Obscure UK/US Pop-Psych Round Table Discussion

Since there's only about twenty SHtv members who seem to be into this genre, I took it upon myself to create a thread wherein we could discuss favourite songs from this period, alert other fans to new comps (instead of searching the archives, which can at times prove frustrating), and just generally ask/answer questions about the most obscure UK/US pop/psych imaginable. I'm hoping audiodrome, mafru2 and Child of Nature (Chris M. too, the guy who introduced me to Jason Crest!) will stop by regularly to give me a hand, since I'm going to be one of the people asking questions and seeking answers, and you lot are among the most knowledgeable folks I've met with regard to this stuff.

As a drummer, I'm regularly blown away by the crispness of the drumming I hear from this period. There's two songs in particular I'd like to mention today. The first is:
Life 'n' Soul -- "Peacefully Asleep"
http://www.manchesterbeat.com/bands/lifensoul/lifensoul.php
Now, Clem Lee isn't one of those names that regularly comes up during those "Who's the best drummer?" threads we occasionally have here---nor had I heard of him before I researched the band---but his performance in this song is just magical. (Side note: I am sad to report he died in 2004). The military-style snare rolls give the song a cascading feeling, especially during the chorus, which perfectly complements the already-joyous harmony singing. I could do without the gimmicky snare roll in the break after the chorus, but otherwise this is an instance where the drumming just propels the song and constitutes one of the more memorable aspects of it.

Next up is:
Unit 4 + 2 -- "3:30" http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/villa/9500/unit.htm
I was shocked to discover this didn't even chart in 1969, which is a shame, because this song really cooks; it wouldn't have been out of place on Odessey and Oracle, featuring a lot of the same wistfulness that characterizes much of that record.
I'm not certain who the drummer is (Bob Henrit?) but listen how he opens up on the chorus and accentuates those dark sounding electric piano notes. The cymbal wash over everything shows how Keith Moon had influenced pretty much everybody behind a drum kit in those days , but the drumming here is much more precise than anything Moonie ever did, especially during the chorus. With a haunting guitar riff, spirited-but-melancholy chorus featuring plaintive strings, I'm at a loss to understand how this song wasn't a hit. What the heck went wrong there? In my book, this song is a smash.

Anyone know these songs and wants to comment, feel free.

 

Another song I've really been getting into lately is "The Otherside" by Apple. Does any have the album from which this song comes? Is the whole thing as great as this song? When I first heard it, I wondered how on earth it could've been left off Nuggets II.

 

Hi Tom,

Glad you got turned onto Jason Crest. Good stuff. I have a CD on Wooden Hill called The Collected Works of Jason Crest.

One collection of UK psych stuff that I enjoy is The Psychedelic Scene on Deram. It includes such groovy stuff as Tintern Abbey (Vacuum Cleaner), The Syn (14 Hour Technicolour Dream), Timebox (Gone is the Sad Man), Human Instinct (A Day in My Minds Mind) 23rd Turnoff (Michaelangelo) and The Attack (Colour of My Mind).

I still have to get that UK Nuggets box set.

Cheers,
Chris

 

Those are all fantastic songs. I've only just recently heard the B-side of "Vacuum Cleaner," called "Beeside," and it makes me wish this band had stuck it out a little longer. They were really good. AFAIK, that lone single is the sum total of their entire recorded output.
The Attack is another band I've just discovered. Very cool stuff.

 

Hi there...delighted to meet you.

The Apple album is a strange affair but worth getting if you can track down a copy. 'The Otherside' is their greatest moment, but 'Buffalo Billycan' and the very odd 'Photograph' are fantastic too! Some of it is sloppily enjoyable blues based stuff, such as a lively cover of 'Psycho Daisies' and the fun 'Doctor Rock'.

A track I've known for years but have only really appreciated recently is 'Ice Man' by Ice. It's got a really inventive arrangement with great bass playing and a lovely tune.

I think 'We Are Ever So Clean' by Blossom Toes is being reissued some time soon. That album is a must for any fan of the genre. Great stuff!

Gaz

 

Welcome to the Forum!
"The Otherside" has such a chilling atmosphere to it, especially that piano sound in it, which is somewhat reminiscent of "Sexy Sadie" in its spookiness. Then there's that ringing guitar riff...a guaranteed earworm of the best kind.

Was this song a hit? Does anyone know?

 

The series of archival comps entitled Fading Yellow are what instantly come to mind when I hear the phrase "obscure US & UK poppsych". These are really wonderful releases concentrating primarily on forgotten one-off 45 single releases by both groups and solo artists from the 60s thru early 70s. Somwhere in between the heavier sounds of Nuggets II box and the softer sounds of sunshine pop. A very magical place to be. After a short hiatus, this series has resumed of late with two new CD releases both dedicated to British psychpop of the period.

 

I also thought of Fading Yellow. Was just listening to Vol 9....

 

Great idea Tom! Think we can keep this alive for while!

Glad Fading Yellow has come up already. JJ, who compiles those, has been a trading friend of mine for a bunch of years now. He's got good taste and knows a lot of people in the pop psych world. The two latest volumes are EXCELLENT, probably among his best compiling work IMO. He's already at work on the next two volumes too.

So as to not risk making my first post being info overload (lots of trivial info in this head) I'll steer anyone who doesn't know to this site:

http://www.marmalade-skies.co.uk/

Be sure to explore this site in detail as there are lots and lots of nooks and cranies. My favorite sections are the Compilations listings. But the real major accomplishment of the site is the Remember the Times sections. Mike Capewell the current owner of the site has a library of clippings and is really doing a great job posting them.

 

Save me a seat at the table, please!

As far as I know that is Bob Henrit on drums for Unit 4+2. I like the song, too, and, yes, that is fine drumming. I don't know why it wasn't a hit - maybe just so much competition at the time? The heavy fuzz guitar that begins each chorus is really irritating to my ears (and I typically love any fuzz) which listeners at the time might have found abrasive....just a thought.

I don't think anything on the Apple album is close to "The Other Side," it isn't terrible, but I found it pretty boring. "The Other Side" was the B side of "Doctor Rock," which is much different and doesn't do much for me - I don't have a good way to check if either song charted, but I don't THINK "The Other Side" was a hit. It certainly has the quality!

 

Hey, Rene, I was hoping you'd pick up on this thread. Maybe at some point you'll tell us about some of your most obscure 45's, introduce us to a few faves we'll all have to track down.

 

Thanks for the confirmation about Henrit. Incidentally, it may be of interest to some that when asked in a 1972 interview to name his favourite drummers, Keith Moon named Henrit, among others. No small compliment there.

BTW, Your seat is reserved.

 

Not quite -- according to Marmalade Skies:

A second single was recorded but only as a demo. The two songs recorded were "How Do I Feel Today?" & "Do What You Must", an acetate for the songs still exists.​

I've read that it wasn't so good. Shame, considering "Vacuum Cleaner" and "Beeside" are the best psychedelic pop gems I've ever heard -- and they're mono!

There's a great writeup of these songs at Julian Cope's site here.

 

Ahh, Marmalade Skies comes through again. Thanks for the clarification.
I wonder how/why that band imploded? A shame, really, when you think about the promise that the single showed.

 

Paul Brett owned the acetate of those unreleased songs and tried to sell it (or did sell it?). He cause quite a stir at the time and came off as a bit of a tool - but I forget now exactly what he did. I do know he was selling copies of the songs for a very high price. They did eventually get put out on an EP or something. I've never read one comment on the tracks from anyone... tells you they must not be great.

The single makes me think of all the great one off single bands like 23rd Turnoff.

Edit: Paul Brett was an add on guitarist for the band. I don't think he was part of the original line up. Brett is incredible and had some really good solo stuff out. Not trying to say anything negative about him here.

 

I think its just indicitive of the scene. Deram especially just seem to sign bands hoping to get in on the underground movement. Seems like the spaghetti test - toss enough against the wall and one's bound to stick.

Somewhere, perhaps on Marmlade Skies, is the incredible story of Focal Point. Check that out and its very much the story of most of those obscure bands (minus the McCartney involvement of course).

 

I love both the Tintern Abbey songs, too - anyone else notice how LOUD the drums are in these mixes (for a '67 single). "Vacuum Cleaner" in particular has some poppin' snare and toms, while "Beeside" has an extaordinarily hard and loud bass drum for this time. Don't get me started on that whooshing cymbal that sounds like it's about 4 feet in diameter...

 

Absolutely! The drums are like the lead instrument in the song. Their guy out-Moons Moon in a couple of spots. The cymbal wash over everything is one of my favourite parts of the song.

 

.....................................So do you know whether or not either of the two future volumes your friend is presently working on are U.S. oriented? And please do not worry about information overload - load up and fire away!

 

Dan Smith played the lead guitar on the official single and was replaced by Brett in January 68, the band broke up before the end of that year.

This info, and the info on Unit 4+2 is from Vernon Joynson's "The Tapestry of Delights" book - indispensable for this kind of stuff. It isn't like I know this stuff off the top of my head, that's for sure!

 

Rene, do you remember maybe a year ago their was talk of a Blue Things comp coming out? I'm asking you because of your signature, so I am thinking you were in on that discussion. I can't find word one about it now, and I wonder if it did happen or ever will. Isn't everything on CD by them basically needledrops? Everything I have sounds pretty awful and I'm pretty sure even the bad sounding comps are now oop.

 

......................Ok, I went over to the
60sgaragebands.com website(probably my numero uno release information provider on these kinda things) and checked their future release info. That Blue Things box set is still listed in the pipeline but with no set dates. Supposedly coming out on the Cicadelic label. But they were the ones who released those previous 3 vinyl Blue Things volumes so don't get your hopes up for any sound improvement( if this box ever materializes). A buddy of mine just got the blue vinyl STEREO rerelease from Europe of the Listen & See RCA album and it sounds great! Don't wanna waylay this thread with my quacking about a group which probably doesn't qualify as pscyhpop. Although sometimes I get kinda muddled on the terminology since I am an old fart and the ever expanding segmentation of genres doesn't come naturally to me.

 

Thanks Rene, doesn't sound hopeful. Based on at least 3 or 4 tunes, I'd think the group qualifies as Pop-Psych as well as "obscure."

 

Does anybody here have Motherlight by Bobak, Jons, Malone? Anybody who likes keyboard dominated psychedelic music should check it out. For those who haven't heard it I'll give a little review of some of my favorite tracks. "House Of Many Windows" is a great psych/prog song with piano, organ, a weird intro and an overall sound kind of similar to Procol Harum. "The Lens" is a slow druggy psychedelic song, the longest on the album, with great organ, drums and bass. The vocals have a weird delay effect. I like the odd chord changes. "On A Meadow - Lea" is similar and has some really good fuzz guitar solos and melodic bass lines similar to Paul McCartney. There's an odd instrument in the mix that I can't identify...a recorder maybe? The title song "Motherlight" reminds me of something off Jackie Lomax's Apple album, just a little more psychedelic and strange. The bass playing sounds just like Paul McCartney. The only song I don't care for is "Burning The Weed", a song that's totally out of place with the rest of the album. "Mona Lose" is classic acid rock - heavy organ, weird fuzzy guitar and odd lyrics: "sinful secrets always move her, thimble full of empty groovers".

My favorite lyric is in "Wanna Make A Star, Sam": "They're gonna queue for miles to see your smiley smiles."

If you like Procol Harum's first two albums, check this group out.

 

I love that album. One of the best things out of the Morgan Studios IMO. Wil Malone became a fairly well known arranger too. I like Burning the Weed as far as odd ball songs go. It's typical of that 60s/70s sense of humor - just check out of the Malone related projects like Orange Bicycle and Fickle Pickle.

Make me think of the Psych Pstones series. My favorite volume of that is House of Many Windows.