British Psychedelia 1967-68

PapaJacques

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I've always found there to be something irresistible about the bucolic bliss propagated by the day-glo sounds of '67-68. Whilst their American contemporaries were kicking out the jams in a distinctly more militant, napalm scorched manner, their British counterparts were content to leap into a TS Elliot inspired rabbit hole donning crushed velvet, Indian robes and love beads.

These sunny, paisley sounds often cast an empirical glance to the East, incorporating sitar, tabla and a myriad of other exotic instrumentation without conceding the confines of the standard pop song. The London Underground scene, centred around the mythic UFO club which saw Pink Floyd, Soft Machine and Tomorrow rise murkily from their bubbling obscurity and into kaleidoscopic blossom into the mainstream.

I thought a place to discuss this incredible historic upheaval would be worthwhile. Whilst the Beatles undoubtedly kick started the UK psych movement with 1966's 'Revolver', it gained traction with such cult classics as Tintern Abbey, Dantalion's Chariot, Blossom Toes and Virgin Sleep.

I suppose I'll start by listing some of my favourite UK psych confections.

'Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds'- The Beatles
'Dream For Julie'- Kaleidoscope
'Julia Dream'- Pink Floyd
'Granny Takes A Trip'- Purple Gang
'Vacuum Cleaner'- Tintern Abbey
'Madman Running Though the Fields'- Dantalion's Chariot
'Child Of The Sky'- The Deviants
'Secret'- Virgin Sleep
'Guess I Was Dreaming'- The Fairytale
'Tiny Goddess'- Nirvana
'Turn Into Earth'- Al Stewart
'Bird Has Flown'- Societe
'Nite Is A Comin'- Warm Sounds
'Grounded'- The Syn
'Second Production'- Mike Stuart Span
'Give Him A Flower'- Crazy World Of Arthur Brown
'Sunny Goodge Street'- Donovan
'Wedding of Ramona Blair'- The Mirage
'Azalea & Rhodedendron'- Crocheted Donut Ring
'Rosemary's Bluebell Day'- Picadilly Line
'Michaelangelo'- 23rd Turnoff
'Turquoise Tandem Cycle'- Jason Crest
'Fredereek Hernando'- One In A Million
'Subway'- The Tickle
'House For Everyone'- Traffic
'10,000 Years Behind My Mind'- The Focus
'Shades Of Orange'- The End
'Odorono'- The Who
'I'll Be Late For Tea'- Blossom Toes
'Portobello Road'- Spectrum
'A Certain Kind'- Soft Machine
'Colonel Brown'- Tomorrow
'Witches Hat'- Incredible String Band
'Fox Has Gone To Ground'- Bamboo Shoots
 

Hurdy Gurdy Man

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I love how LSD tended to steer American psych writers in the direction of various ethereal Folk evocations while the English wanted to take you on an all out tour of the cosmos both lyrically and musically,an observation certainly fueled by the earliest Pink Floyd recordings.Anyone familiar with "Psychedelic Lollipop" by the Blues Magoos?I was just getting really into it when my device broke down and was nearly consumed with the curiosity of just how and why fascinating period pieces such as this lost gem are either forgotten about or erroneously considered "Sgt. Pepper" cash-in rip offs.Even the ones that are a bit too derivative("Satanic Majesties Request"/"Pepper")still provide ample sonic pleasure......................
 
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cybersausage

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I loved the organic aspects of much of the music of that time. Think it was more than phrasing,
think that there were all sorts of factors.

The technology, the combination between flat picking, simple pure strumming, arpeggios, with hollow bodied arch top guitars driven hard through small amps and then analogue large format console mixing desks to get an overdrive distorted but not too cutting sound.

I guess was before a great deal of the bands started to use barre shape power chords and fx.

I think that the use of psychedelics must have also been a factor why the band breaths its own elastic tempo
rather than sticking solidly to a rigid clock metronome or drum machine.

I also liked the early psychedelic fashion, before it got too hippy (although as a kid i dressed more as a hippy)
as i grew older i have more respect and appreciation for the classic mod psychedelic shirts and suits.
Understated but still there.

I also think that the bands were more real in those days and represented real people more than the rock and pop stars of post Simon Cowell X factor etc. As in this day and age to make it you also have to be a model and super slim.

In the 60s, 70s, 80s and in some cases the 90s, the top bands had all sorts in. including some right ugly mugs or normal looking. i mean, look at the who. most of them could be your plumber. its just in our day and age, all the pop and rock stars are now either relatives to people who are already established in the entertainment industry or are kids of wealthy business people who frequent the same party circles...

Keeping the real rock stars out, which for the most part has always come from the riff raff. and not the super wealthy stock (apart from the kinks...)...

Having spoilt kids who don't understand the value of money or how hard it is to earn the stuff, does
give too much power to the wrong people and it only takes one n..... ty to realise they can simply use their money, power and influence to steal music from people who are too poor that they can't do anything about it.

Imagine, if the only people who made it in entertainment from now on had to come from multi-millionaire parenting, who always had life on easy street. imagine what kind of an influence that would have on the world.
Doh...
i also miss the Politically incorrect antics of such classic rock bands!
Much more entertaining, think that Sean Ryder is the only person who has come close to obscenity level.
Shame that people can't make a move without the press, the politicians and the feminists from ripping them to shreds. rock and roll was much more interesting in the days of rock and roll.
 

Nai Noswad

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The 1960's were pretty much like the 1920's music, fashion and opinions..shit like that happens after wars. In terms of class..not many are real down and outs..guitars and amps have always been expensive..i begged for a Gibson and Gretsch ..but got a Kay and a Hondo.
Only once in my lifetime (59 years)..have i seen real yobs make music...1976 punk..and that did'nt last long before the independant labels turned it into New Wave and the punkers pogo'ed their way to a Rolls Royce dealership.
Alas there is too much at stake today..too much money involved..hell my kids don't even know what is N0:1 in the charts!
As those pushing the buttons seem to be de-basing music and how it is purchased and accessed..us as individuals must stand up and blast that vinyl version of Machine Head.
Brilliant music is still being made..but harder to source..most likely down a local club or pub..TV is a no-no ..but good Radio Stations and programmes have emerged...filling that gap of closed high street record stores..seems to have gone underground again...and gotten nostalgic too..sites such as this are vital..providing a safe haven for the likes of me..when Rock meant "sticking it to the man".
 

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