentwood, NY)
"Setting Forth" 1971 (Organic org-1)

"Setting Forth" 1990 (Trip 1000) [new sleeve]
"Setting Forth" 1995 (CD Timothy's Brain 103)
"Setting Forth" 2000 (CD Odyssey)
"Setting Forth" 2005 (Lion, Italy)
Rare demo LP with East Coast mainstream guitar/organ

hardrock sound.
~~~
see -> Cathedral
OFOEDIAN DEN (San Francisco, CA)

"The Birds" 1970 (Rock Bottom 2151) [4 inserts]
Soundtrack of a collegiate tackling of the

Aristophanes play. The play was connected to a
College of Marin student protest of the Vietnam War.
There is a bit of psychy guitar work on a couple
tracks else the music is incidental and of little
interest. [RM]

OGANOOKIE (Santa Cruz, CA)
"Oganookie" 1973 (Oganookie dsw-4154) [lyric inner]
Live recording of communal band playing modern

bluegrass & rock with George Stavis, who had a solo
LP on Vanguard and was in Federal Duck. Oganookie
existed for years and its members collaborated with
many name musicians, such as Jerry Miller of Moby
Grape and Charlie Prichard of Conqueroo.

OHO (Baltimore, MD)
"Okinawa" 1974 (Sky nr-4579) [book]

"Okinawa" 1994 (Little Wing lw-3044/47, Germany) [800#d; four
10" LPs in a metal film can; booklet; +bonus tracks]
Cool artsy weirdness from a Baltimore band who

actually are still around (and have several further
albums.) They influenced a number of strange new wave
bands and even appeared on the Bomp "Waves 2"
compilation (one of the finest compilation LPs ever).
Their first and most sought-after album is full of
proggy experimentation, but the songs are short and
often goofy. It's much more complex and creative
than, say, Northern Front, and the lyrics reach some
really far out (and often obscene) places. Zappa was
probably an influence, but this is too unique and
distinctive to make comparisons. Some of the songs
are downright catchy, some completely impenetrable.
Originally it was intended to be a 2-LP set, and the
rest of the original recordings have since been
reissued (the coolest reissue is a set of four 10-
inch records in a tin box). Not everything here
works, but the songs are short enough for the
failures to be harmless, and enough of it is
wonderful so that if you're interested in music of
this type, it's the first album I'd recommend. This
breaks some of the same ground as the Residents, and
may even predate them, which makes them pioneers of
just plain bizarre rock and roll. There was also a
1980 LP released as by Dark Side, and a 1984 LP on
Clean Cuts titled "Rocktronics". "Vitamin Oho" from
1991 (Little Wing, Germany) contains unreleased 1974-
75 tracks. [AM]

OJAS (Oklahoma City, OK)
"Seven Levels Of Man" 1979 (Unity ur-703)

Densely layered cosmic synth progressive with side-
long tracks, on the same label as Iasos. Home studio
one-man-band with lots of electronics and found
sounds in the mix. Chakra-based concept somewhere in
the burbling noises. Opinions differ on its merits.
There may also be a slightly later pressing. Steve
McLinn went on to release lots more music on tape and
CD.

OLD HICKORY & THE PIRATE (CA)
"Old Hickory and the Pirate" 1977 (Hakim 1001)
Laid-back cosmic cowboy countryrock and eastern moves

with sitar and tablas. The LP was assembled from
recordings spanning more than a decade, which
explains its schizophrenic nature. The few folkpsychy
tracks may be worth checking out, although this is
not a highly rated LP at this point.

OLD SALT (Rochester, NY)
"Old Salt" 1976 (PTO 101) [1000p]
Upstate New York rural rock album that’s more country

and less inspired than, say, Cambridge. Typical
lyrics include “women and whiskey, which one will be
the death of me.” Catchy but in an annoying way.
Pretty weak, really. The long jammy last track is
probably the best thing here. Not an expensive LP.
[AM]

OLIVER KLAUS (Waterloo, Canada)
"Oliver Klaus" 1970 (Captain Moze 8841/42) [poster; insert]

"Oliver Klaus" 1996 (Captain Moze/No Exit) [booklet; insert]
"1967-70" 200 (Captain Moze) [LP + 10 bonus tracks]
The first side has six shorter westcoast/folkrock

originals played with energy and an upbeat feel; side
2 is a live recording of harder club rock/r'n'b
sounds with an extended and not bad version of
"Season of the witch". Appealing organic feel on both
sides with inbetween song chatter and a loose rural
freak vibe doing what is mainly 1967-68 type
material. The live recording was made before a crowd
of 280 people in Waterloo (Quebec), where "you don't
often have that many people assembled". The rarity
and dealer hype has made this an overpriced album,
but at a low rate (or as a reissue) it is worth
checking out. There are also several later 45s with 5
non-LP tracks between them. [PL]
DENNIS OLIVIERI (CA)
"Come to the Party" 1970 (VMC 130)
Freeform folky psych rock with organ, rocksichord,

sax, guitar, percussion. Weird, uncommercial LP
produced by songwriter Tandyn Almer, this has been
used for samples. Olivieri was primarily a TV actor,
and this LP release parallels Rex Holman's in some
ways.
HANS OLSON (AZ)
"Western Winds" 1973 (Joplin Records 3266)

"Western Winds" 1980 (Marshall Records 10320) [reissue]
"Blonde Sun Album" 1978 (Blond Sun Records 1002)
Electric and acoustic blues on the debut, live-

recorded loner folk/blues on the followup from this
long-running performer, who has continued to record
and release music and played with some success in
both the US and Europe.

OMEGA (IL)
"Omega" 1969 (Fellowship 100) [sprayed logo cover; insert]
Mostly folk and blues covers on this debut LP,

including Butterfield, "Violets Of Dawn" and even
"Leaving on a jet plane", which indicates a 1969
release year. Folkrock setting plus banjo and even
some sitar. Some copies came in plain cover.
"Michigan Avenue" 1969 (Fellowship 110) [300p; band photo

cover; insert]
Equally obscure second LP from this band; this time

they do all originals, in a folkrock style. The LP
has "grower qualities". It seems some copies came in
the first album sleeve. Both LPs were pressed in demo
runs of a few hundred copies.
OMEGA ( )
"The Timekeeper" 1979 (no label)
Dual-lead hardrock obscurity from the Midwest in

primitive black & white cover.
OMEGA SONSHIP (Austintown, OH)
"Earth Ride" 1980 (Jeree)
Dreamy Christian folkrock with mixed vocals, on local

Northeast label with several releases. The band had
two more albums out.

OM SHANTI (Houston, TX)
"We Are Home" 1977 (Solace 1001)
Spiritual hippiefolk sextet with female vocals,

tablas, mandolin.
ONE ( )
"Live At Joe's Fishmarket and Saloon" 1975 (Back Door Sound)
Open mike quality melodic rock with comic interludes.

The kind of group that plays for beer and gets kicked
off the stage before their set is over. Covers of
Beatles, Beach Boys, Righteous Bros, and more.
Highlight: a basement fuzzed "Mr. Soul".

ONE (CA)
"Creation Earth" 1977 (Children's Village) [2LPs; gatefold;

inner sleeves; poster]
Communal concept folk-psych with apocalyptic religous

concerns. Nice organ and fuzz in spots, mixed vocals.
One of the few communal groups that (at least here)
didn't float away into guru love chanting or
hedonistic atonal dreck. The first LP contains a
reference to Lite Storm, which was an earlier
incarnation of this spiritual outfit, with the same
key members. All of it was done under the spiritual
aegis of the guru, Sai Baba. The title is a k a "Who
Am I?"; promo variants have been found with bonus
45s. Later recordings exist, and shows the band
moving into new age electronica while retaining a
hippie folkpsych core. The commune still exists as of
this writing, and offers CD and cassette reissues of
most of their works from their Idaho base. No
relation to the band and LP on Grunt.
100% UNKNOWN FIBERS (Laguna Beach, CA)
"Odd Lots" 1971 (no label) [plain stamped cover]

"Odd Lots" 2004 (Little Indians, Germany) [10p]
Live recording from an outdoor festival with abysmal
sound. Incredibly damaged over the top and down the
other side sludge guitar, bass, and drums on the key
tracks. A couple of dull jazzy noodlings, stage
announcements, nearly inaudible vocals on most
tracks. 10 copies only were pressed of the reissue
and included in a Little Indians commemorative box-
set of all their reissues with this item as a bonus.
A proper reissue was planned but cancelled. [RM]
~~~
The LP was recorded during the Laguna Beach Christmas
Day "Happening" 1970, and probably released in early
1971. No bands of note appeared, but newspaper
articles from the time refer briefly to participants
such as Sea, East Utopian Mission, Sound Spectrum and
Primal Scream. The event was severely over-crowded
and seems to have been a rather haphazard affair, but
apart from a few drug freakouts from LSD and PCP
nothing bad went down. The LP bears witness to the
general drugginess with stage announcements such as
"...Hello, we got to have some Thorazine at the
medical tent immediately, some guy drank a whole
bottle of acid". The music has been described as an
amateur version of Cosmic Travellers, with crude rock
jams and some jazz moves. Thanks to Stephan Colloredo
for info. [PL]

101 STRINGS (Los Angeles, CA)
"Astro-Sounds From Beyond the Year 2000" 1968 (Alshire s-

5119)
"Astro-Sounds From Beyond the Year 2000 / Miracles" 199 (CD
Request) [+bonus tracks]
"Astro-Sounds From Beyond the Year 2000" 2004 (Licorice Soul
LSD006) [+2 tracks]
Classic exploito muzak sci-fi instro freakout psych,

one of the true exploitation "musts". The best tracks
combine spooky fuzz instros with swirling string
arrangements for a unique experience, projecting a
future in outer space as it was envisioned in the
1960s, and is closer to "Barbarella" than "2001".
This LP (masterminded by David Miller and Alan
Sherman) comes out of the same stock recordings that
were used for Animated Egg LP, without strings and
under different titles, and the basic tracks appear
on other exploitation albums as well. The countless
other orchestral hack LPs released under the "101
Strings" franchise are excluded here, naturally.
~~~
see -> Animated Egg

ONENESS SPACE see Love Band
ONES (Unionville, CT / Boston, MA)

"Vol 1" 1966 (Ashwood House 1105)
Covers mostly on this rare LP, including "Diddy wah

diddy", "Mr you're a better man", "Can't explain"
etc. There was also a little-known 45 released around
this time with two LP tracks ; Don't Make Me
Over/Maybe it's Both Of Us (Contrapoint 9010). The B-
side is an original. The band photo looks almost like
a 1970s new wave band, but band member Jeff Costello
has confirmed the release date as mid-1966. The Ones
formed as early as 1964 and should perhaps be
considered a club band rather than a garage act. An
eBay copy of the LP sold for almost $3500 in 2006.
[PL]
~~~
Prep rock covers half ravers half slow dance doo wop.
A fuller, more mature sound than most garage bands of
the period with some great early psych playing on
"Mr. You're a Better Man Than I" and a fine version
of "I Can't Explain". Only one original but a great
early garage effort. [RM]
ONE ST STEPHEN (OH)
"One St Stephen" 1975 (Owl 553) [1000p; inner sleeve]

"One St Stephen" 1987 (no label, Austria) [385#d; inferior
sleeve job; +bonus tracks]
"One St Stephen" 199 (CD no label, Austria) [+bonus tracks]
Side 1 on this private press 1970s classic opens and

closes with two extended moody psych tracks which are
quite impressive. The LP has a couple of more strong
tracks, plus 3-4 less exciting bluesy/rocking
numbers. Edgar Allen Poe, heroin, and Jim Morrison
all help shape Stephen's outlook, which results in
one of the more distinctive late Autumnal moods
manifest on vinyl. Good vocals, some howling fuzz and
occasional use of moog in typical 1970s acidhead
fashion. Above average, the reissue should be
worthwhile. Both the Austrian bootlegs have bonus
tracks by the totally unrelated St Steven from Boston
(Front Page Review). [PL]
ONSTAGE MAJORITY (Aurora, IL)
"Solo Flight" 1971 (no label om-896)
Way cool lounge rocker with insane bouncy moog,

vibes, gravelly vocals, and kitchen sink efx ala the
Kaplan Brothers. One third lame-o balladry, two
thirds lounge psych monster! [RM]

ONYX (CT)
"Onyx also Featuring Wildwood" 1981 (Weathersfield) [insert]
School project teen basement hardrock covers, some

female vocals.

MICHAEL OOSTEN (WI)
"Michael Oosten" 1974 (Hub-City 5191) [500p]

"Michael Oosten" 2000 (Gear Fab Comet 411, Italy)
"Michael Oosten" 2000 (CD Gear Fab gf-132)
Local weirdo 1970s folkie with long intense acoustic

tracks and extended instrumental passages, like a
second-tier Perry Leopold. His voice is OK and he's
certainly not holding anything back. Mood and
atmosphere dominates over songwriting, with lots of
two-chord drone and half-spoken lyrics. Apart from
Oosten's fine guitar-playing there is bass and
occasional electric guitar, but no percussion.
"Wavefaring boy" is a highpoint with a dramatic mood
and an amazing section where the guy does a vocal
imitation of the sound of the sea surf, and not a bad
one either. After having heard many dozens of
mediocre LPs in the style I would have to rate this
above average, but can still only recommend it to
genre fans. Silkscreened cover. [PL]
ORACLE (WV)
"Nataraja Da Nada" 1989 (Paradise Lost)
Freaky basement acid guitar excursions with flipped

out biker redneck vocals. Side 1 is a bit
disappointing, while side 2 is intensely psychedelic
in a Yahowha 13/Strange-"Ruler of the universe"
direction. This has been listed as a reissue, but is
a 1985 re-recording of material originally laid down
in 1976, which has led to some confusion. Later
recordings in a similar style have been released on
CD as by Skuldedog. A must for fans of fried basement
cosmic drug guitar sounds, but not exactly for
everyone. [PL]
~~~
ORANGE COLORED SKY (Los Angeles, CA)
"Orange Colored Sky" 1969 (Uni 73031)
Pop psych floater, good one. The band was originally

from PA and were called the Fabulous Epics, then
moved to LA in 1968. One of several bands to claim
being the model for the Tom Hanks 60s retro movie
"That Thing You Do".
~~~
see -> Cosmic Travellers
ORANGE PEELS (NJ)

"Orange Peels" 1963 (Wight Audio Studios WAS 62075)
"Orange Peels" 2000 (Mystic, Europe)
Primitive surf/instro trip with a garage vibe,

sometimes seen as a "prep-rock" artefact due to a
Princeton connection. Covers of "Apache", "Runaway",
"Honky Tonk", one band original. Superbly crude
packaging. Cool one for pre-Beatle heads.
ORANGE WEDGE (Baltimore, MD)
"Wedge" 1972 (Wedge 3597/Contraband) [insert]

"Orange Wedge" 1998 (Little Wing 3051-52, Germany) [2LPs;
yellow vinyl; obi; insert; poster; 500#d]
Local hardrock with an appealing directness and above

average guitar-playing, even in a genre full of good
guitarists. The vocals are somewhat strained, and the
reverbed and sometimes doubletracked production
enhances rather then reduces this factor. This is not
a major problem, however. Songwriting isn't bad at
all, while the lyrics go in a bonehead macho
direction typical for the genre, which admittedly
adds to the authentic teenage vibe. Good, understated
use of piano and acoustic guitars make for a varied
sound, with a brief throwaway boogierocker the only
wasted track. The overall feel of a local club band
reaching for an upmarket Aerosmith-type sound makes
it reminiscent of the Magi LP, and none the worse for
it. A so-so song such as "One night lover" still has
a truly great solo, while the closing track has an
impressive epic feel. Two release variations exist;
one with a Contraband label designation and a stamped
title cover, the other with a Wedge label and an un-
stamped cover. [PL]
~~~
Noisy 70s hard rock that has its moments. Mix of long
and short songs and lots of loud guitar. It sounds
like it was recorded live in the studio. There's
nothing here to really distinguish it, style-wise,
from a million other local hard rock albums, but the
songs and hooks aren't bad, and the sound is
appealingly low-budget. Not good enough for a blanket
recommendation, but good enough to recommend to fans
of the style. [AM]
"No One Left But Me" 1974 (no label 1434) [textured cover;
insert]
"Orange Wedge" 1998 (Little Wing 3051-52, Germany) [2LPs;
yellow vinyl; obi; insert; poster; 500#d]
Second album is slicker and has superior sound. In a

few places that means it veers towards prog, but it
also means the guitars sound sharp and powerful. I
find it kind of dull, though, especially on the long
songs. The vocals are very 70s AM radio friendly,
which isn't really a good thing. Which of their two
albums you prefer definitely depends on your personal
taste, but I prefer the first. [AM]
~~~
The second LP (release as by Wedge) has a slightly
more produced sound and more ambitious arrangements.
Some keyboard has been added, and the vocal mixing is
more successful. Other than that it's in a similar
style to the debut, with agreeable songwriting and
excellent guitarwork throughout. The epic last track
has a melodic psych/prog feel unusual for the band. I
rate this about equal with the debut: it seems to
squeeze more out from the band's abilities and is a
more varied experience, but is missing some of the
raw directness. But the two are so close in quality
and style that they're both best checked out as a
package deal (as on the Little Wing reissue). [PL]
ORFEUS (KY)
"Lying To The Wall" 1973 (Lemco 721) [1200p]
Fairly mediocre local rock LP in various early 1970s

styles, promising start with a Tripsichordish title
track but rest is derivative and/or dull barrock/prog
rock/hard rock with a Brit slant, covers of Free,
James Gang and a bizarre "We can work it out", plus
some feeble attempts at Santana/Allman Bros jamming.
Except for a slight whiff of basement charm you're
not missing much. [PL]

ORGANIZATION (Dartmouth, Canada)
"Organization" 1970 (Music Stop 100)
Obscure soft-rock and lyte psych private press in

primitive cover.
ORIENT EXPRESS (NY)
"Orient Express" 1968 (Mainstream 6117)

"Orient Express" 199 (Mainstream, Germany) [bootleg;
boardprinted cover]
"Orient Express" 199 (CD Head)
"Orient Express" 2005 (Tripkick, Spain)
Real cool trip out Middle East by three beatnik

immigrants who brought some European savoir faire
along with their strange instruments. Not the usual
sitar exploitation but a real ethnic vibe, like
standing on acid at the Istanbul Grand Central with
too much stuff going on to ever fully comprehend. Up
there with Ganimian & the Orientals and the good
tracks on "Side trips" for dawamesk/belly dancer
vectors. French vocals on one track add a strange
colonial twist. Despite occasional claims to the
contrary, this band had nothing to with Liz Damon's
Orient Express. One of my 3-4 favorites on the label.
[PL]
ORION EXPRESS (Sacramento, CA)
"Orion Express" 1975 (Round Mound Of Sound 1001)
If you listened to the prevailing hype on this LP

you'd see nonsense like "Killer rural hard rock/psych
rocker with acid guitar jamming!" or "Backwoods
guitar rock with wailing leads." The fact of the
matter is that the only thing psychedelic here must
be the stuff people were ingesting when they listened
to the album, or wrote such nonsense. So let's get
down to the facts. "The Orion Express" offers up a
decent set of original material and covers. While
there's some nice guitar on tracks like 'Gotta Get
the First Plane Home' and a cover of Steve Miller's
'Mercury Blues' there's absolutely nothing
psychedelic to be found here. Instead the general
feeling is of competent (and occasionally quite
talented) bar band who have a penchant for bluesy
material such as "Down the Rail" and "Hard Goin'
Down". The vocalist has a decent voice and he injects
more enthusiasm into the material than most similar
acts. The same is true for the rest of the band -
they were probably a pretty good live act. Still,
don't be fooled by the marketing hype! [SB]
P J ORION & THE MAGNATES see P J Orion & the Magnates (under 'P')
ORKUSTRA (San Francisco, CA)
"Light Shows For The Blind" 2005 (RD Records 16, Switzerland)
[insert]
First ever release for this legendary 1966-67 Bay

Area band, whose members would go on to various sorts
of fame. Mainly instrumental music of a highly
eclectic nature, mixing modal Eastern sounds with
impressionist classical and plain old SF acid rock.
Embryonic versions of two It's A Beautiful Day
numbers can be heard. Somewhat challenging and with
below average sound quality, but well worth hearing
for purveyors of mid-60s freak sounds and of obvious
historical value. The overlap with the Bobby
Beausoleil CD is restricted to two short numbers.
[PL]
ORPHAN EGG (San José, CA)
"Orphan Egg" 1968 (Carole 8004) [wlp exists]

-- also released in Germany by Vogue
"Orphan Egg" 2005 (CD Radioactive 146, UK)
Typical '68 lyte-psych with an eclectic (or rag-tag)

assortment of "hip" sounds; at best an edgy melodic
fuzz-psych presence a la Food, at worst a wimpy early
Brit Invasion vibe. Strong UK beat-psych influences
throughout (think early Status Quo), with some side-
glances at the commercial psych sound out of LA.
Obvious signs of talent, given another 6 months or so
they probably could have made a really good LP. Neat,
zit-faced freshman vocals and 3-4 tracks that hit the
vintage teen-psych moves right on means the LP needs
to be heard, while some poorly chosen covers and an
unsuccessful "heavy blues" excursion seals its
ultimate fate in a manner similar to the Rainy Daze
LP. This seems to have been the last album released
by this shortlived GNP Crescendo subsidiary. Also
released in Germany by Vogue. The band appears on the
"Cycle Savages" movie soundtrack (AIP, 1970). [PL]
ORPHANN (Kansas City, KS)
"Up For Adoption" 1977 (OMI 70021)
Dual lead hardrock. There is also a second LP on OMI,

"Don't Say No" (1980).

OTHER HALF (Pottstown, PA)
"The Other Half" 1966 (7/2 Records HS 1-2) [500p]

"The Other Half" 1984 (Resurrection cx-1266)
Post-Half Tribe garage wizards from Hill School with

a solid Northeastern sound and a little more punk
edge than their regional competition. Two cool
originals and the rest top 40/British Invasion covers
including "Gloria", Sam The Sham, "Time won't let
me", and a whole bunch of Stones tunes. Some
variation is offered as they run "Like a rolling
stone" into the ground with fun consequences. It
appears that most or all originals have the sleeve
opening on the left. There was also a 45 released on
the same label. [PL]
OTHER HALF (Los Angeles, CA)
"The Other Half" 1968 (Acta 38004) [stereo]

"The Other Half" 1968 (Acta a-8004) [mono]
"Mr Pharmacist" 1982 (Eva 12003, France) [LP + bonus tracks]
"Mr Pharmacist" 1992 (CD Eva b-13, France) [LP + bonus
tracks]
"The Other Half" 2004 (CD Radioactive 025, UK)
"The Other Half" 2004 (Radioactive 025, UK)
Well-known Randy Holden vehicle in the typical (and
to me unappealing) LA psych/hard rock transition
style, those growling vocals are always a drawback.
Starts out very weak with a bad version of "Feathered
Fish" and more, some better tracks on side 2.
Blistering guitar (of course) and some unusual
r'n'b/club influences, occasionally rocks but just as
often slow and lead-footed. Holden fans will still
want to get it, of course. Also released in Germany
with a different sleeve. The non-LP 45 is the best
thing they did in my opinion. [PL]
OTHER HALF (Canada)
"The Other Half" 1971 (DDTB 001)
Mostly bland covers with organ upfront, "Summertime",

Santana.
OTTER CREEK (Long Island, NY)
"Otter Creek" 1977 (Bolt b-3234) [500p]
Long Island band with a New Riders type

rural/country-rock sound, they played live frequently
in the late 1970s with a local following.
OUBA (Quebec, Canada)
"Ouba" 1968 (A1 33-213)
Westcoast and jazzrock jamming freakout with

organ/fuzz, supposedly the Sinners or perhaps some
other famous Quebecians in disguise. One long track
stretched over two sides, with a 5-minute drum solo
on side 2, some scat singing of mostly nonsense
lyrics, and a general sense of abandon. Although
nominally a private press, the label shows the Trans-
Canada "t-c" logo.
OUR GENERATION (Nyack, NY)
"Dawning Of The Day" 197 (Generation LPM/S 500)
What do you get when you combine the heavy fuzz

guitar of Earthen Vessel, the swirling organ of
Azitis and the joyous male/female harmonies of The
Bridge? You get a humongous garage/psych monster by
the name of Our Generation. This outfit’s debut is
easily one of the top Jesus psych privates. Opens
with the hard-driving rocker "11th Hour", followed by
the chilling downer minor-key "Near The End" with
heavy droning distorted fuzz, eerie vocals and lyrics
dealing with death and despair. ‘Love’ provides some
animated ‘60s garage-rockin’ fun with a bratty
abrasive fuzz riff that sounds like it came straight
out of the Rhino Nuggets boxed set. Lots of dynamic
organ throughout, as on the high-energy "Look –
Out" (which again hits us with another venomous
explosion of fuzz), "Jesus In Your Life" (coupled
with nice wah-wah electric guitar) and "Can You Make
It?" with its dissonant spoken-word psychedelic
intro. Even the quieter melodic tracks like "Beyond
Yourself" and "I Can See Forever" definitely have
that sought-after tripped-out edge. The title track
closes out the LP with a slow dreamy mysterious psych
mood. All original songs and every single one is a
winner, with creative vocal arrangements and sincere
Jesus-centered lyrics. Faint yellow-on-white cover
art with hills, sunflower and chain of figures
holding hands. Raise your hands and worship at high
volume. Awesome! [KS]
"Praise And Prayer" 197 (Generation OG1072)
Holy cow, they did it again! The gang delivers

another first-rate psych juggernaut here, with some
of their loudest moments on record. "Hello Friends"
begins the album with drums and a pulsating bass
line, soon joined by fierce fuzz, psychy organ and
odd spacey choral harmonies. Likewise ‘Praise’ bursts
forth with a vicious guitar riff worthy of Jefferson
Airplane or Big Brother & the Holding Company. More
high-powered fuzz on "Jesus Paid It All". Quieter
moods are expressed on organ-backed ballads "Only A
Man" and "Have You Tried This One Called Jesus", as
well as covers of Paul Stookey’s "Hymn" and The
Youngbloods’ "Get Together". The latter has a female
lead vocal for a change, as does side two’s opener
"Sacrifice". Also includes Blind Faith’s "Presence Of
The Lord" where they super-size the guitar break into
extended total fuzz mayhem. Closes with an acoustic
ballad entitled "A Prayer". Both of these records are
intensely rare small-press items. [KS]
OVERSEAS HIGHWAY (Key West, FL)
"Miles Away" 1979 (Alpha) [500p]
This is essentially a bunch of short jams, in the San

Francisco style, but with the addition of lots of
reverb effects. The end result is a cool spacey
sounding record, which benefits from the minimalist
arrangements. It's simple, but appealing music. A
little bit of synthesizer is a definite plus; a drum
solo is a definite minus. There are vocals on only a
few songs and those vocals are very weak. It's an
enjoyable album, but nothing groundbreaking. A number
of Overseas Highway songs are on the "Key West
Psychedelic Daze" compilation, which has a photo of
them as aging hippies on the front cover. Fun! There
is also a retrospective sampler, "Prism Of Soul
2" (no label, 1998). [AM]
OWEN-B (OH)
"Owen-B" 1970 (Mus-i-col 101209)

"Owen-B" 1988 (Mus-i-col, Europe) [bootleg]
This falls somewhere between post-Beatles power pop

and 70s hard rock. Occasionally it's described as
"prog," maybe because of the long song on side one,
but that's not accurate. The tinny production is a
little unfortunate, but the lovely acoustic guitar
sound on the folky songs and the great harmonies
shine through nonetheless. Solid throughout-great
songwriting and inspired guitar playing. Nothing
"psych" about this, but it's a heavier album than
stuff like "Faces of Jade," and points the way toward
more experimental post-Beatles bands. Like Zerfas or
Anonymous (or maybe a more well-known band like Crack
The Sky), it feels equal parts 60s and 70s, and while
it's not as good as those masterpieces it's still an
excellent record. There are also two 45s with rocking
non-LP tracks, and a less interesting second LP (Old
Happy Places, "A Good Example") in the late 1970s.
[AM]
CHUCK "SNAKE" OWSTON see Snake

OXEN OF THE SUN (WY)
"Stations Of The Cross" 1969 (Calvary 666) [blank back; insert]
50-copy demo press of intense X-ian Dead/Quicksilver

dual guitar jammer, one of the earliest in the style
made famous by Kristyl, "Spirit Of Elijah", etc. Side
1 has four tracks in a Tripsichord bag, while the
whole of side 2 is "Stations Of The Cross" a
desperate messianic fuzz/wah wah desert guilt trip
reminiscent of "Eye Of The Hurricane" by Fraction,
except twice as long. Less than 10 copies known to
exist. [PL]
OXFORDS (Louisville, KY)
"Flying Up Through the Sky" 1970 (Union Jac LH6498) [500p]

"Flying Up Through the Sky" 2001 (Gear Fab gf-168) [+bonus
tracks]
This is one of the best soft rock albums of the era,

akin to bands like the Free Design but not quite as
lightweight. Nice male and female vocals and
intricate songs. The Gear Fab reissue has a whole
bunch of bonus tracks from various parts of their
career, including some bluesy, funky and humorous
numbers. Lots of interesting songs, and the female
vocalist is really excellent on the later stuff when
she gets a chance to belt it out. [AM]
OZ KNOZZ (TX)
"Ruff Mix" 1975 (Ozone 1000)

"Ruff Mix" 1985 (Ozone, Italy) [bootleg]
You have to like a band that names three consecutive

songs “Doodley Squat”. On the other hand, this weird
mix of prog, hard rock, and jazz is full of clichés:
there are synths and mellotrons, long guitar solos,
jazzy instrumental breaks, high-pitched male singing,
a long blues song, a soulful song with a horn
section. Despite that (or partially because of it),
there’s an appealing kind of energy and kitchen sink
experimentalism. It works best when it’s most
surprising (i.e. the loud, jarring way the guitar
solo begins in “Peanut Butter Yoni,” some occasional
stereo tricks), worst when it settles into long
soloing or focuses on the weak melodies. Most of the
vocals are pretty tuneless (or annoying in that hard
rock high-pitched way), but occasionally they get
kind of unhinged, which is great fun. The
musicianship is pretty strong, and they probably came
across very well on stage, where the vocal and
melodic limitations are less obvious. If you’re in
the right mood, much of this album provides dumb fun
and excitement. Originals are on notoriously thin
vinyl, similar to RCA's Dynaflex. [AM]

KAREN H OZNICK ( )
"Karen H Oznick" 197 (no label) [plain cover]
Demo LP of female folk/s-sw with mostly originals and

covers of Judy Collins, Leonard Cohen.

PACERS (AR)
"Go Wild" 1965 (Razorback)
Local obscurity tied in with the University of

Arkansas' football team, The Razorbacks. The LP has
been described as more country/rockabilly than
beat/garage, and features topical songs such as
"Quarterbackin' man" and the regional hit "Short
squashed Texan". The Pacers were 1950s legend Sonny
Burgess' backing band. There were also some 45s
released during the post-Burgess era. Several
pressings exist of this album.
PAISLEYS (Minneapolis, MN)
"Cosmic Mind At Play" 1970 (Audio City-Peace 944S-2809)

"Cosmic Mind At Play" 1984 (Psycho 7, UK)
"Cosmic Mind At Play" 199 (CD Afterglow, UK)
"Cosmic Mind At Play" 2004 (CD Sundazed) [+bonus tracks]
Late (1970) stab at 60s-style popsike with side two

being an extended suite. There are a couple of songs
on side one that use sound effects nicely, and there
are a bunch of good melodies within the suite.
There's a breezy, almost innocent feel that is
appealing. Overall, though, it feels like they were
trying too hard, and they didn't give up on a single
idea, good or bad. The CD bonus tracks are of 80s
vintage and are very weak. [AM]
JOHN PALMER (Canada)
"Shorelines" 1971 (Celebration 1868) [gatefold]
Downer psych a la Skip Spence, with an echo-laden

production, use of keyboard, some fuzz, and tormented
lyrics.
LUCIA PAMELA (Fresno, CA)

"Into Outer Space With" 1969 (Gulfstream)
"Into Outer Space With" 198 (L'Peg)
"Into Outer Space With" 1992 (CD Arf Arf 0037)
Legendary incredibly strange album of kooky woman

with an elaborate delusional fantasy about people on
the moon and how she visits them with her Cadillac. A
must within the genre, although it's not "rock" music
by a long shot. The L'Peg pressing is a reissue from
Pamela herself. Gulfstream was a Florida label, but
Lucia was based in California. She passed away in
2002, 98 years old.
PANDORA (NY)
"Pandora" 1975 (Evatone) [10" flexi; no cover]

"Pandora" 200 (CD Captain Trips, Japan)
Live glammy hardrock produced by Granicus' drummer, a

promotional green flexi for a prospective LP. The
Japanese CD reportedly contains longer versions of
the tracks, which had been edited for the promo
flexi.
PAPA BEAR'S MEDICINE SHOW (Canada)
"Papa Bear's Medicine Show" 1971 (One Shot 1001) [100#d;

handmade cover]
"Papa Bear's Medicine Show" 1998 (Little Indians 5, Germany)
[+1 track; 4 inserts; 400p]
Reissued along with Butterfingers and sort of similar

but decidedly better to my ears; laidback later-day
loungey Doors moods with decent songwriting and a
consistent sound. Has that typical early 1970s moody
organ-led Canuck vibe. Side 2 is live with an
extended nightclub jazzrock cover of "Soul Kitchen".
Video material exists of the band doing 100% jug band
material, unfortunately. [PL]
PAPER GARDEN (NY)
"Presents" 1969 (Musicor 3175)

"Presents" 1986 (Antar 3, UK) [altered sleeve]
"Presents" 2004 (CD Gear Fab 194)
This is one of the better Beatles-inspired US

pop/psych albums. It’s a short album (ten brief
songs), but still has a bunch of variety and melodic
ideas to spare. Lots of sitar, some great fuzz
guitar, even gypsy violins and calypso beats. A few
good-timey songs at the end of side one may annoy
some, but they’re good for what they are, and the
rest is even better. Great cover, too. Also released
by Columbia in Canada. [AM]
PARISH HALL (CA)
"Parish Hall" 1970 (Fantasy 8398) [wlp exists]

"Parish Hall" 1999 (Akarma 037, Italy)
"Parish Hall" 1999 (CD Akarma 037, Italy)
Fantastic power trio hard rock that just about

everyone likes. This is no-nonsense stuff, brief
songs, killer riffs, strong but unpretentious
singing, sparse arrangements. There’s a mild bit of
bluesiness to it, but the songs are fast and the
album isn’t full of long guitar solos. There’s a
terrific ballad too. A really good one. Original
French, British and Australian pressings exist. [AM]
PATRON SAINTS (NY)
"Fohhoh Bohob" 1969 (no label JT-1001) [100p; booklet]

"Fohhoh Bohob" 1994 (no label, Austria) [bootleg; 300p;
altered cover; booklet]
"Fohhoh Bohob" 1997 (American Sound 106202/3) [booklet; bonus
45; 500#d]
"Fohhoh Bohob" 1997 (CD Patron Saint PSCD-101) [+bonus tracks]
A truly unique trip and hard to describe, but it's

atmospheric "real people" folk-singer/songwriter with
an array of influences ranging from ragtime to 40s
schlager sentimentality to hippie confusion, like
tuning into a radio station from another world. Well-
written, amazing and deep, you need to hear it.
Member Eric Bergman has confirmed the original
pressing as 100 copies. Note hidden message along the
borders of the back sleeve. There are also two
releases of unreleased material, "Proto-Fohob" and
"The Latimer Sessions". [PL]
~~~
This album was way ahead of its time, kind of like
Virgin Insanity. Nothing else sounded like it then,
but now there have been a bunch of 90s indie bands
that cover the same DIY-type territory. The sloppy,
somewhat inept performances will either appeal to you
or they won't. The mix of old-fashioned musical
styles is definitely interesting, though. This has
the hallmark of a songwriter who had a million ideas
but nowhere near enough musical talent to project
them correctly, and the result is actually more
original and fascinating than what they had
hoped...or just boring, depending on your
perspective. Not for everyone. [AM]
~~~
see -> Eric Bergman
PAT'S PEOPLE (MI)

"Silver Rains Afar" 197 (no label)
UK style folk Recorded at Adell Studios in Novi, MI.
BOB PATTERSON (PA)
"Instrumentalist" 1971 (RDP)
Obscure album from guy who presents himself as

"singer/songwriter" on the James Taylor-inspired
front cover, so no need to worry about the
categorization. Tracks include "Trippin' to Boston",
"I am abandoned".
BOB PATTERSON ( )
"Land Of The 12 String Song Man" 1977 (Conch Island)
Countryrock from the South with pedal steel, flute,

banjo. Possibly the same guy as above.
PATTERSON & PULTS (TX)
"Grand Tetons" 1977 (PPP 1178)
Introspective acoustic folk duo. Nice dark playing

and stark, heartfelt songs about loneliness and the
wonders of nature. There is also a second LP from
1984, "Second Time Around" with 1979-80 recordings.
[RM]
JOE PEACE (Cincinnati, OH)
"Finding Peace Of Mind" 1972 (Rite 29917) [2000p; gatefold]

"Finding Peace Of Mind" 2001 (CD World In Sound 1005, Germany)
Light good-natured hippie folkrock LP comparable in

sound to Brazda Brothers though less consistent.
Obvious Neil Young influence typical for the bag,
while crude guitar leads add some needed tension.
Opens strongly but the last third of the LP is weak
with strained vocals and a flower-embellished VW bus
mood that becomes one-note. Warm and friendly in a
1960s vibe, but apart from 2-3 excellent tracks
mostly for completists. [PL]
PEACE BREAD & LAND BAND (WA)
"Liberation Music" 1970 (Red Yogis no #) [10"; 1000p; cover is

a 10x13" envelope; insert]
Communal left-wing hippie folkrock with female vocals

and a strong political orientation, including a poem
by Ho Chi Minh set to music and women's rights
concerns. A mono recording.
"Bright New Dawn" 1978 (Olequa 7801) [1000p]
Second and inferior LP of Northwest communal,

political folkrock, led by ex-Spikedrivers member Sid
Brown. There is also a 7" EP from 1973, "Mill Town
Blues".
~~~
see -> Modality Stew
PEACE PIPE (CA)
"Featuring The Human Equation" 1995 (Rockadelic 18) [600p]

"Featuring The Human Equation" 2002 (CD Normal, Germany)
[+bonus tracks]
This unreleased late 1960s heavy guitarpsych classic

is probably (along with Cold Sun) the Rockadelic LP
with widest appeal among mainstream psych fans.
Despite being just 3 guys with no bass player, a
dense wall of hard psychedelia is erected with
moments as intense as Fraction. The opening "Sea of
nightmares" is one of the best heavy psych tracks
ever laid down, while cool remnants of teen garage
and lounge/schmaltz add to the LP's underground
appeal. Powerful, non-macho vocals and Jon Uzonyi's
triple-tracked feedback guitars makes this blow away
20th Century Zoo, Savage Resurrection, Dragonfly,
etc. Stunning in parts, solid as a whole. The band
had a rare 45 back then; this is not included (as
often with Rockadelics) on the LP, but added as bonus
tracks on the excellent German CD version, which also
benefits from the hi-fi nature of the original tapes.
[PL]
STEPHEN PEGUES (TX)
"Mellow Understanding" 197 (Harvest 06781)
A nice cover photo of a dove with a cool blue

background and shiny silver writing gives hope of a
lovely folk/psych record within. Pegues isn't a wimpy
folkie, though. Not only does he look like someone
you wouldn't want to pick a fight with, he has a deep
powerful voice that overwhelms the acoustic backing.
The playing on his album is often crude, but the
music is quite confident. The first few songs have a
stark outlaw loner folk to them, though they also
sport some noodly electric lead guitar. Side one also
sports a song with a southern hippie feel (flute,
female backing vocals, and a lyric line sung in
Spanish) and two quiet ballads, one piano-and-voice,
one guitar-and-voice. Side two starts with the
album's best song, "Take The Devil," which has some
great 12-string acoustic guitar and some dramatic
mellotron-like string synth. Unfortunately the rest
of side two isn't even by Pegues. It's a short guitar
instrumental and two guitar-and-voice ballads by his
friend Kevin Kine, and they're uninteresting and not
especially well sung. Too bad that Pegues didn't do a
full album on his own. As it is fans of the style
should enjoy about half of this record. [AM]
JEFF PEKAREK (San Diego, CA)
"To Each Their Own" 1982 (no label)
Cosmic folkrock from classically trained bass player.

Pekarek has continued to record extensively after
this debut album.
PENDULUM & CO (Boston, MA)
"Pendulum & Co" 1971 (Perception 25)
Here's another rare album on Jimmy Curtiss' obscure

Perception label. It's an odd bird of a pop/soft
psych album, sounding like several different bands
(and, according to the band members, three songs were
indeed by a later and very different incarnation of
the band.) It's got a bit of orchestration, some
horns, a country tune, and on a few songs, soul-
styled singing. Some of this is too smooth for its
own good, and the album is way too long. It does,
however, contain a few strong, classy, downer melodic
psych songs. The opener, the closer, and "Chrome
Street Blues" are definite winners, and some good
songs are scattered about elsewhere. Sounds like the
recording budget was significant, which further makes
the small press a mystery. Most of the sealed copies
that have surfaced are somewhat damaged, with pops
and tics on several songs. The album recording
spanned a period of two years, beginning in 1969, and
saw lots of personnel changes within the band during
that time. [AM]
PENETRATIONS ( )
"The Fantastic Penetrations / Octet" 1965 (no label)
Mid-60s surf/teenbeat LP split with the Octet;

possibly the same Octet choir who screwed up the
Rasputin & Monks LP, which would place this LP at St
Mark's School in NH. This is unconfirmed.
PAUL PENFIELD ( )
"Inward Eye" 1975 (no label)
Acoustic folk/blues LP with about half instrumentals

and some post-Vietnam concerns. Recorded in New York.
PENNY BLUE (Canada)
"Upon Cripple Creek" 1969 (Paragon 240)
Late 60s organ/guitar rural rock with about half

originals. Two Creedence covers, "Suspicious minds"
and the Band title track. Seldom seen title on this
wellknown label, housed in a beautiful pasture and
creek cover.
RICK PENTA (OH)
"Hit The Road" 1977 (Jewel 737)
Melancholic basement rock with a druggy downer

atmosphere shifting from acoustic to electric with
guitar leads weaving in. Titles include "Suzi
Mesciline", "Who Is The Wise Man?". Nice color
artwork. There was also non-LP 45 with PS.
PENTWATER (Chicago, IL)
"Pentwater" 1978 (Beef no #) [insert]

"Pentwater" 2003 (CD Beef) [remix; +4 tracks]
"Out Of The Abyss" 1990 (CD Syn-Phonic)
This album starts with the completely insane

"Frustration Mass," where the singer goes totally off
the deep end. It gives hope that this will be the
kind of highly creative weirdness that gives prog a
good name, but the rest of the album is a bit more
typical of the genre, with complex song structures,
lots of time signatures, and some spacy
instrumentals. There are plenty of good and highly
creative moments here, from the mesmerizing guitar
riffs on "Memo" to the innovative dual vocal lines of
"Orphan Girl," and there are a number of highly
melodic songs as well. Initially, it's a
disappointment that the rest of the album doesn't
live up to the weirdo potential of the opener, but
multiple listens reveal all sorts of pleasures here.
It's a bit long at 50 minutes, but this is a good
one, and not something that you need to be a prog fan
to enjoy. The "Abyss" CD contains unreleased 1970s
material that some consider superior to the 1978 LP.
[AM]
PEOPLE "Rock Sounds" see Rasberry Jam
PEOPLE'S VICTORY ORCHESTRA & CHORUS (NY)
"The School" 1972 (People's Music Works) [insert]
"Weltschmerzen" 1973 (People's Music Works 270)
Communal eclectic bag of tricks of mostly hippie

boogie and blues-rock from Long Island, also some
eccentric folk, with one side femmes & one side males
on "The School". Some promo copies of this came with
a flexi 45 and 6 promo sheets.
V.A "PEORIA FOLK ANTHOLOGY" (Peoria, IL)
"Peoria Folk Anthology" 1970 (Webster's Last Word 3825)

Local hippie folk sampler on Chuck Perrin's label;
Perrin and his sister Mary also contribute two good
tracks. Other acts include Dan Young, Jennie Pearl,
Lou Jendras, Bruce Brown.
VICTOR PERAINO'S KINGDOM COME (Los Angeles, CA)
"No Man's Land" 1975 (no label)

"No Man's Land" 199 (no label) [bootleg]
"No Man's Land" 199 (CD Digital, Japan) [+4 tracks]
"No Man's Land" 2000 (CD St Thomas 112) [+4 tracks]
Heavy synth and mellotron-laden progressive rock.

Guitar, flute, efx. The band arose out of the ashes
of Arthur Brown's backup combo, with US native
Peraino retaining the band name. Reportedly only 100
copies were pressed of the original, which has sold
for four figures on occasion. The CD reissues add
bonus tracks from a 1981 EP.
LOS PERDIDOS see Los Perdidos
LINDA PERHACS (HI)
"Parallelograms" 1970 (Kapp ks-3636) [black label]

"Parallelograms" 1970 (Kapp) [multicolor label]
"Parallelograms" 199 (CD Wild Places)
"Parallelograms" 2001 (Beatball, Korea) [600p; insert; poster;
+2 tracks]
"Parallelograms" 2001 (CD Merry Go Round, Korea) [+2 tracks]
"Parallelograms" 2003 (CD Wild Places 005) [remaster; +6
tracks]
"Parallelograms" 2006 (Guerssen, Spain)
"Parallelograms" is the unquestioned queen of the

hill of female psychedelic albums. Fans of the genre
are as unanimous in their praise of this album as
mainstream critics are for Joni Mitchell's "Blue,"
almost to the point where it's unthinkable that
anything else can be better. There are many reasons
for this. To begin with, no other female folk/folk-
rock album is so genuinely psychedelic without also
being unmusical (i.e. freakouts like Erica Pomerance,
Amanda Trees). More importantly, though, this is a
just plain solid piece of singer-songwriter music,
mixing lovely and versatile vocals with evocative
lyrics, creative and melodic songwriting, and an
accessibility that makes it the kind of album that
can draw mainstream fans into the world of odd
collectables. Linda's arrangement ideas are ace, too.
The black Kapp label variation is somewhat rarer and
may be a superior pressing. The most recent Wild
Places CD is the best version of the album, with
sound that is superior to the lousy Kapp presses, and
some bonus material that shows she might have made
the leap to a more commercial sound without
sacrificing the originality and quality of her work.
An essential album. [AM]
~~~
CHUCK & MARY PERRIN (IL/IN)
"Brother & Sister" 1969 (Webster's Last Word 2101) [500p;

gatefold]
"The Next Of Kin" 1969 (Webster's Last Word 2319) [500p]

"Brother & Sister / The Next Of Kin" 2003 (CD Rev-Ola, UK) [2-
on-1]
"Life Is A Stream" 1971 (Sunlight)

“Life Is A Stream” 2004 (CD Rev-Ola, UK)
Mellow 60s-style folk/folk-pop LPs from ex-Notre

Dame/ex-Shaggs member and his sister. The debut is
highly rated within the genre and has mostly
originals plus a couple of covers. The second LP
continues in the same style; these albums differ from
the typical hippie folk sounds as they lean more
towards vocal soft-pop. Perrin formed the Webster's
Last Word record label which had a couple more
releases, including First Friday and the "Peoria Folk
Anthology" on which he and Mary appear. The LPs were
recorded at Golden Voice in Illinois. [PL]
~~~
The first two Chuck and Mary Perrin albums are very
similar, pure acoustic guitar and voice duets with
crystal clear vocals and sharp phrasing. The vocals
are lovely, evoking the greatest joys and wonders of
childhood. Some rate these albums at the very top of
the solo acoustic genre, though I think they lack
variety and the kind of challenging songwriting that
would make them more than just vehicles for nice
voices. "Next Of Kin" is slightly more complicated
than the debut, though both are pretty much of equal
quality. "Life Is A Stream" is a much more elaborate
production, with a full soft rock band, and includes
fleshed out remakes of a few songs from "Next Of
Kin." The arrangements work well and give the album
depth without sacrificing the innocent feel. About
half of the songs are very good, and despite a few
spots that are a bit bland or overly precious this
could have been a big hit if the cards had fallen
correctly. [AM]
~~~
see -> Shaggs; Peoria Folk Anthology
PEP PERRINE (Detroit, MI)
"Live And In Person" 1969 (Hideout 1003)
Comic psych rock LP from drummer for Bob Seger's Last

Heard on noted local Motor City label.
PERSEPHONE BILLY see Billy
PERSPECTIVE (RI)
"Syllabub" 1970 (Gerry WCL-101) [insert]
"2" 1971 (no label)
College project LPs from longrunning RIU music

workshop that would produce a whole bunch of private
press albums over the years, such as Follies Bazaar.
"Syllabub" is basement folk and rock with westcoast
and prog moves, some jazz leanings, and so on in a
typical mix. Some tracks have female vocals.
Supposedly only 200 copies pressed. The second LP is
even more obscure but reportedly similar in style.
~~~
see -> Follies Bazaar
PERTH COUNTY CONSPIRACY (Stratford, Canada)
"Does Not Exist" 1970 (Columbia ELS 375) [gatefold; booklet]
Terrific progressive folkpsych LP with a lot of

brains and $$$ put into it, still underrated but
really one of the best of its kind. Pretentious and
theatrical but successful simply on strength of the
talent and production value that went into it. A
personal fave with several strong tracks and a peak
in the deep acid introspection of "Crucifixation
Cartoon". Richard Keelan had previously been in US
1960s folkrock band the Spikedrivers. [PL]
~~~
"Alive" 1972 (Columbia 90037) [2LPs]
The live double is recommended to PCC fans, though

not as good as the debut. Includes a Dylan cover,
rest is originals in their typical hippie folk style.
Like the first LP there are interludes of spoken word
in a theatrical manner, which is less effective here.
"Cabin Fever" 1973 (Rumour no #) [inserts]
After leaving CBS there was a line-up shift with new

arrival Bob Burchill becoming a key member, prior to
his solo career. The discography becomes somewhat
confused, but we've done our to best to get it sorted
out. The two Rumour LPs are private releases and
considerably rarer. "Cabin Fever" was released
credited to "Bob Burchill of Perth County
Conspiracy", and has one side of live recordings from
Calgary. The sound isn't hippie psych, but rustic,
realistic folk.
PerthCoRumo
(43412
bytes)
"Perth County Conspiracy" 1973 (Rumour 2) [inserts]
Rumour #2 is also known as "Mushroom Music" and "What

School Bus Tour", and is a live recording from
various Canadian cities. Both copies with printed
sleeves (showing a drawing of a school bus) or with
only an inner sleeve with the same image have been
found. Despite their joy of going independent, the
music from their more commercially oriented CBS phase
may be considered superior, or at least more
creative. Around this time there was also a non-LP 45
with picture sleeve on the Rumour label under the PCC
name, which looks like a Richard Keelan solo release.
The band was known as "Perth County Conspiracy Does
Not Exist" for these later releases. Other PCCDNE
releases include "Breakout To Berlin" (Rumour 5,
1975), recorded in East Berlin for the Fifth
International Festival of Political Song, and "Ten
Lost Years" (Rumour, 1977), credited to Cedric Smith
and Terry Jones. Bob Burchill would go on to release
more LPs as well.
JOHN PETERSON ( )
"Where Does It Go From Here" 1976 (TJ Phoenix 11776) [1000p]

"Where Does It Go From Here" 1998 (no label, UK) [altered
sleeve; flyer; 300p]
Tim Buckley-inspired mid-1970s busker/hippie folk. A

couple of good psychy tracks and the rest
singer/songwriter mediocrity. About average for this
endlessly over-hyped genre. I'd settle for taping the
best tracks, which include the melancholic "Summer
magic is gone". The songs were written 1970-75 when
Peterson was living in Europe. The reissue has an
altered sleeve designed to resemble the Perry Leopold
reissue cover. Nice try. [PL]
CAROLINE PEYTON (IN)
"Mock Up" 1971 (BRBQ 1)
The first Peyton album is a drumless mix of Joni

Mitchell-inspired singer songwriter tunes and free
form freakouts. It's odd, to be sure, and the one
song where she starts out singing opera is especially
jarring. It's mostly awful, though, and the dead-on
aping of Mitchell's singing quirks on a few songs is
even more annoying than Mitchell herself at her most
unstable. The lack of a full band hurts a lot too;
the songs sound like demos. The unimaginative piano
playing on many of the songs doesn't help. Psych, or
oddball folk, fans will appreciate this album for
"Lor el iii," which is seven minutes of jazzy guitar
weirdness and off-kilter singing from Screaming Gypsy
Bandits bandmate Mark Bingham (who wrote all of the
songs on the album.) Yoko Ono and otherwise noise-
rock fans will appreciate it for the two minute
closer "Bill Monroe," on which Peyton imitates a
saxophone and makes animal noises. But don't be
fooled; those songs suck too. Even hearing Peyton
sing about creaming in her jeans doesn't save this
mess. She is a very talented singer, when presented
with the right material and when encouraged to sing
from her heart rather than to desperately ape others
in hope of commercial success. There's little
evidence here that her talent can be roped in,
though. This album is unlistenable, almost to the
point of being fascinating. [AM]
~~~
see -> Screaming Gypsy Bandits
"Intuition" 1977 (BRBQ 8)

"Intuition" 2003 (CD Japan)
Peyton's second album is a vast improvement, with a

full band, a remake of an excellent Screaming Gypsy
Bandits song, some dreamy folk-pop and cover photos
that show her to be the cutest hippie in history. A
few songs veer towards funk and disco, in a
reasonably convincing way. It's clear that her heart
is in some sort of sell-out attempt (she'd succeed
many years later, becoming a voice in many Disney
films, and releasing a Celtic Christmas album), but
still this is a decent record with likeable moments
for both folk and funk fans. [AM]
P F FLYER ( )
"Play Gianchetta Jazz" 1970 (AVG 101)
Instrumental psych jams with remarkable background

story, intended as a dancing instruction soundtrack
but the students turned in this drugged out
fuzz/organ trip instead, to everyone else's dismay.
PHAFNER (Marshalltown, IA)
"Overdrive" 1972 (Dragon no #)

"Overdrive" 1989 (Animus Oculus 101) [300#d; inserts; altered
cover]
"Overdrive" 1999 (Akarma 009, Italy) [altered cover]
"Overdrive" 1999 (CD Akarma 009, Italy)
Enjoyably crude hard rock unburdened by any notion of

good taste. The dual lead guitars are gloriously
sloppy. One wasted-sounding blues song is kind of
dull, the songwriting isn't exactly subtle (i e:
melodies mimic hooks and chord progressions, a la
Black Sabbath), and the drummer can barely keep time,
but this is tons of fun. Apparently all available
reissues have excised a couple of songs that "don't
fit in" with the rest; the Rockadelic inserts two
unreleased tracks instead. This explains why the
album runs only 26 minutes. [AM]
~~~
Whiskeyed and smacked-out bluesy garage snarl. Heavy
fuzz, pounding drums, basement warbling. Loaded with
that Index and Mystic Siva cavern sound. Deep and
damaged cruel world gimme-a-fix originals from the
pit. The previously unreleased "Black Cat Claw" is
unearthly... dissolving into raging white noise. Even
beats Raven (OH) for checking out to. The first
reissue is on an early Rockadelic subsidiary.
Supposedly only 50 copies were pressed of the
original. They also had a 45. [RM]
PHANTASIA (Kansas City, MO)
"Phantasia" 1971 (Damon 12918) [no sleeve]

"A Psychedelic" 1994 (T.U.T 641, Austria) [partial reissue;
300#d; gatefold]
"A Psychedelic" 1997 (CD TUT/Syn-Ton, Austria)
"Phantasia" 2003 (World In Sound rfr-18, Germany) [+1-sided
10" disc; gatefold; poster insert]
"Phantasia" 2003 (CD World In Sound 1015, Germany)
Demo press LP that very few had heard of before the

first reissue appeared. Powerful UK-influenced
psych/prog-rock with strong, heartfelt vocals, some
long fuzz excursions and recurring folk influences.
The band obviously put a lot of work into this
totally pro-sounding affair, and it's strange that no
label picked them up. The Austrian reissue is a bit
screwed up as it features only about half the
original LP, adding several inferior tracks from the
Trizo 50 LP, which was a later incarnation of this
band. This is unfortunate as the original demo LP
plays through like a fully realized and very
impressive album, which is lost in that rag tag
reissue. The more recent WIS releases correct this.
[PL]
~~~
Here's a comment from member Bob Walkenhorst from a
web forum: "My first highschool band was Phantasia,
1970-71. We played high school dances and a bi-weekly
gig at the VFW Hall in Carrollton MO. We played
covers, but also started right in doing originals
that were heavily influenced by early King Crimson
and Moody Blues. Considering how ignorant we were, we
did some pretty good stuff. We recorded several
tracks at Damon Studios in KC in 1971."
"Walkenhorst & De Pugh" 1972 (Damon 12969) [1-sided; no

sleeve]
"I Talk To The Moon" 1996 (T.U.T 1096, Austria) [+bonus
tracks; 300p; gatefold]
"Phantasia" 2003 (World In Sound rfr-18, Germany) [+1-sided
10" disc; gatefold; poster insert]
"Phantasia" 2003 (CD World In Sound 1015, Germany)
This 1-sided demo album has re-recordings of some

tracks from the earlier LP, adds a couple new ones,
and generally expands the folk/singer-songwriter
moves from the first one on expense of the fuzz-rock,
which is unfortunate. Still a pretty impressive
effort. The Austrian vinyl reissue of this one is
less confused than the first one, including this LP
in its entirety and adds most of the first demo LP as
well. Two tracks are repeated from the earlier
reissue. You need both T.U.T vinyl reissues to
recreate the original demo LPs, but it seems the
recent World In Sound CD contains all the Phantasia
material on one disc, making the earlier recycling
redundant. [PL]
~~~
see -> Trizo-50; Walkenhorst Brothers
PHANTOM (Rochester, MI)
"Phantom's Divine Comedy" 1974 (Capitol 11313) [red label]

"Phantom's Divine Comedy" 1989 (Capitol, Italy) [bootleg]
"Phantom's Divine Comedy" 199 (CD One Way)
"Phantom's Divine Comedy" 2003 (Radioactive 002, UK)
"Phantom's Divine Comedy" 2003 (CD Radioactive 002, UK)
Bordering on novelty sounds with overblown Lizard

King vocals and a goofy fairytale concept, but is
somehow well-done enough to be enjoyable. Lots of
fuzz and dramatic mood changes plus almost inaudible
spoken parts between the songs that few people have
discovered (the vinyl re possibly omits these). Their
manager claimed it to feature Jim Morrison on vocals
which ensured a rapid journey down the cutout trail.
In addition to this LP there is a "Lost Album" with
recordings that may predate the Capitol album. The
tapes have been bootlegged in Italy on vinyl (Ghost,
1989) and CD (Flash, 1997) and display an
unexceptional Brit-inspired prog/folk sound. [PL]
~~~
Without the Jim Morrison rumors, it's likely nobody
would have ever taken notice of this overly dramatic
semi-hard rock album at all, though it is pretty
outrageous. If you look at it with an open mind, it's
got its appealing moments, especially when the lyrics
are absurd (Spiders Will Dance On Your Face While You
Sleep" is one song title) or when it veers into heavy
metal territory. Not exactly good, but fun if you're
in the right mood. [AM]
~~~
see -> Happy Dragon Band
PHANTOM RAIDERS (Concord, NC)
"New Sound '67" 1967 (Justice 146)

"New Sound '67" 1996 (CD Collectables)
13 year old kids deliver a crude set of hit covers of

the day, although one must wonder in what parallel
universe "Walk don't run" represents the "New sound
'67". Cool LP above the label average that should
appeal to any fan of true garage sounds, meaning
healthy doses of incompetence, enthusiasm and local
charm. They weren't immune to the backwoods time lag
of the area which makes for 3-4 instros that cut into
the excitement but basement versions of "Stepping
stone", "Day Tripper" and Mitch Ryder more than make
up for this. An amazing highpoint is reached with
"Gloria" who's serenaded as being "4-foot-4" rather
than the standard "5-foot-4", because these small
kids reduced her height to their Junior High
standards - genius! The recording is unusually good
for the label, and if you think the lead guitarist is
hot for a low-teenager, you should realize that he's
only 11 years old. As reported in Kicks #5, the band
sold the LP door-to-door after winning a talent
contest with a Justice "contract" being the first
prize. One band original, an instro. [PL]
P H FACTOR (Portland, OR)
"Merryjuana" 1980 (Piccadilly 3343)
Obscure retrospective release on Jerry Dennon's

mysterious label of a semi-legendary Portland/S F
band's late 60s recordings, most of it previously
unreleased. Historically relevant and musically
fairly agreeable mix of jugband sounds and eclectic
Bay Area moves recalling the US Kaleidoscope, should
appeal to fans of that band; also hints of the New
Tweedy Bros and Sons Of Champlin. Closing acid-rock
raga/sax instro excursion is particularly good. Worth
checking out, hopefully a more up-to-date release
will appear some day. The band later went for a pure
jugband sound, unfortunately. [PL]
PHILOSOPHERS (Los Angeles, CA)
"After Sundown" 1970 (Philo Spectrum 1001)

"Getting Down" 199 (no label, France) [300p; altered cover;
bonus tracks]
Cool party LP with Hammond, fuzz and a swank r'n'b

club groove due to a mixed lineup of brothers and
honkies. Not psych or hardrock in any sense, more
like what you'd hear if you strolled into a seedy L A
discoteque in the late 60s. Enjoyable, but perhaps a
bit misplaced in our Archive context. Although the
band chose their own label name and design, it is a
Century label custom pressing, and has the same
generic sleeve as the White Light LP. There was a
pre-LP 45 on Century/Philo Spectrum. [PL]
PHOENIX SONSHINE (CA)
"Shinin' In The Light" 1971 (Destiny)
Christian vocal harmony folkrock with male/female

vocals and CSN hippie sounds. "Broken Wing" is a
standout track with terrific harmonies and a secular
westcoast feel not unlike Oasis on Cranbus.
PI CORPORATION (cleveland, OH)
"Lost In The Cosmic Void" 2001 (Rockadelic 41) [500p]
Unreleased 1973-76 experimental/avantgarde synth

dopehead recordings, enjoyable even if you're new to
the style. Two structured "songs" on side 1 are
really good, plus they retain a basement vibe
throughout with a real live drummer and acid lead
guitarist. Side 2 is mostly electronic noise, though
not without a lot of thought put into it and various
moods creeping in and out. The freakiest aspects of
Stone Harbour might be one point of reference, though
these guys had a somewhat bigger budget. Worth
checking out, with grower qualities. The vocalist was
formerly with Granicus. [PL]
RAY PIERLE (Indianapolis, IN)
"Time And Money" 1980 (no label) [300p]
"Rhythm Of The Highway" 1981 (no label 1634) [300p;

insert/paste-on]
Among the three records (including McKay) with Ray

Pierle involvement, "Time & Money" is the heaviest
guitar LP. Both "Time & Money" and "Rhythm of the
Highway" are one-man-band albums with Ray Pierle
playing everything. One reason the McKay LP is rated,
in general, the far better of these three is that it
has the more organic feel of a record made by a real
band, and one that had been playing together for a
while. Pierle's solo LPs are more overtly
singer/songwriter LPs and, musically, both records
sound more like the early 1980s records they are,
than McKay which is from 1977 but sounds as early as
1972. Both above albums are rock records
(descriptions like "psychedelic folk" are way off
base) dominated by electric guitars, bass and drums.
Both employ occasional flanging effects on the
vocals, but the early-70s post-psychedelic charm of
the McKay LP is, for the most part, missing. Among
rare record collectors you cannot underestimate the
appeal of an interesting record cover and "Rhythm of
the Highway" has the sort of cover that just screams
Private Press from across the room; the kind of cover
that holds out enormous promise when stumbled upon in
a thrift shop record bin. A blank white jacket, the
LP originally came sealed with an 8 x 8 inch cover
art sheet (white with a fairly psychedelic blue
drawing) loose inside the shrink. The sheet was
printed on "crack and peel" paper so the buyer could
remove the backing and glue it to the sleeve. "Time &
Money" has a printed cover with a color painting
(also by Ray Pierle) of an hour glass. In addition to
these 3 records by Ray, his late-brother Donnie
Pierle was on a marginally interesting self-titled LP
from Michigan by the band Bike. [SD]
MIKE PINERA BAND (FL)
"1 For All" 1978 (Illusion)
Hard guitar rock from ex-Iron Butterfly and Blues

Image member on (his own) mysterious Florida tax-loss
label with dozens of releases around this time.
Pinera would record and release more albums.
PIPER ( )
"Next Superstar" 1969 (Century) [insert]
Obscure title on notorious custom label, light

pop/folkrock with artrock keyboard and harpsichord
moves judging by the descriptions seen.
PIRANHAS (San Marino, CA)
"Somethin' Fishy" 1965 (Custom Fidelity 1452)
"Somethin' Fishy" was a little bit different than

your standard surf band offering. First off, few of
their contemporaries included a three piece horn
section. Although the debut offered up a fairly
standard mixture of popular covers and isolated
originals, musically these guys were difficult to
peg; falling somewhere in the cracks between surf
outfit and garage genres. Horn-propelled
instrumentals such as 'Peter Gunn Theme' and 'James
Bond Theme' were enthusiastic, if not particularly
innovative. Far more impressive were the band's vocal
performances. Snotty and suitably raw, material such
as 'Hitchhike', 'My Babe' (be sure to check out the
hysterical spoken word segment) and a great cover of
'Louie, Louie' were all worth hearing. Sure, it
wasn't going to have a major impact on your
lifestyle, but it's somehow uplifting to hear these
guys struggle through the ten tracks - any group of
11 year olds could probably handle 'Bubbles' with the
same degree of professionalism. [SB]
FRANK PISANI ( )
"Sky" 1977 (Dellwood)
Another fun tax scam label item. Pisani's music is

hard rock with both prog and AOR tendencies, equal
parts keyboards and guitar. Some of the arrangements
are quite creative and the songs are pretty strong.
The manly but high vocals would have been very radio
friendly in the late 70s-the sound is not too far
from Foreigner, Montrose (with Sammy Hagar) or Bad
Company. Pisani, though, is less refined and more
unpredictable than those artists. Along with the
heavy songs, the album includes a funky instrumental
with great keyboard playing, a surprisingly good
guitar-free ballad, and a song timed at "7:60."
Pretty good stuff. [AM]
P J ORION & THE MAGNATES (Groton, MA)

"P J Orion & The Magnates" 1967 (Magnate 122459)
"P J Orion & The Magnates" 1984 (Eva 12023, France)
"P J Orion & The Magnates" 1984 (Resurrection) [b & w cover]
Local prep-garage LP with a folkrock sound a la

Ha'Pennys but slightly more pro-sounding, adds some
early 60s and UK R'n'B covers for good measure.
Consistent in its $15 jangly Searchers/early Byrds
sound, even on Stones and Animals numbers, with a
folkrocked "Love Minus Zero" perhaps the most
original thing on board. Nice live feel with
appealingly loose drummer and amateur vocals. No
selfpenned material and kind of short with only nine
tracks, even as most of them cross the 3-minute mark.
Recorded in New York. The band members belonged to
wealthy Greek shipping families (hence "Magnates")
and were students at the Groton prep school, which
makes their tough greaseball stance on the supercool
cover seem a wishful Spring break fantasy. [PL]
PLAGUE (MI)
"Plague" 1972 (no label 26907) [no sleeve]
Basement-sounding folkrock cover LP with organ/guitar

and horns, a few originals.
PLANET OF THE APES (CT)
"A Musical Trip" 1974 (TPI)
Oddball concept LP from artist inspired by the

classic movie, with crude prog and goofy spoken bits.
Not without appeal due to its weirdness. Strange
cover of monkey heads floating in space. The work of
one Terry Phillips.
PLASTIC CLOUD (Bay Ridge, Canada)
"Plastic Cloud" 1968 (Allied 10) [insert]

"Plastic Cloud" 1987 (BSF/Toadstool 2104, Italy) [bootleg; no
insert]
"Plastic Cloud" 1990 (CD Lazer's Edge 1002)
"Plastic Cloud" 1999 (Void) [insert]
"Plastic Cloud" 2005 (CD Akarma 316, Italy)
"Plastic Cloud" 2005 (CD Pacemaker/Lion 046, Canada)
"Plastic Cloud" 2005 (Lion) [700p; gatefold]
The Canadian scene produced several terrific LPs and

here's one of the ultimates, with an appeal to both
garage fuzz-heads and album psych collectors. The mix
of dreamy WCPAEB-style vocals with ripping fuzz and
sub-Dylanesque lyrics works better than one might
imagine possible, and the LP gains appeal from its
youthful basement edge. One of the big, mandatory
pieces of the field, and a desirable item for
decades, which has helped make it rare despite a
sizable pressing run. Great sleeve too. Unfortunately
this classic LP has been poorly served by the
recyclers (much like the Bachs). Of the older
reissues, the BSF is generally considered to have the
best sound. The Lazer's Edge CD is noisy, while the
Void reissue lacks punch. The recent Pacemaker/Lion
job has been reported to sound good. A close
counterfeit appears to exist; originals show "Record
#10-A" in the dead wax on side 1, crossed out with 4
lines. Next to this it is etched "Rec.No.10-S-1".
Some originals came with additional promo inserts.
[PL]
~~~
Amazing album that combines wonderful melodic soft
pop with utterly relentless fuzz guitar. The guitar
truly doesn’t stop, blazing on behind and around the
singing, and somehow it all seems to be with a
purpose. The songs are terrific, and this would have
been a great pop album even without all the fuzz (or
the lyrics about “smoking cow” and “sniffing glue”).
As it is, it’s a one-of-a-kind wonder that can warm
the heart of even the most jaded popsike fan. One of
the all-time greats. [AM]
PLEASE FEED THE ANIMALS (Canada)
"Please Feed The Animals" 1968 (Paragon PGS 572)

"Please Feed The Animals" 1968 (Arc 755)
One track from this late Brit Invasion exploitation
LP has been reissued on the "Nightmares From The
Underworld vol 2" comp. The album contains covers of
various UK bands, the Animals in particular, as the
title implies. Also one track each from the
Yardbirds, Cream, and Small Faces. The unexpected
appearance of Sir Douglas Quintet's "The tracker"
suggests this band was still believed to be English
at the time! Pretty cool if you take it for what it
is. The two original releases have different sleeves.
PLUM NELLY (NY)
"Deceptive Lines" 1971 (Capitol 692)
I have to admit that it took awhile for this album to

reveal its charms to me. Featuring a series of
extended tracks (only one out of six clocks in under
four minutes), selections such as 'Deception' and
'Carry On' were rather conventional rock, sporting
occasional progressive and jazzy touches (the latter
courtesy of Jeremy Steig's flute, of Jeremy and the
Satyrs fame). The lead singer had a decent voice,
though his performances were frequently a little on
the shrill side for my tastes. More to my liking were
the chunky lead guitar moves. Personal favorite; the
intense 'Demon'. In terms of talent, these guys were
clearly above most of their competition, but I still
find the set lacking. [SB]
~~~
Another hard to find Capitol release, and another
solid one. It's progressive hard rock with a British
feel. There are lots of guitars, powerful male
vocals, and even a little bit of flute. The long
songs develop some nice grooves, and the album rocks
convincingly. Equally as rare as Head Over Heels and
Landslide, and almost as good. [AM]
P.O.A (IL)
"Home" 197 (Applause LPS-277-02)
Christian 70s guitar-led rock/hardrock with long

cuts, wah-wah, even some funky moves. Rated highly by
some.
PODIPTO (Bemidji, MN)
"Homemade" 1973 (Minnesota Green 7304)
Rural/country-rock LP from a locally popular band who

also had a less obscure, selftitled LP on the GRT
label. This one has been described as unexceptional
within the genre, with short pop-format songs. A
vinyl-sourced CD reissue of both LPs has been made
for regional distribution.
POLESTAR 1 (Baltimore, MD)

"Flying Through The Universe" 1980 (Rascal)
Heavy guitar and keyboard space rock and prog with

Christian concerns, housed in an appropriate fantasy
cover.
POLYPHONY (VA)
"Without Introduction" 197 (Eleventh Hour 1003)

"Without Introduction" 199 (Eleventh Hour) [bootleg]
"Without Introduction" 2004 (CD Acid Symposium 008, Italy)
"Without Introduction" 2004 (CD Radioactive 117, UK)
Here's another fascinating album on the Eleventh Hour

label (like Mason), and with a gorgeous cover. This
is an early experimental prog band with definite sci-
fi/fantasy tendencies. Some of the lyrics are pretty
pretentious and aspire to a level of intellect they
can't pull off, and even words with a more musical
flow wouldn't have saved the blah melodies on side
two (which comprises two long songs.) Side one,
however, is great. It's mostly one 14-minute song
with all sorts of surprises, including some really
appealing and unique jagged guitar. About a minute of
wild electronic noise follows, making for a really
cool album side. Half of a killer album. [AM]
ERICA POMERANCE see Erica
POOBAH (Youngstown, OH)
"Let Me In" 1972 (Peppermint 1015)

"Let Me In" 199 (Peppermint, Europe) [bootleg]
"Let Me In" 199 (CD Third Thunder, Germany)
First and best LP by prolific outfit celebrated on

the hard rock circuit. This is their most
psych/underground effort and opens with some really
good tracks firmly rooted in the late 60s sound.
Unfortunately side 2 is more rootsy boogie and has a
long dull power trio showoff including a drum solo,
so I can't really recommend it unless you're a genre
fan. Also has one of the worst covers of all time
with a cheap b&w drawing of an old hippie throwing up
- very nice. There was a 45 with a non-LP track
around the same time. [PL]
~~~
The first two songs are great—a hot loud hard rocker
and a great moody psych tune. The rest of the album
hints at the direction they’d later take, which is a
more commercialized and less interesting hard rock
sound. The last song has a typically dull drum solo.
[AM]
"US Rock" 1976 (Anchor 1) [poster]
"Steamroller" 1979 (Peppermint 1180) [insert]
Poobah's later albums are sought after by guitar hero

collectors but may sound like loud, bland FM hard
rock to others, and are recommended only to genre
fans. In 1980 there was a test press LP, "Live At
Snug Harbor" (Cleveland Rec Co; no cover) with 20
minutes of 'Poobah's Boogie' and nothing else. Poobah
main guy Jim Gustafson has continued to perform and
occasionally record.
POOR RICHARD (MI)
"Place Of The Sun" 1978 (Kazoo 4105)
This unique and cool acid folk item is something you

know is special as soon as you see the beautiful
album cover. All of the songs are centered around
heavy acoustic guitar, but some really rock out
(three songs have drums and are all fab), while
others set a stark mellow late-night or outdoors
mood. Side one is solid from start to finish. Side
two is more complex, starting with a song
appropriately named “Funky Honky,” and then going
into a twelve-minute suite which has lots of lovely
acoustic 12-string and some neat moments, but doesn’t
sustain interest like the short songs on side one.
Richard’s vocals are strong and serious, well suited
to this music. You’ll be surprised by the groove a
few songs find. When the rhythm section enters half
way through the otherwise sleepy “Ax of Good-Bye,”
the effect is startling and magical. I wish the long
song had a bit more strength, but this album is very
good. [AM]
POPCORN BLIZZARD ( )
"Explode" 1968 (De-Lite 2004)
A seldom seen soft pop/lyte-psych LP that has some

admirers. It appears that Meatloaf's first group of
the same name was an unrelated combo, despite the
unusual monicker. The De-Lite band also had two 45s
out, and may have been from New Jersey.
DAVE PORTER (WA)
"Dave Porter" 197 (no label, no #)
Loungey singer/songwriter guy looking like a happy

outsider on the excellent front cover. Inside is a
mixed bag of sounds, mostly unexceptional, but with
solid entertainment in "I'm The Boss" with strange
lyrics and inappropriate scat-singing, and the
driving "Why I can't love you", while the memorable
panoramic Vegas lounge-rock of "Where do clouds go"
is just one notch from turning into full-blown
psychedelia in the Bob Smith/D R Hooker school;
outstanding. The album was recorded in Seattle with
NW scenemaker Rick Keefer engineering, and pressed in
Canada.
JERRY PORTER ( )
"Don't Bother Me" 1966 (Mirror 123)
Acidy downer urban blues folk with guitar and

harmonica, including lengthy track "LSD fixation"
which is an early description of an acid trip. Worth
looking up for early loner/freak folk fans. He also
wrote books about the hobo lifestyle. Produced by NY
upstate legend Armand Schaubroeck for his Mirror
label, this was a "Capitol Custom" job with actual
distribution.
POUND (Chicago, IL)
"Odd Man Out" 1974 (Audio Mixers 74840)
Homemade 70s blend of basement folk and rock, not

terribly impressive. The title track is worth
checking out for a sample. Ex-Down From Nothing.
STEVE POWELL (TX)
"Revelation (The Party's Over)" 1974 (Wine Skin 259-02)
Rainbow Promise main guy using his former band as

back-up, a bit mellowed out bit still showing some
basement jammy psych tendencies.
~~~
see -> Rainbow Promise
POWER OF ZEUS (MI)
"The Gospel According To" 1970 (Rare Earth 516) [promos

exist]
"The Gospel According To" 2005 (Rare Earth) [bootleg; slightly
diff back cover]
"The Gospel According To" 2005 (CD Akarma 318, Italy)
This is actually an early Christian hard rock album,

though you might not know if you don’t listen too
closely. It sounds great one song at a time, as the
songs are powerful and have nice guitar/organ
interplay. Yet over the whole 40 minutes it doesn’t
seem as good, which is probably a case of the songs
sounding too much alike and the ideas not being
especially original. Recommended to junkies of the
style. The powerful recording and instrumental breaks
has made this a popular LP for DJ samples. The LP was
also released in Germany. [AM]
PRATT (Grand Rapids, MI)
"Pratt" 1978 (Stentorian 38022)
Midwestern guitar-driven hardrock in crude reverse

negative cover showing the drummer behind his kit.
PRENTICE & TUTTLE (Boston, MA)
"Prentice & Tuttle" 1970 (RPC AZ-59501)
The first Prentice & Tuttle album is nowhere near as

well known as the slightly more produced "Every
Loving Day", but it will appeal to the same people,
and just may well be a better album. It’s a
distinctive and well-written collection of 14 short
songs, starkly arranged in the best tradition of 1962
Greenwich Village (they even cover a Fred Neil song)
and with an old-timer kind of world-weary feel. Some
pianos and acoustic 12-string guitars give the album
some variety despite the simple arrangements. This is
not “pretty” folk, but it is melodic nonetheless. It
doesn’t get much more “real” than this album. Highly
recommended to any fan of folk/loner folk. [AM]
"Every Loving Day" 1972 (RPC Z-50172) [paste-on]
Lost country folk duo with that fragile delicacy and

despair that really hits home for this sort of low-
key local. Strong rural element in the lyrics with
troubled tales, and a deep love of nature is evident.
Good dark fingerpicking and strum folk with
occasional piano. The deep vibrato vocals can be a
bit tough on the ears, but all in all a nice glimpse
of rural Americana. [RM]
PRESSED DOWN, SHAKEN TOGETHER AND RUNNING OVER (OH)
"Pressed Down, Shaken Together And Running Over" 1973 (Almond

Tree 20423)
The debut LP is melodic x-ian rock and psych,

restrained acoustic guitar, keys, beautiful lead
vocals and harmonies. Charming with a sedate CSN
melodicism mixed with some uptempo numbers.
Highlight: the moody "Bright and Morning Star" with
its trippy organ and shuffling rhythm. The follow-up
from 1979 ("Star Of The Show", WOW) is a bit of a
letdown. [RM]
PRIMEVIL (Indianapolis, IN)
"Smokin' Bats At Camptons" 1974 (700 West 740105) [1000p]

"Smokin' Bats At Camptons" 199 (no label, Europe) [altered
cover]
"Smokin' Bats At Camptons" 2006 (CD Radioactive 164, UK)
It's funny to hear the acoustic guitars that begin

and end some of these songs (and the 6-minute
instrumental "composition"). It's almost as if they
want us to take them seriously. Sorry, but they're
just a rough-edged hard rock band with an angry
vocalist and an ambitious rhythm section (i.e. some
funky bits). Unfortunately the drummer's other
tendency is towards Ginger Baker-styled tom-tom
overuse. This has its moments, and sounds good due to
the excellent 700 West engineering, but strives for
virtuosity while barely reaching competency. In a
way, that's kind of charming, and the instrumental
parts are more fun to listen to than the growling
vocals (except on the absurd "Hey Lover," with the
inexplicable call and response vocals "Hey lover...
hey tuna!") A lot of people like this one, but I
think it's only a step away from Spinal Tap. Hmmm,
maybe that means I do like it. [AM]
~~~
see -> Buccaneer
SUZANNE PRINCE (IN)
"Rusty Nails & Promises" 1978 (L'VY Records)
Here's a completely unknown private press that should

thrill fans of blues and/or powerful female singers.
Prince has a sultry, resonant voice and is a strong
songwriter. Most of the songs are steamy blues-rock,
though a few are calm, almost folky. Some surprising
and terrific fuzz guitar shows up on a few songs, and
it's played by Suzanne herself. She's also assembled
a pretty solid bar band for this album. A very nice
find, much better than a lot of more well-known
albums in the genre. [AM]
PRINCESS FLOWER & THE MOON RAYS ( )
"Dreaming the Magic of Your Maya" 1968 (Akashic #22)
website version:
A group of American freaks hanging out in Paris who
joined up with an exiled Daevid Allen post-Soft
Machine to form what has been referred to as Proto-
Gong (aka Banana Moon #1), existing from late 1967
through 1968. They recorded this one LP in Paris in
Spring 1968 before D.A. and Gilli Smyth did their
Gong thing. The LP contains 6 tracks dominated by
Standlee’s meandering flute and occasional vocals
spewing out what appears to be free associative
poetry. Daevid Allen is credited as being on only one
track on Side 2; another guitarist, with the rather
suspicious name of Fej Mornin, is credited with the
guitar playing on Side 1, most of which does sound
somewhat suspiciously like Allen’s style. The album
opens with a short spurt of flute and laughter (male
& female - could that be Daevid & Gilli?). It leads
into the first song, “Lovin Spaceship”, a sort of
Proto-Gong bluesy guitar strummer with Dylanesque
stream of consciousness lyrics and a Booby D
harmonica finale. Following is “Women of Moon”,
another free association Dylanesque blues strum. Side
1 winds up with a long track listed as two songs on
the label. First is “Vanishing Rama”, a long krishna
jam led by Standlee’s flute, echoed guitar sounding
very much like Allen’s glissando guitar playing and
crude “tin pot” drumming. Midway, a Spoonfull rhythm
intrudes, leading into proto-Gong space avant
wanking. This flows directly into “Guharam Rock”,
more free association/guitar strumming, though this
time with a more rocking rhythm set by “shoe box”
drumming. Standlee’s flute at its most meandering
joins in toward the end. Side 2 opens with the one
track that officially credits Daevid Allen, “Between
Spirits”. This track is pure Gong; atonal flute over
glissando guitar with nonsense vocals flitting in and
out. The LP ends on the lengthy “Ancient Faces”. This
is a raga-fueled flute and percussion instrumental
with a female “chanter” Ziska Baum, described as
Gilli Smyth’s “soul-sister”and sounds very much like
her. The music is trancey, yet floating and a jew’s
harp briefly floats into the mix about midway. As the
harp fades away, the percussion intensifies, a male
chanter is added and the now double-tracked flute
engages in atonal sputtering until the LP ends as it
began with a few seconds of laughter. Princess Flower
and the Moon Rays dissolved in the spring of 1968
when Paris was enveloped by student riots. Loren
Standlee and Ziska Baum returned to the U.S. after
she was busted for marijuana possession. Standlee,
Ziska and percussionist Raja Samyana were members
through the late 60s of The Universal Mutant
Repertory Company, which also included original
Velvet Underground drummer Angus MacLise and his wife
Hetty. Samyana is listed as guitarist, though. This
LP is believed to have been released in New York
City, where Standlee was very active as the 3 or 4
known copies have all been found there. This Akashic
label does not appear to be related to any other by
that name (Maitreya Kali, etc). [MA]
book version:
A group of American freaks hanging out in Paris who
in late 1967 joined up with an exiled Daevid Allen
post-Soft Machine to form what has been referred to
as Proto-Gong (aka Banana Moon #1). They recorded
this LP in Paris in Spring 1968. The LP contains 6
tracks dominated by Standlee’s meandering flute and
occasional vocals spewing out what appears to be free
associative poetry. Daevid Allen is credited only one
track; another guitarist, with the rather suspicious
name of Fej Mornin, is credited with most guitar
playing, much of which does sound somewhat
suspiciously like Allen’s style. The album opens with
a short spurt of flute and laughter which leads into
“Lovin Spaceship”, a sort of Proto-Gong bluesy guitar
strummer with Dylanesque stream of consciousness
lyrics and a harmonica finale. Following is “Women of
Moon”, another free association Dylanesque blues
strum. Side 1 winds up with “Vanishing Rama”, a long
krishna jam led by Standlee’s flute, echoed guitar
sounding very much like Allen’s glissando guitar
playing and crude “tin pot” drumming. Midway, a
Spoonful rhythm intrudes, leading into proto-Gong
space avant wanking. This flows directly into
“Guharam Rock”, more free association/guitar
strumming, though this time with a more rocking
rhythm set by “shoe box” drumming. Standlee’s flute
at its most meandering joins in toward the end. Side
2 opens with the one track that officially credits
Daevid Allen, “Between Spirits”. This track is pure
Gong; atonal flute over glissando guitar with
nonsense vocals flitting in and out. The LP ends on
the lengthy “Ancient Faces”. This is a raga-fueled
flute and percussion instrumental with a female
“chanter” Ziska Baum, described as Gilli Smyth’s
“soul-sister”and sounds very much like her. The music
is trancey, yet floating and a jew’s harp briefly
floats into the mix about midway. As the harp fades
away, the percussion intensifies, a male chanter is
added and the now double-tracked flute engages in
atonal sputtering until the LP ends as it began with
a few seconds of laughter. Princess Flower & The Moon
Rays dissolved in the spring of 1968 when Paris was
enveloped by student riots. This LP is believed to
have been released in New York City, where Standlee
was very active as the 3 or 4 known copies have all
been found there. This Akashic label does not appear
to be related to any other by that name (Maitreya
Kali, etc). [MA]
JOE PRITCHARD & GIBRALTAR (MO)
"Kendall" 1974 (Kendall-Lee 74201)

"Kendall" 1996 (no label, Austria) [300#d; altered cover]
"Kendall" 2004 (CD Radioactive 0062, UK)
Pro-sounding 1970s rarity with ballsy rock sound and

songs ranging from ambitious prog moves over bluesy
bar-rock and into macho FM rock postures. Solid
across the board with excellent guitar leads, soulful
vocals, and a versatile band. Keyboards, woodwinds
and ambitious arrangements provide a prog/AOR vibe
that may turn some off, although there's enough
groove to keep one's attention throughout the four
long tracks. At its best it approaches the powerful
sound of fellow Missourians Phantasia, and is also
somewhat reminiscent of the 2nd Wedge LP. For 70s
fans only, and ultimately a little too much
mainstream rock for me, but still an agreeable
testament to the remarkable production value of many
local US albums of the time. [PL]
~~~
Interesting and unusual private press hard rock
album. Four long songs and a short experiment. The
unusual arrangements augment riff rock and blues rock
with saxes, synthesizers, and some poetic ideas. All
of it is quite good and though the songs are long
they have enough going on to keep them from dragging.
A refreshing change from the usual bonehead 70s hard
rock. Bizarre album cover is a bunch of writing --
political ranting by Pritchard. [AM]
PROBE (IL)
"Direction" 1971 (Eborp 21396) [200p]

"Direction" 199 (no label) [bootleg; orange vinyl; inferior
sleeve job]
"Direction" 2004 (CD Mind's Eye, UK)
This is pretty amateurish stuff, and falls into a

category somewhere between Bachs/Mystery Meat garage
and post-Iron Butterfly hard rock. There's lots of
organ and wah-wah, phased drums, an energetic Steve
Miller cover, a definite soul influence, and
harmonies that don't quite cut it. The best thing
about the album is the interplay between the lead
guitar and the eerie-sounding organ. None of it is
played particularly well, but the spirit is cool in a
youthful way and the songs aren't bad. Best song:
"Two Roads In The Night," which has a memorable
guitar hook, varying speeds and a tricky chord
progression. The songs are surprisingly complex; they
have ambitions beyond their chops. "Direction" has
its faults, but overall it's one of the more
enjoyable albums of its style. A long bluesy cover of
"Rock Me" is regrettable, though. Recommended to
people who like prep rock but wish it was heavier.
[AM]
~~~
Bread'n'butter local basement longhairs who probably
played high schools and clubs in their home-town
without aspiring to a high level of artistry. The
vibe is post-psychedelic, rootsy bluesy in parts,
proggy hardrock in parts. Setting is typical
guitar/organ interplay, with some surprisingly
sophisticated jazzy guitarwork that doesn't quite gel
with the bonehead feel of other parts of the LP; good
old local LP idiosynchracy in other words. The vocals
tend to fall in the unfortunate soulful macho style
of the era which keeps this from attaining the full
teenage realness of albums like Top Drawer or the
Rockadelic roster. All over a difficult album to
knock, but equally difficult to find reasons for
people to pick up, unless they have some personal
memories attached to the scene. Probe released this
to get gigs and delight friends and family, and apart
from the excellent "Two Roads", the "Direction" trip
doesn't really extend beyond those humble ambitions.
The small press size has been reported by the band.
[PL]
PROBE 10 ( )
"There Is A Universe" 1975 (Blue Universe 92673)
Progressive rarity of an eclectic, challenging

nature, venturing into fusion with jazzy guitar runs
and trumpet and flute interplay. Mostly instrumental.
As with others of the era, there is a clear debt to
Chick Corea's Return To Forever.
PROFESSOR FUDDLE'S FANTASTIC FAIRYTALE MACHINE (Toronto, Canada)
"Professor Fuddle's" 1974 (Periwinkle 7314) [textured cover]

"Professor Fuddle's / Borealis" 2005 (CD Beatball, South
Korea) [2-on-1]
Lots of synthesizers can't disguise the fact that

this album is bascially bubblegum, and in fact, the
catchiest song on it is one that's definitely aimed
at kids. Not that bad, really, but unlikely to appeal
to psych fans or to prog fans who hear it described
as a moog-heavy rock album. Very short album, under
25 minutes. Vocalist Paul Bradbury was formerly with
Borealis. [AM]
PROJECTION COMPANY ( )
"Give Me Some Lovin'" 1967 (Custom cs-1113)
Extra cheesy exploito garage fuzz and organ fun. Half

instro ravers with the trademark Jerry Cole guitar
style and misleading titles like "Our man Hendrix".
The offhand "soulful" vocals are a gas. Some of the
tracks are backing tracks from the ID-"Inner Sounds"
album sessions. One of the less common titles on the
label. [RM]
PROMISE (CO)
"Promise" 1980 (Cumulus)
Seldom seen private press ranging from strong power

pop to Beatles influenced pop-psych with an
occasional heavier edge.
PROOF (Anchorage, Alaska)
"Proof" 1971 (no label) [500p; insert]

"Proof" 200 (Akarma 236, Italy)
"Proof" 200 (CD Akarma, Italy)
Early bar-rock/roots/1960s revival band from

Anchorage recorded live at two different 1970
concerts opening for big US artists. Crude bluesy
garage sound with good harmonica, fluid guitar work
and some unusual arrangements of r'n'r standards
makes this above average for the genre, though the
genre admittedly sucks. A few group originals too.
The press size has been reported as 300 copies. [PL]
"5th Anniversary Phonograph Record" 1972 (no label) [125p]

"5th Anniversary Phonograph Record" 200 (CD Akarma, Italy)
Comp of '66-71 live material, a couple of tracks have

strong westcoasty guitar jamming.
PROPINQUITY (CO)
"Propinquity" 1972 (Owl 23)
1970s folkrock with its share of fans, female vocals

on one track.
PROSPECTUS (NJ/PA)
"With Friends" 1971 (Bristol ee-1001) [2LPs; gatefold]
Double LP of live funk and hippie rock covers.

Barband basement jamming on James Gang, Janis Joplin,
Blood Sweat & Tears and a bunch of tracks from the
Joe Cocker repertoire.
V.A "PSYCHEDELIC SIX-PACK SOUND" (IL)

"Psychedelic Six-pack Of Sound" 1968 (Summit 410)
"Psychedelic Six-pack Of Sound" 199 (Lustbutt) [500p; blue
marble vinyl]
Obscure comp from local rural teenage bands,

"psychedelic" only in name. Six groups do two cuts
each, of which all on side one are pretty awful. On
side two the Mavericks do decent Farfisa beat, Sound
Of Fury do good beat/folkrock and finally there's
great primitive garage/psych by Eighth Day. All over
one of the lamer local comps though. Incidentally,
many (or all) reissue copies have the cover slicks
glued on the wrong way. [PL]
PTARMIGAN (Vancouver, Canada)
"Ptarmigan" 1974 (Columbia 90257)

"Ptarmigan" 1991 (no label, Italy) [bootleg]
Progressive folk with introspective psych moves, has

a fabulous A-side with dark, almost hypnotic tracks
travelling from mellow Eastern moods to intense
hippiefolk and back. B-side is similar but less
successful, though a great psych sleeve makes it a
neat item all over. Not rated that highly, but I like
it. The LP was recorded with session musicians (incl
Papa Bear's guys) in 1972, but not released until
'74. [PL]
PUBLIC NUISANCE (Sacramento, CA)
"Gotta Survive" 2002 (CD Frantic Records 1313) [2CDs]

"Gotta Survive" 2002 (Shadoks 040, Germany) [2LPs; bonus EP;
750p; gatefold]
Public Nuisance never released a record during their

time, but somehow made enough studio recordings to
fill up this archival 2-CD collection. The recordings
sound surprisingly modern, and the production quality
is very strong. The songs are in a post-garage
slightly psychedelic rock/pop mode, equal parts
energy and melody. There are a number of standouts,
and as a whole Public Nusiance is more impressive
than many long-term major label bands of the era.
Despite a reasonable amount of variety, 2 CDs is a
lot. Particularly deadening is the inclusion of
multiple versions of two tedious songs by an early
version of the band. If the CDs had been arranged a
little differently, perhaps to make the first disc a
solid album of their best dozen or so songs, and the
second to be like a set of bonus tracks, the "album"
would have been a killer. As it is, this is a
somewhat erratic and overlong compilation that's full
of great songs, but the need to provide us with
everything dulls the listening experience. I suspect
most listeners will feel the urge to make their own
CD-R of the best songs from both of these discs. [AM]
PUGSLEY MUNION (Fitchburg, MA)
"Just Like Me" 1970 (J & S slp-1001) [photo insert]

"Just Like Me" 2000 (CD Gear Fab GF-143) [+3 tracks]
Excellent local power-trio sound with a ballsy Cream

vibe, psych residuals, good guitar-playing. If there
hadn't been 900 copies found in a warehouse in the
early 1990s, this would be rated a lot higher. One
member was formerly with Brother Fox & the Tar Baby.
PULSE (New Haven, CT)
"Pulse" 197 (Poison Ring 2237)

"Pulse" 1996 (Poison Ring, Europe) [bootleg]
"Pulse" 199 (CD Black Rose 144)
This hard rock album has a crisp, clear production

style that isn't really matched by the music. There's
some decent guitar playing and a few catchy bits, and
unlike a lot of the era's hard rock the songs are
focused and well-constructed. Nonetheless, the
histrionic bluesy wailing is pretty annoying, and
despite the attention given to the songwriting
there's not a whole lot that sticks. A significant
amount of harmonica confirms the band's blues base.
Recommended to hard rock fans who don't mind
undistinguished macho singing. Sizeable quantities of
this album were stashed in its Connecticut recording
studio, and sealed copies still show up for sale
reasonably often. Many of them have slight warps that
don't seem to affect play. The album was also
released in England by Major Minor. The band had a 45
on Atco with a freaky non-LP track. There is another,
unrelated Pulse who had an LP on Thimble, an Italian
band based in New York. [AM]
PURPLE IMAGE (Cleveland, OH)
"Purple Image" 1970 (Map City 3015)

"Purple Image" 2003 (CD Radioactive 041, UK)
Sign-of-the-times hard drugged out funky guitar-rock

from black 7-piece band with titles like "Living in
the ghetto" and "We got to pull together". Typical
mix of late-period Hendrix and Sly Stone, with
wailing acid fuzz, wah-wah and feedback, loose
male/female ensemble singing and revolutionary lyrics
up the wazoo. Also some late 60s Marvin Gaye soul
moves with sax. Definite psychedelic feel with stoned
sound fx and a certain cheese flavor to it, as though
they could have played the local Panther section in
an AIP movie. "Lady" is the weakest track, while the
opener and the 15-minute "Marching to a different
drummer" sounds like the Chamber Bros on PCP. The
50/50 mix of ghetto attitude and mind expansion is
pretty successful in my ears, and while some people
have expressed fatigue with hyped-up Hendrix/Sly
derivations this one stands pretty well on its own
bell-bottom clad legs. Great back cover photo from
the grim streets of 1970 Cleveland. [PL]
PURPLE SMOKE ( )
"Vol 1" 1969 (Mark 1446)
Seldom seen light psych/loungy fare with some appeal

and a cool cheesy purple smoke drawing cover.
JOSEPH PUSEY (Los Angeles, CA) see interview
"In My Lady's Chamber" 1977 (Cerebella 1001)
UK-influenced progressive folk with superb playing

and some moody psych residuals. Not trad folk in the
rural sense, more in a direction towards renaissance
court music. Acoustic guitars, bells, gong, some
flute; a cerebral, refined atmosphere. Vocals aren't
impressive but OK while the instrumental passages
will leave any guitar student with his mouth hanging
open. Consistent LP with a strong identity and grower
qualities. Epic "Red planet descends" is a highpoint.
Pusey passed away in 2004. [PL]

QUANTUM (Hartford, CT)
"New World" 1976 (no label)
Trippy progressive with electronics, stacked synths,

electric guitar, and efx. Long tracks broken up into
movements. The band has also been listed as coming
from NY.
QUASAR LIGHT ( )
"Experience This" 1981 (no label)
Eastcoast band doing heavy space rock with mixed

vocals, guitar leads, sound effects, and more.
QUILL (CA)
"Sursum Corda" 1977 (RTI) [testpress in homemade cover]

"Sursum Corda" 2000 (CD Syn-phonic 10, Europe)
Prog in ELP style. They define the title as "A

complete and separate world which you can enter in
and travel, but can return anytime you wish". It's a
good sign when an album opens with the sounds of
nature and this is no exception. A quite beautiful
and at times eerie prog composition broken into two
movements. Mostly featuring synth and drums with some
piano and organ fills. Good dynamics as it shifts
from delicate runs and organ washes to cascading
synth blitzes. The vocals are a mite distracting but
the music is quite complex and should appeal to fans
of the mid-70s Italian driving synth groups. Original
copies also exist with no cover. [RM]
QUOTH THE RAVEN ( )
"Nevermore" 1972 (Triple G Records TGS 1-2)
Little-known LP from Christian folkie/singer-

songwriter trio with mixed male/female vocals, in
nice generic ocean sleeve. Rated highly by some,
others are less impressed.
RABBLE (Montreal, Canada)
"The Rabble Album" 1967 (Trans-World 6800) [mono; brown wall

cover]
"The Rabble Album" 1967 (Trans-World 6800) [stereo; band photo
cover]
"The Rabble Album" 1968 (Roulette sr-42010, US) [stereo]
"The Rabble Album" 1995 (no label) [bootleg]
This Canadian band truly sounds like nobody else.

They have a matter-of-fact, almost comic vocal style
and goofy lyrics, and music with a strong pop sense
but plenty of quirks. They’re too professional to be
called garage, the vocals not melodic enough to be
“pop,” and too musically creative to be “novelty.”
Comparisons to Zappa are way off the mark (though he
would be just gross enough to write a song about
lancing a boil). They’re closer to 70s prog and pop
weirdos like Oho or R. Stevie Moore, or even 90s
indie-pop bands like Pavement. Both of their albums
contain some unexpectedly interesting guitar work and
a few psychedelic songs. I like them a lot; they’re
unique, the songs are memorable and they’re never
dull. The pressing history is a bit complex: the mono
includes 'Golden Girl', while the stereo mix includes
'I can still hear them laughing' instead of 'Golden
girl' and also has edits and voices not on the mono.
The US press includes both these tracks. [AM]
"Give Us Back Elaine" 1969 (Trans-World 6707)

"Give Us Back Elaine" 1995 (no label) [bootleg]
The second Rabble album picks up where the first left

off, but is maybe a tad bit less goofy. It’s equally
good, if not better, and both of their albums are
recommended. [AM]
RADIANT SET (CA)
"Live" 197 (Five Star fsrs-1409)
Early 1970s weird mix of Free Design pop, early Tex

Mex, and horns. Fun incompetent jams to "La Bamba"
and "Come Together", plus some originals.
RAIN ( )
"Rain" 1972 (Project 3 PR 5072 SD) [wlp exists]
This is the kind of record that has collectors

tearing their hair out. It has that most horrible
combination of traits: 1) it’s scarce and has not
been reissued, 2) it’s very, very good and 3) every
known copy of the album is mispressed, which means
that even if you find a copy of the damn thing, you
won’t get to listen to it the way it was actually
recorded. Two distinct problems exist: copies where
side two is pressed on both sides of the album, and
more commonly, copies where side one is pressed so
badly off-center that the entire side sounds like it
has a huge warp. As to the music within, it’s a
fascinating blend of soft pop, folky psych and early
prog. Some of the song structures and keyboard
arrangements are certainly progressive, but this is
one prog album that will appeal just as much to psych
and pop fans, as the songs are brief and highly
melodic. There’s experimentation here, but no excess.
In fact, the proggiest songs give the album a nice
lift, and the two best, “To A Dreamer” and “He Could
Have Known,” really rock out. A few songs have clear
Zombies and Beatles influences, while others remind
the listener that Project 3 is the label of the Free
Design. All are memorable and creatively composed.
This is a great record. They evoke bands like Zerfas,
who sound 70s but in a way that brings the best 60s
music into the era. Now, please, somebody do a master
tapes reissue! Some members were formerly with Rock
Island, who also had an LP on Project 3. [AM]
RAIN (NY)
"Live, Christmas Night" 1974 (Whazoo usr-3049)

"Live, Christmas Night" 199 (Whazoo) [300p; altered cover]
Power trio with a Stones vibe and lots of hard guitar

leads.
RAINBEAUX (FL)
"Reflections" 196 (Century - UMYC 11969)
Late 1960s harmony folk trio look like frat brothers.

Very moody, slow tempo tracks with delicate acoustic
guitar, organ. A couple of stinkers but most of it is
deep latenite folk and oddly rendered melodic rock "I
Dig Rock and Roll Music", "Get Together", "She Loves
You". Like the Four Freshmen going for a Mamas and
Papas sound, without the gals. Beautiful Victorian
psych cover. [RM]
RAINBOW PRESS (New York City, NY)
"There's A War On" 1968 (Mr G 9003)

"There's A War On" 199 (Mr G, Europe) [bootleg]
"There's A War On / Sunday Funnies" 1997 (CD Hipshaft) [2-on-
1]
"There's A War On" 2004 (CD Radioactive, UK)
"There's A War On / Sunday Funnies" 2005 (CD Estrella, Spain)
[2-on-1]
Under-the-radar melodic psych LP which turns out to

be surprisingly enjoyable, with wellwritten, often
moody tunes, OK vocals in the teen crooner style, and
extensive use of acid fuzz leads. Nice organ-led
minor chord progressions create a mock-serious feel a
la Moody Blues, which is balanced by a snappy top 40
enthusiasm that suggests the band still has one foot
left in the "Nuggets" garage. Lyrics partly deal with
"now" topics appropriate to the band's monicker, but
apart for some bittersweet irony they go by pretty
unnoticed. The slower tracks reveal that they weren't
quite ready for Aggregation type pocket symphonies,
but the midtempo lytepsych comes off well in a sound
similar to Rainy Daze, and somewhere between those
two bands is where I would place the Rainbow Press
debut LP. The band was basically a studio-only outfit
and reportedly sold several thousand copies of this
debut album. [PL]
"Sunday Funnies" 1969 (MR G 9004)

"Sunday Funnies" 199 (MR G, Europe) [bootleg]
"There's A War On / Sunday Funnies" 1997 (CD Hipshaft) [2-on-
1]
"There's A War On / Sunday Funnies" 2005 (CD Estrella, Spain)
[2-on-1]
Less successful but more pro-sounding second LP,

released in the Spring 1969 although the band no
longer existed. Beatles and Dylan covers alongside
the originals. Canadian pressings of both LPs exist.
RAINBOW PROMISE (TX)
"Rainbow Promise" 197 (New Wine 259-01) [candelabras cover;

inner]
"Rainbow Promise" 1975 (New Wine 259-01) [marquee cover;
inner]
Christian melodic rock with a loose westcoasty vibe

and sound a la Wilson McKinley, has three killers in
a row at the beginning of side 1 up there with the
best in the genre, another 3-4 numbers that are OK,
and a couple of rather painful duds. Clearly above
average for the style, and a popular item since many
years. There is some confusion around the pressings
of this LP, but the second version is credited to
Steve Powell & Rainbow Promise and has a completely
different cover (showing a pink old-style theatre
marquee inside a black border). It also appears that
at least some copies came with the 2nd pressing discs
in the 1st press sleeve. Both runs are pretty rare.
[PL]
---
Excellent laid-back West Coast style Christian rock.
Similar to Wilson McKinley, though not as good (what
is?). The lyrical message is a tad awkward at times,
but the vocals are strong and heartfelt, and the
abundance of echo-heavy guitar is beautiful and often
transcendent. The first song on side two is
especially dreamy. A couple of good-timey duds dull
the overall impact of this album, but the good stuff
here is right at the top of this genre. [AM]
---
see -> Steve Powell
RAINWATER TOURING COMPANY ( )
"The Theater Project Concerts" 1974 (Grinn 1003)
Very obscure hippie folkrock jammer with a stoned

westcoast vibe. Loose and organic with lots of
atmosphere due to it being a live recording in front
of an attentive audience. Mixed male/female vocals
over an appealing soundscape ranging from quirky
downer folk into all-out flowing psych folkrock. Hard
to find any immediate comparisons, although the off-
beat, piercing male vocals and late-night campfire
feel had me thinking of Neil Young's "Tonight's the
night" a bit. Also some instrumental guitar jamming.
About half is a full rock setting with drums and
snakey guitar leads and includes a couple of truly
great tracks with an oceanic psych vibe, sort of like
the first two tracks on the Robb Kunkel LP, or Sub
Zero Band minus the violin. Closing "Gypsy lover"
epic stretches out into vintage S F Ballroom jamming
over a communal 1970s intensity. Good LP (provided
you can handle some idiosynchratic vocals), killer in
parts, and likely to blow a few minds when word gets
around more. [PL]
RAM (NY)
"Where In Conclusion" 1972 (Polydor PD-5013)

"Where In Conclusion" 199 (CD Lizard Records LR 0710-2)
At least to my ears this five track set featured one

of the era's more engaging attempts to blend hard
rock and progressive moves. So given the band's
progressive leanings, including a penchant for long
compositions (there's even a side long suite - "Aza")
and an over-abundance of mellotrons and woodwinds,
what makes lift this set above the norm? Tracks such
as "The Want In You" and "Stoned Silence" showed that
the band could actually rock out. It also helped that
they had a pretty good singer, who occasionally
reminded us of early Randy Bachman. The guitar
playing is first rate, with a couple of blazing solos
on material such as "The Want In You" and the bluesy
"The Mothers Day Song". An added bonus; even at their
most self-engrossed , the band never forgot to keep
the melodies engaging. For whatever reason, this
appears to be the band's only release, with original
copies having become quite rare and sought after.
[SB]
RAM DASS (MA)

"Here We All Are" 1969 (Inner Sound, Canada, 3 LPs) [box-set;
hindu artwork sleeve; insert]
"Here We All Are" 1970 (Inner Sound, Canada, 3 LPs) [regular
sleeve; blue title cover; insert]
"Evolution Of Consciousness" 1973 (no label, 3 LPs) [box-

set]
"Love Serve Remember" 1973 (ZDA, 6 LPs) [box-set; booklet]
In the 1960s Richard Alpert was known as a Harvard

professor and Timothy Leary LSD research associate.
After a spiritual transformation into Baba Ram Dass,
he went on to become one of the most wellknown
East/West gurus during the 1970s, and a very popular
lecturer. His natural gifts as a performer are on
display on all these releases, with an off-beat and
often selfdepreciating humor that works very well in
conjunction with the loftier and more cosmic
excursions. "Here We All Are" is unfortunately
speeded up, perhaps not deliberately (although each
side still clocks in at 35 minutes), giving Ram Dass'
voice a rare Donald Duck edge. "Evolution Of
Consciousness" is essentially the spoken word version
of Dass' popular "Be Here Now" spiritual
autobiography book. "Love Serve Remember" is notable
on account of having several songs in a rather
appealing spiritual hippie-folk style, with psych
moves on things like "Floating Mind". It's the
easiest to find of the three and features hindu
fairytales, radio broadcast phone-ins, chanting, and
more. Important documents of the fallout from the
psychedelic era, and agreeable, non-phony
introductions to Eastern spirituality as well. [PL]
RANDOM ELEMENT (NY)
"Random Element" 1977 (Rocking Horse 5521)
Heavy 70s progressive rock trio with some fuzz.
RANDY & THE GOATS (Albany, NY)
"On the Lam" 1981 (Broken)
Randy Would is a singer/songwriter with the feel of

punk era street poets like Jim Carroll and Richard
Hell. He’s not much of a singer, but he uses a talky
style and a soft, whispery style that both work well
enough, and give his music a bit of a sleazy vibe.
The music has a basement garage rock quality to it,
and here and there is some quality fuzz guitar. This
is pretty strong stuff. Song titles like “Nausea #2,”
“Screwed,” “N.Y. Survivor” and “Murder By
Programming” should give you the idea. This is a
refreshing album; Randy has that bohemian indifferent
cool personality but he’s not trying too hard to be
trendy, as evidenced by one nice pop song thrown in
the mix. "On The Lam" is recommended to those of you
who miss the days when singer/songwriters had no
interest in romance or self-pity. Note: Most copies
of this album have small dish warps, but the warp
doesn’t affect play. [AM]
RAPID RICHARD GROUP (CA)
"Did I See What I Thought I Saw" 1977 (Home Spun RG 1000)

[500p]
You could call this the third Agape album and you
wouldn’t be far off. Essentially a custom solo
project from Richard Greenburg, bassist for "Victims
Of Tradition", joined by fellow Agape drummer Mike
Jungkman. Add to that token appearances by Jim Hess
and Fred Caban and the line-up’s complete. One could
speculate that while Caban was responsible for
Agape’s blues and psych direction, Greenburg provided
the more progressive elements. As you’d expect "Did I
See..." is heavy duty hard rock. With lots of guitar
and artsy keyboards it’s a sound not too distant from
Victims, yet even more in the progressive rock
direction and with more of a homemade feel.
Greenburg’s rapid-fire guitar leads dominate this
monster, catching our attention right from the start
with a wah-wah and feedbacked exploration of a
Beethoven string quartet opus! That track is ‘Ears’,
the first of nine tales on this thematic project
subtitled “an album of parables”. The pace doesn’t
let up for the boogie-boppin’ "The Prodigal Ducks"
spotlighting Hess’s jazzy keyboard licks. "The Hobo"
sounds like a pure Caban track while "The Tempest"
rocks slowly, halting midway for a detonating barrage
of frenzied guitar explosives. Next is the ballad
"The Obstinate Toy Soldier", followed by the 7-minute
art rock masterpiece "Religion’s Pigeon". "Groundhog"
has kick-butt Clapton-esque hard rock crunch while
"The Sparrow" coasts with a Victims-like jazz-
influenced groove. "The Parables" sums up all the
prior tales, explaining the spiritual angle of each.
Apparently a lot of these songs were being performed
by Agape at the time of their demise. For those
thirsting for more of this groundbreaking Jesus rock
band you’re in for quite a treat. [KS]
RASBERRY JAM (NJ)
"Rock Sounds Of People / Folk Sounds Of Rasberry Jam" 196 (no

label) [split LP]
The Rasberry Jam side on this split LP has been

described as dull, while the People side has its
moments, including a cover of "White Rabbit". The
album is subtitled 'If Only We Have Love'. Supposedly
an even earlier Rasberry Jam LP exists, but has not
yet been found.
"Here's" 197 (House Of Guitars)
Octet with mixed male/female vocal harmonies doing

mellow folk, rated highly by some. The band also
appears on the Summer Of Service 2 LP set (see
entry).
RASPUTIN & THE MONKS (St Mark's School, NH)
"Sun Of My Soul / Octet" 1966 (Trans-Radio 200836)

"Sun Of My Soul" 1984 (no label) [1-sided; altered cover]
This is possibly the most inept of all local New

England garage LPs with moronic 1-2 beat drumming,
offkey harmonies and general mayhem all around. A
teenage enthusiasm permeates all tracks to make for
great listening - Back From The Grave fans will love
it. Covers all through naturally, mostly from the UK
R'n'B scene. The reissue contains the Rasputin side
only. [PL]
RATIONALS (Ann Arbor, MI)
"Fan-Club LP" 1966 (no label) [no sleeve]
Unknown to exist for many years, this rarity works as

a fine document of the band's early years, before
they took a dubious turn musically. Three cool pre-
invasion instros from 1964, alternate takes on a
number of vintage 45 tracks, and a wild 6-minute
garagepsych rave-up add up to a solid pre-junkie
Michigan 60s album. Too bad this wasn't released
properly back then as it would have affected our
perception of the band, more along the lines of the
Remains or Paul Revere & the Raiders. Only two copies
have been found of the LP, which has "Rationals"
etched into the dead wax, and was put together by
their manager in late 1966. Of course, the Rationals
cut a more wellknown LP later on. [PL]
RAVEN (OH)
"Back To Ohio Blues" 1975 (Owl 66X111)

"Back To Ohio Blues" 199 (Rockadelic 15) [altered cover;
1000p]
Messed up bluesy hard rock biker statement which I'm

told comes straight from this guy's reality, no
posing but the real thing. Great punky vocals relate
stories on smack, sex, Ohio, Harleys and everything
else that makes life worth living. Sample lyrics:
"gotta get high/gotta get fucked/nail me to your
cross". An impressive intensity especially on side 1
and one of the few local white bluesrock LPs that
truly works. A classic of mid-70s local hard stoner
dementia; would make a good double bill with the
Merry Airbrakes. [PL]
RAW HONEY ( )
"Ragweed" 1974 (RH 1057)

Live recording of hippie folk and Dead-inspired rural
rock, with some female vocals. One of the listenable
ones in the genre.
RAY BRADBURY'S DARK CARNIVAL see Bob Jacobs
JERRY RAYE & FENWYCK (Los Angeles, CA)
"Many Sides Of" 1966 (DeVille 101) [split LP; red vinyl]
"Many Sides Of" 199 (no label, Europe)
Too bad Fenwyck didn't get a full album's worth

instead of just one side, because all their tracks
are good swinging Sunset Strip folkrock with psychy
flashes. The well-known "Mindrocker" track gives you
a taste of their sound. Jerry Raye's side (with
Fenwyck as support) is mostly lame crooner stuff but
has one great fuzz-garage tune. A decent item all
over. [PL]
RAYNE (New Orleans, LA)
"Rayne" 1979 (no label R-358)

"Rayne" 1994 (OR) [insert; 500#d]
After being discovered in the late 1980s this deep

outlaw basement blowout has gained a reputation among
all sorts of music fans. A mix of rural hardrock and
mellow folkrock that's hard to pinpoint since it's so
original, though Neil Young (especially the electric
side on "Rust Never Sleeps") and angry cajun-mood
Creedence are possible references. Great lyrics about
booze, mass murder and underdog Americana attitudes
with a solid consistency all through - side 2 is
pretty devastating. A must. [PL]
---
Like all of the great 70s bands that psych fans fawn
over, Rayne successfully sound of their time and
before their time. The rock with a punky attitude
that’s pure 1979, and have a moody, not-quite-heavy
style that is more like the direction some great 60s
bands could have headed than like a direction any of
them actually went. The songs are deep and grow on
you, and there’s a depraved southern vibe here that
can only be compared to the musically dissimilar
Stonewall. A band that can be equally appreciated by
those who long for the past and those who think rock
started in 1977, neither knowing that their arch-
enemies in musical taste would love the same album.
Truly great. [AM]
JERRY RAYSON (NY)
"The Weird Ming In Town" 196 (Psychedelic Records 523)
Obscure and severely spaced out fringe folk with

unusual inner-city vibe and Puerto Rican
tangents. Subtitled "Let's go man rocbuafro".
V.A "READING '68" (Reading, PA)
"Reading '68" 1968 (Empire 868-585)
One of at least three local late 60s PA compilations

on the Empire label. These are of great interest for
local musicologists, but do not necessarily contain
that much good music. One track from this volume has
been comp'd on "Crude PA vol 2". There's also several
soul covers as usual, a Doors cover, and possibly a
couple of originals.
REAL EYES (Flemington, NJ)
"Real Eyes" 1981 (Wizard no #) [booklet]
This early 80s LP seems to have been discovered about

twenty years after its release, and was given some
major hype by rare record dealers hoping to be the
one to discover the next big thing. It came with a
huge book of poetry and art, making it a real labor
of love by the folks who released it. The music is
pretty much mainstream rock, both acoustic and
electric, with hard rock moves and quirky
arrangements. It sounds like they were shooting for
an AOR sound but didn’t have the budget to pull it
off, and instead this ends up with a crude garage
edge, especially when it gets heavy. The songwriting
is pretty interesting and thoughtful, and as 80s
private press LPs go, this is distinctive and
memorable enough to explain why psych dealers jumped
on its bandwagon. The singing is pretty weak, though,
and the “poetic” lyrics are humorless and shoot way
higher than this band’s actual reach. A lot of the
lyrics are pretty stoned, which doesn’t exactly add
brainpower to the poetry. That said, there is a lot
going on here, with enough weird hooks and surprising
moments to give any listener a fair amount of kicks.
I like side two, especially the closing “Visions of
Obscurity V,” better than side one. In the long run,
whether this will be a keeper for any individual
listener will probably be determined by the 12-minute
“Madman’s Game,” an elaborate epic that encapsulates
everything good and bad about this record. I’m not
sure how strongly to recommend this album (I sure
wouldn’t suggest paying the $100+ most dealers are
selling it for), but it’s not boring or predictable.
The booklet is 90 pages with drawings and lyrics.
[AM]
KIT REAM (OH)
"All That I Am" 1978 (Creative)
This one is pretty well-known by “incredibly strange”

fans and has been raved over by Jello Biafra. To make
the story short, Ream was a wealthy 1960s acid
casualty and then mental patient whose album was
actually released by the "Institute For Creative
Living,” a conservative “spiritual growth” center.
The spacy, jazzy music on the album is strikingly
similar to the equally bizarre Gary Wilson. Ream
rants and raves in a completely confident and lounge-
inspired way, entreating us not to be so holy poly
over his souly, among other things. As real people
albums go, this is one of the most endearing, as his
life philosophy is even more compelling than, say,
Father Yod’s, and the music is never dull. One song
has some unexpected female vocals, and a few others
have cool and weird vocal arrangements. He grunts and
groans and moves from sing-speak to crooning at the
drop of a hat. This is absolutely wonderful. “Go down
to the beach, baby, get naked at twelve
o’clock!” [AM]
REBECCA & THE SUNNYBROOK FARMERS (Pittsburgh, PA)
"Rebirth" 1969 (Musicor MS 3176)
This is an old-school cult LP out of Pittsburgh that

in spite of all the recent interest in hippie freak
music still remains pretty much buried in the "cult"
section. It probably deserves more attention, not to
mention a reissue, as it is appealing late 1960s head
sounds with obvious signs of dropping out of straight
society. The male vocalist goes for a sometimes
unwanted Dylan/Zappa sarcasm while the female singers
range from turned-on purrs into amazing primal
therapy, not unlike the weird shit pulled by Buffy
Ste Marie on her "Illuminations" LP. The band has a
clubby, almost garagey sound which adds to the
crashpad feel, and there's unexpected and quite good
use of violin throughout. Except for the vocalists it
sounds a bit like the non-orch folkrock tracks on the
Common People LP. Wellwritten songs with eclectic
folk and jazz moves, plus a couple of acid freakouts.
Not to be confused with the zillions of late 60s
femme-vox hippie bandwagon jumpers, "Rebirth"
deserves a place among True Freaks such as Fear
Itself and United States Of America; in fact it's
almost like a satire over weekend hippies at times.
Well worth checking out. [PL]
---
Can you think of any other band in rock history with
two members named Ilene?? This is an odd bird to be
sure. It probably noses out the Fort Mudge Memorial
Dump album as the co-ed record with the most annoying
and pretentious male singer, so about half of the
album is pretty unlistenable. But the songs with the
women range from great to classic, and range
stylistically from wonderful guitar pop to freaked
out sex-blues to full-on psych, with some cool
counterculture lyrics. Great odd album cover too.
[AM]
REBIRTH (Harrisonburg, VA)
"Into The Light" 1970 (RCR)
"Rebirth" 1970 (LeFevre Sound MLSP-3100)
"Rebirth" 1972 (Avant Garde 135)

"Rebirth" on Avant Garde is a compilation, pulling
together material from the group's two vanity
pressings; four from the debut and eight from the
LeFevre LP. It also sounds like a couple of the
tracks were either re-recorded or had some post-
production work done to improve the overall sound.
The liner notes claim that "many people have
repeatedly asked us for a record which they can give
to their teenagers to play along with regular pop
artist albums. We feel that what is needed is music
with a good rock sound, that stimulates thought, and
has a Christian message." Since this is one of the
better Christian rock albums we've heard, that's
actually a pretty good description. With largely
original songs, most of it features a rather
conventional folk-rock sound. Material such as
"Everybody's Talking" (one of two covers), "Laughin'
On the Corner" and "The Way That I Feel" sported some
nice group harmonies and pretty if lightweight
melodies. The results were occasionally a little too
Up with People-ish for our tastes ("Lancaster
County"), but for the most part the group's religious
beliefs were understated, making for a set that
mostly managed to avoid the usual in-your-face-sinner
bombast one associates with so much of Christian
rock. Highlights include the unexpected and totally
atypical rocker "Into the Light" and an interesting
contemporary update of the traditional hymn "They'll
Know We Are Christians". Clearly not for everyone,
but for the right crowd this will be a wonderful
find. The artwork for the RCR debut is reused for the
Avant Garde version. [SB]
REBS (IA)
"Breakthrough 1968 A.D" 1968 (Fredlo 6830) [200p]
Endearingly bad organ and three chord raveup covers.

Amazingly bad vocals, the falsetto on "Gimme some
lovin'" is guaranteed to leave you in stitches. [RM]
RED BUD THUNDER (WI)
"American Rock'N'Roll" 1979 (Feldergarb 41178) [lyric sleeve]
Hardrock with good guitar, twin leads.
RED CHEEK (FL)
"Red Cheek" 197 (Armadillo 8032)
Rootsy rural/countryrock with acoustic guitars, on

same label as Magic-Enclosed. Has been hyped but
according to a knowledgable source, it "sucks in a
gentle way".
RED CRAYOLA (Houston, TX)
"Parable Of Arable Land" 1967 (International Artists 2)

[mono]
[stereo]
"Parable Of Arable Land" 1978 (Radar rad-12, UK)
"God Bless The Red Krayola And All Who Sail With It" 1968
(International Artists 7)
(International Artists 7)
(Radar rad-16, UK)
Experimental art-school psych and avant featuring

Mayo Thompson. The first LP is more listenable, a fun
over-the-top freakout typical of the era, with some
good songs buried in the chaos. It's not for
everyone, but did help to cement IA: standing as a
mythical weirdo label back in the 1970s. The box set
reissues can be identified via a matrix # that begins
"Ach...".. They changed spelling to Red Krayola by
the time of their 2nd LP, which contains 19
minimalist song fragments. Mayo moved to New York
after his solo LP and took up the Red Crayola moniker
again. In the late 1970s and early 80s the group
recorded several interesting art rock albums,
including collaborations with the group Art &
Language, and Mayo has continued to put out
challenging avant rock releases. The band has a few
unreleased 1960s era tracks on "Epitaph For A
Legend", and there's also a CD's worth of such
material titled "Coconut Hotel" on the Drag City
label (1996). Vinyl and CD reissues include Spalax,
Collectables, Decal, and probably a few more. All
reissues are vinyl-sourced as the mixdown masters
were lost in the early 1970s. [RM]
---
see -> Mayo Thompson; Epitaph For A Legend
REDEMPTION (San Antonio, TX)
"Look Up" 1974 (Evan Comm 553547) [1000p]
Dreamy Christian rural 12-string folkrock, some fuzz

and organ. Featuring Kemper and Bekah Crabb doing a
mix of standards and originals. The band was also
represented with two tracks on the comp "Gospel Ship
2" (Destiny 2012, 1975).
---
see -> Arkangel; Hill Country Faith Festival
V.A "RED HERRING FALL FOLK FESTIVAL" (IL)
"The Red Herring Fall Folk Festival" 1970 (Century 36387)
Various artists local folk assembly including Louie

Kotva (see entry), Dan Fogelberg, Peter Berkow, Nancy
Fetters. Red Herring was a coffee house in Urbana,
IL.
RED PONY (OK)
"Red Pony" 1975 (Artco 1123)
Local band doing hardrock and prog with female vocals

and a Janis Joplin cover.
RED SHADOW (Cambridge, MA)
"Live At The Panacea Hilton" 1975 (Physical 21-005) [insert]
Underground radical folkrock with mixed vocals and

counterculture politics. Track titles include
"Stagflation" and "Understanding Marx", a Ray Charles
take-off with a spoken segment with a hip female
explaining how she got turned on to Karl Marx. This
bizarre LP still sounds like satire, but hardly in
the way it was intended. There is a second LP,
"Better red".
REFINED BY FIRE (CA)
"Refined By Fire" 1980 (no label)
This is 70s sounding mellow Xian rock with some quite

good (often jazzy) guitars and the genre’s usual
pretty but soulless vocals (there are several female
singers and one male singer.) Much of this is average
bland AM-style pop, but a couple of songs have a
dreamy beauty to them and the closing song has a cool
heavy guitar solo that flows underneath a catchy
repeated end chorus. Not a great album, but here and
there it hits the spot. [AM]
REFLECTIONS (Sidell, LA)
"The Unique Sounds Of" 1970 (RSVP MC 1371)
Atmospheric instrumental home recordings of

trumpet/organ-led lounge duo, with a 13-year old kid
on drums joining forces with a significantly older
lady who manages to play bass, organ and trumpet at
the same time! This low-rent circus act handles a mix
of cocktail jazz and surf music standards, all of
which must have seem totally dated in 1970. The most
modern track is "Eleanor Rigby". There's two
originals in a 50s light-jazz/exotica style. While at
least half of this isn't "rock" by a long shot, the
end result isn't that far removed from some of the
more backwoods Justice label acts, right down to the
somnabulent, strangely hypnotic melancholy moods.
Unless made clear already, this is deep into
Incredibly Strange, and needs the proper approach to
work. A CD-R "reissue" exists. [PL]
REIGN GHOST (Toronto, Canada)
"Reign Ghost" 1969 (Allied 12)

"Reign Ghost" 198 (no label, France)
"Reign Ghost / Featuring Lynda Squires" 1990 (CD Lazer's Edge
1004) [2-on-1]
"Reign Ghost" 2004 (CD Akarma 277, Italy)
"Reign Ghost" 2004 (Akarma 277, Italy)
Fuzzed basement mid-period Airplane hippierock sound

with many great tracks like the opening raga ripper,
"Travels of blue paradox". Lynda Squires' slightly
operatic voice might put some off though there are
many other elements here to make at least the reissue
worthwhile. The band also shows some folk moves. One
of the better LPs in a genre littered with local
mediocrities. [PL]
"Featuring Lynda Squires" 1970 (Paragon 19)

"Featuring Lynda Squires" 198 (no label, France)
"Reign Ghost / Featuring Lynda Squires" 1990 (CD Lazer's Edge
1004) [2-on-1]
"Featuring Lynda Squires" 2005 (CD Akarma 325, Italy)
"Featuring Lynda Squires" 2005 (Akarma 325, Italy)
Only Squires and Bob Bryden remain for this follow-

up, which is similar but slightly less garage and
more mellow. Bryden wrote only three tracks which is
a pity as the other guys couldn't really compete with
him. Some swear by the long closing fuzzrocker "Enola
gay" but all over this is weaker than their debut in
my ears. It is even rarer than the Allied album. [PL]
---
see -> Christmas
REJECTS (Ontario, Canada)
"Rejects" 1969 (Toad no #)
Coffehouse folk home-recordings from 1967, featuring

roughly the same crowd as on the Jeremy Dormouse LP,
with a similar primitive basement folk sound. After
the Dormouse sessions and prior to the Rejects
sessions there was also a rare EP with non-LP tracks,
titled "The Entire Castle Illusion".
RELATIVELY CLEAN RIVERS (CA)
"Relatively Clean Rivers" 1976 (Pacific 17601) [gatefold;

photo insert]
"Relatively Clean Rivers" 2003 (Radioactive 020, UK)
[gatefold]
"Relatively Clean Rivers" 2003 (CD Radioactive 020, UK)
Post-Beat Of The Earth classic in a melodic 70s

westcoast style with an impressive crystal clear
sound. Has some killer tracks with acoustic/electric
guitar tapestries and is of a high standard
throughout, although a couple of tracks sound more
like outlines than finished creations to me.
Reminiscent of Neil Young at his most melodic, with a
rare reflective desert mood. "Journey thru the valley
of O" is sheer perfection. Much-loved LP with grower
qualities. [PL]
---
At its best, this album is worthy of the legend; a
super-clean (the “band” is perfectly named) acoustic-
flavored pop/folk-rock feel, in the 70s California
vein but with a more innocent feel. A couple of songs
here are surprisingly sloppy, which is a jarring
switch from the crisp arrangements and lovely singing
on the majority of the songs, but the experiments are
interesting ones, whether they mesh perfectly or not.
If you don’t come into this one believing the most
outrageous hype, you should be very pleased indeed.
[AM]
RELAYER (Houston, TX)
"Relayer Album" 1979 (HSR) [inner]
Symphonic keys prog in Yes style.
ERIC RELPH (CA)
"Pretty Darlin'" 1978 (Evy Pollen 1-2-49)
An odd album that‘s hard to pinpoint. There’s a

definite lounge feel to it (mostly due to the reverb-
heavy vocals), but after a few listens you start to
notice that it rocks out too. There’s some excellent
creepy slide guitar on some songs and a high standard
of songwriting. The overall style is a tough one to
get around, as it’s too hard for soft rock fans but
too floofy for hard rock fans, but it’s strange
enough to be the ticket for someone who can
appreciate both. [AM]
REMAINS (Boston, MA)
"Remains" 1966 (Epic ln-24214) [mono]

"Remains" 1966 (Epic bn-24214) [stereo]
"Remains" 1978 (Spoonfed 3305) [+bonus tracks; red vinyl;
altered cover]
"Remains" 2002 (Beat Rocket) [+bonus tracks]
These boys should need no introduction -- along with

Paul Revere & the Raiders probably the finest
exponents of the upmarket mid-60s US teen-rock that
has aged as well or even better than the more famous
UK groups they competed with. Great stuff, they
should have been millionaires. Stereo originals are
somewhat rarer than mono. The original LP was also
released in South Africa by CBS. Of the reissues and
repackagings, the Spoonfed release is considered to
have very good sound. The Beat Rocket LP is at this
point the only exact reissue around. There is a
Transco acetate from 1966 with material that has been
released by Eva Records in France as "Live In
Boston" (1984) with fake applause added, and by
Sundazed as "A Session With" (1996) in their original
format plus some bonus tracks. [PL]
RESEARCH 1-6-12 (Los Angeles, CA)
"In Research" 1968 (Flick City fc-5001)
Cool fun garage/psych album with an amusing “Adults

only” disclaimer: “this album has been called dirty.
This album has been called great.” The drug and sex-
related lyrics actually are quite daring for the
time, but the musically edgy vibe is even more
appealing. A little bit of good-timey goofiness
annoys, but most of the album comprises punky garage
rockers with cool fuzz guitar and folky psych tunes
with echo effects, trippy lyrics, etc. Really a very
solid album with just the one or two duds. The liner
notes make these guys out to be, like Phluph,
intellectuals who chose the low road. [AM]
REUNION BAND & FRIENDS (KY)
"Ocean of Love" 1977 (Living Love Productions) [gatefold]
The songs were written by Marcus Allen and Summer

Raven and performed by The Reunion Band and Friends.
Features many of the same folks on The Love Band's
"The Oneness Space" LP, but is considered superior by
some. Gentle folk with pretty femme vocals and
cosmic, cultish lyric concerns.
REVERBS (CT)
"Chalk Up" 1965 (RV Connection) [blank back cover]
Obscure local teenbeat LP from Westport, featuring

typical mix of frat, surf and British Invasion, with
covers of Beatles and Stones numbers.
PAUL REVERE & THE RAIDERS (Boise, ID)
"Like Long Hair" 1961 (Gardena LP-G1000) [mono]

"Like Long Hair" 196 (Gardena LP-G1000) [mono; later press;
green & red lettering on label]
"Rock & Roll With" 198 (Gardena LP-G1000) [mono; bonus
tracks; altered sleeve]
Beginning in 1959, Paul Revere & the Raiders were one

of the truly great bands of the 1960s, and a crucial
influence for the "garage" bands of 1966-67. Their
music has aged exceptionally well and radiates class
and style from the very beginning. This debut LP is
all instrumentals including five originals, the rest
covers including two Wailers numbers. Originals have
red and black lettering on the label.
"Paul Revere & The Raiders" 1963 (Sande S-1001) [mono]

"In The Beginning" 1966 (Jerden JRL-7004) [mono; new sleeve]
"In The Beginning" 1966 (Jerden JRL-7004) [rechanneled stereo;
new sleeve]
"In The Beginning" 1969 (PickWick SPC 3176) [rechanneled
stereo; tracks removed; new sleeve]
"Paul Revere & The Raiders" 197 (Sande S-1001/Etiquette)
[mono; thin cover]
Only one original song on this one. The rest are

covers of r'n'b/1950s classics. The Jerden jobs are
repackaged reissues. The Pickwick budget release is
missing two cuts and came in a psychedelic cover. It
was also released as Sears SPS-493. The 1970s
"Northwest Collection" box-set reissue has Etiquette'
in the dead wax. With "Here They Come" on CBS in 1965
the Raiders became a matter of national concern,
which is well covered elsewhere.
REVIVAL (Denver, CO)
"Music By Al Basim" 1979 (American Sound Recording) [300p]

"Music By Al Basim" 1995 (CD AB 02)
Al plays electric guitar and is joined by a trio on

most of the tracks. Instro guitar flute prog with
Middle Eastern themes and tonalities. Dense and
chaotic trance. Al was a Bulgarian student working
towards his master's degree in music at the
University Of Colorado. Stories of him being Iranian
and getting executed are not true. [RM]
R.F.D ( )
"Lead Me Home" 1971 (no label)
Obscure Christian folkrock LP with an appealing,

understated feel. Close male/female harmonies and
ringing guitars create a secular, late 60s California
sound, with strong songwriting that reaches back to a
Byrds/Simon & Garfunkel hook sensibility. The
intimate, low-key vocals and summery mystique also
remind me a bit of These Trails. Enjoyable album with
an unusual timeless quality, and as non-preaching a
Christian artefact as you're likely to find. Weird,
eerie cover design. [PL]
---
On first listen I thought this album (which now
fetches ridiculous prices) had a nice gentle feel to
it with pleasant vocals. Subsequent listens made me
come to my senses. It's wimpy soft folk with no vocal
identity and not a wisp of energy or passion of any
kind. It has a nice cover, yeah, but why spend $700
on this when you can get the same thing for $15 by
the New Troubadours or Oneness Space or Susan And
Richard Thomas? Really, really weak. [AM]

KEN RHOTEN (IN)
"Flying Saucer Man" 1979 (Neptune) [300p]
A mix of sci-fi pop and folk in great cover art.
RHUBARB'S REVENGE (NJ)
"Confessions Of A Big Lanky Dope" 1973 (Pink Grass no #)

[plain sleeve]
"Rhubarb's Revenge" 2001 (Gear Fab/Comet 416, Italy) [new
cover; +4 tracks]
"Rhubarb's Revenge" 2001 (CD Gear Fab gf-128) [+4 tracks]
Charming stoned college dorm hippie folkrock

obscurity in the typical quirky Eastcoast style.
Opens with excellent original in a Patron Saints
direction, rest is mainly covers of classic tracks
from the UK 1967-68 scene, giving the album an odd
retro/tribute flavor. The Zombies, Kinks, and Move
all get the Rhubarb treatment in a rather
irresistable way with unpretentious vocals and the
loose weedhead drumming in particular a treat.
There's also a funny Star Trekked version of "Mr
Spaceman" with ad libbed lyrics such as "you're a
motherfucking good-for-nothing Spaceman". Band uses a
full rock setting plus piano but create an intimate,
spontaneous sound. I've seen this described as a
"novelty" LP and while it's pretty entertaining I
think it has as much worth as any other document of
the early 70s Eastcoast, like the Georgie Leonard
album or "Tool Shed". Not a great LP, but worth
hearing. The CD bonus tracks introduce a more serious
tone with an excellent anti-'Nam war track and a
cover of Neil Young's "Ohio". [PL]
RHYTHM AND BLISS (CA)
"The Magic Is Back" 1978 (Rainbow Island)

Communal cosmic folk. Dreamy acoustic tracks with
Eastern percussion.
RHYTHM OF THE HIGHWAY see Ray Pierle
RANDY RICE ( )
"To Anyone Who's Ever Laughed At Someone Else" 1974 (RR no #)
[2LPs; 2 inserts; 550#d]
Very obscure double LP from talented but troubled

hippie-folk/singer-songwriter guy with a lot of
interesting aspects. You needn't look hard to see the
demons in the guy's skull, as pleasant Lennonesque
songs open doors into hateful lyrics knocking
rednecks, feminists, vicious mothers, America,
religion, his phony friends, and pretty much
everything else until the meaning of "loner" folk
shines bright and clear like an aura around his head.
Some songs bring in a full rock band with howling
feedback guitars a la One St Stephen, and there are
also spoken bits with bad coffeehouse jokes,
interviews with people on the street, and diary
confessions probably from his mom's basement.
References to Watergate and Vietnam send you right
back to 1974. As far as loner/downer 2LP sets go,
this is surprisingly strong and varied, with a good
soaring voice, atmospheric recording and inventive
arrangements and playing, mostly guitar, some with
piano. References to babies and parenthood provide an
unusual documentary feel. As a peek into an unknown
guy's reality this is rather successful and clearly
above average for the genre. [PL]
LINDA RICH ( )
"There's More To Living Than I Know So Far" 1969 (InterVarsity

03498)
"Patterns" 1970 (InterVarsity 8091-4498)
"Apple Tree" 1975 (InterVarsity 279-598)
Delicate acoustic Christian folk on the same label as

Jonathan & Charles. Her poetic lyrics and stunning
alto vocals have a dreamy quality that will certainly
appeal to folk psych collectors. "Patterns" even
features a trippy cover. [RM]
RICHARD, CAM & BERT (NY)
"Richard, Cam & Bert" 197 (Trilogy TS-91701)
Late 60s or early 70s New York street musician folk

blues. The three switch around on guitars and bass
and sing mostly in harmony. They are occasionally
accompanied by a drummer. Some nice soloing on what I
believe are amplified acoustic guitars, rather than
electric. Overall rather pleasant, but hardly earth-
shattering. Produced by Warren Schatz (Yesterday’s
Children, etc). [MA]
REX RICHARDSON ( )
"Crescent Phase" 1980 (Sage 37360) [100#d]
One side of guitar instros and one side with ISB-

style progressive folk with flute and hand
percussion. The guy has a passionate troubador vocal
style (typical for the genre) that may annoy, which
mixes with showoffy guitar runs. Songwriting doesn't
account for much, but the overall package may appeal
to Joseph Pusey fans. [PL]
~~~
Very rare outsider folk private press. The first side
consists of Faheyesque acoustic guitar instrumentals,
which are quite competent. The 2nd side is comprised
of weird loner folkie ramblings. In addition to
guitar, Richardson also plays flute on several
tracks. The LP is housed in a homemade cover with a
large paste-on front and a smaller paste-on back
cover. [MA]
KARL RICHEY (San Francisco, CA)
"Karl Richey" 1969 (Studio 10 DBX 102)
This album is on the same label as Day Blindess, but

is quite a bit different. Richey is a stoned folk
troubadour type, with a bit of a Dylan fixation, but
with more of a youthful late 60s counterculture edge.
Also without the songwriting talent. Richey might
have been a bit more convincing as a rocker, but
since this album is basically just guitar and voice,
he'd need to have something more original and
exciting to say to make these songs more memorable.
[AM]
RIGHT OF LITTLE REST (RI)
"The Right Of Little Rest" 1975 (TN 1100) [blank back]
Communal folk with one good psychy track with female

vocals, "Am I not the one". Neat cartoon cover with
sea dragon threatening a village at the edge of the
world.
~~~
see -> Follie's Bazaar
RILEY ( )
"Grandma's Roadhouse" 1970 (Mo-Funk)
That, to my knowledge, there's only been one copy of

this LP ever found certainly speaks to its obscurity.
The immediate reference here is to The Band in terms
of arrangements, instrumentation and vocals. The
comparison is a loose one however, and the little
odd, almost experimental, flourishes that pop up here
and there, give the whole thing a certain non-
commercial character that works to its advantage. In
terms of musicianship, production and creativity the
album sounds like it could have been a successful
major label LP from the early 70s. "You Been Cheating
On Me Honey" features a pretty heavy & ferocious
fuzz-wah guitar solo that leads back into more Robbie
Robertson territory with "East People." A New Dawn-
ish fuzz returns for "Field of Green" though the
vocals would never be mistaken for the vocals on that
LP. When you spend your days rooting through junk
shops and flea markets looking for something you
haven't heard yet, it is just a record like this that
provides that 1 in 10,000 jolt that keeps you going
back. [SD]
RIN ERIC see Eric, Rin
RISING HOPE (Cincinnati, OH)
"Farewell To The Shadowlands" 1975 (no label lp-s-726)
Besides coming up with one of the coolest album

titles of all time (taken from the final chapter in
C. S. Lewis’ ‘The Chronicles Of Narnia’), this trio
have managed to create a brilliant homemade release
of contemplative acoustic/folk music. All three have
nice soothing voices that harmonize well together
(Susan Goldberg sounds a lot like Debby Kerner,
especially on the briskly strummed "Psalm 27"). Quiet
and acoustic-oriented for the most part, with some
flute, piano and folky percussion, plus banjo and
jew’s-harp for ‘The Lord Will Be My Snowtires’, a
novelty bluegrass side-trip. Mostly originals plus a
couple Martin Bell songs. Includes a lovely minor-key
track "Help O Lord" that’s accompanied by flute and
what sounds like a hammer dulcimer. Closes with the
Narnia-inspired ‘Further Up’. Best cover art seen in
years. Essential Jesus music classic. [KS]
"Where The Songs Come From" 1978 (no label 8064N2) [insert]
Top-rate second custom LP of gentle folkrock tunes,

mostly originals. Pretty simple sound, but it’s the
catchy melodies, creativity, beautiful arrangements
(including some nice flute, mandolin, violin) and the
overall atmosphere of charm and radiant joy that
makes this one of my all-time favorites. The acoustic
flute-backed folk rock opener "Here’s My Family" and
the closing "A Wind In The Door" (which builds to a
lively electric conclusion) are some of the most
exuberant moving pieces of Jesus music to my
remembrance. "Listen To The Singer" is an equally
touching acoustic ballad, as are "Morning Song" and
the delicate violin-backed "Friends & Lovers". "I
Want To Be" supplies a folksy fiddle/banjo number,
while "Try To Run" boogies along with piano and
electric guitar. "Run To California" introduces some
steel guitar for its peaceful-easy-feeling country
mood. Also includes covers of Suzanne Toolan and Noel
Stookey’s. It’s albums like this that make this whole
record collecting thing worthwhile. Attractive cover
art by member Susan Goldberg. [KS]
RISING STORM (Andover, MA)
"Calm Before" 1967 (Remnant 3571) [500p]

"Calm Before" 1984 (Eva 12012, France) [bootleg; altered
cover]
"Calm Before" 1992 (Stanton Park 001)
"Calm Before / Alive Again" 1992 (CD Arf Arf 034) [2-on-1]
Very good beat/garage LP of course, although its

hallowed standing (due to it being an early collector
discovery) may puzzle recent arrivals to the scene.
One might have wished for even more originals and
fewer cover versions, especially as the covers are OK
but unexceptional, while the five originals range
from good to killer. "Frozen Laughter" is an all-time
spooky psych-flavored fave with lines stolen from T S
Eliot, while "She loved me" is terrific rich kid
garage. Local MA heroes the Rockin' Ramrods are paid
tribute to with two obscure covers. The Storm's 1983
LP "Alive Again At Andover" is above average for
reunions, with a nice cheesy garage vibe intact, in
addition to the overall oddity of the concept. The
Arf Arf CD contains all of the reunion except for one
track. There's also been some related releases in
recent years. [PL]
RISING SUN (Toronto, Canada)
"Born To Be Wild" 1969 (Birchmount 515)

"Born To Be Wild" 2004 (CD Radioactive 092, UK)
Exploito fuzz and pop rock covers mixed with several

originals, which is the main reason for this album's
relative desirability. Side one is more garage, while
side 2 brings in some horns for that special Blood
Sweat & Tears touch.
RIST ROCKET (CA)
"Rist Rocket" 1978 (Sun West 2506)
Guitar rock and AOR from goofy-looking Southern

California club band. Not an expensive LP.
RITTENHOUSE SQUARE (NC)

"Rittenhouse Square" 1972 (R2 no #) [paper sleeve with
photo]
"Rittenhouse Square" 1972 (R2 no #) [plain sleeve]
This album is the holy grail to some power pop

collectors, as the band contained Mitch Easter, Chris
Stamey and Peter Holsapple, all of whom because major
cult artists in the genre in the 80s. They'll be
horribly disappointed by what they find, though, as
there's no evidence of the kind of melodicism these
guys would eventually show, or even the weird pop
sensibility of the terrific 1976 EP by the
Stamey/Easter band Sneakers. It's plain old rock and
roll, with a slightly hard edge and a lot of lead
guitar. The singing not only isn't full of harmonies,
but it's not especially good. If fans of Stamey and
Easter would hear this album they'd never in a
million years guess who's singing. The album is
unlikely to ever be reissued, as Easter is
embarrassed by it. Frankly, I can see why, not so
much for the music, which is crude but inoffensive,
but for the ridiculous childish lyrics. These guys
were in their late teens when they made this, but the
intellectual level of these songs is far younger than
that. You just won't believe "The Hots," which is the
kind of "we're in the music business for the sex"
song that makes David Lee Roth look intelligent and
compassionate. Fans of low-fi post-garage rock will
enjoy this a lot more than fans of Let's Active or
the dB's. Still, it's pretty lame, no matter how you
classify it. All copies are rare, the ones with the
photo sleeve most of all. [AM]
RITUAL ALL see Alan Sondheim
RIVERSON (Canada)
"Riverson" 1973 (Columbia CS 90136)
Of all the zillions of CSNY-inspired westcoast hippie

rock LPs from the early 1970s, this is one of the
very best. Another feather in the cap for the great
Columbia Canada office, with an excellent production
bringing out the max from these talented longhairs.
Clearly out of a "Deja Vu" corner (minus the sugary
Nash crap, naturally), the songwriting here is very
good, grabbing your attention without being overly
commercial, while the band lays down a groove that is
both relaxed and tight. You can hear early AOR moves
creeping into the hippie stylings, and much like on
Homer this is not a disadvantage but helps broaden
the album's impact. Female vocalist Franki Hart of
Freedom North handles a few tracks, but is given
solid competition by the male vocalists who sing just
as well. Soaring, lyrical guitar leads recur
throughout the LP, and there are some vague prog
moves with flute on one track. Clocking in at 42
minutes, this could have omitted 1-2 tracks, and
it's a testament to Riverson's strength that the
playtime seems warranted. Recommended to anyone with
an ear for top-level, upscale 70s westcoast sounds.
[PL]
ROAD OF LIFE (Chicago, IL)
"Newborn" 1974 (no label)
Christian folk quintet with female vocal harmonies,

acoustic guitars and standup bass.
ROBBIE THE WEREWOLF (Los Angeles, CA)
"Live At The Waleback" 1964 (no label)
Live jawdropper bohemian folk comic "real person"

with monster concept. Strummed guitar lunatic tunes
about Frankenstein, the joys of werewolfdom, and
Count Dracula. A cover to die for with serial photos
of lycanthropic transformation. [RM]
---
Remarkable early private press LP that manages to be
a folk LP and a parody of a folk LP at the same time.
Half of it is monster-fan piss-takes on standards
such as "Tom Dooley", "Tip toe through the tulips",
other half is Robbie originals of varying quality,
hitting an unforgettable apex with the echo-laden
Count Dracula track, which warns us to "...watch out
for those vampires, some of them are QUEER". Also
daring for the time marijuana and sex jokes, and a
general bohemian counterculture feel to it all. Some
of his in-between song jokes aren't all that funny,
but the Santa Monica crowd had had enough red wine &
weed to cheer and laugh at pretty much everything,
creating a nice vibe. Unique artefact, made even more
compelling by the fact that this guy later turned up
in big time band Clear Light. [PL]
ROBERT E LEE BRIGADE (Canada)
"Robert E Lee Brigade" 1970 (Columbia ELS 370)
Organ/guitar folkrock and blues from up north, one of

the lesser known titles on the renowned Columbia
Canada label.
V.A "ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON 1978-79" (New York City, NY)
"Record Of The Year" 1979 (no label)
Heavy rock covers and femme folk from NYC prep school
for "underachievers".
DON ROBERTSON ( )
"Dawn" 1969 (Limelight 86067) [wlp exists]

"Dawn" 2003 (Akarma 240, Italy)
"Dawn" 2003 (CD Akarma 240, Italy )
Eclectic, improvised Eastern trip from classically

trained pianist. Harp, celeste and ethnic
instruments, spoken segments, released on the same
Mercury subsidiary as 50 Foot Hose. Beautiful
psychedelic cover.
CHRIS ROBISON (NY)
"And His Many Hand Band" 1973 (Gypsy Frog)
This early openly gay rocker put out this truly solo
LP, playing all of the instruments and doing all of
the vocals himself. The result is unique and
wonderful. His tales of down and dirty NYC street
life (characters include hustlers and runaways) are
alternately sad and funny, always emotionally
powerful. The music ranges from straight rock to folk
to funky hippie weirdness, only going astray with the
silly good-timey “Looking For A Boy Tonight.” “Doctor
Doctor” (about psychoanalysis that attempts to “cure”
homosexuality) and the heartbreaking “Italian Boy”
are masterpieces. At times, Robison bites off a bit
more than he can chew musically, and this long album
could maybe have been trimmed a bit, but it’s still
very, very good, and he has a marvelous range of
vocal styles. It’s surprising that Robison remains so
unknown. [AM]
"Manchild" 1974 (Gypsy Frog 61974)
This album is every bit as diverse as MANY HAND BAND

but is arranged differently. Side one is a mishmash
of Stonesy rockers, novelty numbers and funk, while
side two is a much more consistent and coherent batch
of folk and folk-rock songs. The novelty songs here
range from amusing and clever to overlong and dull,
the rockers are ace, and the folky songs are even
better. The lengthy “Only The Night” is a true marvel
of 70s psychedelic folk, and a few of the shorter
songs on side two are almost as good. The lyrics
don’t have as many blatant references to
homosexuality as those on MANY HAND BAND, but if you
pay attention, the subject is there. “Soap Opera Day”
would later be redone by Robison’s late-70s power pop
band Stumblebunny. Overall, this isn’t quite as solid
as the first album but it has enough greatness,
including one entirely solid side, that it’s still
highly recommended. [AM]
ROCKADROME (Canada)
"Royal American 20th Century Blues" 1968 (Sound Canada sc-

7701) [color cover]
"Royal American 20th Century Blues" 199 (no label) [b & w
cover; 430p]
"Royal American 20th Century Blues" 2002 (Shadoks, Germany)
[+bonus 45]
UK-influenced beat/folkrock/psych with some good

guitar and an odd, goofy "magic banjo" concept
running through. Not really a worthwhile LP to my
ears, songwriting is a bit lame and the band has no
real edge. To my ears it sounds like one of those
budget psych LP on the UK Saga label. One extended
track with good guitar leads is worth checking out
for a sample. [PL]
---
see -> Hyde
PALMER ROCKEY (Dallas, TX)
"Scarlet Love" 1979 (AB-Rock Music PR-1-LP)

"Scarlet Love" 1980 (AB-Rock Music PR-2-LP)
"Rockey's Style" 1981 (AB-Rock Music PRR-2-LP)
Unbelievable lounge lizard "real people" con-man LP

that defies description and has an amazing background
story that needs to be known for full appreciation.
The music varies from stale loungabilly to shakey-
voiced croonerisms into generic session musician
"rock". I personally prefer the 1979 version on
strength of the two unique and excellent C-grade
Elvis-impersonator tracks. Fortunately the classic
occult Holiday Inn "Scarlet Warning" track can be
found on all three pressings. Let Palmer bring the
smell of hair tonic and the sound of low-rent
dishonesty into the privacy of your own hi-fi room.
You will not regret it. [PL]
~~~
Pressing details are as follows. The first version
comes in a "1980" copyright PR-2-LP sleeve. The label
has different fonts. Includes two tracks that are not
on the other two pressings: "Lonesome Tonight" and
"Sunday Love". These are replaced with "Love, Love
Rock" and "Love Is Deep Inside", as indicated on the
PR-2 cover. Most other tracks features alternate
mixes. Presumably Rock never got around to printing
covers for the 1979 pressing, and later put them in
1980 covers. The second version has the same tracks
and mixes as the 1981 pressing, except the first song
is titled "Scarlet Love". Sleeve has different prints
of the photos. They are smaller but clearer than on
the others. Same font used on the titles on the
labels as on the first version, but different font
used on the songs. The re-titled third version has
the same tracks and mixes as the 1980 pressing,
except the first song is titled "Rockey's Style".
Different album title and fonts used on the labels
than for the previous versions. The sleeve looks like
the 1980 version, except it doesn't say "Scarlet
Love" on the back cover in the upper right corner. He
apparently decided to change the name of the
movie/soundtrack.
ROCK ISLAND ( )
"Rock Island" 1970 (Project 3 pr-4005) [wlp exists]
It's surprising to find a hard rock band on Project

3, but here they are. The record is a mix of
psychedelic rockers, pure hard rock, heavy harmony-
rich rural rock and hard blues. They're not smart
(their attempt at a meaningful lyric:" "life is hard
and never easy"), and at times they seem a little too
studied for their own good, but this album is pretty
good from start to finish. Even the obligatory 10
minute blues workout isn't bad. It's kind of a less
heavy variation on the Euclid album. [AM]
~~~
see -> Rain
ROCK SHOP (Los Angeles, CA)

"Mr Lee's Swing'n Affair" 1969 (Lee-Mo 1)
"Rock Shop" (CD Radioactive 080, UK)
Oddball release from moderately successful LA

hairdresser/beauty parlor manager, giving the term
"vanity project" a new dimension. Actually, the
remarkable Mr Lee doesn't perform on the LP,
relegating that task to a group of teen-club
stalwarts he'd found somewhere. The LP could be
viewed as a "1-killer-track" type deal, this being
the opening fuzz-psycher "Soap suds & creme" (!)
which is a quite successful take on the
Butterfly/Steppenwolf bag, with a long killer guitar
break. The rest of the LP (all originals) is more
teenbeat-sounding and what you might expect from a
3rd tier Sunset Strip band. Although light fare I
must admit a couple of them have good, memorable
hooks, and excellent fuzz leads keep recurring. For
some reason I'm reminded a bit of Brain Police,
although this is a more modest outing. Apart from the
opener this is ultimately a completist artefact a la
the Tormentors, albeit with some unusual angles.
Sleeve notes have an enthusiastic endorsement from Mr
Lee's wife, Monique. [PL]
---
The band played mainly at Mr Lee's Covina nightclub,
where the bulk of the LP pressing was sold. There
were also some lounge gigs in Santa Cruz. The band
existed roughly a year. Ex-member Alan Clark has a
website with more info and images, such as the ad
above.
RODAN (CA)
"Rodan" 1974 (Pandora no #) [200p]
Pretty good LP ranging from prog with ripping guitar

to horn-laden ballsy funk. The vocals are pretty out
there. It appears that this band had roots with the
Elastik Band of "Spazz" infamy!
ROGER RODIER (Canada)
"Upon Velveatur" 1972 (Columbia 90095) [booklet]

"Upon Velveatur" 2005 (CD Sunbeam, UK) [+bonus tracks]
This French-Canadian singer/songwriter (who sings in

English) has often been compared to Nick Drake, and
the folky style with creepy orchestration does
somewhat resemble Drake, though there’s nowhere near
the same level of loneliness and despair here. A few
songs have some effective fuzz guitar, though mostly
it’s fragile folk-rock of the highest order. It’s got
the same kind of wonderful dreamy feel of the well-
known orchestrated 60s Capitol psych monsters, though
through the mouth and mind of a gentle, wistful soul.
This is really an excellent album, one of the finest
acid folk items, and certainly a record that deserves
more attention. Original copies came with an 18-page
lyric booklet. [AM]
---
Major label soft folk/pop with a very appealing
surface, well-written and skillfully arranged. The
moody folk tracks are excellent but only make up a
minority of the album, which also goes into more
ambitious domains with a European cabaret vibe a la
Bowie, and some truly gentle musings that are too
close to sugary 1970s soft rock for my tastes. The
Nick Drake comparisons are indeed inaccurate, and I
would expect this to appeal mainly to fans of soft
femme vocal folkpop a la Margo Guryan. There is a
certain kinship to the "Chris Lucey" LP as well. "My
spirit's calling" is the standout track to me. [PL]
RODS (NY)
"Rock Hard" 1980 (Primal p-1001) [1000p]
Rare hardrock/metal trio housed in a funny period

cover; highly rated among genre fans.
ROGER & WENDY ( )
"Roger & Wendy" 1972 (Horny 71RW1) [handmade covers]
Pre-Bermuda Triangle Christian folkrock rated highly

by some, with Dylan and Beatles covers and a few
group originals. It appears to have been a very small
pressing aimed at friends and family, which is
further indicated by the hand-drawn covers with
personalized greetings from the couple.
---
see -> Bermuda Triangle
ROHRBACKER, HENDREN & KINGEN (OR)
"Rohrbacker, Hendren & Kingen" 1975 (RA 2176 LPS)
Exceptionally talented Oregon trio that blends the

jangly energetic folkrock guitars and gentle close-
knit harmonies of The Byrds with FM country rock,
bluesy classic rock jamming and flowing summery CSN-
ish soft rock sounds. Instrumental lineup is the same
throughout with the dual electric guitars of Bob
Rohrbacker and Bob Hendren vibrantly resounding on
every track, including some superb lead work from Mr.
Hendren. Mark Kingen handles bass while a couple
friends alternate at drums. The opening salvo of
"Look Towards Tomorrow", "You’re In My Life" and
"Near To Me Now" is especially strong. An obvious
professionalism and “true rockers” mentality at work
here making this outing a quantum leap above most
homegrown Christian projects. A virtually unheard of
500-press mega-rarity. Phenomenal! [KS]
RON & SHIRLEY (NJ)
"Rock And Scroll" (C & C 101277) [lyric insert; promo flier]
This is an excellent 70s Christian rock album that

really doesn’t sound like any other Christian record.
It’s mainstream 70s rock, but with diverse
songwriting and arrangements, and just a few prog
moves. Sax and synthesizer are very well integrated
into the sound, and little bits of heavy guitar add
some exciting moments. Unlike a lot of other
Christian records, the message is relatively subtle
and unobtrusive, and the vocals, while unexceptional,
have rock strength rather than gospel prettiness.
Pure psych fans are often disappointed by this album,
but that’s because the “psych” hype is misleading.
The low budget production adds a garage-like strength
to the loud guitar parts, but otherwise this is just
plain old rock and roll. (There are a few cool spacy
moments, especially on the great album closer “Bad
Love Is A Demon.”) Occasionally their chops aren’t up
to their ambitions, but this is a solid listen, with
maybe one or two weak songs, and with the longest
songs being the best. I love the cheap paste-on cover
(which always ends up bubbling) and the cheesy drawn
insert than makes then look more like a Tony Orlando
cover band than a rock band. [AM]
---
How can you avoid buying an album with liner notes
that read "The time has come to probe into the soul &
spirit of human kind & caress a new experience in
sound. A sound that is as ageless as the universe!" ?
Ah, human bliss is at hand. First off, I can't say I
know much about this duo. Apparently from New Jersey
(their album was recorded at C&C Studios in Glassboro
NJ and released by the small Jersey-based C&C label),
Ron and Shirley are singers/guitarists Ron Russo and
Shirley Bristle. Co-produced by Russo and Ed
Candelora, their sole release, 1977's "Rock and
Scroll" offered up an interesting blend of Christian
themes and rock instrumentation. Certainly a turnoff
to many rock fans, the duo's religious agenda was out
front and center on material such as 'Sealer Healer',
'Christian Man' and 'Troubled Sea'. That said, with
backing from the trio Universe (drummer Jay Baccile,
guitarist Tom Boyer and bassist Jack Deluca), Russo
and Bristle packaged all nine original tracks in
surprisingly mainstream and attractive rock
arrangements. The proceedings were certainly helped
by the presence of guitarist Boyer's first-rate
playing and the fact Russo had an attractive voice
(Shirley's obtrusive and occasionally shrill
supporting vocals took a little getting use to -
check out her performances on 'Jude' and
'Comforter'). Interestingly, we've seen the LP turn
up on a number of big dollar psych sales lists. While
the closing number 'Bad Love Is a Demon' boasted a
distinctive psych edge (complete with weird time
signature and oddball sound effects), it's an
exception. The majority of the set, including
selections such as 'Soul Winner' and 'Love Is Real'
sport a more mainstream rock sound. Certainly not for
everyone, but if you can live with the religious
overtones, the LP's a pleasant surprise and something
we play with surprising regularity. [SB]
RONNIE & THE POMONA CASUALS (Pomona, CA)
"Everybody Jerk" 1965 (Donna do-2112)
Excellent East LA interracial teen group doing

uptempo soul rock proto garage ravers. Fine vocals
similar to the best Justice label LPs. Features three
'jerk' songs. It appears that Arthur Lee was involved
with some tracks, and even sings.
V.A "ROOF GARDEN JAMBOREE" (MN/IA)
"Roof Garden Jamboree" 1967 (IGL 103)
One of many local Midwest albums from the pre-hippie

period. This various artist sampler contains a non-LP
track by the Trashmen, Steve Ellis & the Starfires,
Chateaux, Mad Hatters, South 40, Underbeats, and
others. Iowa and Minnesota groups are featured. A
couple of the tracks appear on the "IGL Rock Story
vol 2" CD, but most have never been reissued.
ROOTS OF MADNESS (San José, CA)
"Girl In The Chair" 1971 (Dogmouth 1001)

"Girl In The Chair" 2005 (DeStijl 045)
Experimental weirdness that has been compared to the

early Residents, but is perhaps more avant/collage
and less "rock".
JOE ROSANOVA & THE VINEYARD (TN)
"In Dedication To The Ones We Love" 1968 (Astro Sonic

Productions 4000)
Given that it was distributed by Starday Records

(known as a pay and press label), this appears to
have been a vanity project. The opener leaves you
with the impression this is going to be a Christian
rock outing. Thankfully that's a red herring with
most of the album bouncing between accomplished pop
("Vicki" and "Now That I've Lost You"), more rock-
oriented numbers ("Mother's Brother's") and an odd
nod at psych with the killer "Dreams of You", which
is alone worth the admission price). As lead singer
Fiori was quite good, particularly when he toughened
up his delivery ("In Every Way"), where his growl
recalled Rare Earth's singer. To be honest, had the
set been a little more focused with a couple more
psych and rock numbers, this'd be a major and high-
priced item. Band originals all through. [SB]
---
“Dreams Of You” is a bonafide psych classic, mixing
overwhelming, spooky organ, dreamy vocals, hot fuzz
guitar, a haunting melody and powerful sound effects.
General consensus among collectors is that this album
is worth owning only for that one song, but I think
there’s plenty more to like here, from the bouncy
organ on the soulful “Lord, What’s Your Plan” to the
catchy upbeat “In Every Way” to the slightly heavy
“Since You’ve Been Away.” It is a spotty mix of
styles, with about half of the songs being innocuous
soft pop, but even the wimpiest songs here are pretty
tuneful and have interesting arrangements. In Dave
Clark Five fashion, the band is named after the
drummer. Oh, and just the kind of thing to infuriate
collectors: pretty much every copy of this album,
even ones that look mint, play a bit noisy on just
one track. Guess which song it is... [AM]
---
While looking for an image of the LP, we stumbled on
this little item from a former Vineyard bass player
(I'll leave the person's name off of the quote): "Joe
Rosanova - that dirtbag - still owes me one year's
withholding tax which he withheld - PERMANENTLY. He
was a real trip. He had polio as a child and it left
him somewhat crippled although you really couldn't
tell. He was the band leader and also the drummer.
When he would have a bad day and his legs hurt he
would yell furiously at the bass player. And then
there was his gun..."
ROSEWOOD ( )
"Rosewood" 197 (Martin Recordings PRP-29312)
Early 1970s folkrock private in a Tim Hardin

direction.
JOHN ROSPLOCK ( )
"John Rosplock" 1974 (Johnny Dollar JD 101)
Melodic folkrock/singer-songwriter LP, rated highly

by some.
ROUNDHOUSE (Wisconsin Dells, WI)
"Handle With Care" 1976 (Claremont Records)
This transitional hard rock album has AOR and prog

(some mellotron) tendencies, but veers toward power
pop too, and most of the songs are unfashionably
fast. The riffs are somewhat pedestrian and the
guitar playing pretty conventional, but the vocals
are good and their heart was definitely in it. The
album has 10 songs, unusual for a post-1968, pre-punk
hard rock record. An obvious Beatles influence is a
plus. This is a refreshing change from all of the
dumb heavy albums of its era, but it’s not inspired
or well-written enough to actually break new ground.
More of a case of potential than actual quality, but
not bad. [AM]
ROUSERS (IA)
"In Concert" 1965 (Fredlo 6520)

Local pre-Invasion teen-beat on famous Midwest label
in primitive cover.
ROXX (MN)
"Get Your Rocks Off" 1976 (Sit On It And Spin)
Crude boozy barband hardrock with keyboard/guitar

prog moves.
ROYALAIRES ( )
"Live vol 1" 1966 (RPC 76532)
Rare teenbeat LP on famed custom label.
R P M (NY)
"R P M" 1972 (Freeflow)
Seldom seen private press of keyboard/guitar flowing

progressive rock. It seems the band included Chris
Robison, who had two solo LPs out (see entry).
R P S ( )
"R P S" 1976 (Mars)
Midwest hardrock trio with a James Gang barband

sound.
RUBBER MEMORY (LA)
"Welcome" 1970 (RPC 69402) [300p]

"Welcome" 2000 (Loopden 002) [inserts]
Post-Iron Butterfly organ-lead basement psychrock

with a teenage vibe, pretty cool for what it is with
mostly originals and one doomy killer track on side
1. Side 2 is a bit on the weak side and has an inept
drum solo. An insert with the classy reissue reveals
that they still held Battle Of The Bands in Louisiana
at this late stage. [PL]
ROGER RUBIN & ROTFREE ANDERSON (Atlanta, GA)
"Atlanta Underground - Freek Music" 1971 (Purple Haze 1-71)
Georgia acid strum damage realness. Like the British

icon Ron Warren Ganderton. Tracks include "Redneck
woman" and "Masters of society, while side 2 is
dominated by a folk-freakout titled "Hallucinate".
BECKIE RYAN (San Francisco, CA)
"Beckie Ryan" 1977 (Blossom 101)
This latter day hippie folk album is a hot ticket

item in Japan. Like a lot of albums championed there,
it’s gentle with beautiful vocals and clear
songwriting. It’s quite good for its type and is
recommended to fans of singer songwriter folk, but
it’s too straightforward and lacking in excitement to
turn the heads of loner folk or acid folk fans.
Producer David Blossom is likely the guy from 50 Foot
Hose. On the back cover photo Becky rivals Caroline
Peyton, from her "Intuition" cover photos, for cutest
70s hippie. [AM]
COLLIE RYAN (Santa Barbara, CA)
"The Giving Tree" 1973 (Rainbow CRGMC-1) [500p]
"Indian Summer" 1973 (Rainbow CRGMC-2) [500p]
"Takin’ Your Turn ‘Round the Corner of Day” 1973 (Rainbow

CRGMC-3) [500p]
Ryan's three LPs contain acoustic folk with female

vocals and an appealing moody, mysterious
(Theosophian) edge that scares off the trad spectre
and invites the psychedelic spirits, although they do
not quite enter the room. Ms Ryan has a good voice, a
bit like Alisha of Magic Carpet, and writes songs
with memorable melodies and minor chord progressions.
The more upbeat and sing-songy tracks are slightly
less successful. The albums were only sold locally at
the "New Age Farms" fresh squeezed juice store. All
three have full color covers painted by Ryan herself
and make for an appealing trinity in the popular Judy
Collins style, even while they're not the
"mindblowing femme acid folkpsych" you may see them
listed as. The third one may be the strongest
overall, and is a good one to start with, although
they're all quite similar. CRGMC stands for the
Colorado River Gold Mining Company. [PL]
DENNIS RYDER ( )
"Let Me Take You To The Kingdom" 1973 (Hosanna 72873)
Top of the heap for Christian folk. Ryder is a

marvelous songwriter, and his enthusiasm for his
faith is utterly infectious without being at all
annoying. He simply shares, doesn’t proselytize. His
vocals and melodies are brilliant, and the mild folk-
rock arrangements show them off beautifully. By the
time of the gorgeous Beatlesque “Make It Right” even
I’m ready to convert. Just a fantastic record. Two
cover variants exist; one a landscape drawing, the
other a portrait. [AM]
---
Obviously inspired by the crystal clear folk sound of
"Scarborough Fair", "Sounds Of Silence" etc, Dennis
Ryder brings the liturgical Simon & Garfunkel vocal
harmony trip full circle as he charges it with
religious themes in the typical born-again Jesus
movement style. The tracks with a full folkrock sound
show an obvious CSN influence, and it's a testament
to this album's strength and self-confidence that
Ryder comes out with a consistent, personal statement
despite these two commanding presences. Occasionally
he strays into the bland, frictionless feel-good
1970s praise heard on albums such as Chenaniah and
Harvest Flight, but the spellbinding nature of the
best tracks is what leaves a lasting impression. The
recording is impressive with attractive guitar
figures and multilayered vocals forming the base for
overdubs of flute, organ and in some cases, drums and
bass. Psychedelia creeps in via unexpected Eastern
chord progressions and gliding, dreamy vocals, and on
a track such as "Sound The Alarm" the otherworldly
psych feel completely overtakes the religious feel in
a way similar to Search Party and Trees-Christ Tree.
Would make a good double bill with R.F.D, with this
being the stronger and more distinctive of the two.
[PL]
JOHN RYDGREN (CO)
"Cantata Of A New Life" 1967 (Sirl) [gatefold]
Created for the 450th anniversary of the Lutheran

Church, side 1 of this LP is an extraordinary
psychedelic Christian cantata which is possibly
Rydgren's crowning achievement. In cooperation with
composer Robert Way, a 25 minute eclectic musical
mass mixes superbly with Rydgren's raps on the
existential confusion of youth in modern society, and
how Christianity possibly holds the key. As with all
his recordings, the questions are asked in such a
mindbendingly cool way that the answers sort of get
lost in the haze, which is part of the strongly
psychedelic nature of this material. The music ranges
from modernist classical over exotica to contemporary
"rock", and is as impressive as Rydgren's dramatic
narration. As good it gets within the Christian
Incredibly Strange field. Side 2 contains variations
on his "Silhouette" radio spots. An oversize poster
of the acid collage gatefold cover was created to
promote the LP. [PL]
"Worlds Of Youth" 1968 (Concordia 79-9066)
One of Rydgren's rarest albums, this contains a

series of two-person dialogues, pairing Rydgren &
associate Herbert Brokering with a hip teen girl and
a goofy teen boy. Typical period surf a-go-go and
fuzz psych plays in the background, as the turned-on
Christian brainwashing plays out. There's also a
unique track of Rydgren singing. This is a locked-
groove disc, which means that you have to move the
needle forward to get to each new track.
"Silhouette" 196 (Lutheran)
This is a single-disc radio program that should not

be confused with the 2-LP "Silhouette Segments". Each
side of the record is a single track, each
approximately one half hour in length. This appears
to be an actual broadcast of the Silhouette program,
described as “a sound in the middle of sounds” and “a
chance to think”. The record strings together songs
from popular artists of the day (The Supremes, Lou
Rawls, Buffalo Springfield, The Hollies, Simon &
Garfunkel), but many of the selections are from
obscure unknown artists (such as Japan’s The
Peanuts). Rydgren speaks between the songs,
interviewing Seattle co-eds, London teens, hit
songwriters and authors on topics such as the church,
Christianity, witnessing, petting, guilt, God and
whether the Christian approach to sex makes any sense
“in today’s go-go world”. There are a few brief
sketches of the Silhouette Segments variety,
including one killer tripped-out dramatic spoken
prayer that melds into a psych track by The Animals
called "When I Was Young". Worth it just to hear that
ultra-groovy Silhouette jingle that pops up here and
there. Front cover has the same picture of the mini-
skirted girl that’s on the back of Segments, plus
there’s a different b&w shot of her inside. Don’t
know if this is the only album in the series or if
there might be others? A marvelous snapshot of late-
‘60s hip radio. [KS]
"Silhouette Segments" 1969 (American Lutheran Church 8-8531)

[2LPs; gatefold]
"Silhouette Segments" 199 (Mystic) [no gatefold]
The most famous album from Christian radio DJ with an

atmospheric, gravelly voice a la Ken Nordine rapping
and doing spoken word designed to pull kids away from
hippie drugs and into the even hipper Jesus trip. In
line with Rydgren's radio show (first aired on WABC,
then syndicated around the US), this 2LP set contains
musical snips from various sources, some of it famous
psych tracks, and also interviews with kids and
celebrities explaining the dilemma of late 60s "now"
lifestyles. "My head's torn up in the world of the
plastic mushroom". Rydgren's superb turned-on
monologues is what really carries this into the
upmost echelon of Weird America, though. Drugs are
frequently mentioned and needless to say this is a
smorgasbord for samples. Most people are hopefully
familiar with this wonderama by now. The reissue is a
single-LP condensation of highpoints from the double
LP. [PL]

SABRAS see Bezalel & the Sabras
SACRED MUSHROOM (Cincinnati, OH)
"Sacred Mushroom" 1969 (Parallax 4001)

"Sacred Mushroom" 198 (Parallax, Europe) [bootleg; yellow
vinyl]
"Sacred Mushroom" 1993 (CD Eva b-30, France)
"Sacred Mushroom" 2001 (CD)
I occasionally see this on high priced psych lists,

coupled with the usual dealer BS descriptions of
"radical, mind numbing psych", etc. You probably
won't be shocked to hear that most of the album isn't
particularly psychedelic. In spite of the trippy name
and great psychedelic cover art, the majority of the
album found the band pursuing a fairly pedestrian
blues attack. Unfortunately, overlooking a nifty
cover of The Kinks' "I'm Not Like Everybody
Else" (which stood as the album's highlight), none of
the set's white-boys-singing-the-blues efforts were
particularly original. Competent and professional,
the isolated bits of excitement were largely a result
of excellent guitar work. There was also a pre-LP 45,
and an original Mexican pressing of the LP on Audio
Fidelity. The 2001 CD is a reissue from the band
themselves. [SB]
~~~
This one's collectable more for the album cover and
band name than for the music within. They're
definitely hippies, but this is mostly straight
blues, and not a particularly interesting example of
it. Cool communal photo on the back cover, though.
[AM]
SADDHU BRAND (San Francisco, CA)
"Whole Earth Rhythm" 1970 (Anna Chakraborty's Musical Sewing

Machine 101)
Cosmic communal sitar folk and psych, with female

vocals, chanting in English and Hindu, lots of ethnic
instruments. An early example of a genre that would
become common during the 1970s, not overwhelmingly
interesting to my ears and curiously lacking the
spiritual charge that can make these albums
memorable. With Peter Van Gelder (ex-Great Society)
after a long trip to India. The LP was picked up by
UNI (73116) and re-released in 1971 with a new and
less blatantly druggy cover. The UNI press is a good
way to check out the LP cheap.
SAGE (FL)
"By Sage" 1977 (Illusion CM2004)

"By Sage" 2004 (CD Radioactive 081, UK)
Typical local mid-1970s Allman Bros/Dead rural

groover, with a laidback mood and snakey guitar
leads. Hard to find anything that makes it stand out
within this rather common style, although the overall
consistency of mood and playing makes it a good proxy
for the genre. Vocals are OK, with some westcoast
harmonies here and there, while the smooth flow of
the playing is a bit like Kristyl (esp on "Morning
Dove"), except a bit more swampy and not as
spellbinding. Recording has an agreeable basement
live feel, and it could be argued that these guys
have everything in place to make a killer LP, except
the songwriting, which relies too much on lines
repeated like mantras and a lack of hooks and
memorable chord progressions. Instead it becomes a
working snapshot of the sound going round among 1000s
of local club & bar bands in the American heartland
at the time. Slightly stoned but not very
psychedelic, except for the front cover acid drawing
of a weird old sage with gigantic sheep eyes. [PL]
~~~
This is average Southern-style rock with innocuous
love-song lyrics. Some of the guitar playing is
pretty cool, and the performances are fine, but until
the very last song, the lovely "Morning Dove" (sic),
this is unexceptional in every way. The LP sounds
like a third-generation recording, the most faded-
sounding album you'll ever hear. I know tax scam
labels are low-budget, but this must have been
mastered from the band's cassette recording of their
studio sessions. The first song on side two starts
part-way through the actual recording. The vinyl is
pretty noisy too, and the album is only 28 and a half
minutes long. Cool album cover considering the
circumstances. [AM]
"Rock It Out" 1978 (Illusion)
"Shadows Of The Night" 1978 (lllusion 1050)
"Freeport" 1978 (Illusion)
"Rockin'" 1978 (Illusion)
"Skyscraper" 1978 (Illusion)

As you can see, something weird was going on with
this band and label. In his "release anything I can
get my hands on" frenzy, Mike Pinera put out not less
than six albums by Sage on his Illusion label,
probably as a tax-scam. Too bad he couldn't find some
lost recordings of his ex-bandmate April Lawson.
These other five Sage LPs have been described as
similar in style to "By Sage", although they tend to
be seldom seen. "Rock It Out" has a photo of the
band.
SAGE (OK)
"Sage" 197 (McCullar Sound no #)
Good, laidback 1970s rock with some psychy

guitarwork. The band recorded an LP under the name
Lyra in 1979, also reputedly of interest.
SAGE & SEER (CO)
"Sage & Seer" 1969 (Stylist SA-600) [insert]
Unusual item for a private press as it's an ambitious

and elaborate lyte-psych effort that would have fit
well on Epic or ABC. Influences are mainly British
with obvious nods to 1967 Donovan and the Beatles.
Arrangements bring in chamber music orchestrations
and a baroque feel that has made for Left Banke
comparisons, although I was more reminded of a
second-tier Fredric. Unfortunately the slight
weakness of the vocals is enhanced by an upfront and
strongly channel-separated mix, something that would
have been better handled with the major label
treatment originally intended for the guys.
Songwriting is good, and the lyrics typically
poignant. One track has unsuccessful soul moves like
Colorado colleagues Rainy Daze, rest is true to the
clever pop genre credo. The experience of hearing a
typical $10.000 LA album done as a local release is
interesting enough to make this worth checking out,
in addition to 3 or 4 memorable tracks. [PL]
~~~
Cool album cover and lots of dealer hype make this
one easy to mistake for a lost pop/psych masterpiece.
In reality, though, it's a mainstream 60s pop album
with lots of strings and horns (where'd these guys
ever get such a big recording budget?). It starts and
ends well: "Pictures Through A Sunday Afternoon" is a
gorgeous baroque pop song that ends in a wash of
psychedelic effects, and the closing "Farewell St.
John" is a slightly lesser variation on the same
musical theme. The rest is kind of a mixed bag, with
a few nice soft rock songs and a few that are more
forgettable. The album came with a lovely lyric
poster. [AM]
SAGITTARIUS (Los Angeles, CA)
"Present Tense" 1968 (Columbia cs-9644)

"Present Tense" 1985 (Back-Trac)
"Present Tense" 1997 (CD Sundazed 10053) [+9 tracks]
"Present Tense" 2004 (CD Sony, Japan)
This is one of the most beloved soft psych albums of

the 60s, and it certainly has moments that show Curt
Boettcher to have an extraordinary gift for a catchy
melody. The album is kind of hit and miss, though,
and commits the unpardonable sin of including an
edited version of the masterpiece “My World Fell
Down.” Unsuspecting 70s collectors who bought the
album after hearing the song on the "Nuggets"
compilation were understandably disappointed.
Certainly this is worth owning, as there are about
half a dozen wonderful pop tunes on it, but it feels
more like an exploitation album than a coherent
whole. [AM]
“The Blue Marble” 1969 (Together 1002)
The second Sagittarius seems like a more coherent

attempt at an “album” than the first, with a more
consistent melodic feel and some quite surprising use
of moog (an instrument still in its infant stages in
rock and roll.) It’s completely lightweight, always
pretty but rarely a whole lot more than that. You’ll
either love or hate the synths, though I can’t
imagine even the most jaded hard rock junkie not
appreciating the beauty of the voices. The high
points aren’t as high as those on "Present Tense",
but this is an enjoyable album for those moments when
you want to wimp out for a while. [AM]
SAHARAS (MI)
"Saharas" 1966 (United) [10"]
Teenbeat rarity with female vocalist Lu. Supposedly a

live recording from a Michigan college, in a frat-
rock style. This may be the same Saharas that had 45s
on United and the well-known Fenton label.
SAILOR ( )
"Sailor" 1976 (700 West) [1000p; inner]
Obscure light westcoasty sounds on the same Indiana

label as Zerfas, receiving some hype of late.

SAINTE ANTHONY'S FYRE (NJ)
"Sainte Anthony's Fyre" 1971 (Zonk 001)

"Sainte Anthony's Fyre" 1987 (Breeder 563, Austria)
"Sainte Anthony's Fyre" 1996 (Void 03) [poster; 400#d]
"Sainte Anthony's Fyre" 199 (CD, Europe)
Rated by many as one of the ultimate local basement

hardrock blowouts. An intense, compressed live feel
has the band going through a set of raw originals
with a near-punk attack. Also shows obvious urban
soul/funk inspiration a la Grand Funk, although this
becomes an advantage in this context. A great echoey
rehearsal space sound adds to the appeal. According
to Jersey folklore the drummer OD'd after his brother
had shot himself in the head. The Void reissue is
inferior in sound compared to the original, or the
earlier bootleg. [PL]
~~~
Intense damaged power trio. Sludge fuzz behemoth in
Bent Wind/Blue Cheer zone. No subtlety or restraint
in evidence as Greg Ohm delivers powerful vocals and
distorted leads from the other side. The side openers
"Love over you" and "Lone soul road" are all time
riff fests. [RM]
ST ELMO'S FIRE (OH)
"Live At The Cleveland Agora" 1980 (Corposant) [inner sleeve;

#d]
Hard progressive guitar keys. Garagy King Crimson

sound and Tolkien influence. Not an expensive LP.
ROD ST JAMES ( )
"Has Anybody Seen A Superstar" 1972 (Paula lps-2218)
Nice one. Trippy organ, wailing fuzz, and wah-wah

over a funky psych backing with 'laid-back cool'
phased hippie vocals. Donovan meets Marcus
(McDonald)! [RM]
~~~
Interesting combination of funky guitar rock and some
folk. The cover is mysterious and it’s impossible to
tell from his singing if he’s white or black. There’s
some hot guitar here and some pretty catchy songs.
It’s a darn good mainstream 70s rock album, though I
suppose some would say he’s trying too hard on the
few folky songs on side two. There’s nothing
“psychedelic” about this album, and other than the
lead guitar, it’s not hard rock either, so the hype
is sometimes misleading. Nonetheless it’s a very good
album and is quite scarce, and I recommend it. [AM]
SAINT JOHN GREEN (Los Angeles, CA)
"Saint John Green" 1968 (Flick-Disc fls 45001)
Trashy sci-fi bubblegum fuzz punk with Kim Fowley

involvement, cheesy organ fun. Goofball concept about
the end of the world. [RM]
~~~
It's pretty cool to think that stuff this bizarre was
getting released and distributed in the late 60s.
Goofy comedy bits and fake Satanism mix with garagy
pop to make for a fun album. There are a couple of
excellent songs here too, and not a boring moment to
be found. A nice companion piece for Kim Fowley's
"Outrageous". [AM]
ST LOUIS HOUNDS (St Louis, MO)
"St Louis Hounds" 1977 (Hounds 101)
Rock with big band sound and violin. This is actually

the third Pavlov's Dog LP, which had been rejected by
Columbia.
ST PIUS X SEMINARY CHOIR (CA)
"Each One Heard In His Own Way" 1968 (Century 30441)
Here’s one choir you definitely won’t want to miss.

Notice that they’re directed by the Rev. Nicholas T.
Freund, the same guy responsible for The Search
Party’s "Montgomery Chapel", one of Christian music’s
absolute top psych rarities. Although this
male/female choir doesn’t really sound like The
Search Party, they sure don’t recall any choir I’ve
ever heard before. The rock, folk, psych and
electronic influences heard here once again confirm
that Freund was very much a part of the experimental
late ‘60s. The choir itself comes across big and
loud, and at more than one point it even sounds like
they’re yelling at the top of their lungs. The
instruments are loud, too: the electric bass, the
organ, the acoustic guitars, the electric guitar, and
especially the drums and percussion. "Meditation –
Acts 2:1-12 – Pentecost Sunday" opens the album on a
highly avant garde note, with liturgical readings,
chanting and dissonant singing backed by a variety of
harsh heavy grating electronic sounds. Covers of Ray
Repp’s "I Am The Resurrection" and "Come Children
Hear Me" follow, sounding like straightforward ‘60s
Catholic folk as typically heard on the World Library
or FEL labels. Bluesy harmonica joins with some cool
electric guitar riffing on Sister Germaine’s "Who Is
This Man". Next is an intense psychedelic version of
"Get Together" with big drums, swirls of spacey organ
and tripped-out Sgt. Pepper flutes, and a short
modal/raga electric guitar solo. Side two is entirely
taken up with a rocking performance of John
Ylvisaker’s "Mass For The Secular City" (from Praise
The Lord In Many Voices Part I), highlighted by
psychy organ and electric guitar interaction. Very
primitive looking yellow cover with red dove/fire
design, along with newspaper clippings about the
group on the back. [KS]
ST RAPHAEL FOLK GROUP ( )
"Sabbath Prayer" 196 (no label)
Late 1960s typical Christian folk and folkrock with

male/female vocals, in a nice color sleeve. Described
as unexciting by some.
SAINTROCK (NY)
"Conceptual Orchestra" 1978 (CER)
"Conceptual Orchestra" 2005 (CD)
Westcoast/rural-flavored religious folkrock with

flute and fuzz from duo, highly rated by some. There
is a second LP from 1984, "Second Coming", and
further recordings from recent times.
SAINT STEVEN (MA)
"Saint Steven" 1969 (Probe CPLP 4506) [gatefold; red label

rim]
"Saint Steven" 1969 (Probe) [bootleg; gatefold]
"Saint Steven" 199 (CD TRC, Europe)
"Saint Steven" 199 (CD BOD 102, Germany)
Ambitious and eclectic Boss-Town sound that's

received some hype recently though I can't say I'm
blown away by it. Fuzzed hippierock mixed with folkie
bits and interesting lyrics but nowhere as freaky and
arresting as the top psych LPs from the time and
place, in my opinion. May appeal more to fans of
early UK/Euro artrock and prog. Earlier recordings as
the Frontpage Review have been made available (CD
"Mystic Soldiers", Big Beat). Cataldo was later in
the Nervous Eaters. The LP title is sometimes listed
as "Over The Hills". A Canadian original pressing
exists without gatefold; the album was also released
in Peru for some reason. See also comment for One St
Stephen. [PL]
~~~
After Morgen, this is the key collectable on the
label. Opinions are divided on it, but I think it's a
good one. There's a mild theme to it, with background
noise on several songs (political commentary, animal
noises), and two distinct album sides: "Over The
Hills" and "Bastich." I'm not really sure what it's
about, but it has an appealing strange energy. The
music is a mix of melodic pop/psych and heavy psych.
The songs vary in quality but all have nice fuzz
guitar and a few, notably "Bastich 1" and "Voyage To
Cleveland," are quite memorable. Not a masterpiece,
but an interesting album. Oddly enough, "Bastich 1"
was covered by Whalefeathers. How in the world did
they ever discover this song? [AM]
SALEM MASS (ID)
"Witchburning" 1971 (Salem Mass slp-101)

"Witchburning" 199 (Salem Mass, Europe) [bootleg]
"Witchburning" 1998 (CD Gear Fab gf-117)
"Witchburning" 1999 (Akarma 092, Italy)
Cheap-sounding hard rock with lots of moog. For the

first song, which is quite long, it's pretty cool,
but overall this isn't anything special and doesn't
cover any new ground after that one song. It's
nowhere near as dark as the band and album title
would imply, though the synth does get pretty creepy
now and then. [AM]
SANDS OF TIME ( )
"Sands Of Time" 197 (Sands Of Time 2000)
Not to be confused with any other Sands Of Time, this

is unexceptional hippie folk with male/female vocals.
The cover shows the main couple in a field.
SANDSTONE (PA)
"Can You Mend A Silver Thread?" 1971 (SA 2911)
Little-known local folkpsych trip with a total UK

sound, reminiscent of the Shide & Acorn album in
particular. Male/female vocal harmonies, acoustic
guitar tapestries, flute, piano and occasional violin
all create a dreamy, wistful mood typical of the
style. While not terribly original it is skillfully
done and hits all the right spots, and is likely to
delight genre fans in a big way. I might have opted
for even more of the female vocals but it's a minor
objection. Some trad moves here and there for an
"authentic" feel, but really a trip off the lysergic
Camelot magic first invoked by Donovan back in 1967.
[PL]
V.A "SAN FRANCISCO POP FESTIVAL" (CA)
"San Francisco Pop Festival" 1968 (Colstar 5001) [poster]
Obscure comp done to cash in on the San Francisco

craze of '67-68. The marvy packaging (including a
poster) is probably of more interest than the sounds,
which apart from three or four OK garage/psych
numbers is wholly superflous. S.F experts suggest
that several of the groups listed actually represent
various one-off studio amalgamations involving the
highly active ex-New Zealander Ray Columbus. The
track attributed to the Haight-Ashbury Blues Band was
actually pre-Horses/Kingfish group New Delhi River
Band. "Friendly indians" by Charolette Wood is the
high point to me. [PL]
SANSONE & McDONALD ( )
"Country Life & My Wife" 1976 (Acredited)
Local folkrock obscurity with a 60s throwback sound.
SANTA FE ( )
"The Good Earth" 1972 (RTV 301) [wlp exists]
This is a collectable because of the label, but it's

not something many collectors will want to listen to
more than once or twice. It's non-psychedelic rural
rock, with a few good-timey rock songs and some
horns. They try awfully hard but really don't develop
an identity. Despite the variety of arrangements it's
pretty bland. The band's earlier, self-titled LP on
Ampex is highly rated by some. [AM]
DAVID SANTO (NY)
"Silver Currents" 1968 (Phoenix phs-101)

"Silver Currents" 1969 (Sire ses-97004) [altered cover]
Obscure Village folk-hippie guy with tremendous 45

"Rising Of Scorpio", included on this LP in an
alternate mix. Rest of the album is disappointing
third-tier Donovan sounds with offkey vocals. File
under "avoid" next to Marcus on Kinetic. [PL]
~~~
Santo’s best known for “Rising Of Scorpio,” a cool
tune that appeared on many psychedelic compilations,
despite musically being pretty straight folk rock.
The rest of his album is pretty similar, though no
other song is quite as memorable. Santo has a warm,
guy-next-door voice that’s more likeable than good.
His songwriting is good but not great and the album
is a fun but minor entry into the 60s
singer/songwriter sweepstakes. This LP came out
twice, once on a small label with a colorful cover
photo with Santo’s face in a bunch of clouds, and a
second time on Sire with a black and white photo of
Santo in a cold-weather parka. Both versions are
scarce, though the original generally goes for twice
as much as the second issue. [AM]
SAPPHIRE THINKERS ( )
"From Within" 1969 (Hobbit 503) [wlp exists]

"From Within" 199 (Hobbit)
"From Within" 2000 (CD Summer Of Love 2000-2)
Surprisingly good CA-sounding melodic/harmony psych

trip, instantly likable and strong enough to hold
your attention for repeat plays. Elements from
disparate sources are brought in -- Curt Boettcher
sunshine pop, Bay Area teen top 40 psych like
Neighb'rhood Childr'n, Sunset Strip organ/fuzz/flute
a la Strawberry Alarmclock -- yet the end result is
consistent and convincing, with plenty of strength in
the songwriting and arrangements, and no major
weaknesses. A few tracks point towards the relaxed
early 1970s psych sound of Kak and Bob Smith.
Impressive, not unlike a junior Music Emporium. Ex-
Merry Prankster Sandy "Dismount" Lehmann-Haupt was
involved and may have contributed to the non-fake
vibe of this LP. [PL]
~~~
All the elements are here: cool organ, solid male and
female vocals, catchy melodies, plenty of fuzz
guitar, but somehow this album never really worked
for me. I'm not sure if it's overlys formulaic, or if
the songwriting is a little bland, or I find the
flute annoying, or what, but I keep trying to
discover what others see in this record with no luck.
The album definitely lacks the kind of wildness found
in, say, Neighb'rhood Childr'n, or the kind of
songwriting excellence and diversity that makes
Creation of Sunlight and the Strawberry Alarm Clock
rise above their similar saccharine tendencies. [AM]
JOHN W SARGENT ( )
"John W Sargent" 196 (no label) [no cover]
Druggy lounge rock with guitar, organ, flute. Some of

the vocals are unintelligible which may well be for
the best. The label reads 'demonstration copy'. [RM]
JOHN SASE see Aessence
SATAN & THE DECIPLES (LA)
"Underground" 1969 (Goldband grlp 7750)
Mock-satanic swamprock with classic "theme" song that

features unconvincing devilish laughter and a swank
Sam The Sham occult party groove that needs to be
heard. Made by stupid people for stupid people! [PL]
~~~
This album is a riot. That doesn't mean it's good;
it's not. It is, however, one of the most absurd and
misguided attempts at exploitation you'll ever hear.
The long opening "Satan's First Theme" is ridiculous
beyond belief. The singer laughs and growls in a
goofy way that wouldn't scare a two-year old, and the
lyrics are equally tame. I mean, if you're trying to
be Satan, wouldn't you be evil, or scary, or
offensive? He doesn't go much further than suggesting
he should have sued the writers of the bible for
libel. This goes on for about eight minutes, as he
sing-speaks and while the backup singers call him
"the bugger man." Unforgettable! Another long (7
minute) song ends the album, with the same
singer/narrator teaching us about "The Book Of
Alpha." It's more of the same and less entertaining
only because it's the second time he's pulled the
same schtick. The lousy garage pop songs and country
ballads that come between these two "masterpieces"
are mundane by comparison, even though they're pretty
goofy too. Most of you will think this is a colossal
waste of time, but some of you will treasure it for
life. [AM]
"THE SATANIC MASS" (San Francisco, CA)
"Recorded Live At The Church Of Satan" 1968 (Murgensturm MM

6660)
Satanic service with sinister organ and preaching.

Conducted by church leader Anton Szandor Lavey. One
side features a recording of his "Satanic Mass"
recorded live, the other features LaVey's reading
from "The Satanic Bible" over selected classical
music. Reissued on CD several times by labels such as
Amarillo, Mephisto, and Rare Recordings.
SATANS (Andover, MA)
"Raisin' Hell" 1962 (no label 3262)
Instrumentals from the East-Coast prep rock scene,

the renowned Phillips Academy (Rising Storm, etc) to
be precise. Very crude sleeve artwork.
RICK SAUCEDO (IL)
"Heaven Was Blue" 1978 (Reality 55)

"Heaven Was Blue" 2003 (Orange Double Dome) [300p]
Elvis impersonator moonlighting as a psych genius in

a nice blue haunted house sleeve. This is melodic
1970s psych like Michael Angelo and Bobb Trimble with
a great sidelong epic and two rootsy r'n'r numbers
that stick out like a sore thumb. The good stuff is
killer though, rich guitar textures supporting dreamy
vocals carrying wellwritten songs through plenty of
changes yet always with an eye on the ball; likely to
appeal to any and all psych fans out there. All
reissue copies came with loose, unglued cover slicks.
[PL]
~~~
This is the kind of album that makes collecting so
much fun. Who in a million years would have guessed
that this Elvis impersonator also was a tortured soul
who real voice would be so pretty in a pop sense? The
two regular length popsike songs on side one are as
good as music gets, every bit as emotionally deep and
chill-inducing as Michael Angelo or Bobb Trimble,
packed with melody, hooks and dreamy guitars. The
sidelong suite is almost as good, but suffers from
sloppy rhythms. It sounds as if the drums were
overdubbed, and several times the drummer struggles
to keep up. The two good time rock & roll songs that
close side one are nothing particularly exciting even
for fans of the style, and couldn’t be more out of
place. Still three quarters of a very special album
is something to treasure, and everyone reading this
needs to hear it. [AM]
~~~
SAVAGE RESURRECTION (CA)
"Savage Resurrection" 1968 (Mercury mg-21156) [wlp; mono]

"Savage Resurrection" 1968 (Mercury mg-21156) [red label;
mono]
"Savage Resurrection" 1968 (Mercury sr-61156) [red label;
stereo]
"Savage Resurrection" 1988 (Mercury) [bootleg]
One of the classic heavy psych albums, this is one

that every fan of the genre seems to like. What makes
the album so cool is that they have not one but two
wild guitarists, and the dual lead guitars spew fuzz
and feedback brilliantly throughout. As much as I
enjoy this album, though, I must say that after about
twenty listens I still can't remember more than one
or two of the actual songs without hearing them
again. If the songwriting had been up to the level of
the guitar playing this would have been as good as
Morgen. The one common criticism is that it's yet
another one of these records with a long blues jam on
it, but the guitar playing at least makes the jam
more enjoyable than most others in the style. As is
sometimes the case, the mono promo has been reported
as having the best sound of the pressings. [AM]
SAVAGES (Bermuda)
"Live 'N Wild" 1967 (Duane 1047)

"Live 'N Wild" 1984 (Resurrection CX 1330)
"Live 'N Wild" 2002 (CD no label)
To me one of the best local garage LPs, an authentic

live recording from a Bermuda rich kid hangout. Lots
of Animals/Stones moves but also several great
originals like "The world ain't round" and the
sublime "Quiet town", three of which have appeared on
comps. Tough garage sounds successfully mixed with
atmospheric ballads in a stylish manner, my only
gripe being the wasted "On Broadway" cover and the
"manly" sub-Burdonesque vocals on a few tracks. "No
no no" is a studio recording from a post-LP session
and was inserted into the album with some fake crowd
noise added. Original copies of this LP are hardly
ever offered but by all means try to score the old
vinyl reissue. The label was from New Jersey, but the
band was mainly based in Bermuda. There is also a
good non-LP 45 track. The vinyl-sourced CD reissue
comes from the band themselves. [PL]
SAVANNAH ( )
"Crank It Up" 1977 (Chrome Thigh)

Hard guitar jamming dedicated to Tommy Bolin.
SKY SUNLIGHT SAXON (Los Angeles, CA) see article
"Lovers Cosmic Voyage" 1976 (Emerald Light GF 571231) [no

cover]
"Heavenly Earth - Live at the Orpheum" 1977 (Sunbow 001) [2

inserts]
"Masters Of Psychedelia" 1984 (New Rose, French)
Still going strong (?) into his fifth decade of

flipped out sounds, the great man's discography could
fill a book of its own. We've narrowed it down to
things immediately relevant to the Archives. Credited
only to Sunlight, "Lovers Cosmic Voyage" is a new
agey harp & piano meditation on space travel with
dogs, quite surreal for the whole 15 minutes it
lasts. "Heavenly Earth" is credited to Sunlight
Rainbow Stars New Seeds and is a droning basement 70s
psych trip that would fetch a lot more $$$ if made by
unknown guys, the only drawback being the lack of
guitar-leads. Although the sleeve bears no such
credits, it appears that side 2 of "Masters Of
Psychedelia" features Fire Water Air, circa 1975,
from the same recording session that yielded the
Yahowha-related "Golden Sunrise" LP. [PL]
~~~
see -> Alright Family Band; Yahowha 13
SAXONS (New York City, NY)
"Love Minus Zero/No Limit" 1966 (Mirrosonic AM 1017) [mono]

"Love Minus Zero/No Limit" 1966 (Mirrosonic AS 1017) [stereo]
Baroque vocals and harpsichord folkrockers from duo

doing three Dylan covers among others.
SCHROEDER & FOREST (Canada)
"Another Brand New Day" 1975 (no label)
Hippie folk with flute and male/female vocals. May be

a demo pressing only.
JIM & CHERIE SCHWALL (Chicago, IL)
"A Wedding Present From" 1971 (no label)
Early 1970s, laidback mostly acoustic blues jamming.

Made as a gift for friends. Jim was in the Siegel-
Schwall Band. There was a later private press also,
"Spring Vacation" (1978).
JOHN SCOGGINS ( )
"Pressed For Time" 1976 (Tiger Lily 14059) [promos exist]
Charming dreamy 1970s pop with an early new wave

sensibility mixed with a warm, 1960s-style folkrock
sound. Light, upbeat vocals fit the music perfectly,
and the playing is fine with lots of ringing guitars.
Several songs are superb 3-minute creations in the
classic McCartney/McGuinn school, and the LP sticks
close to this credo throughout, with only a jokey
hillbilly tune wasted. While not a far out psych
monster or hardrock blowout, most people who hear
this like it, simply on ground of its talent and
sunny feel. Too bad it came out on the tax-loss Tiger
Lily label; on the appropriate label it could have
been a Shoes-type cult classic. [PL]
~~~
Along with Stonewall, this is the cream of the crop
on this fascinating label. Pressed For Time is a very
solid 70s pop album-hooky, highly melodic songs,
jangly guitars, lovely high male vocals and joyous
harmonies, and a significant Beach Boys influence. A
bit of fuzz guitar, especially on "Somebody's Sad,"
adds a nice touch of energy. The format is varied by
a goofy country tune on side one and a soulful
Easybeats cover on side two, but otherwise it's just
one memorable, hummable song after another, evoking
the best summer feelings. Power pop fans will go
insane when they discover this one. Oddly, there
exist a number of copies of this album with stickers
on the cover, some of which list the actual band
members, implying that unlike other Tiger Lily albums
at some point there was an effort on someone's part
to actually sell the thing. [AM]
SCORPION ( )
"Scorpion" 1970 (Tower st-5171) [striped label]
Black guys doing raw underground bar funk sounds,

sometimes hyped by dealers but hardly the most highly
rated LP in the style.
SCOTTI (CO)
"For Friends" 1973 (Strawberry)
Folkrock obscurity in nice color cover.
SCREAMING GYPSY BANDITS (Bloomington, IN)
"In The Eye" 1973 (BRBQ)

"In The Eye" 1996 (OR 014) [paste-on; insert; 375#d]
Nice flowing rural rock with lots of little exotic

world music touches, female vocals. Saddhu Brand
meets Hickory Wind! Member Bob Lucas had a solo LP,
"The Dancer Inside You" (BRBQ, 1974). [RM]
~~~
This album sports a mix of styles and a communal
feel. Not all of it is memorable but there are two or
three excellent, resonant songs here. Horns are used
to powerful purpose. It’s hard to classify this one.
It’s not folk, not soul, not progressive. A nice find
for jaded listeners. One of the highlights would be
re-recorded for Caroline Peyton’s "Intuition" album.
[AM]
SEARCH PARTY (Sacramento, CA)
"Montgomery Chapel" 1969 (Century 32013) [600p]

"Montgomery Chapel" 1994 (Rapturedelic) [paste-on]
"Montgomery Chapel" 1998 (CD Flash, Italy)
"Montgomery Chapel" 200 (Void 22) [insert]
"Montgomery Chapel" 2004 (CD Beatball 05, South Korea)
One of the more notable discoveries of the 1990s, a

primitive Christian folkrock LP which isn't great all
through but hits some truly unique moods and sounds
on about 2/3rds of the tracks. Obviously inspired by
the westcoast "psychedelic" sounds of the era, the
Search Party take compositions by their spiritual
mentor, a Catholic middle-aged priest, and turn them
into primitive California garage folkrock and psych
with fuzz leads and raw vocals! Most Christian
"folkrock" LPs suffer from still having one foot left
in Sunday School, but these young seminarians have
definitely broken through to the other side. Side 1
ends with an unparalleled 9-minute downer folkrock
excursion with heavy soulsearching lyrics that alone
makes "Montgomery Chapel" worth checking out, but
beware -- it's crude, even the female vocalist has a
strange edge. Unrehearsed confessions from a basement
Music Emporium. [PL]
SEBASTIAN (Canada)
"Rays Of The Sun" 1969 (MCA 7001)
Most of this album is horn- and string-heavy AM pop,

though two songs here, both self-produced, are from a
completely different world. They are long folky
ballads, dreamy and intense with powerful vocals.
They're kind of humorless, but they're great anyway,
precursors of 70s psych classics like the best songs
on the Garrett Lund album. Elsewhere, one song opens
with some terrific phasing, though everything else is
much more conventional. The mainstream stuff here is
quite good if you pay attention, but you'll probably
be more likely to wonder what Sebastian could have
come up with if he'd had full creative control. The
self-produced songs are long and take up a third of
the album's running time. [AM]
SEBASTIAN (Canada)
"Head Roach" 1972 (Vintage) [booklet]

"Head Roach" 2005 (Void 037) [500p; inner]
A different Sebastian, with an LP of stoned folk and

Zappaesque touches, supposedly banned upon release
due to drug references.
OSH SEBROW (NJ)
"Angels Are Falling" 1982 (Osty) [insert]
Interesting early 80s pop album with folky leanings.

Sebrow did the whole thing himself, which
unfortunately means it has a drum machine. The songs
are quite good in a post-Beatles pop mode, and Sebrow
has a haunting voice. One song is a tribute to John
Lennon, but unfortunately quotes from some McCartney
songs that Lennon always hated. Lennon would be
spinning in his grave! Otherwise, though, if you can
get past the drum machine (which I can not), this is
a nice album. Osh was an Eye Surgeon and gave out the
"Angels Are Falling" LP to his patients. Due to a
quantity find it's not a pricey album at all. He also
did a much earlier LP, "I Can See Tomorrow" (Ame,
1974). [AM]
SEEDS ( )
"Hymns For A New Age" 1978 (Whatever WA 101)
Unrelated Seeds doing hippie folk.
V.A "SEE/HEAR RECORD MAGAZINES" (Canada)
"See/Hear Record Magazine #1" 1968 (See/Hear ST 55852) [folder

with info sheets]
"See/Hear Record Magazine #2" 1968 (See/Hear ST 56410)

[inserts]
Avantgarde publications including a 12" record and

various inserts/magazines. Mixes avant music with
poetry and electronic freakouts typical of the era.
Issue #2 has some members from Mock Duck. Bill
Bissett is also featured, and got to release his own
LP as "See/Hear #3".
~~~
see -> Bill Bissett
SEICHE (Chicago, IL)
"Dose After Dose" 1981 (no label) [plain cover; 100p]

"Dose After Dose" 1999 (Hexamon 001) [500p; 2 inserts]
Highly regarded progressive hardrock trio with hard
fuzz leads, mystical vocals, burnout vibes.
SENSATION (Milwaukee, WI)
"Sensation" 1976 (no label)
Mid-70s Beatle throwback sound.
SEOMPI (TX)
"Summer's Comin' On Heavy" 1998 (Rockadelic 33)

"AWOL" 2000 (CD Gear Fab gf-136)
"Seompi" 2000 (Akarma 089, Italy) [2 LPs]
A tasty selection of previously unreleased circa 1971

material from an Austin-based band often referred to
as the "Black Sabbath of Texas", a rather inaccurate
handle as the bulk of the material is progressive
hardrock with jazz leanings. It's still heavy and
powerful stuff though, especially the awesome
"AWOL/Elijah" blowout that closes side 1. Their two
famous 45 tracks are included in alternate versions,
along with a bunch of originals and a "Voodoo Child"
take that's good but can't match Hendrix. Have to
admit some of the avantgarde stuff goes over my head,
but should be mandatory to Texas and/or hardrock
aficionados. Odd packaging on the Rockadelic includes
an outer rubber sleeve and plenty of pics. The Gear
Fab and Akarma releases add some 45 tracks and even
more unreleased material (on the Akarma only) to the
Rockadelic album. An early, previously unknown 45 has
recently been found with at least one track not
reissued on any of these. [PL]
SEQUOIAH ( )
"Sequoiah" 1975 (700 West) [2000p]
Another little known title on the prolific Indiana

label, stoned moody rural rock with violin.
SEQUOIAH STREAM (Richmond, IN)
"Sequoiah Stream" 1971 (no label) [no cover; insert]
Half listenable live-in-auditorium college comp with

a couple strong downer folk tracks and a smoking fuzz
workout. The cover was not finished in time so a
mimeographed insert contained all the info. [RM]
~~~
Here's some background on this LP and the Earlham
College scene courtesy of Todd Cerney: "The name
Sequoia Stream was the title of a piano instrumental
on the album from the year before or maybe 2 years
before that I produced out of a series of live
performances. It ended up as the album title. These
albums were an extension of the yearly poetry book
that the school would produce. In fact the one made
in 1971 was one of the reasons I decided to go to the
school in the first place... There was a guy named
Charlie Bleak who was incredible (sang like Paul
Macartney) and wrote amazing songs. He and several
students there did an album called Hoi Polloi.
Charlie went on to get a record deal but never got on
the radio for some reason. I didn't know him and he
wasn't a student anymore when I got to Earlham
myself...".
~~~
see -> Attention Span; Hoi Polloi
SERPENT POWER (San Francisco, CA)
"Serpent Power" 1968 (Vanguard 9252) [mono]

"Serpent Power" 1968 (Vanguard vsd-79252) [stereo]
"Serpent Power" 199 (Vanguard, Italy)
"Serpent Power/Poet Song" 1999 (CD Akarma 053/054, Italy) [2-
on-1]
While all kinds of mediocre rarities are treated to

pages of lip-service, this fine little LP still
remains underappreciaed. It's a good early SF LP;
stripped down folkrock a la the first Airplane with a
slightly bohemian vibe and some David Meltzer poetry
on the back cover. Not freaky or avantgarde, more
like folky Bay Area pop. A couple of excellent tracks
with female vocals on side 1, while the 13-minute
"Endless tunnel" on sided 2 fails to reveal any
metaphysical insights yet is still kinda cool, with
noted banjo-master Jean-Paul Pickens guesting.
Enjoyable and historically significant LP in a nice
cover, and as the original's still fairly cheap, go
get one. The LP was released in February 1968. An
original Australian pressing exists. [PL]
~~~
This is one of the best co-ed albums in the San
Francisco style. The feel of the guitar and organ
arrangements is just right, and Tina Meltzer's vocals
are strong without being uncontrolled. Generally rock
albums by poets can be pretty annoying, but this
keeps its pretentions in balance and the songwriting
is sharp and clever. The 13-minute closing track is a
powerful vision of a personal apocalypse, and
foreshadows "Hotel California" by almost ten years.
[AM]
~~~
see -> David & Tina Meltzer
SCOTT SESKIND (Boulder, CO)
"Scott Seskind" 1985 (no label 11785)
Late phase downer/loner folk and singer/songwriter

trip, mostly acoustic, some tracks with a small band.
SEVENTH DAWN (MD)

"Sunrise" 1976 (Fantasy Worlds Unlimited) [200p]
"Sunrise" 1994 (Project Aquarius) [275#d; insert]
Local hippie folkrock and melodic prog few had heard

of until the reissue appeared. Some people hate it
and it is probably the only hallowed $1000 rarity to
feature a Barbra Streisand tribute song. Nevertheless
I dig this LP, it has a wonderful naive seriousness
that makes me think of high school project records,
with three brothers and a sister doing male/female
vocals and an even mix of folky ballads and fuzzed
prog hippierock. "Free" has a great late 60s Beatles
feel and is a personal fave. The album was recorded
in the electronic music lab at Virginia Commonwealth
University. The small press size has been confirmed
by the band. 25 copies of the reissue run came with
leftover slicks and inserts from the original
pressing. Some unreleased recordings from 1979 exist.
[PL]
SEVENTH SEAL (VA)
"Reflections" 1999 (Justice 0) [insert]
30+ year belated addition to the Justice label

catalog, via an album that was recorded but never
released by the label back in 1967. Weighing it
against the stablemates, this is clearly above
average, with a number of band originals and a more
genuinely contemporary (as in 1966) moody garage and
folkrock feel than the usual Justices. The release is
nicely done in a way that looks and feels like a 60s
pressing, and anyone with an interest in local
teenbeat albums may want to check it out, apart from
the obvious completist angle.
SEVENTH SONS ( )
"4:00 AM at Frank's" 1968 (ESP 1078)

"Raga" 199 (CD ESP 1078)
"4:00 AM at Frank's" 1999 (Get Back GET 1038, Italy)
Garagy trance raga jams with Buzzy Linhart on guitar

and vocals. Basement Eastern stuff with percussion
and flute, has been compared to Handgjort.
SEVENTH TEMPLE (Canada)
"Under The Burning Sun" 1978 (no label 7T)

"Under The Burning Sun" 2004 (CD Radioactive, UK)
This LP was heavily hyped and priced when discovered
a few years back, although the excitement cooled off
once people found out that rather than some lost acid
concept killer, it was 18 minutes of Canadian late
70s basement prog, nothing more, nothing less. The
short playtime suggests it may have been intended as
a demo LP; in any event it's a symphonic-oriented
trip with mid-tempo tracks, lots of mellotron and
moog and the typical arch-pompous UK prog mood. You
can still spot traces of decent melodies in there,
and the amusement value of a Canuck teenager trying
to sound like Jon Anderson shouldn't be understated.
The opening title number is the best of the three
tracks, with feedback leads and an occasional sci-fi
cheese drama feel not unlike Eyes-New Gods. May
appeal to fans of Autumn People, although more
theatrical and less warm. Crude cover which along
with the band name and album title makes this item
look a lot cooler than it actually is. [PL]
~~~
see -> Drama
BECKY SEVERSON (St Cloud, MN)
"A Special Path" 197 (no label)
Christian teenage femme acoustic folk with short

songs, inspired by the book of Jeremiah. One track
appears on the "Ladies Of The Canyon" compilation.
SEX (Montreal, Canada)
"Sex" 1970 (Transcanada 775)

"Sex" 199 (no label) [bootleg]
"The End Of My Life" 1971 (Transcanada 785)

"The End Of My Life" 199 (no label) [bootleg]
"The End Of My Life / Lectric Music Revolution" 1997 (CD
Hipschaft) [2-on-1]
Unexceptional post-psych prog hardrock LPs from

obscure French-Canadian band. Some jazzy moves on the
second LP.
V.A "S F O MUSIC BOX SET" (San Francisco, CA)
"S F O Music Box Set" 1967 (no label CRS-1162) [4LPs; box-set;
insert]
Quite rare 4 LP box set of SF area songwriter demos

connected to the Trident operation, released around
X-mas 1967. Contains rare tracks by Blackburn & Snow,
Mystery Trend, Sons Of Champlin, Randy Steirling, Ron
Davies, John Stewart, and others. Only the
songwriters are credited, not the performers, which
makes figuring the actual credits out somewhat
difficult, but folkrockers We Five play a number of
tunes. Mostly folky stuff; Ron Davies' contributions
are interesting in a 1965 Paul McCartney direction
and remain completely unreleased from what I can
tell. John Stewart is the ex-Kingston Trio guy and
gets 3 full sides worth of uneven material. The
Mystery Trend material (5 tracks) sounds better in
this raw, non-cleaned up mix than on their Big Beat
CD. For the Blackburn & Snow tracks (10 in total) the
difference is less pronounced, but many 1960s fans
are again likely to prefer the more living and less
channel-isolated stereo mix of the box-set vs the Big
Beat CD. [PL]
SHADE TREE (KS)
"Shade Tree" 1979 (Buffarilla)
Mediocre Southern/rural rock with a couple of good

tracks.
SHADRACK CHAMELEON (IA) see interview
"Shadrack Chameleon" 1973 (IGL 4051-5)

"Shadrack Chameleon" 1987 (no label, Europe) [250p]
"Shadrack Chameleon" 2000 (CD Gear Fab 110) [+bonus tracks]
"Shadrack Chameleon" 2000 (Gear Fab 202) [+bonus tracks]
Wellknown Midwest rural rocker with a wideopen honest

sound I find hard to resist. Long tracks with
organ/guitar and warm basement vocals, sounds like
Neil Young circa '69-70 or a less nihilistic Rayne. A
true relic of the era with deep college dorm lyrics
not easily penetrated, and strong songwriting from
the very young band. Personal fave that sounds better
with each passing year. Nice minimalist sleeve job a
la St Anthonys Fyre. The CD has their good pre-LP 45
as bonus. [PL]
~~~
This album has an amateurish, laid-back feel that is
very appealing, especially on the two or three songs
with really strong melodies. Some of the lyrics are
heavily counter-culture, but the band never comes off
as having an attitude or a chip on their shoulder.
It’s pretty intelligent, or at least pretty genuine.
The feel of the sparse arrangements is one of great
warmth. It’s the kind of album that at first sounds
like it has nothing to it, but after a few listens
really starts to sneak up on you. Fans of low-budget
90s pop might like it too. [AM]
SHAGGS (South Bend, IN)
"Wink" 1967 (MMC 6311)

"Wink" 1984 (Resurrection CX 1295)
"Wink" 2004 (CD Radioactive 079, UK)
Local prep-rock LP on a folkrock/Beatles '65 bender;
ambitious multipart vocal harmonies and fake 12-
string jangle make for a charming experience, though
it's not "fuzz garage" by any means. These Notre Dame
boys had enough cojones to tackle two Beatles tunes
with reasonable success, but the highpoint of the LP
is an atmospheric "If I were a carpenter". One group
original (I think), other covers include Stones, Who,
Beau Brummels, Byrds, Them, and a bizarre "Hey Joe".
Disappointing sleeve well below the genre average.
The album was financed by a local business college
student who thought he was going to make big $$$ but
ended up selling copies door-to-door! In addition to
the LP, the band recorded an acetate 45 of two non-LP
tracks which received some local airplay. Chuck
Perrin (see entry) appears on this acetate, but was
not in the band when the "Wink" LP was made. The
1980s Resurrection reissue is mastered at an
annoyingly low volume (as all Resurrection LPs seem
to be) and displays cover wear on the front cover
repro. [PL]
SHAGGS (Fremont, NH)
"Philosophy Of The World" 1971 (Third World 3001)

"Philosophy Of The World" 1980 (Rounder 3032)
"Philosophy Of The World" 199 (Red Rooster)
Magically incompetent teen sister garage band who

play and sing like ten year olds. Unreal plodding
drums, out of tune guitars, and amazing off-key
vocals. Jawdropper slice of life lyrics loaded with
girl diary philosophies, Foot Foots, and parents who
are always there. They were coerced into recording
this by their father and their discomfort is clearly
evident. This record is known to end parties in
record time. The second LP "The Shaggs' Own
Thing" (Rounder 3056, 1990s) is more monstrosities
from the vault. Promo copies of "Philosophy" include
an 8x10 photo, 2 wallet photos, and a business card.
[RM]
~~~
This is one of the most misunderstood albums of all
time. It's one of the very, very few "real people"
albums that appeals to people who don't appreciate
those records in a condescending, or amused, way.
Musicians tend to like it, which is also unusual for
a record of this type. What makes these three sisters
different from every other "inept" band is that they
redfine the meaning of that word. This is not just
another album by people who just learned to play
their instruments last week. It's more like they
taught themselves to play without having any
instruction, and without having any knowledge of
music theory. Once they figured out a way to play,
which is unlike any "accepted" method, they worked on
it and perfected it. Evidence of this is that a
number of bands who wanted to cover Shaggs songs
couldn't figure out how to play them. From the sounds
of it, they even made up their own way of tuning the
guitars, and rather than playing chords, they played
patterns that follow along with the vocals. It's
unique and impossible to duplicate. It also is one of
the greatest ever expressions of pure love of music,
and the joy and warmth of this album is irresistible.
[AM]
DEL SHANNON (MI)
"The Further Adventures Of Charles Westover" 1968 (Liberty lst-

7539)
There aren't a whole lot of 50s or early 60s stars

who gracefully made their way through the 60s, but
this well-loved album is proof that it was possible.
This isn't really a "psychedelic" record (way more
strings than sound effects), but rather a case where
a great talent (man, what a voice!) realized that the
60s brought about a great step forward in the use of
recording techniques and arrangements. Shannon warmly
embraced the possibilities. At the same time, he
wrote a fantastic batch of pop songs, and the mix of
the great songs, the stunning voice and the ambitious
sound makes for a truly wonderful record. Also
released in England with a completely different
cover. The rest of Shannon's vast output fall outside
the scope of the Archives. [AM]
SHANNONDOAH (WA)
"Ideas & Rhymes" 1977 (Blue Heron)
Private press-looking LP from country rock/folk

quartet with some female vocals and an a capella
cover of "Come up the years". The Minstrel String
Guild duo help out on one track.
SHANTI DAS (OR)
"Servant Of Peace" 1973 (no label) [insert]
Communal hippie folk with male/female Harmony vocals

and chanting, Eastern instruments.
SHARKEY (San José, CA)
"Signposts" 1975 (no label)
Obscure post-Syndicate Of Sound LP, breezy westcoast

rock with some guitar jamming. Issued with a
songtitles sticker on the shrink.
SHATTERS (Austin, MN)
"Shatters" 1966 (Welhaven 63)
Sleeve-less demo LP (or acetate) from garage band

with a few 45s. The LP is mainly frat and r'n'b
covers.
SHAW, ALLEN & SHAW (MN)

"This Side That Side" 197 (Sound 80 s80s-40-1425)
Trio with acoustic guitar, electric bass, and drums.

Mostly mellow acoustic folk covers with psychy
shadings.
SHEKINAH (MI)
"Shekina" 1982 (Eden 104) [insert]
This is a mystical Christian folk album with

beautiful vocals and an ethereal feel. Most of the
songs aren't really structured, but just kind of
flow. It's very mellow, but there are drums and nice,
drifting electric guitar on some of the songs. The
canon vocals on "Blessed Be" and "Jesus Eyes" are
hypnotic and the use of bells, chimes, woodwinds and
mandolins give this album a distinctive sound. The
memorable melodies make this more accessible than
similarly complex X-ian albums like The Christ Tree.
Not for "rock" fans, but a lovely, special record.
[AM]
SHEKINA GLORY (Ilford, IA)
"Have You Considered" 1976 (IGL 6045N1)
Very impressive custom obscurity from male/female

outfit scoring high with their mix of dreamy
mysterious folk/psych and west-coast rural rock. Some
really breathtaking moments here. One listen to songs
like "If I Don’t Let People Know", "Jesus", "Ask" and
"Good Samaritan" and you’ll see these folks
definitely knew how to weave in mood and texture
alongside the heavier elements. One minute there’s a
gentle eerie atmospheric melody with spacey flute
accompaniment; next thing you know they’ve built up
to a climax of blaring hard rock guitar. Some of the
in-between moods reminded me of songs like The Way’s
"Have you ever Heard" from the Maranatha Four LP.
Closes with some joyous upbeat fuzz jamming a la
Earthen Vessel on "Glory Glory". [KS]
SHILOH (TX)
"Shiloh" 1971 (Amos aas-7015)
Early countryrock with steel and harmony vocals in

Flying Burrito Bros style with Don Henley on vocals
and guitar, pre-Eagles.
SHILOH MORNING ( )
"Shiloh Morning" 1974 (TRC 51053)
Midwest male and female vocal harmony folk rock and

pop with acoustic and electric guitar, bass,
percussion, some mellotron. Includes versions of
"Nights in White Satin" and "White Bird" among
others.
SHIVA'S HEADBAND (Austin, TX)
"Take Me To The Mountains" 1970 (Capitol st-538) [green label]

"Take Me To The Mountains" 2005 (Capitol/Scorpio)
This was one of the earliest countryrock LPs but

never made the splash it should have, yet remains an
enjoyable experience with a nicely balanced country-
hippie mix and Spencer's terrific violin. Both tracks
from their outstanding debut 45 are re-cut here in
slightly less drugged versions. Anyone who likes Sub
Zero Band ought to recognize Shiva's as the original
masters of the style. An original Canadian pressing
exists. [PL]
"Coming To A Head" 1971 (Armadillo no #) [1000p; paste-on;

handmade labels]
"Coming To A Head" 1981 (Armadillo no #) [200p; printed
labels]
"Coming To A Head" 2003 (Akarma 250, Italy) [+1 track]
"Coming To A Head" 2003 (CD Akarma 250, Italy) [+1 track]
Contrary to what you may read elsewhere, this was not

their debut album but a privately released sequel
after Capitol dropped them. Basically the same style
as the debut, a little less druggy and a bit more
western swing. The 1981 pressing is reportedly a
better pressing than the first. Later LPs include
"Psychedelic Yesterday" (Ape, 1981) and "In The Primo
Of Life" (Moontower, 1984) as well as a number of
cassette and CDs in more recent years. Spencer
Perskin is alive and well and gigging locally.
SHIVER (CA)
"Shiver" 2000 (Rockadelic 39) [600p]

"Shiver" 2001 (CD Shadoks 023, Germany)
As far as packaging goes one of my fave Rockadelics,

superb color gatefold with cool liner notes detailing
the adventures of this "tough as nails" early 1970s
power trio. Music consists of long and mostly
instrumental STP jams that are ferocious but not
without subtlety, taking a cue from early Blue Cheer
but stretching out into 100 MPH Hawkwind/Ash Ra
Temple/Terry Brooks spacerock excursions. Not
terribly varied and songwriting doesn't account for
much, but should be of interest to fans of hard early
70s guitar trips. The band had roots in Texas but
played the Bay Area biker circuit. [PL]
SHOES (Zion, IL)
"One In Versailles" 1975 (Black Vinyl Records) [2 inserts]

"As Is" 1996 (CD) [2CDs; bonus tracks; autographed]
The first Shoes album was released by the band in a

limited number, some of which were ruined in a flood.
Supposedly only between 200 and 300 survived. The
homemade album is one of the rarest and most sought-
after power pop collectables, since the band would
eventually become one of the most well-loved bands in
the genre. As you might expect, this early offering
by the band is quite crude. All of the elements of
their sound are there, including sharp harmonies,
quick-witted songs of love and seduction, and fuzz
guitars (though these would get much louder and more
frequent on their later albums.) They're clearly
finding themselves as songwriters and as a band with
an identity. Much of the album has a nice understated
charm, and a few of the ballads are very good ("Do I
Get So Shy," in particular, is irresistible.) What's
yet to develop is their knack for the killer hook,
and their ability to construct songs tightly and
concisely. A few songs drag, and I have to think that
a few years later Shoes would have shortened them,
sped them up, piled on layers of guitar, and improved
them dramatically. "Un Dans Versailles", thus, while
a very enjoyable and melodic record, is a few notches
below the band's best work (which is on the next
three officially released albums.) The album's title
refers to the fact that band member Gary Klebe was
away in Versailles while the rest of the band
recorded without him. In the 90s, Shoes put together
a limited edition 2-CD set that included one CD of
unreleased songs from throughout the band's career
and a second CD comprising "Un Dans Versailles" and
their unreleased second album "Bazooka". "Bazooka" is
rather weak, unfortunately. [AM]
"Black Vinyl Shoes" 1977 (Black Vinyl)

"Black Vinyl Shoes" 1977 (PVC)
The second Shoes album was a much larger private

press than the first, and in fact was so successful
that it soon was re-released on the larger PVC label.
Shoes are one of the most well-loved and influential
of all power pop bands, and it all starts here. It
wasn't their first album, but it was the first to be
heard my more than a handful of people. While the
next few major label albums would be just as good,
this holds a special place among their fans, as the
self-production, despite elaborate attention to
harmonies and guitar overdubs, gives it a fresh do-
it-yourself feel that they'd never again duplicate.
The guitars are fuzzy, fuzzy, fuzzy and full of
hooks, and while the lyrics are about love and
romance, they have a certain kind of maturity and
intelligence often missing from the genre. I don't
expect most visitors to this site to love Shoes, but
I'd think many garage-rock fans would get a kick out
of the masses of fuzz guitars. [AM]
SHORT CROSS (Richmond, VA)
"Arising" 1972 (Grizzly 16013) [gatefold]

"Arising" 1988 (Breeder, Austria) [no gatefold]
"Arising" 1998 (CD Gear Fab 119) [+3 tracks]
"Arising" 2000 (Akarma 079, Italy) [2LPs; gatefold; +3 tracks]
Ballsy, pro-sounding early 1970s rural barrock/hard

rock in an Allman Bros direction with great
organ/guitar interplay, OK vocals and a versatile
keyboardist. Not for garage or psych fans but should
appeal to those into the local early 70s style; "Till
we reach the sun" is a particularly good track. Band
had a pre-LP 45 as follows: "On My Own"/"Marching Off
To War" (Colpar, 1970). The A-side is an alternate
version of the LP track, B-side is non-LP. [PL]
SIDETRACK (New York City, NY)
"Baby" 1968 (no label SMIS-1) [no cover; 100p]

"Baby" 2005 (CD Radioactive, UK)
Demo press for a planned Elektra release that never

happened. Baroque-pop/folkrock with lots of
harpsichord and energetic vocals. Some copies came in
plain covers with LP labels glued to the front
containing the relevant info.
SIDEWALK (New York City, NY)
"Sidewalk" 1975 (C.D.)
Cosmic jazz lounge duo, some wailing guitar parts.
SILENT CHEER (Northfield, MA)
"Learning Insipid Seal" 1969 (no label 202115) [blank back;

insert]
Late 60s garage rock covers with horns and some fuzz
leads, from Mount Hermon school alumni. Mostly band
originals. The same scene also produced the Knights
band and the Led Balloon Jug Band LP.
~~~
see -> Together
SILENT PARTNER (Athens, GA)
"Hung By A Thread" 1975 (Lucky Boy 32779) [insert]

"Hung By A Thread" 1988 (Lucky Boy, Europe) [bootleg]
I'd be shocked to discover than the guys in REM

didn't grow up idolizing this band. This is the
original blueprint for the much-heralded 80s Athens
scene. It's not a psych or prog (long instrumental
notwithstanding) album as dealers hype it, but an
ahead-of-its-time guitar pop album with outstanding
playing, clever songwriting, and a touch of mystery.
The title track is a killer-two overlapping melodies
of equal beauty and an elaborate
acoustic/electric/synth arrangement that gives way to
a transcendent guitar solo. Nothing else on the album
can match this amazing first song, but there's plenty
to like, from the flange-heavy guitar on "Just Sail
Around" to the surprising and weird metal-inspired
bits in "From The Diary of H.R.H. 1975." Smart
songwriting, thoughtful arrangements and excellent
singing abound. They had so many great melodies that
three songs actually double them up (one sung over,
behind, or between the other.) A 10-minute mildly
jazzy instrumental at the end manages not to ruin
everything. This is a great album. Along with
Arrogance's "Prolepsis", it's the 70s pinnacle of the
new Southern Rock (i.e: made by guys you would
actually let your daughter date) that would explode
almost a decade later. [AM]
SILENT STRANGERS (CT)
"It's All Over Now" 1965 (no label BRS 390)
Obscure local teen-beat LP in cool cover. Prep school

album from Washington, CT with 12 songs, 5 of which
are instrumentals. Despite some unexciting covers,
this is a fairly rocking disc that stands up with the
best of the genre, not unlike the Weekenders or an
improved Davey & the Badmen.
JUDEE SILL (CA)
"Judee Sill" 1971 (Asylum sd-5050) [unipak; wlp mono exists]

"Judee Sill" 2004 (Four MWB 120)
"Judee Sill" 2005 (CD Water 158)
Sill’s story is fascinating and sad. She was a heroin

addict, even a part-time prostitute, her career fell
apart just as it was getting interesting, and she
disappeared so completely that for years after her
death nobody could even figure out exactly when she
died. You’d never know she was such a wild one from
the music or the album cover photos, but close
listens show this to be something much more intense
and deep than your average singer-songwriter album.
“Jesus Was A Crossmaker” is as good as any 70s song
in the genre, and should have been a huge hit.
Nothing else on the album reaches those same heights,
but it’s very good stuff. Sill has gotten a lot of
publicity lately, as the 90s and 00s really were a
renaissance for troubled and dead 70s singers. Too
bad nobody noticed her when she needed the attention.
[AM]
"Heart Food" 1973 (Asylum sd-5063) [booklet]

"Heart Food" 2004 (Four MWB 121) [booklet]
"Heart Food" 2005 (CD Water 159)
Sill’s second album is more ambitious than the first,

with complex string arrangements and a major gospel
influence. The struggle between her strong religious
beliefs and her “pagan” lifestyle are apparent here
and it’s pretty fascinating. Musically this isn’t as
consistent as the debut and it occasionally feels
like the ambitious ideas took precedence over the
songwriting, but this is still a really interesting
record. Both Sill albums were also released in
England. [AM]
SILMARIL (Milwaukee, WI)
"Given Time... Or The Several Roads" 1973 (Ettinmoore)
This is an American band, but they sure sound

British, from the melodies to the lonesome feel of
the songs to the male and female vocal styles to the
upbeat song about pub life. It’s a pretty impressive
recreation of across-the-pond folk. It’s a long
album, and at times I wish it had some rock elements
to it, but there are pleasures to be found
throughout, and a few songs are downright creepy.
[AM]
SILOAM (St Louis, MO)
"Siloam" 197 (Timbrel 47-248)
Siloam is to American folkrock what groups like

Presence, Aslan and Sanctus are to the British scene.
Melodic textures of 12-string guitar, piano,
percussion and male/female harmonies combine with
compassionate songwriting and skilled musicianship to
create a wonderful work of fragile beauty and
homegrown charm. Gently strummed mid-tempo numbers
like "Mystery", the minor-key "We Beseech You" and
the breezy "For This Reason" all are sheer perfection
for the genre. Tracks like "The Shepherd" and "Day Of
The Lord" even have a dreamy psych edge to them.
Others reveal a delicate VU "Femme Fatale" kind of
quality. Very nice acoustic lead guitar work
throughout. A seven person outfit from Dayspring
Community in St. Louis. Not an expensive LP. [KS]
SILVER (Milwaukee, WI)
"Children Of The Lord" 1975 (Grammi Fonics) [plain stamped

cover]
This is one of the albums released in the "advance

reviewer copy - confidential" album covers. It's the
one in the series most likely to appeal to
collectors, and it has a somewhat hard rocking organ
and guitar sound, some Christian lyrics and a spacy,
sparse feel to it. The production sound is pretty
cheap, with seemingly no attention paid to which
instruments or vocals should be louder than the
others. It sounds suspiciously like demos. Still,
pretty cool. [AM]
SILVER APPLES (New York City, NY)
"Silver Apples" 1968 (Kapp KL-1562) [mono wlp exists]

"Silver Apples" 1968 (Kapp KS-3562) [poster]
Silver Apples will always hold a special place in the

world of electronica, because there never was
anything else remotely like them (except maybe
Suicide.) The electronics weren’t from synths, but
from the Simeon, their self-made instrument that made
all sorts of wild noises. It was very limited in
tonal scope, which means the songwriting is as sparse
as the arrangements, and most of the variety here
comes from the drumming and vocal rhythms, not from
chord progressions. It’s the kind of thing that
really isn’t likely to hold up for 40 minutes, so
it’s quite impressive that this album is so
enjoyable. It’s still fresher and more powerful than
the years of synth music that followed. Some promos
came with additional promo material; there are no
mono sleeves. Numerous reissues exist and will be
omitted here. [AM]
"Contact" 1969 (Kapp KS-3584)

"Silver Apples / Contact" 199 (CD TRC) [2-on-1]
"Silver Apples / Contact" 199 (CD MCA 11680) [2-on-1]
The second Silver Apples album sports longer songs

and darker themes. It tends to be liked better by
critics and fans, though I would suggest that if you
like one you should like the other equally as much.
"You And I" is probably their best song, the kind of
thing that shows electronics to be every bit as
sinister as the most distorted guitar. Along with
United States of America and Fifty Foot Hose, this is
essential listening for anyone who wishes to know how
creative electronic music could be before a
"traditional" use of synthesizers was established in
the 70s. "The Garden" is a release of late 1960s
outtakes (CD Whirlybird). [AM]
SILVER LAUGHTER (IA)
"Handle With Care" 1976 (Fanfare Records)
This Iowa band put out two very obscure albums on

their own label in the mid 70s. The first of the two
is a mixture of Beatles-inspired 70s pop and
backwoods rural rock. The power pop stuff here is
very good, bringing to mind bands like the Hudson
Brothers and Hollins Ferry. Their songcraft is
strong, the singing excellent, and unlike most bands
in the genre, there’s a reasonable amount of variety
in their songwriting. Unfortunately, the more
countrified and boogie rock songs are pretty bad,
hitting a nadir with the album closer “Whiskey
Heaven.” The result is that about two-thirds of this
is very good. They should have stuck with their best
instincts. Look at the album cover photos -— these
guys are geeky wanna-be pop stars with 70s hair, not
redneck drunks. [AM]
"Sailing On Fantasties" 1978 (Fanfare)
Silver Laughter’s second album drops all of the

backwoods aspirations of the first. As a whole it
doesn’t rock as hard, but the harder rocking songs
were the duds on the first album anyway. Here they’re
simply a confident, inspired pop band and the album
is solid straight through. The harmonies and hooks
may be a little derivative for some, but these songs
are really catchy and have a nice breezy summer feel
to them. While the songs are very carefully
constructed, the private press production keeps it
from sounding too slick, something that really marred
a lot of the better 70s power pop. The post-punk 70s
freshness also makes this obscurity better than just
about any of the 90s power pop revival albums I’ve
heard. My only complaint is that as with most bands
in this genre, the lyrics are inconsequential. [AM]
JEFF SIMMONS (CA)
"Lucille Messed My Mind Up" 1969 (Straight sts-1057) [wlp

exists]
This is one mess of a record, and it's hard to

recommend it, but I think it's got a lot of fun
moments on it. There's wacked-out guitar throughout,
the great Zappa-penned doo-wop-ballad title track,
and a couple of weird ambitious classical-influenced
songs. Fans of the down and dirty will probably
prefer something like 'Wonderful Wino" to "Aqueous
Humore" or "Tigres." My favorite, though, is "I'm In
The Music Business," the ultimate tale of the
struggling rock wannabe. In the song Jeff refuses to
get a haircut and lose his chance at rock stardom,
and ends up so hungry and poor that he takes a part
in a skin flick. Grungy and hairy. Simmons also
contributed to the biker movie "Naked Angels", and
was formerly with Easy Chair. [AM]
~~~
see -> Easy Chair
DAVID SINCLAIR (Vancouver, Canada)
"Take My Hand" 1973 (SGM Records no#)
Typical '73 fence-straddler between westcoast and

singer/songwriter, with convincing moves in both
directions and added credibility via strong vocals
and a quite professional sound. Sinclair sings and
plays guitar but has a full rock band plus piano,
which is skillfully employed for both introspective
s/s-w and upbeat New Riders/Cambridge honkytonk
digressions. Has been compared to Jackson Browne but
to me it's really more of a Nor-Cal/Pacific NW trip
with a fresh outdoors feel. The highpoint is an
atypical but terrific Nick Drake-like folk brooder,
"A tale of raven" which opens side 2. Not outstanding
but enjoyable and recommended to genre fans. This LP
would have deserved to come out on a real record
label, such as Tumbleweed. [PL]
~~~
Sinclair is Canadian, but he sounds like an early 70s
California singer songwriter. The album has crisp
production and pleasant vocals and some pretty strong
songwriting. The dreamy “A Tale Of Raven” is the
definite standout, but this is pretty consistent.
It’s a pretty mainstream record, though, so beware of
“psych” dealer hype. [AM]
TONY TAM SING (HI)
"Tony" 1975 (Shampton)
Littleknown Hawaiian LP in a folk/folkrock style,

with violin. Sing is a Christian minister.
LES SINNERS (Montreal, Canada)
"Sinerisme" 1967 (Rusticana 1243)

"Sinerisme" 1989 (Hablabel, Italy)
Wellknown French-Canadian band with several LPs, this

one has half French and half English vocals in a
garage beat style and is rated highly by many.
"Sinnerismes" 1967 (Jupiter 7009)
Different LP from above, despite the title
"Vox Populi" 1968 (Jupiter 7015) [French vocals]

"Les Sinners, vol 1" 1991 (CD Disques Merit 22908) [French
vocals; +bonus tracks]
"25 Succès En Anglais" 1991 (CD Disques Mérite 22922) [English
vocals; +bonus tracks]
"Vox Populi" is an ambitious but un-pretentious

"concept" LP in the wake of Sgt Pepper, built around
a theme of the "voices of the people", and a
recurring musical signature that introduces different
snapshots of everyday life and attitudes, such as a
taxi driver's story. These snapshots are conventional
3-minute pop songs, most of which are pretty terrific
1967 UK-style beat-psych, well-written with hooks and
vocal harmonies a la the Beatles/Bee Gees/Hollies.
There's also some strong fuzz leads and interesting
studio effects that give the trip a clear identity,
and a stoned sense of humor which works well.
Consistent and skillfully balanced between
songwriting and concept, not unlike the Forever Amber
album, and a lot better than Rockadrome, as an
example. The LP is strong enough to be enjoyable even
with the French language barrier, but obviously those
who don't speak French need the English vocal
version, which wasn't released until the 1990s. One
of the best psych LPs from Quebec, with a strong
"1967" feel. The band later cut two unexceptional
hardrock LPs in the 1970s, with a new line-up. [PL]
SINNERS (Canada)
"Sinners" 1970 (Transworld 6801)
Artrock and prog with fuzz leads and flute. This is a

different band from above, although they're often
confused.
SIVEL SOUND EXPERIENCE (NE)
"Sivelization 1" 1968 (Rene 1107)
Oddball local LP of teenbeat/blue eyed soul with

horns.
SIXTH STATION ( )
"Deep Night" 1982 (LPS 1588)
Stunning soft rock set of dreamy celestial moods

carried by a steady beat and rife with phased
electric rhythm guitar for a wonderful unfiltered
slightly out-of-tune quality. Lead vocalist sounds a
lot like Neil Young with his fragile shaky delivery.
Deep creative lyrics to match, with all original
songwriting and plenty of solo leads on top of the
rhythm guitar, sometimes two in tandem, sometimes
with light fuzz or other effects, reaching some hard-
hitting moments on tracks like "Scar Of Love" or the
powerful "Before The Snowfall". The only other
instruments are bass and drums (no keyboards or even
acoustic guitars from what I can tell). Some of the
most beautiful selections are the ballads, like "Make
A Way For Me" or the delicate title track. Catholic
I’m guessing – the back cover has references to
“nihil obstat” and “imprimatur”, plus a thanks to the
Bishop of Peoria. Simple sunset cover photo. One of
the most impressive post-1980 custom recordings I’ve
heard. [KS]
SKIP & THE CREATION (VA)
"Mobam" 1967 (Justice 152)

"Mobam" 1995 (CD Collectables 0602)
Organ-led combo with hip (relatively speaking) Myrtle
Beach teen club vibe, band does unusual covers of
Hank Williams and "Harlem Shuffle" plus one cool
original. Bonus points for excellent organ sound but
the muddy recording, weak vocals and abundance of
soul covers places this among the less interesting on
the label. The selfwritten tune, a semi-ripoff of
"Time won't let me" (comp'd on "Good Roots") is worth
hearing. "Mobam" supposedly means Makers Of Bad Ass
Music, but the sounds on the record belie such an
interpretation. [PL]
SKOGIE (MN)
"There's A String Attached" 1974 (General)
This weird mix of funk, glam and straightforward rock

is completely unique. They take Parliament's
experimentation with synthesizers a step further (or,
they may actually have used them first), with bubbly
bass snyths galore. The album begins with its
funkiest and most synth-heavy tune, giving a strong
but not 100% accurate first impression. Apparently
they were a rather comical live band, but other than
a disgusting sound effect that accompanies a lyric
about masturbation there's no blatant humor here. The
songs flow together with no space between, creating
the illusion of a concept, though there's no lyrical
unity. Overall, this record is pretty neat. It's
creative and energetic and there are a bunch of good
songs. It probably won't appeal to psych fans, but if
you're looking for an unusual 70s rock album, I
recommend it. [AM]
SKUNKS (WI)
"Gettin' Started" 1967 (Teentown 101)
Here's one of the few local garage era LP that's

never been expensive, partly due to copies being
available, partly because it's lukewarm and difficult
to hype. The band has an amateur folkrock sound with
nothing that grabs your attention. Mostly originals,
a couple of Beatles covers. The band had several 45s
which again have failed to raise much excitement.
SKY DANCER ( )
"Alive" 1977 (All In One)
Live hardrock with hard guitar and churning organ.
SKY DOG ( )
"Just Want To Make You Happy" 1974 (Paw Records 5336)

[1000p]
Local Allman Bros-type combo with a pleasant rural

vibe, ranging from rootsy mellow rock to spacier
jamming, just like their mentors. Sometimes too easy-
going for its own good, though it's difficult to
knock as background music for summer day cruising.
Strongest appeal may be the Hammond organ which has
one of the best sounds ever and is put to good use,
while a couple of tracks (such as the title number)
are too poppy for my tastes. An odd Middle-Eastern
theme recurs through the LP for reasons unknown to
me. Recorded in Sandy Springs, Georgia. Has the same
generic rainbow cover as Euphoria-Lost in trance.
[PL]
SKYEROS (MO)
"Skyeros" 1975 (no label 8637)
Dual lead guitar, melodic psychy progressive. A bit

spacy and comparable to Brimstone.
SKY FARMER (Chicago, IL)
“Amazing Grace” 2004 (Gear Fab 191)
1970s recordings of commune-vibration organic,

borderline psychedelic, jazz-rock that hits some good
spots. Very distinctive and beautiful vocals from
Annie Hat. The strong prevalence of piano and
saxophone could put rock heads (like me) off, but it
has a happy-go-luck feel that makes it worth
listening to. A pioneering, rock’n’roll, camp fire
feel prevails on the better tracks. Overall, it may
appeal more to those with a taste for jazz. They came
out of the ashes of Mountain Bus and retained their
capacity for free-form live jamming. Nothing here
equals the heights attained by the Mountain Bus
version of "I know you rider", but the first track
"Okooch Farewell" is a joy to hear. [RI]
SKY-SAILS (Canada)
"Sky-Sails" 1973 (no label MH-93) [insert]
Obscure Canadian electronics, effects & poetry freak

LP in the Bill Bissett/Intersystems tradition.
SKYWALKER (Long Beach, CA)
"Made In Flight" 1982 (Phax pr-2001)
Hardrock trio with spacy Floydian moves.
SLEEPY HOLLOW ( )
"Sleepy Hollow" 1972 (Family FPS 2708)

The first two songs here are the most uncanny Beatles
soundalikes you'll ever hear. The first is the
perfect blend of "Abbey Road" and "Plastic Ono Band"
and the second mixes pure 1965-style harmonies with
1969-style production. So this album gets big points
for nostalgia value; like Blue Ash, Badfinger,
Zerfas, Anonymous, We All Together, Jade and so on,
it gives comfort to people who wish the Beatles never
broke up. The vocals throughout are pure Lennon, very
similar to Lazy Smoke but a bit more studied. The
rest of the album is hit and miss, with the upbeat
songs better than the ballads. Even the weak songs
have that magical feel to them, though in some ways
this feels like a McCartney solo album: everything
sounds great, but there's something a bit (sorry
about the pun) hollow to it. The long song that
closes the album, unfortunately, is not especially
compelling. If it had been up to the level of the
best songs here, this would have been something truly
special. As it is, "Sleepy Hollow" is definitely
recommended for the three or four winners and, of
course, the déjà vu factor. [AM]
SLEEPY JOHN (ID)
"Sleepy John" 1999 (Rockadelic 38) [600p]
Haven't heard much buzz on this but clearly a

worthwhile addition to the Rockadelic roster; crude
early 1970s local NW basement hardrock with intense
Hammond and fuzz excursions and a truly frantic
drummer. Somewhat similar (though inferior) to
neighbors Stone Garden but less Bay Area-influenced,
delivering a dense wall of lo-fi blowouts plus some
melodic/proggy ambitions on a track like "Seasons".
Consistent, with agreeable songwriting, lots of riff
hooks and clever breaks and an idiosynchratic
vocalist a bonus. Should appeal to fans of Brigade.
Gatefold cover with band story and pics. [PL]
SLIGHTEST IDEA (IA)
"Bring Your Own" 1973 (Pit 1019)
Raw bar-rock with unusual basement vibe, covers of

things like "Smoke on the water", plus one band
original.
SLOOPY & THE GUYS (Detroit, MI)
"Somethin' Wild" 1966 (Mark 107449/50)
Local teen-beat band with loads of reverb and cool

amateur mid-tempo moves.
SLY BOOTS ( )
"Notes On A Journey" 196 (Faithful Virtue fvs-2002)

[gatefold]
Late 60s hippie folky rock group led by Michael

Wendroff and David Greenberg. Deep thought lyrics and
wistful acoustic jammy playing. Solid latenite
charmer. Not an expensive LP.
SMACK (KS)
"Smack" 1968 (Audio House 14468) [blank back]

"Smack" 1991 (Smack TS 9104) [altered cover; insert; 300p]
Surprisingly enjoyable guitar-psych top 40 cover LP

with tunnelvision galore as these highschool kids
blow through 4 Hendrix and 3 Cream numbers, making
the additional Kinks and Buffalo Springfield tunes
seem downright exotic. Somewhat mysteriously the
guitarplayer achieves some of the best fuzz-tone I
have ever heard, and isn't afraid to use it. The full
band has the right power-trio directness, and are
given an additional hand by an excellent in-yer-face
recording. Vocalists do credible Jimi & Jack Bruce
imitations and as a whole any sarcastic jokes aimed
at this LP come flying back like a cream pie in the
face of the listener. Only moment of stupidity is
some funny incorrect lyrics in "For What It's Worth";
other than that this is the Rolls Royce of "Purple
Haze" copy band LPs. The band met at a summer camp in
Kansas but the four members came from all over the US
and only rehearsed for a few weeks before releasing
this LP on request of the other camp kids, even
though their "acid rock" performance had been aborted
by camp management! [PL]
~~~
see -> Young Prophecies '68
BOB SMITH (CA)
"The Visit" 1970 (Kent 551) [2LPs; poster]

"The Visit" 1996 (CD Virgo 1518)
"Stop For A Visit Down Electric Avenue" 2000 (RD 6,
Switzerland) [3 LP box set; poster; +1 bonus disc]
Very good Bay Area forerunner of the epic 70s psych

sound of Zerfas, Garret Lund, DR Hooker etc. A 2 LP
set and except for one or two unnecessary
"experiments" solid all through. Wellcrafted
psychrock with strong, heartfelt vocals and marvy
sound tapestries of fuzz, flute, mellotron and more.
All psych collectors need this. The original came
with a great poster that's often missing. The retited
Swiss 3LP box-set features an LP of unreleased
material featuring Bob's post-"Visit" band Stop,
1971-72. This bonus material is remarkably good in a
style close to the double LP, and should be checked
out. [PL]
~~~
It’s pretty ambitious to debut with a double album,
but I’ll give Smith credit as he had enough ideas to
fill four sides. His voice is a little serious/loungy
but he does at least try to sing like a rock guy when
he’s not trying to sound like a prophet. If you like
D.R. Hooker’s singing, you’ll like Smith’s. The music
is in a wide range of late 60s/70s psych genres, from
hard rock to upbeat folk-rock to jazzy
experimentation. The arrangements are always
interesting. Backing vocals, a range of keyboards and
clever sound effects are used well. Smith’s band is
excellent, and there’s plenty of hot guitar/keyboard
interplay. A few songs have some pretty heavy
mellotron. The 8-minute “India Slumber” might be a
bit much for some listeners, but otherwise this album
is surprisingly accessible. By the end of four sides,
I wish Smith would have lightened up a bit, but this
album is chock full of great songs and great moments.
Even the requisite blues song is pretty good. As is
the case with 99% of double LPs, side three is the
weird one. Darryl Dragon began his “Captain” persona
here; he’s listed as “Captain Keyboard.” It would
have been cool to have heard Toni Tennille singing
something like “Mobeda Dadelions.” [AM]
GRANT SMITH & THE POWER (Toronto, Canada)
"Grant Smith & the Power" 1968 (Boo 6802)
Blue-eyed soul and r'n'b club sound with Hammond and

sax, on the same label as A Passing Fancy. Includes a
long instro version of "Ode to Billie Joe", lots of
soul numbers, and a Beatles cover.
KATHY SMITH (CA)
"Some Songs I’ve Saved" 1970 (Stormy Forest 6003)
Stormy Forest is Richie Havens’ label, and he

presented the world a number of very interesting folk
and folk-rock artists, of which Smith is probably the
best and most evocative. Her debut album has some
unusual orchestration, some of the most effective
I’ve ever heard in the genre, and powerful singing in
the Judy Collins style (I suspect Kathy listened to
Who Knows Where The Time Goes a hundred times before
recording this.) It also benefits from terrific
acoustic guitar playing and subtly powerful drumming
on a number of songs. A few other songs are just
guitar and voice, and they’re pretty deep. The
intelligent and moody lyrics about the not-so-sunny
California of the time foreshadow Jackson Browne's
career, which is apt because Browne was friend of
Smith's. The album includes, along with Smith’s own
songs, excellent compositions by her friends Pamela
Polland and Jimmy Spheeris. The album improves with
multiple listens, and has a number of chilling
moments (the loud strings at the end of “Same Old
Lady,” the circular vocal bit at the end of “If I
Could Touch You.”) Both of Smith's albums are among
the very best female singer songwriter albums of the
70s, and should appeal to loner folk fans as well. By
the way, despite the claims of several record dealers
and reference books, she is most certainly not the
same person as the Cathy Smith who was with John
Belushi on the night of his death. It's appalling
that so many people would make such a slanderous
claim without first researching the matter. [AM]
"2" 1971 (Stormy Forest 6009)
Kathy Smith's second album is in the same style as

the first, and is every bit as good, if not better.
The singing is equally strong, but here she's
developed more personality and is less of a Judy
Collins clone. The songs are uniformly strong: by
combining her own songs with those of her like-minded
friends, Pamela Polland, Jimmy Sphreeris, and Jackson
Browne, she maintained a high standard while having
the flow and continuity that is missing from albums
where performers mix their own material with that of
outside songwriters whom they do not personally know.
The excellent orchestration from the first album has
been replaced by a hot jazzy backing band that rocks
out and occasionally jams in a highly appealing and
appropriate way. The lyrics are, once again, deep. If
Browne, James Taylor, Joni Mitchell, and so on were
able to make million-selling albums in the early 70s,
it's a mystery why Smith didn't as well. This
certainly blows away anything by Janis Ian or Joan
Baez. By the way, both of Smith's albums were
engineered by Val Valentin of Velvet Underground
fame. [AM]
SMOKE (Los Angeles, CA)
"Smoke" 1968 (Sidewalk t-5912) [mono]

"Smoke" 1968 (Sidewalk st- 5912) [stereo]
"Smoke" 2004 (CD Acid Ray 5504, South Korea)
This is certainly one of the best US popsike albums,

straddling the edge of soft-rock popsike like
Sagittarius, but rocking quite a bit more
convincingly. There’s a definite Beach Boys
influence, but the soaring vocal arrangements and
guitar-based song structures move in a direction
those Boys never dared tread. That said, it’s nowhere
near as weird as the WCPAEB, and could easily have
had mainstream success if the cards were right. Great
songs like “Gold Is The Color of Thought” encapsulate
the era perfectly. The stereo pressing exists with
both Sidewalk and Tower labels. [AM]
~~~
SMOKIN' WILLIE (IL)
"Smokin' Willie" 1972 (Ulrich Studio 3999) [1000p]

"Smokin' Willie" 1994 (OR 006) [375#d]
"Smokin' Willie" 2004 (CD Radioactive 077, UK)
An LP to match St Anthony's Fyre for outlaw booze &

pills attitude and an even more echoey gymnasium
fidelity. Five out of six tracks are covers but
they're so off-the-wall it doesn't matter much. Dig
"Whiter shade of pale" with half the notes missing
from the familiar organ line. Loud fuzz and Hammond
upfront, howling biker vocals and a thundering rhythm
section. Not for everyone's tastes for sure, but
entertaining to these ears. [PL]
~~~
Heavy distorto fuzz biker cover band. Savage power
chord no-fi onslaughts that just pulverize the
material. When they ease up on "Whiter Shade Of Pale"
with the shimmering church organ and strained vocals
you can see why their motto was Louder, Harder,
Fuzzier. Most copies were destroyed at the local dump
in 1988. Promo copies were made on 8-track tape. [RM]
SNAKE (Pittsburgh, PA)
"Mysterious Ladies And Midnight Queens" 1977 (Nite Owl)
Chuck Owston has a long career in a variety of

musical genres, though he rarely recorded. This self-
released album contains country-rock, energetic
roots-rock, folk, ballads, and an absolute spot-on
Tom Waits impersonation/tribute. All of it is pretty
good, but none of it is transcendent. If you like
this style of music, it’s recommended. He has an
appealing road-weary personality, kind of like
someone whose whole life is music but doesn’t care if
he ever hits the big time or not. Most songs are
sparsely arranged, but the production is very crisp
and his band is quite good. Nice mix of instruments
including dobro and slide guitar. [AM]
SNAKEGRINDER (DE)
"And The Shredded Fieldmice" 1977 (Alligator Shoes 40-004)

"And The Shredded Fieldmice" 2005 (CD Radioactive 102, UK)
"And The Shredded Fieldmice" 2005 (CD)
One of the more pleasant reissue surprises of 2005,

this obscure Delaware (not many known LPs from there)
private goes into a lot of unusual places and retains
a friendly, upbeat vibe while doing so. I hear traces
of mid-70s Dead, Santana, The Band and Zappa, but the
end result is all Snakegrinder. The vibe I pick up is
a bunch of local stoners who have been jamming for
years, written some tunes, and finally gotten
together for an album to delight their buddies. The
sound is rich and n-dimensional with an impressive
group-mind synchronization going, creating a vintage
Bay Area vibe pretty much any time they zoom off into
jams. At times it sounds a lot like Ray Harlowe & Gyp
Fox, and anyone who likes the best tracks on that LP
is going to flip out over this one. This is not a 70s
hard guitar jammer, but real deal acidrock with a
multichannel flow to rank among the best of them.
Terrific musicians, floating THC vibe, and long
snakey tracks -- what more could one ask for? The
second CD is a master tape reissue from the band.
[PL]
~~~
This is a completely distinctive album that seems to
wow everyone who hears it. It’s compared by most to
the Grateful Dead, but some songs actually have a
very professional jazzy 70s sheen and funky rhythmic
sense that reminds me of Steely Dan. Unlike that
band, though, the careful songwriting soon gives way
to long jams, which veer from acid rock to jazz and
back seamlessly. These sound like they have developed
carefully over many live performances and rehearsals,
and not like random improv. The playing is top-notch,
and the songs are full of surprising twists and
turns. The vocals aren’t up to the level of the
guitars, but they’re serviceable (and there aren’t
very many of them.) Not at all what you’d expect from
hippie jammers; this is the kind of unique mix of
styles that takes a while to get used to but is
ultimately more rewarding than the cruder and less
complex laid-back jammy music more frequently found
on private press albums. [AM]
SNICKELFRITZ (Provo, UT)
"Snickelfritz Wants You!" 1969 (Mormoney mm-666) [insert; 50p]
Amazing dark folk rock excursion with creepy pipe

organ interludes that would have been right at home
in the film, "Carnival of Souls". The songs cover the
downer bases of unrequited love and societal
rejection with aching sincerity teen vocals.
Meandering minor chord 12-string solos give the
record a real lost-in-time feel like a moody New
England prep rocker without the backbeat. Thick
gatefold with demonic trivia insert. [RM]
SIGMUND SNOPEK III (Milwaukee, WI)
"Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf" 1973 (Waterstreet) [insert]
"Trinity Seas" 1974 (Akashic) [insert]
"Nobody To Dream" 1975 (Couth Youth 1001) [insert]
Doorsy vocals prog psych with mellotron, synth, and

whatever else was handy. There was also an instro
artrock LP from 1982, "Roy Rogers Meets Albert
Einstein". [RM]
~~~
see -> Bloomsbury People; Jim Spencer; Major Arcana
SNOW (Cleveland, OH)
"Snow" 1968 (Epic BN 26435)

"Snow" 2003 (CD Radioactive 056, UK)
"Snow" 2003 (Radioactive 056, UK)
Little-known item on the label with a sound placed

right smack in the 1968 moustache sunshine Los
Angeles & London pop-psych intersection of Mamas &
Papas, Bee Gees, Hollies, etc. Not bad for the style,
with nothing particularly objectionable and vintage
zeitgeist charm. Male/female munchkin vocals, fuzz
and harpischord flourishes, and an upbeat mood
throughout. The production and vocals are LA while
the songwriting style and whimsical fairytale lyrics
are typical British. "Old Uncle Timothy's Flying
Balloon" is the perfect lost track for the Rubble
series. The closing psych-phased "Caterpillar" track
has been hyped and is probably the best track here,
but for fans of things such as the Smoke on Sidewalk
or the Move/Idle Race the whole album could be worth
searching out. Not heavy or deep in any way, in case
the description hasn't made that clear, although they
do try and pull an Iron Butterfly on "Song of the
Sirens". [PL]
SNOW GEESE (Manfield, TX)
"Feathers In The Wind" 1977 (Old Hat) [inner; insert]
Rural hippie folk and country-rock with some

Christian moves.
SODBUSTERS (Vancouver, Canada)
"Sodbusters" 1974 (Georgia Stock 71-01)
Rural hippie folk LP with Huckle helping out.
"SO IT GOES" (Atlanta, GA)
"So It Goes" 1973 (no label 1701) [insert]
Also known as "Emory Almanac", this various artists

project from Emory College is an above average mix of
folk and psychy rock.
SOJOURNER (LA)
"Wings Like An Eagle" 1979 (no label 017901)
Christian proggy folk and rock mix, recorded at Magic

City Studios in Bogalusa. Keyboard-heavy sound
including synth, organ, clavinet, electric guitars
and various percussion instruments.
V.A "SOMETHIN' ELSE" (Canada)
"Somethin' Else" 1966 (Roman drl-103)
Canadian teen-beat sampler including the Paupers,

David Clayton-Thomas, the Shays. The latter's track
("This hour has seven days") is good moody beat and
has been comp'd.
SOMETHING NEW ( )
"Are You Looking" 1970 (Century 40499)
Electric folkrock with female vocals on well-known

custom label.
ALAN SONDHEIM (Providence, RI)

"The Songs" 1967 (Riverboat rb-3)
"Ritual All 7-70" 1968 (ESP 1048) [2nd press; altered cover]
"Ritual All 7-70" 199 (CD ESP 1048, Germany)
Pre-psych beatnik style freakout with exotic string

and woodwind instruments and voice fragments. A
classic of the early avant underground. The Riverboat
version was credited to Ritual All 7-70, which became
the LP title for the ESP pressing. Sondheim made a
second LP for ESP with synth added, "Th 'Other Little
Tune" (ESP 1082, 1969) which also is of some
interest.
SONICS (Tacoma, WA)
"Here Are" 1965 (Etiquette etalb-024) [mono; red label]

"Here Are" 1965 (Etiquette etalb-024) [stereo; red label]
"Here Are" 1965 (Etiquette etalb-024) [stereo; purple label;
2nd press]
"Boom" 1966 (Etiquette etalb-027) [mono; purple label]

"Boom" 1966 (Etiquette etalb-027) [stereo; purple label]
Often inaccurately described as a "garage" era band,

the Sonics emerged from the pre-Beatle Pacific
Northwest scene as the final and perfected
incarnation of the first 10 years of rock'n'roll. The
debut LP is one of the best regional albums of the
1960s, and while "Boom" has a few unexceptional cover
versions, the originals are again utterly stunning.
No need for lengthy discursions on these guys, you
either own this or you're clueless. Cover variations
of first LP originals exist as follows: 1) cat# top
right; 2) cat# lower right; 3) 1/4" white border
round the cover. Reissues of both albums are too
numerous to list, but there were official, exact runs
from Etiquette in the 1980s sporting a purple label.
Poorly done bootlegs exist without spine printing and
a botched b & w sleeve job on "Here Are". The
reissues on New Rose are reported as having poor
sound. The 1970s six-LP "Northwest Box" on Etiquette
include both (stereo mix) albums in thin, flimsy b &
w sleeves. There is also an original 1960s Canadian
pressing of "Boom", distributed by London. [PL]
"Introducing" 1967 (Jerden jrl-7007) [mono; wlp exists]

"Introducing" 1967 (Jerden jrls-7007) [stereo]
Repackaged early "hits" plus some later-day numbers,

missing the nitroglycerin charge of the Etiquettes
but still way above average. The original band was
falling apart at this time.
"Explosives" 1973 (Buckshot 001)
Legit sampler of Etiquette material put together in

the dark ages, available via mail-order ads in Bomp
Magazine. Compiled by Mark Shipper, this features 12
classic rippers in mono mixes.
"Original Northwest Punk" 1977 (First American fa-7715)
A couple early hits plus the later 1966-67 material,

in fact an exact retread of the 1967 "Introducing" LP
repackaged in a new cover. First American was run by
NW scenemaker Jerry Dennon, also behind the
Piccadilly label from the same timeframe.
"Unreleased" 1980 (First American fa- 7719)
Jerry Dennon's second raid on the Sonics vault

yielded a selection of later 45s and unreleased
tracks, some from the post-Gerry Roslie era. The
material pops up on recent CDs as well. For diehard
fans only.
"Fire And Ice" 1981 (First American fa-7779)
Scraping the bottom of the barrel on "Fire & Ice"

with really lame vault material. A later CD version
also exists. There is also a reunion LP of sorts from
1980, "Sinderella" (Bomp), which has a hideous cover
and reportedly not very appealing contents. "Live
Fanz Only" is a 1986 Etiquette release with a 1966
Oregon show on one side and a 1972 show on the other.
From the mid-1980s and onwards the Sonics became a
matter of international concern, with a number of
reissues and retrospective releases. Best of CD
samplers from Etiquette and Big Beat are good, just
make sure you get the early non-LP 45 tracks ("The
Hustler"; "Keep-A Knocking") and the X-mas sampler
tracks. Mono mixes are always preferrable. In the
2000s there has again been a slew of releases,
including early, pre-Etiquette recordings from Norton
("The Savage Young Sonics"), and more.
--
see -> "Merry X-Mas"
SONS (San Francisco, CA)
"Minus Seeds and Stems" 1971 (private 2126) [100p]

"Minus Seeds and Stems" 1993 (CFS 2126) [2 inserts]
Westcoast rarity featuring privately released live

recordings by the Sons Of Champlin. This was made as
the band had been dropped by Capitol, although they
would reform for a couple more major label LPs later
on. The sleeve has no song titles or credits, which
were added via the 1990s reissue.
SONS OF THUNDER (MD)
"Till The Whole World Knows" 196 (Zondervan 754)
Obscure late 1960s Christian album with surprisingly

hip sounds of mostly light femme-vocal folkrock like
an upbeat Guitar Ensemble or John Ylvisaker's younger
cousins; a couple of tracks with male vocals are less
exciting but it still plays solidly through with
folkboom leftover charm and marginal school-play
moves. Side 2 is strong with 3 excellent tracks, one
of which even features raga guitar and psych effects.
A few covers, but mostly origs I think. A marginal
item really, but worth checking out for fans of Holy
Ghost RC#9. Band looks really eerie on the cover...
straight out of "Stepford Wives". The album is not
expensive. Later Sons albums include "Days Follows
Night" (Bronte 1001, 1972) and the heavier "Live At
Virginia Beach" (Bronte 1002, 1973). [PL]
SORCERY (Chicago, IL)
"Sinister Soldiers" 1978 (Century 45484) [2LPs; gatefold]

"Sinister Soldiers - First Chapter" 199 (no label, Europe)
[bootleg]
"Sinister Soldiers - Second Chapter" 199 (no label, Europe)
[bootleg]
"Sinister Soliders" 199 (CD Monster)
"Sinister Soldiers" 200 (Century) [2LPs; gatefold;
counterfeit]
Often described as an early metal/NWOBHM album, but

in my ears closer in sound and mood to local early
1970s hardrock bands like Top Drawer. Inane teen
lyrics and thankfully non-screaming vocals, with
plenty of guitarwork that occasionally goes into
Terry Brooks territory, plus some mellotron and a
proto-1980s drummer. Despite some negative feedback I
think it's listenable all through, with a highpoint
in moody long "Last goodbye" track. 2LP set in
gatefold cover, although the total playtime barely
exceeds 50 minutes. Apart from the reissues, there's
a counterfeit in circulation which can be recognized
by a white rectangle obviously inserted into the
original cover artwork. [PL]
"Til Death Do We Part" 1980 (Sentry)
The second LP is not so good. Is this the same group

who did "Stunt Rock", the soundtrack to the film
"Stunt" (Groovy, 1978, Holland)? [RM]
S O S FEVER ( )
"Live At The Outrigger Hotel" 1969 (Makaha 5001)
Obscure beat LP in nice color cover, supposedly

recorded live.
SOUL INC (NC)
"At The Cellar" 1967 (Emblem)
A common band name, this particular branch cut a live

album in Charlotte NC with mainly blue-eyed soul
numbers, as indicated by their monicker. Some
originals, and covers of "Knock on wood", "You don't
know like I know", etc. This is not the same Soul Inc
as the prolific 45 outfit from Louisville, KY.
SOULS OF INSPYRATION (Quebec, Canada)
"The Souls of Inspyration" 1970 (Columbia ES 90061)

"The Souls of Inspyration" 199 (Columbia) [bootleg]
"The Souls of Inspyration" 2005 (CD Pacemaker 037)
Like labelmates Jarvis St Revue and It's All Meat a

very rare LP despite being on Columbia. Keyboard-
driven artrock with a late 60s feel in the vocals and
organ but also baroque and classical influences. Not
overwhelmingly interesting to me.
SOUND OF THE REIGN ( )
"Reigned Out" 1965 (Wilber)
Teenbeat/garage.
SOUNDSATIONS (MI)
"Shout" 1966 (Phalanx 001) [1000p]
If intended to capture the band's in-concert

excitement, then this was totally missed. In spite of
some lame audience sound effects, nothing here
sounded live, nor particularly exciting. Featuring a
mix of then-popular pop and soul hits the album
deserved a 'D' for creativity, though the inclusion
of one original ("Moody Love") saved it from an 'F';
this bluesy organ-propelled original was also the
album's highpoint. Perhaps because they were so bad,
the band's haphazard readings of "When a Man Loves a
Woman" (I could read Dr. Seuss' "Green Eggs and Ham"
with more feeling), an equally inept "Midnight Hour"
and a seemingly endless "Shout" (with a particularly
disturbing drum solo) were fascinating in the same
way a bad traffic accident captures one's attention.
By no stretch of the imagination was this great
music, but the band's misplaced enthusiasm helped
compensate for the absence of originality and the
rather flat production. The other saving grace came
in the form of guest vocalist Patsy Stevens. While
she wasn't even shown on the album cover, Steven's
handled lead vocals on several tracks and her
performances on "What Now My Love" and "Just You"
provided two of the LP highlights. [SB]
V.A "SOUNDS OF CENTRAL HIGH" ( )
"Sounds Of Central High '67" 1967 (no label)
"Sounds Of Central High '68" 1968 (no label)
High-school project LPs of which the first is of no

particular merit, while the 1968 instalment has some
cool tracks and an extraordinary psychedelic cover.
V.A "SOUNDTRACKS 1966" (Northfield, IL)
"Soundtracks 1966" 1966 (no label 28573)
Very obscure school project LP from New Trier High

School, features some brief teenbeat from the Maniacs
doing "Little Latin Lupe Lu" as the main attraction;
also has some students singing a mock "protest" tune
to the melody of "Louie Louie".
SOUP (Appleton, WI)
"Soup" 1970 (Arf Arm 1) [plain cover; blank labels; yellow
insert]
"Soup" 199 (Arf Arm) [counterfeit; insert]
"Soup" 2000 (Gear Fab 144) [+bonus tracks]
"Soup" 2000 (CD Gear Fab 144) [+bonus tracks]
Crude local rural rock/hard-rock affair with melodic

Marin County eclecticism on side 1 including jazz and
country moves; ambitious guitarwork, unpretentious
vocals and some nice hooks that may appeal in an Owen
B direction. Side 2 is a live-recorded hard-rock
blowout called "I'm so sorry" with the desperate teen
vocals again an asset, as well as some of the more
frantic guitar riffing you're likely to hear. Nice
playing all around and a trip worth examining for
those into the really local early 70s sounds, while
the average psych fan can pass on it. The easiest way
to identify an original is that the vinyl has a
flatter, rounded edge while the fakes are sharply
beveled. The fake insert was a lime green with
thinner paper stock and 'new' looking. The group was
previously known as garage-era band Private Property
Of Digil, whose 45s are included on the reissue. The
band had a second LP on a real record label, "The
Album Soup" (Big Tree bts-2007, 1971) which has some
excellent guitar and a couple of good songs opening
side 1 but is otherwise unexceptional. [PL]
RICHARD SOUTAR (CT)
"Episodes" 197 (Artsong)
Pleasant surprise in store here as Soutar's more

obscure debut LP turns out to be clearly better than
"Lavender Daydreams", in fact I think it's on a whole
other level. Songwriting is similar but superior,
with a 1960s folkrock feel and lots of hooks and
strong melodies. Recurring use of fuzz leads and
enthusiastic live feel reminds me of the Joe Peace
album but this is clearly better in my ears. Also has
frequent use of flute and female harmonies supporting
Soutar's own excellent vocals, wrapped in a full
folkrock basement setting a la Gandalf the Grey. A
couple of tracks hint at the generic 1970s
singer/songwriter blandness that weighed down his
later LP, but all over this is a fine trip comparable
to a less moody Gary Higgins, or what you hoped the
Arthur Lee Harper album would sound like. Too bad
this didn't get reissued instead of "Lavender", but
hopefully it will come round down the line. [PL]
"Lavender Daydreams" 1976 (no label SD-72176) [lyric insert;

200p]
"Lavender Daydreams" 199 (Void 9) [insert]
Pro-sounding melodic singer/songwriter & hippie

folkrock LP in the popular post-CSNY 1970s bag, too
lightweight and easygoing to challenge the status quo
of anything, including the listener's mood.
Songwriting and performances are flawless, but a bit
more heart and soul wouldn't hurt next time. The
title track is a terrific dreamy folkrockpsycher in
the Michael Angelo realm, but to get there you have
to sit through 35 minutes of pleasantly forgettable
s/sw material. Gary Higgins is a much better and more
personal trip for this style. [PL]
JOHN SOUTHERN (OK)
"Equinox" 1975 (Boyd 0001) [insert]
Little-known mid-70s title in great color sleeve

showing the man inside a giant sewer pipe. The LP
features Southern's homemade string instruments and
has one excellent long cut and a couple other decent
ones.

SOUTHERN STEEL (Miami, FL)
"Get On Through" 1974 (Earth Records 0003/04)
Seldom seen Southern rock/hardrock with strong

guitarwork and some outstanding tracks such as "Don't
deny it". There was also a 45 released. Produced by
Craig Leon, who went on to fame as a producer with
Ramones, Suicide, and others.
SOWER (NM)
"Sower" 1977 (Grand Trine) [500p; inner]
1970s style laidback rural folkrock with guitars,

drums, flute and violin, reported as "lame" by one
renowned critic.
STEPHEN SPANO (MD)
"Eye To Eye" 1974 (Adelphi ad-4103) [insert]
Here’s a terrific private press rarity that’s

completely fallen under the radar. It’s way better
than multi-hundred-dollar singer-songwriter/folk-
rock/soft pop rarities like Richard Soutar or Mick
Stevens and the entire brigade of albums inaccurately
compared to Michael Angelo. Like all of those
records, there’s scant amount of fuzz guitar or
trippiness here. But there’s some excellent lead
guitar, occasional use of hippie instruments like
conga and flute, a bit of moog, unusual chord
progressions and thoughtful, intelligent songwriting
to go along with the requisite vocal harmonies and
acoustic guitars. It’s also much less wimpy than your
average CSN-influenced private press album. The
highlights are “...and dream,” which has some great
lead guitar, and “Eye to eye,” which rocks out (and,
admittedly, veers a tad toward prog). The rest of the
album is quite good too. Neat album cover; you’d
think that alone would have attracted attention to
it. Snap it up quick before it gets discovered and
the price balloons. About 1500 copies were pressed.
[AM]
SPARE CHANGE BAND (MA)
"Spare Change Band" 1977 (Tribute)
Westcoasty folkrock jams and loungey blues, post-Tea

Company. To my ears a dull, overrated LP with one
good track in "Take me to your garden".
~~~
see -> Frankie Carr
SPARKS (Canada)
"Travelling With" 1965 (Fontaine)
Obscure teenbeat.
SPARROWS (Los Angeles, CA)
"That Mersey Sound" 1964 (Elkay 3009)
Exploito Beatles covers with monster garage guitar

sound and hick vocals (like From Britain With Beat)!
One of the best in the style. Rick Griffin did the
cover art. [RM]
SPEAK EASY (Kansas City, MO)
"Speak Easy" 197 (no label)
Late 1970s hardrockers.
SPECKULATIONS ( )
"Walking The Dog In The Midnight Hour" 1966 (Justice 132)

"Walking The Dog In The Midnight Hour" 1996 (CD Collectables)
Crude frat/garage that differs from most Justice

albums in being sloppily played, the rhythm section
in particular. In fact, they're all over the place.
Further garage ambience is provided by Index-like
teen vocals and a selection of covers that are
somewhat less soul/lounge and more standard '65-66
fare than many of their local competitors. There may
also be an original or two. A solid dose of vintage
teen incompetence that makes for passable
entertainment and is about the closest any Justice
band came to the equally maligned North-East preprock
sound. One of the rarer Justices. [PL]
SPECTRE (WY)
"Spectre" 1982 (Vedauwoo)
Hardrock/AOR with lots of guitar, housed in an odd b

& w cover. One of the few ones from Wyoming, this has
been compared to Unison.
SPEED LIMIT 35 (NC)
"Speed Limit 35" 2004 (RD Records 14, Switzerland) [insert]
Post-Ladies WC band with unreleased studio and live

recordings from circa 1970 in a rural guitar-jam
style.
ALEXANDER 'SKIP' SPENCE (San Francisco, CA)
"Oar" 1969 (Columbia cs-9831) [360 label]

"Oar" 199 (CD Sundazed 11075) [+10 tracks]
"Oar" 199 (Sundazed 11075)
"Oar" 199 (CD Sony Legacy 75031) [+5 tracks]
As most probably know already this is the solo album

Alexander 'Skip' Spence recorded after getting sacked
from Moby Grape and spending six months in the
Bellevue hospital. The songs were written while he
was committed there and it kinda shows - it's
fragmented and demo-like but at the same time filled
with emotion and raw beauty. The album is often
described as being very downer and depressive, which
I think is extremely unjust. It's full of beautiful
songs like "Little Hands", "Diana" and others, that
easily would've fitted with the Grape. But the
spectrum is much wider. There's the countryish
"Broken Down", a tale of revenge, cheating and death
which predates Johnny Cash's raw acoustic recordings
by three decades. The influence of American folk
music, or cosmic Americana maybe, runs through the
whole album and keeps it together. There's off-beat
humor in tracks like "Dixie Peach Promenade" and
"Lawrence Of Euphoria". Great lyrics over all and
possibly one of the best real psychedelic acid
compositions/performances ever pressed into vinyl:
"War In Peace" which is worth the price of admission
alone. Alexander plays all of the instruments himself
and the result is fantastic, if you like some off-
beat playing and misses in synching, but also a total
presence of this person who turns himself inside out
to express his inner feelings. It's quite simply an
awesome album, for me it has desert island status.
He's been compared to Syd Barrett a lot, but I don't
think that gives away what this LP sounds like. This
is, first of all, more American. It's also less
whimsy and to my ears more "real". There's nothing
quite like it. "Oar" is one of the worst selling
albums in Columbia's history; around 600 copies total
of the 2000 pressed. The old Sony CD has lots of
extra material, but I must warn about the sound on
that issue. It's way too "cleaned up" and sounds dead
compared to an original or a better reissue. [MM]
JIM SPENCER (Milwaukee, WI)
"Landscapes" 1973 (Thoth)
Singer/songwriter and folkrock with an ambitious

mainstream feel and Susan & Richard Thomas helping
out.
"2nd Look" 1974 (Akashic Records ast-1001) [poster]
Before the Major Arcana album, Jim Spencer released

two equally rare solo albums. The second has
contributions from Susan and Richard Thomas, Sigmund
Snopek III and Anonymous’ Ron Matelic (who wrote one
song and co-wrote another.) The music is a more
singer/songwriter variation on the Major Arcana
album. Some songs are dead ringers for the Major
Arcana sound. Others are in a more straight folk
and/or country direction. The more elaborate songs
feature mildly jazzy arrangements including sax,
flute, mellotron and synthesizers. The songwriting is
reasonably strong, peaking on the somewhat sinister
“The Devil Is A Fat Man.” Matelic’s contributions are
almost baroque, sounding nothing like Anonymous (and
nowhere near as good). This album isn’t quite up to
the level of Major Arcana, but will certainly appeal
to fans of that album and folk/psych fans in general.
[AM]
SPIDER & THE CRABS (KS)
"Spider & the Crabs" 1967 (Audio House AH12267)
Previously unknown to exist custom press on renowned

Lawrence, KS label. Eight tracks, six of which are
horn-laden crooneresque soul ballads of no
identifiable merit. However, "Think" is a fuzzed out
100 mph band original well worth investigating, and
the LP closes with an agreeable "Stepping Stone".
Press size has been estimated to 25-100 copies by
Audio House management. The band, who were a popular
live attraction in the Kansas showband style, also
had a local non-LP 45. [PL]
SPIFFYS (Annapolis, MD)
"The Spiffys" 1967 (no label 242) [1500p]
The weaker of the two LPs from Naval Academy recruits

whose band kept going for decades, with members
changing as new classes were enlisted. This one is on
level with the average Justice LP and thus not very
interesting beach club garage/soul sounds, all covers
except one OK beat original. Nice sleeve.
~~~
"Spiffys '68" 1968 (no label 12597) [2500p]
Their better LP, two bad "soul" tracks while the rest
is highly listenable, including fun covers of Procol
Harum and the Doors. The great group folkrock/psych
original "Dreams" is a must-hear and has been comp'd
on Oil Stains vol 2.
~~~
SPIKEDRIVERS (Detroit, MI)
"Spikedrivers" 2002 (RD Records 10, Switzerland)

"Spikedrivers" 200 (CD RD Records CD-3, Switzerland)
Subtitled "Folk-rocking psychedelic innovation from

the Motor City in the mid 60's", this is a rather
terrific and much-loved retrospective sampler of
official and unreleased recordings from this ahead-
of-their time band that blended westcoast folkrock
with middle eastern psych sounds long before it was
trendy. The opening "Often I Wonder" raga psycher (a
45 B-side from mid-1966) blows minds wherever it is
heard, and the rest of the LP ranges from good to
great. Two different line-ups of the band are
represented. Along with Bob Smith my favorite release
from the label so far, and simply essential to any
60s psych fan. [PL]
~~~
see -> Ted Lucas; Perth County Conspiracy; Peace
Bread & Land Band; Modality Stew
SPIRITS & WORM (NY)
"Spirits & Worm" 1969 (A&M 4229) [brown label box logo]
"Spirits & Worm" 1995 (Water Servant, UK) [paste-on; 375#d]
"Spirits & Worm" 1995 (Sweet Herb, Europe)
"Spirits & Worm" 2000 (CD Akarma 141, Italy)
"Spirits & Worm" 2000 (Akarma 141, Italy)
Well, you can't get much rarer for a major label LP,
although the reason for the rarity and the number of
copies pressed differ depending on who you talk to.
Unfortunately, and despite some excited ramblings
I've read, this doesn't really deserve its legend.
The music is your standard westcoast hippiepop/rock,
pretty fun and enjoyable but by no means superior to
many a $20 LP, with horns on two tracks. Despite what
you might read, this sounds closer to the Fifth
Dimension than Jefferson Airplane to my ears. A 45
was released from the LP, and it appears the LP was
also released in England, despite its utter
obscurity. The band was from Long Island, except the
female vocalist who was from NJ. Prior to the A & M
signing they won a Battle Of The Bands sponsored by a
shoe store which supposedly led to them recording a
local 45, which has not yet been found. The Water
Servant boot cover is a poorly done repro of the back
cover with a different front, while the Sweet Herb
job is an exact repro with some minor crackle. [PL]
SPLIT DECISION ( )
"Flight Of The Triad" 1981 (no label SD-1)
Rather quirky hard rocking AOR private press I

believe hails from New Jersey. There are occasional
arena prog moves thrown in, mainly through the
sporadic use of a synethesizer. There's some psych
vibes as well, particularly in the first two songs on
Side 2. The first is a heavy late psych sound with
liberal use of fuzz on the guitar. It flows into the
next track, a spacy guitar dominated instrumental
with a bit of a rural Dead influence. Plenty of
guitar leads permeate the LP, and a lot with effects
(phased, synthesized, etc). Good musicianship
throughout, though there is an endearing bonehead
quality to the lyrics and vocals. Extremely rare; I
know of only three copies, including the two I have.
[MA]
SPOILS OF WAR (IL)
"Spoils of War" 1999 (Shadoks 001, Germany) [+bonus 45]

"Spoils Of War" 2000 (CD Shadoks 001, Germany)
Late 1960s recordings, originally released on two

local EPs at the time, from arty college outfit who
later metamorphosed into prog-folkers Mormos. Really
two bands in one, one being an introspective
garage/folkrock band like the Rising Storm, the other
a quirky electronics psych act in a Lothar & the Hand
People/50 Foot Hose direction. Oscillator and sound
fx become annoying at times but add an interesting
intellectual finish for the most part. Well worth a
release, and combined with the great cover design
makes for one of Shadoks' better offerings. Includes
a bonus 45, even though the playtime of the regular
LP isn't particularly long. Shadoks followed this
with a 2LP set (also titled "Spoils Of War", Shadoks
55) of similar, slightly earlier material in lesser
sound, which is recommended only to hardcore fans of
this first one. [PL]
SPONTANES ( )
"Play Solid Soul" 1965 (Hit Attractions 109)
Obscure teen-beat/blue-eyed soul LP in crude cover.
SPOONFED (AR)
"Rock 'n Roll Rowdies" 1983 (Zanbeck ZSP 1001)
Good Southern guitar-rock despite the late release

date.
SPRING FEVER (Canada)
"Woodstock" 1970 (Paragon 302)
Obscure power trio doing blues-rock with all covers

except one instrumental, on the same label as Reign
Ghost and Christmas.
SPUR (IL)
"Spur Of The Moment" 1969 (Cinema 1500)

"Spur Of The Moment" 199 (Cinema, Europe) [bootleg]
Pretty strange LP from rural Illinois band which is

partly novelty-tinged garbage with rock'n'roll
medleys, "funny" spoken bits etc, but also has some
very good folkrock psychers on side 2 - too bad the
whole LP isn't that way. Can't really recommend it
despite being pretty cheap, but try to tape those
good ones. Spur also backed Father Pat Berkeley on a
late 60s LP in the "Incredibly Strange" bag. The LP
was distributed mainly around St Louis, which is why
the band was believed to be from there. [PL]
SQUARE ROOT OF NINE (MI)
"Three" 196 (Pac Three)

-- there is some confusion around the name of this band, as
some believe them to have been called Three, 'Square Root Of
Nine' being the album title.
Little known folk with 2 guys & 1 gal looking square

indeed. Mostly covers in a moody folk-boom style.
STACCATOS (Ottawa, Canada)
"Initially" 1965 (Capitol t-6158) [mono]

"Initially" 1965 (Capitol st-6158) [stereo]
Jangly pop and teen-beat from popular group, mostly

originals. The band also released a split Coca Cola-
backed promo LP, "A Wild Pair" (1969, Nimbus 9), with
Guess Who on the other side. Pre-Five Man Electrical
Band.
STACK (Los Angeles, CA)
"Above All" 1969 (Charisma 303)

"Above All" 199 (Charisma, Europe) [bootleg]
"Above All" 1997 (Void 06) [die-cut cover; insert; +1 track;
500p]
"Above All" 1998 (CD Gear Fab 111)
"Above All" 199 (Akarma 057, Italy)
"Above All" 199 (CD Akarma 057, Italy)
Early LA hardrock blowout with a British sound and

Who and Led Zep influences; not everything works but
the best tracks go into ferocious guitar excursions
that are among the best anywhere. Teenage punk vocals
work well and it's a LOUD upfront mother from start
to finish. Almost glamrocky in its selfassured yet
convincing "rock" postures, and indeed ahead of its
time. Mandatory to any hardrock fan, although
originals are genuinely rare. One member was in
garage legends the Fabs before this. The band
appeared in a Pepsi Cola commercial, supplied
background music for the classic teen flick "Wild In
The Streets", and had a major label contract within
reach, but it didn't happen. The Void reissue has
some crackles. [PL]
~~~
Superb bluesy hard fuzz rocker with a Rush feel at
times. Powerhouse vocals, tight playing, distinctive
songs, and muscular guitar work with plenty of fuzz.
This group had the whole package, it's really a crime
they never hit the big time. The drums are up front
and this record really pounds. One of the few early
hardrock locals with memorable songs and a first
class vocalist with range. The anthemic "Only
forever" and "Everyday" will blow heavy guitar fans
away. Amazing LP at least five years ahead of its
time. [RM]
~~~
As the band say, “Laugh and point and stare at the
boys with girls’ hair”. You can laugh and point and
stare as much as you like, because Stack demolish
most of their contemporary hard rockers and either
predate or demolish most of what came after in the
genre. The drumming on this LP stands out a mile but
the whole band are great. No macho drivel or posy
metal solos on this one –- this is the meat with no
vegetables or potatoes in the mix. The shortest songs
are the best (they’re all quite short apart from "Da
Blues"). "Everyday", "Valleys" and "Cars" are
wonderful songs delivered with such raw energy that
you are left wondering how success eluded them. The
LP does sound like it should have had significant
mainstream appeal in all the right ways and yet
amazingly it flopped. [RI]
STAGE FRIGHT (MO)
"D-Day" 1980 (Aardvark)
Rural hardrock/barrock with a late 1960s vibe. Has

been hyped, but not everyone is impressed with it.
STAINED GLASS (CA)
"Crazy Horse Roads" 1969 (Capitol ST 154)
This album has a cool cover, with the band being hung
from (obviously airbrushed) trees. The music doesn’t
really have the outlaw vibe as advertised, though,
being a pretty upbeat mix of pop/psych styles. A few
songs are pretty strong, and overall it’s a pleasant
listen, slightly above average for the genre. [AM]
"Aurora" 1969 (Capitol ST 242)
The second LP is rarer and considered superior by

most.
STAINED GLASS WINDOW (IL)
"Stained Glass Window" 1975 (Sycamore 248)
Downer folk with an Incredible String Band vibe, not

terribly impressive.
STALK-FORREST GROUP (Long Island, NY)
"Stalk-Forrest Group" 1999 (no label, Germany)

"Stalk-Forrest Group" 2002 (CD Rhino Handmade) [+bonus tracks]
"Stalk-Forrest Group" 2004 (CD Radioactive 019, UK)
"Stalk-Forrest Group" 2004 (Radioactive 019, UK)
Also known as "St Cecilia" and "The California

Album", these are legendary pre-Blue Öyster Cult
recordings made for a 1969-70 Elektra LP that was
shelved for reasons that remain obscure. Tapes of
this material were going round already in the 1970s,
but it wasn't until recently that it became
commercially available. It's a tremendous westcoast-
sounding LP with a superb blend of songwriting,
guitar excursions and above-average lyrics. Strong
all through with outstanding peaks in "Gil Blanco
County" and "St Cecilia". The album has a bit of a
Love influence and could be considered an alternative
(superior) development to "Four Sails". Essential to
any westcoast fan, also reminiscent of "China cat
sunflower"-era Dead and Truth/Them from Chicago. The
German vinyl bootleg has unimpressive sound (about
7/10) which admittedly brings a nice basement edge to
the tracks, but ultimately isn't recommended. The
Rhino Handmade on the other hand is almost too good
in sound, with an unprocessed, widestretched
soundscape that will appeal to sound engineers but is
somewhat lacking in warmth and presence. The
remastered Radioactive CD delivers a more alive,
organic feel and also has a superior running order
and should be considered the first choice for Stalk-
hunters, even though it is completely lacking the
superb packaging of the Rhino CD. A promo 45 was
released by Elektra, this 45 has been bootlegged.
[PL]
~~~
STANLEY (TX)
"Enemy Ave" 1981 (Rectangle)
Obscure bonehead hardrock in primitive cover.
RICK STANLEY ( )
"Song Of Life" 1970 (Jai Guru Dev)
Spiritual meditation folk sounds from guy on the

Maharishi trail, opens with a lecture on the virtues
of transcendental meditation, followed with music in
the expected style. Stanley later popped up with the
Natural Tendency "Something Good Is Happening" LP
(Ganesh, 1972) which has a full folkrock sound with
keyboard mixed with Indian instruments.
STARBLIND (CA)
"Rock Is Our Business" 197 (LRS)
One-sided LP on same custom label as Frolk Haven,

typical 70s hardrock with mostly covers in an
elaborate gatefold sleeve.
STARCHILD (Canada)
"Children Of The Stars" 1978 (Axe 521)
Metallic hardrock like German band the Scorpions.

With Greg Hinz of Helix. The label had several more
releases out.
STARFIRE (CA)
"Starfire" 1974 (Crimson 4476)

"Starfire" 2004 (Void 033)
"Starfire" 2005 (CD Radioactive 137, UK)
Unexceptional local basement hardrock with guitar,

organ and some prog ambitions.
STARFIRES (Orlando, FL)
"Play" 1965 (Ohio Recording Service 34)
Typical mid-60s teenbeat from Florida band who

recorded in Ohio due to a family connection. One
member later went on to garage legends Little Willie
& the Adolescents.

STARFIRES (Los Angeles, CA)
"Teenbeat A Go Go" 1965 (LaBrea LS 8018)
Frat r&b covers, mostly in a pre-Invasion mood with

"Money", "Peter Gunn", "Apache" and so on. The band
later cut an all-time classic garage 45 in "I never
loved her". Many years later, band member Sonny
Lathrop popped up in Sweet Marie.
PETER STARK (MI)
"Mushroom Country" 1976 (Montagne no #)

"Mushroom Country" 2005 (CD Radioactive 098)
Second-tier private press hippie folk LP is a

somewhat surprising pick for a reissue, although the
great mushroom/flying saucer cover may have
contributed. Stylistically pretty similar to the Ted
Lucas LP with a mix of loner folk, bluesy folk, and
acoustic ragas, the latter aspect being perhaps the
most appealing as the guy gets a nice flow going. The
vocal stuff isn't too shabby but a little bloodless,
due in some part to a flat, lo-fi recording. Some
unexpected cover versions take up space that could
have been put to better use. Last track has full
folkrock setting with guitar leads. A listenable 30
minutes, but recommended mainly for genre fans and
completists, and ultimately one of Radioactive's more
questionable reissues. [PL]
STARLIGHTS ( )
"Triste-Payaso" 196 (Teardrop lpm-2015)
Tex-Mex sound with some garagy r&b ravers. "Mustang

Sally", "Stagger Lee".
STARLINERS (MN)
"Live At Papa Joe's" 1967 (Le Jac 1001)
This little known garage/club LP is above average for

the genre, due to a crazy Gerry Roslie-type screamer
on vocals and some genuinely rocking takes on the
standards; "Bo Diddley" in particular blows away any
UK r'n'b act, while their "Satisfaction" is one of
the best ever (better than the Stones). Six-minute
take on "Caravan" has terrific Gene Krupa-style drum
solo and the band is very tight. Not great all
through, but if they'd let the wildman sing all songs
and lost a couple of soul poopers this would have
been a mindblower for any garage LP fan. Comparable
to the Tony Lane LP on Justice. Seems to be an
authentic live recording, though crowd noise is
faint. "Broken engagement" is a band original, while
"I feel good" is listed as "I got you". The press
size has been reported as only 275 copies, due to a
pressing plant problem. [PL]
STARLITERS (NC)
"Journey With" 1966 (Justice 124)

"Journey With" 1995 (CD Collectables 0611)
Obscure one on the label, with four high school kids

displaying their lack of "chops". They try burying
the drummer's incompetence with an echo-laden
production to no avail. Pretty fun and charming LP,
closer to being real "garage" than most of their
Justice colleagues, with three Animals covers
including a memorable "Rising Sun"; the band also had
enough chutzpah to try out "Ticket to ride". Three
unexciting instros and a couple of half-assed
r'n'b/beach music covers break the spell, but this is
in no way inferior to the prep rock and local garage
LPs from the Northeast. [PL]
STARR (CO)
"Memories Never Die" 197 (no label)
Late 1970s proggy hardrock a la Legend "From the

fjords", with some AOR moves and synth. The LP is
sometimes shown as self-titled as there is no title
on the front cover.
GENE STEIKER & LARRY CHENGGES ( )
"Straywinds" 1973 (Shanyn-Alexus)
Most of us have a record or two that we believe in

our hearts we are the only person to ever "get". For
me, this record is utter magic and sits in a stack of
well under ten records I won't put up on the block
because I just can't be without them. The Grudzien is
in that pile, so is the UK mono White Album.
"Straywinds" is a whole lot closer to Grudzien than
The Beatles. Two guys in a cavernous and empty
auditorium (the natural echo here is phenomenal). One
plays acoustic piano, the main instrument, the other
some percussion and some clean electric guitar, very
quietly. This is, in fact, a seriously quiet record.
There are a few vocal parts that are sung, but the
majority of this is spoken poetry with piano
accompaniment. There is a naiveté and innocence here
that I think is a common thread in my private stash
of keeper records. This is as fragile a record as may
have ever managed to get itself pressed and issued
into the world. While the first side is heavily
echoed vocals over sparse instrumentation (on tracks
like "In Green Pastures" "Some Old Town" My Dreams,
My Love"), the second side opens with "Beyond
Forgetting." Under the right circumstances someone
could play this track and, at the end, ask for $1,500
and get it. A distorted and electronically effected
vocal shouts over an electric piano and acoustic
guitar bed. Still subdued but otherworldly and
impossibly strange; I have never played this for
someone and not had to scrape their jaw off the
carpet. Like most of our secret records, this comes
with the added knowledge that this will be reissued
only after everything else is and so it will remain
that little treasure just for us. Back in the time of
mail order record lists this would show up
occasionally for $35 to $75. Certainly not for
everyone, and perhaps more a relic from the
psychedelic age than psychedelic itself; I can't
recommend this without reservation. In fact, I'm not
really sure I want you listening to it at all. Forget
I mentioned it. Move along. [SD]
ALEX STELZNER ( )
"Listen To The Changes" 197 (Century 32413)
Moody melodic folk and folkrock with baroque feel.

Originals all through.
STENCIL FOREST (IN)
"Opening Act" 1983 (Realtime RTA 1000)
Styx-inspired melodic hard rock-AOR with professional

sound and some progressive rock leanings, with
keyboard and ace guitar leads.
JOE STEP ( )
"Sacrifice" 1982 (CCS)
Guitar-dominated band somewhere between hardrock and

metal. The cover shows stills from a slasher movie
the band made.
STEPHEN & THE FARM BAND see Farm Band
STEPSON ( )
"Stepson" 1974 (ABC 826)
This band actually descends from Touch and Blue

Mountain Eagle, though this time they’ve gone towards
moronic hard rock, including a song about their “Rude
Attitude” and a hilariously crude power ballad. It’s
not exactly hard rock at its most precise or
thoughtful, but it really works for dumb fun. Pretty
great, really. Marred slightly by an unnecessary and
uninteresting Animals cover. [AM]
JERRY & NANCY STEVENS (Austin, TX)
"A Little Resolution" 1976 (Troll tr-12372) [insert]
Gently baked hippie folk delicate peace and love

tunes. Lots of backing instruments and nice vocals,
right look but ultimately borderline crappy in a
sleepytime way. [RM]
LORA LEE & JANA LYN STEWART (Canada)
"Have You Heard The News?" 1972 (Wonderland QCS 1033)
Two wholesome hand-holding teen sisters who somehow

ended up with a trippy psychedelic sound on a good
third of their ultra-homemade LP. The songs to pay
special attention to are "It Seemed So Easy", "Why Do
You Keep Running?", "So Far To Go" and the seven-
minute ballad "Fellowship", each of which features a
sparsely-arranged late-‘60s combination of psychy
organ, piano, electric guitar (including some fuzz),
drums and bass. Not just the arrangements – the
melodies themselves have a moody psychedelic nature
with gloomy minor-key downer structures (the organ on
a couple of these reminded me of Azitis). Even some
subtle echo effects on the vocals in a couple spots.
A few other songs like the title track, "Can’t You
See?" and a cover of "Day By Day" also manage a
pleasant underground light-rock vibe, albeit without
the psych edge. Everything has a simple stark
hypnotic loner tone overlaid with the gals’ delicate
soprano/alto harmonies. Unfortunately the rest of the
album consists of traditional piano hymns, but the
good stuff (all of which was written by the girls)
more than makes up for it. [KS]
A STILL SMALL VOICE ( )
"The Still Small Voice" 197 (Herald AM1596)
Great underground psych-edged custom rock from

male/female group of eight. Garagy electric riffs
with wah-wah loudly roughing things up on "Mark Of
The Beast" and the eight-minute opener "A Still Small
Voice/A Future Time". The latter track also has some
nice psychy organ, as does the trippy mysterious "The
Night Has Come". Several songs target middle-ground
plugged-in guitar/piano folkrock realms a la Wild
Olive Branch Band, namely "Lord I’m Smiling In Your
Love", "All The Days Of Your Life", "Rainbow" and
"Same Old Feeling", all with good electric guitar
presence. A couple pleasant acoustic ballads: "I Must
Tell Jesus" and "Wherever He Leads I’ll Go", the
latter with a spoken personal challenge to accept
Christ. Crude b&w pen/ink cover drawing of a pair of
hands reaching out toward three crosses on a hill.
Creepy contorted photo of two faces on the back.
Doesn’t say where they’re from, but mentions the
album was recorded in Phoenix, Arizona. No relation
to the better known Herald label out of South
Carolina. [KS]
TED STILLES ( )
"Bhang" 1980 (Telewbar TS-100)
Six-track mini-LP debut in a hard fuzz Hendrix style

fuzz, more primitive than heavy. Stilles second LP is
less interesting.
STING RAYS (Rochester, NY)
"Take Off With" 1964 (Century 17867) [10"]
Garage surf and r&b stompers, 11 tracks in total.
RAY STINNET ( )
"Ray Stinnet" 1971 (A & M demo) [2LPs; no sleeve]
Sleeveless double set demo album recorded with LA

session pro:s, according to a reliable source it
"sounds like the tail end of the Steve Young/Dillard
and Clark impulse, clearly influenced by Neil Young
but with a few druggier moments. If you took the best
1/3 of it, you'd have a truly great 2/3's of an
album." This appears to be the same Ray Stinnet that
was in Sam The Sham's Pharaohs.
BILLY AND SANDRA STINSON ( )
“The Merchant’s Ship” 197 (NRP NR 2924)

Scarce and unknown private press folk LP with some
mellotron, mixed vocals, dark lyrics.
STONE CIRCUS (NY)
"The Stone Circus" 1969 (Mainstream 6119)

"The Stone Circus" 199 (Mainstream, Europe) [bootleg]
Westcoastish psych/hippie-rock, less elephantine than

most later Mainstreams, with an unusual Strawberry
Alarmclock influence a plus. Melodic and competent,
fairly agreeable LP. Described as "strange" elsewhere
but in actuality pretty straightforward, some odd
spoken passages excepted. Most of the members were
originally from Montreal, and were based in NY where
they were known as the Funny Farm; the new band name
was Mainstream's invention. In 1971 band member Larry
Cohen aka Jonathan Caine recorded an orchestrated
pop-psych album which included a version of a Stone
Circus track. He hired one Yank Barry to handle the
vocals, and Barry actually released this in the mid-
70s, possibly without Cohen's knowledge. The whole
thing was then reissued as a box-set in 2001, now
credited to Stone Circus ("Diary Of Mr Gray",
McConnell, Canada). The Yank Barry story is pretty
amazing, see separate entry. [PL]
~~~
see -> Yank Barry
STONE CROW see Great Loose Band
STONED CIRCUS (MO)
"Stoned Circus" 1994 (Rockadelic 12) [insert; 500p]

"Stoned Circus" 200 (CD World In Sound, Germany) [+bonus
tracks]
Unreleased 1970 tapes from band with rare 45,

somewhat atypical for Rockadelic in its generic
westcoasty Big Brother/Airplane style. Agreeable
Hammond/guitar mix and a tough femme wailer,
songwriting isn't terribly impressive however and the
band sounds best on two jammy numbers on side 2 that
suggest they may have been good live. Bluesy feel
like the St Louis Touch, some stray folk and soulrock
moves; all over like if the first Big Brother LP had
been recorded in 1969. May appeal to fans of the
Mainstream label sound. Worth releasing but not among
the best Rockadelics in my opinion. Yet another find
from the depths of Cavern Sound studios in KC. [PL]
STONE GARDEN (ID)
"Stone Garden" 1998 (Rockadelic 29) [insert; 500p]

"Stone Garden" 2001 (CD Gear Fab 188)
Popular title on the Rockadelic label and clearly

above average transition document from late 60s S F
Bay Area eclectisism into crude Northwest hardrock.
The band was once thought to be an early version of
Fraction which is not true, although their 45 (on
Fraction's label) packs a similar intensity and is
present here in two versions, both excellent. The LP
is enjoyable all through with highpoint in a couple
of hard guitarpsych excursions on side 2, and the
band shows more talent and variation than the
standard basement outfits from the era. Extra points
for obvious teen psych remains, and even the
goodtimey track about being busted for pot in S F is
agreeable. One of the best of the label's more recent
releases. Very nice gatefold packaging although the
Stonehendge image may remind some of "Spinal Tap".
[PL]
STONE HARBOUR (Youngstown, OH)
"Emerges" 1974 (Stone Harbour 610) [500p]

"Emerges" 199 (no label, Europe) [bootleg; b & w cover]
"Emerges" 199 (CD Flashback, UK)
"Emerges" 2004 (Void 32) [500p]
Extraordinary basement psych with two multi-

instrumentalists creating a melancholic dreamlike
state with songs fading in and out of the speakers,
cavemen drums, primitive electronics and murky fuzz
lurking in the background. The best tracks go into
places no other albums reach. Actually closer to the
heart of psychedelia than most other records listed
here. The two hard rocking tracks that have been
comp'd are not representative of the album as a
whole, and add an unwanted "roots" feeling that
disturb the trip somewhat. Still, one of the Ohio
classics, with unparalleled artwork on the sleeve.
Beware of an earlier "reissue" on Void (#20) titled
"Re-emerges", which is new recordings of the 1974
material. [PL]
STONE MOSES (IL)
"Stone Moses" 1974 (Red Rock)
Stoned rural rock.
STONEWALL (NY)
"Stonewall" 1974 (Tiger Lily 14013)

"Stonewall" 1992 (no label) [bootleg]
"Stoner" 199 (Akarma, Italy) [new sleeve]
"Stoner" 199 (CD Akarma, Italy)
"Stonewall" 2004 (Scorpio/Tiger Lily)
Very good teenage hard rock rated highly by many.
Worth it for any fan of the genre, with energetic
teen vocals and frantic guitarwork. Originals all
through, with "Outer spaced" particularly intense.
Only a handful of originals have been found, all of
which have been DJ copies. Both Akarmas are retitled
reissues with completely altered artwork and inferior
sound. The Scorpio reissue is a nice job and
recommended. [PL]
~~~
This impossibly rare album (only a handful of known
copies) ranks among the top few hard rock albums of
all. Punky, snotty vocals, loud guitars, powerful
riffs, relentless organ and drums, tight short songs
without any wank factor... this has it all, along
with an amazing amount of energy that keeps it from
dragging the way the heaviest rock tends to. It
really doesn't sound like anything else, and I
imagine it would appeal just as much to punk fans as
it would to blues-rock or heavy metal fans. The album
is brief, with only eight short songs, and it goes by
in such a breathless rush that you'll be begging for
more. The key moment of this album to me is when they
appear to be heading towards that album's first
cliched misstep-a drum solo. Yet after a few seconds
the rest of the instruments come crashing back in
unexpectedly, so much so that you can hear if fifty
times and still not anticipate exactly when they'll
return. There's genius here, and the funny thing is
that I suspect it's entirely unintentional. Who were
these guys and why didn't they record again? The
thought that this album could have been lost to the
world if those scant few copies hadn't ended up in
the hands of knowledgeable collectors/dealers is
tantalizing. If what may be the greatest hard rock
album almost had such a fate, is it possible that the
greatest album in some other genre is still lost
somewhere in a warehouse, its creators unaware (as
all Tiger Lily artists were) that their music had
even been put on plastic at all? [AM]
STOWAWAYS ( )
"In Our Time" 1967 (Justice 148)

"In Our Time" 1996 (CD Collectables)
Apparently one of the rarest LPs on the label and to

my ears also one of the more enjoyable. Cover photo
shows the band in lengthy Peter Tork hairdos and
indeed they seem to be more with the times than their
colleagues. While they deliver obligatories like
"I've been hurt" and "Sunny" there's also some
unusual Stones and Beatles numbers as well as a
daring, atmospheric stab at the Byrds and a spooky
original called "Just a toy", which crowns them
Justice's token folkrock act. Also has an excellent
fake 12-string take on "Summertime" that rivals the
Half Tribe. The r'n'b stuff that weighs down side 2
is less convincing, but passable. Band isn't terribly
tight and the recording has the label's usual early
60s murkiness, but clearly an above average Justice
outing. [PL]
STRANGE see Terry Brooks

STRANGE (CA)
"Strange" 1979 (Yantis)
Legendary obscurity, the first copy of which was

found in a garbage can. The LP has been described as
a "journey through someone's personal hell" with
bizarre lyrics, sparse piano interrupted by
Baumstaum-like heavy guitar and backwards effects.
The sound quality fluctuates wildly. Has been deemed
"too disturbing to reissue", but we'll see about
that.
THE STREET AND THE SEA (PA)
"The Street And The Sea" 1975 (no label)
Folk/singer songwriter with female vocals on some

tracks.
V.A "STRICTLY CANADIAN" (Canada)
"Strictly Canadian" 1969 (Birchmount bm-523)
Compilation LP with a mixed bag, notable for

including "High Flying Bird" by the Plague, one of
the best versions ever (has been comp'd).
STROKE BAND (GA)
"Green and Yellow" 1978 (Abacus 78-095)
Bruce Joyner led group. Proto new wave basement

realness with moog, fuzz, effects, and "big thought"
lyrics. A funny bad aural disaster. [RM]
STUD (TX)
"Stud" 1975 (Baron 002)
Highly rated hardrock LP on local Rosenberg label.

Only a handful of copies have been found, out of the
300 supposedly pressed.
DANE STURGEON (CA)
"Wild'n Tender" 1967 (Stur-Geon TS 100)
No other album had this particular sound, mid 60s

folk rock instrumental backing with 50s/early 60s
style vocals and lyrics (notably the horror tale
"Ghost of Bardsley Road.") It's a throwback to people
like Roy Orbison and Del Shannon, back when pop stars
could really sing. Like Shannon's mid-60s work, it's
terrific, and is proof that this era of rock and
roller could easily have made the transition to the
60s and beyond without compromising themselves.
There's some lovely 12-string guitar on a few songs,
terrific falsetto vocals on "What's Comin' Z'
Comin'," and even a little fuzz guitar on a couple of
songs. Side one is listed as the "wild" side, and
side two the "tender" side, but they aren't really
all that different except that Sturgeon sings on side
one and his soundalike David Cosby sings on side two.
The song "Whip Of Love" somehow ended up on the
"tender" side. A couple of the ballads are less
exciting than the upbeat songs, but for the most part
this is great. The cover calls this music "righteous
folk-rock" and "folk-rock in a stone groove." Two
sleeve variations exist, one with a statue design,
one with a photo of Sturgeon. [AM]
MICHAEL STYERS (NC)
"Bearing A Gentle Message" 1980 (Myrddin 8007) [lyric insert;

800p]
Interesting LP that has received some attention of

late. As the album title and a nice naked chick art
sleeve suggest, the dominating sound is melodic,
slightly rural folkrock/singer-songwriter not unlike
Gary Higgins, or the less acidy tracks on Michael
Angelo. Styers' voice is somewhat weak, but the
arrangements and playing is fine, with rich,
crystalline guitar tapestries that recall Relatively
Clean Rivers on the best tracks. Female backing
vocals and light string arrangements are put to good
use. The countryrock moves convince, while the
caribbean jungle excursion seems a bit superflouos
given the 45 minute playtime, although it has a
certain charm. Side 1 is uneven while side 2 is very
good, peaking in the superb "Summer Evening Chant"
with a Donovan vibe and excellent psychedelic guitar
leads. A friendly, wistful mood persists, while the
obvious talent and work that went into it holds your
attention. While not a classic this, along with the
first Bobb Trimble, T-Kail and Blackburn & Lauren
show that the psychedelic era was alive and well
around 1980. [PL]
SUB ZERO BAND (Sacramento, CA)
"Sub Zero Band" 1972 (no label)

"Sub Zero Band" 1999 (Void 15)
Good rural hippiefolk/countryrock with atmospheric

violin and downer psych moves, similar to the first
Shivas Headband LP but with female vocals. Couple of
great moody psych tracks and the rural stuff is
enjoyable too, my main objection being that some
tracks are too long. Press size reports vary between
500 and 1000 copies. A non-LP 45 exists. [PL]
~~~
This is basically a crude, amateurish country/old
fashioned rock and roll album. It has some charm, but
beware any dealer who tries to tell you this sounds
like a West Coast psych album. The frequent Shiva’s
Headband comparisons are more appropriate. Neither
band is exactly “rock”. There’s some violin on a few
songs, and lots of noodly lead guitar. The singing is
decent, and there’s a pleasant hippie vibe. There are
some duds on the album, but a few of the songs are
strong (the long closer is the best, and would be a
standout on any album) and this will appeal to the
right listener. [AM]
SUDDEN DEATH (NY)
"Sudden Death" 1995 (Rockadelic 19) [600p]
Previously unreleased 1971 tapes of Long Island band

on Led Zep bender, local hardrock with some pretty
good tracks like "The zoo", operatic vocals and one
of the best Rockadelic sleeves ever. [PL]
SUGAR BEAR (FL)
"Sugar Bear" 197 (Gaff NR5392) [500p]

"Sugar Bear" 2004 (CD Radioactive 59, UK)
Yet another Grateful Dead-inspired 70s rural rock

obscurity with a professional sound and an unusually
clear and well-engineered recording. Most distinctive
feature are probably the expressive vocals which
aren't necessarily great but have a nice showmanship
to them. Music is song-oriented in a
folk/country/swamprock mix rather than jammy, with a
typically tight band and nice guitar figures
throughout. One or two tracks are a little too close
to Dr Hook for my tastes, but there are also some
obvious psych moves with late 1960s remnants,
especially on the stronger side 2. "Seasons For Love"
has a MU/Fankhauser feel, while the SF psych
Croz/Airplane-style "The Garden" is easily the best
track. And the chorus to "Moccasin Mona" will eat
into your brain in no time! Not a classic, but above
the genre average to my ears. [PL]
SUGAR CREEK (OH)
"Please Tell A Friend" 1969 (Metromedia 1020) [wlp exists]

"Please Tell A Friend" 1999 (CD Lyrical SD 5004)
"Please Tell A Friend" 2001 (Akarma 151, Italy)
"Please Tell A Friend" 2001 (CD Akarma 151, Italy)
Overlooked but appealing mix of late 60s westcoast

and early 70s-style rock. Two outstanding psych
tracks, the good news being that the rest delivers
too, even the Butterfield-inspired blues aspects work
on strength of the excellent vocals and an exemplary
production. A couple of ballads are OK too. Almost as
good as Christopher, if approached mainly as a post-
psychedelic "rock" LP. As with some other Metromedia
releases, promo copies seem to be more common than
stock. Apart from Jonathan Edwards' solo career,
member Joe Dolce would go on to have a huge novelty
hit with "Shaddap you face" in the 1980s. [PL]
~~~
This professional-sounding hard rock/country blues
band was led by "John Edwards", who would find fame
and fortune as Jonathan Edwards with the hit
"Sunshine". Fans of his folk and country career will
be surprised to hear the copious fuzz guitar here.
Some of the guitar has an Eastern style to it; the
opening "A Million Years" adds to the exotic feel
with chanting that ends the song. "Memory Tree" is a
terrific slow psych tune with an equally otherworldly
sound, and "Night Flash" is a terrific ballad. It's
too bad that more songs don't try these approaches,
as the acoustic-based blues songs are somewhat hit
and miss, with the better ones sounding more folk
than blues. One boogie styled rocker is goofy but is
somewhat redeemed by loud fuzz guitar. The harmonica
playing isn't bad, but hardly as attention-grabbing
as the guitar. A mixed experience, but an interesting
album with a bunch of fine moments. [AM]
SUGAR CUBE BLUES BAND (MS)
"Sugar Cube Blues Band" 1997 (Rockadelic 21) [500p]
Folkrock/psych transition duo showcase their

unreleased 1967-68 recordings. At best reminiscent of
mid-period Beau Brummels or the Blue Things LP,
though many tracks have desperate, strained vocals
instead of the cool Sal Valentino moves I would have
preferred. Others have reported enjoying the vocals
in a Sky Saxon way - decide for yourself. I counted 4
good tracks including an alternate version of their
sole 45 release "My last impression", the flipside of
which unfortunately is not included at all. [PL]
SKY SULAMYTH (Canada)
"Full Moon Light" 1979 (7th Ray 03721)
Obscure 1970s hippie folk with titles like "Medicine

Fire" and "Angels In Embryo". Sulamyth also worked
with Huckle.
JIM SULLIVAN (Los Angeles, CA)
"U.F.O" 1970 (Monnie MR 0003)
"Jim Sullivan" 197 (Century City CCR 5000) [remix;

gatefold]
Early singer/songwriter sounds with lots of

personality and atmosphere. Setting is light folkrock
with excellent vocals that seem almost too good for
such an obscure title. This guy has lived, man, and
seen a few things in life, which gives the album a
certain country music vibe without actually sounding
country at all. The presence of Earl Palmer and some
pretty advanced studio arrangements suggests that
someone poured a sack of coins into this project.
"Jerome", "Highway" and "Rosey" are standout tracks
to me, but this is a surprisingly good westcoast s/sw
LP all through.In an enlightened world Jim Sullivan
would be in Bel Air while James Taylor would play $15
tourist traps. The Monnie version is probably the
earlier and has a somewhat awkward mix with drums
upfront, while the self-titled Century City mix has a
soundscape more typical for the genre. This is the LA
session guy who did the "Sitar Beat" LP. [PL]
SUMMERHILL ( )
"Summerhill" 1969 (Tetragrammaton t-114)
This album goes for the kitchen sink approach, kind

of like the Sundowners and Condello albums. It mixes
over-orchestrated popsike with semi-heavy rock and
sparkling guitar rock. The combination of styles is a
bit off-putting, and by the time you get used to it
you'll realize that only two or three songs really
rise above, though those (especially the killer
guitar pop tune "It's Gonna Rain") are very good
indeed. I don't expect anyone to like the whole
thing, but if you prefer a spotty album with a few
great songs to a consistent one with no standouts,
this is worth picking up. [AM]
V.A "SUMMER OF SERVICE" (NJ)
"Summer Of Service" 1968 (RPC 11461-11464) [2 LPs]
2LP set local sampler of religious folk and folkrock

from Elizabeth, NJ. Acts include The Nu Sounds of
Chatham, Rasberry Jam, The Heartbeats, The Teacher
and the Preacher, Whole Ensemble and more.
SUMMER SOUNDS (Cambridge, MA)
"Up-down" 1968 (Laurel 331098)

"Up-down" 1996 (Laurel) [bootleg; 400p; insert]
"Up-down" 2004 (CD Radioactive 78, UK)
Good local concept beat-garage LP (a very obscure

genre) relating a summer vacation love story with the
moody/whiney Zombies-inspired New England sound
explored to the max. Appealing basic songs, basement
teenage vocals and only 2 covers - one of the better
pre-psych LPs from the Northeast, though they don't
show much "punk" cojones for sure. Cool sleeve. A
couple of tracks have been comp'd. [PL]
SUM PEAR ( )
"Sum Pear" 1971 (Euphoria 1)

“Sum Pair” 1977 (Guinness 36044)
"Sum Pear" 2004 (CD Radioactive 67, UK)
Eclectic, ambitious Eastcoast bag of tricks delivered

from a UK-influenced post-psych melodic rock and
singer/songwriter angle. Reminiscent of Westfauster
in parts, other tracks are more fuzzed and rocking a
la Whalefeathers. Serious lyrics deal with Vietnam
concerns, drugs and more. Some minor horns. Harmless
and skillful but not terribly interesting. Euphoria
was one of several Jubilee subsidiaries. The Guinness
release is the same album, but credited to 'Sonny &
Doug' and with a new album title and the songs in a
different order. More tax scam fun, and one of the
rarest albums on that label. [PL]
SUNDANCE (Chico, CA)
"Sundance" 1971 (Kapp 3659)
Early 70s hard rock album with a rural feel. Slightly

above average for the genre, but not a stand-out.
They’re from Chico, which may be California but isn’t
the usual stomping ground of rock bands. “Chico
Women” is a terrific song. Recommended to fans of the
style. [AM]
SUNDOG SUMMIT (IL)
"On Sundog Hill" 1976 (Audio Mixers)
This bizarre artifact is the missing link between

rural rock and punk (I bet you didn't think such a
thing existed!). It starts out in mundane fashion, as
the second song is a dumb backwoods barefoot ode to
dope-smoking, but after that they rip loose with some
hot rootsy minimalist rockers. These songs have a
cool counterculture edge that can appeal to freaks of
all varieties. There's no distortion to the guitars,
but certainly the music has the energy of punk (which
was a year away from being noticed) while still
retaining a hippie vibe…ne'er again would the twain
meet. Surely they're the only band who could put a
Johnny Cash song and a Velvet Underground song side
by side and make them sound like two of a kind. This
is a good start, but the real secret weapon here is
Lee Groban, the self-appointed "high commissioner of
Cyprus." His rantings and ravings are scattered
throughout the album (and in the great liner notes),
and take full fruition at the end, where we're
treated to seven and a half minutes of jaw dropping
"recitations" and "incantations" of a completely
insane nature, backed by a driving rhythm. This is a
wonderfully unique, fun album. They also released a
4-track EP. [AM]
V.A "SUNNY SPRING FEVER" (CT)
"Sunny Spring Fever" 1971 (Mark)
Connecticut teen folk with live Burnt Suite track.

The full title is "Canton High School presents -
Sunny Spring Fever".
SUNPOWER BAND (Seattle, WA)
"Sunpower Band" 1977 (Right Now 11277)
Jammy rock with a mild funk feel. Poorly recorded and

echoey. There’s some good guitar playing here but
this album bored me. Not an expensive LP. [AM]
SUNSHINE (TX)
"Here's Sunshine" 197 (Backbeat Records BLP #69)
Downer/real people folk with lots of reverb,

featuring Larry 'Sunshine' Rice.
SUPERFINE DANDELION (Phoenix, AZ)
"Superfine Dandelion" 1968 (Mainstream 56102) [mono]

"Superfine Dandelion" 1968 (Mainstream 6102) [stereo]
This is generally seen as one of the lesser

Mainstreams, and while it's not especially original
or unusual, it's better than its reputation. Mostly
this band comes from a 1965-era Beatles vantage point
with a little folk-rock mixed in. The rhythm guitars
are acoustic and the lead guitars electric. Lyrics
range from mild social commentary to silly love songs
to folk-style murder ballads. The songs are as
blatantly derivative as, say, Blue Things, with one
completely ripping off the Beatles' "I'm A Loser,"
and another stealing the flute solo from the Moody
Blues' "Nights In White Satin". These thefts aside,
all songs are originals, unusual for this type of
album. Side two is stronger than side one, ending
with the album's three best songs. "Don't Try To Call
Me" is a terrific pop song, "The Other Sidewalk" is
the album's one psychedelic tune, and "What's The
Hurry" is a pretty folk-rocker. Overall, this album
is quite enjoyable. Kazoo haters beware of "It's
Raining," however. The LP was also released in France
on Vogue with an altered cover, and the band had a
pre-LP 45 on a local label. [AM]
SURPRISE (St Louis, MO)
"Assault On Merryland" 1977 (Carousel 77) [booklet]

"Assault On Merryland" 199 (CD Zarathustra)
Prog fantasy concept, with heavy guitar, organ, moog,

flute. Deep Purple & ELP influences.
SURPRISE PACKAGE ( )
"Free Up" 196 (LHI s-12005)
Pretty standard late-60s heavy psych: soulful vocals,

lots of organ, loud fuzz guitars. As with most of
these bands, it has its moments, and the guitar sound
is very nice. Still, it doesn’t really offer much you
can’t get from dozens of other albums. The long title
track, which would have easily been the album’s best
song, is extended beyond the bound of reason with a
batch of dull solos. It has some nice feedback,
though. [AM]
SURPRIZE (NJ/PA)
"Keep On Trucking" 1971 (East Coast ec-104-s) [b & w cover]

"Keep On Trucking" 1973 (East Coast ec-104-s) [2nd press;
color cover; yellow label]
From the Crumb ripoff album cover to the cheesy echo

effects on “See The Light,” this album is unoriginal
fun. It starts with some far out psych, moves into
some impressive white boy funk, bluesy hard rock and
ballads, all of which work well enough to make this
an enjoyable listen. The playing is pretty tight, the
guitar has a nice fuzz tone, and the organ is loud.
There are only six songs, and maybe they try a little
too hard to stretch a few of them out, but all six
have something to offer. The album cover leads a lot
of people to assume this is Dead-style jamming, but
it’s not “rural” sounding at all. This LP supplied
the unlisted heavy psych mystery track found on the
old "Changes" compilation, titled "Earth Odyssey".
[AM]
SURVIVOR (Shreveport, LA)
"All Your Pretty Moves" 1979 (no label) [insert]
Good Thin Lizzy-like hardrock, recorded in Dallas.
SWAMPGAS (Long Island, NY)
"Swampgas" 1972 (Buddah BDS 5102)
Overlooking the bland cover, the album's quite

diverse and impressive. This comparison probably
won't trigger everyone's imagination or interest, but
on material such as the molten opener "Patato Strut"
and "Trapped In The City" the combination of the
vocalist's grizzly drawl and Hersey's guitar recalls
38 Special, or Skynyrd had they been interested in
pursuing a tougher, mildly psychedelic and
progressive sound. Hersey's licks also make it an
album that should appeal to folks who like Hendrix-
influenced guitar (check out the blazing "Eulogy").
The handful of ballads are equally impressive - 'The
Waiting, E Train Blue'. Weirdest and coolest track
here: the raga-influenced "Egg Shells". [SB]
~~~
With Baird Hersey' permission (thanks Mr. Hersey),
here are some comments on the LP:
"We started out near the end of Long Island NY. About
the time we were making the record two records came
out with southern roots : Johnny Winter and The James
Gang that had certain similarities. I think it's the
heavy blues influences: Ray Charles in the vocals,
early B.B. King and Muddy waters in the guitar, that
pull us in that direction. We were plucked from
obscurity by Artie Kornfeld who was one of the three
producers of Woodstock. His wife saw us at a concert
where we opened for the Gratetful Dead. We made the
record, but Artie's record label had financial
troubles. The record looked like it wasn't going to
come out which tore the band apart. About a year
after we broke up Buddah Records which was the parent
company of Artie's label put the record out without
even notifying anyone in the band. With no support
budget and no band to play the music the album
floundered and we all slid back into
obscurity..." [SB -- excerpt]
~~~
Baird Heresy has continued to play and release
records in various styles.
SWEET MAGNOLIA BAND (Little Rock, AR)
"Sweet Magnolia Band" 1973 (Lardbucket 0001)
Rural rocker with Band and Neil Young influences. Not

rated that highly, although "10 days over 23 years"
is an excellent track for genre fans.
SWEET MARIE (HI)
"One" 1970 (Yard Bird 770)

"One" 199 (Yard Bird) [bootleg]
"Stuck In Paradise" 1971 (Yard Bird 771)

"Stuck In Paradise" 199 (Yard Bird) [bootleg]
Hawaii trio. First LP is in westcoast blues rock

style, second is more relaxed with funk and soul
moves added. There were also several 45s released.
SWEET PANTS (PA)
"Fat Peter Presents" 1970 (Barclay 1141) [circa 1000p]
Seedy organ fuzz with an underground rural vibe like

Mary Butterworth, some pretty obnoxious vocals.
Disappointing LP.
SWEET SOMETHINGS (Montreal, Canada)

"Sweet Somethings" 1968 (Melbourne SMLP-4014)
All-girl quartet done up in mid-60s style, with

guitar/organ line-up playing pop. Obscure one for
genre fans.
SWEET TOOTHE (Bluefield, WV)
"Testing" 1975 (Dominion 7360) [1000p; inner]

"Testing" 199 (Dominion) [bootleg]
"Testing" 1995 (Void 01) [lyric insert; photo; 400#d]
Pro-sound rural rock/hardrock similar to Short Cross

and Wedge, with strong songwriting and guitar/vocals.
Three or four very good tracks with psychy westcoast
hints, a few others are too rootsy barrock for me.
Fans might also seek out Emerson (Conley) "The power
of love" (CD 1992, LGM 2222), which is hampered by a
drum machine but does have some good wailing guitar
blues licks. [PL]
~~~
Superb flowing dual fuzz hardrock with first rate
vocals, including harmonies, and dynamic ensemble
playing. The opening two tracks "Karen" and "Music's
gotta stay" are especially fine melodic hardrockers.
Bit of a backwoods barband edge with several songs
about the music biz and life on the road. Nice bluesy
restraint and the lyrics. [RM]
~~~
On those rare occasions it shows up on sales lists,
the LP is frequently billed as psychedelic. It isn't.
Sure, there are occasional psych touches, the most
notable being the lyric to "All the Way Home", but
the majority of the album offers up more conventional
hard rock structures. Propelled by attractive vocals
and nifty fuzz guitar, tracks such as "Karen",
"Music's Gotta Stay", "You Know How To Love Me" and
"E.R." sport great melodies and a sense of enthusiasm
that must have made these guys a great live act. Even
their isolated stabs at country bar band material
("Wind and Water" and "Swamp Fox") are likeable. Even
more impressive, for a small private pressing the
album has a wonderful, deep and full sound. Played
loud on a quality stereo system, this LP rocks! One
of my all time favorite rarities. [SB]
SWIFT RAIN (El Paso, TX / Memphis, TN)
"Coming Down" 1969 (Hi 32064)
These guys were Southerners, but the album has the

feel of a laid-back West Coast album, and a very good
one at that. It's hooky, full of memorable songs,
energetic guitar playing and breezy melodies. The
songs are short and tight, kind of what a post-Dead
band like Mountain Bus or the Walnut Band would have
sounded like if they wrote pop songs instead of long
jams. This end up being quite a bit better than those
bands, and there's enough cool lead guitar here so
that it may appeal to fans of harder music too.
There's a great mix of guitar sounds here: acoustic,
electric, wah-wah, dual harmony guitars, etc. Two
songs are sung partially in Spanish and have a mild
Latin feel to them. [AM]
SYN (PA)
"Cast The First Stone" 1980 (Cheap Plastic) [inner]
Mixed vocals proggy psych with dramatic keys and some

garagy guitar.
SYNOD (IL)
"Nobody's Jukebox" 1971 (no label) [gatefold]
This would be a decent 70s pop/rock album if it

weren't for the overly cloying and out of tune
vocals, which are not only lousy but are also mixed
way too loud. The songwriting is pretty good, and the
gatefold cover makes for a nice package for a self-
released record, but the singing is really awful, and
is worse because they try so hard to highlight their
harmonies. The first song starts out in "harmony" a
capella, so from moment one you know what's in store
for you here. A few songs have Christian lyrics. [AM]

JON TABAKIN (CA)
"Jon Tabakin" 1975 (Larrow 100)
The not-so-promising liner notes say that “his first

album of love songs covers the total musical
experience from ballads to bossa nova to rock.”
Between that and the bland cover photo I can imagine
collectors letting this album slip by, but if you’re
not counting on something far out this is a very
pleasant surprise. Tabakin is a creative, thoughtful
and complex songwriter and has crafted a set of
memorable and enjoyable pop songs. The obvious
influences are the Beach Boys and his lookalike John
Sebastian (interestingly, there’s no Beatles
influence at all), though a few songs rock out in a
way those artists rarely did. It’s a bit dorky at
times, but unlike most albums of the type is
consistently good on both sides. The vocals are just
a bit imperfect (the highlight is the crazed section
at the end of “Let’s Do It Again”) and the production
low-budget, giving these otherwise accomplished songs
a mild, likeable real people feel. It’s not really
for everyone, but recommended to collectors with a
soft spot for 70s pop. I think fans of the Shaun
Harris solo album will like it. [AM]
TAILGUNNER ( )
"Tailgunner" 1983 (Rapid no #)
Despite the 1983 date, this album is well-loved by

70s hard rock fans. Large quantities were bought by
dealers and the album never shows up cheap, but if
you’re a fan of noisy, aggressive hard rock, it’s a
pretty great album. The guitar sound is really
grungy, and the opening and closing songs are
killers. I wouldn’t exactly say it sounds like it was
recorded before 1983, but it doesn’t have the usual
annoying 80s production tendencies. The lyrics are
typically stoopid. [AM]
TANGERINE (Pittsburgh, PA)
"The Peeling Of" 1971 (Stephen Productions 001)

"The Peeling Of" 199 (no label, Europe) [bootleg]
"The Peeling Of" 1999 (Akarma 137, Italy)
"The Peeling Of" 1999 (CD Gear Fab 131)
Jammy hard rock with lots of rhythm section: drums

way up in the mix, a prominent conga player, bass
solos, and finally a 5+ minute conga-then-drumkit
solo at the end of the album. Some reviews describe
this as sounding like Latin rock, but I don't hear
it. Surprisingly for a heavy band, there's fuzz
guitar on only a few of the songs. On others the
guitars aren't distorted at all. Side two is just one
epic song, but if you ask me, side one might as well
be also, because all four songs sound the same. What
little vocals there are on this album are competent
but pretty typical of the genre. At times they get a
solid groove going, but for the most part this album
is dull. [AM]
TANGERINE ZOO (Swansea, MA)
"Tangerine Zoo" 1968 (Mainstream 56109) [mono]

"Tangerine Zoo" 1968 (Mainstream s-6107) [stereo]
"Tangerine Zoo" 199 (Mainstream, Europe) [bootleg; thin
cover]
One of the lesser albums on Mainstream. It’s sought-

after by collectors, but it’s got nothing that a
hundred cheaper guitar/organ/semi-hard rock albums
don’t do better. And who needs yet another long,
drawn-out version of “Gloria?” A green label Canadian
pressing also exists. [AM]
"Outside Looking In" 1968 (Mainstream 6116)

"Outside Looking In" 199 (no label)
"Tangerine Zoo / Outside Looking In" 199 (CD) [2-on-1]
Their rarer 2nd LP, superior to the debut but still

unexceptional. The sound is typical New England post-
Butterfly/Fudge heavy psych rock with organ, fuzz and
slow elephantine songs. The supposed drama they're
reaching for simply doesn't enter, and after more
than a dozen plays I'm having trouble recalling one
single hook or line from the album. Listenable all
over but nothing that grabs you. For New
England/Mainstream label completists only. Great
sleeve design like most LPs on the label. [PL]
TARBABY (FL)
"February" 1974 (New South nr-4500)
Garagy folkrock with some light fuzz in spots and a

subtle, understated feel such as on the atmospheric
instrumental "New song". Also some boogie tracks, as
you'd expect from the time and place.
JEM TARGAL (MI)
"Luckey Guy" 1977 (S'Heavy) [gatefold; insert]

You know from the coloring book album cover and
misspelled album title that Targal is one of a kind,
and his album does not disappoint. It’s full of weird
songs with freaky echo-heavy production, pained
romantic lyrics, unrestrained high-pitched vocals and
stark guitar or piano arrangements. There’s no clue
here that he was once in the Third Power. Not only is
this music not heavy, it’s almost not even rock. The
songs are pretty repetitive and groove heavy, but
pretty catchy. It’s more like 80s and 90s DIY albums
than 60s or 70s acid casualty music (the Skip Spence
comparisons are off the mark.) A few songs are
completely incomprehensible. The piano ballads drag
some, and Targals’ style wears a listener down by the
end of the album, and there’s a drum machine here and
there, but this is a unique record with some very
cool songs. Recommended to those seeking adventure.
[AM]
BANASTRE TARLETON ( )
"Electric Women" 1979 (no label)
Weird mix of synth prog and hard guitar rock. There

was also a 1985 LP, "No destination".
TAROTS ( )
"Knight In Blue" 197 (Arnold aw 14070)
"It's In The Cards" 197 (Richard)
Johnny Kitchen (Victims of Chance, Crazy People,

Blues Train, etc) gets the songwriting credit for
three tracks with the remainder by L Priessman.
Indiscriminate mix of funk, rock, and e-z lounge
moves.
TAYLES (Madison, WI)
"Who Are These Guys" 1972 (Cinevista 1001) [lyric insert]

"Who Are These Guys" 2001 (Akarma 122, Italy) [2LPs; gatefold;
+4 tracks]
"Who Are These Guys" 2001 (CD Gear Fab 121, Italy) [+4
tracks]
A live effort recorded at Madison's Nitty Gritty

Club. Heavily hyped by fans and reviewers, these guys
were little more than your standard bar band. Among
their shortcomings, even though all five members were
credited with vocals, they lacked a strong singer.
Musically they were certainly competent, though the
flute bugged the hell out of me. With the band
responsible for all of the material, the collection
steered the middle ground between cutesy nostalgia
numbers ("Did It"), standard blues-rock ("Baby
DoughDough") and longer jam-oriented material
("Bizzaro Ben"). Unfortunately, little on the ten
track set was of repeated interest. At least "Angry
with My Friend" had a little bit of meltdown guitar.
A major disappointment, guess you had to be there.
[SB]
ADAM TAYLOR ( )
"Adam Taylor" 197 (Tiger Lily TL 14024)
Obscure one on this infamous tax-scam label,

impressive 1970s rural folkrock sound with a rootsy,
mature vibe. Longer review will follow.
EMMETT TAYLOR (Kirkwood, MO)
"Emmett Taylor" 197 (Kerygma 101)
Early 1970s Christian folkrock with 60s-sounding

garage and psych moves, including "Men of delusion"
with long fuzz guitar break. Highly rated by some.
The LP is credited to Emmett Taylor with Stephan
Eyre.
T C (Phoenix, AZ)
"Lamanite" 1976 (Desert City 3002)
Native American doing 1970s melodic rock and folk

with mellotron and unusual vocals, also two heavy
rock tracks. Has been hyped but not likely to blow
you away.
T C ATLANTIC (St Paul, MN)
"Live At The Bel-Rae Ballroom" 1967 (Dove 4459)

"T C Atlantic" 1983 (Eva 12014, France) [+bonus tracks]
Charming live recording of legendary Twin Cities band

that had several good non-LP 45s. This is not the
thrilling acid psych of "Faces" but more of a typical
club set from a top local act; bunch of r'n'b/soul
standards plus a couple Brit Invasion tunes and two
band originals. Good vocals, the right organ sound,
excellent recording with plenty of presence, and
solid performances all around -- sort of like what
all those Justice LPs should have been like. Only
weak spot is an endless rave-up on "Love light" that
doesn't really work. File under "party" next to the
Dimensions, the Kasuals and the Raiders' "Here they
come" LP. [PL]
T C B (Ottawa, Canada)
"Open For Business" 1970 (Traffic)
Jazzy horn rock with psych/prog touches and female

vocals.
T C T BAND ( )
"Last Time Around Folks" 197 (no label) [2 LPs]
A live performance by your typical southern hard rock

band from the early seventies. Long jams with guitar
and organ, mostly cover songs of the day and not one
but two songs with the presumed drum solo (one sucks,
the other is tolerable). It's a double album that
comes in two glued together brown paper bags with red
print. A period piece that works for people in my age
group (mid-forties to early fifties) that remembers
those free outdoor shows at a local park complete
with jug wine, dirt weed and loose hippy chicks on
Quaaludes. [JSB]
TEA COMPANY (MA)
"Come And Have Some Tea" 1968 (Smash srs-67105) [wlp exists]
"Come And Have Some Tea" 2000 (CD, Europe)
Pretty freaky stuff for a major label album. It’s got

every bit as much reverb as The Bachs or Index or the
Scorpio Tube. One song is just water sounds. There
are lots of sound effects and spastic guitar parts on
this album, and maybe the most bizarre cover of “You
Keep Me Hanging On” yet. Not a very good record, but
gets points for pure wildness. The band’s name is
very clearly defined in the liner notes. [AM]
~~~
Fronted by Frankie Carr, the album featured a rather
over-indulgent set of self-penned era-psychedelia (be
sure to check out the hysterical "As I Have Seen You
Upon the Wall"). The lone non-original was a Vanilla
Fudge-styled cover of The Supremes' "You Keep Me
Hangin' On". Unfortunately, as lead singer Carr
wasn't any great shakes. Moreover, burdened by dopey
lyrics ("Make Love, Not War") and bland melodies
("Love Could Make the World Go Round"), none of the
eight originals proved particularly memorable. On the
other hand, exemplified by tracks such as the 10
minute plus "Flowers" and "Don't Make Waves (Water
Sound Effects)" the band displayed an awesome
affection for sound effects. Having missed the '60s,
we can only report that "tea" was supposedly a
reference to dope. Contrary to rumor, we can tell you
the plant shown on the cover is not marijuana. [SB]
~~~
see -> Frankie Carr; Spare Change Band
TEAKWOOD (NY)
"Teakwood" 196 (Century 34005)
Bob Tupper and Greg Rita of Hamilton College doing

late 1960s acoustic folk.
TEMPEST (Houston, TX)
"Tempest" 1979 (Earth Records 0378)

This privately pressed hard rock record starts
weakly, with a mediocre AOR song and a mediocre blues
song, but gets much better. There are a few really
hot hard rockers and quite a bit of variety in its
almost 50-minute length. The only problem is that the
male singer is terrible, and he’s given the album’s
very best songs. The female singer, Barbara
Pennington (not to be confused with the soul singer
of the same name), has real blues strength to her
voice but not much in the way of subtlety or nuance.
This is a frustrating album, as a lot of talent shows
through here but they obviously didn’t know what to
do with it. The best songs (especially the two side-
closers, which have really great hooks) could have
been killers. What this band needed was a good
producer or manager who would have made better
decisions about who was singing and how. Strangely
enough, this album was also released in Germany. The
US release has a white cover; the German release has
a silver cover. Pennington released an LP in 1982
with Tempest as the backing band. [AM]
TEMPESTS (Canada)
"That's Right - Walk On By" 1965 (Arkon ACS 4)
Teenbeat obscurity with moody cover shot of the six

band members' heads arranged to form a human pyramid!
TEMPOS (Sylacuga, AL)
"Speaking Of The Tempos" 1966 (Justice 104)

"The Tempos" 1987 (Crypt 010) [partial reissue+bonus tracks;
altered sleeve]
"Speaking Of The Tempos" 1996 (CD Collectables 0601)
Considered by many the best LP on the label, even

rated by some as the best local garage album all
over. Has a true garage edge throughout and an
impressive number of great Stonesy originals such as
the opening "Two timer" and "You're gonna miss
me" (not the Elevators tune) along with 3-4 of the
usual surf and R'n'B covers. One of the few, or the
only, Justice band not to hail from the Atlantic
seaboard states, this also sticks out due to an
atypical recording with plenty of punch that reflects
a Brit Invasion mindset among these Sylacuga High
School punks. Either reissue is worth getting for any
1966 garage fan. [PL]
TEMPOS ( )
"Tempos" 1966 (no label WFC 595) [10"]

No relation to the famous Alabama band, this is a
very obscure 10-inch teenbeat LP from the same era.
TEMPTERS (MI)
"Live" 1969 (AmCue)
Primitive local release of late-period 60s club band

doing Beatles and soul covers, along with a few
originals.
TENNESSEE FARM BAND see Farm Band
JOHN TERLAZZO (York, PA)
"Honor Among Thieves" 1983 (Beggar Recordings no #)
Incredibly dark loner poet folk/rock. Very heavy

Leonard Cohen influence, but makes LC seem cheerful
by comparison. Even the one song that is upbeat,
almost good-timey, has a dark undertone. Terlazzo is
accompanied on many tracks by a beautiful haunting
female backing vocal which is often wordless. Several
tracks have fine electric guitar leads and solos. The
poetic nature of his writing rather stark and often
“esoteric” lyric images, brought out well by his
rather limited baritone voice. I rate this at the top
of the loner folkie heap. [MA]
~~~
Enjoyable modern-sounding dark folk and
singer/songwriter with a vibe similar to Bruce
Janaway or Bob Theil. There is indeed a notable
Leonard Cohen influence but Terlazzo needn't be
embarrassed, as this is simply the genre he belongs
too, and he does it well, with a personal voice and
inventive arrangements including spooky female
harmonies and sparse folkrock arrangements. I counted
three excellent tracks with "Seven stars over Sicily"
a favorite, several more good ones, and only one dud.
Terlazzo would continue to record after this debut
and is still active as a performer and poet. [PL]
TERRAPLANE ( )
"Arrives" 1981 (Stress) [12" EP]
Weak hardrock on a 5-track, 45 RPM 12-incher, some

prog moves with keyboard.
PETER TESSIER (Canada)
"By Turning A Knob" 1973 (Columbia ES 90202)
It’s a mystery as to why this major label release has

become so rare, but it’s a very tough one to find.
It’s an interesting 70s singer/songwriter record with
occasional Christian lyrics strung together in a
thematic way (bits of two songs are repeated
throughout the album.) Most of it is pretty
straightforward acoustic guitar-based rock that’s
pretty commercial (and some of it is kind of goofy),
but there’s a stark feel to some songs and a bit of
cool fuzz guitar, so it will appeal to some
folk/psych fans. Excellent bass playing throughout,
and nice crisp production. The quality of the
songwriting is pretty hit and miss. I expect most
listeners to like about half of it. Side two really
mixes up the genres, some of which aren’t exactly
rock or folk, and the last song on the album is sung
in French. [AM]
THEE MIDNITERS (Los Angeles, CA)
"Thee Midniters" 1965 (Chattahoochee c-1001) [mono]

"Thee Midniters" 1966 (Chattahoochee cs-1001) [stereo]
"Bring You Love Special Delivery" 1966 (Whittier w-5000)

[mono]
"Bring You Love Special Delivery" 1966 (Whittier ws-5000)
[stereo]
"Unlimited" 1966 (Whittier w-5001)
Mexican-American group doing an early mix of r&b and

Stones-styled movers with horns and garagy guitars.
One of the earliest and greatest of the latino soul/
rock groups, led by the outstanding soulful vocalist,
Willie Garcia. The debut features their "Whittier
Boulevard" hit original, alongside a mix of club
frat, soul and British covers. The first Whittier LP
has a similar mix plus cool band original "I found a
peanut" and a version of "Love Special Delivery", one
of the earliest songs with a possible LSD message.
"Unlimited" is more geared towards their soul/dance
side, and perhaps of less interest, despite several
originals and a cool cover. The band's last LP on
Whittier was "Giants" (1967), and features material
from the earlier albums. There is a vinyl sampler on
Rhino from 1983, and a later CD sampler.
THEE MUFFINS (Lake George, NY)
"Thee Muffins" 1967 (Fan-Club no #)
So-so local club/R'n'B act from upstate NY, has one

track comp'd on "Oil Stains" but otherwise little to
distinguish it. Bonus points for a hilarious sleeve
of the group popping out of a toaster. [PL]
~~~
Garage pop covers. Mix of lounge soul ballads and
rhythmic garage covers. Fun tinny chiming rhythm
playing. Of interest mostly for the fact that it got
made at all. [RM]
THEM (UK / TX / CA)
"Now And Them" 1967 (Tower t-5104) [mono]

"Now And Them" 1967 (Tower st-5104) [stereo]
"Now And Them" 200 (CD Revola 29, UK) [+bonus tracks]
The first post-Van Morrison Them album takes their

gritty R&B sound a step into the future by adding
fuzz guitar and some Eastern musical themes. A number
of the songs are in a more straight R&B bag, and
while they’re pretty good, this is certainly of more
interest for the punky “Witch Doctor” and “Walking in
The Queen’s Garden,” or the freaky sitar-heavy
“Square Room,” than for horn-laden soul like “What’s
The Matter Baby.” “You’re Just What I Was” is a nice,
if slightly out of character, pop song. There’s a lot
to like here. I could have done without their
uninteresting version of “Nobody Loves You When
You’re Down And Out,” though. [AM]
"Time Out! Time In" 1968 (Tower t-5116) [mono]

"Time Out! Time In" 1968 (Tower st-5116) [stereo]
"Time Out! Time In" 200 (CD Revola 52, UK) [+bonus tracks]
This time, they get even further out, with more

sitar, more fuzz guitar, less R&B, stranger lyrics.
My favorite line: “Buzz, buzz, it’s a wonderful
feeling/to be upside down now and waltz on the
ceiling.” A lot of this is pretty great. The overall
songwriting isn’t as strong as on "Now And Them", but
the consistency of style compensates. [AM]
"Them" 1970 (Happy Tiger 1004)
This is usually rated as the weakest of the band's 4

post-Van albums. For a much more enjoyable, in fact
quite outstanding Them-related outfit, check out "Of
Them And Other Tales" by Truth, a retrospective CD
release of westcoast-flavored circa 1969 recordings
from Epilogue records 1995.
"In Reality" 1971 (Happy Tiger 1012)
By 1971 Them had been reduced to bassist Alan

Henderson, lead guitarist Jim Parker and drummer John
Stark (both formerly with the Kitchen Cinq and
Armageddon). Anyone expecting a continuation of the
psychedelic moves that marked the band's previous
releases for Happy Tiger was in for a major shock.
Musically the set started out with a blast; in this
case an extended, fuzz guitar powered cover of Them's
own "Gloria". While the remake may not have
threatened Van Morrison's original, it boasted some
killer lead guitar courtesy of Parker. While some
folks will certainly disagree to our ears the band
actually benefited from their new found direction.
Stripped of the elaborate production that
characterized their last couple of releases, material
such as "Laugh" and "Lessons of the Sea" found the
trio turning in some roaring hard-rock sides. Kudos
to Parker who was simply amazing on material such as
"Baby Please Don't Go" and "California Man". [SB]
THESE TRAILS (HI)
"These Trails" 1973 (Sinergia 4059)

"These Trails" 1998 (Pele 1, Germany)
"These Trails" 1999 (Gates Of Dawn)
"These Trails" 1999 (CD Gates Of Dawn)
"These Trails" 1999 (CD Sinergia)
Marvellous folkpsych and the best Hawaiian LP ever

along with Mu. Like tripping out in a botanical
garden and having the acid turn your casual stroll
into a deep jungle exploration, surrounded by exotic
birds and mystic noises, with old volcanos in the
distance while ocean waves lap the back of your mind.
Dreamy female vocals, surprising twists, and talent
all through, courtesy mainly of Margaret Morgan, who
sadly passed away recently. The song structures and
arrangements are very unusual, and combine with the
ethereal vocals to send you into uncharted mind
spaces. "Share your water" is a personal fave.
Psychedelic exotica doesn't come better than this.
The Sinergia CD is from the band themselves. [PL]
~~~
This is a wonderful and unique album that really
defines Hawaiian psych rock. The music is
folky/poppy, with clever arrangements that include
surprising stop/start sections, little bits of
synthesizer noises that feel like rain coming down,
and exotic-sounding female vocals. The singing has a
naïve charm that can't be beat, and the excellent
songwriting is breezy and airy. Highly recommended.
[AM]
THINGS TO COME (Los Angeles, CA)
"Things To Come" 1978 (W.P.I 1)

"Things To Come" 1995 (Sundazed 5008) [altered sleeve; bonus
tracks]
"Things To Come" 1995 (CD Sundazed sc-11017) [bonus tracks]
Here's one with a real story to it. For years known

only for their outstanding first 45, this ultrarare
(50 copies?) late 70s tax-loss LP featuring both 45
tracks plus several more '66-67 recordings was
discovered in LA in the early 1990s. Sundazed moved
in with a classy reissue making this a household word
soon after being found. Things like "Darkness" is
true missing link garage-psych stuff everyone needs
to hear, although the strongly derivative (esp from
Them) nature of some tracks is a drawback. The
monster acid tune "Speak Of The Devil" is in a
different mix from the 45 version. After a line-up
change the band released two good non-LP 45s not
included on the reissues. [PL]
THIRD EDITION (LA)
"Take 1" 1973 (Rapture 1236)
Sometimes described as "garage" or "psych", but

actually a lo-fi amateur lounge-rock trio with cheesy
organ, some buzzing fuzz guitar and off-key vocals.
Three Creedence covers tells you where they're coming
from.
THIRD ESTATE (Baton Rouge, LA)
"Years Before The Wine" 1976 (Third Estate 1000) [500p;

insert]
"Years Before The Wine" 199 (no label, Austria) [150p]
"Years Before The Wine" 199 (CD Mellow, Italy)
"Years Before The Wine" 1997 (Void 07) [insert; 500p]
One of my personal faves in the seemingly bottomless

well of great local 70s LPs, this intricate folkrock
prog-psycher blends a warm Southern summer sound with
baroque-like song structures and graduate school
lyrics inspired by the French Revolution! Not your
average local barrocker and despite multitudes of
spins I haven't grasped it all yet. Serious in mood,
but rescued from the prog traps thanks to the strong
songwriting and a light, flowing musical style.
Excellent female vocals on one track. A must to check
out, and loved by many. The Italian CD is the best
introduction, while the old Austrian bootleg has poor
sound. The band came together at LSU in Baton Rouge
but the members hailed from elsewhere. [PL]
~~~
A concept album about the French Revolution. Fetch my
sawn off from the pick up Bubba, it’s time to teach
these pretentious hippies a danged good lesson. But
how wrong I would be to shoot first without
listening. Often cited are the female vocals (from
Fae Ficklin), “brought in” for the title track. Her
singing is stunning, but even without it the LP would
still richly deserve its legendary status. Plenty of
fuzz, backwards soundscapes and beautiful acoustic
guitar tunes from band leader Robert Everett make
this into a total classic. Rewards repeat listening,
multi-textured, the sound of exploration is apparent
as the band spreads its wings and glorious harmonies
flow forth. The sound and overall impression is
highly reminiscent of another UK classic, Ithaca. The
sound quality on the Mellow CD is superb and it comes
with a highly informative booklet with band photos
and lyrics. [RI]
~~~
This is a complicated album that opens new doors with
every listen. The production style is weirdly stark,
with acoustic guitars that sound like they’re in the
room with you. The low-budget recording creates a
real sense of immediacy. Backwards bits and treated
guitars are used to nice effect, and the leisurely
pace of the songs works very well. This is unlike
anything else I’ve heard, and is hard to
characterize. It blows most people away, but even if
you don’t love it, I suspect you’ll have a weird
fascination with it and keep listening. A lot of
reviews mention the female vocalist, but it should be
noted that she sings only one song. [AM]
THIRD GENERATION (HI)
"Third Generation" 1967 (no label)
Lounge rock covers. [RM]
THIRD POWER (Detroit, MI)
"Believe" 1970 (Vanguard 6554)

"Believe" 199 (Mr G no #)
"Believe" 1998 (Akarma 033, Italy)
"Believe" 1998 (CD Akarma 033, Italy)
This is certainly one of the very best heavy psych

albums, and also one of the best albums on Vanguard.
It’s wild, frantic, surprising, diverse and
uncompromised. The guitar playing is restrained and
subtle in places, but blasts out with a fury when it
needs to. On the slower songs the singing is
downright eerie. As with all great albums, it isn’t
just the sound and energy that kill, but the
songwriting, which is great throughout. “Feel So
Lonely,” which starts out slow and drifty, but adds
intensity as it goes along, is my favorite, but the
rest aren’t far behind. As with the Highway Robbery
album, the ballads are as good as the rockers. A
Canadian pressing also exists. [AM]
~~~
see -> Jem Targal
13th FLOOR ELEVATORS (Austin/Kerrville, TX)
"Psychedelic Sounds" 1966 (IA LP 1) [promo; mono; blue/white

label]
"Psychedelic Sounds" 1966 (IA LP 1) [mono; yellow/green
label]
"Psychedelic Sounds" 1966 (IA LP 1) [stereo; coral blue
label]
"Psychedelic Sounds" 1977 (IA) [stereo bootleg; 'Masterfonics'
in dead wax]
"Psychedelic Sounds" 1978 (IA LP 1) [official stereo reissue]
"Psychedelic Sounds" 1978 (Radar 13, UK) [stereo reissue]
"Psychedelic Sounds" 197 (IA) [stereo bootleg; altered back
cover without credits]
Recorded over a 9-month period during 1966, the LP

was assembled with some haste as "You're Gonna Miss
Me" became an unexpected national hit in the early
Fall. The mono mix is clearly superior, as is
particularly evident on "Roller Coaster" and "Monkey
Island", where the stereo mixes sound unfinished and
should be avoided. The mono LP was released in late
November 1966, thus competing with the Deep and Blues
Magoos as the very first "psychedelic"-titled album.
The music, in case anyone needs to know, is a
firebreathing blend of garage, folkrock and embryonic
psychedelia, the latter represented by the two
groundbreaking numbers "Roller Coaster" and "Kingdom
Of Heaven". The LP was an underground hit and went on
to sell some 40.000 copies. All promos and early runs
of the mono stock have a slightly different back
cover with a street address for IA and no credit to
Gordon Bynum. Due to stamper degeneration this
variation may be preferrable to later runs. Although
1966 is the nominal release year for the stereo
version, it probably wasn't mixed and released until
a few months into 1967. No stereo promos exist. The
IA box set reissue (also available as a standalone
item) is identifiable via a matrix number that begins
'Ach...'. Post-1980 reissues are too numerous to
list; the crucial fact is that none of the re:s,
including those above, are from master tapes. The
mixdown masters were lost in the early 1970s and have
never been found. The preferrable mono mix has been
bootlegged twice in the late 1990s, all other
reissues are the inferior stereo mix. [PL]
"Easter Everywhere" 1967 (IA LP 5) [mono; wlp exists; lyric

inner]
"Easter Everywhere" 1967 (IA LP 5) [stereo; lyric inner]
"Easter Everywhere" 1977 (IA) [bootleg; 'Masterfonics' in dead
wax]
"Easter Everywhere" 1978 (IA LP 5) [official reissue]
"Easter Everywhere" 1978 (Radar 15, UK) [reissue]
"Easter Everywhere" 197 (IA) [bootleg; orange-tone front
cover]
International Artists put substantial amounts into

"Easter", which was supposed to establish the
Elevators as a major force in rock music, after the
unexpected underground success of "Psychedelic
Sounds". Unfortunately it came out about 6 months too
late (released in November), and lacked a strong hit
45 to carry it. Nevertheless most Elevators fans
rates it the best thing by the band (or indeed by
anyone). The LP sold out its original pressing but
was not reprinted, suggesting somewhat disappointing
sales, perhaps around 10.000 copies. For some reason
IA mastered it an unusually low volume, which
contributes to the slightly muddy sound. The earliest
run has a printing error on the back sleeve that
lists "Posturos" instead of "Postures". The mono mix
is an interesting experience, but clearly inferior to
the hypnotic, elaborate soundscape of the stereo. The
stock mono version is extremely rare and usually
sells for four figures. The IA box set reissue ( also
available as a standalone item) is identifiable via a
matrix number that begins 'Ach...'. Again, post-1980
reissues and bootlegs too numerous to list; the
crucial fact is that none of these, including those
above, are from master tapes. The mixdown masters
were lost in the early 1970s and have never been
found. The mono mix was bootlegged in the late 1990s,
all other reissues are the superior stereo mix. [PL]
"Live" 1968 (IA LP 8) [stereo; wlp exists]

"Live" 1978 (IA LP 8) [IA box-set reissue]
As the Elevators were falling apart, IA put this

infamous pseudo-live LP together from old studio
outtakes and added some very phony-sounding applause.
The release date is somewhere around August 1968. The
LP was not a success, and unsold copies were still
floating around 20 years later. For an Elevators fan
this is still mandatory, and due to the strength of
the material and performances, a lot better than its
reputation suggests. No mono mix exists. Reissues and
bootlegs are too numerous to list; the crucial fact
is that none of these, including the IA box set
reissue from 1978 are from master tapes. The mixdown
masters were lost in the early 1970s and have never
been found. The 1978 IA box-set reissue can be
identified via a matrix number that begins "Ach...".
All other reissues or boots are easy to identify as
such. [PL]
"Bull Of The Woods" 1969 (IA LP 9) [stereo; wlp exists]

"Bull Of The Woods" 1969 (IA LP 9) [IA box-set reissue]
This posthumous swansong was underrated for many

years, but has been revaluated from the 1990s and
onwards, and in fact rates as the band's best LP
among some Elevators fans. Dominated by lead
guitarist Stacy Sutherland, the band here has a dark,
brooding intensity that has aged well. Roky appears
on less than half the tracks, and there is no jug.
The material was recorded during a chaotic 6-month
period in 1968, with some horn arrangements added by
IA and drummer Danny Thomas as the LP was put
together in late 1968. As the original band was long
gone, the LP didn't sell well, and unsold copies
crowded Texas warehouses for decades. No mono mix
exists. Reissues and bootlegs are too numerous to
list; the crucial fact is that none of these,
including the IA box set reissue from 1978 are from
master tapes. The mixdown masters were lost in the
early 1970s and have never been found. The 1978 IA
box-set reissue can be identified via a matrix number
that begins "Ach...". All other reissues and boots
are easy to identify as such. All four Elevators LPs
were also released on 8-track, the first two LPs both
by IA and ITCC, the last two LPs only by ITCC. [PL]
"Fire In My Bones" 1985 (Texas Archive Recordings 4)
"Elevator Tracks" 1987 (Texas Archive Recordings 7)
There is a wealth of bootlegs and obscure archival

releases of unreleased Elevators material, but the
two TAR albums should be considered mandatory. Both
contain one side of unreleased studio material, and
one side of live recordings. "Elevator Tracks" is
somewhat difficult to find, and includes the
devastating "I don't ever want to come down". Of the
other vinyl retrospectives, by all means avoid the
common "SF '66" boot on Lysergic, which has terrible
sound quality. Other releases of the outstanding
Avalon tape have better sound, but none come close to
the source tapes, originally broadcast on KSAN in
1977. "Original Sounds" (13th Hour, 1989) is a
worthwhile boot, containing rough mixes from the
first LP in excellent sound on one side, and a high-
energy early live recording on the other. "Demos
Everywhere" is a UK variant with this same material
in an inferior pressing. Beyond these, dozens of CD
releases exists, often recycling the same material in
various combinations.
~~~
see -> "Epitaph For A Legend"
31st OF FEBRUARY (Jacksonville, FL)
"31st Of February" 1969 (Vanguard 6503)

"31st Of February" 200 (Vanguard 6503)
"31st Of February" 200 (CD Vanguard 6503)
The buzz about this album is partially due to having

a future member of the Allman Brothers in the band.
The record, though, is actually quite good, with a
nice dreamy folk-rock/popsike sound and consistent
songwriting. There’s yet another version of “Codine,”
but it’s an appealingly eerie one, and this record
really hits all the right spots for fans of the
style. All three band members would go on to bigger
things in the 1970s. [AM]
THIRTYONE FLAVORS ( )
"Hair" 1969 (Crown 492)
One of the best psychploitation LPs with more fuzzzz

than a dozen 1971 private press hardrockers. Opens
with amazingly lame title track from "Hair", then a
funny inept "Age of aquarius" with femme vocals, then
a crude basement psych original with far out vocals.
The rest of the LP is 100% fuzzploitation instros
with studio hacks obviously delighted to run stone
free like a stage jam by the Jimi Hendrix Experience.
Great raw live feel, wild playing and excellent fuzz
riffs. A good one to use as a proxy for the whole
genre. The LP contains a couple of tracks listed but
not present on the Firebirds album, which probably
was recorded during the same 2-hour session. A couple
of the best tracks have been reissued on the "Heavy
Psych" CD compilation. [PL]
~~~
If you wondered what happened to the two missing
songs that were listed on the Firebirds album, here’s
your answer. In wonderful exploito fashion, this is
the same band from the same sessions, and despite
something called “Free Drum,” it’s an equally great
record. It’s got tons of grungy fuzz guitar and lots
of spastic drumming; it’s a true hard rock wonder! A
cover of the song “Hair” that doesn’t bother to
follow the normal melody is just plain weird. You
have to love the idea that these people were just
fucking around and still managed to put together two
albums that blow away most hard rock albums by “real”
bands. [AM]
SUSAN & RICHARD THOMAS (WI)
"A Burst Of Life" 1973 (Blue Hour B.H 3-1017)
Pro-sounding, dorky "up-with-people" 1970s hippie

couple folkrock/ singer-songwriter trip. She has a
nice voice and their enthusiasm and undeniably
skillful compositions and arrangements make for
passable listening, with a few showtune/musical moves
adding a nostalgic charm. However I have a hard time
seeing anyone but the most hardcore hippie folk
collectors really enjoying this obscurity. [PL]
~~~
This is a bit of a joke in the collectors’ world, a
record that, when found, sold for $100 to
unsuspecting “folk-psych” fans, and has since become
one of the hardest records for rare record dealers to
unload. In actuality, as over-sincere hippie commune-
type folk goes it’s pretty good, and Susan has a nice
voice. It has moments that are way too sweet, and
certainly there’s nothing even remotely “psych” about
it, but the songwriting is decent and it’s a heck of
a lot more listenable than New Troubadours or Oneness
Space. [AM]
DON THOMPSON ( )
"Jupiter" 1975 (Sunday 5101) [gatefold; booklet; insert]

"Jupiter" 1976 (Korona 5101) [gatefold]
Delicate emphatic dark folk, sweet high trembling

Marcus/Trimblesque vocal, orchestral backing. Sparse
sound with spacey mellotron in the background.
Flowing "seer with answers" damage. When he sings
he's "going to the edge of the world" you gotta
believe it's not the first time. Excellent LP. George
Faber (Finchley Boys) helps out. Supposedly only 100
copies were pressed of the first version, but the
substantial number of copies traded in recent years
makes this seem dubious. Some copies of the first
press came with promo material and a bonus 7". [RM]
~~~
One side is pretentious guitar-and-voice folk (with
mild synthesized orchestral arrangements.) His
singing style is way too sincere, and all of the
songs sound pretty much the same. Though there are
some neat little arrangement tricks (mostly with
backing vocals), and creative lyrical ideas, the
greatest impression he leaves is of someone who’s
trying way too hard but doesn’t have the ideas to
back up the ambition. Side two is more folk-rock,
with bass, drums and electric lead guitars, sounding
a bit like Cat Stevens. It suits him a little better,
mostly because the singing isn’t so front-and-center,
but this really isn’t a fun record. [AM]
MAYO THOMPSON (Houston, TX)
"Corky's Debt To His Father" 1970 (Texas Revolution 2270)

[600p]
"Corky's Debt To His Father" 198 (Texas Revolution) [reissue]
"Corky's Debt To His Father" 1986 (Glass 015, UK)
"Corky's Debt To His Father" 1996 (Drag City 49)
Thompson’s singer/songwriter album is in many ways a

lot more interesting than anything he did with the
Red Crayola. He has a matter of fact singing style
and a really unusual sensibility that rewards
multiple listens. Some surprisingly blunt sexual
lyrics are pretty funny. As with the Crayola, this
isn’t exactly the most adeptly performed record, but
unlike with the Crayola, it never sounds like
Thompson doesn’t care deeply about his songs.
Fascinating and memorable. Mayo relocated to England
in the 1970s, then returned to play with Pere Ubu in
the early 1980s as well as continuing to record, with
a variety of musicians, under the Red Krayola banner.
His other releases fall outside the Archives. [AM]
JEFF THORNLEY (DE)
"Locked Inside" 1983 (Unique Records no #)
Latter day album hyped by psych dealers, despite

there not being anything “psych” about it. Some of it
is heavy, some in a more refined pop style. One song
is country/rockabilly. It’s pretty impressive that
Thornley spans a bunch of styles without the album
sounding disjointed. The reverb-heavy production does
shout out “80s,” but not in as offensive a way as
most albums from 1983. There are a few Xian lyrics
here, lots of lead guitar, and some good hooks. One
song has a guest female lead singer and she’s better
than Jeff, though neither are especially distinctive.
Frankly, I’m not sure how this got a $100+ price tag
when there were hundreds of 80s private press albums
of similar quality and originality, but it is a
pretty good record. [AM]
THREE see Square Root Of Nine
THROWER SPILLANE MCFARLAND (MI)
"Blue John" 197 (Ranger Records RLPS 412)
"Boots & Bottles" 1975 (Black River Tunes 544N3)
Obscure rural rock/singer-songwriter albums from the

same crowd that did the Drendall, Thrower & Friends
album. Similar in style with some outstanding tracks,
though not as solid as "Papa". The second LP,
released as by Blue John, features John Drendall, who
is not on the Ranger LP. McFarland is not on the
Black River LP.
THUGH (OH)
"Phase Tapes" 1981 (Earters) [insert; 200p]
Inept, homemade primitive underground folk/avant

tracks recorded '74-80 with an occasional psych vibe.
Lots of phasing, synth, tape effects, some acoustic
and electric guitar.
THUNDERBIRDS (Albuquerque, NM)

"Meet The Fabulous Thunderbirds" 1965 (Red Feather TH1)
Mostly pre-invasion frat and instros from teenage

Native Americans dressed in goofy dance band gear.
Notable Chuck Berry and Tex-Mex influences across the
LP, which has been known for decades but is pretty
hard to find. One track has been comp'd on "Oil
Stains".
THUNDERDUK (OH)
"Thunderduk" 1996 (Rockadelic 23) [750p; insert]
Band photos and raw opening track may tempt one to

file this among the typical Rockadelic teenage
basement hardrock blowouts, but in actuality this is
a local prog/jazzrock affair that's a bit left field
both for the label and my hi-fi. The uptempo,
energetic excursions suffer from so-so songwriting
and a dry, clinical soundscape that cries out for
keyboards, fuzz and feedback, and jars with the
distorted vocals. Liner notes claim they were a big
draw live but it doesn't really sound like it, and
there's an odd atonal and out of synch feel to the
recording as a whole -- but maybe that's right for
the genre. Couple of OK tracks, but too little
guitar, and neither psych, folk nor hardrock; may
appeal to fans of the UK hard prog scene. 1972-1974
recordings. [PL]
THUNDERPUSSY (Quincy, IL)
"Documents Of Captivity" 1973 (MRT rl-31748) [insert]

"Documents Of Captivity" 1987 (Breeder 561, Austria) [b & w
sleeve]
"Documents Of Captivity" 199 (CD Wild Places 002)
Ah, Quincy's contribution to mid-1970s' progressive

rock. Printed in minute quantities, this one's
attracted a cult following and some glistening
reviews. Curiously, most of the reviews we've seen
have painted the album as being a hard rock with
psych touches outing. Wrong. Written as a concept
piece divided into a series of "six Documents" (which
plotlines are largely lost on me), the result is
conventional (if very good) progressive rock. I'll
also be honest and admit that it took a couple of
spins to warm up to the LP's charms. It's worth the
effort since Morris has a nice voice and, in spite of
the elaborate plotline, tracks such as the leadoff
"Document of Enigma / Scream Inside", "Document of
Security / Moonlite Ladies" and "Document of Latent
Summation / In the Forest" offer up strong and
surprisingly conventional melodies. The original was
pressed on very thin vinyl, most copies have slight
bowl warps. There is also a posthumous EP with
unreleased tracks. [SB]
~~~
This is the kind of 'prog' album that seems to go
over pretty well with psych or hard rock fans. As I'm
listening I always enjoy it, as it's full of weird
ideas and cool guitar playing. It doesn't stick with
me once it's off, though, which probably means their
ambitions are miles beyond their pop sense. This is
the kind of thing that I can recommend to people
looking for something a bit beyond their usual
tastes, but I'm not sure I'd call it wholly
successful. Where they got their name is beyond me,
because this isn't especially thunderous or
tasteless. [AM]
THUNDERTREE (Minneapolis, MN)
"Thundertree" 1970 (Roulette sr-42038) [wlp exists]

"Thundertree" 2004 (CD Radioactive 096, UK)
It's hard to say why this particular major label

release is now worth double the price of a lot of its
equally good peers, but there's no predicting
collectors. Side one are individual songs while side
two is a side-long suite. It's somewhat soulful rock
with a mild psych edge. It mixes carefully
constructed songwriting with a nice variety of
sounds, ranging from quiet and mellow to moderately
heavy. It's not exactly poppy, but not exactly heavy
either. The singing is a bit pretentious, but the
interesting production tricks compensate. Depending
on how you look at it, it's either creatively
arranged or gimmicky. Hardly the best of its type,
but perfectly enjoyable for fans of major label
psych. Starts with the great song title "Head
Embers". [AM]
~~~
This Roulette obscurity has a fair share of fans,
although I was a bit put off by the weak,
unconvincing vocals and too-busy drumming. Both the
overall sound and mood shifts strangely over the LP,
ranging from demo-like Steppenwolf macho rock to
fullblown, sophisticated westcoast psychedelia.
Songwriting is pretty good but the crude, unfinished
feel of several recordings suggests that a
significantly better LP from the same material could
have been delivered by a different band. The
dominating sound is a bit like the non-orchestrated
tracks on the Common People LP, but less successful.
On the plus side is good use of fuzz leads and some
interesting studio tricks, once they were given time
to fool around. The long suite on side 2 shows
typical UK "Abbey Road" artrock ambitions a la
Graffiti or Jasper Wrath, and is rather appealing
within the genre. Worth hearing, but I'm not really
prepared to join the cheering for this album. The LP
was also released in Germany on Vogue. [PL]
~~~
see -> Billy; "Gathering At The Depot"
STEVE TIBBETS (St Paul, MN)
"Steve Tibbets" 1977 (Frammis bzz-77)

"Steve Tibbets" 199 (Cuneiform 55009)
Guitar/home studio wizard. Eastern instro prog psych,

tablas. The Frammis LPs were recorded in his house on
an 8-track machine. Later pressings have 're' scribed
in the trail-off. None of his releases are
particularly expensive, which is good news.
"Yr" 1979 (Frammis 1522-25)

"Yr" 198 (ECM) [altered sleeve]
Instrumental album that’s just chock full of amazing

guitar playing. The use of tabla gives it a unique
feel and a kind of intimate charm missing from the
works of better-known guitar heroes. This is the kind
of album that could appeal to everyone from psych
fans to folk fans to prog fans to hard rock fans.
Very tasteful, very clever, often quite surprising.
Highly recommended. Two sleeve versions exist, with
"daytime" or "nighttime" scene. [AM]
FREDDIE TIEKEN & THE ROCKERS (Quincy, IL)
"Live!" 1964 (IT 2304)
Early teenbeat and soul covers recorded live at TNT

in West Quincy, Missouri. The band kept going for
many years and was popular throughout the Midwest. In
the late 60s, the Tieken brothers went on to Ilmo
Smokehouse.
TIFFANY SHADE (Cleveland, OH)
"Tiffany Shade" 1967 (Mainstream 56105) [mono]

"Tiffany Shade" 1967 (Mainstream s-6105) [stereo]
"Tiffany Shade" 200 (Mainstream, Europe) [bootleg; thin
cover]
This used to be one of the less championed

Mainstreams, but the persistent hype on the label has
sent the rep of it soaring. Mainstream seldom spent
much time on A & R once the artists had been signed,
but Tiffany Shade must have been pushed through quick
even by their standards. Hence a rather charming teen
garage presentation of what is economy fare westcoast
folkrock-psych sounds, plus a bunch of tracks that
make no sense at all. LP opens strongly with several
raw trips on the early Airplane style; cutting fuzz
leads and excellent "Nuggets" vocals should appeal to
anyone. Side 2 is less garagey & more goofy top 40,
but listenable with class points reaped for a Love
cover. All over a bit better than I expected, with
some prime slices of 60s cheese-psych. Superb cover
artwork, as always with the label. The album was also
released in the UK by Fontana. [PL]
~~~
Considered one of the second-tier Mainstream albums,
but I can’t see any reason that Growing Concern is
more well-liked than this. Tiffany Shade doesn’t have
a female vocalist, but has the same general feel as
Growing Concern, but with better songwriting and
fewer covers. Most importantly, they have a youthful
punky vocal style that’s ten times more appealing
than the annoyingly syrupy male singer from Growing
Concern. “Would You Take My Mind Out For A Walk” is a
highlight. As with the Growing Concern album, side
two is a bit weaker than side one, but this is a good
album, recommended to fans of pop-oriented garage
rock. [AM]
TIGHT LITTLE UNIT (TN)
"Sings 'Just Send Her To Me'" 1966 (Orchid 6200)
A (presumed) live recording from Liberty Lanes

bowling alley in Millington, plain cover with
stickers. Cover versions in an r'n'b/soul
direction. The album title is sometimes listed as
"Live at Liberty Lanes".
TIMBERCREEK (Boulder Creek, CA)
"Hellbound Highway" 1975 (Renegade jah-95014) [insert;

2000p]
The album cover gives hope that this rural rocker is

going to be really wild, but the most I can say for
it in that regard is that they’re pretty wasted (too
much Tequila). There’s nothing heavy or angry here.
It is good but not great rural rock in a Dead-meets-
Eagles mode. The first song is a killer, with a
psych-y lead guitar hook, a clever twist in the
chorus and a great melody. The two side closers are
very strong too. The rest of the songs are a bit too
mellow, have too much steel guitar, and are too
derivative to make this a great album. The laid back
vocals are highly appropriate and surprisingly
tuneful, by the way. The cover is cheaply made and
extremely prone to seam splits. [AM]
TIME (Toronto, Canada)
"Before There Was Time" 2004 (Shadoks 054, Germany) [350p]

"Before There Was Time" 2005 (CD Shadoks, Germany)
Impressive late 60s art-rock with a strong British

slant, holding a middle ground between the
psychedelic '67 Pepper field and the cerebral
excursions of the early prog era. Completely realized
arrangements and recordings stand head and shoulders
above most unreleased 1968 stuff you run across these
days; if released at the time it would have been a
classic. Atmospheric, understated vocals, wide-
ranging use of keyboard, and excellent jazzy
percussion all create a delightful trip for purveyors
of sophisticated late 60s sounds. Not that far
removed from classic high IQ American albums such as
the second Fallen Angels or Freeborne, with a bit of
Lothar & the Hand People college student avantgardism
sprinkled on top. The second half of side 1 is
particularly good, with a couple of psychedelic
tracks that are truly outstanding. The refined
atmosphere may be offputting for those in search of
garage or hardrock type experiences, but a playful
60s mood and strong songwriting keeps the dread UK
prog-rock unicorns at bay. My only real objection is
the somewhat short playtime. Released alongside
Fingletoad, so Shadoks were definitely on a roll at
this point. [PL]
CY TIMMONS (Atlanta, GA)
"Cy Timmons" 197 (Erewhon no #)
This isn’t any kind of loner folk record. It’s pure

lounge/night club non-rock. This is the kind of guy
who would be perfectly at home singing “Feelings”. Cy
has one of those smooth voices that shows practice
and polish but not soul or even natural skill. This
isn’t something like Rick Saucedo’s venture into
rock. It’s not music I could imagine appealing to
fans of folk, rock, or even the softest soft rock.
It’s collectable because it’s a private press,
period. What’s next, hype for high school marching
band records? Given what it is, by the way, it’s not
awful, but he’s certainly no Tom Jones. Some copies
of this debut came without sleeve. [AM]
"The World's Greatest Unknown" 1976 (Erewhon 1001)
Little-known singer/songwriter guy in the jazzy Neil

Diamond nightclub direction. First LP is with band
and smooth brass; second LP is acoustic solo and has
been put down, despite the high going rate.
TIMMOTHY (Bay City, MI)
"Strange But True" 1972 (Pear LX 502/503) [300p]

"Strange But True" 2001 (Rockadelic rfr 001) [300p; +1 track]
Post-Blues Company rural hippie folkrock LP with a

bluesy undercurrent. Notable Neil Young influence on
an album that's not at all as strange or eccentric as
made out to be, could have been a major label item.
Excellent opening track is a rather clever marriage
of "Down By The River" and "Wooden Ships". The rest
shows Timmothy trying out various loner folk and
swampy folkblues moves, although the songwriting
tends to be somewhat lacking and the personality
isn't arresting enough to compensate. If you're in
the right late-night mood this may sound quite
atmospheric, at other times the two-chord drone and
lack of hooks may annoy. Not a great album to my ears
but should appeal to genre fans, and clearly better
than LPs such as Geoffrey and Georgie Leonard. [PL]
~~~
Stark-sounding singer/songwriter album with a very
obvious Neil Young fixation. I think it's best when
it's at its most electric, but even the mellow stuff
is better than most in the genre. The album has a
deep, personal feel to it and it will connect with
the right listener. [AM]
TIN PENNY (NY)
"Cycles" 1971 (Silver Crest Custom 112771)
Upstate collegians, basement prog moves with horns

and deep thoughts. On the same custom label as
Collective Tools.
TINO & THE REVLONS (Detroit, MI)
"By Request At The Swayzee" 1966 (Dearborn 1004)
Popular Detroit area band does fratrock & teenbeat on

this rarely seen LP, in color cover with band pic and
cartoon go-go girls.
BRENT TITCOMB (Vancouver, Canada)
"Brent Titcomb" 1977 (Manohar mr-100)
Long time Canadian folkie (he was in 3’s A Crowd)

finally got around to making a solo album after the
genre practically disappeared. The result is an
interesting piece somewhat lost in time, with some
eastern influence and an almost evil post-hippie feel
to it. Strong songwriting and Titcomb’s deep voice
make for a distinctive album. Only one song has a
particularly psychedelic feel to it, but the album
should appeal to fans of loner folk or moodier folk-
rock. Titcomb went on to release three more LPs. [AM]
TITUS & ROSS (Marion, IN)
"Titus And Ross" 1970 (no label)
Melodic folk duo with acoustic/electric guitar, bass,

recorder and percussion and some fuzz guitar on
"Cycle Thing".
TITUS OATES (TX)
"Jungle Lady" 1974 (Lips 003) [1st version; blue gatefold

cover] [circa 1400p]
"Jungle Lady" 1975 (Lips no #) [2nd remixed version; red label
and plain cover] [300p]
"Jungle Lady" 198 (Hablabel, Italy)
"Jungle Lady" 2004 (CD Radioactive 0026, UK) [defective
mastering]
Pro-sounding melodic 1970s rock with AOR and

funky/proggy nightclub moves. Double (sometimes
triple) crystalline guitar leads and snappy
performances all around make for an attractive sound,
with female vocals on one track. Keyboard and sax
here and there are appropriate to the mid-70s style,
while the upscale production gives all members a
chance to shine. At best a fully-realized vintage
westcoast trip, as heard on "Blanket", but ultimately
there is too little that stands out and it's
unfortunate the lady didn't get more songs to sing.
Initial response to this was mixed due to its slick,
non-basement nature but over time it has gained a
fair share of fans, although it's not for everyone.
Would make a good double bill with Corpus, although
personally I think T-Kail is a better LP in a similar
style. The 1975 remix was previously believed to be a
test/demo press, but is in fact a later version,
remixed in Nashville. On this later version "Dream on
a train" features a solo female vocal rather than a
duet. The band also had a 45 (Lips 001). The
Radioactive CD has a digital skip on track #6. [PL]
~~~
A lot of this album is very mainstream 70s AOR, but
more so on the initial listen than after you get used
to it and start to pay attention. There are 70s
clichés throughout, especially when they flirt with
jazz and funk, and the string synthesizers and phase
shifters scream out that it's a cheap production
trying to sound like big budget AM radio fare. The
two ballads are really schlocky, and the singing is
bland in a way that characterizes bands who
desperately wanted to be signed by major labels but
just didn't have what it took. Female vocals on one
song help a bit. She doesn't have much personality
either, but at least her voice is pretty. Too bad the
song is one of the ballads. Some cool angular guitar
parts can be found on a bunch of songs here, though
the riffs all pretty much sound the same. Almost all
of the songs are more interesting during the solos
than during the verses and choruses. At its best this
has slight similarities to bands like Snakegrinder,
who mixed the styles of the 60s west coast and the
mainstream 70s more convincingly than this. Best
songs: "Blanket," which has not only more lead guitar
than anything else here but also some cool congas,
and "Friend of Life," which overcomes out of tune
harmonies with some nice riffing and an intense
buildup. Half of me (the half that houses my brain)
says this is the kind of thing collectors desperately
try to convince themselves is unique and different so
they can justify their purchase, but the other half
says it's an enjoyable AOR record with enough quirks
to make it kinda fun. It grew on me. [AM]
T-KAIL (MN)
"Somewhere Sometime" 1980 (Jade no #)
Remarkable trip in time back to the late 1960s femme-

vox hippierock sound from this mystery band. Opening
track in particular is a dead ringer for the fuzzed
teen chick Yankee Dollar-Fear Itself style, while
subsequent tracks show 1970s influences creeping in,
both in terms of ambitious playing and arrangements,
as well as an overall nightclub/singles bar
atmosphere that I like. Sounds like it might be a pro
loungerock band who wisely filled their sole chance
at vinyl with originals rather than "Macarthur Park"
and "Hair" medleys. Playing is very tight and both
the gal and guys sing well. Unfortunately a
completely misplaced disco track in the middle of
side 2 breaks the spell a bit, but this is still one
of the top 10 local psych-influenced LPs from the
1980s that I've heard. Recommended especially to fans
of Titus Oates and the rocking stuff on Galaxy.
Sleeve artwork utilizes the same Escher "stairs"
design as Mandrake Memorial's "Puzzle", which is
obviously a good sign. [PL]
~~~
After Bobb Trimble's work, this is the best 80s psych
album. In fact, at least for side one I'd go out on a
limb and rank it the very best co-ed San Francisco-
style psych album, regardless of era. In the
tradition of the best latter day psych, it clearly is
influenced by the golden age of West Coast music, but
sounds completely of its time as well. This is no
simple throwback or derivative work; it's a wholly
unique and distinctive album that combines a very
wide and unlikely set of influences in creative and
wonderful ways. The album's biggest criticism has
come from the inclusion of a straight disco song on
side two. The song is unlikely to appeal to the same
audience as the garage-styled opener "Peace of Mind,"
but in the context of the album, which flows from
song to song, showing subtle shifts in style, it
actually makes perfect sense. Similarly, neither the
new wave-styled synthesizer on the title track or the
long jazz-funk instrumental opening on the final song
sound out of place. There seems to be no attempt at
attracting any particular type of audience here: no
artifice, no pandering. It's a wonderful album.
Highest among the many pleasures is the absolutely
stunning title track, which benefits from a chill-
inducing vocal from Kathy Bass. The long guitar solo
on "Bye Bye" is also a winner, in the best tradition
of Quicksilver Messenger Service or Tripsichord Music
Box. This is also one of the very few albums of this
style where the male and female vocals coexist
without stepping on each other's toes. If you can
live with the disco tune, this is very highly
recommended. The band is quite mysterious (no photos
on the album cover) and sadly appear to have made no
further recordings. Great Escher cover art. [AM]
TOADS (Lawrenceville, NJ)
"Toads" 1964 (K R Wight & Associates 64-021)
Lawrenceville prep school instros and surf with a

couple of members formerly in Davy & the Badmen,
reportedly with some good tracks for genre fans.
Typical period covers of "Baja", "You can't sit
down", "Sleepwalk", "Penetration" etc, and one or two
originals.
TOGETHER (East Orange, NJ)

"Together" 1969 (Ransom Recording no#) [plain cover with
stamped title]
Folk blues, homemade sound. Ex-Hermon Knights.
V.A "TOGETHER SOUND OF LEHIGH VALLEY" (PA)
"Together Sound Of Lehigh Valley" 1971 (Red Barn 83071)
Well-regarded local PA sampler which has supplied one

primitive fuzz-psych track by Bitter End to a comp
and has 3-4 more good moody basement tracks worth
hearing. A bit later in the game than most LPs in the
genre, with 1970s rural rock/AOR elements creeping
in. About half is covers, including Neil Young, Three
Dog Night and (yep) Ringo Starr. [PL]
V.A "TOGETHER SOUND OF READING" (Reading, PA)
"Together Sound Of Reading" 1970 (Airport 70870)
Mixed bag of post-garage and soul moves, with covers

of Creedence, Chicago, "People get ready", "96
tears" (!). For regional completists mainly, with
only 9 cuts.
TONGUE (WI)
"Keep On Truckin'" 1972 (Hemisphere 101)

"Keep On Truckin'" 2004 (Comet GFC 418, Italy)
"Keep On Truckin'" 2004 (CD Gear Fab 151)
This odd mix of hard rock and rural folk-rock is on

the same label as Clicker and Yancy Derringer. It has
a few hot hard rocking moments to it, and
uncompromising stuff like "Get Your Shit Together."
Their cover of "Morning Dew" is based on Bonnie
Dobson's mellow version, not the common and more
rocking Tim Rose version. The album is uneven and
rather sloppy, but it's interesting straight through.
[AM]
TOOL SHED (New York City, NY)
"Skyscape Music" 1971 (RPC 19291) [500p]

"Skyscape Music" 199 (no label, Austria) [300p; altered
cover]
Desoriented urban college dorm hippie-folk album with

some good and strange tracks like "Angels in her
walk" that go deep, and a pretty interesting LP all
over. Actually a various artists college project LP
from NYC but usually referred to only as "Tool Shed".
[PL]
TOO SMOOTH ( )
"Too Smooth" 1976 (Tiger Lily)
Southern rock with heavy guitar, one of the rarest on

this notorious tax-scam label.
TOP DRAWER (Mansfield, OH)
"Solid Oak" 1972 (Wishbon 721207)

"Solid Oak" 1984 (Wishbon/Resurrection)
"Solid Oak" 199 (CD Austria)
"Solid Oak" 2002 (CD Psychosound)
"Solid Oak" 2004 (CD Red Lounge)
Long time legend which opens with a tremendous

introspective moody psycher, rest of the LP is more
typical rural hard rock with 1960s remnants.
Appealing, non-operatic teenage vocals, tough
stripped down sound with organ and strong guitar
leads not unlike Headstone (OH), plus some cool
lyrics. The LP is very unassuming in its nature,
which means that some songs and/or takes seem
unfinished, which adds to the overall realness of the
Top Drawer trip but may offend those looking for Led
Zeppelin type professionalism. One of my personal
favorites in the style, simply because it avoids
being slick, macho, bone-head, phony or
commercialized; a snapshot of a local stoner band
without any posturing. Mandatory for 70s basement
hard rock fans, with a wider appeal in that long
first track. The band was long believed to be from
Kentucky, but came from Ohio. The 1984 "second press"
is unmarked but can be identified as a Resurrection
label job by the 'CX' prefix in the dead wax. [PL]
~~~
This starts out well, with the long “Song of A
Sinner,” which mixes moody keyboards with equally
moody lead guitar blasts. The rest of the album is
more upbeat, more standard rock (not “hard” rock, as
it’s usually described), and less interesting. The
guitar solos are uninspired (except for the fun spazz
attack solo on “Lies”) and many of the songs drag on
about twice as long as they should. The vocals range
from competent to awful. A lot of the melodies are of
the “let’s just follow the chord progression” type,
which makes for some really tedious listening. Much
of this album is pretty bad (the ballad “Sweet
Memories” is painfully so), but every once in a while
something unexpectedly hits the spot. For example,
“Baker’s Boogie” is standard boogie rock, with
mediocre guitar playing and lousy singing, but has a
wacky recurring organ pattern that’s just wonderful,
and lyrics about “panties of lace” that are
delightfully dumb. It’s not a good song by any means,
but that organ part just drills its way into my
head... The horns on “Messed Up” are surprisingly
effective. Other than the first song, this is closer
to a real people album than a real rock album. Some
of you will like it a lot. You know who you are. [AM]
TOPPER ( )
"At Last" 1977 (Scot t-9548)
This one may annoy a lot of people, but I love it.

It’s synth-heavy 70s prog with a mild heavy tone,
much more about hooks, melodies and creative use of
Moog than about virtuoso instrumentation. The synths
are inventive and intense, and the instrumental bits
are carefully composed. There’s nothing offhand or
boring about this album. The vocalist falls somewhere
between 60s hard rock and 60s soul, and somehow fits
this mix perfectly. All of these elements could add
up to real dreck, especially on the song with a
strong disco/funk feel, but somehow it works. The
last few songs flirt with heavy metal-style
devilishness, including electronically altered
vocals, but there’s a surprising mildness to this
music. The guitars are relatively sparse and
tastefully low-key (no distortion on the rhythm
guitars.) One song rips off “Stairway To Heaven,”
something Led Zeppelin deserves for all of their own
thievery, and adds mellotron to wonderful dramatic
effect. This really doesn’t sound like anything else
I know, and maybe there aren’t a whole lot of people
out there who will react to it as positively as I do,
but I sure can’t stop playing it. [AM]
V.A "TOP TEEN BANDS" (MN)
"Top Teen Bands, vol 1" 1966 (Budjet 311)
Quickie series of local Minnesota acts with some neat

frat and garage tracks. Vol 1 has lots of local Minn
legends like the Muleskinners, the Avanties, the
Underbeats, the Kan-Dells and the Deacons. Vol 2 has
some of the same acts, adding the Novas and some girl
group and blues outfits. Vol 3 again features familar
names, with more focus on teen-beat/garage. As
collections of local mid-60s sounds, these aren't bad
at all, especially for those who enjoy the classic
beer-soaked sounds of pre-acid Twin Cities. Most, or
all, of the tracks also came out on 45s. All three
LPs were reissued on vinyl some years back.
TOR-KAYS ( )
"Tor-Kays" 1967 (Wild Enterprises WE 1003)
Sleeveless LP of local unknowns doing mostly blue-

eyed soul covers, indicating an Eastcoast origin.
TORMENTORS (CA)
"Hanging 'Round" 1967 (Royal 111) [mono]

"Hanging 'Round" 1967 (Royal s-111) [stereo]
"Hanging 'Round" 1984 (Eva 12055, France)
Rare but disappointing LP in various mid-1960s

styles, ranging from pre-Invasion crooner pop to
moody folkrock. Sounds like they came out of a square
lounge/club circuit a la Jack Bedient & the Chessmen,
with the sound only partially updated. The Roy
Orbison/Neil Sedaka stuff makes up at least 1/3rd of
the album and some of it is awful, with weak
songwriting and mumbling vocals. There's a Beau
Brummels cover, but otherwise originals from what I
can tell. I counted two good tracks on each side,
with the moody folk introspection of "Childhood
memories" and the swell teenbeat of "Cause you don't
love me" the best; the latter also came out on 45 as
by the Odds & Ends. There's some fuzz where you least
expect it, a muzak instro, and the LP as a whole has
a strangely disjointed feel with a lot of seldom
touched bases covered, while all the usual stuff such
as the Stones and blue-eyed soul is missing. Could be
hyped and probably has been, especially in light of
the excellent cover artwork, but in actuality nothing
to write home about. The band had a couple of 45s as
well. [PL]
TORO ( )
"Toro" 1975 (Coco clp-106)
Hispanic group with cool Santana sound heavy guitar

rock (great leads) and latin groove on the melodic
cuts.
TORQUES (Phillips Academy, Andover, MA)
"Zoom" 1964 (Wright & Associates 64-01)
Obscure one from the famous Andover prep school. The

LP which utilizes a vast number of "clappers" has one
original ballad plus covers including "Surfin' Bird".
Possible George W Bush involvement, at least he was
there at the time!
TORQUES (KY)
"Live" 1967 (Lemco 604)
Different group from the prep-rockers. Garage, frat &

soul, half with good fuzz. Several band originals
mixed with covers of the Rascals, Raiders, James
Brown, etc. Recorded on New Year's Eve 1966.
TOTENTANZ (Canada)
"Totentanz" 1972 (no label)
Obscure LP of minimalist electronic experimental with

a spooky vibe.
TOTTY (Tulsa, OK)
"Totty" 1977 (no label bt-205) [demo press; 50p; plain cover
with sticker; lyric sheet; promo photos]
"Totty" 1977 (Our First 205) [color cover; insert]
"Totty" 2004 (CD Radioactive, UK)
Christian powertrio hardrock out of Tulsa with some

psych and prog flashes not unlike Truth & Janey.
Incessant guitar riffing and soloing throughout,
superb bass playing, only weak spot are the vocals
which almost drown in the music. A few weaker
barrockers, but 3-4 extended killer blowouts make
this an essential item for local 70s hardrock fans.
The closing 8-minute "Somebody help me" is about as
good as it gets for me. The band also had a lesser LP
"Too" in 1981 (Our First ofr-02). [PL]
~~~
Interesting Xian hard rock album with mild jazzy
touches to it. It’s not as in-your-face heavy and
riffy as the best albums in the genre, but the songs
are well-written and it does have its share of hooks.
The lyrics are pretty interesting and sophisticated,
not your usual Christian blandness. The guitar
playing is pretty strong throughout. [AM]
TOUCH (St Louis, MO)
"Street Suite" 1969 (Mainline 2001) [gatefold; bonus 45s;

100p]
"Street Suite" 199 (Mainline) [bootleg]
"Street Suite" 199 (CD Renaissance)
"Street Suite" 1997 (Gear Fab 105)
"Street Suite" 1997 (CD Gear Fab 105) [+9 tracks]
Local LP in a late hippierock mode, caught in the
transition from flower power to counterculture
"Volunteers"/"Kick out the jams" revolutionary
attitudes. Cool female vocals, a bit bluesy in parts
but also some no-nonsense westcoast rockers. Hardly a
mindblower, but with a pretty high "artefact" value.
Great lyrics like "You gotta get it on/With a gun in
your pocket/And a capsule in your hand" - it must
have been tough being the only hippies in St Louis
back then. No relation to any other Touch. [PL]
~~~
Bluesy psych-rock with an underutilized female singer
and plenty of clichés. Lyrically, it definitely
skates on the violent revolutionary edge of
hippiedom, but in a rather awkward way. The bleak
production is pretty powerful, but this isn’t a very
good album. A couple of country-style songs don’t
help. The CD includes some odd bonus tracks,
including some 80s synth-rock by band member Ray
Schulte and a 70s song with a pre-Pavlov’s Dog David
Surkamp on vocals. [AM]
TOUCH (Portland, OR)
"20/20 Sound" 1969 (Coliseum ds-51004) [gatefold; poster]

"20/20 Sound" 1993 (CD Renaissance rcd-1001) [+2 tracks]
Unique experimental album that anticipates prog. Long

songs that rarely stick to any one theme or a
verse/chorus structure are highly creative and
somwehat erratic. Two are total killers, though.
"Down At Circe's Place" starts with a killer piano
hook and overlays all kinds of noise on it...
irresistibly catchy! The epic closing "Seventy-Five"
is a masterpiece, building slowly to an amazing peak,
and featuring high male vocals that rival Tim Buckley
at his most exciting. This is better on LP where the
song runs into the groove at the end of the album
side. Also, the CD is compressed and takes away from
the ear-piercing peaks of sound on both of these
great songs. Sometimes it's better not to follow the
rules, and they understood that concept completely.
Not a great album all the way through, but the good
parts are unlike anything else I know. There is a UK
pressing on Deram that sells for bigger $$ than the
easy to find US pressing. [AM]
~~~
see -> Stepson
TOUCH (OH)
"Touch" 1980 (Jewel)
Local hardrock, includes cover of "Wizard" by

Charlee.
TOUCHSTONE (VA)
"Runes" 1978 (Jericho 1260)
Folk with a dreamy feel, female vocals on one song.

Pleasant but not a real standout of the style. They
released a second album as Eric and Kathryn Cowan,
entitled "Long Through Time", in 1983 on cassette
tape only. It's mostly in a jazzy soft rock/ballad
mode with unappealing 80s-sounding production, but
the closing "Mystical Journey" has a nice acid folk
feel to it that makes it much more interesting than
the rest of the album. This time around, the vocals
have a pretty even male/female split. [AM]
TOWER (New York City, NY)
"The Tower" 1973 (Other World 1001)
Post-nuclear holocaust story with audio collage of

electronics, musique concrete, synthesized speech,
and all sorts of sound effects. Sounds like the
Dreamies doing the music for a Stephen King audio
book!
TOY FACTORY (Canada)
"Toy Factory" 1969 (Avco ave-33013)
Poppy studio lounge psych mixed group that's

beginning to attract some attention. The male lead
has a very feminine sounding voice. Mostly originals,
and a far out "Summertime" cover.
TRACKS (New England)
"Tracks 69/74" 1974 (Tracks SBT 1) [3 LP box-set; booklet]
Three LP box-set rounding up a stack of recordings

from band in a progrock direction with a jammy live
feel, guitar-leads, organ. Band leader Russell
Pinkston later became a noted researcher on
computer/music interfaces.
TRANCE-FORM ( )
"Stranger In The Same Land" 197 (Hyde & Zeke) [insert]
Genesis-style progressives.
TRAVELER'S AID (San Bernardino, CA)
"Corduroy Roads" 1970 (Rock 9001) [blank back; 100p]

"Corduroy Roads" 2000 (World In Sound rfr-05, Germany)
[insert]
Rural rocking sounds with growling vocals and a

rootsy sort of Creedence vibe - neither psych nor
hardrock, more like an ambitious bar band. A title
like "Rock'n'roll is spoken here" says it all. Real
Americana sounds on a consistent level with a couple
of standout tracks and an appealing
unpretentiousness, but not really my bag; songwriting
doesn't impress (the "Hair" musical cover even less
so) and the sub-Fogerty vocals seem one-note after a
while. The droney "Making tracks" is the only cut I
really like. Others rate this highly, and it's a
pricey one when offered. The group is actually San
Bernardino punksters the Torquays in a later
incarnation and includes a version of "Harmonica man"
appropriately replacing the London reference with
Nashville. The miniscule press size has been reported
by the band. They came back again with an oldies LP
under another name in 1976, including alternate
versions of two tracks from this LP. [PL]
TRAVIS (MI)
"To Be As Free As You" 1975 (Unity 001)
Harmony vocal rural rock trio with jammy westcoast

sound in a mellow Deadish vein.
TREE (Kalona, IA)
"Tree" 1972 (Goat Farm)
The opening track here is: "Dedley Medley (including:

Separate Ways, Oh Well, Captain Bobby Stout, Cranny
Crow, Rattlesnake Jam, Mellowdown Easy, All Join
In)", it is the first of three songs on side one and,
given its title, surprisingly short at about four
minutes. It involves what sounds like about eight to
a dozen people pounding on various percussion and
singing hard-to-decipher lines until "Mellow down
easy...." gets repeated a few times and you find that
you're farther along than you imagined you'd be.
"Directly From My Heart" gets more coherent and
sounds more like a standard band with a good bassist
and drummer and an organ player/vocalist who tries to
be Al Kooper with mixed results on both fronts. The
first side ends with "Down the Rabbit Hole" and a
return to more free jazz moves as a trumpet player
and organist trade licks while the bassist plays
walking bass runs behind them. As psychedelic rock,
it just isn't, and as free (or modestly priced) jazz,
it falls pretty far from the interesting bush. Put
this in a historical context and it probably would
have seemed incredibly cool for a bunch of hippies on
a farm in Iowa to jam like Miles Davis' way less
talented 3rd cousin. Not totally horrible, just
horribly unnecessary. Side two also has three tracks:
"Blue Cheese Gospel" is a stoned cross between a
crazed evangelist and James Brown. If you can imagine
a bunch of stoned hippies sitting around trying to
improvise to that idea you can also imagine why you
don't need to hear this. "Mind Spirit-Body Train" is
a percussion/organ jam with female vocals that most
closely resemble Yoko Ono's vocals on "Don't Worry
Kyoko". And I don't mean that in a good way. The LP
closes with the strongest cut, "Moonlight Couples
Only" which gets closer to a "Jack Johnson" era Miles
Davis sound than anything else. A repetitive bass
pattern anchors the track, as a guitar and trumpet
play off each other and the drummer colors in the
empty spaces. It never plays with dynamics like Miles
and John McLaughlin did, but it makes me wish they'd
recorded the entire performance (it's a live track).
[SD]
~~~
see -> Iowa Ear Music
TREE PEOPLE ( )
"Tree People" 1979 (no label)
Flowing guitar & flute hippie folk with a rural

British downer vibe, some instrumental tracks a la
Modality Stew.
TREES (NY)
"The Christ Tree" 1975 (Pomegranate 001) [lyrics insert]
Quite extraordinary religious progressive folk album

that moves across time and space in a C.O.B-like
manner yet never misses the beat. Dominated by three
extended mindblowers that bring in deep Search Party
brooding, Indian and Japanese instruments, advanced
choral experiments, bells, gongs, hippie commune
vibes, you name it; the shorter tracks are less
eclectic and more traditionally catholic-liturgical.
The constant motion from a good idea to an even
better idea reminds me of the first Perth County
Conspiracy album, if you imagine that one being about
Christ instead of Shakespeare. A deeply spiritual
feel emerges, yet the massive influx of ideas spells
pure psychedelia for acidhead seekers. On the IQ
scale this one's way up there. Personal fave,
recommended to fans of Search Party, Extradition,
Book Of Am and similar monastery head trips. The band
was based in NYC but travelled a lot and had a second
base in New Mexico. [PL]
RYAN TREVOR ( )
"Introducing" 1977 (Ryan Songs rf-1)
Acoustic-based psychy folkrock with electric leads

and some synth.
VIC TRIGGER BAND ( )
"Electronic Wizard" 1977 (Sanctuary 12103)
Hard prog-rock with long wah-wah and fuzz excursions.

There was also a self-titled mini-LP in 1983 on
Sanctuary.
TRILOGY (FL)
"Two Sides" 197 (Strange Productions 101)
Early 1970s lounge band with female vocals and bossa

nova moves, includes an Emerson Lake & Palmer cover.
Highly rated among genre fans, others may be less
impressed.
BOBB TRIMBLE (Worcester, MA)
"Iron Curtain Innocence" 1980 (Vengeance no #)
Locked in a timeless world of bittersweet

folkpsychedelia, Bobb recorded this first ultra-
obscure LP at a time when absolutely noone made psych
LPs. Hits roughly the same spot as his more well-
known 2nd LP with three awesome tracks at the outset
and other winners scattered about; a couple of weaker
moments but all over a brilliant LP - blows almost
all 60s psych LPs away. Side 1 is Bobb in 1980 with
studio band the Violent Reactions, side 2 features a
somewhat sparser sound, recorded in 1978. A rare 45
was pulled from this LP. Most of it is reissued on
the 1995 CD below, unfortunately two very good tracks
on side 2 were omitted. [PL]
~~~
Most people's introduction to the world of Bobb
Trimble is via the CD, which starts with the amazing
first three songs from this album. Those three songs
are as good as anything; Trimble's music is an
utterly unique blend of melodic songwriting, gorgeous
high vocals, overwhelmingly echoey and warbly
production, synthesized guitar and fuzz guitar, and
it's mesmerizing and life-changing. Side two was
recorded a few years earlier and is simpler in terms
of production, but the songwriting is equally good.
Over the years it has become apparent that this album
has aged very well and is every bit as good as the
more heralded second album. Trimble's music is
utterly timeless, utterly distinctive, and utterly
beautiful. [AM]
"Harvest Of Dreams" 1982 (Bobb no #)

"Jupiter Transmission" 1995 (CD Parallel World)
Rated by most as the best psych LP of the 1980s. One

of those obscurities (like Golden Dawn) that blows
even non-psych fans away. Rooted in a '67-68
"Strawberry Fields"-type deep acid psych sound with
tapestries of acoustic guitars, multilayered vocals
and halfburied sound effects, the total impact is
like walking around in one of Bobb's dreams.
Melancholic, moving but also hopeful - an essential
experience. As with the debut, a very rare 45 was
released. The CD reissue includes the entire LP,
except for an atypical number sung by "the kids".
There is also an LP "Life Beyond The Doghouse" with
later recordings from Bobb (Orpheus, 2002) [PL]
~~~
"Harvest" is equally as good as the debut, but has
the edge for many because it packs such a powerful
and mysterious emotional punch. Those who know the
majority of the album's songs from the CD will be
surprised to find a brief punk song and two and a
half minutes of silence on the album, but once you're
used to them they make perfect sense and add
immeasurably to the depth of the record. It's notable
that amidst all of the despair here, both sides open
with the most joyous songs you'll ever hear. Everyone
reading this needs to hear both Trimble albums. [AM]
~~~
TRIPSICHORD MUSIC BOX (Los Angeles, CA)
"Tripsichord Music Box" 1970 (San Francisco Sound T4A-12700)

[1st version; red label; plain cover with stickers]
"Tripsichord Music Box" 1971 (Janus 3016) [2nd version;
altered cover; brown label]
"Tripsichord Music Box" 198 (no label) [white label bootleg]
"Tripsichord Music Box" 199 (no label, Italy) [green vinyl]
"Tripsichord Music Box" 199 (CD Eva, France)
"Tripsichord Music Box" 199 (CD San Francisco Sound)
"Tripsichord Music Box" 2000 (Akarma 077, Italy) [2LPs;
gatefold; bonus tracks]
"Tripsichord Music Box" 2000 (CD Akarma 077, Italy) [+bonus]
To me one of the best LPs ever out of the westcoast,

hits that awesome Fillmore live feel rarely found on
studio LPs. Except for the unsuccessful boogie of
"Short order steward" this kills from start to
finish. Rather than describing this major classic I
urge any newcomers to get it with no further delay.
The band was originally from LA and known as Now (who
did a 45), then moved to SF when Matthew Katz' eyes
fell upon them. An early 1970s Christian LP "Sons of
Mosiah" features one ex-member playing acoustic
versions of a couple of Tripsichord tracks. The
earliest version of the LP was possibly pressed only
as a demo, and only a couple of copies have been
found. It comes in a completely different cover than
the familiar Janus "fairytale" design. It's been
suggested that the somewhat lo-fi Janus pressing was
mastered from this earlier vinyl demo, rather than
from actual tapes. Two label variations exist of the
Janus pressing, one with a "San Francisco Sound"
logo, the other with only Janus logo. The 1980s
bootleg is sometimes sold as an original, but there
were no white label originals. The beautiful Akarma
reissue has all their recordings including the "Fifth
Pipe Dream" tracks and non-LP 45; very nice job. [PL]
~~~
Other than the terrible blues-rock song "Short Order
Steward," this is a completely solid SF album, with
well-written, concise songs, evocative lyrics,
creative guitar playing and appealing vocals. It
rocks reasonably hard in spots, but has a folky moody
feel to it as well. For some reason, people either
seem to think of this album as generic or as the best
of the genre. Usually the truth is somewhere in
between, but in my opinion this really is one of the
best, and I have a hard time understanding why it
isn't apparent to everyone who hears it. Maybe the
best moments here aren't as exciting as those by the
better known bands from the scene, but the songs are
great, and this album is free of the excesses, ego
trips, and recording studio discomfort of The Dead,
Quicksilver and the Airplane. The singing is better
than any of those bands, too. Highly recommended.
[AM]
~~~
see -> "Fifth Pipe Dream"
TRIZO-50 (Kansas City, MO)
"Trizo-50" 1974 (Cavern Custom 740142) [100p]

"Trizo-50" 2003 (World In Sound 21, Germany) [+bonus tracks]
"Trizo-50" 2003 (CD World In Sound 1021, Germany) [+bonus
tracks]
Demo LP recorded in KC, this was a later incarnation

of Phantasia with a different and more glamrock-
influenced sound. Some tracks appear on the "A
Psychedelic" Phantasia sampler from the early 90s.
There's a large number of unreleased recordings,
although the WIS reissue takes care of many of these.
Some people seem to like this but to my ears it's a
let-down after the awe-inspiring, dynamic creativity
of Phantasia. The recording quality is also a lot
less impressive here. [PL]
~~~
see -> Walkenhorst Brothers
TROLL (Chicago, IL)
"Animated Music" 1968 (Smash srs-67114) [insert; ylp exists]

"Animated Music" 1997 (CD Flashback 010)
"Animated Music" 2005 (Radioactive 064, UK)
"Animated Music" 2005 (CD Radioactive 064, UK)
Interesting Sgt Pepperish bag of tricks from Chicago

band who had some non-LP 45s as well. Opens with
somewhat atypical raw fuzzrocker with growling
vocals, while "Mr Abernathy" zooms you right into the
expected Brit-style pop quirkiness, wellwritten and
charming a la the Snow LP on Epic. This segues into
the rather unfortunate "Fritz und Sweeny" which
proves that applying the Ray Davies short-story idiom
on the Third Reich is not a good idea, even as the
music is pretty good. The LP continues in the same
hit and miss fashion, but the entertainment factor
remains pretty high. The token "Winchester
Cathedral"-type music hall piece of shit is present,
although the lyrics are unusually off-color. At best
the band reaches the upscale post-Pepper cleverness
of Mandrake Memorial and the 2nd Fallen Angels,
especially on the great "Winter song". As is typical
for the genre, the album closes with a "heavy
freakout" track with Hendrixy feedback. "Animated
Music" used to be overlooked and while not a
masterpiece by any means it's a passable piece of
late 60s UK-style studio art-pop with a few moves
into grade A psychedelia. Incidentally, the
Radioactive CD offers no track list except on the
cover reproduction, which is almost impossible to
read. [PL]
~~~
This is a highly ambitious psych album that has some
killer freakouts (“Werewolf and Witchbreath”), some
awful novelty tracks, and some attempts at social
commentary. Obviously, it’s only semi-successful and
is occasionally frustrating, but it has its moments,
and gets downright creepy near the end. They were a
band in need of an identity, and I think that if
stuck with their wild instincts this would have been
a really good album. As it is, it’s still worth a
listen as long as you can deal with the mix of
styles. [AM]
TROYKA (Canada)
"Troyka" 1970 (Cotillion) [red label]

"Troyka" 2004 (Eroe Progressivo 005)
Wonderful, distinctive album that follows none of the

rules and is better for it. About half of the songs
are instrumentals, built around catchy hypnotic
patterns. Despite being a "power trio," they have
surprising musical grace and dexterity. The songs
with vocals are much heavier, as the "singer" mostly
grunts and growls, making for some pretty wild stuff.
It really feels like a big goof (there's not a single
serious lyric on the album), but somehow it works as
a mix of psychotic pre-punk zaniness and anti-prog
instrumental creativity. A lot of albums have one or
two "throwaway" songs that have an engaging looseness
and somehow are more enjoyable than the "real" songs.
Here's an entire album of those songs. [AM]
TRUTH & JANEY (IA)
"No Rest For The Wicked" 1976 (Montrose 376)

"No Rest For The Wicked" 1988 (Montrose) [plain cover
autographed by Janey]
"No Rest For The Wicked" 199 (CD Recession) [+4 tracks]
"Just A Little Bit Of Magic" 1979 (Bee Bee)
"Live April 8, 1976" 1988 (Rock'n Bach) [2LPs; gatefold]
"No Rest For The Wicked" is surely one of the

greatest hard rock albums of all time. It's tightly
constructed and tightly played, with more memorable
riffs and solos than the entire careers of a dozen
other similar bands. The bass playing is monstrous
and the drumming solid but, believe it or not,
tasteful. The singing is only average, and the band
tends to compensate with multi-tracked, highly
reverbed lead vocals, not really the worst way to
deal with the issue. An song that illustrates the
best features of the band is "The Light," which opens
with a combination of low and high guitar riffs, a
melodic bass line and precise rhythm guitar. Not too
many bands could resist the urge to go crazy with
extra solos or spastic drumming, but this just works
its way through a cleverly composed pattern, creating
the right kind of tension and intensity. It's
perfect. The best song is probably the nine-minute
"Remember," a complete smorgasboard of melodic and
dissonant riffs and hooks. This album doesn't have a
lot of overdubs, but the production is quite
professional, and it's heavy from start to finish-not
a wussy moment on it. Guaranteed to blow the mind of
any mainstream hard rock fan, and, of course, it
sounds equally good to those of us who enjoy Tin
House and Sir Lord Baltimore as much as Blue Oyster
Cult and Black Sabbath. This is one of those albums
where you keep thinking "the next song can't possibly
be as good as what's come before," but it always is.
The 2nd LP isn't highly rated, but the live double
has some killer tracks, four of which appear as bonus
tracks on the Recession CD reissue. [AM]
TRYAD ( )
"If Only You Believe In Lovin'" 1972 (Storm King SKS 101)
[insert]
Rare 1970s folker by 2-guys-1-girl trio, described by

some as mediocre, despite the high going rate.
T S TRUCK (IL)
"T S Truck" 1973 (Smokey Soul 062973)
This LP offers up a mix of conventional rock, pop and

light progressive touches. At least a couple of
tracks like "Chance To Prance" and "Doc LaVay" melded
all of those genres into one song. Merideth had a
nice voice and the rest of the band displayed musical
dexterity far beyond what you'd find in your typical
bar band. Additionally several of the songs (which
are probably all originals - no credits on the
album), benefited from a distinctive Allman Brothers-
style twin lead guitar attack. Highlights include the
nifty leadoff track "Khengis Gange" (the lyric was
sung as 'ganja people'), the Allman Bros-styled "Let
the Gunslinger Win" and the pretty ballad "Country
Lady". To be honest, while none of the eight songs
were particularly original they all benefited from
enthusiastic performances and some surprisingly good
production work (for a small studio). A pleasant
discovery with more than its share of winners. [SB]
MARK TUCKER (IL / CA)
"Batstew" 1975 (Tetrapod Spools 64001) [200p; lyrics]

"Batstew" 1996 (CD Tetrapod Spools)
"Batstew" 2006 (De Stijl 037) [500p]
Damaged, somewhat legendary acid folk/real people

with lots of car noises, piano ballads, tape
manipulation and general madness, housed in a
handmade cover. The album was released in two runs of
100 copies each, including one personalised edition
for his former girlfriend Eva, where the title read
"Bataszew" (her last name). It should be pointed out
that some people consider "In the sack" superior.
Tucker also made a non-LP 45 in 1979.
"In The Sack" 1982 (Tetrapod Spools 64009)
Apparently Tucker's second release, 1982's "In the

Sack" was recorded after he'd suffered at least a
couple of mental breakdowns, pulled himself back
together and relocated to Encinitas, California.
Self-produced under the pseudonym "T. Storm Hunter",
it's largely a one man show with Tucker/Hunter
responsible for penning all eleven tracks, as well as
handling all of the vocals and most of the
instrumentation. With that background you probably
won't be shocked to learn that musically this is one
mixed up and messed up album. Supposedly a concept
piece having to do with karma and the postal system
(I have no idea what the plotline is), the album
offered up an indescribable mix of spoken word
segments, experimentation, instrumentals, and
surprisingly commercial numbers. Finding a
comparative baseline for this one is pretty tough -
perhaps Jonathon Richman had you put him on mood
altering drugs for a year. "Everywhere with Sally
(Ride)" is a great slice of pop, except for the fact
it was recorded backwards. Cool, but typically
strange. The snippet "Down the Pipeline" sounds like
it was lifted from a video game. A mix of avant
garde, tape manipulations and experimental ramblings,
"The Importance of Making Molehills One of Specks"
could have been mistaken for a slice of musique
concrete. The pretty, pseudo-jazzy instrumentals
"Shelly" and "Can't Make Love" sound like they were
lifted from a Peanuts cartoon. Clearly not for
everyone, but there are enough of you out there who
are either brave enough, or sufficiently damaged to
give this one a shot. [SB]
TUMBLING DICE (KS)
"Tumbling Dice" 1973 (Century 42301)
Guitar/organ band doing cover versions of Neil Young,

Procol Harum, Grand Funk, on the well-known custom
label.
VELVERT TURNER GROUP (New York City, NY / Los Angeles, CA)
"Velvert Turner Group" 1972 (Family FPS 2704) ['rock' mix;

matrix # 16741]
"Velvert Turner Group" 1972 (Family FPS 2704) ['soul' mix;
matrix # 16951]
"Velvert Turner Group" 2004 (CD Radioactive 040, UK)
"Velvert Turner" 197 (Tiger Lily 14030) [remix; different

cover; 1 new track]
Generally cool hard guitar funkpsychrock from "close

friend" of Jimi Hendrix, who if nothing else shows an
impressive grasp of Jimi's best moves on this album.
Although 100% derivative it still works, as the
songwriting, vocals and guitar leads are fine and the
sharp groove of Turner's power trio (plus assorted
guests on keyboard) stands up to any comparison. Fine
recording with a tight in yer face sound is another
bonus. The Experience influence means unusual traces
of 1967 Swinging London such as highpitched mod
harmonies on this 1972 NYC trip. One weird, silly
track with singalong kiddy vocals sort of sticks out,
though it too has soaring acid leads. Apart from the
originals the LP includes a cover of Jimi's
"Freedom", and should appeal to fans of Next Morning.
Just like Del Jones there are two different mixes of
this LP, a Rock Mix with lots of guitar and a Soul
Mix with less guitar. A German pressing of the rock
mix on Philips exists. The Radioactive reissues are
of the rock mix. There is also a rare third version
on the infamous Tiger Lily label, with (again) a
different mix and a good track not on the Family
label releases at all. [PL]
~~~
Apparently, the soul version of this album was
distributed to the East and Midwest, while the heavy
version was distributed in the West. Hendrixisms
abound on this record, but in my opinion it’s the
best album in the style, to Hendrix what Badfinger
were to the Beatles. The songwriting and playing are
excellent, and this is not merely a copy (and is both
funkier and poppier than prime Hendrix.) It’s
arguable, by the way, that the soul version (which
has plenty of lead guitar and rocks just as hard) is
as enjoyable a listen as the heavy version. The bass
playing on it is emphasized in an exciting way. Oddly
enough, the other two members of Turner’s trio would
become fixtures in the late 70s LA power pop scene,
with drummer Tim McGovern joining the Pop and bass
player Prescott Niles joining the Knack. [AM]
V.A "TWAIN MUSIC SAMPLER" (NJ)
"Twain Music Sampler" 1972 (Twain) [no cover]
Obscure sampler of local Jersey rock bands.
CHARLIE TWEDDLE (CA)
"Fantastic Greatest Hits" 1974 (KM 1500) [500p; gatefold]

"Fantastic Greatest Hits" 2004 (CD Companion CR2) [+bonus
tracks]
Incredibly strange (true, for once) real people

artefact from a Bay Area guy who claims to be "king
of the flying saucer people". Moves in a
Grudzien/Skip Spence direction but without their big
city vibes, more like if one of those inbred
hillbilly degenerates in "Deliverance" made an LP,
complete with pig oinks. First side is twisted
backporch acid folkblues with amazing lyrics, side 2
is mostly the sound of crickets, water and nightbirds
with fragments of music here and there, like if the
tripper wandered off into the woods. It's hard to
determine the angle Tweddle is coming from as the
music is obviously retro yet has an undeniable
authenticity to it, not unlike Bob Dylan's early
1960s bootleg recordings. The "Alien Invaders" track
rivals Grudzien for surreal mountain music, and the
"sounds of nature" side sucks you into a forgotten
movie inside your mind. One of the major pieces in
the Fringe Of Everything genre, and a great foldout
sleeve too. Apparently Charlie is a famous designer
of $1000 cowboy hats! [PL]
20TH CENTURY ZOO (AZ)
"Thunder On A Clear Day" 1968 (Vault 122)

"Thunder On A Clear Day" 198 (Line 5320, Germany)
"Thunder On A Clear Day" 199 (CD Afterglow 016, UK)
"Thunder On A Clear Day" 199 (Sundazed)
"Thunder On A Clear Day" 199 (CD Sundazed 11063) [+8 bonus
tracks]
"Thunder On A Clear Day" 2003 (Radioactive 05, UK)
"Thunder On A Clear Day" 2003 (CD Radioactive 05, UK)
Fairly wellknown stoner fuzz bonanza with a couple of

really good psych rippers like "Quiet before the
storm" and two extended cuts in a "bluesy" style,
though both stupid and cheesy enough to make for
passable listening. A dumb teenage drugginess
throughout puts this somewhere between Ultimate
Spinach and Iron Butterfly, though with more guitars
than either. Enjoyable OK for 2nd tier mainstream
guitar-psych, they also had some excellent non-LP
45s. For some reason, Sundazed and Radioactive also
released picture disc versions of their respective
reissues. [PL]
21ST CENTURY SOUND MOVEMENT ( )
"21st Century Sound Movement" 1968 (no label 12877) [blank

back]
Recorded at Cavern Sound in Kansas City, very obscure

garage-era LP that has been described as an above
average item of heavy cover versions of the Beatles,
Hendrix, Doors, etc. Cool sleeve. Some copies come
with promo photos.
25TH REGIMENT (Montreal, Canada)
"25th Regiment" 1969 (Lero LS 767)
A mixed bag, where tracks such as "Un Petit Bonhomme

Avec Le Nez Pointu", "Roulez-Roulez" and "Mammy" are
probably a little too MOR pop for true rock fans. On
the other hand, "Lucie Sons in Ciel de
Diamantes" (aka "Lucy In the Sky with Diamonds"),
finds the band turning in one of the odder Beatles
covers we've heard. Their "Hey Jude" cover is a
little more mainstream, but just as odd with the
French lyrics. Listenable, but certainly not what the
dealer hype would have you believe. [SB]
"Ecology" 1970 (Trans-Canada 779)
The rarer second LP abandons the pop for a more

contemporary outlook; breezy folk/psych with fuzz
breaks, organ, flute. The band was a k a Le 25eme
Regiment.
$27 SNAP ON THE FACE (Sebastopol, CA)
"Heterodyne State Hospital" 1977 (Heterodyne 0001) [1000p;

gatefold; blue vinyl; lyric insert]
Despite what you will read, this album is not

psychedelic or progressive or hard rock, and has no
fuzz guitar. It does not sound like Frank Zappa. It
is, however, an interesting and reasonably worthwhile
album that will appeal to a wide range of DIY and
weird rock fans, as long as they listen to it with
the proper expectations. This is one of many new
wave-era private press records that got some
attention from punk and new wave fans (and magazines)
even though musically it’s basically mainstream rock
and roll with no particular punk edge (Armand
Schaubroeck, Dorian and Just Water are other
similarly non-punk artists who gained a “right place
at the right time” punk audience.) The LP has a
kooky, somewhat warped lyrical bent, and the lo-fi
production gives the music a crude garagy feel that
is appealing, especially since the songs rock
convincingly despite the lack of loud, distorted
guitars. The singer isn’t exactly tuneful, but he’s
expressive in a way that works in the context of this
music. The songs are pretty long and meandering (most
of the overlong guitar solos sound pretty much the
same and the drummer knows only two rolls), but the
longest one, the 9-minute closer “Sleeping in a
Technical Bed,” is the best, a two-section song with
a solid hook and the best guitar solo on the album.
Despite the bargain basement production, they go for
a bunch of tricks, instruments going from speaker to
speaker, weird percussion instruments, echoed
laughter, and freaky echoed vocals on a couple of
songs. In addition to “Sleeping In a Technical Bed,”
my pick hits are “Tie Your Boots Tight,” which sounds
anthemic even though I don’t have a clue what it’s
about, and “Kicking Around,” by far the catchiest,
tightest song on the album. It’s a long album and
could have used some editing, but it’s full of energy
and spirit and doesn’t sounding like anyone else. The
LP came with a sticker that says the first 1000
copies are pressed on blue vinyl. All known copies
are blue. [AM]
TWILIGHTERS ( )
"Power & Peace" 1967 (Fleetwood 5069)
Goofy-looking club band with sax and organ on

wellknown New England label, packaged in great full
color cover like most Fleetwood releases.
DAVID TYSON (TX)
"The Accepted Way" 197 (no label)
Obscurity from the mid/late 1970's, recorded in mono.

Distorted folkrock with some heavier moves and
harmonica and synth here and there.

UGLY DUCKLINGS (Toronto, Canada)
"Somewhere Outside" 1966 (Yorktown 50001) [white label]

"Somewhere Outside" 1966 (Yorktown 50001) [multicolored
label]
"Somewhere Outside" 198 (BSF, Italy)
"Somewhere Outside" 199 (CD Unidisc, Europe) [+bonus tracks]
Very good upmarket teen-punk and r'n'b LP, essential

to any garage collection. Has one of the best
versions ever of "I wish you would", plus all their
famous 45 tracks, and some unusual, ambitious tracks
like "Windy City". The white label variant is pressed
from a different stamper (i e: remastered), and is a
slightly less "hot" pressing. There is some
disagreement as to which pressing is the earliest,
but the most credible theory suggests the white
(which is not a promo) to be the earliest, after
which there was a re-master with a newly designed
multi-colored Yorktown label. It seems that some of
the white label pressings were defective. [PL]
---
One of the best Stones-inspired 60s garage rock
albums, with a really professional feel, great snotty
vocals, and powerful songs. It even has an
experimental instrumental that’s ahead of its time
and works well here. “Nothin’” is their most well-
known song, but many others here equal it. There is
also a reunion LP "Off The Wall" (1980) and a
selftitled sampler from 1983 notable for a freaky
cover drawing of stoned ducklings. [AM]
UHF (FL)
"Timeless Voyager" 1981 (Rofer Music) [insert]
Spacy hardrock. Good hard guitar runs, amateur synth

moves.
ULTRA (TX)
"Ultra" 1976 (no label) [1-sided acetate]

"Ultra" 2000 (CD Monster) [+11 tracks]
Impressive metallic hard rock with ex-Homer

guitarist, no psych in sight. The guitar overload
reminds me of a less jamming, heavier Highway. On
first listen I felt it lacked variety, but that’s not
entirely true, they just ‘do the thing they do’ very
well, and do a lot of it. ‘Lamp Black, White
Fight’ (waking up feeling paranoid) and
‘Android’ (chick made of metal messing with your
mind) are stand out tracks, although it’s all
thoroughly listenable. Progressive in places, ‘Ten
Years Since’ features very flashy guitar, at their
best when there’s plenty of ‘axe-duelling’ and paying
their dues to ZZ Top. This review is of the reissue
CD; the original acetate contains only 5 tracks. [RI]
UNBEATABLES (Canada / NY)
"Live At Palisades Park" 1964 (Fawn 5050)

"Live At Palisades Park" 2003 (CD DFP, Europe)
Obscure pre-garage teenbeat LP with a pre-Young

Rascals Gene Cornish. The band was originally from
Canada and spent some time in NYC following their
early Beatle novelty 45 "I wanna be a Beatle".
UNCLE (TX)
"Up Against The Wall" 1979 (SSS)
Heavy rural Southern blues rock.
UNDERGROUND RAILROAD (New York City, NY)
"Discovery Club #1" 197 (Discovery Club) [split LP]
Little-known album that was part of a project

supposed to help inner city black kids get in on the
music scene. Side 1 is Underground Railroad, who have
been described as a garage version of early
Funkadelic and among other things do a gritty
funk/rock number called "A song" with a superb,
sample-friendly groove and raw guitar licks. This is
a split LP with the less interesting Tree Of Life on
the other side.
UNDER MILKWOOD (San Francisco, CA)
"Under Milkwood" 1970 (A & M 4226) [test press; plain cover]

"Under Milkwood" 1993 (Fanny, Belgium) [500#d]
"Under Milkwood" 200 (Akarma 095, Italy)
"Under Milkwood" 200 (CD Akarma 095, Italy)
This test press item opens with an enjoyable

Tripsichordish number but the rest of the album
ranges from weak to awful, with some uninspired sax
excursions that makes you wonder how A & M ever saw
anything in them. In any event they were right not to
release it, and it should never have been reissued.
The album came in a plain cover with title and
catalog number. The Fanny reissue credits the band as
Milkwood only. [PL]
UNFOLDING (NY)
"How To Blow Your Mind And Have A Freakout Party" 1968 (Audio
Fidelity aflp-2184) [mono; insert]
"How To Blow Your Mind And Have A Freakout Party" 1968 (Audio
Fidelity afsd-6184) [stereo; insert]
"How To Blow Your Mind And Have A Freakout Party" 198 (no
label)
"How To Blow Your Mind And Have A Freakout Party" 1997 (CD Head
3197, Europe)
Crazed and hilarious acid exploitation album that

goes far out enough to become genuinely psychy, like
a second tier Deep. One side is cheesy garage psych
including the classic "Play your game", the other is
'meditation' featuring strange fairytales, Hare
Krishna chanting, and more. The short spoken segment
on Pebbles vol 3 that's puzzled many comes from this
LP. A Canadian mono release exists. [PL]
UNGAVA (Quebec, Canada)
"Ungava" 1976 (Trente-six fh-36004)
Mostly instrumental heavy prog. Excellent guitar,

some flute, vocals in French.
UNION (WI)
"10 Jewels" 1976 (no label)
Midwest dual guitar progressive with melodic power-

pop angles. No keyboard on this one, progsters.
UNISON (NY)
"Unison" 1984 (no label)

"Unison" 2002 (CD Synton 1780821, Austria)
Dryewater run into Truth & Janey after a really nasty

relationship breakdown. Essentially a concept LP
about a relationship gone wrong, each song being a
different aspect of how “his chick done him wrong”.
Sounds terrible doesn’t it? But it is pretty good,
with tracks like "Borderline" delivering that
seventies chunk fuzz with insane lyrics and "Cookin’
for you" having so much phasing it could be Marcus.
Dealers give the date on the LP as 1984, but the CD
indicates 1976 and that fits the sound better. The CD
sounds like it’s from mint vinyl, namely very good.
[RI]
UNIVERSAL IGNORANTS (PA)
"Transitions" 1968 (WFB Productions) [split LP]
Split prep school LP with the Hilltones glee club

unfortunately taking up 2/3rds of the space. The
psychy Universal Ignorants were actually members of
the Hilltones. They do 4 songs and a short
instrumental, total time about 12 minutes. The sound
is westcoast psychedelia. I hear a very heavy
Quicksilver influence. I definitely felt the
guitarist was trying to emulate Cipollina's staccato
style. The Hilltones had a later LP "Rebirth" that is
strictly a glee club sound. [MA]
V.A "UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA STAGE BAND" (Las Vegas, NV)
"Stage Band Festival" 1967 (no label)
Very obscure Battle Of The Bands souvenir LP, of note

for a track called "LSD '67" which has been described
as a strange, chaotic instrumental aiming to simulate
an acid trip.
UPSIDE DAWNE (Lawrence, KS)
"Upside Dawne" 1967 (Audio House 12367) [no sleeve]
Surprisingly strong LP of local teen-club/top 40 band

that stands head & shoulders above the pack, with a
dynamite professional sound, strong vocals, fat
roller rink organ and a local Hendrix epigon on
guitar. Opens intensely with "7 & 7 is", after which
a good "Heatwave" segues into an absolutely ripping
cover of "Gloria" that's simply one of the best takes
ever (and of course there's zillions). Rest of the LP
is typical 50/50 late 1967 bag of Memphis/Motown on
the one hand and emerging westcoast underground on
the other, plus one good band original. "Somebody to
love" sports a 70-second raga solo you won't believe
and there's also a charming "Light my fire". Last few
tracks lose a bit of energy but I would still rate
this as one of the best in the style, and an
excellent remedy for those bored with lukewarm
Justice label & MA prep-rock artefacts. The Kansas
kids must have loved this band -- better than
Grandma's Rockers to my ears. The album may have been
a demo press only. There was also a rare EP which
highlighted the showband/soul side of the band.
Terrific lead guitarist Jim Stringer and ace drummer
Steve Hall left to form Tide (album on Mouth in 1971)
in 1968. [PL]
URSULA CREEK ( )
"Ursula Creek" 1976 (Richard Luft Music)
Mid-70s hardrock, rated as above average by most.

US ( )
"It's Just Us" 1979 (no label)
Guitar-driven rural stoner rock.
UTOPIA (CA)
"Utopia" 1971 (Kent kst-566) [gatefold]
Bluesy heavy rock with Led Zeppelin influence and

roots moves on things like "I just want to make love
to you" and "Hound dog". Dual guitar line-up with
harmonica, on the same label as Bob Smith and
apparently recorded around the same time. This album
was re-released on a major label (Discreet) under the
band's new name Growl, a name that fits the singing
style quite well. [AM]

ROBERT VALENTE ( )
"No Hype" 197 (no label)
Obscure loner/downer folk LP, rated highly by some.
DINO VALENTI (San Francisco, CA)
"Dino Valente" 1969 (Epic bn-26335) [bag; wlp mono]

"Dino Valente" 1969 (Epic bn-26335) [bag; stereo]
"Dino Valente" 1998 (CD Koch) [+2 bonus tracks]
There’s a lot more wrong here than just the fact that
the label spelled his name wrong on the cover.
Valenti has one of the most annoying, self-centered
singing styles on earth, and here these melody-less,
formless songs drag on for 7 and 8 minutes at a time
without going anywhere. The lack of actual
arrangements (it’s all basically guitar and voice)
adds to the monotony. A lot of people try to claim
that this is some deranged scream from the soul like
the Alexander Spence album or a deeply personal
confessional like the Mayo Thompson album, but I
think it’s just a bunch of self-indulgence. Robert
Christgau once reviewed a Quicksilver album by saying
that one of the reasons people hate hippies is that
Dino Valenti is a hippie. He had a point. The LP was
issued with an outer clear plastic bag with 'Dino
Valente' printed in block letters, since there is no
mention of the artist on the original front cover.
Later Epic pressings add this in big letters, while
the original British, Canadian and Japanese pressings
added the name on the cover from the start. [AM]
VALHALLA ( )
"Valhalla" 1969 (United Artists 6730) [gatefold]

"Valhalla" 199 (CD Free 2006)
Pretentious hard rock with a lot of organ. Influenced

by the Doors and Iron Butterfly and similar to (but
not as good as) the album by Julius Victor. It’s the
kind of thing that can hit the spot if you’re in the
exact right mood, but to be honest, it’s pretty
average. Pompous sleeve of a viking ship on fire for
the right bonehead vibe. [AM]
BRUCE VANDERPOOL ( )
"Bittersweet" 197 (Raydar 115)
Loner folk/folkrock in primitive paste-on cover.
VARCELS (Thomasville, NC)
"Hang Loose" 1967 (Justice 147)

"Hang Loose" 199 (CD Collectables 0622)
One of the more obscure on the label, with a

reasonable mid-60s teenbeat sound and less anemic
than some of their colleagues. Hell, there's even a
Standells cover! Opening title track original is a
derivative sax instro, after which we go through
typical top 40/club sounds from the era, with organ
upfront and an OK recording. Beach music, ballads,
instros, frat and 1950s all rolled into a big
exciting parcel for Justice completists and local
nostalgia collectors. Lacking the balls to go up
against Eric Burdon, we get "House of the rising sun"
in an instrumental arrangement, while band original
#2, "I'm tired" is a nice 3-chord Motown/garage
crossover and about the best thing on board,
alongside the sloppy "Dirty water". The band is
reasonably tight, amateur vocals have energy and
atmosphere, and there's a nicely reverbed drum sound,
if you want to single out high points. The worthwhile
stuff is all on side 1. [PL]
VARIATIONS (NC)
"Dig 'Em Up!" 1966 (Justice 112)

"Dig 'Em Up!" 199 (CD Collectables 0615)
Blue-eyed soul and pre-soul r'n'b covers all thru,

not a whiff of 'the new sound from England' on this
one. Atmospheric and charming for those interested in
local non-garage mid-60s sounds, guttural teen vocals
imitating Ben E King and the Righteous Bros are fun.
Organ-led "Shake a tail feather" is a probably the
most rocking track. Sax but no brass. Cool cover (the
only Justice in full color) has them in Count Five
vampire gear in front of their customized band
hearse. [PL]
VARIOUS ARTISTS LPs are listed alphabetically under their titles. In

other words, "Fifth Pipe Dream" is listed under "F", etc.
VELVET NIGHT (NY)
"Velvet Night" 1970 (Metromedia 1026)

"Velvet Night" 1993 (no label)
"Art Of Lovin' / Velvet Night" 200 (CD Hipschaft) [2-on-1]
Disappointing hippie-rock LP with sloppy playing and

no original ideas whatsoever. Forget the hype, this
one sucks, with mostly turgid covers of Cream, the
Band and so forth. The LP was reissued as "Would" on
Perception in 1971, with 1 track replaced and track
order rearranged. Lord knows why. An original Italian
pressing of the Velvet Night LP exists. [PL]
~~~
Most of the songs on this album are uninteresting
covers of well-known 60s songs. A few of the
originals (written by Jimmy Curtiss, the guy behind
the Hobbits and a number of other bands) are decent
and make an effort to be creepy and far-out. They’re
not enough to make the rest worth listening to,
though. [AM]
~~~
see -> Would
JACK VERONESI & FRIENDS (MA)
"Farewell Album" 1971 (Japanezi)
Wasted rockers and stoned hippiefolk.
KEVIN VICALVI (Worcester, MA)
"Songs From Down The Hall" 1974 (Starizon Studios 2065)

[1000p; plain jacket with wraparound sheet]
"Songs From Down The Hall" 200 (CD Left) [+7 bonus tracks]
This varied singer/songwriter album runs the gamut

from folk to pop to blues to flamenco to piano
ballads, hitting the mark on pretty much all of them.
“Letter to Michael Henchard”, a dirge with a
dissonant chord progression and some stunning
mellotron, is so good that anyone who hears it will
probably run right out and buy the album. Nothing
else matches it or sounds like it, but it’s still
hard to imagine too many people being disappointed by
the rest of the record. Other nice moments include
the synth on “Another Day, Another Time” and the
poppy guitar hook on “You Just Don’t Know". The LP
also features one Dennis de la Gorgendiere. [AM]
VICTIMS OF CHANCE (CA)
"Victims Of Chance" 1969 (Crestview crs-3052)
"Goin' Home Blue" 197 (no label 1014)
Lounge psych freakout with brass featuring Johnny

Kitchen. The followup (assuming it to be the same
band) is more into westcoast rural rock sounds with
some female vocals, and comes in the same generic
mill wheel cover as Fifth Flight.
~~~
see -> Crazy People; Jeremiah; Tarots
VICTORIA (NJ)
"Kings, Queens And Jokers" 1971 (Dirty Martha 61471) [no

sleeve]
"Kings, Queens And Jokers" 1971 (no label) [different mix;
plain cover with stamped title; photos; press clipping; 100p]
"Victoria" 1996 (Little Indians 7, Germany) [400#d]
"Victoria" 1998 (CD Little Indians, Germany) [+7 tracks]
Reissued alongside Jungle in similarly great

packaging and is to me less disappointing musically.
An organ-based conceptual song cycle with mostly
female vocals and a Khazad Doom/school-play vibe, has
lots of good guitar but is too cheesy and uneven to
live up to the hysterical hype, at least in my ears.
Some horns, nice amateur vocals, and a confused mix
of westcoast, eastcoast and teen drama. The
outstanding closing track sounds like Strawberry
Alarmclock's "World's on fire" with female vocals.
Worth hearing, and despite reservations a must for
fans of female psychrock bands. [PL]
~~~
Band leader Greg Ruban found himself three capable
young ladies to back him on his homemade musical
fantasy. Greg himself is a pretty unusual guy... a
professional volleyball player who at 6'6" was still
playing into his 50's. Warning: Honky Hornaphobics
Beware... this LP does make use of the dreaded horn
section on 2-3 cuts and not necessarily always in a
good way. Side 1 starts off with "Peace" a nice
garagey ballad with echoey female vocals, spooky
organ and those dang horns which will be hard to
overcome for the average horn hater. "Cumberland" is
even more low key with those cool echoey female vox
and a Wendy & Bonnie feel but more amateurish. Cut #3
is fantastic... "Gevaro" starts off like a Santana
style jammer but actually gets a little Middle East
vibe going... killer fuzz guitar and the dreaded
horns but they're buried on this track and a very
bizarre drum solo (I like the "style" of this female
drummer). This is for the most part, an instrumental.
"Ride A Rainbow" starts off like a lost Hendrix cut
but quickly gets into a female vocal track about
Wizards & Dragons & Incense & Stuff. Nice guitar
break and bass line. I have to admit that I can't
think of another female psych band that are as tight
as this one (no pun intended all you perverts) and
Greg Ruban's guitar really cuts through the smoke
with a classic psych sound. "Never Knew The Blues"
slows the pace again with a great organ sound and
cool low key wah-wah pedal guitar... this is probably
my favorite cut on the LP and is what I always hoped
the Jade Stone & Luv LP sounded like. Last cut on
side 1 is a throwaway... a lame attempt at AM Top 40
drivel with horns from hell. Side Two is a totally
different trip. Two long cuts starting with the 12
minute+ "Village Of Etaf". Imagine an East Coast
version of CA Quintet's "Trip Thru Hell" done by
three chicks influenced by Joan Baez and a second
rate Herb Alpert & The Marijuana Brass. The only
redeeming thing about this track is the effects used
in the last 4 minutes that do indeed remind me of a
"Trip Thru Hell". The final cut is probably the
highlight for most owners of this LP. "Core Of The
Apple" is an upbeat, fuzz guitar 8 minute killer with
that same Middle East feel that we caught a glimpse
of on side one. Overview: The good cuts are GREAT but
the lesser cuts really bring this LP down a notch or
two. In the world of female psych bands this may
still be one of the best. Greg recorded a bunch of
material in the late 60's and early 70's and one day
maybe another one of his LP's, the demo-only pressing
"Nickels & Dimes", will see the light of day. [RH]
VILLAGERS ( )
"Homemade" 1971 (no label 584 N10)
A folk quartet with mixed vocals, playing covers of

CSN and "High flying bird", among others. Partly a
live recording, housed in an elegant silhouette
cover.
JOHN VILLEMONTE (Madison, WI)
"People Like You" 1976 (no label) [200p]
Everytime someone describes David Crosby's "If I

Could Only Remember My Name" LP to me, it is the best
moments of this record I hear in my imagination.
Lovely vocal harmonies, odd chords and phrasing, mix
of quiet acoustic and electric jams, some perfectly
placed flute ("Rain On Me") and piano ("Hours of
Days") passages, decent writing (though, to be
honest, I have no idea what they're saying most of
the time). This reminds me of what music made on a
perfect evening on the edge of the Hawaiian rain
forest, stoked on primo weed and some nice Pinot
Noir, might sound like. All the women look like Peggy
Lipton, all the men like Merrell Fankhauser (or Kato
Kaelin, or Jeff Spicoli... same thing). The first,
rarest and best of three LPs this Wisconsin
singer/songwriter made in the 1970s and early 80s.
The songs here vary enough to hold your interest, but
everything is sort of mid-tempo mellow and variations
on tried & true 70s singer/songwriter romantic themes
which does drop the grade a notch. The LP's second
side opens with the very brief and very pretty "Why
Do You Cry" which works as a lead in to "24 With
Clancy," a floating and dreamy electric and acoustic
instrumental jam that seems to take forever. It isn't
that the playing is particularly good (though it's
fine), it's more a matter of the gentle buzz it
creates by stirring the collective memory of everyone
who has ever sat up late with good friends quietly
jamming until it starts to get light outside.
Ultimately, there is nothing here that lifts the
album into the A level of the private-press heavens,
but it sits just below the standards set by better
known LPs like These Trails. [SD]
~~~
Here's a comment from John Villemonte himself: "When
one considers how my first album was recorded, with a
4-track TEAC tape deck with no signal processing and
no mixing board, all instruments recorded with an $18
Radio Shack mic - it certainly has seemed to weather
the test of time. Though I went on to record 8 more
albums, this first one still remains my favorite."
"This" 1979 (Some 905053-3520) [1]
Villemonte's second LP is similar in style and has

been attracting much of the same clientele. There
were several more albums from the man later on.
VINCENT (MA)
"Wild Strawberries" 1976 (Audem AU 1004)
Rarely offered private rural singer-songwriter folk

rocker from Massachusetts. A number of the tracks
have a country Grateful Dead influence a la
Workingman's Dead, and Vincent's voice often sounds
like he's trying to emulate Jerry Garcia's vocal
style, though in a lower range. The LP is mostly
acoustic, but some songs feature electric guitar (no
fuzz though) and synthesizer (no fuzz on that
either). [MA]
VINDICATION (IN)
"Vindication" 1973 (Custom Fidelity cfs-3570) [200p]
If Fraction is the Holy Grail of psychedelic privates

then the corresponding honors in the world of
progressive rarities would hands down go to Indiana’s
Vindication. This is bona fide five-star progressive
rock from start to finish, quite unlike any other
album in Christian music. Lengthy tracks are the norm
here and every one of them is solid. The instrumental
"Sonnet To Seagulls" starts things off in driving
allegro fashion - and the energy level doesn’t let up
for a moment throughout the whole LP. "Atop Of The
Mountains" follows in classic art rock tradition with
the trio’s trademark ELP-ish compositional complexity
of constantly shifting mood and tempo changes. "Money
Window" and "Satan’s Song" share a similar focus, as
does the 11-minute epic "Master Law" that opens side
two. Here Brad Garton takes on the Keith Emerson role
of the group with skillful piano and synthesizer that
reveals strong classical training. Patrick Kennedy
also gets several opportunities to shine on guitar,
showing agility in not only the fast-paced jamming
stretches, but also the more graceful acoustic
passages (in particular the beautiful closer "You And
Me And God"). Geoff Pacheco keeps the ever-changing
beat going and gets a nice little solo in ‘Master
Law’. Intelligent lyrics and good sound for a custom.
[KS]
~~~
X-ian keys complex prog in ELP style. Dull and
overblown to these ears, though this appears to be a
minority opinion at present. [RM]
VIOLA CRAYOLA ( )
"Music: Breathing Of Statues" 1974 (Fautna) [500p]

"Music: Breathing Of Statues" 2004 (CD Radioactive 0093, UK)
Instrumental guitar excursions with a hard edge and a
playful vibe despite the album's lofty pretensions.
Progressive towards the fusion camp but most of the
traps of the style are avoided, thanks in no small
part to the jammy feel provided by the rhythm
section, while lead guitarist and main guy Anthony
Viola soars on top, playing with a raw metal edge and
plenty of fx boxes to help him. The music is
carefully structured and composed, as evident from
the back cover which provides sheet music for the
basic themes of all eight songs! Some tracks such as
"The bus to New York" go all the way into avant
jazzrock but even at that remains reasonably open to
the listener. "The last one on earth" has a nice
doomy intensity, like Black Sabbath with a Juilliard
degree. All over I found this LP surprisingly
appealing, especially in small doses, and if you want
to check the genre out this should be a good entry
point. The memorable LP title comes from a poem by
Rilke, printed on the front cover. Recorded in New
York. [PL]
~~~
This isn’t the usual psych collectors’ fare, but
never underestimate an album’s rarity as a factor in
opening people’s minds to new genres of music. It’s
instrumental progressive rock with some jazz
leanings. Anthony Viola is a talented and creative
guitarist, and at some points the soloing gets pretty
wild. The songs are complex, full of odd time
signatures and unusual riffs. I’m not especially
knowledgeable about instrumental rock of this type,
so I can’t compare the album to anything, but there’s
no question that this is good stuff, instantly
enjoyable. A couple of songs are really disjointed,
while others flow smoothly despite the tricky time
changes. The rhythm section keeps up nicely. The
final song is a big goof, with the only vocal on the
album, sped up Chipmunks-style and singing about
sandwiches. Some of you will hate it, but after the
rather serious music that preceded it, it’s kind of
fun to end the album in a lighthearted way. Short
album: 8 songs in about 25 minutes. [AM]
VIRGIN INSANITY (Dallas, TX)
"Illusions Of The Maintenance Man" 1971 (Funky 72411) [plain

stamped cover; blank back; 200p]
"Illusions Of The Maintenance Man" 2005 (DeStijl IND-046)
[500p]
"Illusions Of The Maintenance Man" 2005 (CD P-Vine, Japan) [+7
tracks]
Currently in vogue basement folk and folkrock with

short songs and mixed male-female vocals. Hard to
describe accurately (always a good sign), though
comparisons drawn to the third Velvet U LP are not
without merit, especially as the lady vocalist sounds
as unschooled and earthy as Moe Tucker. The sound is
disarmingly honest and stripped down, and indeed the
concentrated minimalist vibe of the LP seems wholly
deliberate. The album has strong grower qualities and
eats its way into your brain, due in no small part to
the excellent, understated songwriting and
arrangements. Unlike the typical depression and
claustrophobia of the genre, a rare warmth and
closeness is projected here, and it's also a most
atypical record to come out of Texas. One of the
flagship pieces for the private press 70s folk sound.
Perhaps not for everyone, but I was impressed and
keep returning to it. The band has recently been
found and confirmed the press size as 200 copies.
Following the "Illusions" LP the band recorded a
second, unreleased album called "Toad Frog", which is
less structurally coherent and has a more varied
sound but otherwise is clearly similar in style, and
contains excellent songs such as "Clifton T". There
is also a third unreleased LP by band leader Bob Long
called "The Odometer Suite". Some of this unreleased
material appear on the Japanese CD reissue, and there
is also a standalone CD release of the complete
material (P-Vine, 2006, Japan). [PL]
~~~
This album is years ahead of its time, sounding much
more like an 80s/90s record on the K label or one of
those cassette-only low-fi recordings that made the
rounds before CDs started to dominate the market.
They really want to be a pop band, but can’t quite
figure out how, and some really sloppy drumming, loud
acoustic guitars, untrained singing and tons of
enthusiasm combine for a record that’s hard to
dislike, but not really easy to listen to either.
Unfortunately a number of songs are noticeably out of
rhythm. A few attempts at clever vocal arrangements
are charming. Some of you will like this a lot. You
know who you are. [AM]
VISITOR (Albany, NY)
"Visitor" 1980 (Blue Elf/Arabellum AR 1033)
Hard guitar prog/AOR, highly rated by genre fans.

There was also a 12-inch EP "4 by 5" in 1982 and LP
"Take It" in 1983, both on the Visitor label. These
later releases sell for at least as much as the 1980
album among AOR collectors.
VIVA ( )
"Automobile Downstairs" 1977 (Mark Holly)
Weird tax scam label LP that has connections with the

movie "Gone In 60 Seconds" (original version). It’s a
mix of 70s styles, none of them the kind collectors
care about (except maybe a little funk.) The
production is murky, there are huge gaps of time
between songs, the song titles on side two are
mislabeled, and the album is only 24 minutes long.
It’s a typical tax scam obscurity (the “Album World”
company, who released each of their albums under a
different fake label name, have pulled all kinds of
tricks, such as throwing together songs by more than
one band under the name of one non-existent artist),
a record that makes no sense at all and seems to be
aimed at no actual audience. So, wouldn’t you know,
despite all of the above, some of this is quite good
unclassifiable 70s rock, with nice slide guitar, some
haunting melodies, and a weird underground feel. Not
a great album, but an interesting obscurity for jaded
collectors. [AM]
VIZION (Dallas, TX)
"Rock For Your Life" 1980 (Future) [lyric sleeve]
Texas hard rock with an AOR vibe and a gruff female

singer. It’s a little mainstream for my tastes, but
as this kind of thing goes it’s quite good, and the
singer has an appealing lack of femininity to her. A
few songs have memorable hooks. They have some pop
aspirations and overall it’s not too heavy, but rocks
with enough energy to overcome their most FM-radio-
friendly tendencies. [AM]
VULCAN (Spencer, IA)
"Meet Your Ghost" 1982 (North Star Productions ST 38456)

[200p]
"Meet Your Ghost" 1994 (13th Record) [bootleg; 300p]
"Meet Your Ghost" 199 (CD Steece 13)
"Meet Your Ghost" 199 (Steece 13)
Basement hard fuzz, Hendrix-style riffs. Somewhat

cult-ish, but not everyone is impressed with it.
There are numerous label and cover variants among the
homemade originals. All covers state "reissue", even
the originals. Most or all of the originals have
hand-made labels, while later pressings have real
printed ones. Recorded in 1978. We've also seen
references to a second LP "Hard As Rock, Vol 1",
credited to main Vulcan guy Lyle Steece.
VYTO B (Chicago, IL)
"Tricentennial 2076" 1976 (Clay Pidgeon cps-3012)
This is Vyto Baleska, the force behind First Chips,

doing an oddball one-man band spacy psych LP with
some electronics. The cover design is priceless, and
this may be one for the "outsider" crowd, in addition
to the First Chips pedigree.

WABASH RESURRECTION ( )
"Get it Off!” 1975 (Pepperhead 76294) [1000p] [2]

“Get it Off!” 2005 (CD Radioactive 068, UK)
Apparently they sound like Led Zeppelin, but I just

can’t hear that. It’s probably been repeated once
someone had written it, and it became "true”. At
their best Wabash Resurrection sound like a garage
Lynyrd Skynyrd after a heavy night with Crazy Horse.
The best tracks are definitive shit-kicking-rural-
mullet-toting pick-up-truck-drivin’ rawk. Naturally
they look the part on the cover. Launches with
“Pigsty Blues” which seems to be about “keeping yer
sheeet good and your feet flat on the ground”,
essential for one’s health and well being don’t you
know. The second track, “A Soldier’s Lament” is
perhaps the best, and could be straight off the Rayne
LP, thudding drumming and really groovy Crazy Horse
style guitar with perfectly subdued, downer vocals.
On the amazing “In Heat” they really nail it on the
head with the lines: “I dig those Rhythm and
Blues/Don’t try to tell me ‘bout no astral
projections/I got horse shit on my shoes". You can
just picture the lead singer in his cowboy hat
peering skeptically at the hippie chick as she
warbles on about the Age of Aquarius. Very worthwhile
reissue, and even if you’re not a fan of the genre
it’ll make you laugh. [RI]
TOM WACHUNAS (OH)
"Spare Changes" 1975 (Owl 63701) [1]
The back cover says that this album is a “graduation

project”. I assume that means college graduation, as
he looks too old to be a high school student. In any
case, this is a mix of guitar-and-voice folk and more
elaborately arranged rock songs. A few of the songs
are quite good, and the long closer has a terrific
guitar solo. Both sides drag a bit in the middle but
start and end well. He has a quirky enough
personality to appeal to loner folk fans, though this
is well-played enough not to be a “real people”
album. Final verdict: not a great album, but an
interesting one with a few memorable songs. Same
label as Raven, about 1000 copies pressed. [AM]
ALLEN WACHS (WA)
"Mountain Roads & City Streets" 1979 (True Vine) [1]
Country-rock/folkrock with lots of string

instruments, pedal steel, some fuzz and female
backing vocals.
WAILING WALL (El Paso, TX)
"Wailing Wall" 2002 (Rockadelic 47) [600p]
Unusual and appealing circa 1970 recordings from a

forgotten El Paso band that played military bases and
clubs in the area; a worthwhile addition to the
Rockadelic stable and clearly better than the
preceding Iota LP to my ears. Needs to be heard
rather than described, but reminiscent of Neil Young
at his weirdest, Captain Beefheart, Circuit Rider and
even Savage Sons of Yahowa. Long unpredictable tracks
with earthy vocals and an eerie high desert El Paso
vibe in the guitar excursions. Atmospheric, with a
strong band presence. Response to this has been
mixed, I think it a keeper. Packaging is a step up
from the label's preceding releases. [PL]
~~~
see -> Light Rain
WALKENHORST BROTHERS (MO)
"The Last Adventure" 1977 (Chapie 7113) [4]
Obscure post-Phantasia LP in a song-oriented

direction, retaining the more commercial ambitions of
Trizo 50 mixed up with "angst", to quote one of the
Walkenhorsts. "Autumn Song" is a possible high-point.
~~~
Here's a comment from Bob Walkenhorst from a web
forum: "Phantasia morphed into Trizo 50 when I had
been in college a couple years. Our interest had
shifted to T-Rex and David Bowie and the whole glam-
rock thing. We wore brightly colored satin tuxedos
and makeup, and did a lot of home recording. I left
my hometown buds and my songwriting partners in 1974
and went back to college. And that's when I really
got serious about songwriting. My brother Rex and I,
appropriately called The Walkenhorst Brothers,
performed around Maryville MO, St. Joseph, and KC. We
recorded a homemade album "The Last Adventure". It
was a bit angst-filled, but had some good ideas in
it, and included "Autumn Song", which I still play
now and then."
MIKE WALKER (WA)
"Mike Walker" 197 (no label)
Obscure country-rock with a strange vibe on tracks

such as "Mr Pruitt's Apple Farm".
MARTIN WALL (Canada)
"Metaphysical Facelift" 1977 (no label MW 1) [1]

Keyboard-driven progressive rock in crude packaging.
Moog & synthesizers, mellotron, string ensemble,
drums.
WALNUT BAND (Boston, MA)
"Go Nuts" 1976 (Appaloosa Records csl 452) [1]
"Go Nuts" is one of the best Grateful Dead-style

rural jammers. The Walnut Band had to be the only
band of the type in Boston, especially in 1976 when
punk had already taken hold there. Maybe being so out
of place made them work all that much harder, but
even so they're as relaxed and comfortable as you
would expect from a top band in the genre. And the
New England influence allows for one major benefit:
there's no pedal steel or other overt nods to country
music here. The sharp guitar playing is matched by
some tasty organ, and there even a few creative
bursts of synthesizer. The only problem is the
vocals, which aren't lazy like the Dead, but just
plain tuneless. Even so, this is a few notches above
bands like, say, Timbercreek. The long jam on "Seat
Belt" is especially good. The cool album cover
implies Residents-style weirdness. Imagine the
surprise of the unsuspecting early new wave fans who
bought this… [AM]
WANDERERS (CT)
"Sing To The Lord... A New Song!" 1968 (Allen 108) [3]
This Christian teenbeat band has a few things going

for it, including an opening program declaration
spoken in a weak, nerdy voice similar to Mr van
Driessen of Beavis & Butthead. The title track that
follows is a blatant "Twist & Shout" ripoff despite
its lofty theme. In order to get the kids to dance
there's also "Knock on wood", "Testify", "Midnight
hour" and so forth, all done in a limp, heavyhanded
sub-Young Rascals style similar to the more mediocre
Justice label acts. A highpoint is a revamped version
of John Ylvisaker's classic "Who cares for the city"
with the lyrics altered in a more explicitly
Christian direction, while Jimi Hendrix' "Fire" with
fuzz leads is a surprising choice. The album's legend
rests mainly upon the closing "BSRS", a remarkable,
spooky 9-minute acidrock excursion which sounds like
"Spare Chaynge" as done by a group of depressed 14
year-olds. If they'd skipped the Memphis soul covers
and done more folkrock/psych numbers this would have
been a cult LP, but there are still about 3 tracks on
it worth checking out. [PL]
WANKA (Canada)
"The Orange Album" 1977 (Axe 520) [1]
Progressive hardrock with guitar/organ interplay and

strong vocals. Neat cartoon cover.
WARD 6 (Canada)
"Ward 6" 1971 (Cynda 1007)
Obscure male vocal harmony folk with covers of Tim

Hardin, Beatles, James Taylor, Woody Guthrie and a
few originals. Cool cover.
WARLOCK ( )
"Warlock" 1972 (Music Merchant mm-102) [promos exist] [1]
Proggy funky blues rock, possibly from Michigan.
WARPIG (Woodstock, Canada)
"Warpig" 1970 (Fonthill 103) [unipak] [2-3]

"Warpig" 198 (Fonthill) [bootleg]
"Warpig" 2000 (CD Mason, Europe)
Heavy metallic album with some Deep Purple influence.

It sounds pretty good one song at a time but has a
tinny production style that tends to grate. Prog
aspirations make a few songs drag on longer than is
necessary. A favorite of some, but this one didn’t do
much for me. Also released by London Records (#13582)
in the US 1971. [AM]
JOHN WARREN (Winston-Salem, NC)
"Land Of New Hope" 1973 (Icthus)
Mix of rural rock and christian folk.
WASHINGTON APPLES (WA)
"Fresh Country Apples" 1970 (Delicious s-2430) [1]
After starting their careers cutting a series of

radio commercials in support of Washington apples,
the band got a chance to record some more
conventional material and saw the release of a 1970
album on the Seattle-based Delicious Records
label. "Fresh Country Apples" is definitely
different. The first side offers up a series of
expanded versions of their earlier commercial
jingles. Powered by excellent vocals, material such
as the title track isn't half bad, the only major
mis-step being the hokey "Applecore - Baltimore" (the
title says it all). The flip side features the band
in a more contemporary setting and is actually quite
good. Highlights include a bluesy cover of
"Summertime", "Blues for J" and Hadlock's pseudo-
jazzy "Another Day". While some dealers have hyped
the album as being a psych classic, most of the set
sports a far more commercial orientation. The one
exception is the extended closer "Ode To Cory".
Complete with thunderstorm effects, squealing guitar
and a dirge like tempo, this one sounds like it was
torn out of some acid-tripping San Francisco band's
catalog. Quite impressive. [SB]
WASTED RANGERS (Portland, OR)
"Wasted Rangers" 1978 (no label) [2LPs; insert; bonus 7"] [1]
Rural rock jams in a Dead/Little Feat direction,

issued in plain cover with song info pasted on. Press
size report vary between 500 and 1000 copies.
WATERFALL ( )
"Comin' Down" 1974 (USR 9533) [2]
1970s folk, highly rated by some.
DICK WATSON 5 see Dick Watson 5
ALAN WATTS (UK / CA)
"This Is IT" 1962 (MEA 1007) [3-4]

"This Is IT" 2004 (CD Locust)
"This Is IT" 2004 (Locust 048)
Legendary underground counterculture artefact from

the famous author, lecturer and LSD philosopher.
Often referred to as "the first psychedelic LP", this
is an extraordinary session of improvised free-form
music, chanting and a few bizarre Watts monologues.
Recorded at a time when Watts' interest in
hallucinogens was at its peak (documented in his
"Joyous Cosmology" book), the mood is tribal and the
energy level very high. Timeless testament from a
wayout era, connecting the 50s beatnik and 60s freak
eras. Watts had several other LPs that fall outside
the scope of our Archives, mainly concerned with
Eastern spirituality. [PL]
WAX WIZARDS (Philadelphia, PA)
"From Rock Mountain" 1982 (Buffalo Wings) [mini-LP]
This mini-album (6 songs in about 23 minutes) wins

the prize for most inaccurately described album by
rare record dealers. It has a cool fantasy drawing on
the front cover, so everyone hypes it as a prog
album, which it is not. The album was put together by
songwriter E.D. Ward to showcase his songs, though
unlike a lot of albums of this type, he assembled an
excellent band and the songs are very well played.
However, since his songwriting style is all over the
map, there are a few semi-hard rock songs, a reggae
song, and some ballads, a mix that isn’t going to
make the kind of people who buy it for the cover too
happy. One song has some really nice dual lead
guitars, but overall this is a pretty mild AOR album.
[AM]
KENNY WAYNE & THE KAMOTIONS (Texarkana, TX)
"Kenny Wayne & the Kamotions" 1970 (Candy 1023) [2]

"Kenny Wayne & the Kamotions" 200 (Candy)
Rootsy bar-rock covers of Free, Ides Of March,

"Stormy Monday", alongside a handful of originals in
various styles, not rated very highly. The group had
lots of 45s too and may be best enjoyed in that
format.
W D FISHER (Montreal, Canada)
"W D Fisher" 1970 (Trans-Canada 1447) [1]
Melodic rock and progressive moves with one extended

track and extensive use of keyboards, as on many
Canadian LPs from the era.
WEDGE see Orange Wedge
WEEKENDERS (Needham, MA)

"Spring Weekend '65" 1965 (Vogt 2015) [2-3]
Obscure pre-garage item from the preprock circuit,

Lawrence Academy to be specific. The title track has
been reissued on a couple of comps and is a cool
fratty original with one of the most deadpan vocal
deliveries ever. The rest of the LP is mostly covers
and more conventional in style, mixing pre-Invasion
frat, surf and ballads, with a solid entertainment
value. Closing original invokes the Spring break
party mood once more, sure sounds like these rich
WASP kids were on top of the world. Great cover. [PL]
WEIGALTOWN ELEMENTAL BAND (Erie, PA)
"Don't Hurt Yourself" 1976 (Old Ridge 761) [300p; insert;

mailing coupon] [1]
Underrated local charmer in the "East Coast Dead"

1970s style, with a blue collar vibe that makes for
an interesting marriage with the laidback westcoast
rural rock. Opens with excellent 1960s-style
folkrocker and maintains an appealing quality and
directness despite the bold mix of styles. The
tongue-in-cheek material is unusually strong and
there's a dark, folky track with violin closing side
2 in an excellent manner. A couple more tunes like
that and the opener and this would have been a great
mid-70s LP, but it's still strong enough to be worth
hearing for genre fans, my main objection being the
short playtime. Pressed in 300 copies, even though
the handwritten numbering may indicate a bigger run.
To cap things off, these guys were in wellknown
teenbeat band Arkay IV a whole decade earlier. [PL]
~~~
This plays like a "battle of the bands" with just
about every song a new genre. It opens with a really
nice jangly folk-rocker, and most listeners will wish
similar songs would follow. Instead, it moves to
country-rock, slow blues, old-style rock n' roll, and
acoustic balladry. The closing moody ballad with
drony viola is probably the highlight; this album is
bookmarked by two songs you'll all like. The rest may
not be exactly up your alley style-wise, but much of
it is quite cool. All is in good spirits and good
humor; this is a fun record. The recording is very
crude, but the mix is smartly done: the vocals and
guitars are loud. This is the epitome of a versatile
but quirky local band making their own album for
their small but devoted group of fans. Collectors
tend to forget that most bands are this
"normal." [AM]
WEIGHT (Walnut Creek, CA)

"Music Is The Message" 1970 (Bertram International 104)
Live garage lounge-rock from Rick's Lounge, half

ludicrous Beatles covers. For genre fans only.
DAVID WELSH (OH)
"Blue Lightning Accent" 1980 (Blue Ash) [2-3]
Half downer folk with idiosynchratic amateur vocals,

half electric rocking sounds with a biker vibe.
Overall a bit like a primitive DIY variant on the
Michael James LP.
WENDY & BONNIE (San Francisco, CA)
"Genesis" 1969 (Skye 1006) [1]

"Genesis" 199 (CD Sundazed 11089) [+5 bonus tracks]
Much admired femme vocal harmony hippie pop LP from

young San Francisco sisters. While obviously a
pleasant and atmospheric experience I've never quite
fallen for it -- the lack of personal expression
creates a blanding effect, no matter how pretty the
surface. Songwriting is fine as is the vocal blend,
but I think this required a rich and elaborate
Boettcher/Brian Wilson studio production on top.
Instead it's bordering on generic top 40 material in
my ears, but this seems to be the minority opinion
out there. [PL]
~~~
This is one of those albums I really expected to like
but found quite dull, with the songwriting not taking
any risks and with singing starting to grate after a
few songs. It's no better than a lot of less
expensive albums (for instance, Laurie Styvers'
"Spilt Milk" or Mary Catherine Lunsford's album). The
CD has bonus tracks and interesting liner notes. This
album definitely has its fans, but you wont' find me
among them. [AM]
WEST COAST POP ART EXPERIMENTAL BAND (Los Angeles, CA)
"West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band" 1966 (Fifo M101)

"Legendary Unreleased Album" 1980 (Raspberry Sawfly) [altered
cover; partial reissue]
"West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band" 199 (no label)
"West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band" 199 (Sundazed, 2LPs)
[altered cover; +bonus tracks]
"West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band" 199 (CD Sundazed)
[+bonus tracks]
This is the score collectors dream of -- a previously
unknown early LP by a major 60s group. Only a dozen
or so originals have been found, and even a
sleeveless copy goes for $1500, while a copy with
sleeve sold for not less than $11.000. First hints of
its' existence came via the odd "Legendary unreleased
album" issue (from the band themselves) which
unfortunately excludes some of the best tracks,
although it does include some obscure 45-only tracks.
There was also a magazine article around 1981 where
the discovery was announced, but it wasn't until the
1990s that people really became aware of the Fifo
album. The music is dominated by crude Sunset Strip
folk-garage cover versions, with some psychy moves
added via early versions of two tracks from their
fabulous Reprise debut. One of my all-time favorite
groups, this is mandatory for WCPAEB fans, though
admittedly not as outstanding and mature as their
later albums. There was a Fifo 45 released with a
non-LP B-side ("Sassafras"). After being taken under
the bizarre wings of Bob Markley, the young band
followed this debut with an outstanding run at
Reprise including a couple of all-time classic psych
LPs, but anyone reading this is likely to know those
already. [PL]
WESTFAUSTER (Cincinnati, OH)
"In A King's Dream" 1971 (Nasco 9008) [1-2]

"In A King's Dream" 199 (no label) [bootleg]
Dreamy UK-influenced eclectic psych-artrock with

classical and jazz ambitions and a Moody
Blues/Beatles vibe. Woodwinds and keyboards upfront.
Not bad, with light almost feminine vocals and good
production value. A bit dorky when the flutes get
going but I prefer this over their Nasco buddies the
Whalefeathers. [PL]
DANA WESTOVER (CA)
"Memorial To Fear" 1972 (Wolf Music) [2]
Acoustic loner folk LP. Supposedly he was a draft

dodger and released this LP in Canada.
WE THE PEOPLE ( )
"We The People" 1972 (United Sound) [1]
Christian folk, no relation to the great 60s Florida

band.
WHAIL (Fostoria, OH)
"Fresh Air" 1974 (Luv 701)
Lounge rock with a wide range of styles from Gordon

Lighfoot covers to a couple more psych tracks.
Occasional use of synth. The band, with roots in the
60s garage era, was known as Fresh Air but changed to
Whail to avoid confusion with another group, instead
this became the album title. Pricing of this tends to
be all over the map, but it's really a marginal item.
A number of 45s and unreleased recordings exist.
WHALEFEATHERS (Cincinnati, OH)
"Declare" 1969 (Nasco 9003) [2]

"Declare" 199 (no label) [bootleg]
Ambitious (or pretentious) psychrock in a UK-

influenced Moody Blues/Procol Harum school with a bit
of Vanilla Fudge thrown in. Some strong guitar leads,
dramatic (or bombastic) keyboard changes, making the
vocals sound a bit weak in context. Good production
and mixing like on all Nasco albums. Has a bad half-
speed take on Moby Grape's "Omaha". The best track
has been comp'd if you want a sample. The band had
the same management as Westfauster. [PL]
"Whalefeathers" 1970 (Nasco 9005) [1-2]
Second LP has been described as "bluesier", including

a cover of St Steven's "Bastich". Also released in
England on Blue Horizon and in Germany by Vogue.
WHEATSTONE BRIDGE (Kankakee, IL)
"Bad Connection" 1976 (Sanron 200) [1]
This impressive hard rock album was recorded in just

17 hours and had a fresh, inspired feel to it. They
obviously perfected these songs through many live
performances, so this album is tightly played and
professional sounding despite the quick recording.
The sound is sharp: metallic rhythm guitar, upbeat
rhythms, spastic leads, no keyboards, unpretentious
vocals. The album has six rockers and two ballads.
The only annoyance is that the lead guitarist
overdoes it with the speed; some subtlety and variety
would have been welcome. Otherwise, this is good
stuff. The songs aren't especially complex, but they
have hooks, are structured in occasionally surprising
ways, and are short and to the point. It's not
especially heavy, but it avoids most of the pitfalls
of 70s hard rock and is quite a bit better than most
of the albums I've heard in the genre. Weird album
cover, by the way. [AM]
TIM WHEELER (Dallas, TX)
"Blues-Rock Fusion" 1980 (Duke 809-123) [1]
Bluesy guitar-driven hardrock from young guy who

credits Hendrix and Johnny Winter among his
influences.
WHISTLER, CHAUCER, DETROIT & GREENHILL (Fort Worth, TX)
"The Unwritten Works Of Geoffrey, Etc" 1969 (UNI 73034)
This is one of the best albums on the Uni label, and

it’s surprising that it has yet to get its due. It’s
the pinnacle of the post-Buffalo Springfield/Moby
Grape style (i e: somewhere between folk-rock and
west coast rock), with completely solid songwriting,
nice guitar playing and interesting arrangements. A
bunch of songs sound like they could have been hits.
There are some nice popsike moments too. The stereo
production style is several years behind its time
(vocals are to one speaker like on old Beatles
records), which lessens the impact a little bit, but
still this is a big winner. Every collection should
have a copy. This album also gets major points for
being the most obscure choice in “The Mojo
Collection” and subsequently being mentioned on the
US TV show “Gilmore Girls.” The band names are
pseudonyms, but T-Bone Burnett is one member, and a
few others went on to form Space Opera, who released
a unique and occasionally wonderful album in the
early 70s. [AM]
~~~
This is one of those LPs (like the first Perth Co
Conspiracy) that pretty much everyone who hears is
impressed by, and yet remains overlooked in the big
picture. From 1969 it's actually pretty advanced for
its time, with a sound that would become more popular
in the early 1970s, a mix of westcoast, folk and
singer-songwriter. It opens with two killer tracks,
the Fred Neil-ish folkblues of "The Viper" and the
psychy "Day Of Childhood", which sounds like a lost
track from the Bob Smith LP ("House Of Collection"
has a similar sound). The rootsy folkrock sound
dominates the album, with strong, world-weary vocals,
appropriate use of violin and harmonica, and good
songwriting. A couple of tracks that look back to the
"Sgt Pepper"-era are hardly the highpoints but the
album is strong enough to handle this diversity. For
an unknown band the maturity and selfconfidence on
display is remarkable. Essential... and not rare!
[PL]
RUTH WHITE (CA)
"Seven Trumps Of The Tarot Card: Pinions" 1968 (Limelight

86058) [promos exist; unipak] [1]
"Flowers Of Evil" 1969 (Limelight 86066) [1]
Avant garde electronics from unacknowledged, self-

taught synth pioneer. The first LP is an occult-
electronic impression of the Tarot deck. "Flowers Of
Evil" contains readings from the poetry of Charles
Baudelaire with electronically treated vocals, tape-
collages, spooky synth drones, and dissonant
electronic backdrops. There is also an LP "Short
Circuits" on Angel where Ms White interprets various
classical music themes.
WHITE BOY & THE AVERAGE RAT BAND (Baltimore, MD)

"White Boy & the Average Rat Band" 198 (Tradewind) [3]
This is stretching the limits of the Archives here --

it's an 80s album and sounds much closer to the kind
of post-punk hard rock that got college airplay in
the late 80s than it does like anything else reviewed
on this website. That said, it's speedy not-quite-
metal hard rock with a pulverizing distortion sound
(to call it "fuzz guitar" is to understate it by a
mile). One song is acoustic, but mostly this is just
an in-your-face blitzkrieg, and it's really great.
[AM]
WHITE HARVEST (OH)
"White Harvest" 1976 (Rite 36528) [insert] [3]
Almost passed this one up at a flea market when I saw

it contained the hymn "When The Roll Is Called Up
Yonder". With no band pics on the cover it could just
as easily have been some old-time gospel thing.
Fortunately I risked my two bucks anyway, unaware of
the way cool hard rock gem that lurked within. With
female vocals, organ/synth backing and an overall
exultant tone, White Harvest is similar in some
respects to Servant or The Sheep, yet with a rougher
quality. Not quite Earthen Vessel but darn close on
slow boogie jammers like "I Can’t Understand" and
"Let Him In", both of which display a fair amount of
distortion and fuzz soloing. Other songs have more
the direction of west-coast rock, sometimes managing
a light psych edge. One ballad - other than that the
electric angle is present throughout (no folk or
acoustic stuff in here). All original material save
their heavy rendering of the aforementioned hymn
(which I’m sure ruffled a few feathers in their
Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio community). Very attractive
sleeve art of a 16th century black-on-white woodcut
print. [KS]
WHITE LIGHT (Los Angeles, CA)
"White Light" 1970 (Century 39955) [2-3] [1st version]

"White Light" 1971 (Century 40136) [2-3] [2nd version]
"White Light" 198 (Vanita)
"White Light / Mississippi" 2000 (CD Two Of Us 001, Germany)
[two-on-1]
Crude local barrock/hardrock that reminds me somewhat

of Butterfingers, which is not a good thing. Reissued
many years ago and thus a fairly wellknown title
(apparently many people incorrectly thought they were
related to the "William" 45 band), although it
strikes me as rather marginal. Primitive recording
with lots of fuzz, heavy Hendrixy riffs and growling
vocals. Mainly cover versions including some odd
choices such as Velvet Underground and the Fugs,
along with soul, blues, crooner moves and even
"Heartbreak Hotel". As a testament from a local scene
this has its moments but if the main priority is good
music, I would look elsewhere. Two different versions
of this LP exist, the first with 11 songs including
"Heartbreak hotel", the second with 9 tracks,
omitting "Heartbreak" and replacing some others. The
LP has the same generic Century sleeve as the
Philosophers LP. Most of the White Light album songs
were recorded in 1970-1971 in the Perron
brothers' (Joel & Kurt) basement. "But I Don't Know
Why" and "Always Always," however, were recorded in
New York in 1968 with vocalist Gary "Mississippi"
Abram's earlier band members. [PL]
WHITE LIGHTNING see Lightning
WHITE NOISE (AZ)
"Different" 1981 (WN 1001) [inner sleeve] [1]
This mixed gender hard rock band (the woman not only
does half the singing, but plays half of the lead
guitar) is the only band I know that are both
skateboarders and bikers. Most of this album has
cheap production, tuneless vocals, a lack of hooks,
aimless lead guitar, pedestrian lyrics and a lack of
melodic inventiveness, and after the first song
you'll want to shut it off for good. Don't give up on
it completely, though, because the songs written and
sung by Susan Vickers not only rock harder than the
guys' songs, but have a mildly sinister edge that
makes up for a lot of the above-mentioned
deficiencies. The 9 ½ minute suite that ends side one
blows away everything here: it has hooks, hot solos
and part two of it has a cool dramatic intensity. Too
bad she can't sing any better than the guys, though.
This is typical of private press hard rock; you have
to overlook a lot of inadequacies to find the good in
it. If you're willing to make the effort, about half
of this is pretty enjoyable, but if you're expecting
anything a millionth as good as, say, Bitch's
Damnation Alley, you'll be disappointed. [AM]
WHITE SUMMER (MI)
"White Summer" 1976 (no label 60343 N7) [3-4]

"White Summer" 199 (no label)
"White Summer" 199 (no label) [marble vinyl]
"White Summer" 2004 (Void 026] [500p]
Local hardrock not without ambitions, similar to

Sorcery as a transition piece from the early 70s
hippie/dope era into the metal sounds of the early
80s. Opens with a psychy westcoast track, rest is
pure guitar hardrock with minor prog moves; good
vocals is a plus, while the drumming is a bit wrong
both in terms of sound and playing. Closing epic is
full of Led Zep drama and inane teen fantasy/SF
lyrics. For 1970s fans only. Recorded at Uncle
Dirty's. [PL]
WHITE WING (SD)
"White Wing" 1976 (ASI 212) [insert] [1]
Layered guitar, keyboard and mellotron progressive

and hardrock, from band who later evolved into the
"other" Asia.
~~~
see -> Asia
WHITEWOOD ( )
"Whitewood" 197 (Exotic EXS-1-91172) [plain white sleeve]

"Whitewood" 1999 (Rockadelic 36) [600p; +1 track] [4]
One of the more obscure Rockadelics is a crude,

unpolished gem that deserves time to manifest itself.
A reissue of one of those "we'll put music to your
lyrics" song-poem artefacts, but this one breathes
with an eerie dementia unlike the usual laugh riots;
imagine a suicidal Boa or Ant Trip Ceremony with some
fire up their ass. Title track is an instant classic,
and 2/3rds is local late 60s garage psych the way you
want it. The instrumental fillers include a room-
clearing polka-rock fusion that could have been left
off, though it does add to the spooky desolate Viet
Vet vibe, as does the new front cover design. The
bonus track comes from an inferior second LP from
this same unsuccesful songwriter. [PL]
DAN WHITLEY (Los Angeles, CA)
"In Search Of Justus" 1969 (no label) [1]
Pop/orch psych with mostly originals, a sitar cover

of "Nature Boy" and some fuzz. Most of the originals
are songwriting collaborations with one Bobby
Morphis. Housed in a crude cover design, possibly a
demo LP only.
BILL WHYTE (MA)
"Cold Sunshine" 1973 (Hub) [insert]
Hippie folk with psychedelic cover.
WIDSITH (NJ)
"Maker Of Song" 1972 (Aleithia) [lyric insert] [1]
Rural rock with some westcoast psych wandering. Great

songs and vocals with mainstream appeal. Like if the
Band had Van Morrison on vocals. "Singer in the
market place" is a cool ripoff of the Moody Blues'
"Nights in white satin"! [RM]
~~~
This two man band produced a unique item here, a
folk/folk-rock record with influences from every
possible genre, finally sounding something like an
American Van Morrison, or Graham Parker if he'd been
reared on folk instead of soul. A couple of songs
have some really effective spacy fuzz guitar, some
others have a good-timey feel, and some a busker
feel. About half have drums, and some have a mild
jazzy influence as well. All are well-played and sung
and this is a good LP that grows on you. Not hard to
find for a private press; it must have sold pretty
well. [AM]
DAVID WIFFEN (Vancouver, Canada)
"Live At The Bunkhouse" 1965 (International Records) [4]
"David Wiffen" 1971 (Fantasy 8411) [1]
Wiffen was in 3’s A Crowd with Brent Titcomb and

other Canadian folkies in the 60s. His rare
coffehouse folk live album preceded that band. The
1971 effort was the first from his incarnation as a
70s singer/songwriter, and it’s terrific. Unlike his
later albums, this is quite hard to find, as
purportedly only promo copies were distributed. Word
has it that some of the album’s backing tracks and
the final mix were done without Wiffen’s involvement,
which is surprising because this album has such a
personal, intimate feel to it. Wiffen has a powerful,
deep voice somewhere between Tim Hardin and Lee
Hazlewood, and he’s equally comfortable singing folk-
rock, mellow blues and straight old-fashioned
ballads. His songwriting is intelligent and direct,
again recalling Hardin. Among the highlights on this
excellent record: “Never Make A Dollar That Way,”
which has some eerie moog from Bernie Krause, and
“Driving Wheel,” an instantly unforgettable song with
a killer arrangement, including light fuzz guitar and
perfect, tasteful use of horns. Wiffen (or whoever
finished the mix) has an odd habit of fading songs
out in the middle of verses, giving the illusion that
his stories are unfinished. His most well-known song,
“More Often Than Not,” especially benefits from this
effect, due to its subject, alcoholism. This album is
worth hunting down. Wiffen had one more LP on Fantasy
in 1973. [AM]
JACK WILCOX ( )
"A Marriage Of Clocks And Highways" 1977 (no label) [1]
Melancholic introspective downer folkrock with angry

guitar picking, desperate vocals and dark
lyrics, recorded in an empty bar.
WILCOX, SULLIVAN, WILCOX (NM)
"An Album Of Original Music" 1973 (Golddust) [2]
Hippie folkpsych/singer songwriter with Eastern

moves, housed in tremendous acid cover. There is a
second LP, "Tomales Bay" (Goldust, 1975) which is not
as good. Apparently some players here also appeared
on the "I Love You Gorgo" LP from El Paso several
years earlier.
WILDFIRE (Laguna Beach, CA)
"Smokin'" 1970 (Primo) [plain sleeve with sticker; 1000p] [4]

"Smokin'" 1996 (OR 011) [500p; new sleeve; sides reversed]
Guitar-driven early hardrock rarity.
WILD OLIVE BRANCH BAND (KY)
"Through A Glass Darkly" 1977 (Lifesongs LSR-001) [1]
Christian folkrock with some fuzz leads.
WILD & UNTAMED BLUES BAND ( )
"Wild & Untamed Blues Band" 197 (no label)
Described by one fan as: "...ultimate kingpin White

trash real people biker rock with male/female vocals,
guitar, bass and drums. One of the crudest covers
ever with a black and white photo collage of the
greasy fat band members and the unattractive female
singer wearing a "Spoiled Rotten" T-Shirt.
"Motorcycle Rider" "Hey, Good Lookin Mama", "Baby",
"Don't Ya Throw It Away" "Sunday morning Blues". This
is the real deal and one of the scariest private
pressings I have ever come across."
WILKINSON TRICYCLE (Long Island, NY)
"Wilkinson Tricycle" 1969 (Date tes 40016) [insert] [1]

"Wilkinson Tricycle" 2005 (CD Synton, Austria)
This album has a stark production style -- it’s

basically the band’s live sound without overdubs,
kind of like the albums by Help. In a way it doesn’t
do the band justice, because they have definite
leanings in an ambitious Beatlesque direction, as
well as some hard rock moves. The songwriting is
good, though not really top-notch. The best song is
“What Of I,” which was effectively covered by
Yesterday’s Children on an album even more obscure
than this. [AM]
V.A "WILLIAMSPORT, PENNSYLVANIA" (PA)
"Williamsport, Pennsylvania" 1968 (Empire 513/14) [1-2]
Typical sound for these local late 60s PA samplers

(there's at least a half-dozen such) with covers of
Hendrix, Steppenwolf, Beatles, a couple of originals
such as Something Else's "Caldwell Purple Wren".
There's also a version of "Girl from Ipanema" to
screw things up.
WILLIE & THE BUMBLEBEES (Minneapolis, MN)
"Honey From The Bee" 1976 (SJL 4107) [1]
Raw bluesy & funky barband rock with horn section and
a cover to match, and titles like "After my hard-on
is gone". Willie Murphy went on to start the Atomic
Throy label and is producing other artists, and also
recorded a couple solo projects.
WILSON McKINLEY (Spokane, WA)
"On Stage: Live At Pender Audiotorium" 1970 (no label 27057)

[1]
Recorded live in Vancouver BC, "On Stage" sounds like

it’s about one notch above an audience recording. The
vibrant energy of the Jesus movement still shines
through each song, making the album a cherished
classic, even if it does check in well behind "Spirit
Of Elijah" and "Heavens Gonna Be A Blast". The
group’s brand of west coast guitar psych seems rooted
in the San Francisco Haight-Ashbury culture. They’ve
been likened to Quicksilver but also have some of the
country direction of The Byrds and The Grateful Dead.
One of their favorite tricks was to take songs from
secular artists and subtly alter the lyrics to a
Christian perspective. Examples from "On Stage"
include un-credited re-workings of "He Was A Friend
Of Mine" and "You Ain’t Going Nowhere". Groovin’
bongo action on the latter, as well as on "The Love
Of My Savior", "I Know The Lord" and "He’s Coming To
Take His Children". The primitive electric guitar
riffs, the loose spirited harmonies, the impromptu
acclamations of “thank you Jesus” and “hallelujah
Jesus!” - all of it contributes to that enthusiastic
garage-rocking hippie Jesus freak vibe. The packaging
is definitely unusual: the album originally came
housed in white pie boxes hand-stenciled with a color
band logo and a one way Jesus sign. There are a
number of variations of this version which is
sometimes referred to as Jesus People Army. Later the
album was released in an oversized regular cover with
orange and brown illustrations of the four band
members’ longhaired heads. [KS]
"Spirit Of Elijah" 1971 (Voice Of Elijah 27977) [2-3]
Their really good one, west coasty Christian rock

reminiscent of the best tracks on the Rainbow Promise
LP and solid all through. Well-written songs combine
perfectly with the jammy S F ballroom sound popular
among the Jesus Music bands, recalling the mellow
aspects of Moby Grape in particular. The epic, spine-
chilling title track is especially good. A loose,
understated live in the basement recording adds to
the appeal. I personally rate something like Kristyl
even higher, but this album is undoubtedly one of the
classics from the era. The band sells a CD
compilation of their 3 albums, with the "Elijah"
tracks reportedly losing some of their magic in their
cleaned-up state. [PL]
~~~
This isn't just the best Christian album I've heard.
It may possibly be the best album in the laid-back
West Coast late 60s/early 70s style I've heard,
period. The crude recording style works in its favor,
making it sound fresh and vital, like a great live
recording (which it basically is.) While the fidelity
isn't great, the instruments and vocals are
completely clear, proof that expensive recording
technology isn't necessary as long as something is
recorded with common sense. The occasional bum note
from the singers isn't enough to detract from the
heartfelt and warm singing style, and the band really
gets a groove going on every single song. The songs
aren't heavy at all, but they rock with an energy and
confidence that's completely arresting. A few songs
are stolen (how un-Christian of them!) from well-
known sources (Moby Grape, Moody Blues) but are given
new, Christian lyrics. It's an interesting and
successful gimmick, and these songs fit nicely in
with a batch of killer originals. There's a mixture
of slow and fast songs, but my personal favorite
moment is the rave up in "Tree of Life." My favorite
overall song, though, is the ballad "I Need A
Savior," with its harmonies and lead guitar playing a
perfect ringer for Let It Be-era Beatles.
Unfortunately no direct reissue exists. A self-made
best of CD contains much of this album, but it's
definitely best heard as one coherent piece. [AM]
"Heaven's Gonna Be A Blast" 1972 (Voice Of Elijah 29005/6)

[oversized day-glo cover] [1]
Although nearly killed by a production snafu that

sets the bass way out in front, this album happens to
contain some of the group’s best songs. "Standin’ At
The Crossroads", "He Made Us Free" and "Then I Fell
In Love" all show the group in top form with lots of
rock & roll energy and enthusiasm for Jesus, along
with touches of CSN vocals and Grateful Dead boogie.
Same spunky attitude on the lively title track which
features an electric bass solo followed by a drum
solo. "I’m Only Smilin" includes some jamming piano,
while the heavy percussive angle of "On Stage"
returns for "I Wish I Had The Words To Tell You". The
electric piano introduced on "Spirit Of Elijah"
returns for several songs including a couple of
ballads. "Almighty God" closes the album with a
hypnotic 6/8 jazzy psych groove. As for the cruddy
production, I’ve gotten to love this record so much I
don’t even notice it anymore. Besides, the sound is
still better than on their first LP. The oversized
Day-Glo cover with the colorful exploding graphics is
certainly an eye-popper. Both red and yellow label
copies have been found. The group had two later
cassette-only releases: "Country in the sky" and
"Yesterday/Forever", and also backed up Frank Starr
on his LP "You Can't Disguise Religion" (1971).
Earlier some members appeared on an exploito
California Poppy Pickers LP. [KS]
BILL WILSON (Austin, TX)
"Songs From the Catalog of Sonosong Music Company" 196

(Sonobeat WEJ 285M / WEJ 286M) [about 100 pressed] [3]
Texas folk songwriter's demo. The music is just Bill

and acoustic guitar. Cindy Reynolds sings harmony
vocals on one track. The sound is similar to Bob
Dylan's "Another Side of" LP - imagist deep thoughts
lyrics including a couple songs about the Vietnam
War. Good LP with a behind the times sound. No label
would have been interested at the time but it would
have been a good release for Elektra or Verve
Folkways in late 1966 or so! The front cover is plain
with a small title stamp. The back cover is blank and
came with a photo or info sheet taped on. [RM]
~~~
see -> Mariani
GARY WILSON (Endicott, NY)
"You Think You Really Know Me" 1977 (Gary Wilson/MCM Records)
[b & w cover; inserts] [2]
"You Think You Really Know Me" 1990 (Cry Baby bh 03) [color
cover]
"You Think You Really Know Me" 2002 (Motel Records) [remix;
color cover]
"You Think You Really Know Me" 2002 (CD Motel Records) [remix]
Gary Wilson is one of the most oddly endearing of all

70s oddballs. This album is a stark mix of funk, pop
and prog, a mix that could be a disatser but works
very well here as Wilson is obviously doing what
comes naturally to him. It's cool, but what really
makes him so memorable are his lyrics. He's young
here, and horny beyond belief, but afraid of girls at
the same time, and his obsessions are unbearably real
and often scary. Unique, unforgettable album and an
absolute landmark in 1970s weirdness. When Gary was
found 25 years later, sure enough, he was working in
a porn shop. Wilson had an earlier LP, "Another
Galaxy" (GTW Records, 1974), which is in a DIY free-
jazz direction, including music taped from Coltrane &
Miles records with Wilson's own piano overdubs! The
1978 "Wedding Gown" EP is rated highly among fans.
There's also a 2003 CD called "Forgotten
Lovers" (Motel), a compilation of unreleased 70s
stuff, and Wilson recorded a new album in 2004. [AM]
WINDFLOWER (Alaska)
"Windflower" 1974 (no label 2827) [insert] [1]
This is somewhere between genuine acid folk and

cringeworthy up-with-people commune folk. Over the
full album the sweet, passionless, vocal style (some
female) really starts to grate. A song or two at a
time, though, this can be pretty appealing, and there
are a few haunting tunes here. Not really
recommended, but if you can get past the singing
style you will probably like it. The group was
connected to the Baha'i church and included Eskimo
members. [AM]
WINDFLOWER (PA)
"Dreams" 1976 (McKee 36442) [500p] [1-2]

"Dreams" 199 (Ton Um Ton, Austria) [new sleeve; 300p]
Listenable but not more typical local mid-70s rock LP

with some moog, AOR guitar and moody vocals. A couple
of enjoyable songs but a far cry from the "heavy
guitar monster" this has been described as. The loud,
dishonest hype on this bland album caused a
substantial backlash in which it came to signify the
general overheated bullshit nature of the mid-late
1990s rare record scene, when it was first
"discovered". The reissue has a new cover design as
the original was just a title sleeve. Not to be
confused with the Alaska band of the same name. [PL]
WINDOW (Dallas, TX)
"Window" 1974 (New Life 0001) [booklet] [2]

"Window" 2005 (CD Radioactive 144, UK)
Mainstream femme vocal hippie-folk/singer songwriter

with 2-3 excellent tracks with psych moves; some
minor Christian concerns.
WINDWORDS (Cleveland, OH)

"Shootin' The Breeze" 1979 (WW 1001) [1000p] [1-2]
This Cleveland private isn't easy to figure out,

which is usually a good sign. The basic trip is a bit
like if the McKay "Into You" LP had been recorded by
two angry Christians. Well-played and skillfully
arranged in the typical 70s Dead/CSNY bag, but the
usual breezy westcoast mood is charged with an
atypical late-night intensity, as if the guys are
getting impatient. This emotional input spills over
into the lyrics which occasionally (as on "Fire") go
into Fraction fire & brimstone domains, even as the
music remains smooth and in control. As part of the
commitment the guys tend to oversing a bit,
especially David Arberman, although I suspect this to
be a subjective call for each listener. Opening track
"Wisdom" is a high-point with strong songwriting and
hooks, and all over side 1 is superior, although the
whole album displays an unusually finalized and
clearcut style for a local LP. Guitarplaying is
superb throughout, with obvious Garcia aspirations.
Should appeal to fans of Ark, although that band
never were this pissed off. The sound of Christian
insomnia! The band also had a local non-LP 45. [PL]
~~~
This is supposedly a Christian record, but it sure
doesn’t sound like one. It’s got a pretty typical
laid-back west-coast feel (despite the Midwest
origins.) Most of it is acoustic, though the best
couple of songs have significant amounts of electric
lead guitar. A few surprisingly vicious lyrical
moments add some appeal. This isn’t as good as the
best stuff in this bag (i.e. it’s certainly no Wilson
McKinley), but it is pretty distinctive. I think it
would have been better if the songs were more concise
and rocked a little harder, but this is still a
worthwhile record. For years this went undiscovered
by collectors, maybe in part because of the generic-
looking cover. [AM]
V.A "WINNIPEG" (Winnipeg, Canada)
"Winnipeg" 1969 (Franklin 1000) [1-2]
Bluesy fuzz psych with local Manitoba hippie bands,

including The Fifth, the Mongrels, Good Fortune,
Triad, and others. Covers and originals, some tracks
have female vocals.
MARK WINOKUR (VT)
"God Fearin' Man" 1971 (no label) [2]
Seldom seen debut LP from fringe outsider guy, here

on a freaky DIY acoustic folk bender a la ESP label
sounds. Liner notes declare: "Idiots of the world
unite, you have nothing to lose but your illusions".
A mono recording.
"Jesus Christ Super Stoned" 1973 (Revolution) [1]
Druggy guitar folk with crazed lyrics, hardly a

Christian outlook despite the title. Songs like "I'm
addicted" and "The trip".
WINTERHAWK (San Francisco, CA)
"Electric Warriors" 1979 (Mother Earth 4) [3]

"Electric Warriors / Dog Soldier" 2003 (CD Mother Earth) [2-
on-1]
High-priced but unexceptional hard rock from Native

Americans. Tom Bee of Lincoln St Exit/XIT produced.
The band had a second LP in 1980, "Dog
Soldier" (Mother Earth).
WINTERHAWK (Chicago, IL)
"Revival" 1982 (Lamda) [1-2]
Power trio jamming bordering on metal, with no

relation to the band above.
WIT'S END (Garland, TX)
"Rock And By God Roll" 1979 (Snowdrop) [1]
This rare hard rock album fits squarely into 1979

with the high vocals, phased guitars and manic punky
intensity of the time period. It’s too stark to be
classified as AOR, but with a little more polish this
certainly could have appealed to mainstream audiences
of the early 80s. My first thought upon hearing it
was that these guys can’t actually be Christian
rockers, as it rocked way too hard and had too much
speed. They are... but you have to pay pretty close
attention to tell, and a most of the lyrics cover
standard rock themes. The rhythm guitarist’s nickname
is “Bitch,” for what that’s worth. The songs are as
fast as any punk of the era, which really makes this
stand out among all the sludgy hard rock of the 70s
and 80s. This isn’t earth shattering, but it’s fun
stuff. [AM]
WIZARD (Tampa, FL)
"The Original" 1971 (Peon 1069) [3]

"The Original" 199 (Peon) [bootleg]
"The Original" 1999 (Akarma 070, Italy)
"The Original" 2000 (CD Gear Fab 124) [+bonus tracks]
Low-fi 70s hard rock with a rather generic sound. OK

if you’re a huge fan of the style, but this isn’t
especially original, nor is it wild enough to be very
memorable. There is also a 45 with a non-LP track.
[AM]
~~~
Clearly a reflection of the trio's roots as a working
band. Sporting a live sounding mix (there's minimal
post-production work), tracks such as the opener
"Freedom" offered up standard hard rock moves with
then trendy lyrics -- anti-war, anti-mainstream
society, religious philosophy, drugs (the non-too-
subtle "What Do You Know About Mary?"). That said,
the album's surprisingly diverse and enjoyable. The
band had decent singers and effectively avoided the
plodding white-boy blues that plague so many early-
1970s' power trios. So what are the highlights? "Come
and See the Bride" with its nod to The Who's
"Pictures of Lily", the martial "Killing Time" and
the country flavored "Going Away" are all great
tunes. [SB]
WIZARD (FL)
"The Spell Is Cast" 1977 (Illusion) [1-2]
An unknown LP on the Mike Pinera tax scam label. Nice

wizard cover and musically in the
hardrock/progressive vein with mostly (or only)
versions of tunes by AC/DC, Sabbath, JUdas Priest,
etc. They also had a second, similar LP on the
Illusion label. The band was actually called Critical
Mass, but were dubbed "Wizard" by Pinera for the
album releases. No relation to the earlier Tampa
band.
WIZARD (CA)
"Wizard" 1979 (Future Track) [1]
Hardrock/early metal trio. There was also a 45 on the

same label.
WIZARDS FROM KANSAS (KS)
"Wizards From Kansas" 1970 (Mercury 61309) [wlp exists] [2]

"Wizards From Kansas" 199 (Mercury) [bootleg]
"Wizards From Kansas" 1993 (CD Afterglow 006, UK)
"Wizards From Kansas" 2003 (Radioactive 009, UK)
"Wizards From Kansas" 2003 (CD Radioactive 009, UK)
Recently receiving a lot of interest and rightly so,

cause these Midwest boys blow most Bay Area groups
away on their own turf. Took me a while to get into
it, now I rate it among the best late 60s psych-rock
LPs. Powerful hippierock with prototype heavy moves,
strong songwriting and brilliant performances - the
rhythm section is awesome. There are many good albums
in the epic psych genre but this one is charged with
a special spirit that creeps upon you over time. And
"Country Dawn" has to be one of the best rural
rockers ever. [PL]
"Still in Kansas" 2003 (Rockadelic) [insert]
Previously unreleased 1968 pre-Mercury tapes from

when they were still called Pig Newton. Contains
several tunes also on the subsequent album but these
earlier versions are clearly from another era, with a
lighter and airier sound that's very appealing.
Vocals and some arrangements would later be improved,
but a couple of tracks such as the opening "Flyaway
daze" are superior in this embryonic stage, with a
marvy Midwest/westcoast '68 blend comparable to the
best aspects of HP Lovecraft. Also has a good take on
"All along the watchtower" and a great closing
original that's not on the Mercury LP at all.
Essential to fans of Wizards and/or the late 60s CA
sound. Packaging is pretty good, 3-D computer
graphics may turn some off but I don't mind. [PL]
WOLFMAN JACK & THE WOLFPACK (New York City, NY / Minneapolis, MN)
"Wolfman Jack & the Wolfpack" 1966 (Bread 1070)

"Wolfman Jack & the Wolfpack" 2004 (Bread) [bootleg]
Border DJ and cultural icon supported by local

Minneapolis band Jesse J & the Bandits, recorded at a
time when the Wolfman was DJ:ing at KUXL in
Minneapolis. Raw garage-frat in great cartoon cover.
JOHN WONDERLING (NY)
"Daybreaks" 1973 (Paramount 6063) [2-3] [inner]
This is ridiculously rare for a major label LP, and

as luck would have it is maybe the most interesting
album on an interesting label. Psych fans know
Wonderling because of the oft-comped single "Man Of
Straw" (which, 5 years later, is here on this LP),
and will be glad to find that the album is more of
the same: singer/songwriter music with a druggy feel
(lyrically and musically), acoustic rhythm guitars
with electric lead guitars, and Wonderling's strong
voice up front. The opening "Long Way Home" is an
intriguing blend of hippie psychedelia and mainstream
70s rock (for example, a female backing vocal chorus
appears when you'd least expect it). Elsewhere spacy
strings and drony sitars hold hands with poppy horn
arrangements. As a whole it is the kind of elaborate
production you would think the label wouldn't waste
on an album if they were only going to distribute 10
copies. This is one weird sucker, and overall very
good, a singer songwriter album as distinctive as
those by, say, John Braheny, Marc Jonson and Rex
Holman. Wonderling earlier wrote "Midway Down",
covered by Brit mod legends the Creation. [AM]
V.A "WONE - THE DAYTON SCENE" (Dayton, OH)
"WONE - The Dayton Scene" 1966 (Prism 1966) [2]

As with "Hillside '66" this teenbeat and garage
sampler has received wide attention from compilers,
the top number on it being Jerry & the Others frantic
"Don't you lie to me". Other high-points include
tracks by the Xcellents and the Gillian Row. Issued
by the local WONE record station as part of a Battle
Of The Band contest.
WOODBINE (WI)
"Roots" 1971 (Blue Hour 1-1010) [booklet]

"Roots" 1978 (Tool Room 104) [reissue]
Obscure live recording from Milwaukee, semi-electric

folk with long tracks from quartet with standard rock
setting. Band member Bill Camplin was involved with
lots of other local music projects, and had several
solo releases in a Dylan-inspired singer/songwriter
style.
WOODEN ELEPHANT ( )
"Wooden Elephant" 1978 (Jeree 771237) [insert] [1]
CSN/America style folk and rural rock from trio with

drums and keyboard added for the album. The label
indicates a North-east origin.
ROBIN WOODLAND (CA)
"One Golden Moment" 1978 (no label, no #) [2 inserts] [1]
Fund raiser project LP of 70s rural melodic folkrock

and singer/songwriter with electric leads and a happy
hippie mountain air vibe. Some use of banjo, flute,
violin. Opinions differ on it, and it may be one for
genre fans mainly.
WOOLY BEAR ( )
"Wouldya" 1974 (Stereolab Sound) [1]
Laidback hippie rural rock like Grateful Dead, with

mandolin, flute, autoharp, and piano.
THE WORKS BROS (AZ)
"Meditation Works" 197 (no label)
Spiritual hippie folk oddity in primitive green cover

design.
WORKSHOP ( )
"Workshop" 1972 (no label xpl-1030)

Sixteen member collective with mix of jazzy rock and
deep folk. Mixed vocals, amateur moves worthy of the
"Tool Shed" LP. At least half should appeal to fans
of homemade, introspective folk LPs.
WOULD (NY)
"Would" 1971 (Perception 24) [2]
Mysterious second release on Jimmy Curtiss' label of

the Velvet Night LP in a new cover and title and with
one new number replacing the "Velvet Night" track.
See Velvet Night review for details on this
disappointing album.
DAVID WRIGHT'S ORIGINAL HOME BAND (AR)
"David Wright's Original Home Band" 1975 (Own Spun) [1]
Local electric folkrock with some psych moves. Labels

state "yin" and "yang".

XEBEC ( )
"Calm Before The Storm" 1981 (Desire)
Oklahoma label. Southern hardrock with excellent dual

and slide guitar work, housed in an atypical cover
drawing of a schooner at sea.
XENOGENESIS (Miami Beach, FL)
"#1 - I Am That I Am" 1973 (no label) [gatefold]
Philosophical psych spoken word realness, sampling,

sound effects. One of the freakiest in this style.
The artist name is sometimes listed as
Sexxenogenesis.
XIT (NM)
"Entrance" 1974 (Canyon 7114)

"Entrance" 2005 (Sound Of America 145)
Retrospective release of 1967-68 recordings by well-

known Native American band Lincoln St Exit, who had a
couple of albums out in their later incarnation as
Xit. This is good early melodic psych in a Love "Da
Capo"/Strawberry Alarmclock direction, rated highly
by many. Highpoints include "Orange benevolence" and
their 45 psych classic "Sunny Sunday dream"
Contemporary releases in the 1970s include "Plight Of
The Red Man" and "Relocation".
---
see -> Lincoln St Exit
XXX ( )
"Live - The First Legal Bootleg" 1973 (no label 73-101)
Mix of rural and heavy drug rock, primitive and

trashy. Later became the Elmer City Rambling Dogs.

YA HO WHA 13 (Los Angeles, CA)
"Kohoutek" 1973 (Higher Key 3301) [insert; 500p]

"Kohoutek" 1994 (Higher Key, UK) [bootleg]
"Kohoutek" 1999 (CD Captain Trips, Japan) [CD box-set]
This is their very first LP and not a bad one to

start with if you want to get into their drugged out
L.A runaway kids acid cult basement guitar jams.
Inspired by the appearance of the comet "Kohoutek",
the family's bearded, middle-aged guru/leader Father
Yod digs deep into his bag of tricks: "It's a thought
projection from God". Father raps and howls in his
unrestrained manner as the music goes through its
typical raw acid-rock chameleon moves, building
towards a nice climax with a doomy fuzz riff as the
truth is laid down from above. Although mandatory to
Yahowans, this is hardly their best album, and not
one of their rarest either. The LP was issued as by
Father Yod & the Spirit Of 76; original copies have
'3301' on the insert and '18574' in the matrix. [PL]
~~~
The first album by Father Yod & co is an appropriate
introduction to their music. I’ll be completely
honest here -— I find his off-key, hysterical
“singing” to be really annoying, and how much you
enjoy this music (and which of the albums you’ll
prefer) depends to a very large extent on your
tolerance for him. A lot of times he’s not singing,
but ranting and raving (almost preaching), but even
in that context his voice is hard to take. The early
albums were apparently recorded in the time it takes
to listen to them. They all feel improvised,
obviously, but the better ones sound as if a lot of
thought and rehearsal was put into them before the
recording session. The band really could play, and
got better with time. There’s a neat combination of
tight and loose in the music, and cool moments,
whether they be female backing singers, hot guitar
licks, or unexpected bursts of keyboards, abound.
"Kohoutek" has lots of Yod and not really as much
musical inventiveness as the next few albums, so it’s
not high on the list, quality wise. It ends with a
rather jarring emergency alert-type tone that should
wake up anyone who hadn’t been paying attention. [AM]
"Contraction" 1973 (Higher Key 3302) [color cover; 500p]

"Contraction" 198 (Swordfish, UK) [b&w cover; 500p]
"Contraction" 1999 (CD Captain Trips, Japan) [CD box-set]
"Contraction" 2006 (Swordfish, UK) [color cover]
Of all the freaky Yahowha LPs nothing can match the

dual mindfuck of "Contraction" and "Expansion". A
really evil feel dominates as Yod pushes you through
the stages of a Messianic acid trip, summing it up
with "doesn't a lightbulb burn the brightest just
before it goes out?". This must have destroyed a few
young psyches and caution is definitely recommended.
The music is aggressive, ominous and creative,
constantly evolving and occasionally intense like
nothing else I've heard. Incredible stuff. Issued as
by Father Yod & the Spirit Of '76, and like all the
early LPs sold only at "The Source", the family's
health food restaurant on Sunset Boulevard. [PL]
~~~
Again, lots of Yod here, but the music behind him
shows a huge leap in creativity and inspiration. I
love the female backing chorus. Sometimes this is
funky, sometimes just plain freaky. The band gets a
terrific groove going here, and while Yod’s squeaks
and squeals knock it off kilter, they somehow seem to
have a feel for where he’s going. This feels to me
like I’m watching a really interesting movie and some
annoying guy in front of me is wearing a large hat,
won’t take it off, and spends half of the movie
talking on a cell phone. Not surprisingly, the
hottest moment of the album is the instrumental
section that closes side one and opens side two, with
some really great guitar noise that hits all of the
right spots. When Yod starts singing again, in the
middle of this mania, he’s thankfully at his most
restrained and it takes a few minutes for him to kill
the mood. The music is so intense that he doesn’t
completely destroy it even when he starts calling
some kid a “scaredy cat” and says “nyah nyah nyah
nyah nyah nyah.” It ends with a gospel-influenced
section of peacefulness. [AM]
"Expansion" 1973 (Higher Key 3303) [color cover; 500p]

"Expansion" 198 (Swordfish, UK) [b&w cover; 500p]
"Expansion" 1999 (CD Captain Trips, Japan) [CD box-set]
The companion piece to "Contraction" is equally scary

though less of a throat-attack, more like Yod trying
to assemble what's left of his and your mind. Lots of
the trademark raw acidrock but also some Grudzien-
style piano and ghostly female voices lurking in the
background as Father continues his sexual/religious
exploration into places you don't really want to go.
Issued as by Father Yod & the Spirit Of '76. The
1980s reissue is sourced from a noisy original. [PL]
~~~
The ante is upped a little here as it’s the first of
their albums to surpass half an hour (at 34 and a
half minutes it’s almost ten minutes longer than the
previous two albums.) Whereas "Contraction" is the
guitar freakout album, this is the keyboard, backing
vocal and feedback freakout album (though eventually
there’s plenty of guitar too). There are at least as
many great moments here as on the predecessor, and
again they hit a really hot groove and push it for
all it’s worth. The use of piano is surprisingly
intense. The good news is that there’s not as much
Yod this time, but the bad news is that his vocals
are even worse, if that could be possible. The
“destroy to build again” chant is pretty wild and
hypnotic, but the whole point of Yod’s existence is
stated early on with “in and out and in and out and
in and out... is what it’s all about” and stuff about
ultimate climax and ultimate orgasms. Skeptics out
there who think charismatic commune leaders like Yod
are in it only for the sex are vindicated, to be sure
(not that the obviousness of it scared away any of
his free-loving disciples.) On the Yod-meter, this is
a little less intense and a little more rambling than
its predecessor, but is pretty comparable, quality-
wise. [AM]
"All Or Nothing At All" 1973 (Higher Key 3304) [500p]

"All Or Nothing At All" 1999 (CD Captain Trips, Japan) [CD
box-set]
Here’s a change of pace: a folky singer/songwriter

album by Yod’s disciples, who revel in the Yod
experience. The female singing (only on a couple of
songs) is pretty nice and the songs are reasonably
tuneful (some are very catchy, actually.) However,
the sparse acoustic (guitar on some songs, piano on
others) accompaniment doesn’t really make for a fully
exciting listening experience, and the six and a half
minute “Renaissance” is particularly tedious. At
least Yod doesn’t sing. The goofy, upbeat “Party
Song” is kind of cute. I think it’s nice to see that
these folks actually have a sense of humor, but that
song is certain to annoy some less tolerant listeners
(this is not to suggest that intolerant listeners
would even attempt to check out Yod albums!) Nice
back cover photo of the whole clan. The CD from the
box set includes four quite good bonus tracks in a
pop/soul vein, and with a full band. One entitled “Do
Me” is sung by Yod’s women. Does anyone know how and
when these songs were first released? [AM]
"2" 1974 (Higher Key no #) [inner bag; 5000p]

"2" 1999 (CD Captain Trips, Japan) [CD box-set]
A k a "Ya Ho Wa 13" or (inaccurately) "Savage Sons of

Yahowa" - this shows a big pic of Father wearing a
robe and medallion on the cover, staring into the
camera. He's on vocals and the LP is pretty freaky in
a song-oriented style with a gritty 70s Stones-sound,
crude and uncompromising. Not one of their finest
hours, but certainly an unusual experience. According
to band member Djin, this may have been pressed in
5000 copies, unlike the others. [PL]
~~~
This album, like "All Or Nothing At All", consists of
actual songs. This time they're rock songs, with an
obvious debt to the Rolling Stones. Some of them are
kind of cool ("Because," with its minimalist rip on
"Honky Tonk Woman," the hypnotic "Magical Lady," and
the choppy, almost proto-punk, "Little Doggie" are
the best), but the songs get less interesting as they
go along. Most importantly Yod's singing is even more
annoying in the context of attempted melodies than it
is in the land of free form. Here I find him utterly
unlistenable. [AM]
"Penetration" 1974 (Higher Key 3307) [500p]

"Penetration" 198 (Higher Key)
"Penetration" 199 (CD)
"Penetration" 1999 (CD Captain Trips, Japan) [CD box-set]
"Penetration" 2003 (Swordfish, UK)
This tribal acid fuzz monster trip seems to be many's

favorite YHWH item (including some of the band
members themselves). Intense, evil ritual scenes are
projected as Yod pounds out the beat of the time on
his kettle drum while Djin, Octavius and Sunflower
elaborate brilliantly on top. In terms of sheer
"music" this is probably the best and most ambitious
of all theirs, and can be lined up against any German
spacerock or S F acid jam with flying colors. I
challenge anyone to come up with a more tortured,
mindpiercing guitar tone than Djin delivers on both
sides. Excellent recording with stereo effects and
spooky vocal overlays, unlike their usual garage
improvisations. What came across as "silence" on the
old vinyl boot was in fact low-volume feedback
ambience that contributes to the controlled, eerie
mood. A deep and challenging artistic statement
worthy of great respect. Has a superb sleeve of
Father in full action as well. The 1980s bootleg is
pretty close, but the label writing on the boot is in
slightly less black ink than the (black) original
writing. On the bootleg the names of Octavius and
Djin have been cut off by the sleeve opening. [PL]
~~~
This is the easiest Yod album to recommend, partly
because Yod is barely on it at all, but mostly
because it really is a great, powerful piece of
music. There are four long songs, mostly
instrumental, with a dark feel, heavy atmosphere and
absolutely killer guitar playing. The opening song
builds for several minutes; the sense of control they
have as a band is second only to the lack of control
Yod has as a singer. A few moans and mumbles and even
some whistling from Yod are relatively inoffensive,
thankfully. This album may not have the same kind of
freak value as "Contraction" and "Expansion", but it
has every bit as much musical strength. The
monotonous pounding drum does grate a bit, though.
[AM]
"I'm Gonna Take You Home" 1974 (Higher Key 3309, 2LPs) [500p;
gatefold]
"I'm Gonna Take You Home" 1987 (vinyl) [bootleg; single LP; no
gatefold]
"I'm Gonna Take You Home" 199 (CD)
"I'm Gonna Take You Home" 1999 (CD Captain Trips, Japan) [CD
box-set]
"I'm Gonna Take You Home" 2002 (Swordfish, UK) [single LP;
gatefold]
Perhaps the most wellknown Ya Ho Wa-LP and one of the

first to be reissued, you need only look at the
unparalleled sleeve to know you got your money's
worth! Some rate this very highly but musically I
think it's only about mid-region for their LPs, it
has the usual ripping basement Frisco-style jams and
Yod howling, humming and whistling but can't really
sustain the grip for a full 60 minutes. The total
package is so freaky that the artefact value is high
enough to make it essential anyway. Despite of being
a double album, the playtime is short enough that the
first bootleg compressed the music onto a single
disc, and (unfortunately) removed the gatefold. The
recent Swordfish release is a nice job. [PL]
~~~
This album starts with lots of Yod, and with a 50
minute length, it appears that it could become an
endurance test, but he mellows out quickly and most
of this is instrumental. It’s not as good as
"Penetration", but it certainly has its moments. At
one point, some wacked out guitar backs Yod making
buzzing noises, which is really intense, even when
the buzzing morphs into some out of key screaming.
The second song, in particular, has an almost
mainstream heavy sound to it, kind of a 70s update of
the best work of Quicksilver Messenger Service. It
may be their best song of all, and it’s an easy one
to play for newcomers because it doesn’t have a
moment of Yod on it! [AM]
"To The Principles, For The Children" 1974 (Higher Key 19393)
[500p]
"To The Principles, For The Children" 1994 (Higher Key, UK)
[bootleg]
"To The Principles, For The Children" 1999 (CD Captain Trips,
Japan) [CD box-set]
Last Yahowha outing with Father Yod in charge, not

absolute top level for me but still essential for
purveyors of the scene. Yod spells it all out for you
on three long cuts with crude acidrock mixed with
some quiter moments, and even the Ya Ho Wa family
children get to pay tribute to Father on the closing
track. Another great sleeve with Yod in full
millionaire gear heading for his Rolls on the front
and dressed up as Santa Claus on the flip. The family
believed that the only thing that attracts people in
LA is money, which explains the show-offy nature of
these mid-period releases. [PL]
~~~
This one begins with a spoken word Yod bit that
cracks up his disciples, and goes on to have not only
lots of Yod singing but also a whole bunch more of
the pounding drums that were "Penetration"’s one main
fault. Musically a bit mellower than past albums, and
while the guitar work is still pretty cool, there’s
not much of an edge here. The cutting, menacing
guitar tone is here replaced by a phase shifter. Best
lyrical moment: Yod singing about how you should
never abuse a woman. Best musical moment: a gaggle of
kids singing “oh ya ho wa we love you.” But basically
this one is much more irritating than entertaining.
[AM]
"Savage Sons Of Yahowa" 1974 (Higher Key 010) [500p; inner

sleeve]
"Savage Sons Of Yahowa" 198 (Higher Key 010) [legit 2nd
press?]
"Savage Sons Of Yahowa" 1999 (CD Captain Trips, Japan) [CD
box-set]
The most "commercial" or "normal" of their LPs though

these terms are used in a strictly relative manner.
Yod isn't here at all, instead we get vaguely Neil
Young-influenced ramblings on 70s "aware" topics like
environmental concerns and Red Indians. This has less
freaky jams and is more song-oriented than their
others with some really good tracks, plus the broken
lament "I thought I was Jesus" over and over lets you
know hanging out with Father Yod wasn't all fun and
games. At least two cover variants exist. [PL]
~~~
More actual songs! This time Yod doesn’t sing, and
the results are much more listenable. This is
straightforward 70s rock, somewhere between Neil
Young, Dr. John and the Stones. Basically, it’s
decent but not great music with some excellent guitar
playing in spots and an appealing sleazy vibe in
others. Most of them get a nice groove going, even if
the (probably one-take) feel of the thing is a little
slipshod. Not their most interesting album, but
probably their most listenable. [AM]
"Golden Sunrise" 1975 (Higher Key) [8-track format only]

"Golden Sunrise" 1982 (Psycho 2, UK) [marble vinyl; 300p]
"Golden Sunrise" 199 (CD)
"Golden Sunrise" 1999 (CD Captain Trips, Japan) [CD box-set]
Originally issued only on 8-track as by Fire Water &

Air, Psycho picked this up for their first non-comp
release. Probably recorded after Father left his body
via a hang-gliding accident in Hawaii mid-1975,
leaving Arelich/Sky Saxon, Djin and the guys free to
elaborate on Red Indians, pollution, Atlantis and
more in a great basement hippie psychjam context. On
the Ya Ho Wa scale this lands somewhere between
"Savage Sons" and "Take you home", in other words
it's song-oriented yet pretty freaky. Those familiar
with Sky Saxon's 70s work will recognize the moods
and style, although the tracks here are longer and
more acidrock-influenced. Some outtakes from this
session appear as bonus tracks on the Yahowha CD box
set. See also "Masters Of Psychedelia" under the Sky
Saxon entry. Some copies of the Psycho release came
with the original 8-track sticker attached. [PL]
~~~
Due to the original release being on an 8-track tape
only, this is the longest of all of the Yahowa-
related albums, at 60 minutes. Since there’s no Yod
on it, there aren’t any really awkward and ear-
shattering moments, but whoever sings on this one
isn’t exactly “tuneful” either, and it’s still a lot
to stomach at once. The basic sound is pretty heavy,
in the same manner as the tougher songs on "I'm Gonna
Take You Home". Djinn truly is a guitar wizard, and
the dark tone of this album really shows him off at
his best. The nine-minute opener, “Time Travel,” is
almost as good as the killer second song on "Take You
Home", at least until it morphs into “Food For the
Hungry” and the singing comes in. It even sounds
(dare I say it) like they rehearsed it! Elsewhere the
great moments are more thinly dispersed, but they’re
there. Patient listeners will find a lot to like
here, though it’s not consistent enough to match
their very top works and gets less interesting as it
goes along. Some songs here are surprisingly poppy.
They’re not exactly mainstream, but could probably
have gotten some radio play without freaking anyone
out. [AM]
"Yod Ship Suite" 1976 (Father) [no sleeve]

"Yod Ship Suite" 199 (no label, UK) [new sleeve]
"Yod Ship Suite" 1999 (CD Captain Trips, Japan) [CD box-set]
Their last one, this includes Sky Saxon on vocals.

Sounds like a lament/tribute to the (deceased) Father
in a burnt out hippie folk-psych setting with flutes
and acoustic guitars and the usual trancey flow,
another nicely freaky LP although decidedly low-key
in mood, and perhaps mainly for the already
initiated. This is the rarest of all Yahowha LPs,
only a couple of copies are known to exist. [PL]
~~~
The inclusion of Sky Saxon on this one obviously
makes it (theoretically) of interest to a wider
audience. Unfortunately, though, the music is in a
flute-heavy folky mystical mode, rather than the
guitar-heavy stuff they do best. Even more
unfortunately, most of the vocals are pretty awful.
Saxon doing a Yod impression? Most of this is
rambling and chant-heavy, and while the lyrics may
have been partially written ahead of time, the
“melodies” were obviously improvised in a stream-of-
consciousness way. Music to try to meditate to except
that much of it is so strident that you’d keep losing
your focus. At one point a female backing chorus
moans over a guitarist practicing his scales. It
sounds to me like a rehearsal, not a performance. In
case I haven’t yet made my point, this one is
dreadfully dull. [AM]
"Yod Ship Suite, pt 3" 1976 (Father) [1-sided LP]
This obscure one-sided LP was left off the Japanese

box-set, probably because noone remembered it. I was
surprised to find a considerably more aggressive
sound than the preceding LP. "Part 3" consists of 14
minutes of music, the first half which is a
successful variation on Yod sounds such as
"Contraction", with a full-on psychedelic rock sound,
evil guitars and Sky Saxon rambling like Fathers'
lost son. The second half (crudely spliced on) is
somewhat more introspective, like the mellower tracks
on "Golden Sunrise". Djin Aquarian recently revealed
that the "Part 3" recordings, although not released
until 1977-78, were actually laid down in 1973 with
the original Spirit Of '76 band, which explains their
vintage sound. All over a very appealing piece
despite its short play-time, hopefully to be reissued
some day. The few copies found come in a crude psychy
sleeve. [PL]
"The Operetta" 2004 (Swordfish UK) [2 LPs]
Spread over four sides of album this singular

occurrence (recorded 1974) features some of the most
crazed output from Father Yod and The Family. I was
wary of this issue as I suspected the sound quality
might be poor and that the barrel was being scraped.
The sound quality is very good and the music
definitely in the same league as their other
releases. The gatefold LP comes with a pseudo-
transcript of the events in the San Francisco
warehouse where this was recorded early in the
morning, documenting some of the spontaneous lyrics.
So it is possible, although perhaps not desirable, to
attempt to ‘make sense’ of it all. As the LP
progresses the sound becomes increasingly liquid,
pounding and intense. The sensation when listening is
of becoming completely lost in the sound, utter
dissolution occurs. There is always form in the
chaos. However, all form is regularly lost, only to
be pulled back from the edge by Father Yod mustering
the might of His Sons from the Good Ship Yod. These
fellows sail some dangerous high seas. The wild
drumming really makes this recording stand out as it
is right at the forefront. Hallmark feedback and
demonic guitar solos vie with Father Yod on superb,
raving, form. I would rate this somewhere between
“Penetration” and “Golden Sunrise”. The demented
trumpet of Golden Sunrise is deployed to devastating
effect here, just where you least expect it.
Occasionally, it sounds like a more ‘live’ version of
“I’m gonna take you home”. And so, it only remains to
be said: “It is time for a mating.” “Get it on with
the tree.” [RI]
YAMA & THE KARMA DUSTERS (Chicago, IL)
"Up From The Sewers" 1970 (Euphoria Blimpworks/Manhole 1)

[1000p]
Pro-level mix of urban Dylan & Zappa-inspired

counterculture and rootsy Dead '70 rural moves.
Appealing sound with a fully electric folkrock
setting, strong vocals, fine arrangements and
ambitious lyrics. A bit left-field for fans of
basement garage/psych, but should appeal to anyone
with an ear for major label-style early 70s
singer/songwriter sounds. Clearly superior to LPs
such as Drnwyn or Nosy Parker. There are a few
variants of this LP; a 'first version' with handmade
covers in circa 150 copies; a version with a printed
fist cover (350p); and a slightly later press with a
rose image cover (500p). [PL]
~~~
This is a pretty appealing folk-rock/rock album. The
lyrics are smart and often funny, and the singer’s
straightforward approach suits the song-stories
within. There’s some nice restrained lead guitar and
a laid-back hippie feel throughout. My favorite
moment: the singer introducing a violin solo with
“blow your harmonica, son”. This has a similar feel
to the Greenwood, Curlee & Clyde album, but some of
it rocks quite a bit harder and these guys seem more
likely to actually join the revolution rather than to
merely sing about it. No truly great songs here, but
overall it’s pretty solid. [AM]
YANCY DERRINGER (Madison, WI)
"Openers" 1975 (Hemisphere 104)

"Openers" 1999 (CD Gear Fab GF-129)
"Openers" 2001 (Gear Fab Comet GFC 410)
This ridiculous stoner hard rock album on the same

label as Clicker and Tongue has attracted attention
because of the 7-minute “Weedburner”. It really is a
great song (albeit with dodgy lyrics), with an eerie
chord progression, some hot slide guitar and a
terrific long spacy ending. The rest of the album is
less heavy, more in a bar-band mode, with occasional
boogie beats and pianos, and lots of lyrics about
partying. They definitely have the feel of a
massively popular local band. Though the guitar and
keyboard solos are mostly pedestrian, the overall
arrangements are clever and unpredictable, and the
album spans a wide range of hard rock styles which
fit together nicely. Most of the album rocks quite
convincingly. The most peculiar song is “Rocket
Roll.” It has a poppy melody and high vocals
reminiscent of Rick Derringer’s “Teenage Love
Affair,” but breaks the mood for a bizarre spacy
interlude in the middle, probably just to make sure
that there’s something druggy on every song. This may
not be smart (though they claim pot gives them
“insight”), but its rock and roll instincts are
excellent, and overall this is a surprisingly solid
album, without a dud in the bunch. [AM]
YANKEE DOG (CA)
"Yankee Dog/Aphazia" 1978 (no label) [insert]
Obscure jammy westcoaster with guitar and organ.

Formally a split LP, but the bands are basically the
same except for a keyboard player. Crude cover with
paste-on sheets front and back. The labels are blank.
YANKEE DOLLAR (San Luis Obispo, CA)
"Yankee Dollar" 1969 (Dot 25874) [mono promo]

"Yankee Dollar" 1969 (Dot 25874) [stereo]
"Yankee Dollar" 2000 (Action Records 305, UK)
"Yankee Dollar" 2002 (Akarma 233, Italy)
"Yankee Dollar" 2002 (CD Akarma 233, Italy)
Yet another early Airplane-Mamas & Papas tribute,

though this one's better than most with a classy,
powerful soundscape, fuzz and tough chick vocals on
some (too few) tracks and a nice cheesy Vox organ
used throughout. Folk influences and rich harmonies
summon a Growing Concern spectre. Not a classic, but
several good tracks, and the album is given
additional boost by the strong sonic qualities of the
Dot mastering/pressing. Only promo monos exist. A
mysterious later release/bootleg from Peru exists,
using Dot labels with track titles in Spanish. The
non-LP 45 is pretty good too. [PL]
CHRIS YATES (NJ)

"New Born" 1977 (I.L.S.M)
Basement dreamy organ melodic folk rock. Copies have

been around for years, not an expensive LP.
YAYS & NAYS ( )
"Yays & Nays" 1968 (Neo)
Extraordinary exercise in turned-on 60s cool from odd

band with 3 guys and 3 gals performing a tongue-in-
cheek Men vs Women thematic duel on most of the 12
tracks. Takes obvious inspiration from the Lee &
Nancy duets but with a tough garage folkrock edge
added and bends the gents vs ladies concept at
precisely the right places to create a unique, clever
and funny experience. The women come out on top, at
least the way I heard it. The gals sing ensemble,
while the guys (or the main guy) is typically solo
and often moves into a "manly" Elvis/Lee H crooning
that's just right for the trip. Great, varied
songwriting. Hard to describe accurately, needs to be
heard by everyone. Cool cover shows the band clad in
vintage gear in a swamp, probably some sort of
subliminal message. [PL]
~~~
YEAR ONE ( )
"Year One" 1976 (no label yo-52347/8) [2 LPs; gatefold]
Apparently this is Fantasy without the female singer.

Why that band would jettison its best asset is beyond
me, but she would have given some nice energy to this
sprawling prog/jazz/rock concept piece. There’s a lot
going on here and a lot of energy was put into this
album, and it gets points for being an uncompromising
mix of styles. Some of it works and some doesn’t;
surprisingly a few jazzy instrumental pieces are
highlights while the few bits of space rock don’t
fare as well. Not a great album, but not a dull one
either. [AM]
YELLOW AUTUMN (Los Angeles, CA)
"Children Of The Mist" 1977 (Vala vc 4599) [insert]
Impressive late hippie folk album with male/female

vocals, acoustic guitar, flute, violin - all the
right ingredients. Raga-influence on several tracks
including a spellbinding meditation on suicide that
alone makes the LP, which also brings in some UK
trad-folk. Comparable to Modality Stew but better,
with obvious psych remnants. Band leader Gary
Creighton passed away from a heart condition only a
few years after making this. [PL]
~~~
As American approximations of UK folk go, this is one
of the best. There’s an appealing hippie/gypsy vibe
to it, and the long song about suicide is truly
horrifying. Excellent acoustic guitar playing adds to
the appeal. [AM]
YESTERDAY's CHILDREN (CT)
"Yesterday's Children" 1969 (Map City 3012)

"Yesterday's Children" 2001 (Akarma 179, Italy)
"Yesterday's Children" 2001 (CD Akarma 179, Italy)
This is a good one for fans of really hairy, greasy

hard rockers. The guitars are grungy as hell and the
production style is appealingly loud. Two of the
highlights are covers, Wilkinsons Tricycle’s “What Of
I” and a short version of Spooky Tooth’s “Evil
Woman,” but the originals are strong too. A good one.
Highly recommended to fans of the first two Blue
Cheer albums. The band had a good 45 in their earlier
"garage" phase. An original Italian pressing of the
LP exists. [AM]
YETTI-MEN (Minneapolis, MN)
"Yetti-Men / Uppa Trio" 1965 (KAL 4348) [split LP]
Somewhat legendary 1-sided spooky Midwestern

surf/garage album, the other LP side wasted on folk
group the Uppa Trio. Three of the six Yetti tracks
have been reissued on Hipsville Vol 3, giving you a
taste of their unique understated vision - "High
Himalayas" is too much, and there's some prototype
garage moves on "My baby left me". Sounds like early
Index on a freezing Winter night gig in Minneapolis.
[PL]
YEZDA URFA (Portage, IN)
"Boris" 1975 (Universal Studios)

"Boris" 200 (CD Syn-Phonic)
Legendary local rarity with an interesting mix of

styles. Opens like a late 60s westcoast folkrock LP,
then moves into Yes-style symph/prog sounds with
tempo shifts, moog leads and frantic playing.
Basement recording with a live feel and plenty of
enthusiasm saves this from the usual prog-rock traps,
and the tongue-in-cheek, showtune feel that runs
through it is an advantage in this context.
Excellent, high-pitched vocals is another plus. Side
1 is impressive throughout, while some of the unique
dementia is missing on the too-proggish side 2. While
no great fan of the style this is an LP I'll probably
return to in the future. Their second LP "Sacred
Baboon" unfortunately is prog at its worst and loses
all the positive aspects of "Boris". Some unreleased
tapes in the "Boris" style are in circulation. CD
reissue is from master tapes. [PL]
~~~
This private press prog album has a really
professional sound, with ultra-high male vocals in a
Yes mode (actually, they most resemble the singer
from the obscure prog band Facedancers). A really
cool, powerful synth sound is highly effective early
on but gets used a bit too much without variation,
and over the whole album the constant tempo and
rhythm shifts fall into the usual prog trap: they’re
trying too hard and sucking the life out of their
(mostly instrumental) melodies. That’s not to say
that this album doesn’t have merit, though. Despite
its faults it’s one of the most interesting albums in
the genre, and the first five minutes or so should
blow away even the most jaded listener. Too bad they
didn’t write a couple of actual songs to give the
listener some breathing room between the epics. [AM]
JOHN YLVISAKER (MN)
"Cool Livin'" 1967 (Avant Garde av-107)
One of the first LPs by this celebrated Christian

crooner, whose rich tenor voice makes for a
remarkable experience when delivering well-written
Lutheran messages over Grassroots type folkrock. This
finds him in a more rocking context than "A Love
Song", with excellent garage/psych tracks such as "Do
You Know What I Have Done" plus lots of penetrating
wisdom. Might be too far out for some, though
everyone I know thinks it great. He was sort of
ridiculed in one of the Re/Search books but I don't
regard him as a joke at all -- in my ears his LPs are
more clever and enjoyable than the average "real"
psych LP. There is a sampler reissue on the Mystic
label (circa 1997) with about ½ this LP and ½ "A Love
Song", which is pretty well selected. [PL]
~~~
"A Love Song" 1968 (Avant Garde av-112)
The rarer second Avant Garde LP has fewer standout

tracks but is more consistent so I'll call it a draw.
The Christian lounge-folkrock-psych eclectics are
brought to their conclusion with mindboggling results
- sorta like if Elvis had returned as a TV reverend.
Ylvisaker is a sharp guy with a clearer view than
most, which combined with the pro-level music and
powerful vocals create an impressive experience.
"Noise Of Solemn Assemblies" and "Palm
Sunday" (omitted on the Mystic sampler) are flowing
studio psych-folkrock of the highest order, recalling
the organ-led Northeast '68 sound in particular.
American culture at its finest. There is also a
British release on Liberty. [PL]
~~~
"Don't Cut The Baby In Half" 196 (no label S6-6687)
One of Ylvisaker's rarest, "assorted biblical

narratives" according to the sleeve. The LP was
recorded live at a seminary gathering, and includes
versions of some tracks also on his Avant Garde LPs.
This may actually pre-date the Avant Garde run. Other
Ylvisaker LPs include "Contemporary Sounds" with the
Carillion Singers (early 1970s); "Praise The
Lord" (Avant Garde 102, 1967); "Follow Me" (Avant
Garde 111, 1968). He also appears with several
acoustic tracks on the 3 LP set "Happening At The
Gathering" (1968) and other LPs, going back to the
early 1960s. He's still active today.
"Recorded At A Housewarming For Fritzie" 1972 (Soular Module

sm-251)
Live-in-living room jamming with guitarist Blakeley

and their friends pitching in for a homemade
hootenanny. An intriguing mix of folk blues and
spirituals. [RM]
MICHAEL YONKERS (MN)
"Microminiature Love" 2002 (De Stijl 028) [500p]

"Microminiature Love" 2003 (CD Sub Pop sp 508)
The discovery and phoenix-like ascension into cult

status of Michael Yonkers is one of the more
remarkable stories in the music underground of recent
years, and one that few people could have missed.
Yonkers appeared with two old tracks on the "Free
Flight" sampler (1997), which is what put DeStijl on
his trail. The 1968 recordings found on
"Microminiature Love" are mandatory in outsider
circles. Yonkers' 1970s releases are as follows:
"Grimwood" (1974), "Michael Lee Yonkers" (1974),
"Goodbye Sunball" (1974), "Borders Of My
Mind" (1974), "Thy Will Be Done" (1976); all on his
own self-titled label. Much of the material was
recorded earlier than the release year. There is also
a recent recording, "It's Only Yonkers".
YOUNG BROTHERS (IL)
"High Energy Rock" 1978 (GDS 781136) [yellow vinyl]
Midwest Christian fuzz hardrock with three brothers

on guitars and Kenny Mooney on drums.
YUKON RAILROAD CO (CA)
"Yukon Railroad Co." 197 (Big Hole 75-001)
Rural hippie rock and country-rock in a New Riders-

70s Dead-Nitty Gritty Dirt Band direction. Possibly
from Tustin.
"YOUNG PROPHECIES '68" (KS)
"Young Prophecies 68" 1968 (Audio House ah-9068)
The 'official' record from the same teen music camp

that Smack came out of. Directed by Bill Cline who
also co-wrote several tracks. Mostly moody folk and
light rock with a couple tracks touching on the
Vietnam War experience. The highlight from an
underground perspective is Phil Brown's "Super Sam",
a druggy hipster cool, from a teenage prism, rewrite
of Donovan's "Season of the Witch". Phil was a member
of Smack. [RM]

ZAHARAS (Hickory, NC)
"Livin' Ain't Easy" 1977 (Vegas 9739)
This hard rock album dates to the mid-70s but sounds

more modern, almost 80s. On the first few songs, two
of which are slower and more deliberate than your
typical hard rock/southern rock fare, the songwriting
and guitar playing are surprisingly subtle for this
style of music. The hooks aren't exactly original,
but they're effective. When they veer towards more
common boogie stylings, though, they're less
interesting, and the quality of songs disspates
pretty quickly after the first three. Most of the
lyrics are love song drivel, unfortunately. For an
album that starts so well, the end result is kind of
disappointing. [AM]
"Blackbird" 1978 (Vegas) [plain cover]
The seldom seen second LP is purportedly similar but

with more personal and interesting lyrics, and
according to a band member deals with death and
occult themes on several songs.
V.A "ZEBRA SELECTION" (IL)
"Zebra Selection" 1967 (Drocer no #) [b&w paste-on]
Mix of garage pop and soul. Produced for the local

Junior Achievement chapter. The title refers to the
fact that there are two white and three black groups
represented. Bands are the Nightriders, the Junior
Jive Kings, Johnny & the Impalas, the Cavaliers and
the Knights Of Soul. [RM]
ZENITH EFFLUVEUM (Rochester, NY)
"Almost Made It In The USA" 1978 (Separate)
This new wave era psych album has the feel of

unrestrained teenagers getting stoned and recording
everything they've ever written in one day. It's six
songs that take up 48 minutes, and the messy
arrangements include clarinets, synthesizers and
unidentified noise. The songs ramble (the closing 13-
minute song is a suite of sorts, but doesn't exactly
feel carefully structured.) The vocals are unmelodic
in the mode of 70s bands like MX-80 Sound or Debris,
or 90s bands like Pavement and Built To Spill. The
long guitar solo on "Opie" is a definte highlight,
and the wild feel of this will appeal to some. I
think a producer might have helped, though, and a 35-
minute album minus the entire closing song/suite
would have been a more listenable record. [AM]
ZERFAS (Indianapolis, IN)
"Zerfas" 1973 (700 West LH 730710) [500p]

"Zerfas" 1994 (700 west) [several inserts; 500p]
"Zerfas" 199 (Atlas, Europe) [bootleg]
"Zerfas" 2004 (CD Radioactive 050, UK)
"Zerfas" 2004 (Radioactive 050, UK)
One of the top local jobs in the 1970s epic psych-

rock bag with an awesome westcoasty panorama
soundscape, strong vocals and brilliant late-Beatle
style songwriting. The first side is as good as the
A-side on Marcus and the vaguely progressive moves on
the flip talented and focused as well, with a peak in
the tremendous "Piper" closing track. The album sides
open with what are arguably the two weakest tracks,
which may turn some listeners off, but patience will
pay off most gloriously. A Midwest masterpiece with
wide appeal, firmly on my personal 70s top ten. I
recommend the first, legal reissue from tapes for the
best trip on this outstanding "Abbey Road" out of
Indy. Unfortunately 125 copies of this reissue were
defective so only 375 went into circulation. The
Radioactive reissues have a poor mastering job and
are not recommended. [PL]
~~~
Stunning psych album can only be described as what
might have happened if the Beatles had pushed the
psychedelic experiments of Revolver into late
60s/early 70s territory and re-discovered their youth
at the same time. An album that is so chock full of
ideas, great songwriting, and clever production
tricks that I discover something new on every single
listen. This is an example of ambitious kids setting
out to make the world's greatest record, and pretty
much succeeding. Among the many things to love about
this album is the lead guitar sound, the most perfect
I've ever heard. An album that pretty much blows away
everyone, and that rare proof that with enough time
and attention a private press can match any major
label recording. [AM]
~~~
ZETA RETICULI see Elliot, Walter & Bennet

LORRI ZIMMERMAN (Canada)
"Lorri Zimmerman" 1969 (Crescent City)
Zimmerman was a member of Life, but left before they

recorded their album, opting instead for this solo
LP. The result has been lost in space and time,
missing from reference books and rare record dealers’
catalogues, and rarely mentioned by collectors or
Canadian rock aficionados. Why it’s so unknown is a
mystery, since it’s a completely terrific album, one
of the very best 60s rock albums by a female singer.
Think about all of those post-Airplane bands who
jumped on the bandwagon by hiring a female singer and
buying a fuzzbox. Then imagine that all of them
pooled their best songs, had the good sense to let
the woman sing all of them, and left out the acoustic
ballads and wanky blues jams. Then they hired a
producer who didn’t go overboard trying to be trendy
and trippy. This is pretty much what you’d have.
Zimmerman has a voice that’s alternately powerful and
affecting; she’s as suited to folk-rockers like
“Paint Me A Picture” as she is to tougher rock like
“Bidin’ My Time.” The latter is an appropriate
metaphor for her singing style, as she hits the high
notes and brings on the power exactly when it’s
needed most. The arrangement of these songs, and her
timing as a singer, is ace. She’s not a songwriter,
but the majority of these excellent songs were
written by her collaborators, so there’s a feeling of
consistency and comfort. Some of the guitar playing
will hit the right spots for psych heads, but mostly
this is just great unpretentious rock and roll
without much experimentation. Needless to say, highly
recommended. In the 70s, Zimmerman would join the
bilingual group Toulouse. [AM]
ZINI (MO)
"Better Than A Kick In The Teeth" 197 (Cabin 38074) [500p]

"Better Than A Kick In The Teeth" 2000 (Synoptik, Europe)
"Better Than A Kick In The Teeth" 2005 (Breeder Backtrack 266,
Austria)
Obscure and somewhat underrated rural mullet-rock

westcoasty AOR LP with good harmony vocals and a
professional sound all around. Strong songwriting a
la early Eagles and Poco with a Neil Young vibe on
the best tracks; 2-3 wimpy tracks suck but all over a
pretty good trip into 1970s Camaro cruising sounds.
The excellent opening track gives a good idea about
this album's strengths. Release year has been listed
as both 1974, 1977 and 1980; could well be the
latter. [PL]
ZIPPER (Portland, OR)
"Zipper" 1975 (Whizeagle 0001) [poster]

"Zipper" 199 (Way Back, Germany) [+2 bonus tracks]
Fred Cole’s mid-70s album is as uncompromising as

anything he’s done. His vocal style is especially
strident on these hard rock songs, which don’t have
the garage-style feel of Dead Moon or the occasional
subtleties of Lollipop Shoppe. The first song is a
bunch of raunchy double-entendres. Pretty twisted.
There’s a kind of saminess as this album moves along,
probably due to uninspired songwriting. Still, this
is worth hearing. It’s unique and wild. The cover is
handmade to the extreme. [AM]
ZIPPYR BAND ( )
"Early Sunday Mornin'" 1977 (Castle TZB 10177)
Midwest Allman Bros-style guitar rock with heavy

moves.
ZODIACS ( )
"Breaking Out" 1965 (Space 12-1965) [no cover]
Seldom seen sleeveless teen-beat LP with guitars &

piano.
ZOLDAR & CLARK ( )
"Zoldar & Clark" 1977 (Dellwood 56013)
I'm not a fanatical progressive collector so it's

kind of a surprise that this rather obscure album has
managed to worm its way into my heart. Propelled by a
sea of synthesizers, musically the set's firmly
entrenched in the progressive camp (check out the
extended instrumental "Luner Progressions"), though
tracks such as "Touch the Sky" and "The Ghost of Way"
are surprisingly accessible. The group certainly had
a knack for crafting catchy hooks and whoever handled
the lead vocals had a nice and quite commercial
voice. In fact with a little bit of editing, several
songs would have given bands like Ambrosia, Kansas,
Styx and even Yes a run for their FM radio play.
Sure, it wasn't the year's most original offering,
but give me these guys over Starcastle any day! Man,
side two of this album seems to go by in a flash.
[SB]
~~~
The second of the two Jasper Wrath albums secretly
released by Guinness/Dellwood is the better and more
experimental of the two. It has a similar prog/AOR
sound with a very obvious Yes influence (including a
few blatant thefts). It has more synth, more
mellotron, and more special effects than the Arden
House album, and unlike Arden House, all seven songs
here sound like they were recorded in the same
sessions. The album may not appeal to fans of the
Jasper Wrath album, or to psych fans, but as 70s US
progressive rock goes, this is one of the best albums
out there. Highlights include the truly awesome
“Ghost of Way”, an epic with killer mellotron and an
amazing host of instruments and structural surprises.
It’s the kind of creative experimentation that I
think of when I call music “progressive” in a
positive way. Elsewhere are unusual uses of time
signatures, terrific guitar playing and complex ideas
done so smoothly as to sound simple. This is a really
great record. As with the Arden House album, the
songs are arranged haphazardly, with side one 21
minutes and side two 12 minutes. Jasper Wrath
released a non-LP single, “You/General Gunther,” in
1976 and it has the same production sound as these
albums. Seeing as these albums were released without
Jasper Wrath’s knowledge (and the fake names assured
that Jasper Wrath wouldn’t have an easy time
discovering them), it’s interesting to speculate why
they had 80 minutes (including both albums and the
single) of professionally produced material just
sitting around gathering dust. Did they plan two
albums? A double LP? [AM]
~~~
see -> Arden House; Jasper Wrath
ZOO (Los Angeles, CA)
"Presents Chocolate Moose" 1968 (Sunburst 7500)

"Presents Chocolate Moose" 198 (no label)
"Presents Chocolate Moose" 1993 (CD Big Beat wik-123, UK)
"Presents Chocolate Moose" 2002 (CD Radioactive 010, UK)
Sunset Strip club rock with soul and r'n'b moves,

solid guitarwork and some psychy tracks on side 2.
~~~
see -> Mad Dog

Acid Archives

Transféré par

Informations du document

Description originale:

Copyright

Formats disponibles

Partager ce document

Partager ou intégrer le document

Options de partage

Avez-vous trouvé ce document utile ?

Ce contenu est-il inapproprié ?

Droits d'auteur :

Formats disponibles

Acid Archives

Transféré par

Droits d'auteur :

Formats disponibles

AARON (VA)

"Music By Aaron" 1974 (Eastern ERS 539) [500p]

This LP may show up on dealer lists with a pretty big

PAUL ABELL (CA)

"Rivers Of The Heart" 1981 (Arcana) [insert]

Soft cosmic psych with oboe, flute, cello, etc. The

"Here Come The Abbrev's" 1966 (American Division 3074)

Garage cover band with one original ("True fine

"Solo" 1975 (Avanti)

Mix of cosmic loner folk and some tracks with

"Introducing" 1966 (Justice 134)

No surprises on this Justice LP; Carolina beach music

A CID SYMPHONY (Berkeley, CA)

The artists' name are actually Fischbach & Ewing,

V.A "ACME SAUSAGE CO" (Canada)

"Acme Sausage Co" 1972 (no label) [gatefold]

"In Your Eye" 1973 (Coronet no #)

Singer/songwriter with folk and blues influences,

DOUGLAS ADAMS see Light Rain

AERON – PALTEREON (San Francisco, CA)

"The Far Memory of the Elves" 1979 (Eldar Productions)

Strange little album that could have been marketed as

Falling somewhere in the musical spectrum between The

AESSENCE (Detroit, MI)

"Aessence" 1985 (Freezer) [insert; 300#d]

Hippie folk and singer/songwriter sounds with

AFTER ALL (Tallahassee, FL)

"After All" 1969 (Athena 6006)

Overlooked but pretty good moody late 60s

AFTERGLOW (Chico, CA)

"Afterglow" 1968 (MTA 5010)

Above average low budget garage/pop album on cool and

"First Day of Summer" 1975 (Lark 2288)

Rural stoner guitar rock.

AGAPE (Azusa, CA)

A well-known item even 20 years ago, though now it's

"Victims of Tradition" 1973 (Renrut agape-101) [500p]

Less famous second LP is clearly superior in my ears,

"The Problem is Sin" 1973 (8-track private) [no vinyl release]

8-track only live recording from CA college gig in

"Le Troisieme Seuil" 1972 (no label)

Doomy progressive with sinister organ and scary

AGE OF REASON (DC/VA)

"Age Of Reason" 1969 (Georgetowne no #)

Bad post-acid soul/FM rock LP with a number of poorly

AGGREGATION (Los Angeles, CA)

"Mind Odyssey" 1969 (LHI S 12008) [gatefold]

see full-length review

EDEN AHBEZ (CA)

"Eden's Island" 1960 (Del-Fi DFLP 1211) [mono]

Excellent and historically significant milestone in

"Lead Me to the Garden" 1980 (Kumanu km-1001) [gatefold]

While this album has a distinctive 1970s vibe, forget

"Last Song First Side" 1973 (Black Walnut 3001)

Unusual blend of styles on this obscure private

ALAN FRANKLIN EXPLOSION see Franklin, Alan

JIM ALAN (Madison, WI)

"Tales of the Songsmith" 1982 (Circle Sanctuary)

Pagan mystic folk in similar style to Gwydion. The

ALBATROSS (Salem, VA)

"Rockin' the Sky" 1975 (Dominion 1023)

Southern hardrock with beautiful fantasy landscape

"Albatross" 1976 (Anvil 1001)