The Collage were a vocal sunshine pop quartet from California, 2 girls, Jodie & Donna and 2 boys, Jerry & Ron with a very cool sound. Not enough though, to set them apart from the pack, but very "groovy" out of their context. The sound is as good as re-discovered groups like Free Design, or Millenium. In fact, Curt Boettcher wrote one of the songs ("Would You Like To Go”) on the lp, as well as one by Roger Nichols ("Can I Go”). The arrangements are by the great Perry Botkin Jr., and he gives the whole record a nice swirling, magical quality, and the rest of the album is just as impressive, and should please any lover of the genre. (Jack Dominilla) 01 - Looking At A Baby 02 - Drifting 03 - Rainy Blue Memory Day 04 - Any Day's A Sunday Afternoon 05 - My Mind's At Ease 06 - Virginia Day's Ragtime Memories 07 - Can I Go 08 - She's Just Laughing At Me 09 - Ragged Clown 10 - Wouild You Like To Go LINK
Vinegar Joe was a British R&B band in the early 1970s, who were best known for their live shows. The core members were lead singers Elkie Brooks and Robert Palmer, bassist Steve York, keyboard player Tim Hinkley and guitarist Pete Gage who also played piano. Conrad Isidore played drums on their first album Vinegar Joe. Their debut LP was released in April 1972. They released three albums on Island Records in the UK and Atco Records in the U.S.. Although the band never achieved significant record sales, they toured extensively, playing numerous sell-out concerts, especially on the British university circuit. After the band dissolved at the end of 1973, both Brooks and Palmer went on to enjoy success as solo musicians. Pete Gage became a record producer working with a range of successful musicians like Joan Armatrading and specialising in upcoming rockability and punk bands such as Restless, King Kurt and others.
01 - So Long 02 - Charley's Horse 03 - Rock 'N' Roll Gypsies 04 - Falling 05 - It's Gettin' To The Point 06 - Whole Lotta Shakin' Going On 07 - Buddy Can You Spare Me A Line- 08 - Angel 09 - No One Ever Do 10 - Forgive Us
This hard rock trio from Boston, famous for making the opening for the Velvet Underground and because Yesterday's Childrens made a version of one of his songs, was composed by Michael Clemens (drums), David Mello (guitar) and Richard Porter (bass). Wilkinson Tri-Cycle's only album is similar to post-psychedelic heavy rock recordings by East Coast groups like Sir Lord Baltimore and Yesterday's Children in that they combine bluesy heavy rock with psychedelic flourishes. The album is nonetheless treasured by European collectors, who reportedly command a high price for the LP. 01 - What Of I 02 - Leavin' Truck 03 - Davids Rush 04 - Pourscha Poe 05 - Antique Locomotives 06 - 9-5, '59 07 - I Like Your Company 08 - Yellow Wall LINK
Donovan (Donovan Philips Leitch), is a British singer-songwriter and guitarist. Emerging from the British folk scene, he developed an eclectic and distinctive style that blended folk, jazz, pop, psychedelia, and world music. Donovan came to fame in the United Kingdom in early 1965 with a series of live performances on the pop TV series, Ready Steady Go!, and his popularity spread to the US and other countries. After signing with the British label, Pye Records in 1965, he recorded a handful of singles and two albums in the folk music vein. After extricating himself from his original management contract, he began a long and successful collaboration with leading independent record producer Mickie Most, scoring a string of hits in the UK, the US, Australia and other countries. His successful records in the 1960s included the UK hits "Catch the Wind" and "Colours" in 1965, and "Sunshine Superman", topped the US charts the following year, and reached number two in Britain. Donovan was the first artist to be signed to CBS/Epic Records by then-new Administrative Vice President Clive Davis, who later became head of the CBS Record empire. In the early 1970s, Donovan agreed to write and record songs for the English version of Franco Zeffirelli's Brother Sun, Sister Moon (1972). While the film included Donovan's recordings of the songs, the accompanying soundtrack included none of Donovan's original recordings. The absence of these recordings prompted many of Donovan's fans to request an official release of the songs. In order to satisfy demand, Donovan embarked on acquiring the rights to the original recordings. Due to the nature of the original contract and complex publishing rights issues, it became evident to Donovan that releasing the original Brother Sun Sister Moon recordings would be extremely difficult. In the absence of this release, Donovan decided to record new versions of the original songs and release it exclusively through the iTunes Music Store. For the new recordings, Donovan opted not to recreate the lush orchestration and choir vocals of the original recordings. Instead, he plays guitar and sings solo, in a style reminiscent of his Sutras album.
Audience is a cult British Progressive/Art rock band which existed between 1969 and 1972, and reformed in 2004. The original band consisted of Howard Werth on nylon-strung electric acoustic guitar and vocals, Keith Gemmell on tenor sax, flute and clarinet, bass guitarist and vocalist Trevor Williams, and drummer/vocalist Tony Connor. The House on the Hill is the third album by Audience and was released in 1971. At about the same time, a single "Indian Summer" reached number 74 on the Billboard Hot 100; this track was included on later releases of the album. 01 - Jackdaw 02 - You're Not Smiling 03 - I Had A Dream 04 - Raviole 05 - Nancy 06 - Eye To Eye 07 - I Put A Spell On You 08 - The House On The Hill 09 - Indian Summer LINK
Not every worthwhile San Francisco psychedelic group of the late '60s got to record often, or at all. Frumious Bandersnatch were one of the most prominent examples, their output limited to a meager (if good) three-song EP that barely anyone outside of the area heard. The band's stinging guitars were very reminiscent of those employed by Jefferson Airplane's Jorma Kaukonen, Quicksilver Messenger Service, and the Moby Grape; their harmonies, too, were quite close in style to the Airplane and Grape, with vibrating lead vocals in the mold of Marty Balin or the Grape's Bob Mosley. The band were actually formed across the bay from San Francisco in Contra Costa County, and changed personnel several times in their brief lifespan (1967-69). Interest from several record companies came to naught, and the band's only release was a three-song EP on their own label, pressed in a quantity of 1000 and distributed locally. The Golden Songs of Libra LP (on purple vinyl), which has just six songs, must be considered as something of a luxury item for vinyl purists and completist collectors, since only three of the tracks were previously unissued, and all of them are different versions of songs that appear on previous releases. A01 - Hearts To Cry (alternate version) A02 - Chain Reaction A03 - Pulpit Hough A04 - Cheshire (full-length version) B01 - Woodrose Syrup B02 - Can-A-Bliss (full-length version) LINK
A Pittsburgh garage band whose high point was opening for a Rolling Stones concert in 1965. They might have been total unknowns in the grand scheme of things, but they actually managed to cut a few mostly self-penned singles on local labels in 1965 and 1966 that are well respected by '60s collectors. The trio featured two guitarists and a drummer — a bass-less lineup, which is a rarity in rock music. Some of their singles were recorded at a local radio station, and indeed the crudeness of the production is fascinating, with mounds and mounds of reverb making the band sound like nothing so much as a garage punk version of Peter & Gordon. After five singles and an album, the group disbanded and evolved into the Swamp Rats, a harder-edged combo relying almost exclusively on nasty punk versions of big rock and R&B hits. Their one and only album from 1966 contains their great version of "Fight Fire", the strong self compositions "Get Away Girl" and "Love Is Tuff" as well as competent covers of "What A Shame" and "What You're Doing". "Apache" on the other hand sounds like it was taped at their first practice session. The other stuff is in the beat/garage style. The sound is pretty crude but this shouldn't scare you away.
A01 - Fight Fire A02 - Get Away Girl A03 - Shy Girl A04 - Mr. Sad A05 - Two Tymes Two A06 - Apache B01 - You're The One B02 - What A Shame B03 - What You're Doing B04 - Love Is Tuff B05 - Just A Boy B06 - The Love Of Ours
Quintessence was a rock band formed in April 1969, by Raja Ram in Notting Hill, London, England. The style was a mixture of jazz and progressive rock with an influence of music from India. Quintessence was among the first true progressive rock outfits signed by Island Records.The original line-up included the Australian born, Shiva Shankar Jones (voice, keyboards, percussion), Raja Ram (flute, percussion), Sambhu Baba (bass guitar, guitar), Maha Dev (guitar), Allan Mostert (lead guitar,bass guitar,sitar), and Jake Milton (drums, percussion). All of them, in addition to a common interest in Indian music, also shared the Hindu faith. Quintessence were tagged a 'spiritual' band, but were playing New Age rock before the term was born. In Blissful Company from 1969 is the debut album. 01 - Giants 02 - Manco Capac 03 - Body 04 - Gange Mai 05 - Chant 06 - Pearl and Bird 07 - Notting Hill Gate 08 - Midnight Mode 09 - Notting Hill Gate - Single Version 10 - Move Into The Light LINK
The Surprise Package were a Seattle, Washington group consisting of Fred Zeufeldt (drums, backing vocals), Michael Rohers (piano, organ, bass, backing vocals), Greg Beck (guitar, backing vocals), Rob Lowery (lead vocals). 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. (Acid Archives) 01 - New Way Home 02 - 100 % Vision 03 - Break Away 04 - Supporting Cast 05 - Social Disease 06 - Free Up LINK
Soft Machine were an English rock band from Canterbury, named after the book The Soft Machine by William S. Burroughs. They were one of the central bands in the Canterbury scene, and helped pioneer the progressive rock genre. Soft Machine (billed as The Soft Machine up to 1969) were formed in mid-1966 by Robert Wyatt (drums, vocals), Kevin Ayers (bass, guitar, vocals), Daevid Allen (guitar) and Mike Ratledge (organ) plus, for the first few gigs only, American guitarist Larry Nowlin. Allen, Wyatt and future bassist Hugh Hopper had first played together in the Daevid Allen Trio in 1963, occasionally accompanied by Ratledge. Wyatt, Ayers and Hopper had been founding members of the Wilde Flowers, later incarnations of which would include future members of another Canterbury band, Caravan. This BBC Radio first volume contains all the sessions recorded for John Peel's 'Top Gear' programme. This features several previously unreleased recordings, including the 1967 session with Kevin Ayers on bass, guitar and vocals. The running order is mostly chronological, but has been tinkered with by Robert Wyatt, "for reasons of aural satisfaction".
Disc 1
01 - Clarence In Wonderland 02 - We Know What You Mean 03 - Certain Kind 04 - Hope For Happiness 05 - Strangest Scene (AKA Lullaby Letter) 06 - Facelift , Mousetrap , Noisette , Backwards , Mousetrap Reprise 07 - The Moon In June 08 - Instant Pussy 09 - Slightly All The Time , Out Bloody Rageous , Eamonn Andrews
Disc 2
01 - Virtually 02 - Fletcher's Blemish 03 - Neo-Caliban Grides 04 - Dedicated To You But You Weren't Listening 05 - Eamonn Andrews,All White 06 - Mousetrap-Noisette-Backwards-Mousetrap Reprise-Esther's Nose Job
The South London-based Killing Floor was originally a pop duo formed by lead guitarist Mick Clarke and vocalist/harmonica player Bill Thorndycraft. During the British blues boom of 1968-1969, they decided to form a "straight blues" group, recruiting prospective members from the classified pages of Melody Maker. Joining them were piano player Lou Martin, bassist Stuart MacDonald, and drummer Bazz Smith. Taking their name from Howlin' Wolf's "Killing Floor" (Wolf's cover was itself a version of Robert Johnson's "The Lemon Song"), the band played just one gig before ex-Radio Caroline DJ and ardent blues fanatic John Edward offered to manage them. Edward's connection with the Southern Music publishing company led to them signing with Southern's Spark Records imprint. The band was booked into Pye Recording Studios and with Edward aboard as "producer," they recorded their self-titled debut in 12 days' time. Most of the material was re-configured Chicago blues classics, except for a cover of Willie Dixon's "You Need Love." Killing Floor was released in the U.S. on new London subsidary Sire. By mid-1972, Killing Floor had disbanded.
01 - Woman You Need Love 02 - Nobody By My Side 03 - Come Home Baby 04 - Bedtime Blues 05 - Sunday Morning 06 - Try To Understand 07 - My Mind Can Ride Easy 08 - Wet 09 - Keep On Walking 10 - Forget It 11 - Lou's Blues 12 - People Change Your Mind
Sweet Smoke were a 1960's and 70's progressive jazz-rock band. They incorporated many different influences, such as jazz, funk and island rhythms. They were originally formed in Brooklyn, New York in 1967, although the band moved to live as a commune in Germany before the decade was out. They have a fan presence on the internet to this day. Line-up 1970 (Just A Poke), Andrew Dershin – bass guitar, Michael Paris – tenor saxophone, alto recorder, vocals, percussion, Jay Dorfman – percussion and drums, Marvin Kaminovitz – lead guitar, vocals and Steve Rosenstein – rhythm guitar, vocals. Just a Poke is the first album by Sweet Smoke, released in 1970, engineered by Conny Plank. The song Baby Night displays the band's progressive jazz fusion style at the time. The song can be divided into three main sections, the highlights being the instrumental sections.
The Godz were a New York City-based garage rock band that existed from 1966 to 1973. Their music varied from early noise rock to avant-garde and psychedelic rock. Jim McCarthy (vocals, guitar, flute, harmonica), Paul Thornton (vocals, guitar, drums, maracas), Jay Dillon (vocals, autoharp) and Larry Kessler (vocals, violin, bass guitar). The Godz started in 1966 on the ESP-Disk label. The first recording, produced by ESP-Disk at the close of 1966, was an attempt to rise above the limitations and accepted norm for popular music at the time. 1967 produced the second recording, a bolder, more adventurous soundscape which is, in some people's opinion, the group's masterpiece. The third album, in 1968, saw the quartet become a trio. In 1973, a fourth and last group LP "Godzundheit" was recorded.
01 - Radar Eyes 02 - Riffin 03 - Where 04 - New Song 05 - Squeek 06 - Soon the Moon 07 - Crusade 08 - You Won't See Me 09 - Travelin' Salesman 10 - Permanent Green Light
War (originally called Eric Burdon and War) is an American funk band from California, known for the hit songs "Low Rider", "Spill the Wine", "The Cisco Kid" and "Why Can't We Be Friends?". Formed in 1969, War was a musical crossover band which fused elements of rock, funk, jazz, Latin, rhythm and blues, and reggae. The band also transcended racial and cultural barriers with a multi-ethnic line-up. The band has sold over 50 million records to date. War is the third album by War, or their first following the departure of singer Eric Burdon and the group's name change from the original Eric Burdon and War. It was released in April 1971 on United Artists Records, their first for the label. The album did not gain much attention upon release, but sales and critical acclaim picked up after their subsequent hit albums throughout the 1970s, the next appearing later in 1971. One single was taken from the album: "Lonely Feelin'" backed with "Sun Oh Son", which did not chart. Of the other songs, "War Drums" includes a chant of the band's name and appears to be an attempt at a group theme song; and "Fidel's Fantasy" generated some controversy over its spoken word monologue criticizing Fidel Castro.
01 - Sun Oh Sun 02 - Lonely Feelin' 03 - Back Home 04 - Drums 05 - Vibeka 06 - Fidel's Fantasy
Originating as a beat group in the mid-60's, playing mainly at US air bases in Southern Germany. By 1969 they'd become the art-rock band Chromosom, heavily influenced by the American West Coast sound. After the addition of Bernd "Steve" Leistner on vocals, and the new name Wind, they recorded their debut album for the new progressive arm of the budget label Miller, namely +Plus+. Offered a richly textured progressive rock, lyrical yet also very musically involved, and certainly very Anglo-American inspired, but with that German oddness typical of such bands. Steve Leistner / lead vocals, percussion, Thomas Leidenberger / guitar, vocals, Andreas Bueler / bass, vocals, percussion, Lucian Bueler / keyboards, vocals, percussion and Lucky Schmidt / drums, percussion, Mellotron, piano. While their debut sounded slightly like Deep Purple, their second and last album was much more in the vein of early British symphonic progressive rock like Cressida and Spring. Especially the latter one often comes to mind when I'm listening to this record. Here it also became more obvious that the band actually had a really good singer, who often sounded like Pat Moran from Spring.
01 - Morning Song 02 - The Princess And The Mistrel 03 - Dragon's Maid 04 - Carnival 05 - Schlittenfahrt 06 - Puppet Master 07 - Tommy's Song 08 - Josephine
Birtha was one of the leading female rock bands performing during the early 1970's. The band consisted of four women: Shele Pinizzotto ( guitar), Rosemary Butler (bass), Sherry Hagler (keyboards) and Liver Favela (drums). All four members of the group performed lead vocals and harmonies. Liver was the last member to join Birtha in 1968. The group immediately started playing the club circuit and toured from California to Alaska. From 1968 to 1971 Birtha worked to tighten and refine their rock sound and in1971 they started writing their own material. Most of the material was written by Birtha, but there were a few songs which were written in partnership with other parties including, Mark Wickman and Gabriel Mckler. Birtha signed a record contract with Dunhill Records in 1972 and recorded their first album, "Birtha" with record producer Gabriel Mckler and Engineers, David Hassinger and Val Caray. After the release of their first album, Birtha began playing rock concerts and clubs throughout the U.S., Canada and Europe. While taking breaks in their home town, Los Angeles, they would often play The Whiskey and The Troubadour and frequently played a club in Glendale, called The Sopwith Camel. 01 - Free Spirit 02 - Fine Talking Man 03 - Tuesday 04 - Feeling Lonely 05 - She Was Good To Me 06 - Work On A Dream 07 - Too Much Woman (For A Hen Pecked Man) 08 - Judgement Day 09 - Forgotten Soul LINK
Eire Apparent was a band from Northern Ireland. In 1966 guitarist Henry McCullough (formerly of The Sky Rockets Showband and Gene & The Gents) from Portstewart in Northern Ireland teamed up with bassist Chris Stewart, singer Ernie Graham and drummer Davy Lutton in the psychedelic outfit The People, replacing keyboard player Eric Wrixon. 'The People' - who had evolved out of earlier band 'Tony & The Telstars' - developed a reputation on the Blackpool and Dublin music scenes and contributed to the 1966 compilation album Ireland's Greatest Sounds: Five Top Groups From Belfast's Maritime Club. In 1967 the band moved to London and were signed by ex-Animal Chas Chandler and Mike Jeffery for Track Records, who changed the band's name to "Eire Apparent" - Jeffrey wanted to exploit the Irish dimension and his wife came up with the new name. Despite only having released one single, Chandler sent them on tour with headliners Jimi Hendrix Experience, Soft Machine and The Animals. Things went quite well during 1968 until, when in Canada in early September, McCullough was sent back to Ireland due to visa problems, so Mick Cox took his place in the band. The new line-up cut the album Sunrise in late October 1968 in LA during the tour, with Jimi Hendrix producing, released in 1969. Jimi had tried to combine traces of Rock, Pop and Psychedelia. 01 - Yes I Need Someone 02 - Got To Get Away 03 - The Clown 04 - Mr. Guy Fawkes 05 - Someone Is Sure To (Want You) 06 - Rock 'n' Roll Band 07 - Morning Glory 08 - Magic Carpet 09 - Captive In The Sun 11 - 1026 LINK
Paladin were formed in 1970 by drummer Keith Webb and keyboard player Pete Soley. Having toured with THE ROLLING STONES as backing musicians, they decided the time was right to unleash their own creativity. Ex WORLD OF OZ bassist Peter Beckett, GLASS MENAGERIE/GRISBY DYKE keyboard player Lou Stonebridge, and GRISBY DYKE guitarist Derek Floey were brought in to complete the line up. Initially, the band's influences were jazz, Latin, soul, blues, afro-Cuban, the dual keyboards creating a unique sound. They list their early fans as including Jon Anderson of YES. After building a credible live reputation, the band signed for Gerry Bron’s Bronze label, and recorded their first album "live" in the studio. The album includes early examples of World and Rap (!), but failed to make much of an impression, and consequently is now rare and collectable in vinyl format. The follow up album "Charge!" was released a year later. The band only released the two albums, before their lack of success led to frustration, and they disbanded in 1972. 01 - Bad Times 02 - Carry Me Home 03 - Dance Of The Cobra 04 - Third World 05 - Fill Up Your Heart 06 - Flying High 07 - The Fakir LINK
Wicked Lady was founded as a trio by Northampton singer-guitarist Martin Weaver formed in 1968. However, Wicked Lady never came within a whisper of the stratospheric status attained by Cream, or the Jimi Hendrix Experience. The band’s liberal use of feedback — and large biker following, kept them relegated to clubs, even during the twilight hours of the psychedelic era. The band never had a legitimate release back in 1968-70 when this material was originally recorded. The band split in 1970 but the trio would later re-unite in a more psychedelic and progressive outfit called the Dark. During the turbulent years of 1970-72, Wicked Lady recorded some songs on a stolen 2 track Revox, and it is those tracks that make up this CD. They capture, not only, something of the anger, pain and genius of Wicked Lady, but also tell of the narcotics consumed at the time. As such the music is hard and honest and perfect for evil guitar listeners. Psychedelic hard-rock or early heavy metal? 01 - Run The Night 02 - War Cloud 03 - The Axeman Cometh 04 - Life And Death 05 - Wicked Lady 06 - Out Of The Dark 07 - Rebel 08 - Living On The Edge LINK
Heavy Rock/Symphonic rock band from Long Island. Valhalla's only album was a rather haphazard mix of end-of-the-'60s psychedelic and heavy rock influences. Even if it's not particularly outstanding or original, however, it has its enjoyable aspects, especially for those who enjoy late-'60s combinations of bluesy hard organ and bluesy hard rock guitar. In its slightly overreaching, over-serious feel with a hint of religious pomposity, it's often slightly reminiscent of early Deep Purple, and more distantly, especially in the fairly penetrating organ, The Crazy World of Arthur Brown, Graham Bond, and Lee Michaels. 01 - Hard Times 02 - Conceit 03 - Ladies In Waiting 04 - I'n Not Askin 05 - Deacon 06 - Heads Are Free 07 - Roof Top Man 08 - Jbt 09 - Conversation 10 - Overseas Symphony LINK
