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.

Sons of Adam: Moxie Ep (Compilation, Raw Psych-Garage)

PAY ATTENTION: Michael Stuart's pre-Love band and Randy Holden pre-Blue Cheer era.

BAND INFO

Releasing a few obscure singles in the mid-'60s, this Los Angeles psychedelic band is primarily remembered for just two things. Their guitarist, Randy Holden, went on to Blue Cheer, and they recorded an Arthur Lee composition, "Feathered Fish," which Love never released in their own version. The slim evidence that survives on record suggests they were a good band, though, striking a midpoint between garage pop and California freakouts, and employing distortion and feedback when those traits were still innovative. Their material has been very hard to come by, although an EP reissue appeared in 1980s; someone should reissue their singles on CD, or pad them out with any available unreleased tapes to make an album compilation.

The Sons of Adam' came from Nottingham and played the California on May 8th 1965.
Drummer Mick Franks says:
I went on to play with Sons and Lovers from 1966 and we were support act to Shirley Bassey when she toured England in 1971. We also worked during that period with Ronnie Corbett in Pantomime and summer season.
On 25th. March 1967 we were support band to Jimi Hendrix.
Would you believe we are still playing! We have as lead vocalist Phil Wright who sang Billy Don't Be A Hero with Paper Lace. We play songs of the Drifters, Beach Boys, Four Seasons etc.

About Randy...

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).

THE SONS OF ADAM - Words by Michael Stuart-Ware, taken from his book.

The place was packed and the crowd was in the palm of their hands. At that moment I had to have been thinking, “Man, I would give anything to play drums with the Fender Four.” I mean, they were dynamite.

Randy not only looked unique, but his playing style was unique as well. He taught himself to play guitar, note by note, from records, and then he taught Jack and Mike their rhythm guitar and bass parts for each song. Extremely focused, Randy was a dynamic and powerfully talented guitarist. Blessed with blazing speed, his hands always shook just a little when he wasn’t playing, as if they couldn’t wait, such was the level of his intensity; and he hit the right note every time. He was a consummate perfectionist who hated leaving anything to chance. A groundbreaker of heavy metal, his product was fire and the guitar was his incendiary device. He was awesome every night.

Jack Ttana was our rhythm guitarist. The showman of the group. Great stage presence and personality. Conjure up a mental image of Frank Sinatra, with long hair and glasses, and you’ll have a rough visual concept of Jack. In fact, he even had a framed picture of himself in a Frank Sinatra pose on his bureau.

Mike Port was our bass player. Thin, soft features, baby face, gentle, expression, but the other guys had filled me in. As a kid, Mike was forced to fight his way through one of the toughest neighbourhoods in Baltimore everyday, to get to the store and buy his Mom a pack of camels, so he got tough. (more in his book)

ALBUM REVIEW

Six of their rare songs, probably dubbed from the vinyl of the original singles. "Baby Show the World" is first-class psychedelic raunch; "Take My Hand" is a poppy number with nice harmonies that sounds kind of like a raw, garage-psychedelic Monkees; and "Saturday's Son," their best track, is a taut, Love-ish rocker with both harmonies and hard-driving guitars. Things get even more Love-ish, naturally, on their cover of the Arthur Lee-penned "Feathered Fish," which guitarist Randy Holden would also record with his next band, the Other Half. This seven-inch EP reissue is hard to find these days, but is definitely worth picking up if you're into rare psychedelia or garage music, as they were one of the best California bands that didn't last or succeed for one reason or another.

Buy this album (mmm, perhaps not, if you find a link, let me know)

LINK: FEATHERED FISH ! ! !