THE CHAINS
The Beatles Of El Paso (60sgaragebands.com; CD)
'It's A Shame' is an absolutely visceral garage punk monster, but The Chains were no slouches
when it came to soft-psych and hard pop/power pop either (the 1968 side 'Has Anyone Seen My Friend'
should have reached the same giddy heights as The Three Dog Night"). Mike Dugo deserves a medal
and huge sales for this majectic anthology; of course, he'll get neither. But I do trust that all SD
readers will order this superb album immediately. I doff my hat!
www.60sgaragebands.com
Jon 'Mojo' Mills
THE COMMON PEOPLE
Of The People/By The People/For The People (Fallout; CD)
David Axelrod scored the first three tracks for these Sir Tim "Sssss…
Trust In Me" Hudson Californian protégés, but pulled out of the project early after his wife was
involved in a fatal crash. The orchestrated tracks are quite astounding, with Axelrod's sighing
strings lifting the songs right up into the stratosphere. Unfortunately, the remainder of
Of The People/By The People/For The People suffers in its nakedness with a number of
the songs sounding as if they stem from an earlier garage band era. The Common People were often uneven,
but when coming over like a haunted Love and Lollipop Shoppe they deliver. Still, even for the early
tracks this is essential.
www.heyday-mo.com
Jon 'Mojo' Mills
THE DOORS
Perception (40th Anniversary Box): (Elektra/Rhino; CD (Set)
I'm afraid I can't extol the virtues of the lavish door-shaped packaging
and the 5.1 surround-sound remixes as I've only got a bare-bones promo of the newly re-mastered albums
(plus bonus tracks) and a compilation of the visual content of the accompanying six DVD's. You all know those
oft-re-released studio classics (and The Soft Parade!) anyway so I'll just get to the bonus stuff.
Some of this has been out before. If you own the '97 box then you've pretty much got the best of The Doors'
official rarities already. If not, there are a few treats in store here in the shape of the jazzy
'Queen Of The Highway', Jim's 'Orange County Suite' ode to his girl Pamela and the darkly rustic
'Whiskey, Mystics And Men (Ver.1)'. The remaining cuts, with the exception of an intriguing work-in-progress
version of 'The Celebration Of The Lizard', are, at best, mildly enjoyable alternates and, at worst,
just plain abysmal meanderings. 'Push Push', a six minute three-chord jam and a (thankfully short)
attempt at Chuck Berry's 'Carol' certainly do nothing to enhance their reputation.
And, interesting though bits of them are, how many tryouts of 'Roadhouse Blues' do you actually need?
The DVD's are made up of the 5.1 mix and various mostly familiar TV appearances and music videos.
In short, if you don't actually own the studio albums (?!?), this is the box to get. The majority
of us might, however, think twice about reaching into our pockets one more time.
www.rhino.co.uk
Lonnie Lubahn
FIELDS
Fields (Fallout; CD)
This power trio had their roots in the garage, and as W.C. Fields Memorial Electric String Band they made
two great 45s. Substantially shortening their name and trimming down they signed with Uni in 1969.
Their album, which is primarily a hard blues rock affair, most notably inspired by Cream, is made all
the more interesting by the moody Abbey Road styled 'Sun Would Set' and the ambitious side filling
rock suite 'Love Is The World' (featuring some incredible backing vocals from Brenda Holloway).
www.heyday-mo.com
Jon 'Mojo' Mills
THE HUMAN BEINZ
Evolution (Fallout; CD)
Having cut a memorable version of The Isley Brothers' 'Nobody But Me'
in 1967 Ohio garage pop sensations The Human Beinz moved confidently into psychedelia with 1968's
Evolution. Tackling everything from straight ahead pop ('If You Don't Mind, Mrs Applebee')
to Love-like lush balladry ('Close Your Eyes'), Hendrixy fuzz laden psych ('Every Time Woman')
and the slow auto destruction of a piano the band keeps the listener on their toes at all times.
Evolution is a very assured album, and an album that I discovered via the old Decal reissue.
It's one I have always cherised… so grab it now
Jon 'Mojo' Mills
JAN AND LORRAINE
Gypsy People (Fallout; CD)
Full of yearning folk, eastern mysticism, soaring orchestration, Swinging London
grooves and top session musicians, Jan And Lorraine conjure up just the right vibe with the help
of some top players, including members of Pentangle. It's a typical period piece, that really tries
to be hip and hippy, and it just about comes off in the end. A nice medieval touch!
www.heyday-mo.com
Jon 'Mojo' Mills
MICHELE
Saturn Rings (Fallout; CD)
Dawn Eden describes Michele O'Malley thus "O'Malley was one of
the first hippies,a striking redhead who garnered her vintage wardrobe from thrift stores long before
it was hip. Highly spiritual, she was a mystic of sorts , being strongly interested in astrology
and the supernatural." She was also a member of The Ballroom (a forerunner
of The Millenium) with the legendary Curt Boettcher, Jim Bell and Sandy Salisbury.
When she was not included in The Millenium due to artistic differences,
Michele recorded this solo album for ABC in 1970 which is the connecting link between Boettcher's
Ballroom/Millenium/Sagittarius as it features Michele's versions of
'Musty Dusty', 'Song To The Magic Frog' and 'Would You Like To Go' from the Sagittarius album and
'Spinning ,Spinning, Spinning' which was featured on Sundazed's Ballroom CD. Curt Boettcher also writes
three solo songs for the album including the weakest track, the eight minute 'Lament of the Astro Cowboy',
which meanders on aimlessly without any of Curt's redeeming features.
Produced by Mike Deasy and featuring Lowell George on flute and Elliot Ingber on
guitar this is a great album and a must have for any fans of Curt Boettcher and the aforementioned groups.
www.heyday-mo.com
Pat Curran
TOMMY ROE
It's Now Winters Day (Fallout; CD)
Originally released in 1967 on the ABC label , this is a collection of songs written
by Tommy over the preceding three years which were far removed from the bubblegum
sound of his previous two hits 'Sweet Pea' and 'Hooray for Hazel'. The album was ostensibly produced
by Steve Clark for Our Productions but was in fact produced and arranged by the legendary Curt Boettcher.
(Apparently this was par for the course Steve took all the credit and the money while Curt did
all the work)
On some tracks this is in effect a group vocal record with Tommy on lead vocals
backed by members of The Ballroom/Millenium cohort principally Curt, Jim Bell, Michele O'Malley, Lee Mallory
and Dottie Holmberg, whom Curt had sung with in his first group The Goldebriars whose two albums
have just been reissued by Collectors Choice.
The album varies from the southern soul of 'Have Pity on Me'
and the Bo Diddley beat of 'Misty Eyes' to the vocal highlights of 'Moontalk' and the title track.
With excellent sound and a bonus track this is a great album and one worth re issuing.
www.heyday-mo.com
Pat Curran
PHIL SAWYER
Childhood's End (Guerssen; CD)
This 1971 Oz singer/songwriters folk-rock/psych album sounds not
unlike Irish troubadour David McWilliams backed by Procol Harum. 'Electric Children' changes direction
and is a heavily phased psychedelic wonder. Pretty cool and moody.
www.guerssen.com
Jon 'Mojo' Mills
STACKRIDGE
Purple Spaceships Over Yatton – Best Of (Angel Air; CD)
Even by the highly eclectic standards of the early 70's,
Stackridge were a really quirky band. Over the course of their career the band never seemed
to decide which direction they wanted to go in. In chronicling all aspects of their career,
this compilation is frustratingly diverse. The band were capable musicians
who produced some really imaginative instrumental music that generally sidestepped the excesses
of the 'progressive' era. The peaceful, sax-based 'Coniston Water' and the eastern passages
(Violin and sitar?) in 'Syracuse The Elephant' are good examples. The ambitious 'Purple Spaceships'
also has some serene pastoral passages of flute and keyboards. Not all the instrumentals are
as strong, however. Early efforts such as 'Lummy Days' prove why the violin almost never works
as the lead instrument in a rock band.
Stackridge also wrote melodic, Beatles-influenced pop songs with intelligent
lyrics and layers of harmonies, such as 'Fish In A Glass' and 'The Road To Venezuela'. Unfortunately the
band also had a penchant for corny, rather annoying tunes in a sing-along English Music Hall style,
the main offenders being 'The Galloping Goucho' and 'Do The Stanley'.
As a collection the diversity won't bother hardened fans, but the less committed
will want to play some tracks a lot, others once in a while, and avoid some completely.
www.angelair.co.uk
Phil Suggitt
STARK NAKED
Stark Naked (Fallout; CD)
This excellent Long Island group cut this rather neglected album in 1971
for RCA. It sits somewhere on the cusp of heavy psych and prog rock with strong male/female vocals
and some excellent Hammond and guitar riffage. Moving between tough rock and slower vocal themes,
it's an impressive piece, which I absolutely adore.
Jon 'Mojo' Mills
SUBWAY
Subway (Guerssen; CD)
The American/British duo Subway released one album on the French Epic label
after an A&R man discovered them busking in a subway (hence the name). Focusing on the player's
12-string acoustic guitar and violin the music veers between folk themes and Arabian motives,
not unlike The Incredible Stringband or Comus. Their sole album offers a set of spooky,
atmospheric psych-folk with a few diversions into funky electric improvisations. Worth a listen.
www.guerssen.com
Jon 'Mojo' Mills
THORINSHIELD
Thorinshield (Fallout; CD)
Released on Philips in 1968, the sole album of the US soft-psych/pop trio's album
is a a well seasoned late '60s commercial hippy album. The influence of The Beatles (Rubber Soul
to Pepper) may be somewhat noticeable, but then, so is the high budget West Coast studio production,
which is packed with tinkling harpsichords, orchestration and psychedelic touches. Throw in some LA
harmony pop, Donovanish folk and there you have it; a very enjoyable, if not exceptional melodic blast.
www.heyday-mo.com
Jon 'Mojo' Mills
ALAN TRAJAN
Firm Roots (Fallout; CD)
Although somewhat samey in direction Scottish singer Firm Roots opens
with the superb mod dancer 'Speak To Me Clarissa', which features the singer's marvellous Hammond playing.
Elsewhere this 1969 album sticks a little closely to rock, R&B and folk formats and often sounds
like a second rate Traffic. Shame really considering it starts so well.
www.heyday-mo.com
Jon 'Mojo' Mills
