The Velvet Underground ~ USA ~ New York City, New York

Loaded (1970)

After being underwhelmed with the third album, I was curious how the follow-up would stack up. Especially considering that it, too, was a pivot from the previous effort. I'd read that it was a more poppy effort, which sounded promising to me given the blasé of the self titled album.

Leave it to the American music industry's "confused year of 1970" to even trip up The Velvet Underground, who were completely rudderless by this point. One of the most experimental bands of the American underground had released a quiet folk album, followed by a real shot at AM / FM radio. Whether they were cynically trying put an album "loaded" with hits (according to urban legend, that's where the title comes from) - or it was a sincere attempt at reaching a larger audience, we'll never know.

For my tastes, this is considerably worse than The Velvet Underground, and I obviously wasn't impressed by that work either. Reminds me of The Rolling Stones in many places, not a comparison I've read too much. Apologists are out in full force for this title, talking about how amazing the songwriting is, and it rates as the 44th best album for 1970 on RYM. The liner notes of the booklet echo this sentiment. As I said about the 3rd album, I feel a lot more work goes into appreciating this album than others that are more deserving of that time and effort. Oh well, we'll put this in the Van Morrison and Bob Dylan category, and walk away with the "he doesn't get it" tag. I don't.

Unlike The Velvet Underground bonus tracks, the ones on Loaded are largely similar to the album proper. 'Ocean' is a noticeable highlight, and sure enough, John Cale plays organ and viola on it. Should have been included on Loaded.

Ownership: 1995 Polydor (CD). Peel Slowly and See box set. Nine bonus tracks.

12/16/25 (review)

 

The Velvet Underground (1969)

I had no intention of listening to The Velvet Underground today. But yesterday I found the 5xCD box set for 69 cents (in mint shape no less). I already have the first two in the collection, and I'll revisit those at another time (one is recent, see below). But I've never heard the next two, nor any archival material. I know they are radically different than the two I'm familiar with, but still are highly regarded. Let's see how the 1969 album goes, and I'll go for the other two in the following weeks (I decided to pass on the 1965 folky demos (Disc 1), that's not for me)

My cynical side tells me that if this wasn't a Velvet Underground album, no one would give a rats about it. But then again, there really wasn't that much like this in the late 60s either. It's almost a throwback to the Greenwich Village folk scene from the early part of the decade. However it has this loner approach, that wasn't to find its audience for another 20 years. It's so different than what had transpired prior you wonder why they didn't just rename the band. Truth of the matter is, The Velvet Underground weren't all that popular in their day. They were more famous than profitable, and none of their albums charted high, if at all. It wasn't until many years later that they found their audience, long after they were an entity. I'm not really a folk nut, much less a lo-fi indie guy. And that's where this album sits. The great exception is 'The Murder Mystery', a lengthy track that hints at what could have been a successful 3rd avant rock album. I do think people work much harder at appreciating this album than they would for some unknown during the same era. RYM, for their part, has this as the 5th highest rated album for 1969. Completely absurd from my vantage point. Would I keep this album were it not part of the box set? Nope. No chance. At least I won't be tempted to keep an original LP if the situation presents itself.

The bonus tracks are primarily culled from the VU outtake comp from the mid 80s. The studio selections were recorded a few months after the album above. They are much more upbeat, with a blues, garage, and psychedelic focus, recalling the earlier sound of the band.

Ownership: 1995 Polydor (CD). Peel Slowly and See box set. Eight bonus tracks.

12/1/25 (acquired / review)

 

White Light / White Heat (1968)

The Velvet Underground's second album is most fascinating to me on how far MGM / Verve were willing to take things in the late 60s. Considering they also had Zappa / The Mothers in the ranks too. This album is as underground as anything ever released in America on a major label - thinking competition would be from RCA's Friendsound for example. Side 2 is just insane really.

I'm also very intrigued by what is considered highly collectable today versus what isn't: Subversive disposition. Whether it be jazz, psychedelic, folk, rock, country, or metal - the less regard one has for civilized society, the more desirable the LP. Especially from the 1950s and beyond. Anything that's mainstream and wholesome has almost no intrinsic value. Doesn't matter what color you are - or race or religion - just be sure to stick it to the man somehow, someway. Sometimes I wonder if the 50 cent records of today will be highly sought after in 20 years (especially after guys like me basically give them away, or even have to toss), and records by groups like The Velvet Underground will all be worthless (or illegal - hey you never know!). Universal consciousness is cyclical. White Light / White Heat is as rebellious as it gets.

Ownership: 

1968 Verve (LP). First pressing. 

1995 Polydor (CD). Peel Slowly and See box set.

1985 (reissue LP acquired); 1995; 4/3/21 (original LP acquired / review)

Also own and need to review The Velvet Underground & Nico

4/3/21 (new entry)

1960s-70s Psychedelic / Hard Rock Compilations

Psychedelic Minds Vol. 1 (2006)

I purchased this compilation on the strength of two tracks I'd heard already, both online. We'll link to those as we get to them. To the best of my knowledge there never was a Vol. 2 to the series, which is too bad, as these comps are the best way to get these insanely rare 45 cuts.

The comp opens with Blackrock, a mostly instrumental jam session from Memphis, Tennessee. There's a bit of that Del Jones freakout feel to the vocals. Super. Sound Machine takes us to the label's native Germany, where we don't hear many of these kind of psychedelic 45s, despite the enormous Krautrock output on LP. If blindfolded, I would have guessed this to be American. Another great fuzz blaster. Next up is Yesterday's Obsession from Port Arthur, Texas, home of Janis Joplin. This cut has the trippy psych sound down with airy vocals, vintage organ, and fuzz. Mastermind is next. A mystery group that seems to have no provenance nor a recording date. The labels don't provide enough data to work from. Though there is a similar publishing company from New Mexico, but could be unrelated. Another excellent psych piece. Now we get to the first track that I was familiar with. Review here for Sangre Mexicana from Laredo, Texas. The sixth track is from Cleveland's Bhagavad Gita, another one I own this time via the Beyond The Calico Wall comp (documented below). Nice laid back and trippy composition with piano and a nice fuzz solo at the end. One of the few 45s that finds its way to these compilations that isn't really that rare (though the pic sleeve is tough to score). Released on Philips and related to National Gallery. Back to the unknowns with Protein Bros, a driving heavy rock track from the Los Angeles area. Killer guitar here. Creaky organ and super heavy fuzz introduces us to Jonesboro, Arkansas' finest Purple Canteen. This is a title that will drain your pocketbook, and it's understandable as to why. It's exactly this sound that has crate diggers plowing through basements with spiders. This is followed by Los Nuevos Shains, back when Peru was allowed to let their freak flag fly. Though listed on the CD as 'Looking You', the track is technically called 'Mirandote'. It's a goodie. That takes us to the second song I was familiar with, this time from the French group The Blow Mind. Review here. The compilation closes with the only two sider presented in full. Dirty Filthy Mud, from Oakland, California, released this one 7 inch, and it's the rarest 45 presented here, going for $2K. The A side, placed at the end of the comp, is the banger. Everything is freaked out here, including some early use of synthesizer. A precursor to Brainticket.

Ownership: 2006 World In Sound (CD). Poster booklet includes short narratives for each group. Label and archival photos are provided as well. Acquired in 2025.

11/3/25 (review)
 

Psych Funk Sa-Re-Ga! (2010)

As I noted on those African comps from Now Again, I really enjoy these compilations of obscure cuts from areas of the world not known for rock music. In this case, India. Especially when you get a thick booklet chock full of interesting liner notes for each artist and piece. Most of these come from Bollywood soundtracks, a genre known as Filmi. Not particularly psychedelic or funky, but the title isn't misleading either. Unique but rather conservative on the whole. Atomic Forest being the primary exception, and they are quite famous for just that.

Ownership: 2010 World Psychedelic Funk Classics (CD). Acquired in 2024.

8/6/24 (review)

Brazilian Guitar Fuzz Bananas (2010)

There was quite a bit of buzz on this title when it first came out. I listened to it at the time and thought it was good, but nothing really special. In acquiring the CD for the first time recently, I sat down again with it and enjoyed a +1 listen, but it still fell short of my rather lofty expectation. Part of that is the title of the set and the hype that comes with it (yes... hype). To level set the perspective I'm coming from: I wasn't really a 45 guy until the last five years or so. And that was driven by similar compilations to Brazilian Guitar Fuzz Bananas. These mostly American comps really delivered the goods. The best of the best of fuzz psychers. Each track an adrenalin rush filled with raging guitars and teenage angst. I've since found some unknowns on my own, adding to the allure the genre can bring.

Now we're in Brazil. The land of Gal Costa, Som Imaginario, Os Mutantes, Modulo 1000, and Lula Cortes & Ze Remalho. Combine the US experience of 45s with the albums of the aforementioned groups, and this CD should be phenomenal. But it's really not. Which is different than saying it's a waste of time or not any good. If it was that, I wouldn't bother to feature it. Brazilian Guitar Fuzz Bananas is a very good and varied selection of obscure (as in seriously obscure) bands from Brazil putting out interesting, if somewhat underwhelming material. In this way, it reminds me of those comps I just covered in Nigeria and Zambia. Though this is definitely more psychedelic influenced, and Brazil had a fascinating and established culture happening in the late 60s. For the finest hotels you were getting Astrud Gilberto and Sergio Mendes. In the underground were Loyce e Os Gnomes, perhaps the finest group on offer here. Considering the overall package, this still is well worth acquiring for historical deep divers.

Ownership: 2010 WPFC (CD). Digipak with a full history for each artist. WPFC stands for World Psychedelic Funk Classics and were based in Cheyenne, Wyoming (what???). Acquired in 2023.

4/12/23 (review)

Michigan Mayhem! Volume 2 (2001)

I've really come to enjoy these 45 comps. They're a great way to obtain super rare artifacts - all in one place - for pennies on the dollar (even at retail, much less for a couple of bucks). And this one has short historical comments for each entry. There are 29 cuts (mostly one each from an SP) - all of them new to me. Great sound, and it appears the compiler worked with some of the original labels. This didn't have the usual scratchy 45s from the collection. I'm not a huge garage fan, preferring the psychedelic successor. But this collection is remarkably consistent, and there is some bleed over into psych, especially the more punky tracks. Not a dud among any of the tracks presented here - all from (or related to) the state of Michigan. Most of these are from 1965 and '66, and the ones that go beyond tend to be the more developed. While listening, I looked up each 45. Every one of them is rare as hen's teeth, and cost a small fortune. That's quite a collection. Of course, I'd love to find any of these in the wilds. 

Ownership: 2001 private (CD). Acquired in 2021.

5/10/21; 1/7/22 (review)

Psychedelic Gems 3 (1997)

When Psychedelic Gems 3 was released, it proved to be a goldmine of unreleased material. Having almost nothing in common with each other, the three bands represented here nonetheless proved to be an interesting combo. The problem is - it was a short lived situation. My Solid Ground's 25 minute track quickly found itself on a Second Battle CD reissue from the same year of release (1997). Werwolf followed seven years later, as Black Rills reissued the Laser's Edge version of Creation, but with these three tracks appended. Those I'll cover (or have covered) in their own respective entries. The only track left then is Mr. Grabstein, which is an excellent hard driving Krautock number, recalling early efforts by Message and Grobschnitt. It's eight minutes long - so is that worth keeping this CD for? Not on its own. But the entire package remains of interest. This is the only place, that I'm aware of, that covers My Solid Ground's history (certainly Second Battle never seemed interested in such things). Werwolf's liner notes were copied verbatim into the Black Rills CD, but the photos were not. And of course Mr. Grabstein is also well documented. Would be great to hear more from Mr. Grabstein that's for sure.

Former ownership: 1997 Garden of Delights (CD). Acquired in 1997. Downsized in 2024.

1997; 12//04 (review); 1/21/21 (update)

Obsession (2008)

A strikingly great psychedelic compilation from various corners of the globe, including Turkey, India, and South America. India's Atomic Forest contains an incendiary fuzz sound that I've not heard since Fire's Could You Understand Me. Turkey's reps include the familiar Erkin Koray from a wonderful obscure 45 side, and the oud master Arif Sağ, who apparently for a short time in the early 70s enjoyed plugging in and added psychedelic effects to the traditional Turkish lute. Ersen also gets a swing of the bat, to great success.

South America is primarily represented by Brazil with Peru, Uruguay, and Argentina all participating. As expected, most of these cuts come from incredibly rare 45s and albums, and are uniformly great. The kicker has to be Sonora Casino, who normally play in a traditional Peruvian style. Their contribution to psychedelia is 'Astronautas A Mercurio' which not only drifts from the comfortable Cumbia sound, but is one of the most whacked out psychedelic tracks I've ever heard. Stunning really. 

Ownership: 2008 Bully (CD). Short notes on each band and piece of music. Acquired in 2020.

7/30/20 (review)

  

Well Hung (2008)

A reasonably well titled compilation, though I'd submit it's more psychedelic influenced than funk, to be honest. This fine comp brings together a host of well known bands, but the track style isn't necessarily what one would associate with these groups. The music ranges from pop to rock to, yes, funk. The primary glue here is the psychedelic guitar and production effects. Most Hungarian albums I've heard from the 60s and 70s tend to be fairly conservative, yet this compilation indicates that the country might have been just as unhinged as West Germany during this era. It wasn't - not in recorded form anyway. From that perspective, the compilation has done its job, and extracted the best of the best. Recommended.

Ownership: 2008 B Music (CD). Booklet with full histories of each artist plus a thesis on the scene in general. Acquired in 2020.

7/30/20 (review)

Warfaring Strangers: Darkscorch Canticles (2014)

I can't get enough of these 45 / 7" compilations. This one features 1970s hard rock and early heavy metal bands. Almost every track a winner, with great riffs, solos, and sinister vocals. I'd love to find some of these 45's, but woooo, off the charts rare. Maybe I'll find a couple of them in someone's garage one day. I'm sure they are all out on YouTube because of this comp. Sample a couple to see what I mean about the quality, and then buy this. Well worth your collection space.

While there are some great compilation labels, none are better than Numero in my estimation. The fact that they provide full histories of each group, including their respective participation, is nothing short of extraordinary. They really work hard on these comps. There are two tracks - one each by Wizard and Medusa - that are album cuts, the latter an archival release from Numero themselves. But the rest are hyper rare singles.

Ownership: 2014 Numero Group (CD). See above. Acquired in 2020.

5/12/20 (review)

Aliens Psychos & Wild Things Volume Fore (2007)

Aliens Psychos & Wild Things Volume Fore is a bit different than some of the other fuzz blaster 45 comps I've written about recently. For this selection, we start in the mid 60s. Mostly these are forward looking garage bands with some guitar bite. By the time we get to the 1967 acts, the garage goes full-on psychedelic. As with every comp I purchase, there's that one single I heard on YouTube and then begin to look for availability on CD. In this case, the bait was Sound Expedition's 'Ultimate Power', a single I wrote about somewhere in here. That lead me to this comp, and the reviews from reliable like-minded collectors encouraged me to buy it.

As I do with all these comps, I research each 45 as I hear them. And once again, the obscurity level on these is incredibly high. There's also some unreleased material here, primarily at the early stages. One interesting notable - there's a band here called Groop Therapy (incidentally that's who is on the front cover - a bit reminiscent of the B-52's). And I swear they sound like a proto Stereolab. And as we know, Stereolab often referred to themselves as The Groop. Did they know about this ridiculously obscure band? Noooo. Well maybe?

One other interesting tidbit is that many of these bands are from the American southeast, Virginia in particular. Not the first region folks go looking for psychedelic music, but proved once again, that the whole country was turned on in the late 60s, and unfortunately those that controlled all missed it.

Ownership: 2007 Arcania (CD). Full band histories on most the groups presented. And with a touch of humor as well. Also worth stating that the sound quality here is better than the usual scratchy copies that often make up these kind of comps. Acquired in 2019.

12/12/19 (review)

For a Few Fuzz Guitars More (2002)

This CD comes courtesy of RYM's own psychedelic collector guru Tymeshifter, who was kind enough to send me a copy after seeing my review of The Purple Sun track from another compilation. As someone who never bothered to collect 45s in their prime - and since I was a prog guy, it would have been odd to do so - these compilations have proven to be a goldmine of great music.

After some 20 years of dormant physical crate digging on my part (mostly sticking to the online world of ebay and the like), I attacked 2019 with fervor (primarily because my current job situation gives me more flexibility and time than in the past). And 45's have been the area where I've had the greatest finds - as well as the greatest disappointments. In terms of dollars that is. I'm way in the black on my investments, and yet 85% of what I've bought is still here awaiting to be sold. What is fun though is that you can buy 50 seven inches for $50, and walk away with $500, and still have 48 left to sell, most of them for 25 to 50 cents each - or just donate them back to the local thrift shop (where you were likely to have found them in the first place). A fascinating situation. And every day I learn of new rarities, especially in the soul, garage, reggae, and rockabilly fields. It's endless folks. For most of us anyway.

I bring this topic up here on the For a Few Fuzz Guitars More review, because it just underscores what an astounding collection Tymeshifter possesses. I could go the rest of my life searching only for rare psych and garage and maybe I'd turn up 5% of what he owns. Fortunately he's shared some of his rarest gems with all of us. Even though this was released 17 years ago, many of these 45s still remain complete unknowns.

There are thre tracks here that I owned already (own = CD, not original). The aforementioned Purple Sun is one of course. Peacepipe is another, as it is part of the Shadoks CD reissue from the same year (2002). I'll say this, any compilation that features 'The Sun Won't Shine Forever', that will be the best track on the album. It's one of those hair raising tracks we all live to hear. And finally the Sub track is on the Garden of Delights CD reissue (extended), as well as being part of the In Concert album itself. Sub also represents another exception here: It's the only non USA track to be featured (they're German).

As for the rest, they are remarkably consistent in their greatness. If you like the fuzzier spectrum of psychedelic music, like I do, then add this comp to your buy list. I researched each 45, and some of them are crazy obscure. The Dystraction, Sounds Synonymous, Super Band, Velvet Haze, Golden Grass, and White Lightnin' are just a few examples of this. The latter comes from nearby (to me) Pueblo (CO) so maybe I'll luck out and find that one someday. We can always hope that any of these bands have more music in a canister somewhere.

Ownership: 2002 DMT (CD). Booklet with scans of all the 45s contained within.  Acquired in 2019.

11/30/19 (review)

Warfaring Strangers: Acid Nightmares (2017)

If you're into the heavy psych sound of the late 60s and early 70s, then this is another essential compilation. Most of these type of comps center solely on 45s and one particular country (usually the US). But in this case, it includes some European bands as well, and not everything is from a 45. The album cuts are relatively easy to secure in reissue format (Gift, Bulbous Creation), though the Goliath remains obscure. As for the others, it's revelatory. I bought this CD on the strength of The Purple Sun track, and the others are similar in style. Best I can tell, most of these tracks have never been reissued before, outside of bootlegs (if even that).

Comes with a fantastic booklet with a full history of each group, not just the usual anecdotes and collector's reflections.

Ownership: 2017 Numero Group (CD). Acquired in 2019.

9/14/19 (review)

An Overdose of Heavy Psych (1997)

Well... this CD gives the buyer exactly what it says on the tin: An overdose of heavy psych. 25 psych singles (mostly singles anyway) from late 1960s North America, with an abundance of fuzz guitar being the glue that holds this one together. Unlike many compilations that have extreme highs - and lows - this one is remarkably consistent. I would argue that 95% of the material here falls within the very good to excellent category, and if you're a fan predisposed towards the fuzzy side of psych (oh you know - like me), then this is a compilation you'll want to pursue. The lowest point would be IRA, only because they ape Hendrix note for note, but still a good track. The sublime highlights include the relatively lengthy Glass Sun from Michigan, which demonstrates more ideas and a light progressive slant - and The Firebirds' 'No Tomorrows' which is about as heavy as anything released by this date, challenging Blue Cheer for California bestial supremacy. This latter band, and its pseudonym The 31 Flavors, is a revelation for me. I had seen this album for years, saw the title Light My Fire, and just presumed it was another exploito covers album. Well it was an exploitation album technically, but they didn't cover The Doors hit, and these six tracks prove that they were a very enlightening studio backup outfit.

1997 Arf! Arf! (CD). full booklet detailing what the author knew about the bands as of 1997. The sound quality ranges from masters tape to scratchy 45s from his collection. Acquired in 2019.

2/17/19 (review)

Fantasio Daze (2010)

The primary reason I sought out this compilation CD is the full inclusion of the Bag single, which I consider one of the highlights of the Dutch progressive psychedelic scene. And the fact that Group 1850 has one of their more obscure singles here (though I already own it as part of a larger Group 1850 CD compilation), I figured there were more gems to be uncovered.

And... I was right. Though truth be told, nothing here equaled or surpassed 'Tripdream', 'Nothing Will Remain', and 'Don't Let it Be'. For my tastes, the other great tracks found here come from Names & Faces, Cinderella, Crown's Clan, Phoenix, and Crying Wood. And there are no stinkers, everything is at least "good".

Ownership: 2010 Otherside (CD). English liner notes. Acquired in 2019.

1/11/19 (review)

Beyond the Calico Wall (1993)

The gimmick of this compilation is to find the weirdest and wackiest psychedelic sounds of the mid to late 1960s. Some are rare 45's, others are taken from albums, and there's even a modern cut by a band lead by the compiler.

And Erik Lindgren succeeded at doing just that! Which doesn't necessarily mean it's a great comp throughout, but you're almost guaranteed to find a few nuggets depending on your filters. I suppose some folks will just be turned off in general, but one would question why they are listening to such a comp in the first place.

For my tastes, I'm going to be looking for some compositions within the madness. With that, there are two brilliant pieces, one each from Spontaneous Generation and Duffy. In the merely great column, I would add Park Avenue Playground, Afterglow (whose sole album isn't nearly this good or radical as this track would indicate), The Pebble Episode, Bhagavad Gita, and Raik's Progress. Otherwise the tracks range from very good to average to disappointing (least favorite: The Waterproof Tinkertoy).

A keeper for sure, but its consistency is only in the inherent weirdness among the tracks.

Ownership: 1993 Voxx (CD). Booklet with liners about each track. Acquired in 2019.

1/11/19 (review)

St. Albert's Dream (2013)

This is a fantastic compilation of obscure 45's, and unreleased archival material. No duff tracks, everything in the pocket as it were. This to me anyway, is the perfect type of compilation. All non album tracks, superb music, and all very hard to find. Unfortunately like the Devil's Kitchen on the same label, no historical data was provided, which would have enhanced the overall product that much more. Of course, I'm grateful for the music period, so we'll just have to do the rest on our own. This comp is of the "heavy psych" variety, which is a personal favorite genre of mine as well. 

Greylock Mansion were from Tucson, Arizona (home base of the LSD label) and released two 45s in 1970 on Dynamic Records. This track is one of the highlights of the compilation.

Butter (not Butler as designated here) - no idea? Says unreleased master tape from Roger Jones (1972).

Jerimiah are reputed to be related to Brother L Congregation, and were from Victoria, Texas (southwest of Houston, and southeast of San Antonio, near the Gulf Coast). This track came out on the Kumquat label as a 45 single (1969).

Weasel comes from a 45 on Westpark Records, a division of Soundville out of Houston, Texas. So we'll presume they were from there (1969).

Wheatridge - no idea again. Says "uncredited acetate" (1970).

Oracle were another band from Tucson, though I can find no evidence of where this track comes from (1972).

Brand X (hmm sounds familiar... but no) were from Indianapolis and released this track on a 45 on Steel Breeze Records (1970). This is another highlight of the comp.

Mechanical Switch were from the small south Texas town of El Campo between Victoria and Houston. This track is on a 45 on Bag One Way Records (Feb 1969 according to one source).

Murphy's Law - This track is a Uriah Heep cover from their 1971 Look at Yourself album (and sounds a lot like a demo version of Uriah Heep actually with trumpet added). Date listed is 1972 and looks like it's from El Paso.

Sleepy Hollow were from Phoenix, Arizona and released this track on a 45 from ECI Records (1969).

Frozen Sun were yet another band from Tucson. This track was on a 45 from the Capt. Zoomar label (1969).

Ownership: 2013 Lysergic Sound Distributors (LP). Acquired in 2015.

12/6/15 (review)

Psychedelic Gems (1996)

Psychedelic Gems is the first in a series from Garden of Delights covering the vast amount of 45's and unreleased material from Germany's psychedelic past. These artists, at least on Volume 1, are definitely distinguished from their peers that played in the style now widely known as Krautrock. This set is more like what was coming out in the US and UK during the late 60s psychedelic rock boom, and would have to be considered dated even in their own day.

Dom (1972). Not related to the group who released Edge of Time. This band released one 45 single (Newcomer label) that is straightforward instrumental psych rock, with some excellent guitar with plenty of effects added for good measure.

Pax Vobis (1972). First track is very much like the Doors. The other three are instrumental, and similar, minus the Morrison styled vocals. Superb organ (older vintage) work here. Two tracks are unreleased prior (the other two were on Soundfire - what a great name for a label!). I quite liked this group myself, and consider them the highlight of the compilation.

The Ooze (1970). Continues in a similar manner, though with much more of an Iron Butterfly and Vanilla Fudge influence. Great organ and fuzz guitar leads. Both tracks from a 45 on the CCA label.

The Devils (1973). All three tracks were unreleased prior. First track has a bit of an electronic edge recalling Friend Sound at their most coherent. After that it's hardly more than surf rock, and a sound that is outdated by at least seven years at this point (though the electronics fortunately do reappear on Darkness). Definitely the low point of the compilation.

Blues Ltd. (1971). 45 single on Progressa. Not surprising, this bunch go for more of a blues psych sound. Hearing some Procol Harum on this, and the added sax even gives off a whiff of Xhol Caravan, especially considering the progressive nature of the recoding - the first (and only) indication of a Krautrock sound found on here.

Scramp (1972). Like Dom, this one was a 45 on Newcomer. And like Dom, it's way past its shelf life, sounding like a US punk psych band from 1968. Which is to say - it's pretty good actually!

Ownership: 1996 Garden of Delights (CD). Full liner notes. Technically GoD named the label Psychedelic Gems. Acquired in 1996.

1996; 11//04; 7/3/15 (review); 6/16/25

7/3/15 (new entry)

Davie Allan and The Arrows ~ USA ~ Los Angeles, California

Vol. II The Wild Angels (1966)

And now, after all these years, I've finally heard a vintage Davie Allan and The Arrows album. 1966 is a bit early in the game to have a relevant psych album, though the opener certainly indicates what it could have been. Mostly this is exploitation, where the titles and concept are far more radical than the music within. 'Arriba' is mariachi for crying out loud. At this point, Allan and his motley crew aren't really that far from Dick Dale and his surfing buddies from a few years before.

Source: 1966 Tower Mono (LP)

9/4/25 (review)
 

Fuzz Fest (1996)

In the year 2000, I had a friend who owned a record store in the Denver area, and who owed me a few dollars from a previous transaction. He told me to stop by and pick out anything I wanted. So after finding a couple of gems, I was still about $10 short. I couldn't find anything of interest, so after mulling about for 30 minutes, I just settled on a sealed LP of Fuzz Fest.

I'd heard of Davie Allan & The Arrows, but never heard their music prior. That remains true even today, 18 years later (I mean the classic mid 60s stuff of course). Based on the reviews I've seen, I can pretty much ascertain where the music will fall. And I think that bias tainted my initial listen, as 1) I recall little about it and 2) I just figured this was some dude in his 50s recreating - or cashing in on - a past legacy.

Wrong! Hold that thought.

In the early 90s the American label I.R.S. had a popular series (in the underground anyway) called Guitar Speak. In effect, these were various artists albums where a famous guitarist from the 60s and 70s (anyone from Montrose to Akkerman to Iommi and beyond) would provide a unique guitar based instrumental track. These albums were surprisingly quite good, and most of the guitarists did not succumb to showboating or shredding.

Davie Allan would have been a perfect fit for the above series (many released a full album of similar). Of course the biker themes are still prevalent throughout, but this is not some cornball soundtrack - and it most certainly is not Surf Rock! The Ventures will not enter your mind here. What you get is 15 (14 in my case because I have the LP) quality guitar instrumentals. Every once in a while a mid 60s styled motif would appear, but mostly this sounds every bit like a modern instrumental rock album - with lots of cool fuzz guitar. All the songs are well thought out, and there's plenty to derive out of each one.

Really surprised the heck out of me. A definite keeper.

Ownership: 1998 Total Energy (LP)

2000 (acquired); 8/25/18 (review)

8/25/18 (new entry)

V.A. - Heroes and Villains: The Sound of Los Angeles 1965-1968. USA-California

I've had this 3 CD set in my car for the last couple of months as it features 90 (count 'em) songs from various groups. This is a theme release, and all the bands are from the Los Angeles area during the era listed. There's no common thread musically, other than they all grew up out of the garage and psych scenes. This is an incredibly well researched release and each of the 90 songs has a history to go with it. It's worth the price of admission just for the 80 page thick booklet!

Featured here are songs that you know by heart, some lesser known hits of the day, obscurities, serious expensive rarities, complete unknowns, and previously unreleased material. There's anything from folk rock to killer psych fuzz presented. One of those complete unknowns are The Royal Teens. The band apparently didn't have a decent copy, and so compiler and writer David Wells reached out to me (seeing we had it in our Unknown Vinyl blog) to inquire if I could record my copy for the release. Of course! And he was kind enough to comp me this copy for it. That's a great trade and I'm grateful to Mr. Wells for it. You'll note that the 2 songs from the 45 still don't sound great (even though it's NM), but that's the original recording - not much we can do about that, but Wells still did a great job with it. Because I was driving around when this was on, I didn't make a note of the highlights. But suffice to say there are some real gems in here, whether previously unknown or very rare. Along with tracks by The Monkees, Mamas & The Papas, Sonny and Cher, etc... Great mix of tunes.

Ownership: 2022 Grapefruit (3xCD). With an 80 page booklet in a clamshell box. The CDs come in individual sleeves. An incredible package really.

9/24/22 (acquired / review / new entry)