British songwriter, producer, vocalist, and guitarist John Carter was incredibly prolific in the 1960s and 1970s and responsible for releases in many styles of popular music. Among the most memorable of these were his efforts in the psychedelic genre, especially a brace of singles issued under The Flower Pot Men moniker.

Cherry Red Records has gathered the four singles which appeared on the Deram label between 1967 and 1969, two full albums recorded in 1968 and 1969 which went unreleased for three decades, and five previously unissued tracks recorded for BBC sessions in 1967, representing the group’s complete recordings in a new three-disc box set issued on the Grapefruit Records imprint. The collection is rounded out by related single sides released under the appellations Friends, John Carter & Russ Alquist, The Haystack, and Dawn Chorus, alternate takes, demo recordings, and a track intended for a 1970 musical ‘Seasons’, sixty-four cuts total.

Disc one opens with the double-sided flower power single “Let’s Go To San Francisco” in its original mono version. The tune was recorded by Carter (acoustic guitar, lead and backing vocals), musical collaborator Ken Lewis (piano, Mellotron, backing vocals), Mickey Keen (electric guitar), Robin Shaw (bass, backing vocals), Clem Cattini (drums), and Tony Burrows (backing vocals), the sextet responsible for all the 45s issued by the group. The song was a hit in the UK, peaking at #4 on the charts, but made no impression in the US, largely due to a lack of distribution. Follow-up single “A Walk In The Sky,” though a worthy effort, failed to match the success of its predecessor. Next up are five alternate takes from the band’s albums, highlighted by “Blow Away,” an Eastern-influenced heavy rocker which is discussed later. A recording of the gorgeous, melodic “Mythological Sunday,” released as a single in 1968, credited to Friends and featuring lead vocals by Tony Burrows, is followed by a take on the equally beautiful box set title track credited to John Carter & Russ Alquist when issued the same year. A later, stereo version of “Let’s Go To San Francisco” is next, followed by “E=MC2/Musha Hada,” taken from Carter’s musical Seasons. The disc closes with five BBC session recordings done by the touring version of The Flower Pot Men, consisting of vocalists Tony Burrows, Neil Landon, Robin Shaw, and Peter Nelson backed by UK band The Sundial members Ged Peck (guitar), Nick Simper (bass), Jon Lord (keyboards), and Carlo Little (drums). Simper and Lord went on to become founding members of Deep Purple before Peck and Simper formed Warhorse. In addition to the two singles, performances include covers of “California Dreamin’,” “Flowers Never Bend With The Rainfall,” and “Don’t Worry Baby.”

Disc two has the two albums, ‘Peace’ recorded in 1968–1969, and ‘Past Imperfect’ from 1970, which went unreleased until 2000. The former features John Carter (vocals, acoustic & electric guitars), Ken Lewis (vocals, piano & organ), Peter Barnfather (vocals, guitar & piano), Mickey Keen (guitar), John Ford (bass), and Richard Hudson (drums, percussion & sitar), Ford and Hudson being the rhythm section from Elmer Gantry’s Velvet Opera. ‘Peace’ is a psychedelic rock album, opening with the string and acoustic gentility of “Prologue” which segues into the electric flower power rocker “These Heavy Times.” “Mythological Sunday” is a melodic keyboard-driven number with gorgeous vocals, which is followed by a cover of Donovan’s “Colours” with its acoustic guitar and vocal harmonies faithful to the original. “Blow Away” is a heavy, Eastern-influenced anti-war tune with Keen’s slide guitar and Hudson’s sitar on display, while Ford and Hudson supply a heavy groove. The alternative version found on disc one is even heavier, with Keen’s lead and slide guitars dominating in the absence of Hudson’s sitar. “Cooks Of Cake And Kindness” is an uptempo track with Keen’s galloping guitar floating over the rhythm section of Ford and Hudson. “Gotta Be Free” is light and breezy, its Eastern vibe supplied by Hudson’s sitar joining Keen’s acoustic guitar. “Heaven Knows Why” is melodic, its gentle acoustic guitar and keyboards accompanying Ford’s heavy bass line, an infectious mix of driving rhythm and delicate guitar. “White Dove” is moody, its atmospheric vocals blending nicely with Keen’s electric guitar, Ford’s booming bass line, and Lewis’ keyboard accents. The tune leads to the melodic acoustic guitar and strings of “Epilogue,” which closes the album with its peaceful vibe. ‘Past Imperfect’ is basically a John Carter album. “Now And Then” is a gentle atmospheric tune, blending acoustic guitar and gorgeous vocals with slide guitar and sitar accents. “Say Goodbye To Yesterday” has a Beatlesque vibe with its gentle guitar and keyboards complementing a pounding beat. “Memories Of Tomorrow” is a folk rocker, with acoustic guitar accompanied by strings. “Autumn Love” and “Morning Prayer” continue the moody folk feel, followed by the electric 12-bar blues snippet “Blues.” “I Am Me” is an introspective acoustic tune with a spoken intro. “Journey’s End” is reminiscent of The Moody Blues as Keen’s guitar hastens the tempo, à la Justin Hayward, mid-tune. “All I Have Is You” and “Brave New World” continue the Moody Blues vibe led by Ford’s driving bass and Hudson’s percussion accenting Keen’s gliding acoustic guitar. “Children Of Tomorrow” closes the album on an introspective note with Keen’s gentle acoustic guitar guiding the way, punctuated by electric accents.

Disc three begins with “The Laughing Man,” the piano-led, mid-tempo 1967 A-side credited to John Carter/Russ Alquist. Four mid-tempo, balladish Carter demos from 1968 are followed by “A Letter To Josephine,” with its Beach Boys-style harmonies, credited to The Haystack on its 1969 single release. “Tahiti Farewell,” with its flute and harmony vocals, and “Pantomime People,” a light, breezy mid-tempo slice of sunshine pop, were paired on a 1969 single, again credited to The Haystack. “A Night To Be Remembered,” with its delicate harmonies, brings The Mamas and The Papas to mind and has plenty of commercial appeal yet failed to hit when issued as a single in 1969 under the Dawn Chorus moniker. Seven Carter demos recorded in 1968 follow, full of delicate melodies, vocal harmonies, and sunshine pop commercial hooks galore. Next are five demos from 1969, offering yet more light and breezy sunshine pop, a tribute to Carter’s prolific songwriting abilities and the abundance of quality material left in the vaults. “Am I Losing You” was the b-side of “A Walk In The Sky,” with its gorgeous vocals, light pop tempo, and string accents. “A Man Without A Woman” is a moody pop rocker with delicate vocals and strings added, which failed to chart when issued as a single on Deram in early 1968. The 45’s b-side “You Can Never Be Wrong” adds tasty keyboards and strings to its gorgeous vocals and could easily have been an A-side. The Flower Pot Men’s final Deram single had “In A Moment Of Madness” on the top side. Yet more melodic pop, the tune was a cover, written by Roger Cook and Roger Greenway, as the band searched for a hit. The disc and box set end with the single’s b-side “Young Birds Fly,” another delicate, melodic pop rocker, and another cover, this one penned by Bill Swofford.

‘Midsummer Dreaming—An Anthology 1967–1970’ comes in a quad-fold digipak. The box set includes a 24-page full-color booklet, with complete track annotations and an extensive essay by compiler David Wells. The booklet is lavishly illustrated with band photos, record artwork, and press clippings. ‘Midsummer Dreaming—An Anthology 1967–1970’ is the last word regarding The Flower Pot Men. The band sounds better than ever thanks to the mastering job of Simon Murphy. This box set will appeal to fans of 1960s rock, pop rock, and classic rock and pop in general, and comes highly recommended.

Kevin Rathert

The Flower Pot Men – ‘Midsummer Dreaming – An Anthology 1967-1970’ (Grapefruit Records, 2025)