Pysch/Prog/Folk Thread for Anybody Interested
Posted by: Guido Fawkes on 06 August 2006
JWM - asked if I'd considered a compendium of Prog rock. Well I'm probably not up to the task and as I'll probably drift in to Pysch and Folk and Euro and Space Rock without even noticing, I've titled the thread accordingly. So I'm afraid it's a case of Irk The Purists and lets give it a go. See also the Prog thread.
So where do we start - lets go back to 1926. Janáček’s Sinfonietta was written in the spring of 1926. And yes you know it - it was borrowed by ELP on their first album and called Knife Edge and it was also used to introduce the 60s classic court room drama - Crown Court. So if you haven't got this in your collection then you should have and if you are one of those who posts that he (or she) doesn't like classical music then give it a try.
Of course, when we arrive in the 1960s things start to happen. Perhaps most significant are these albums
Shirley Collins - should be Dame Shirley as she has done more for English music than anybody - Shirley Collins is without doubt one of England's greatest cultural treasures - Billy Bragg
Folk Roots, New Roots - Shirley Collins and Davey Graham: it is simple really: collect some of the best songs from our heritage and bring together a superb singer and a very good guitarist. You have a masterpiece.
1. Nottamun Town
2. Proud Maisrie
3. The Cherry Tree Carol
4. Blue Monk
5. Hares On The Mountain
6. Reynardine
7. Pretty Saro
8. Rif Mountain
9. Jane, Jane
10. Love Is Pleasin'
11. Boll Weevil, Holler
12. Hori Horo
13. Bad Girl
14. Lord Greggory
15. Grooveyard
16. Dearest Dear
Growing up listening in a house where jazz, Perry Como, Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley dominated, Folk Roots, New Roots was a breath of fresh air - it made me want to listen to music. I've been an addict ever since.
Of course, we have got to mention the Beatles and the Kinks - it is easy: simply buy all their albums: there are no duff ones. But that is obvious and I think my compendium should focus on the less obvious
So lets kick of with the Incredible String Band - it was they that influenced the Beatles. The two albums that you simply must listen to are
The 5000 Spirits or the Layers of the Onion contains alternating Heron and Williamson songs. Every track is sensational and it combines eastern and western music in a unique way.
"Chinese White" (Mike Heron) – 3:40
"No Sleep Blues" (Robin Williamson) – 3:53
"Painting Box" (Heron) – 4:04
"The Mad Hatter's Song" (Williamson) – 5:40
"Little Cloud" (Heron) – 4:05
"The Eyes of Fate" (Williamson) – 4:02
"Blues for the Muse" (Williamson) – 2:49
"The Hedgehog's Song" (Heron) – 3:30
"First Girl I Loved" (Williamson) – 4:55
"You Know What You Could Be" (Heron) – 2:46
"My Name Is Death" (Williamson) – 2:46
"Gently Tender" (Heron) – 4:49
"Way Back in the 1960s" (Williamson) – 3:11
I'm tempted to say The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter is more of the same and in many ways it is, but it contains an epic song: 'A Very Cellular Song' which drifts from one musical style to another and yet maintains its coherence.
"Koeeaddi There" (Robin Williamson) - 4:49
"The Minotaur's Song" (Williamson) - 3:22
"Witches Hat" (Williamson) - 2:33
"A Very Cellular Song" (Mike Heron) - 13:09
"Mercy I Cry City" (Heron) - 2:46
"Waltz of the New Moon" (Williamson) - 5:10
"The Water Song" (Williamson) - 2:50
"Three Is a Green Crown" (Williamson) - 7:46
"Swift as the Wind" (Heron) - 4:53
"Nightfall" (Williamson) - 2:33
So these are my first two recommendations for anybody vaguely interested. I don't think these albums would have surfaced had it not been for Shirley Collins and I doubt if we would have had Sgt Pepper had it not been for the Beatles love of ISB (though it was the ISB's first album from '66 that John Lennon and Paul McCartney both acknowledged).
So where do we start - lets go back to 1926. Janáček’s Sinfonietta was written in the spring of 1926. And yes you know it - it was borrowed by ELP on their first album and called Knife Edge and it was also used to introduce the 60s classic court room drama - Crown Court. So if you haven't got this in your collection then you should have and if you are one of those who posts that he (or she) doesn't like classical music then give it a try.
Of course, when we arrive in the 1960s things start to happen. Perhaps most significant are these albums
Shirley Collins - should be Dame Shirley as she has done more for English music than anybody - Shirley Collins is without doubt one of England's greatest cultural treasures - Billy Bragg
Folk Roots, New Roots - Shirley Collins and Davey Graham: it is simple really: collect some of the best songs from our heritage and bring together a superb singer and a very good guitarist. You have a masterpiece.
1. Nottamun Town
2. Proud Maisrie
3. The Cherry Tree Carol
4. Blue Monk
5. Hares On The Mountain
6. Reynardine
7. Pretty Saro
8. Rif Mountain
9. Jane, Jane
10. Love Is Pleasin'
11. Boll Weevil, Holler
12. Hori Horo
13. Bad Girl
14. Lord Greggory
15. Grooveyard
16. Dearest Dear
Growing up listening in a house where jazz, Perry Como, Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley dominated, Folk Roots, New Roots was a breath of fresh air - it made me want to listen to music. I've been an addict ever since.
Of course, we have got to mention the Beatles and the Kinks - it is easy: simply buy all their albums: there are no duff ones. But that is obvious and I think my compendium should focus on the less obvious
So lets kick of with the Incredible String Band - it was they that influenced the Beatles. The two albums that you simply must listen to are
The 5000 Spirits or the Layers of the Onion contains alternating Heron and Williamson songs. Every track is sensational and it combines eastern and western music in a unique way.
"Chinese White" (Mike Heron) – 3:40
"No Sleep Blues" (Robin Williamson) – 3:53
"Painting Box" (Heron) – 4:04
"The Mad Hatter's Song" (Williamson) – 5:40
"Little Cloud" (Heron) – 4:05
"The Eyes of Fate" (Williamson) – 4:02
"Blues for the Muse" (Williamson) – 2:49
"The Hedgehog's Song" (Heron) – 3:30
"First Girl I Loved" (Williamson) – 4:55
"You Know What You Could Be" (Heron) – 2:46
"My Name Is Death" (Williamson) – 2:46
"Gently Tender" (Heron) – 4:49
"Way Back in the 1960s" (Williamson) – 3:11
I'm tempted to say The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter is more of the same and in many ways it is, but it contains an epic song: 'A Very Cellular Song' which drifts from one musical style to another and yet maintains its coherence.
"Koeeaddi There" (Robin Williamson) - 4:49
"The Minotaur's Song" (Williamson) - 3:22
"Witches Hat" (Williamson) - 2:33
"A Very Cellular Song" (Mike Heron) - 13:09
"Mercy I Cry City" (Heron) - 2:46
"Waltz of the New Moon" (Williamson) - 5:10
"The Water Song" (Williamson) - 2:50
"Three Is a Green Crown" (Williamson) - 7:46
"Swift as the Wind" (Heron) - 4:53
"Nightfall" (Williamson) - 2:33
So these are my first two recommendations for anybody vaguely interested. I don't think these albums would have surfaced had it not been for Shirley Collins and I doubt if we would have had Sgt Pepper had it not been for the Beatles love of ISB (though it was the ISB's first album from '66 that John Lennon and Paul McCartney both acknowledged).
Perhaps the difference between Psych and Prog is the length of the songs - the group that mixed the two were The Pink Floyd (lets keep the 'The' in Pink Floyd). I won't dwell on them because everybody knows about them, but if you haven't heard their beginnings then you owe it to yourself.
Lucy Leave was The Pink Floyd's first single backed by the rather less interesting (IMO) King Bee. You can get it on the Italian release Fish Out Of Water or if you can get a copy on Magnesium Proverbs
1. Lucy Leave
2. King Bee
3. See Emily Play
4. Arnold Layne
5. Candy And A Currant Bun
6. Flaming
7. Pow R Toc H
8. Astronomy Domine
9. Interstellar Overdrive
10. Reaction In G
11. Stoned Alone
12. Vegetable Man
13. Scream Thy Last Scream
14. Apples And Oranges
15. Baby Lemonade
16. Dominoes
17. Love Song
18. Terrapin
19. Gigolo Aunt
20. Effervescing Elephant
21. Octopus
22. Clowns And Jugglers
23. Mystery Bits
24. Jugband Blues
Of course my complete endorsement for Piper At The Gates of Dawn and Saucerful of Secrets and especially The First Three Singles.
Inspired by The Pink Floyd were the R&B group The Pretty Things, led by Dick Taylor (the man who left the Rolling Stones). The Pretty Things are credited with the first rock opera - or was it just a concept album. Unlike many such ventures SF Sorrow stands up - the songs are freat in their own right and several singles (around the world) were lifted from it.
S.F. Sorrow was based on a story by Phil May and released 1968
The protagonist, Sebastian F. Sorrow is born. He is dedicated to his childhood sweetheart 'Grey'. Sebastian grows up and goes to war and then plans to emigrate with Grey to New York. He arranges to meet her there, but there is an accident. Sebastian witnesses her death in a hydrogen balloon explosion as she is landing. He is is traumatised by the experience. Then Sebastian meets a mysterious character, Baron Saturday, who will "take your eyes out for a ride." The Baron takes Sebastian's on a mysterious journey. Sebastian is brought face to face with himself and enters into the image of his own body. His whole passes before him in a long hall of mirrors. He confronts himself in a vision and is freed from the image of Baron Saturday. Sebastian learns that the answer is trust people, but it doesn't work and people's minds are grey, and is no one to trust. He ends his life as the loneliest person the world.
It is a happy sort of a tale - then. BTW I wonder how many times Mr Townshend listened to it before he completed Tommy a year after SF Sorrow. Legend has it Kit Lambert, the Who's manager, heard SF Sorrow and nagged Pete T to write something like it. I don't know if it is true. I do know I much prefer SF Sorrow to Tommy as a recording.
I've grown up with the vinyl version, but the CD pictured above is worth getting. It is a great transfer and comes with bonus tracks
1. S.F. Sorrow Is Born
2. Bracelets Of Fingers
3. She Says Good Morning
4. Private Sorrow
5. Balloon Burning
6. Death
7. Baron Saturday
8. Journey, The
9. I See You
10. Well Of Destiny
11. Trust
12. Old Man Going
13. Loneliest Person
14. Defecting Grey - (Bonus Track)
15. Mr. Evasion - (Bonus Track)
16. Talkin' About The Good Times - (Bonus Track)
17. Walking Through My Dreams - (Bonus Track)
Ordinarily bonus tracks are not up to much, but this is different. These bonus tracks are four of the best psych songs ever written. Defecting Grey belongs on SF Sorrow and is the ultimate psych song that can stand up against any of the classics See Emily Play, My White Bicycle, Hole in My Shoe and Vacuum Cleaner. It has more changes than Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody and has the added advantage of being coherent and interesting.
SF Sorrow has Wally "Waller" Allen (vocals, guitar, woodwinds, piano, bass guitar); Dick Taylor (vocals, guitar); John Povey (vocals, sitar, organ, mellotron, percussion); Twink (vocals, drums); Phil May (vocals).
Staying with The Pretty Things and moving to 1970 we arrive at another very good album. Whilst I don't rate this as highly as SF Sorrow, Parachute won the Rolling Stone record of the year award. It is a good album.
Again the CD version has bonus tracks, but this time they seem a bit out of place. So I'll just list the vinyl version
1. Scene One
2. The Good Mr.Square
3. She Was Tall, She Was High
4. In The Square
5. The Letter
6. Rain
7. Miss Fay Regrets
8. Cries From The Midnight Circus
9. Grass
10. Sickle Clowns
11. She's A Lover
12. What's The Use
13. Parachute
It contrasts life in the country with life in the town. Once again a collection of very good songs that fit into a concept.
So my firm recommendations are for SF Sorrow and Parachute. Other albums by The Pretty Things are worth a listen, but these are the two to have in a collection.
Lucy Leave was The Pink Floyd's first single backed by the rather less interesting (IMO) King Bee. You can get it on the Italian release Fish Out Of Water or if you can get a copy on Magnesium Proverbs
1. Lucy Leave
2. King Bee
3. See Emily Play
4. Arnold Layne
5. Candy And A Currant Bun
6. Flaming
7. Pow R Toc H
8. Astronomy Domine
9. Interstellar Overdrive
10. Reaction In G
11. Stoned Alone
12. Vegetable Man
13. Scream Thy Last Scream
14. Apples And Oranges
15. Baby Lemonade
16. Dominoes
17. Love Song
18. Terrapin
19. Gigolo Aunt
20. Effervescing Elephant
21. Octopus
22. Clowns And Jugglers
23. Mystery Bits
24. Jugband Blues
Of course my complete endorsement for Piper At The Gates of Dawn and Saucerful of Secrets and especially The First Three Singles.
Inspired by The Pink Floyd were the R&B group The Pretty Things, led by Dick Taylor (the man who left the Rolling Stones). The Pretty Things are credited with the first rock opera - or was it just a concept album. Unlike many such ventures SF Sorrow stands up - the songs are freat in their own right and several singles (around the world) were lifted from it.
S.F. Sorrow was based on a story by Phil May and released 1968
The protagonist, Sebastian F. Sorrow is born. He is dedicated to his childhood sweetheart 'Grey'. Sebastian grows up and goes to war and then plans to emigrate with Grey to New York. He arranges to meet her there, but there is an accident. Sebastian witnesses her death in a hydrogen balloon explosion as she is landing. He is is traumatised by the experience. Then Sebastian meets a mysterious character, Baron Saturday, who will "take your eyes out for a ride." The Baron takes Sebastian's on a mysterious journey. Sebastian is brought face to face with himself and enters into the image of his own body. His whole passes before him in a long hall of mirrors. He confronts himself in a vision and is freed from the image of Baron Saturday. Sebastian learns that the answer is trust people, but it doesn't work and people's minds are grey, and is no one to trust. He ends his life as the loneliest person the world.
It is a happy sort of a tale - then. BTW I wonder how many times Mr Townshend listened to it before he completed Tommy a year after SF Sorrow. Legend has it Kit Lambert, the Who's manager, heard SF Sorrow and nagged Pete T to write something like it. I don't know if it is true. I do know I much prefer SF Sorrow to Tommy as a recording.
I've grown up with the vinyl version, but the CD pictured above is worth getting. It is a great transfer and comes with bonus tracks
1. S.F. Sorrow Is Born
2. Bracelets Of Fingers
3. She Says Good Morning
4. Private Sorrow
5. Balloon Burning
6. Death
7. Baron Saturday
8. Journey, The
9. I See You
10. Well Of Destiny
11. Trust
12. Old Man Going
13. Loneliest Person
14. Defecting Grey - (Bonus Track)
15. Mr. Evasion - (Bonus Track)
16. Talkin' About The Good Times - (Bonus Track)
17. Walking Through My Dreams - (Bonus Track)
Ordinarily bonus tracks are not up to much, but this is different. These bonus tracks are four of the best psych songs ever written. Defecting Grey belongs on SF Sorrow and is the ultimate psych song that can stand up against any of the classics See Emily Play, My White Bicycle, Hole in My Shoe and Vacuum Cleaner. It has more changes than Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody and has the added advantage of being coherent and interesting.
SF Sorrow has Wally "Waller" Allen (vocals, guitar, woodwinds, piano, bass guitar); Dick Taylor (vocals, guitar); John Povey (vocals, sitar, organ, mellotron, percussion); Twink (vocals, drums); Phil May (vocals).
Staying with The Pretty Things and moving to 1970 we arrive at another very good album. Whilst I don't rate this as highly as SF Sorrow, Parachute won the Rolling Stone record of the year award. It is a good album.
Again the CD version has bonus tracks, but this time they seem a bit out of place. So I'll just list the vinyl version
1. Scene One
2. The Good Mr.Square
3. She Was Tall, She Was High
4. In The Square
5. The Letter
6. Rain
7. Miss Fay Regrets
8. Cries From The Midnight Circus
9. Grass
10. Sickle Clowns
11. She's A Lover
12. What's The Use
13. Parachute
It contrasts life in the country with life in the town. Once again a collection of very good songs that fit into a concept.
So my firm recommendations are for SF Sorrow and Parachute. Other albums by The Pretty Things are worth a listen, but these are the two to have in a collection.
If I had a ribbon bow I'd form King Crimson - next installment.
My next influential star has to be Judy Dyble. If you have got it then play the first Fairport Convention album and you'll kick off with Time Will Show The Wiser sung by Richard Thompson, Iain Mathews and Judy Dyble. Judy was the original female singer in Fairport Convention, singing with the group from around mid-1967 to mid-1968, and appearing on their first album and single. She sang harmony and solo lead on One Sure Thing and If I Had a Ribbon Bow. Judy also played autoharp.
So a recommendation for my favourite Fairport album, although they are again a highly consistent bunch.
The re-release CD has extra tracks including the otherwise hard to get Ribbon Bow which I had at school on a BackTrack compilation.
1. Time will show the wiser
2. I don't know where I stand
3. If (Stomp)
4. Decameron
5. Jack O' Diamonds
6. Portfolio
7. Chelsea morning
8. Sun shade
9. Lobster
10. It's alright ma it's only witchcraft
11. One sure thing
12. M.1 breakdown
13. Suzanne
14. If I Had a Ribbon Bow
15. Morning Glory
16. Reno, Nevada
Fairport got Sandy Denny to replace Judy, but Judy's career didn't end there. She formed a new group with a bunch of guys called Giles, Giles and, er oh yes, Fripp. A nice litlle folk outfit called King Crimson. In June 1968, Judy advertised in Melody Maker for a band, she got a response from Peter Giles who had recorded The Cheerful Insanity of Giles, Giles and Fripp. Ian McDonald was another respondent. In 1968, some very nice tracks were laid down. You can find these on The Brondesbury Tapes (1968), it includes two early versions of "I Talk to the Wind," which can also be found with Judy's vocal on The Young Person's Guide To King Crimson - a version without Judy is on In The Court Of The Crimson King.
Before the session for In The Court of, Judy moved on and formed folk-rock duo Trader Horne with ex-Them member Jackie McAuley. She sang, played autoharp, and piano, and wrote or co-wrote a couple of tracks on their sole album, 1970's Morning Way. Judy then left the music scene although she does somtimes appear at the Cropredy Festival.
So worth listeniung to are
Judy is not on the Giles, Giles and Fripp album BTW. I remember NME said Giles, Giles and Fripp sounded like solicitors and played just about as excitingly - they advised Fripp not to give up the day job as he didn't have much of future in the world of music - well done NME spot on as usual (ironic
)
My next influential star has to be Judy Dyble. If you have got it then play the first Fairport Convention album and you'll kick off with Time Will Show The Wiser sung by Richard Thompson, Iain Mathews and Judy Dyble. Judy was the original female singer in Fairport Convention, singing with the group from around mid-1967 to mid-1968, and appearing on their first album and single. She sang harmony and solo lead on One Sure Thing and If I Had a Ribbon Bow. Judy also played autoharp.
So a recommendation for my favourite Fairport album, although they are again a highly consistent bunch.
The re-release CD has extra tracks including the otherwise hard to get Ribbon Bow which I had at school on a BackTrack compilation.
1. Time will show the wiser
2. I don't know where I stand
3. If (Stomp)
4. Decameron
5. Jack O' Diamonds
6. Portfolio
7. Chelsea morning
8. Sun shade
9. Lobster
10. It's alright ma it's only witchcraft
11. One sure thing
12. M.1 breakdown
13. Suzanne
14. If I Had a Ribbon Bow
15. Morning Glory
16. Reno, Nevada
Fairport got Sandy Denny to replace Judy, but Judy's career didn't end there. She formed a new group with a bunch of guys called Giles, Giles and, er oh yes, Fripp. A nice litlle folk outfit called King Crimson. In June 1968, Judy advertised in Melody Maker for a band, she got a response from Peter Giles who had recorded The Cheerful Insanity of Giles, Giles and Fripp. Ian McDonald was another respondent. In 1968, some very nice tracks were laid down. You can find these on The Brondesbury Tapes (1968), it includes two early versions of "I Talk to the Wind," which can also be found with Judy's vocal on The Young Person's Guide To King Crimson - a version without Judy is on In The Court Of The Crimson King.
Before the session for In The Court of, Judy moved on and formed folk-rock duo Trader Horne with ex-Them member Jackie McAuley. She sang, played autoharp, and piano, and wrote or co-wrote a couple of tracks on their sole album, 1970's Morning Way. Judy then left the music scene although she does somtimes appear at the Cropredy Festival.
So worth listeniung to are
Judy is not on the Giles, Giles and Fripp album BTW. I remember NME said Giles, Giles and Fripp sounded like solicitors and played just about as excitingly - they advised Fripp not to give up the day job as he didn't have much of future in the world of music - well done NME spot on as usual (ironic
)Now a little more obscure but one of the all time greats has to be Nirvana. I love the music of Nirvana and have all of the early albums (at least I think I do). The very British group, Nirvana, appeared in 1967, starting as a six-piece led by Patrick Campbell-Lyons, from Ireland, and Alex Spyropoulos from Greece.
The first and greatest Nirvana album is The Story Of Simon Simopath
1. Wings Of Love
2. Lonely Boy
3. We Can Help You
4. Satellite Jockey
5. In The Courtyard Of The Stars
6. You Are Just The One
7. Pentecost Hotel
8. I Never Had A Love Like This Before
9. Take This Hand
10. 1999
All tracks are by Campbell-Lyons and Alex Spyropoulos - We Can Help You was a hit for The Alan Bown anbd used on adverts.
Nirvana also released
All Of Us which contained Rainbow Chaser, which I think was on Nice Enough To Eat: the Island compilation.
These are the two essential Nirvana albums. The first is a true classic.
Which brings me to Rainbow Ffolly of which I know little other than what you can read on Spectromorphic Iridescence from a Tube of Smarties. However what I can say is that their only album Sallies Fforth is superb.
I would go as far as to say that Rainbow Ffolly are probably the best group ever to come from High Wycombe.
1. She's Alright
2. I'm So Happy
3. Montgolfier
4. Drive My Car
5. Goodbye
6. Hey You
7. Sun Sing
8. Sun And Sand
9. Labour Exchange
10. They'm
11. No
12. Sighing Game
13. Come On Go
14. Go Girl
Tracks 13-14 are CD only and were originally the bands 1968 single. The Beatles were a big influence on Rainbow Ffolly and that is no bad thing. This is a very nice album and well worth having in any collection.
The first and greatest Nirvana album is The Story Of Simon Simopath
1. Wings Of Love
2. Lonely Boy
3. We Can Help You
4. Satellite Jockey
5. In The Courtyard Of The Stars
6. You Are Just The One
7. Pentecost Hotel
8. I Never Had A Love Like This Before
9. Take This Hand
10. 1999
All tracks are by Campbell-Lyons and Alex Spyropoulos - We Can Help You was a hit for The Alan Bown anbd used on adverts.
Nirvana also released
All Of Us which contained Rainbow Chaser, which I think was on Nice Enough To Eat: the Island compilation.
These are the two essential Nirvana albums. The first is a true classic.
Which brings me to Rainbow Ffolly of which I know little other than what you can read on Spectromorphic Iridescence from a Tube of Smarties. However what I can say is that their only album Sallies Fforth is superb.
I would go as far as to say that Rainbow Ffolly are probably the best group ever to come from High Wycombe.
1. She's Alright
2. I'm So Happy
3. Montgolfier
4. Drive My Car
5. Goodbye
6. Hey You
7. Sun Sing
8. Sun And Sand
9. Labour Exchange
10. They'm
11. No
12. Sighing Game
13. Come On Go
14. Go Girl
Tracks 13-14 are CD only and were originally the bands 1968 single. The Beatles were a big influence on Rainbow Ffolly and that is no bad thing. This is a very nice album and well worth having in any collection.
Which brings us to
Zoot Money: Keyboards, Vocals
Andy Somers: Guitar
Colin Allen: Drums
Pat Donaldson: Bass Guitar
Now most readers know I'm no fan of the police, but 10 years before that Andy Somers (Andy Summers) was in a short lived, but excellent group: Dantalion's Chariot.
Dantalion's Chariot produced one of the most brilliant psychedelic singles of the late '60s — indeed, one of the most brilliant singles ever: Madman Running Through the Fields. 1967 saw British pop-psych at its bests and Madman Running Through the Fields was so good the late great Syd Barrett could have written it. Apart from Andy Somers, Dantalion's Chariot were veteran musicians who had been playing jazz and R&B as Zoot Money's Big Roll Band. Money, saw the impact of psychedelic music in 1967 and revamped his sound. No more soul covers, it had to be original material. Money & Somers wrote the material. EMI were unsupportive (yes even then they were guilt of blind acceptance and were stupid fools that stood in line) and Dantalion's Chariot flopped.
Madman Running Through the Fields and other offerings by Dantalion's Chariot are on Chariot Rising - courtesy of the wonderful 10th Planet
1. Madman Running Through the Fields
2. World War Three
3. This Island
4. Fourpenny Bus Ride
5. Four Firemen
6. Sun Came Bursting Through My Cloud
7. Recapture the Thrill
8. Soma
9. Coffee Song
10. High Flying Bird
It is inconsistent and at times the recording quality is mediocre, but the first half dozen tracks stand-up well.
Zoot Money: Keyboards, Vocals
Andy Somers: Guitar
Colin Allen: Drums
Pat Donaldson: Bass Guitar
Now most readers know I'm no fan of the police, but 10 years before that Andy Somers (Andy Summers) was in a short lived, but excellent group: Dantalion's Chariot.
Dantalion's Chariot produced one of the most brilliant psychedelic singles of the late '60s — indeed, one of the most brilliant singles ever: Madman Running Through the Fields. 1967 saw British pop-psych at its bests and Madman Running Through the Fields was so good the late great Syd Barrett could have written it. Apart from Andy Somers, Dantalion's Chariot were veteran musicians who had been playing jazz and R&B as Zoot Money's Big Roll Band. Money, saw the impact of psychedelic music in 1967 and revamped his sound. No more soul covers, it had to be original material. Money & Somers wrote the material. EMI were unsupportive (yes even then they were guilt of blind acceptance and were stupid fools that stood in line) and Dantalion's Chariot flopped.
Madman Running Through the Fields and other offerings by Dantalion's Chariot are on Chariot Rising - courtesy of the wonderful 10th Planet
1. Madman Running Through the Fields
2. World War Three
3. This Island
4. Fourpenny Bus Ride
5. Four Firemen
6. Sun Came Bursting Through My Cloud
7. Recapture the Thrill
8. Soma
9. Coffee Song
10. High Flying Bird
It is inconsistent and at times the recording quality is mediocre, but the first half dozen tracks stand-up well.
Matthew 7:6 (New International Version)
New International Version (NIV) Bible
"Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces".
Hmm - I prefer
Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet
I've left a couple out - notably his not so wonderful comeback album. However, Tom Rapp and his band Pearls Before Swine recorded some great material. The albums above are
One Nation Underground (1967)
Balaklava (1968)
These Things Too (1969)
The Use Of Ashes (1970)
City Of Gold (1971)
Beautiful Lies You Could Live In (1971)
Stardancer (1972)
Sunforest (1972)
Sorry there are no guitar solos - just some very good songs. The albums become less psych and more complex as they progress. Rapp's first two albums were on ESP, the same label as the Fugs.
To het a flavour lets start at the beginning with One Nation Underground, Rapp was in gaol for not wanting to fight when wrote (Oh Dear) Miss Morse - the chorus is in morse code and I'll leave for you to work out
Oh Dear, Miss Morse,
I want you,
Oh yes, I do,
I want you.
This may strike you
Odd-I-ly
But I want you
Bodily
Don't blame me dear,
Blame McLuhan
His media
Were your ruin
Chorus:
Dit Dit Dah Dit
Dit Dit Dah
Dah Dit Dah Dit
Dah Dit Dah
The second album Balaklava lasts less than 30 minutes and it has some filler tracks too - but if you play Translucent Carriages, Images Of April, There Was A Man and I Saw The World - you can't help but want this album. It is one of the best sequences of haunting, melodic songs you'll ever hear.
All Rapp's albums are interesting and if you want a compilation then Constructive Melancholy (CD), which concentrates on his Reprise years is very good. If you bought that along with One Nation Underground and Balaklava then you'd have a great collection of his familiar songs.
If you want to read a biography of Pearls Before Swine then this link is the one. It's written by an enthusiast. I first discovered the music of Tom Rapp un 1970 and somehow managed to buy all his albums on vinyl - a great treasure hunt.
BTW looking at the biography, the talent contest was in Minnesota and Dylan came 5th.
It was good to see Malky suggesting PBS - I thought I was alone in my admiration for them.
New International Version (NIV) Bible
"Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces".
Hmm - I prefer
Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet
I've left a couple out - notably his not so wonderful comeback album. However, Tom Rapp and his band Pearls Before Swine recorded some great material. The albums above are
One Nation Underground (1967)
Balaklava (1968)
These Things Too (1969)
The Use Of Ashes (1970)
City Of Gold (1971)
Beautiful Lies You Could Live In (1971)
Stardancer (1972)
Sunforest (1972)
Sorry there are no guitar solos - just some very good songs. The albums become less psych and more complex as they progress. Rapp's first two albums were on ESP, the same label as the Fugs.
To het a flavour lets start at the beginning with One Nation Underground, Rapp was in gaol for not wanting to fight when wrote (Oh Dear) Miss Morse - the chorus is in morse code and I'll leave for you to work out
Oh Dear, Miss Morse,
I want you,
Oh yes, I do,
I want you.
This may strike you
Odd-I-ly
But I want you
Bodily
Don't blame me dear,
Blame McLuhan
His media
Were your ruin
Chorus:
Dit Dit Dah Dit
Dit Dit Dah
Dah Dit Dah Dit
Dah Dit Dah
The second album Balaklava lasts less than 30 minutes and it has some filler tracks too - but if you play Translucent Carriages, Images Of April, There Was A Man and I Saw The World - you can't help but want this album. It is one of the best sequences of haunting, melodic songs you'll ever hear.
All Rapp's albums are interesting and if you want a compilation then Constructive Melancholy (CD), which concentrates on his Reprise years is very good. If you bought that along with One Nation Underground and Balaklava then you'd have a great collection of his familiar songs.
If you want to read a biography of Pearls Before Swine then this link is the one. It's written by an enthusiast. I first discovered the music of Tom Rapp un 1970 and somehow managed to buy all his albums on vinyl - a great treasure hunt.
BTW looking at the biography, the talent contest was in Minnesota and Dylan came 5th.
It was good to see Malky suggesting PBS - I thought I was alone in my admiration for them.
quote:Originally posted by costello:
...but where can I buy them?
play.com only got Wizard of is, The complete ESP and Use of Ashes...
Fredrik
It would have to be CDs - the complete collection of PBS albums is in a box called When Jewels Were Stars for £36.99 (or £24.84 second hand). You can buy it here
Disc: 1 - These Things Too
1. Footnote
2. Sail Away
3. Look into Her Eyes
4. I Shall Be Released
5. Frog in the Window
6. I'm Going to City
7. Man in the Tree
8. If You Don't Want To (I Don't Mind)
9. Green and Blue
10. Mon Amour
11. Wizard of Is
12. Frog in the Window
13. When I Was a Child
14. These Things Too
Disc: 2 - Use of Ashes
1. Jeweler
2. From the Movie of the Same Name
3. Rocket Man
4. God Save the Child
5. Song About a Rose
6. Tell Me Why
7. Margery
8. Old Man
9. Riegal
10. When the War Begins
Disc: 3 - City of Gold
1. Sonnet #65
2. Once Upon a Time
3. Raindrops
4. City of Gold
5. Nancy
6. Seasons in the Sun
7. My Father
8. Man
9. Casablanca
10. Wedding
11. Did You Dream Of
Disc: 4 - Beautiful Lies
1. Snow Queen
2. Life
3. Butterflies
4. Simple Things
5. Everybody's Got Pain
6. Bird on a Wire
7. Island Lady
8. Come to Me
9. Freedom
10. She's Gone
11. Epitaph
Stardancer seems a little harder, but Sunforest is available here
Don't forget to search for Tom Rapp as well as Pearls Before Swine.
Best regards, Rotf
BTW - you can find Constructive Melancholy: 30 Years of Pearls Before Swine for £6.15 new.
(I hope this doesn't violate any forum rules)
Well - after some albums that are more song based, lets dive into some more experimental material. Well, there are Hawkind's first two albums Hawkwind and In Search of Space which are always worth a listen. In Search of Space featured Dave Anderson on bass; Dave had been in Germany in one of my all time favourite bands. The band, of course, is Amon Düül II. I'm sorry I don't know how difficult or easy it is to buy the records these days, I've had them for some time. Please don't bother with Amon Düül I elpees - they are rubbish (not everyone agrees see here) - you only want those credited to Amon Düül II.
Amon Düül II emerged from an artistic and political community called Amon Düül. The first official release in 1969 was a unique album: Phallus Dei. The title track takes up a complete side of the vinyl release. It introduces us to twin guitarists John Weinzierl and Chris Karrer and vocalist: Renate Knaup-Kroetenschwanz
1. Kanaan (4:02)
2. Dem Guten, Schönen, Wahren (6:12)
3. Luzifers Ghilom (8:34)
4. Henriette Krötenschwanz (2:03)
5. Phallus Dei (20:47)
This is progressive music with a sense of humour. You feel you are listening to inspired imprivisational musicians who are having fun and seeking to entertain.
In 1970, the second album was more of the same and no worse for it: Yeti; it has a structured songs on Disc 1 and improvisations on Disc 2; both discs are equally enjoyable and the whole work hangs together well. OK lets say it: this album is almost as good as it gets in the world of prog-rock.
Disc 1: The 12 minute opener, Soap Shop Rock, is a suite of songs and switches between soft lyrical and agressive marching rock. Archangels Thunderbird with Renate singing as well as ever is a great track. Cerberus is a pleasent acoustic tune. Disc 2 has three tracks and it is Sandoz in the Rain which stans out with its guitar and flute passages. If another group had recorded this then it would have been their best album and ensured them of great praise, but Amon Düül II were set to release a masterpiece that surpassed even Yeti.
Please note I have this as a vinyl double album. I read some idiots have squeezed both discs on to one CD by cutting three minutes from Pale Gallery; IMO this should be a 10 year gaol sentence.
It's masterpiece time and for Amon Düül II that can only mean Tanz Der Lemminge. The dance of the lemmings is a great diverse work that combines powerful, emotional songs with some folk accents next to long free space-rock jamming. If you only buy one Amon Düül II album then it has to be Tanz Der Lemminge. If you only buy one album from this genre then it has to be Tanz Der Lemminge.
Some albums of this era sounded dated, good but dated - of their time, to put it politely. Tanz Der Lemminge is different. It sounds as good in 2006 as it did 35 years ago. The musicianship is beyond reproach, the songs are equisite and the sense of humour is there throughout. There is no pretention and this is why I said Yeti was is almost as good as it gets - because Tanz Der Lemminge is the one.
The tracks
1. Syntelman's March of the Roaring Seventies: Pull Down Your Mask/Prayer to the Silence/Telephonecomplex
2. Restless Skylight-Transistor-Child: Landing in a Ditch/Dehypnotized Toothpaste/A Short Stop at the Transsylvanian Brain Surgery
3. Restless Skylight-Transistor-Child: Race from Here to Your Ears/Riding on a Cloud/Paralized Paradise/H.G. Well's Take Off
4. Chamsin Soundtrack: The Marilyn Monroe-Memorial-Church/Chewinggum Telegram/Stumbling Over Melted Moonlight/
Cal Whispering
The players
John Weinzierl, guitars, vocals; Chris Karrer, acoustic guitar, e-guitar, violin, vocals; Lothar Meid, bass, double-bass, vocals; Peter Leopold, drums, percussion; Falk Rogner, organ, electronics; K.H. Hausmann, electronics, sound engineer; with Jimy Jackson, organ, choir-organ, piano; Al Gromer, sitar; Henriette Kroetenschwanz, vocals; Rolf Zacher, vocals
Subsequent albums couldn't match Tanz Der Lemminge, but the 1972 Carnival in Babylon is excellent nonetheless and is a new musical direction with shorter songs and Renate’s beautiful vocals. The next album Wolf City has some strong prog-rock ballads, even better is the superb 1973 effort Viva La Trance.
Viva La Trance works well with short songs that follow Amon Düül II's unique sound. "Fly United," "Trap," and "Ladies Mimikry" show how pop and rock can merge into each other and retain humour. The instrumentation here is as wonderful as ever with Chris Karrer's violin and sax to the fore. The melodies are dominant and enchanting.
There are further Amon Düül II albums and they remain good records though they are more commercial and not as compelling. My recommendations are to avoid Amon Düül II compilations, as they don't work. Buy Tanz Der Lemminge and then either Yeti or Viva La Trance or better still all three. You'll then have three of the best prog-rock (or is it space rock) albums ever made. In fact three of the best albums ever made. If you offered me the complete works of Led Zep and Cream and the Rolling Stones or Tanz Der Lemminge to take to the dessert island then I'd be listening to the Dance of the Lemmings, it really is that good.
In case anybody didn't notice - I quite like Amon Düül II.
Amon Düül II emerged from an artistic and political community called Amon Düül. The first official release in 1969 was a unique album: Phallus Dei. The title track takes up a complete side of the vinyl release. It introduces us to twin guitarists John Weinzierl and Chris Karrer and vocalist: Renate Knaup-Kroetenschwanz
1. Kanaan (4:02)
2. Dem Guten, Schönen, Wahren (6:12)
3. Luzifers Ghilom (8:34)
4. Henriette Krötenschwanz (2:03)
5. Phallus Dei (20:47)
This is progressive music with a sense of humour. You feel you are listening to inspired imprivisational musicians who are having fun and seeking to entertain.
In 1970, the second album was more of the same and no worse for it: Yeti; it has a structured songs on Disc 1 and improvisations on Disc 2; both discs are equally enjoyable and the whole work hangs together well. OK lets say it: this album is almost as good as it gets in the world of prog-rock.
Disc 1: The 12 minute opener, Soap Shop Rock, is a suite of songs and switches between soft lyrical and agressive marching rock. Archangels Thunderbird with Renate singing as well as ever is a great track. Cerberus is a pleasent acoustic tune. Disc 2 has three tracks and it is Sandoz in the Rain which stans out with its guitar and flute passages. If another group had recorded this then it would have been their best album and ensured them of great praise, but Amon Düül II were set to release a masterpiece that surpassed even Yeti.
Please note I have this as a vinyl double album. I read some idiots have squeezed both discs on to one CD by cutting three minutes from Pale Gallery; IMO this should be a 10 year gaol sentence. It's masterpiece time and for Amon Düül II that can only mean Tanz Der Lemminge. The dance of the lemmings is a great diverse work that combines powerful, emotional songs with some folk accents next to long free space-rock jamming. If you only buy one Amon Düül II album then it has to be Tanz Der Lemminge. If you only buy one album from this genre then it has to be Tanz Der Lemminge.
Some albums of this era sounded dated, good but dated - of their time, to put it politely. Tanz Der Lemminge is different. It sounds as good in 2006 as it did 35 years ago. The musicianship is beyond reproach, the songs are equisite and the sense of humour is there throughout. There is no pretention and this is why I said Yeti was is almost as good as it gets - because Tanz Der Lemminge is the one.
The tracks
1. Syntelman's March of the Roaring Seventies: Pull Down Your Mask/Prayer to the Silence/Telephonecomplex
2. Restless Skylight-Transistor-Child: Landing in a Ditch/Dehypnotized Toothpaste/A Short Stop at the Transsylvanian Brain Surgery
3. Restless Skylight-Transistor-Child: Race from Here to Your Ears/Riding on a Cloud/Paralized Paradise/H.G. Well's Take Off
4. Chamsin Soundtrack: The Marilyn Monroe-Memorial-Church/Chewinggum Telegram/Stumbling Over Melted Moonlight/
Cal Whispering
The players
John Weinzierl, guitars, vocals; Chris Karrer, acoustic guitar, e-guitar, violin, vocals; Lothar Meid, bass, double-bass, vocals; Peter Leopold, drums, percussion; Falk Rogner, organ, electronics; K.H. Hausmann, electronics, sound engineer; with Jimy Jackson, organ, choir-organ, piano; Al Gromer, sitar; Henriette Kroetenschwanz, vocals; Rolf Zacher, vocals
Subsequent albums couldn't match Tanz Der Lemminge, but the 1972 Carnival in Babylon is excellent nonetheless and is a new musical direction with shorter songs and Renate’s beautiful vocals. The next album Wolf City has some strong prog-rock ballads, even better is the superb 1973 effort Viva La Trance.
Viva La Trance works well with short songs that follow Amon Düül II's unique sound. "Fly United," "Trap," and "Ladies Mimikry" show how pop and rock can merge into each other and retain humour. The instrumentation here is as wonderful as ever with Chris Karrer's violin and sax to the fore. The melodies are dominant and enchanting.
There are further Amon Düül II albums and they remain good records though they are more commercial and not as compelling. My recommendations are to avoid Amon Düül II compilations, as they don't work. Buy Tanz Der Lemminge and then either Yeti or Viva La Trance or better still all three. You'll then have three of the best prog-rock (or is it space rock) albums ever made. In fact three of the best albums ever made. If you offered me the complete works of Led Zep and Cream and the Rolling Stones or Tanz Der Lemminge to take to the dessert island then I'd be listening to the Dance of the Lemmings, it really is that good.
In case anybody didn't notice - I quite like Amon Düül II.