MAD RIVER-most psychedelic rock band? Close but pretty amazing stuff still.

Mad River
was an American psychedelic rock band.

Mad River [1] formed at Antioch College in Yellow Springs, Ohio in April 1966. The band took its name from the nearby Mad River. By March 1967 they had relocated to Berkeley, California. There they came to the attention of cult author Richard Brautigan who launched the band into the growing hippie culture. They released an EP on the independent Wee label before signing a contract with Capitol Records in February 1968.[2] The group's lead songwriter was Lawrence Hammond, but all of the members sang vocals. They released two albums before disbanding in July 1969. –wiki

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  • David Robinson - guitar
  • Rick Bockner- guitar, vocals
  • Lawrence Hammond - bass, lead vocals
  • Tom Manning - bass, vocals (April - Sept. 1966 / 6 & 12 string guitar - Mar. 1967 - Dec. 1968)
  • Greg Dewey - drums, vocals
  • Greg Duian - guitar (April - 1966 - Mar. 1967)

 

Amphetamin Gazelle

 

High All The Time

 

The War Goes On, Mad River

 

Merciful Monks

 

Paradise Bar & Grill...full album. Sweet country psych rock.

 

Dunno about most psychedelic, but their first album was a real surprise for me. I picked up the Sundazed reissue blind simply because it was on sale cheap at one point and boy was I floored.

I should give their second album a listen. I was told it's quite different and not as interesting, so I haven't checked it out.

 

Yeah, hyperbole, but still a pretty spacey music trip.

There is a play for the second album above. It is a bit of country psych rock in spots, but still quite good and melodic. Even if quite different.
Give it a shot.

 

Mad River is a favorite. The band had an identity with highlights such as Hammond's vocals and the weird song arrangements. The first album is very good.

Their best track is on the Rag Baby EP. It's called Orange fire and it is adventurous and imaginative, a remarkable track which ranks up there with the Bay Area's finest.

 

The debut is essential 60s psychedelic.Television alumni Tom Verlaine is a fan.I bought the debut Quicksilver Messenger Service &Mad River LPs the same day in 1968 and still enjoy both today.

 

I have a OG promo copy of their s/t with FREE punched out in small holes in the upper right hand corner. Great record.

 

I love early psych rock, usually, but not this.

 

It is, in a way, a dark side of psychedelia. Like Black sheep by SRC, Magic hollow by the Beau Brummels, Pleasant Street by Tim Buckley. Deep, sad, innovative, I cherish it.

 

Well put. You have referenced some of my other favorite dark psych!

 

Purchased an original 10 years ago for $8 got lucky on that one....not much of a fan ...prefer Quicksilver by a mile>

sean

 

Well, Quicksilver Messenger's first LP is in a class by itself. Can't compare it to anything before or since. Was playing my 1968 vinyl just the other day on my new TT (and their second is great also). Was never fond of them after Dino took over on his release from prison and they became more mainstream pop stars. Not a fan. The experimental jazz rock psych with GaryDuncan leading QMS was the best!

Wonderful stuff!

 

Fully agree the first 2 Quicksilver Messenger Service LPs are my go to>

sean

 

Never heard of them before (but I have driven thru the Mad River valley in Ohio) and from listening to the clips posted so far, several impressions are noted:

1) Their singer reminds me of Axl Rose, which to this listener, is never a good thing.

2) They were heavily influenced by the San Francisco Sound (which makes sense, since they relocated there) and the Doors.

3) I like their quirky song structures.

4) I can't stand the amphetamine song.

 

The first Mad River is one of the greatest 'bummer psych' albums ever recorded.
It's A Long Way Down by The Fallen Angels is it's East Coast doppelganger.

 

Excellent. Check out my Fallen Angels thread and join in...The Fallen Angels were the East Coast doppelganger of the West Coast's Arthur Lee & Love in 1967.

And like Love, were reputed to be one of the best live bands and stage acts around.

THE FALLEN ANGELS-remarkable 1960's underground D.C. psych band! Compare to LoVE & Mothers...

 

Any more titles that you would include in the category?

 

Wasn't there an issue with the first album's pressing cutting speed?
IIRC later versions stated: speed corrected.

Love that 1st album....

 

The obvious would be Velvet Underground and Lou Reed.

Less so, check it out if you haven't...dark psych

J.K & Co., Suddenly One Summer 1968...heavy dark psych.


The Pretty Things S.F. Sorrow 1967, and Parachute 1968

The Plastic Cloud, 1968
The Plastic Cloud - The Plastic Cloud (1968)

Tito & Tarantula
Tito and Tarantula - Missed Your Eyes

The Black Hollies, garage psych of today
The Black Hollies - Paisley Pattern Ground

The Black Hollies- The Autumn Chateau