It's Psychedelic Baby Magazine: 2017

Love interview with Johnny Echols

In-depth interview with Love’s Johnny Echols

Your roots go back to 1963 when you, along with Arthur Lee and Billy Preston formed a high school band known as the LAGs aka LA Group. How did it all started?

Actually, Billy Preston and I formed the group while freshmen in high school. We played mostly at school assemblies and talent shows. Arthur, who was more interested in sports at the time, attended one of those assemblies and noticed all of the attention we were receiving from the young ladies in the audience and asked if he could join our group. After a lot of back-and-forths and blow-back from Billy and the other group members, Arthur came-on-board as a percussionist, mainly a “conga” player.

Paradise 9 was initially formed at The Acoustic Revolution in the UK in 1997 when multi-instrumentalist Gregg McKella teamed up with bassist Andy McDonald for a songwriter performance. The duo, with McKella on vocals, guitar, reeds and synth, then rounded out the lineup with Steve Teers – djembe, keys and backing vocals; Mufa – percussion; and Wayne Collyer – drums, recording the album Showtime in 1998.

Yardbirds - “Little Games” 2 CD Edition (1967, reissue Parlophone Ltd. Japan, 2013)

Following in the footsteps of guitar legends Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page took over the lead guitar position of The Yardbirds in 1967, following a brief period in 1966 when both Beck and Page were members of the band. During this short window of time, The Yardbirds recorded three tracks, two of which, “Happenings Ten Years Time Ago” and “Stroll On” (a remake of the previously recorded cover of Tiny Bradshaw’s “Train Kept A Rollin’ with Beck on lead) featured the twin lead guitar attack of Beck and Page, and “Psycho Daisies” (the b-side of the “Happenings” single) on which Beck played lead guitar and Page contributed bass guitar.

Having outgrown its britches, or binding capacity, as the case may be, author Vernon Joynson’s title “Dreams, Fantasies and Nightmares from Far Away Lands Revisited” has been put to bed and replaced by two new titles, the second of these “A Potpourri Of Melodies And Mayhem: Latin American And Canadian Rock, Pop, Beat, R&B, Folk, Garage, Psych And Prog 1963-1976” is reviewed here. It is also important to note that while the book mainly covers the period 1963-1976, releases by bands that carried on beyond this time frame are included, albeit perhaps not in quite such detail.

Drawing their name from the horror writer of short stories H.P. Lovecraft, the band laid waste to the psychedelic world with their song “The White Ship”, a song that along with Fever Tree’s “San Francisco Girl”, It’s A Beautiful Day’s “White Bird,” and the song “Square Room” by Them, sonically defined the musical underground of the mid 60’s, and without hesitation, created the chemistry that would go on to inspire the washed out hazy and dreamlike atmosphere that would be revisited by so many of the drug induced neo-psychedelic bands who would hover over the band’s footsteps nearly twenty years later.

The Blues Magoos - Electric Comic Book (1967)

Still riding the psychedelic wave, and while several of the tracks are very good, the band moved into a rather iffy area, incorporating a bit of Monkees’ bizarre behaviour with the idea that listeners needed an intermission, hence the song “Intermission,” and their goofy parody of the the Looney Tunes theme “That’s All Folks” which ended the album.

The Greencoats - A Blend of Silk & Satin (Tomt Recordings, 2010)

Ladies, Gentlemen, Pop Psych fans worldwide and across the galaxy, allow me to introduce to you The Greencoats … a lustrous bit of bright compelling enchanting harmonic atmospheric shoegazing psychedelic music that’s laced with effortless enchanting and very hypnotically danceable songs that go down like a warm teaspoon of codeine cough syrup.

Following exactly the same format as for The Two-Volume Tapestry of Delights and A Melange Of Musical Pipedreams And Pandemonium, Vernon covers Latin American and Canadian rock, pop, beat, R&B, folk, garage, psych and prog between 1963 and 1976 in this latest volume.

Cream - Fresh Cream (Super Deluxe Edition) (Polydor ‎– 572 266-9, UMC ‎– 572 266-9, 2017)

More than half a century after forming arguably the first “rock super group” Cream, the power trio of Jack Bruce (bass guitar and vocals), Eric Clapton (lead guitar and vocals) and Ginger Baker (drums) released their debut album “Fresh Cream”(December 1966) the LP, which upon original release made #6 on the UK and #39 on the US album charts, receives the Super Deluxe Edition treatment thanks to compilation producers Bill Levenson and Mark Powell on Polydor Records, UK. The 3 CD/1 Blu Ray collection, includes the mono and stereo mixes of the album, the three related singles in their original mono mixes, rare French EP mono mixes, session recordings in mono and stereo that went unreleased at the time, early versions, outtakes and alternate versions, and BBC sessions from November 1966 thru January 1967, and the LPs’ US mono and stereo versions presented in 24/96 Hi-Resolution Audio, as well as six bonus tracks, half mono, half stereo, also in 24/96 Audio.

“Life would be simpler if I was a musician”

Arkm Foam is Adam McCarthy, a 35 year old sound artist and tape collagist now based in Western Massachusetts.

Having kicked off in the late sixties on the East Coast, with bands like the Stooges, the American punk wave came to San Francisco late, circa 1976. One of the standouts was a band called Crime, one member of which, Johnny Strike, relocated a good spell to Tangier, Morocco, and has distinguished himself as an author with works like Name of the Stranger, Ports of Hell and Murder in the Medina. His latest musical effort, Naked Beast, with fellow former Crime members Hank Rank and Joey D’Kaye, still punk as hell, with driving numbers like “Gnostic Wolf” and “Emergency Music Ward” is predicted here. Mr. Strike did me the favor of answering a few questions about Crime, published here for the first time anywhere. Naked Beast has been out for a while now and picking up rave reviews, good airplay and sales. Available in LP, CD and digital.

“I have learned to find the joy in cheap and free things”

With Dyad Novo Line made a post-New Beat and industrial pop record that, as the liner notes mention, could be played at 33 or 45 rpm.

The Rolling Stones - On Air (Universal, 2017)

Surprised I was by last year’s release by The Rolling Stones, a return to their roots with the album Blue & Lonesome, and since they’ve never a band who was shy to capitalize on anything left over, even from the cutting room floor, here we are, presented with On Air, revealing a look at the band through their 1960’s BBC radio sessions.

The Yardbirds - Yardbirds ‘68 (Jimmy Page Records, 2017)

Nearly fifty years after the band called it quits, the mythical, often bootlegged, 30 May 1968 live performance of The Yardbirds at the Anderson Theater in New York City, originally released by Epic Records in 1971 as “Live Yardbirds (Featuring Jimmy Page) finally sees proper reissue as half of the 2 LP or 2 CD set “Yardbirds ’68.” The other half of the release are the fabled, never previously officially released “studio sketches” recorded by the band during the same period, consisting of eight tracks ranging in quality from near finished master takes to bare bone instrumental scratch tracks.

The Complete Monterey Pop Festival (Criterion Collection Blu Ray/DVD 2017)

Readers of this website likely don’t need to be told what the Monterey Pop Festival is. The three-day musical extravaganza that ushered in the Summer of Love is considered by many music heads to still be the most memorable event of its kind. Papa John Phillips, Lou Adler and other festival organizers were after nothing less than including a vast, diverse collection of performers who, all put together, summed up the finest in psychedelic rock, blues, folk, pop, soul, raga, etc. etc. of the heady times. It’s easy to think of some acts who weren’t on the bill that would have made it better – Love, Judee Sill, and James Brown come immediately to this writer’s mind – but it’s hard to find fault with the roster of acts that were on hand.

Creator of the Site: A Head Full Of Wishes

Jenell: Dearest readers, I’ve always felt that Galaxie 500 represented the first successful take on the neo-psychedelic sound, and to that end tonight I have the great pleasure of sitting down with Andy Aldridge, a low-keyed obsessive fan and founder of the site A Head Full Of Wishes, a labor of love, which is a fount of information regarding Galaxie 500, Luna, Dean & Britta along with Damon & Naomi … Andy, thank you for taking the time to let me bend your ear … and I must say, this is the first time I’ve ever interviewed anyone when we were both wearing the same T-shirt.

Andy: You’re very welcome Jenell, there’s not much I like talking about more than things related to A Head Full of Wishes so thanks so much for giving me the chance!

“Rock Covers” by Robbie Busch, Jonathan Kirby and Ed Julius Weidermann (Taschen 2014)

Measuring 550 pages in length, “Rock Covers” is a hardbound coffee-table sized book containing photographs of oodles upon oodles of album jackets.

Arranged in alphabetical order by the name of the band or performer, the titanic tome offers a mix of popular recordings and unbelievable obscurities from all over world. Placed alongside the eye-popping snapshots is information identifying the act, as well as the year the album was released and the label it appeared on. Credit is further given to the folks who designed the sleeves and took the pictures. Quotes from musicians, photographers and graphic artists involved in the discs are also frequently presented.

Billy And The Kids - The Two Singles 1965-67 (Julian Records/Feathered Apple)

Here are the kids from East Wenatchee (WA), who recorded two fabulous 45s on the Julian label. If you are unfamiliar with the ‘Back From the Grave’ LP series, the B-side of their first single, ‘Say You Love Me’ will knock your socks off. It’s the first effort recorded by these junior high school musicians, aged between 12 and 13-years-old! It’s got everything you would expect; a solid drum beat, desperate teenage love-type lyrics with high-pitched screams and a great guitar solo.

The session was recorded at Tapetown Studios in Aarhus, Denmark in November. The band was touring Europe and because of Copenhagen Psych Fest being cancelled they had a day available before playing Tusindfryd in Aalborg.

The organisation Across The Floor arranged a gig at the Tapetown X facilities and the next morning before departing for Aalborg the band did the session.

The Live at Tapetown series is an alternative take on the likes of KEXP live. Bands that swing by is mostly on their European tours and come by the studio for an hour or two between gigs.

http://www.yardpress.it/stone-tape/

https://www.facebook.com/thetelescopesuk/

https://www.facebook.com/Tapetown/

Interview with psychedelic artist John Hurford

“I’m influenced by music - it takes me to a place I need to be when I’m painting.”

John Hurford was born on a farm in Devon in 1948 and began painting soon after he left school in 1964. Self-taught and with no formal training, he quickly became one of the real forces behind the British psychedelic art movement. He contribute to all three of the most influential and important underground publications of the 1960s - OZ Magazine, International Times and Gandalf’s Garden.

“Pan-ethnic ritual improvisation”

Hargawaan Por Shail by Varkenshond is a beautiful, mystical record of improvisations based on structures and tunes from different parts of the world, released by the always excellent Aguirre Records.

After 2015’s triumphant return with the ‘Were We Ever Here’ EP, Brighton shoegaze luminaries Air Formation, are set to release their fourth long-player ‘Near Miss’, on March 2nd via the UK’s premiere psych label, Club AC30.

“For the video we worked with renowned Lewes based visual creator Chris Tomsett aka INNERSTRINGS. At various locations in and around Brighton INNERSTRINGS combined light, shade and everyday concrete structures together with mind bending effects to create a visual head rush that encapsulates the sound of ‘Vanishing Act’ perfectly.”

Pre-order: http://store.clubac30.com/products/605233-air-formation-near-miss

Helicon - “Helicon” album premiere

Glasgow’s Helicon have been staples of the UK’s underground rock scene since they formed back in 2009 and from then they’ve gone on to release eight EPs, tour Europe several times and share the stage with everyone from the likes of Wooden Shjips, The Warlocks and Dead Skeletons. Picking up an ever-growing reputation along the way the band are now finally set to release their long-overdue self-titled debut LP on Fuzz Club on December 8th.

Exploring themes of love and loss, drugs and drink, religion and politics, and life and death, Helicon’s new album is a collection of sprawling and expansive Eastern-sounding psych-rock.

Vinyl purchase link: https://fuzzclub.com/products/pre-order-helicon-st-album
Digital purchase link: https://fuzzclub.bandcamp.com/album/helicon

Cruel Experience - “LOUD” premiere

Debut album by Cruel Experience is a composite work: seven tracks that draw a path through a richly faceted musical universe, but which also reflect the attitude and history of a band that wants to make music by choosing to stand on its own feet. And indeed, L.O.U.D. is an album that’s made by the music for the music: entirely self-financed thanks to gigs and recorded DIY, it’s the manifesto of a desire for full expression, without filters or compromises.

“The song is about our territory and the meaning of madness. For our music scene there aren’t any places where you can play live music in Lucca. The crazy thing is that there are a lot of venues but they don’t have understanding for music and bands. For this reason we sing: I drunk my dream, I drunk my dream, there was nothing to do.”

https://cruelexperience.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/cruelexperience

An Interview with the Asteroid No. 4

Recently, I had the pleasure to speak to Scott Vitt of the Asteroid No. 4 via email regarding their upcoming album and what led them to where they are here. This is what he had to say.

Being this will be your ninth album, what about this one sets it apart from the others preceding it? What should fans be most excited about regarding the album?

To answer your question...what sets this album apart from those preceding it simply starts with the process in which we’ve written and recorded it. Over the years, and our last 7 records or so, we would typically record as we wrote in our own digital studio/rehearsal space. Although this process would keep things moving quickly, it would not always allow for songs to become fully realized or performed live until sometimes months after the recording was complete.

Various Artists - The Invisible & Divided Sea (Bearsuit Records, 2017)

This economic label sampler features 17 tracks from 16 international artists clocking in at one hour. In typical Bearsuit fashion, the artists and selections run an eclectic gamut from the “electro ambient trance fusion” of Belgian composer Alexander Stordiau’s contemplatively cinematic ‘Fulfilling Eclipse’, wonderfully reminiscent of Tangerine Dream’s soundtrack work to the funky schizophrenic psychosis of Hamburg’s Martin Pozdrowicz and his PoProPo (aka Pop ProjektPozdrowicz), which sounds like Medium Medium and Liquid Liquid wrestling with Talking Heads while out of their heads on amphetamines! Martian Subculture’s ‘Chewing Gum’ is what Evan O’Malley imagines distorted pop music sounds like on Mars – I think it sounds like a lost Yoko Ono Chill Out tape.

One of the most head scratching projects of this year is 34650 Seconds by Evelin Brosi: it’s a book, a 3 day long reading and a sound poem of 9 hours, 37 minutes an 30 seconds on 11 CD’s.

“It was kind of weird making this video with Erik, dressed like a madman, chasing the kids around. But we really wanted to depict that strange feeling so the weirder the better I suppose.”

Swedish Kraut-Rock three-piece Norma release a timely ode to seasonal affective disorder and inner demons of all kinds on new single ‘S.A.D.’

Atomic Rooster - Sleeping For Years: The Studio Recordings 1970-1974 (Esoteric Recordings, 2017)

Formed by former Crazy World Of Arthur Brown (“Fire”) members Vincent Crane (organ, piano, synthesizer, vocals) and Carl Palmer (drums) in 1969, and joined quickly by bassist, vocalist, flutist, Nick Graham, who answered an advert in Melody Maker Magazine, Atomic Rooster would go on to record five albums and a handful of singles in their original lifespan, 1970 to 1974. “Sleeping For Years” gathers together the entire studio recordings of the band, in its various incarnations, during the period in an incredible four disc box set on Cherry Red Records’ Esoteric Recordings imprint.

The first album by Rock Band For Old Men is coming soon - the album plays with the balance and contrast of good and bad taste; incorporating style elements from 80’s pop, bossanova, funk, country ballads, mall music and hip-hop.

It’s a duet basically about two people having a crush on each other but being too socially awkward to even speak to each other.

The new song, the musically melancholic “Beatin As One” is filled with emotions and also flavoured with some irony.

Headroom - “Head in the Clouds” (2017) review

Headroom - Head in the Clouds (Trouble In Mind Records, 2017)

https://headroomnhv.bandcamp.com/album/head-in-the-clouds

Unlike what the album’s title suggests, Head In The Clouds is not a lofty floating hypnotic adventure above planet earth, unless of course it’s a rather atmospherically windy day, and the clouds are moving across the sky at a steady pace … which can have its advantages, as the long fingers of the sun are broken up in kaleidoscope fashion, and you don’t mind the wind rustling your hair and chilling your upturned face.

A brand new podcast hosted by Ross Beattie (The Night Tripper)

Faust - I Don't Buy Your Shit No More
Frozen Planet 1969 - Shores Of Oblivion
Smog - Wicked Man
Beaulieu Porch - Golda 03
Vibravoid - Wake Up Before You Die
Comacozer - Enuma Elish
Vanilla Fudge - Where Is My Mind
Moths & Locusts - Acid Cloud Pt 2
Spirits And Worm - Spirit And Worm
The Spacious Mind - The Closer You Get To The Sun
Traffic Sound - Yellow Sea Days March 7th March 8th March 9th
Jerry Solomon - Denied
Pip Proud - Adrenaline And Richard
Edward Penfold - If You Like

Feel free to submit your music directly to Ross for upcoming podcast at: ross_bt@yahoo.com

The Rolling Stones - Their Satanic Majesties Request [50th Anniversary Special Edition] (ABKCO Records, 1967/2017 reissue)

Wonderful, but not needed ...

Ahhhh … these special numbered editions.

Allow me to please say that there is no need for this reissue to exist, except for those who want things because they are either a completist, or are profoundly fooling themselves into thinking that they can hear something they actually can not.

Goodness began in Seattle in 1994, during the height of the grunge explosion. Led by former Hammerbox vocalist Carrie Akre, they released three studio albums between 1995-99. In 1999, they were joined by Pearl Jam lead guitarist Mike McCready – who replaced guitarist Garth Reeves – to form The Rockfords, with Rick Friel also replacing Fiia McGann playing bass for that project. The other members of Goodness include Danny Newcomb – guitar, and Chris Friel – drums.

Painter Turns to Hammersmith

by Brock Silversides

Just before Christmas of 1973, an album by the Canadian band Painter hit the North American market like a ton of TNT. To call it “heavy” was an understatement – yet it was also sophisticated and melodic, and replete with radio-friendly hooks. And part of its appeal was that it came from a band which appeared to have no track record with the record-buying public. That was quite untrue of course.

Stack Waddy - So Who The Hell Is Stack Waddy? (Cherry Red Records, 2017)

Once upon a time—September 1969 to be precise—a band formed in Timperley near Manchester from the unlikely cabaret and working-men club scene. This must have had an affect, as a character in the then-renowned Mad mag spawned the new band’s name, Stack Waddy. John Knail (vocals) and late guitarist Mick Stott were first in r‘n’b band The Knails from ’65, Stott and bassist Stuart Banham in Cream-like power trio New Religion whose album on Polydor and European tour came and went. The new quartet—with Steve Revell from Zap Band on drums—was almost a power trio with a vocalist added by sheer force and fear. Like none other, hod-carrying by day and nightly bestowing a healthy mix of Beefheart, Howling Wolf, pre-punk invective interlacing harmonica spurts with whistling and perverse little stories, attention was unavoidable.

Belgian musician Dijf Sanders pens and produces soundtracks for distant, far-flung places that brood with exotica, psychedelia, jazz and electronica.

His new album ‘JAVA’, is a psychedelic and modern search for the sounds of the homonymous Indonesian island. Armed with a set of field recorders, Dijf traveled to every urban and rural corner of Indonesia in the spring of this year.

Dead Rabbits - TimeIsYourOnlyEnemy (Fuzz Club, 2014)

https://fuzzclub.bandcamp.com/album/dead-rabbits-timeisyouronlyenemy

Creating a rather dark tumbling sonic image here on TimeIsYourOnlyEnemy, the band’s influences are evident from the very beginning, which isn’t to say that they are beholding to those sonic inspirations, because Dead Rabbits are truly in charge of their own destiny, dancing somewhere between the genre of shoegazer from the late 1990’s to the atmospherically driven attitudes of the neo-psychedelic movement that started sweeping the scene as the new century began to unfold.

White Manna - Bleeding Eyes (Cardinal Fuzz, 2017)

White Manna are back with their 6th release since 2012 and their first studio album since 2015 (Pan). The title tracks start things with an uptempo psych rocker. As with all the White Manna records, they have a special sound production. Drums are loud and dry, the guitars mixed to the back, space sounds quite low most of the time but present, and a nice rolling bass line.

Reason - The Age Of Reason (Gear Fab Records, 1969/2016 reissue)

An obscurity brought back to life, The Age Of Reason initially came out on the Georgetown label in 1969. The album was recorded by Reason, a Washington DC based band consisting of Tommy Dildy on vocals and keyboards, Billy Windsor on vocals and guitar, Bill Manning on drums and vocals, and bassists J. Jenson and T. Gorka. Danny Gatton, who eventually achieved status as “the greatest guitarist you have never heard” also participated in the project.

The Psychedelic Schafferson Jetplane - The Psychedelic Schafferson Jetplane (Pastabase, 2010)

Drawing the group’s name [though this could very well be the work of a single visionary person] from the historic psychedelic band The Jefferson Airplane, this Chilean experience, The Psychedelic Schafferson Jetplane offer up a bit of 60’s hazy intoxication, but only so much as Spacemen 3 did in the 90’s, creating a new atmosphere that shares a kindred spirit for haunting musical delights, ethereal rhythmic meanderings and sonic layering that moves the music forward, though staying true to a warm scripted environment laced with a penchant for substances of the hypnotic nature.

Uffe Lorenzen - Galmandsværk (Bad Afro Records, 2017)

Uffe (Lorenzo Woodrose for most people) has created his first solo album. Last winter he spent 10 weeks on the island of Gomera off the coast of Africa. He rented a small apartment and spent time with his guitar, recorder and his mind.

Anders Broström is a Swedish multi-instrumentalist. His latest album Mind Electrix consist of improvised jams for fans of lysergic space rock. Drone Rock Records released Mind Electrix on vinyl.

https://domboshawa.bandcamp.com/

What do you consider to be your first real exposure to music?

I’m from a very musical home where my parents worked with music so there was always a lot of music at home, they played Beatles, the Moody Blues and Billy Joel and a lot of other of great music, but the first music that was mine own was heavy metal, 1984 was the year when I started to buy my own records, I loved Kiss, Mötley Crue, Twisted Sister, Dio, Alice Cooper, Guns N’ Roses and everything else that was happening back then.

My introduction to psychedelic music was probably in 1993 or something, I was taking drum lessons when I was younger and my parents had taped the Woodstock movie from the tv and they showed me Santana and the drum solo Michael Shrieve does in “Soul Sacrifice.” I was blown away! I watched the whole movie about 200 times and started buying records by Jefferson Airplane, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Grateful Dead, Country Joe And the Fish and much more from the San Francisco scene, then from there it just grow with the English bands and Swedish bands and so forth, I loved the whole “turn on, tune in, drop out” vibe.

The band I got really hooked on was Grateful Dead, I’m a huge deadhead.

Instrumental music with a lot of jamming and improvisation is really awesome, Earthless, Phish or Ozric Tentacles, it’s all great.

Skid Row - Skid / 34 Hours (BGO CD1302; 38.29 / 57.33 mins)

The original Skid Row are usually called Gary Moore’s band and therefore blues, but these confuse fiction with fact. The band was actually started by bassist/vocalist Brendan ‘Brush’ Shiels, nicknamed by his previous Uptown Band’s manager because of his moustache and long hair (this was, after all, the age of clean-cut, sequined show bands in Ireland). And blues is well stirred in this heady brew of flavours. The developing late ’60s Irish rock scene boasted Taste with Rory Gallagher, Van Morrison’s Them, The Action and Granny’s Intentions (on Deram) soon followed by Thin Lizzy.

Peter J. Faber-Jonker is a Rotterdam based guitarist-songwriter well known for his contemporary classic pop-sound. The Faber Book Of Ballads is an ambitious double album! Read more about its making.

Without a doubt, most people walked backwards to find If I Could Do It All Over Again, I’d Do It All Over You from the success Caravan had with In The Land Of Gray and Pink, with this album seeming to have gained more praise and acceptance as the years have rolled on.

Wizard Bloody Wizard

“I hope we will start a new quest for a heavier, darker, dirtier sound again... this is just the beginning. The slate is clean.”

A new album by Electric Wizard. Interview with Jus Oborn about Wizard Bloody Wizard available on 17 November 2017.

I guess Wizard Bloody Wizard is a step to the roots?

Yeah the idea was to get back to our earliest musical influences. To get back to the core of the actual musicians that first inspired us to pick up a guitar. Hendrix, Ron Asheton, Iommi, Leigh Stephens, Jimmy Page etc. And to get back to the roots of heavy music... the blues, rock’n’roll etc.

The songs are fusion of the Stooges, Black Sabbath, early Alice Cooper, Blue Cheer and other heavy psych bands of the time. For me it’s like giving a candy to a kid, y’know?

Haha... me too. I guess we are pretty much totally obsessed with the heavy bands from this period... all these bands created heavy rock/metal. It’s the birth place of all the music I still dig. I really hoped we could create something that was contemporaneous to all those albums... something that would stand outside of time and trends.

Stray - Fire & Glass: The Pye Recordings 1975-1976 (Cherry Red Records, 2017)

“Fire & Glass” is part two of the Stray saga, presented by Cherry Red Records, UK, a follow up to the 2017 four disc box set “All In Your Mind: The Transatlantic Yeas 1970-1974”, a four disc box set, which was reviewed a couple of weeks ago. This two disc, thirty five track set compiles all of the band’s recordings released by Pye Records on their Dawn imprint, home to Mungo Jerry and many other artists. Thus, “Fire & Glass” contains three LPs, a single edit, a non-LP b-side and two previously unreleased album outtakes, nearly two and a half hours of prime time rock and roll.

So many of my early musical experiences were overshadowed by the War in Vietnam ... I used to envy those who discovered this album while in college, or on the road, sunk deeply into some overstuffed chair, a head full of weed, candles flickering in the darkness, wrapped in the arms of a lover or a friend. After The Gold Rush was first played for me by another Nurse who’d just returned from R&R. It was in the wee small hours of the morning, in one of many Evac Hospitals that dotted Southeast Asia, and she stood quietly, arms filled with new records, as I sat lost in needlework, patching the ripped uniforms and darning the socks of my boys. “This is for you,” I remember her saying, and I laughed seeing the album jacket, with the patches sewed onto Neil’s jeans. But the album did quickly become my personal record, especially side two, laced with lo-fi songs of distant places, double meanings, heartache, and change ... yet through it all, Neil cracked the door, leaving room for a breath of hope ... something that was in short supply in my corner of the world.