Technicolour Dreaming

As usual, it was a veritable smorgasbord of psychedelia, new & old, which we shared with you this week, including long-time faves such as Espers, Black Box Recorder, the Sunchymes, the Loved Ones and the Twilights. An array of new tracks from the Amazing, Semool and Vibravoid rounded out the set, and of course not forgetting the delights contained within our “Compilation of the Week”! Our selection this time round was the Dirty Water series – 2010’s "Dirty Water : The Birth of Punk Attitude" and the following year’s release "Dirty Water 2 : More Birth Of Punk Attitude" a matching pair of 2-disc treats complete with sumptuous booklets. As can be seen from our selections, the tracks on this series, curated by Kris Needs, are all about the “Attitude” of the title that influenced the later Punk movement, particularly in the UK and US, and it can be seen that psychedelia played a significant role in this regard also. So until next week.....

.....here is the playlist, with some educational visuals for your perusal.....

Espers - Dead King      ("Espers II" 2006 USA)

H.P. Lovecraft - Spin Spin Spin      ("H.P.Lovecraft II" LP 1968 Chicago, USA)

Elephant Stone - Setting Sun      ("Elephant Stone" LP 2013 Montreal, Canada)

Polska Radio One - To the Delta of Aquarius      ("Cosmos Inside" 2014 Yekaterinburg, Russia)

the Sunchymes - Uncle Albert's Slide Show      ("Let Your Free Flag Fly" 2014 UK)

Semool - Essai 10      ("Essais" LP 2015 France)

the Loved Ones - Magic Box      ("Magic Box"  LP 1967 Melbourne, Australia)

Sons of Hippies -The Soft Parade      ("A Psych Tribute to the Doors" 2014 Germany)

Glass Family - Guess I'll Let You Go      (7" single b-side [to Agorn] 1968 California, USA)

Vibravoid - Raga Baya      (7" single b-side [to Rheinflow] 2015 Dusseldorf, Germany)

Twilights - Blue Roundabout      ("Once Upon a Twilight" 1968 Adelaide, Australia)

Spontaneous Generation - Up in My Mind       (7" single 1968 USA)

Prince Rupert’s Drops - Sesame Seed      ("Climbing Light" 2014 USA)

the Triptides - Moonbeams     ("Colors" EP 2014 Indiana, USA)

the Iguana - California My Way       (7" single 1968 Australia)

 

Compilation of the Week - "Dirty Water: The Birth of Punk Attitude" 2010 and "Dirty Water 2: More Birth Of Punk Attitude" 2011

the Seeds - Evil Hoodoo      ("The Seeds" LP 1966 Los Angeles) Vol 1 Disc 1

the Sensational Alex Harvey Band - The Hot City Symphony - Part 1: Vambo      ("The Impossible Dream" LP 1974 Scotland UK) Vol 1 Disc 2

the Human Expression - Love at Psychedelic Velocity      (7" single 1966 Los Angeles, USA) Vol 2 Disc 1

Patti Smith - Piss Factory      (7" single b-side [to Hey Joe] 1974 USA) Vol 2 Disc 1

Faust - It's A Rainy Day Sunshine Girl      ("So Far" LP 1972 Germany) Vol 2 Disc 2

the Mind Flowers - Japanese Hills      (digital single 2013 Copenhagen, Denmark)

Black Box Recorder - The School Song      ("Passionoia" 2003 UK)

the Amazing - Picture You        ("Picture You" 2015 Sweden)

Technicolour Dreaming

This edition’s featured compilation is a 3-CD boxset released in 2013 by Grapefruit Records in the UK called "Love, Poetry and Revolution: A Journey Through the British Psychedelic and Underground Scenes 1966-72" which has mostly rare and unreleased tracks by obscure bands, many of which have never appeared on compilations, or indeed anywhere, before. Yet many of these tracks are real gems which deserve to be heard by a much wider audience – for example, Deep Feeling were comprised

of some of the best musicians in the UK. They later went on to renown in bands such as Traffic, Spooky Tooth, Mott the Hoople, Blossom Toes, Family and more, yet the tracks they recorded for a debut album and single were left unreleased and untouched until 2012. Indeed, the track we played, “Pretty Colours”, is arguably one of the finest examples of mid-60’s English psychedelia, yet it remained unheard until recently, so for us, this is the best reason for record companies to release, and us to buy these types of compilations. This music should be heard! The rest of the show was comprised of more recent releases from the likes of the Black Ryder, Worthless, Les Limiñanas and Crystal Jacqueline plus the title track from the outstanding new LP from Swedish band the Amazing, as well as a smattering of older songs by artists such as the Strawberry Alarm Clock, Lost & Found and Traffic, before finishing with New Yorker Amen Dunes from the recently released “Cowboy Worship” EP .....

..... so here is the playlist plus some related clips .....

the Strawberry Alarm Clock - The World's On Fire      ("Incense and Peppermints" LP 1967 USA)

the Black Ryder  - Seventh Moon      ("The Door Behind the Door" LP 2015 Australia/USA)

the Luck of Eden Hall - This is Strange      ("Alligators Eat Gumdrops" 2012 USA)   

Les Limiñanas - Tu Es À Moi        ("(I've Got) Trouble In Mind: 7" And Rare Stuff 2009/2014" compilation 2014 France)

Tintern Abbey - Do What You Must      (demo acetate recorded 1968, taken from "What's The Rush, Time Machine Man? Psychedelic Jumble Volume 1" compilation 2007 USA)

Wesley Fuller - Melvista      (7" single [b-side to Change Your Mind] 2015 Melbourne, Australia)

the Horrors - Still Life       ("Skying"  2011 UK)

the Amazing - Picture You      ("Picture You" 2015 Sweden)

the Orange Drop - Electric Sitar Beat      ("Drone Pop" EP 2014 Philadelphia USA)

the Dandelion - On a June Morning      ("Going Steady Mixtape #5" compilation 2015 Adelaide, Australia)

Crystal Jacqueline - Siren      ("The Rainflower" 2015 Wales, UK)

Claudio Cataldi - Here She Comes Now [Velvet Underground cover]      ("Fruits de Mer Records presents ‘Strange Fruit and Veg’ - promo 2" compilation 2015 UK)

Sapphire Thinkers - I Feel a Bit Strange      ("From Within" 1968 USA)

Worthless - Dee Minor      ("All my Friends are Stone" LP 2015 UK)

Traffic - Coloured Rain      ("Mr Fantasy" LP 1967 UK)

“COMPILATION OF THE WEEK”

"Love, Poetry and Revolution: A Journey Through the British Psychedelic and Underground Scenes 1966-72" 2013 Grapefruit Records     

the Liverpool Scene- We'll All be Spacemen Before We Die      ("the Amazing Adventures of..."  compilation 2009 – taken from “Love, Poetry and Revolution...” compilation, disc 2)

Tuesday's Children - A Strange Light from the East      (7" single 1967 – taken from “Love, Poetry and Revolution...” compilation, disc 1)

Beau - Creation      ("Creation" LP 1971 UK – taken from “Love, Poetry and Revolution...” compilation, disc 3)

Deep Feeling - Pretty Colours      (recorded 1966 UK, unissued, released on “Pretty Colours” anthology 2012 – taken from “Love, Poetry and Revolution...” compilation, disc 1)

the Sorrows - The Makers      ("Old Songs, New Songs" LP 1969 UK – taken from “Love, Poetry and Revolution...” compilation, disc 2)

Crocheted Doughnut Ring - Two Little Ladies (Azalea  and Rhododendron)      (7" single 1967 – taken from “Love, Poetry and Revolution...” compilation, disc 1)

the Apricot - Too Far Behind     ("A Forestful of Threes" LP 2011 Norway)

Lost and Found - When Will You Come Through      (7" single 1968 USA)

Amen Dunes - I Know Myself (Montreal)        ("Cowboy Worship" 2015 USA)

Technicolour Dreaming

With occasional co-host Michael Hunter joining the Cat & the Brat for this week’s show, we had another first for our new 3D Radio studios – our first phone interview here, chatting at some length with Mike Rudd of Spectrum fame... though we actually spent most of the interview talking about his pre-Spectrum escapades, especially his involvement with garage legends Chants R&B in his native New Zealand. He also spoke of their move to Melbourne and the vibrant music scene they found there, his time with the Party Machine before Ross Wilson zipped off to the UK to join Technicolour Dreaming faves Procession, the post-Spectrum years with Ariel and lots more – a talkative and friendly chap who still tours and records both solo and with various permutations of Spectrum [and indeed even does the occasional Chants R&B reformation]. Apart from all the chat we did manage to play some music! We have just come into possession of the classic 1969 ‘Trip Thru Hell’ album by the C.A.Quintet and bookended the show with the two sections of the title track. We also bade farewell to the two Kevins, Ayers and Peek, who passed away recently, playing, amongst other things, Soft Machine and Johnny Broome & the Handels respectively, in their honour. There were some 60’s obscurities from the likes of the Sweetarts and the Mojos, as well as some modern psych from bands such as the Higher State and Temples, including a track from the excellent debut album by the Citradels... great stuff! And with a big package of new CDs and vinyl just arrived at our mail box, there’ll be lots to hear in the coming weeks... so tune in!!

..... and here’s the playlist.....

C.A.Quintet – Trip Thru Hell [Part 1]      (‘Trip Thru Hell’ LP 1969 California, USA)

Tully – Ice      (‘Living is Hard’ LP 1972 Australia)

the Handels featuring John Broome [aka Johnny Broome & the Handels] – Do’s & Dont’s      (7”single 1965 Adelaide, Aust.)

the James Taylor Move – Baby Jane      (7”single 1967 Adelaide, Aust.)

Soft Machine – Why Are We Sleeping?       (‘Soft Machine’ LP 1968 UK)

Kevin Ayers – Song For Insane Times      (‘Joy of a Toy’ LP 1969 UK)

Nico – Henry Hudson      (‘Drama of Exile’ LP 1981 UK)

the Sweetarts – A Picture Of Me      (7”single 1967 Austin, Texas, USA)

the Mojos – What’s She Done To Me      (7”single 1966 West Virginia, USA)

David Santo – Rising of Scorpio      (‘Silver Currents’ LP 1967 New York, USA)

Neil Norman (with Kim Fowley) – Phaser Laser      (7”single 1973 California, USA)

Chants R&B – I’m Your Witchdoctor [John Mayall cover]      (7”single 1966 New Zealand)

Spectrum – Superbody      (‘Part One’ LP 1971 Australia)

          – Mike Rudd interview –  [check out the www.mikeruddbillputt.com website]

the Party Machine – Keep Your Cool      (unreleased – taken from TV show 1968 Australia)

Ariel – I Can Do Anything      (7”single 1976 Aust.)

Spectrum – Soul Man      (‘Breathing Space As Well’ 2011 Aust.)

Procession – Mind Magician      (‘Procession’ LP 1968 UK/Aust.)

the Citradels – Jantar Mantar       (‘Psychotic Syndrone’ 2013 Melbourne, Aust.)

the Higher State – Ain’t It Hard [Electric Prunes cover]      (7”single b-side [to I Just Pretend] 2012 UK)

 

Temples – Shelter Song      (7”single 2013 UK)

the Amazing – The Kirwan Song      (‘The Amazing’ 2009 Sweden)

Jim Noir – Driving my Escort Cosworth to the Cake Circus      (‘Jimmy’s Show’ 2012 UK)

C.A.Quintet – Trip Thru Hell [Part 2]      (‘Trip Thru Hell’ LP 1969 USA)