V.A.: English Freakbeat Vol.4 (on lp: 1989, on cd: 1997)

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Lets try something different here, tell me which are your favourite songs/artist in this compilation, perhaps some info about the bands, something to say about this album, let`s try to write a review of this album (you are invited to write about Vol 1&2 too!).What do you like most? the best song?artist?I think it`ll be interesting to hear more from you,yes?.Dig it.

LINK: VOL 4

V.A.: English Freakbeat Vol.3 (on lp: 1989, on cd: 1997)

Lets try something different here, tell me which are your favourite songs/artist in this compilation, perhaps some info about the bands, something to say about this album, let`s try to write a review of this album (you are invited to write about Vol 1&2 too!).

What do you like most? the best song?artist?I think it`ll be interesting to hear more from you,yes?.Dig it.





Buy this album

LINK: VOL 3

The Mystery Meat: Profiles (1968, Mega-Rare US Garage, Limited Press)

INFO

Recorded at a college in Illinois in 1968, original copies of Mystery Meat's 'Profiles' LP are now worth a year's tuition at almost any university in the midwest. How's that for irony? But relax, now you can hear this baby without the second mortgage, and without the snap, crackle and pops of the original pressing. All original songs!

If there is a Great Lost Garage Album out there, this 1968 artefact by Illinois band MYSTERY MEAT could be it. Like most garage LPs it is a primitive recording, featuring an inexperienced, enthusiastic band. Unlike most garage LPs, however, it has no cover versions but a string of originals ranging from good to unbelievable, and the decision to bring in a skilled, versatile vocalist adds a depth unusual for these teenbeat concoctions. Before moving onto the "meat", here's some background on the band and the LP courtesy of Dick Leighninger:

"...We were all students at Blackburn College, located in Carlinville, Illinois. I was a Senior and the other members were Juniors. I had been singing with a local barbershop quartet, the college choir, and a trio that did original folk songs. Wayne Joplin and Ron O'Dell had been writing songs, and were looking for a singer to help them, and they recruited me. (Blackburn is a small school... we only had about 500 students at the time, so everyone knew everyone). We recorded the album in the basement of our college's administration building... a building that the students had just finished building, but the basement had not yet been divided into offices. So, it was a big space, where we would not disturb anyone at night, when we practiced and recorded. I don't remember exactly how many albums we made; my memory is that we went around the room, and said... "well, how many do YOU want, how many do YOU want?" We then added them up, and made that many. We also may have had a minimum order to fill, but it couldn't have been more than about 25, I think. The record was made in St. Louis, Missouri with a custom label company for RCA Records. We only performed once, and that was at the college. We did not have typical posters for the event, nor do I know of any pictures that were taken. We were pretty much hermits in the basement..."

Of course it's only typical that this needle-in-the-haystack among disappointing garage LPs is also one of the rarest 1960s albums in existence, with at most 100 copies manufactured. For decades it remained a wellkept secret within a circle of rare LP collectors that govern certain events on this planet, any inquiries from the outside fielded by fatsos who declared from their Moms' basements that "Mystery Meat doesn't exist". Several years ago a partial tape dupe of it was smuggled out and fell into my hands, so I knew it obviously existed and sounded like a teen-beat killer too, a basement merger between the Dovers and early New Colony Six. An $4000 price tag was expected if a copy ever should surface in the real world, unlikely as that seemed. Yet this is precisely what happened in 2002 when a local record dealer, fearless of the forces he was about to set loose, put up a copy for auction on eBay; especially as he listed the full names of the band members. The intercontinental frenzy that followed can only be hinted at, but I would imagine the Illinois switchboards lit up like a Christmas tree as rabid collectors calling from as far away as Belgium and Japan tried to track down copies.

This they did, with maybe a dozen or so Mystery Meats being excavated to the tune of $1000 and upwards. One of these copies landed with Thomas Hartlage of Shadoks, a German record label specialized in upscale reissues of super-rarities from the 1960s-1970s. A deal was reached with the (probably stunned) band members and just a couple of months after the initial mania an exact replica of "Profiles", as the title is, hit the stalls. This happened more than two years ago, but I'm noticing that word on this tremendous album is still confined to rare LP collectors who file it away between Music Emporium and Mystic Siva, while the garage guys - who are the ones that really should care - remain at a distance.
"Profiles", then, is an album that consists of twelve 1966-sounding beat/folkrock originals and no covers, just like the Bachs LP, the payoff being that the Meat songbook may be even stronger than that of their Illinois colleagues. Although recorded in 1968 the songs had been written from 1965 and onwards, which explains the slight "lost in time" nature of the album. Tunes such as "Put Me Down" and "Girl Named Sue" are teen-drama masterpieces worthy of the Dovers, and that's saying something! There are also rawer numbers like "Rung by rung" with a three-chord progression typical for Midwest garage bands, and a hint of psychedelic influences on the great "Sunshine makes it". Dick Leighninger's lead vocals are awesome, hitting that yearning Tim Granada/Sid Herring teen innocence we all worship, and making even the lesser tracks shine. Those vocals and the evocative, heartfelt Farfisa organ may recall the All Of Thus album from upstate New York, another obscure garage behemoth, but again I would rate the Mystery guys higher. I'm inclined to credit Chicagoans New Colony Six with a certain influence on the overall style, but oddly the end result reminds me even more of English band Complex whose marvy first LP is one of the few true garage-sounding Brit albums. Apart from the vocal/organ similarities there's a freshfaced teen enthusiasm and brooding sophomore melancholy that connect these two little-known wonders. (lp notes)

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Not much more to say about this ultra-rare album, read carefully the info, its very interesting! ! ! Dig it.

LINK: SUNSHINE MAKES IT ! ! !

The Rationals: Anthology (1964-70, US Garage)

BAND INFO

Out of Ann Arbor, this was one of Michigan's top sixties bands. Essentially an R&B outfit, they often covered popular songs and Respect was actually a minor U.S. hit in late 1966 after it was leased to Cameo Parkway for nationwide distribution. They signed to the Crewe label for an album, which may become a minor collectors' item before long.

When serious collectors compose lists of the top shoulda-been-bigger bands of the '60s, the Rationals are often among them. Coming out of the same Ann Arbor, MI scene that gave birth to the MC5 and the Stooges, the group's forte was a sort of garageish take on blue-eyed soul, built around the fine R&B-hued vocals of frontman Scott Morgan. Their mid-'60s singles, however, didn't break in many areas outside of Michigan (where they had some big local hits), and by the time they got to record an album, they had long passed their peak.

The Rationals actually predated the MC5/Stooges by quite some time, both chronologically and stylistically. When they began recording for the local A2 label in 1965, they were, like many garage bands, heavily influenced by the British Invasion, although they gave their material a more soulful flavor than most similar units.

The Rationals broke up in the summer of 1970. Morgan continued to build his cult credentials over the next 25 years on sporadic recordings with Sonic's Rendezvous Band (which also featured the MC5's Fred Smith), the Scott Morgan Band, and Scot's Pirates.

A 21 compilation of this frat-garage band, one of the most complete recordings ever released of this band. Coming from Michigan, they were partner of MC5 and the Stooges, they broke up in 1970. There was a reissue of a live album of the band, but never this ofiacilly a compilation, so here you have it. Dig it. Some modern-garage sounds of 68/69/70 period, great instrumentation using some wind instruments and great background sounds.
A lot of mix here! for example you´ll find a soft balad like "ha-ha" and in the other hand you have the wild "turn on (Danbys)", "leaving here", and the rare-good cover of Aretha F. "respect" ! . Also the Kinks song "I need you" (alt. take), also... an obscure cover of "Gloria". Something quite odd for a garage band, the "sing" song with some girls vocals, (also in "cut in the street"). Yeah...something to sleep/dream too, "Deep Red", "glowing" and "handbags and..."
For those rare-garage-hunters this will blow your heads off.

Buy their live album (Tempation 'bout to Get Me)

LINK: HA-HA

Blue Bus: Your Mind´s moving too fast (1967-70, Very Rare US Psych-Garage)

BAND/ALBUM INFO

A teenage garage band who appear not to have released a 45 in their lifetime. One track, Black Candles, resurfaced on the Euro CD version of The Magic Cube in 1999, not long before the retrospective LP appeared on a German label.

Unless there's an insert missing, no historical background is provided except for a list of personnel against each track. From this it can be gleaned that they recorded these demos between 1967 and 1970 with a fluid line-up featuring several different combinations of the above in two's three's and four's. They were built around guitarist/vocalist Roman Oles, who appears on all cuts except the sole cover, Love's Signed D.C..

Their repertoire runs from surfy garage instrumentals through folk-punk and on to psychy-garage. I'd guess this band to be from South California: - there's a strong Byrds flavour in the minor-mood material and especially in the closing Jam #1, which could be uncharitably described as someone attempting Eight Miles High after a few pints too many; a nod in the direction of The Electric Prunes with some siren-like sustain and feedback; and the excellent People Looking At Me has a whiff of Love in the belligerent strumming and hispanic flavour. (M.W.)

LINK: OLLY OLLY BLUES

Rasputin & The Monks: Sun of My Soul (1965-66, Mega-Rare/Limited Press, Garage Covers)

INFO

On the above album a grungy New Hampshire garage combo ran through seven cover versions:- I Want To Be Your Man, You'd Better Move On, Gotta Get Away, You Didn't Have To Be So Nice, 19th Nervous Breakdown, As Tears Go By and Roadrunner. In the 'prep-rock' genre along with all those Philips Academy bands' LP's and the Justice releases, this is for the hard-core collector and the original LP is priced accordingly.

This album is based on covers of bands of the era and earlier influences, all the songs are covers, "I wanna be your man", "19 th nervous breakdown", "Roadrunner" among others. All of them are great!, Fast and raw versions, and some great balads too, like "you better move on" and the cute version of "As tears go by". 7 covers, this album is great for all those 60s garage collectors. Dig it. No original compositions here, but pretty good sound for a short-lived band (always playing gigs at parties, birthdays, collegue ballrooms).

LINK: ROOOAAADDDRRRUNNNERRR

The Finders Keepers: Stained Glass Sun (1967,Merseybeat)

BAND INFO (of 67)

In late 1967, Ian Lees came aboard as a singer, Kent choosing to jump ship and join Light Fantastic, while Mel Galley took over on lead guitar, though Alan Clee stayed on as well. In 1968, another series of personnel changes took place, as bassist Glenn Hughes and drummer Dave Holland joined, and guitarist/keyboard player Terry Rowley and vocalist and trumpet man John Jones came over from the Montanas. It had dawned on more than one of the members that the Finders Keepers name and sound were probably outmoded, and more of a liability than anything else by late 1968 -- the band regrouped soon after with a much harder sound under the name Trapeze.

Produced and written by Jerry Fuller and engineered by Bruce Botnick, an unknown Californian act, reputedly in the harmony pop vein. Fuller also worked with Don and The Goodtimes and later produced the Butts Band, the group formed by Krieger and Densmore after the demise of The Doors (whose records were all engineered by Botnick).

Nice songs, good harmonies, some sweet beat mixed with some attempts of garage. Not one of my favourites, but I think there will be a couple who may find this one quite interesting.

LINK: MAN OF THE SEA...

The Kinks: In Sweden Ep (1966)

INFO OF LATE 65-EARLY 66

At the conclusion of their summer 1965 American tour, the Kinks were banned from re-entering the United States by the American government for unspecified reasons. For four years, the Kinks were prohibited from returning to the U.S., which not only meant that the group was deprived of the world's largest music market, but that they were effectively cut off from the musical and social upheavals of the late '60s.

From the Ep Collection, here we have the rock/raw garage song "Milk Cow Blues" and 3 more hits of the era (all of them great!). Released as a promo in Europe after being banned in the Usa. This is a good way to start with the Kinks for all those who haven`t hear them yet. And for the collectors you ll find some great - rare cover. Yea, something to collect, plus, we are talking about the Kinks ! ! !

LINK: I`M NOT LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE ! ! !

The Shadows: Early Years (1959-66, Surf Rock, Instrumental & Beat, from the 6 Cd Box, Part 2-3)

BAND INFO

Originally Cliff Richard's backing band, the British quartet the Shadows began recording on their own in 1960 and had a major hit with the instrumental "Apache." They were built around guitarists Hank Marvin and Bruce Welch, with an ever-changing rhythm section (Terry "Jet" Harris and Tony Meehan, the original bassist and drummer, were the most famous, and went on to success on their own in the early '60s); originally dubbed "the Drifters," they adopted their more famous moniker during their first tour with Richard to avoid confusion with the popular American R&B group of the same name. Often erroneously thought of as England's answer to the Ventures, the Shadows' sound was polished, crisp, clean, and metallic, making up for its inherent sterility and lack of soul thanks to a knack for drawing out melodies in their most haunting form; their biggest hit was "Apache," but they also scored with smash singles including 1960's "Man of Mystery" and 1961's "Kon-Tiki." By 1962, both Harris and Meehan had exited, and the remaining duo of Marvin and Welch continued backing Richard in his many film roles, adopting a distinctively exaggerated brand of choreography widely imitated by other guitar-based groups of the era.

ALBUM REVIEW

What's most astonishing, however, is the fact that the Shadows produced consistently high-quality material, moving beyond the twang to dip their feet in the waters of Spain ("Tres Carabeles") and even some early music ("Lute Number"). Quite how they found the time for it all while keeping up a busy schedule behind Cliff Richard is another matter. Marvin's guitar work is a joy throughout, and the British king of the whammy bar uses it wisely and well. He might not have been the fastest or most fluent player around, but he knew how to work and develop a melody and what not to play -- no wonder he was a major influence on an entire generation of guitar heroes, who learned to play by copying his records.

Superb instrumental album, some classic rock and beat-surf and more. Yes not precisly raw or fast garage, but ah this band was essential for the surf rock scene. This album contains the songs (in the order of the Complete Box) from 22 til 40, so you have aprox 45 minutes of pure excitment ejej... Dig this one, a classic.
This is a quiet-one, easy listening, some music, perhaps to relax, have a Jacky Daniels with a cigar, drinking some Absolut, or just driving at the beach. Yeah.

LINK: 36-24-36

Randy Holden: Early Works (1964-66, Garage,Psych & Surf)

RANDY`S INFO

A '60s guitar hero who never seemed to be in the right place at the right time, Randy Holden has attracted a small but intense cult following for his work with various California groups in the '60s. After a couple of surf singles with the Fender IV that featured his inventive reverbed fretting, Holden joined the Sons of Adam, a Los Angeles band that cut three decent garage-psychedelic singles. Holden's characteristic Jeff Beck-like sustain can already be heard on these, the best known of which is "Feathered Fish," which was penned by Arthur Lee of Love (although Love never recorded it). When the Sons of Adam broke up, drummer Michael Stuart, in fact, joined Love, while Holden joined the underrated punky San Francisco psychedelic band the Other Half. His searing, suspended leads are the highlights of their sole album (they also recorded a few single-only songs).

ALBUM REVIEW

A nifty compilation of most of the rare mid-'60s singles that Holden played on before joining the Other Half. The two 1966 singles by Sons of Adam are solid psych-pop-punk, particularly the scorching "Saturday's Son." Those four tracks are joined by three previously unreleased Sons of Adam cuts that show an unexpected Zombies/Beau Brummels influence. The remaining six selections are by the Fender IV, including both of their Imperial singles and a
couple of previously unreleased items. It's solid surf music, highlighted by Holden's stellar w all-of-staccato reverb on "Mar Gaya" (also available on Rhino's Legends of Guitar: Surf, Vol. 1) and the propulsive (vocal) surf-Merseybeat hybrid "You Better Tell Me Now." If only it had the third and last Sons of Adam single, this would be a complete retrospective of Holden's pre-Other Half output; unfortunately, that third Sons of Adam single ("Feathered Fish"/"Baby Show the World") was the group's best, so its omission is significant. (It is available on a hard-to-find EP on Moxie that has all three Sons of Adam 45s.) Incidentally, unlike many such import compilations of impossibly obscure '60s music, this is personally authorized by the artist himself.

LINK: MALIBU RUUUNNN ! ! !

Amazing compilation of one of the best guitar players of the 60s...remeber that Randy was part of Fender IV (surf-rock), Sons of Adam and Other Half, before joining Blue Cheer. Not a good career ah??? ( ! ! ! )
This album contains a lot of great Surf-rawn-rock-music, great covers, yes, "Mr, you are a better..." its just amazing!. Some surf classics as "Highway surfer" and "Mar Gaya" among others. Highly Recommended.

The Electric Prunes: The Singles (Great Compilation 65-69)

BAND INFO

Though they got considerable input from talented L.A. songwriters and producers, with their two big hits penned by outside sources, the Electric Prunes did by and large play the music on their records, their first lineup writing some respectable material of their own. On their initial group of recordings, they produced a few great psychedelic garage songs, especially the scintillating "I Had Too Much to Dream Last Night," which mixed distorted guitars and pop hooks with inventive, oscillating reverb. Songwriters Annette Tucker and Nancie Mantz wrote most of the Prunes' material, much of which in turn was crafted in the studio by Dave Hassinger, who had engineered some classic Rolling Stones sessions in the mid-'60s. "Too Much to Dream" was a big hit in 1967, and the psychedelized Bo Diddley follow-up, "Get Me to the World on Time," was just as good, and also a hit. Nothing else by the group made it big, and their initial pair of albums was quite erratic, although a few scattered tracks were nearly as good as those singles.

Very good compilation about one of my favourites, for all those who havent heard about the Prunes, this is a great way to start. For the collectors, this one has a good artwork. Highly Recommended.

NEW LINK WORKING FINE
LINK: ARE YOU LOVIN`ME MORE ? ? ? ? ? ? (visitors?)

V.A.: English Freakbeat Vol.2 (Released on lp: 1989, on cd: 1996)

Amazing compilation, you ll find more info about some of the bands in this lp here.


Buy this album

LINK: VOL 2

I found out later that the August lp had some tracks missing, so now i posted again a new link with the Complete Album, 10 tracks instead of 7 or 8 that had the old link that i used. So, pay attention to that album if you havent heard it yet. (very rare limited press,Usa Garage)

NEW LINK WORKING

V.A.: English Freakbeat Vol.1 (Released on lp:1988,on cd w/bonus:1992 )

INFO

The English Freakbeat LPs and CDs have most tracks in common, although some of the LP tracks were not included on the CDs; also, the CD bonus tracks are not always at the end of the album.

Buy this album

LINK: VOL 1

The Easybeats: Heaven & Hell Ep. (four singles promo release)

Describing the music of The Easybeats can convey only a glimmer of the magic it radiates, Not only is it the finest rock ever recorded in Australia but among the finest ever recorded anywhere. Throughout the world, Easybeat devotees are legion and all those who hear are instantly converted.

LINK: YOU ME, WE LOVE ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

The Easybeats: Who`ll be the one Ep (2nd ep,early singles)

Los Easybeats ya son un fenómeno imparable en las antipodas y editan su primer LP llamado Easy, un buen album en el cual se nota su influencia por el beat británico, en este LP destacariamos canciones como la propia "She's so Fine", la estupenda balada "Girl on my Mind" y el tema compuesto por Snowy "I'm Gonna Tell Everybody". Durante 1965 y 1966 el grupo editan un exito tras otro: "Wedding Ring", "Sad and Lonely and Blue", "Women", "Come and See Her", "I'll Make You Happy", "Sorry", etc..., también editan los LP's It's 2 Easy y Volume 3 (por Souto)





LINK: DO YOU HAVE A SOUL ???(so, please leave comments!!!)

The Easybeats: Friday on my mind Ep (early singles)

SOME INFO

Their 1966 release "Friday On My Mind" was one of the great expressions of teenage frustration, but The Easybeats would prove to be unable to translate the success of that record into a sustainable career.
All sons of Europen immigrants to Australia, the group was formed in 1963 and by '65 with a similar repertoire to that of the British groups they had established themselves as easily Australia's leading group. Their Australian hits included "She's So Fine", "Sad And Lonely And Blue" and "In My Book" before they took the decision to move to the UK in 1966 to work with producer Shel Talmy in an attempt to crack the international market. Talmy, who had also worked with The Kinks and The Who, cut the Vanda/Young composition Friday On My Mind" - the group's only international hit.LINK: MADE MY BED.... (PLEASE)

The E-Types: I remember when I loved her (ep,singles)

BAND INFO

In the mid-'60s, this group from Salinas, CA, (near San Jose) played a pleasant blend of British Invasion-inspired pop/rock and a touch of garage. With prominent keyboards, three-part harmonies, and original material with minor-keyed shifts, they sounded something like a mix between the Zombies and the Turtles. Very popular within their (pretty limited) stomping grounds, they made no impact whatsoever on a national level, issuing four singles on small labels (most of them with producer Ed Cobb, who also handled the Standells and the Chocolate Watch Band). Certainly they were a promising outfit, capable of offering strong original material (most of which, oddly, was penned by a friend who wasn't in the band, Larry Hosford). They didn't have enough time to convert that promise into truly significant work, however. They disbanded in 1967, when their carefully executed pop/rock was falling out of fashion in California, in favor of psychedelia.

LINK: I REMEMBER WHEN I LOVED HER.................

V.A.: Back From The Grave, Vol. 2 (Compilation)

ALBUM REVIEW

The second volume from Crypt Records' Back From the GraveMurphy & the Mob, the Fabs, the Hallmarks, and the Sloths. Red Beard & the Pirates' "Go On, Leave" is among the many high points on this uncompromising, entertaining garage sampler. series digs up more stylish, underground garage rock from '60s groups like

Buy this album



LINK: GARAGE PUNKERS VOL 2

V.A.: Back From The Grave, Vol. 1 (Compilation)

ALBUM INFO

Crypt Records' Back From the Grave, Vol. 1 unearths tracks from some of the '60s most obscure garage rockers, including brilliantly named combos like the Monacles, the One Way Streets, the Canadian Rogues, and the Alarm Clocks. The songs range from tough and alienated, like Elite's "My Confusion" and the Lyrics' "They Can't Hurt Me," to goofy fun like the One Way Streets' "We All Love Peanut Butter." The Novas' "Crusher," Me & Them Guys' "I Loved Her So," and the Alarm Clocks' "Dinah Wants Religion" are among the many high points on this uncompromising, entertaining garage sampler.

Buy this album

LINK: RAW`N`CRUDE GARAGE PART 1

MC5: Power Trip (compilation)

MORE INFO...

In early 1967, Sinclair was named MC5's manager; within months they issued their debut single, "I Can Only Give You Everything." As the official house band of the White Panthers, they became musical conduits for the party's political rhetoric, taking the stage draped in American flags and calling for a revolution; run-ins with the law became increasingly common, although in the wake of the Detroit riots of July 1967, the group relocated to the nearby college town of Ann Arbor. The following summer, MC5 appeared in Chicago at the Yippies' Festival of Life, a rally mounted in opposition to the Democratic National Convention, and in the audience was Elektra Records A&R executive Danny Fields, who signed the band a few months later. Their debut album, the classic Kick Out the Jams, was recorded live at the Grande Ballroom on October 30 and 31, 1968; although the album reached the national Top 30, retailers, including the Hudson's chain, refused to carry copies due to its inclusion of Tyner's trademark battle cry of "Kick out the jams, motherf*ckers!" The controversy spurred MC5 to run advertisements in the underground press reading "F*ck Hudson's!" Against the band's wishes, Elektra also issued a censored version of the album, replacing the offending expletive with "brothers and sisters."
This band...just great, a favourite one.
1 SONG MISSING, SCRATCHES ON MY CD. NO TIME TO FIND IT (A GOOD ONE)

LINK: HEAD SOUNDS ! ! ! ! ! !