The Spoils of War. 1968-69 USA-Illinois (archival)

The Spoils of War is an archival release that includes a reissue of their only released product - which was an extended 7 inch EP (33 RPM). Very advanced for its era (1968/69). The music falls into the Fifty Foot Hose / United States of America category of experimental psychedelic music. Lots of early electronics of the beeping variety to augment the songcraft. Doesn't gel enough to take it to the 12 level, but these cats from Illinois had something special going on.

Ownership: LP+EP: 1999 Shadoks (Germany). Thick super stiff single sleeve with additional EP record. Numbered edition. Purchased new upon release. This was the first album released by the legendary Shadoks label (sometimes infamous unfortunately - but they started great). Most of what you see on Discogs comes from my copy (and what you see here, except for the front cover).

1999; 1/17/23 (LP 4.3); 3/28/23 (new entry)

Catherine Ribeiro + 2 Bis. 1969 France

One can only wonder how a beautiful actress and fashion model ends up releasing one of the most extraordinary avant garde rock works of the late 60s. Perhaps one should not ask lest they be missing key body parts to procreate. This could not happen in America. It had to happen in France. Right there, one imagines a quick camera panning over to David Childress and he says in his uber-dork voice "It's obvious. It must be aliens...."

There are two ways to approach Catherine Ribeiro + 2 Bis. 1) As an alternate universe music choice as created by the eternal consciousness.  2) Run. Run far away. She is the single most dangerous girlfriend in the world.

Femme fatale of the unhinged psychedelic underground. Keep the lights on. Make sure your friends and neighbors know where you are at all times.

Ownership: LP: 1969 Festival. Single sleeve with "languette" (tab). Acquired at the famous Paris Clignancourt flea market many years ago (1990) for a few dollars. I saw more copies too while there. A different era...

CD: 2015 Mercury as part of Intégrale Des Albums Originaux 1969-1980 9 CD set. Until 2015, this album sadly remained without a CD reissue. Even though I already owned 4 of her albums on separate CDs, I had to have the box set just for the first two albums if nothing else. 

I just received a most intriguing e-mail from the Seine-Saint-Denis Tourist board asking that I publish a couple of useful sites regarding record stores in the flea market area. A very reasonable request, and here they are: http://uk.tourisme93.com/record-store-owners-in-saint-ouen-flea-market.html and http://uk.tourisme93.com/saint-ouen-clignancourt-flea-market-access-and-opening-times.html

5/18/90; 10/14/16 (new entry)

Friendsound (Friend Sound). 1969 USA-California

Great experimental psych weirdness from a group that evolved out of Paul Revere and The Raiders. Truly cutting edge for the late 1960s. The kind of album that I'm sure record executives today hold out as an example of Huge Mistakes from the Past. First 10 minutes are an awesome display of psychedelic rock, and the last 25 minutes go waaay the hell out there into druggy la-la land. I'm not sure who was more stoned: The band or the label? File alongside other late 1960s pioneers like Fifty Foot Hose and Silver Apples. Excellent.

Ownership: LP: 1969 RCA. Single sleeve with liner notes on the back. I first heard about this album via Audion magazine and then bought a mint one immediately for all of about $10 (1989). And I continue to own that copy.

CD: 2014 Real Gone w/Brotherhood (1968) and Brotherhood Brotherhood (1969). I think the main purpose of this reissue is for the two post-Paul Revere & The Raiders Brotherhood psych albums, and they threw in Friend Sound as a bonus. Works for me! The first Brotherhood album is decent psych, and the second is more commercial. I wouldn't buy them on their own, but they make a nice supplement. Regarding the band name, here's what I said in the CDRWL: "And if we look carefully at the label description, we'll notice the band is known as Friend Sound - two words. The original LP gives us a mixed message on that front. The spine is two words, but everywhere else (label, back liner notes, track titles) indicate it is one word. So it appears there will need to be some discography adjustments applied on the various sites out there." This is a fantastic reissue, BTW. Great liner notes with participation of the band, photos, and great sound. Don't miss this one.

1989; 3/7/14 (new entry)

Maxwells - Maxwell Street. 1969 Denmark

Really fine exploratory effort from Maxwells, a band that continued to progress musically via the Rainbow Band moniker and even further as Midnight Sun. The music here is definitely inspired by the cutting edge horn rock movement as portrayed by the Chicago Transit Authority, but with an avant garde edge in places, perhaps recalling Friend Sound on their Joyride album. Splendid little album that demonstrates once again that Denmark was about a full year ahead of their Continental European contemporaries when it came to innovations in rock music.

LP: 1969 MPS (Germany)
CD: 2003 Long Hair (Germany)

The original is housed in a very nice gatefold cover and was released on the fine German jazz label MPS. Maxwells was an odd choice for the imprint, indicating an exploration into different markets at the time. The only reissue is the excellent Long Hair CD, complete with full liners, photos, and 4 bonus tracks.