T C Atlantic reissue
Now Playing: T C Atlantic
Topic: Minor change or comment

The self-titled Eva 'reissue' is in fact not really a reissue of the band's old live LP, as it adds several studio tracks (3 on each side) to the running order, making for a generous running time of 50+ minutes.

Almost all of the band's early non-LP 45 tracks have been added, but the tracks that were both on studio 45 and on the live LP appear only in their live versions. Most curious is that the band's unparalleled masterpiece, the mid-'66 proto-psych head swirler "Faces" is not included, while most other 45 tracks are. In all, the Eva collection presents a comprehensive picture of the band's early days as an above-average frat/blue-eyed soul band, in the typical unprocessed sound of the label. Completists still need to get some of the 45s to have all T C Atlantic recordings. Incidentally, the live recording may be authentic, at least it sounds like it. The Eva repro adds a small photo to the crude title sleeve design. The band's later 45s are not held in high regard, but I find both "Love Is Just" and the 2nd version of "Faces" to be worth hearing.

The Sound Of The Reign
Now Playing: Garage Punk Unknowns vol 8
Topic: Minor change or comment

A little more data has surfaced on this very rare, two-copies-known Fredlo custom press from the Midwest. First of all, the band seems to have been mainly Eastcoast kids enrolled at a Midwestern college, much like the Immigrants. Judging from a few soundclips, they have a late frat-rock sound with a typical club feel including organ, and they do mostly standards of the era. The risqué angle mentioned in the Acid Archives book would fit well for a band playing the Greek fraternities. Finally, although it would be tempting to refer to the band as simly the Reign, it appears clear that the band name is The Sound Of The Reign and nothing else -- and Reigned Out is the album title. The label gives a Duluth, MN address (Dylan's hometown) so we're going with a Minnesota locale for now.

Simpson & Heck
Now Playing: Ukraine-Sweden friendly, dull goalless draw
Topic: Addition

SIMPSON & HECK ( )

Simpson & Heck 1972  (no label)   [blank cover]

Rare christian folkrock title, highly rated by some. More info is appreciated.

Headstone (OH)
Now Playing: Madrigal
Topic: Minor change or comment
The classic Still Looking album by Headstone was pressed up in 2000 copies, according to a recent interview with a relation to the band. The three Flynn brothers who made up 3/4 of the band are all now deceased. In line with the blue collar underground vibe of Headstone, and many OH '70s classics, it seems they kept working factory shifts at GM throughout the band's career. There exists some unreleased recordings from 1976, following the album and the 1975 singles.

Last Call Of Shiloh cover
Now Playing: Alexander Shulgin 1987 lecture
Topic: Minor change or comment

The story behind the reproduced covers for Last Call Of Shiloh is this:

"These were actually second printed covers made from the original plates. We purchased the last of the original vinyl (some with covers without duct tape) and the original plates from the band in the late 1980s and as you state there were more LPs than covers. We printed the covers from the plates and sold them off through the '90s".

In other words, the repro covers were not "xeroxed" as is sometimes claimed. The original first press cover is slightly over sized and very flimsy.

Myke Jackson (Felt on Nasco)
Topic: Addition

We've had this one sitting up in the Attic, but the general buzz and obvious musical quality makes it a contender for the main Acid Archives.

MYKE JACKSON (AL)
Alone 1975 (Yi Yi 257275)
Jackson, formerly with the great Felt, plays all instruments on this album, which is good melodic 1970s rock with late '60s flashes. A worthy successor to the Felt LP, check it out if you can find it. Jackson later followed with the less exciting major label album Neon Rose, credited to ‘Mychael’ (RCA/Free Flight, 1978).

 

 

Free Enterprize
Now Playing: Fahrenheit Project vol 7
Topic: Minor change or comment

The FREE ENTERPRIZE album came with various hand-designed sleeves, the Acid Archives entry fails to point this out.

 

 

Sunshine on Album World, lots of new info
Topic: Entry data revision

SUNSHINE (Las Vegas, NV / Los Angeles, CA)
Makes My Day 1977 (Obregon/Album World AW 14017) [the last 2 tracks on side 2 are missing from most but not all copies] 

 

The Sunshine Makes My Day album on Obregon/Album World is probably the best LP on this infamous tax scam label, along with Ilian. Recently I was able to dig up some info on the sources for the music, which was released in 1977 under the fictious Sunshine band name.In actuality, half of the tracks come from two 45s released c1974 by a Las Vegas band called Skurow, who were under contract with London Records. The track titles and songwriting credits given on the Album World LP are correct, but the band name Skurow isnowhere mentioned. The four tracks range from good to excellent, and remind me of Felt and Homer in places. The 45 versions are identical to what's on the tax scam LP.

The other half of the Sunshine LP has songs credited to P Kachaturian -- this is  probably Philip Kachaturian, who wrote 7 songs for the original Gone In 60 Seconds movie soundtrack. You can hear his soundtrack songs on the net -- good stuff, not quite in the Sunshine LP style. There was never an official release of these soundtrack tunes, but curiously there exists an Album World tax-scam LP credited to Viva (see Acid Archives book) which seems to feature these very Kachaturian movie tunes. What's on side 2 of the Sunshine LP may simply be further outtakes or demos from this LA-based songwriter. In any event, there is a definite link between the Sunshine and Viva albums, beyond the label.

But that's not all. Some of the Skurow tracks on side 1 of Sunshine are part-credited to "G Kato". This is Gary Kato, who was in hit band the Merry-Go-Round with Emitt Rhodes, and later formed a band with ex-members of the Knack -- the '60s Knack from LA, not the "Sharona" dudes. Kato also performs on Rhodes' acclaimed American Dream album. After this, Gary Kato turned up in Pinkiny Canady, who had a very obscure LP release on UNI. And later still, Gary Kato became a member of the Skurow band in Las Vegas, named after band leader Ronnie Skurow. What's intriguing here is that there is also a link between Phil Kachaturian and Gary Kato, since one track on Sunshine is co-written by "G Kato-P Kachaturian". So while the tracks on the Sunshine album seemed to have been pulled from two (or more) completely different sources, there may still be some sort of connection between these sources.

I've been in contact with Ronnie Skurow, but apart from expressing surprise at the Sunshine album's existence, and recognizing the four songs on side 1 as his old 45 recordings, he had no additional info concerning Kato or Kachaturian. Someone else may want to take this further, not least since the music in question is quite good!

As a final twist, there are two different pressings of the Sunshine album, one of which contains only 3 songs on side 2, even if 5 songs are listed in the credits. It was believed that all copies were like that (not unusual with tax scams) but recently a Sunshine copy popped up that included the two missing songs on side 2 -- a loungey version of "When A Man Loves A Woman" and an odd latin rock number titled "Space Flying", both of which sound completely unlike the rest of the album. Thanks to James B for excavating and forwarding these two long lost numbers.

The dead wax markings for the copy I have without the last 2 songs reads as follows: ' 'IRDA/AW 14017-2 (MINUS LAST 2 CUTS-O.K.)'As mentioned above, a good story can probably be pieced together from the Skurow-Kato-Kachaturian connection. Hopefully someone will be able to find out more.

Negative Space background
Topic: Minor change or comment

An interview with main Space guy Rob Russen confirms all the basic data around the LP pressing as given in the Acid Archives book. It came out in May 1970, and the band played and even toured to promote it. The Castle label was a real label, formed by Russen's father, and had several releases in addition to the Negative Space LP.

See interview and plenty of vintage photos here:

http://psychedelicbaby.blogspot.com/2011/02/negative-space-my-interview-with-rob.html

Upside Dawne
Now Playing: Rain Parade live '85
Topic: Minor change or comment

The rare Upside Dawne album from Kansas that was formerly only 'believed to exist' has now been verified with an actual vinyl copy, which surfaced in the Chicago area and was later sold to Europe for a substantial sum. The LP came without a sleeve in a very limited pressing. See Acid Archives book for details.

Adam Taylor (Tiger Lily)
Topic: Minor change or comment
The ADAM TAYLOR album on Tiger Lily is in fact tracks by COUNTRY FUNK, who had Mr Taylor as a member and released a non-expensive LP on Polydor 1970. Some tax scam specialists have expressed embarrassment at not recognizing Country Funk, and for praising the Adam Taylor rarity while not giving Country Funk much attention. Fortunately for me, my conscience is as clean as Travis Bickle's cabbie sheet, since I had neither heard or even heard of Country Funk before this recent scoop surfaced.

Mother Tuckers Yellow Duck addenda
Now Playing: Creation Of Sunlight
Topic: Minor change or comment

There are in fact two different versions, and three different issues of the MOTHER TUCKERS YELLOW DUCK pre-LP 45 titled "I". The wildest and best version of "I" can be found on the first Duck label issue, and also as a very obscure release on the TCP label. Then there exists a 2nd version of "I" on Duck, which is more polished; it seems the band re-recorded the track, and the two Duck versions can be separated via the completely different matrix numbers (more info needed here).

Finally, the Acid Archives book does not mention the cartoon insert that the first, rare version of the band's debut LP on Duck came with, but the insert is clearly a part of the release and should be regarded as such... the M.T.Y.D discography is complex and someone ought to sort it out once and for all.

World "Opus I"
Now Playing: Mississippi "Velvet Sandpaper"
Topic: Addition

WORLD (Gallup, NM)
Opus I  197  (Foremost Records JWP 1039)
After some hush-hush speculation behind the scenes, this obscure artifact finally surfaced for real via an eBay auction and some soundclips. Supposedly a lost 'Grail', World turned out to be average Latin rock from what sounds like a local club band. Sounding somewhat like the Scorpio Brothers LP from NYC, it appears from the clips to be an OK but unexciting record, and I was unable to pick up any X-factor or underground/psych angle what would have warranted the ecstatic hype. [PL]

Sons Of Champlin
Now Playing: Neil Young: Archives disc 02
Topic: Minor change or comment

The Sons Of Champlin private press release Minus Seeds & Stems, released in 1971 credited to the 'Sons' only, was reissued in 1993. In addition to the modern inserts mentioned in the Acid Archives book, one can tell the reissue from the original as follows: the trail-off on the reissue contains the number 'L-41076'. The original disc does not have this number. The reissue cover is boardprinted, while the original had paste-on slicks.

This was a custom pressing via Custom Fidelity, but the record shows the band's home-made labels.

The Horde
Now Playing: Ric Collas Trio
Topic: Addition

HORDE (NC)
The Horde 1967 (JCP 201)  [no sleeve; c25p]
The previously undocumented garage era album by the Horde is perhaps the most interesting discovery in the past couple of years. The sleeveless demo LP appeared on JCP, a label known for a couple of excellent garage 45s. The Horde album has the usual list of cover versions, but also at least two excellent band originals, and a link to the band's website brought out more fine music, cutting edge pre-Sgt Pepper shit in the Yardbirds or Baroques vein. The eBay auction was appropriately feverish and the rekkid ended up selling for $1700. A genuine discovery, the band were students at Duke University in NC. [PL]
~ ~ ~
Top class sleuth & Acid Archives correspondent Jack F adds that: "...The Horde was put together by local producer J. Cash as a back up group for a chick singer named Elisabeth Locke. The same guy went on to break Oliver of "Good Morning Starshine" fame. The Horde LP was a demo press, which the band estimates to be around 25 copies. They did it as a tossed off session just for fun as they were already in tune with each other for the Locke sessions, and all shared a love for the Blues Project and rock and roll hijinks. A year later they cut a 4-song acetate in a more Dylan oriented vein, but disbanded shortly after that. Two members of the Horde went on to play for 7 years in the Oosik Music Revue and one member still resides in Alaska where he runs a celebrated local night club."

Butch details
Now Playing: FIFA 11 on Wii
Topic: Entry data revision

The Butch album "The Bitch Of Rock'n'Roll" may be less obscure than is usually assumed. At least the band claims 5000 copies were pressed! They stayed in California in their quest for rock stardom, but were originally from Utica, NY. All this & much more will hopefully be found on a new website that is currently in progress.

BUTCH (Utica, NY / CA)
The Bitch Of Rock & Roll 1977 (Sunndial no #)  [5000p]

 

Lodestone review by Aaron M
Now Playing: Music Emporium
Topic: Addition

LODESTONE ( )
Main Street 1974 (no label LD 101)
This generic-looking private press looks like the work of stoned hippies, and maybe it is, but the music is straightforward rock and roll with a definite 50s influence. Lyrics are dopey (the title track is about boozing up girls and trying to get them into the back seat) and though vocals are weak this is way closer to pop than hard rock. “If You Want My Love” goes all out to be catchy, with lead and rhythm riffs, a poppy verse and harmony-laden chorus. It’s too wimpy to be power pop and not competent enough to be soft rock, but it has a bargain basement charm that makes me wonder if it’s better like this than it would be if a “good” band did a version of it. Other songs are gutter blues, upbeat (but never hard) rock, and more pop, never forgetting that 50s base, and mercifully keeping the only ballad to a mere 1:30. Songs speed up and slow down randomly. This is a really weird record, not good by any objective standard, but they seem to be having a great time and they stay obviously true to who they are. As a result, it’s oddly enjoyable and rather unpredictable. [AM]

Victoria (NJ) + Nickels & Dimes
Now Playing: Magi "Win Or Lose"
Topic: Minor change or comment

VICTORIA (NJ)
The Acid Archives book entry mentions unreleased pre-Victoria recordings by a band called Nickels & Dimes, which included Victoria leader Greg Ruban. These recordings are now out on a retrospective Nickels & Dimes release from Distortions in the US. Oddly, the review of the release in the new Ugly Things (#31) makes no mention of Victoria, nor is the connection stated in the PR for the album.

Acid Archives cover
Now Playing: Dryewater

Nomadds PS
Now Playing: Quicksilver "Mona" Fillmore East June '68
Topic: Minor change or comment

NOMADDS (IL)
After a recent e-mail from one of the members of the Nomadds, whose excellent '65 beat LP I've written about at length, I should point out that the band generally do not share the view that the album was as strongly Brit-beat/Merseybeat-influenced as my Nomadd writings have suggested. Some of the material pre-dates the earliest Brit wave (Spring '64) altogether. What it is, is probably a case of shared influences, with the Everly Bros and Buddy Holly among them, between the Illinois band and the Liverpool bands. Just for the record...