L.A. Sounds 1965-1969: Selected 100 Jewels, Part One
60s Los Angeles Psychedelic Scene: In 2010 I completed my list of 100 nuggets from Los Angeles. It was a list of some of my favourite records released during 1965-69, all of which have made a massive impression on me over the years.
I’m pretty sure that regular visitors to my site know the kind of music bag I’m into, especially my love for 12 string janglers, fuzz and Farfisa combos, protest singers and folk rockers.
Yeah, you get the picture – Destination COOL!!
I decided to indulge myself with 100 jewels from Los Angeles (and the surrounding areas) and like before I will only list songs that I have on original vinyl or a decent vinyl reissue.
The Lyrics – ’So What!!’/’They Can’t Hurt Me’ (Era Records 3153) November 1965
Almost three years ago I exchanged emails with Ray Clearwater who wrote, sang and played harmonica on both songs on The Lyrics debut 45 released on Era Records.
At the time Ray was a member of The Lyrics he was known as Christopher Gaylord.
My full interview with Ray can be found elsewhere on my site. The double exclamation marks in the title of ’So What!!’ was the deciding factor allowing this side to get the nod and become my Number One, LA Select of 2011.
Adrian Lloyd – ’Lorna’/’Got A Little Woman’ (Charger CRG-112) 1965
According to the liners of Back From The Grave – Volume 8, Adrian Lloyd was from England but relocated to Los Angeles.
He then joined a surf/instrumental group called The Rumblers as their prime evil drummer, before forming his own combo Adrian and the Sunsets.
It’s not known if The Sunsets backed Adrian Lloyd on this incredible two sider released on Charger Records in 1965.
’Lorna’ is a terrifying listening experience due completely to Lloyd’s carnal screams over a crunchin’ Bo Diddley beat with surf guitar. An absolute amazing performance.
The more sedate but equally appealing flip ’Got A Little Woman’ is moody and intense, again with a surf twang. Lloyd’s vocals are full of edge and attitude. This guy is fucked off about something.
Few original copies of this record exist so it was with good fortune that I managed to buy a bootleg copy a few years ago when they were doing the rounds on eBay. Copies have since dried up.
The Glass Family – ’House Of Glass’ (Warner Bros WS 1776) early 1969
’House Of Glass’ is the stone cold killer psychedelic lead off track from The Glass Family.
This superb piece of lysergia would have made a fabulous single but it was overlooked in favour of ’Guess I’ll Let You Go’/’Agorn (Elements Of Complex Variables)’ two other great songs that were taken from this overlooked album and released as a single, no doubt to promote it.
The music for the album ”Electric Band” was recorded late 1968 and released early 1969.
All cuts recorded at American Recording Studios in Studio City, California and produced by Richard Podolor, who has cropped up a couple of times on my site after working with other outfits.
The Dirty Shames – ’Makin’ Love’/’I Don’t Care’ (Impression 112) August 1966
Los Angeles group The Dirty Shames released this great two sider on the collectable Impression Records label out of Hollywood then disappeared.
Not a great deal is known about them other than the fact that they recorded a version of ’Makin’ Love’, originally made by The Sloths.
The Sloths also recorded for Impression Records and it’s believed that this is how The Dirty Shames knew about the song and decided to record it themselves. ’Makin’ Love’ is an ’R&B’ howler with harp and a crunching fuzz break.
Not a hint of the folk rock sound Los Angeles was famous for during the period mid 1965 to the end of ’66.
The Dovers – ’The Third Eye’/’Your Love’ (Miramar 123) April 1966
The Dovers were the legendary folk rock group from Santa Barbara that released four singles on the small Hollywood label Miramar without causing much of a stir, then were gone.
That was until Pebbles #2 featured their first single, the outstanding ’She’s Gone’ and The Dovers were vogue at last.
’The Third Eye’ under the spotlight, was The Dovers third single on Miramar and although no credits are displayed on the label I’m confident that it was written by leader Tim Granada, the group’s singer/songwriter and rhythm guitarist.
60s Los Angeles Psychedelic Scene
Like their earlier 45 releases it was probably recorded at Gold Star Studios.
This exquisite, eastern tinged 12 string killer is one of the earliest excursions into psychedelia, and seemingly recounts an acid experience.
According to the liners of The Dovers retrospective LP on Misty Lane, in early 1966 The Dovers underwent some line-up changes and group members started to experiment with LSD.
Tim Granada
Tim Granada’s haunting vocals deliver the lines,
”Unlocked by the key and now I am free” as well as ”No wings for my flight, I drift through the night”
The Preachers – ’Stay Out Of My World’/’Who Do You Love’/’Hey Joe’ (Sundazed SEP 191) 2009
’Stay Out Of My World’ first appeared in October 1965 on (Moonglow 5006) and is a tough record to track down but thankfully Sundazed re-issued the cut on 45 a couple of years ago complete with a fabulous picture sleeve.
There’s no reason why readers of my blog should be without their own copy.
The Preachers got together in early 1964 and played the local bars in Manhattan Beach, moving on to be a resident band at the Casbah Club in Canoga Park.
San Fernando Valley
They quickly became very popular in the San Fernando Valley before eventually performing regularly on the Sunset Strip by mid 1965.
The original lead vocalist Richard Fortunato was replaced by John English who wrote the lyrics of ’Stay Out Of My World’, the folk punker under the spotlight.
John had no music to his words so organist Rudy Garza came up with that groovy organ riff to bring the whole thing together. Listening to his organ runs, I can’t help but think of the riff Ray Manzarek used for ’Soul Kitchen’.
Richard Fortunato and bassist Zeke Jim Camarillo went onto The Vejtables, Fortunato then joined W.C. Fields Memorial Electric String Band with Preachers drummer Steve Lagana. Lead guitarist Hal Tennant may have been with The Bees at some point.
The Lyrics – ’Can’t See You Any More’/’Wake Up To My Voice’ (Feather 1968) February 1968
By the powers of the internet I’ve had the pleasure of exchanging emails with two members of The Lyrics over the years and exclusive interviews with Dan Garcia and Ray Clearwater (previously known as Christopher Gaylord) can be found on my site. Dan sent me a load of Lyrics photos and ephemera.
The Lyrics hailed from the San Diego area but spent much of their existence recording and gigging in Los Angeles, often supporting The Doors.
This amazing and hard to find garage psych record was probably cut at Gold Star Studios in Hollywood where they had previously recorded the earlier 45 ’Mr Man’ / ’Wait’ released on GNP Crescendo.
They also used the same production team of Harlan Peacock and Don Ralke.
60s Los Angeles Psychedelic Scene
The A-Side appears to have been The Doors influenced ’Can’t See You Any More’ written by lead guitarist Bill Garcia . The flip might be recognisable to some because it was compiled on Highs In The Mid Sixties Volume 3.
The sound quality on this comp is atrocious mainly because a beat up copy of the disc was used that has clicks and pops all over it.
’Can’t See You Any More’ was listed as a ’Hit Bound Sound’ on the Santa Barbara Radio KIST music list, week ending 10th February 1968.
Wake up to my voice
’Wake Up To My Voice’ written by singer Craig Carll is a magical example of garage psychedelia. It’s been a firm favourite of mine ever since I first heard it in the mid 80s and is clearly a classic of it’s genre.
Related trivia:
Don Ralke produced and arranged many records during the great 66/67 period. As well as being employed by The Lyrics he also worked with Ty Wagner of ’I’m A No Count’ and ’Slander’ fame as well as arranging the vocals on songs by The Sunrays.
He also wrote several songs recorded by William Shatner on his ’The Transformed Man’ LP from 1968.
The Turtles – ’Outside Chance’/’We’ll Meet Again’ (White Whale 234) August 1966
Yet another blog entry for The Turtles, I love this group! and surely ’Outside Chance’ had the class and pop charm to be a big hit but the record somehow bought a ticket to nowheresville and sank without trace making it one of the most sought after Turtles 45s to collect.
’Outside Chance’ was written by Warren Zevon who at this point in time was a White Whale label stablemate and part of duo Lyme & Cybelle.
Here, The Turtles offer up a folk punk version with tough 12 string guitar and an electric piano break.
The song was covered by Sounds Like Us.
The Electric Prunes – ’Everybody Knows You’re In Love’/’You’ve Never Had It Better’ (Reprise RS 20652) February 1968
Recorded in late 1967 at American Recording Co studios in Hollywood, the flip of this record ’You’ve Never Had It Better’ catches The Electric Prunes in a raunchy mood. The song is in complete contrast to the plug side ’Everybody Knows You’re Not In Love’ which is a soft pop number written by Lowe and Tulin.
But it’s the psychedelic rocker ’You’ve Never Had It Better’ that gets my nod and entry in my L.A. Select list.
Check out the pulsating buzzsaw-fuzztone opening riff, straight away you know you’re in for a heavy ride – settle down and take that fuzz trip.
The Rising Sons – ’I Got A Little’ (Sundazed) recorded December 1965
Somehow, The Rising Sons never made it as a hit group outside of Los Angeles although on the Sunset Strip they became one of the legendary groups with memorable performances of potent R&B and country blues.
The good people at Sundazed Records released a stunning vinyl only release of material recorded by The Rising Sons during 1965/66, all of the cuts never saw the light of day in the 60s apart from the sides used as their only single ’Candy Man’ and ’The Devil’s Got My Woman’.
’I Got A Little’ is a group original written by Jessie Lee Kincaid and is a rush of up-tempo blues with jangle guitar that works real well. Short and sweet medication.
After their demise in mid 1966, Taj Mahal and Ry Cooder became famous in their solo careers and drummer Kevin Kelley joined The Byrds.
The Standells – ’Sometimes Good Guys Don’t Wear White’/’Why Did You Hurt Me’ (Tower 257) June 1966
The Standells hit the big time with ’Dirty Water’ and followed that memorable rock n’ roll raunch with the equally hip ’Sometimes Good Guys Don’t Wear White’ in the Summer of ’66.
But it’s the unheralded and forgotten ’Why Did You Hurt Me’ on the flip that gets my blog action and entry into this years 2011 Los Angeles select 50.
The song was recorded at Kearnie Barton’s Audio Recording Studios in Seattle (also used by The Sonics) during April 1966 while The Standells were on the road touring outside L.A. on the back of the smash ’Dirty Water’.
’Why Did You Hurt Me’ is a gritty performance and could easily have been a single in it’s own right.
Dig that combo organ, probably a Vox Continental played by Larry Tamblyn and the snotty punk vocals. It’s certainly one of my favourite Standells cuts.
Cal Raye – ”I Cry” / ”Can I” (Runay Records RY-101) 1967
Most of Cal Raye’s solo material is crooner, MOR pop and falls outside my radar but the garage raga rock winner ’I Cry’ is certainly worthy of investigation.
Cal Raye a.k.a. Jerry Raye signed to DeVille Records after this release on the obscure Runay label and ’I Cry’ was re-released with a different flip side ’The Devil Is A Woman (You Tell Such Lovely Lies)’
Cal Raye hooked up with a local L.A. folk rock group called Fenwyck and their most famous recording is ’Mindrocker’ which has seen several compilation appearances over the years.
Other songs from that merge are quite stunning such as ’I’m Spinning’, ’Away’ and ’State Of Mind’.
With it’s flipped out eastern fuzz guitar leads ’I Cry’ could have been a contender but remains in the undiscovered shadows.
The Gentle Soul – ’Tell Me Love’/’You Move Me’ (Columbia 4-43952) rec January 1967
Pamela Pollard and Rick Stanley had been playing clubs together on Hollywood’s Sunset Strip for about a year before Byrds producer Terry Melcher got them into the studio.
First to record Pamela Pollard’s ’You Move Me’ in September 1966 followed by a session in January 1967 to lay down the Rick Stanley original ’Tell Me Love’.
The name of the group came about when Riley Wyldflower was smoking joints in their Hollywood apartment and blowing the hash smoke into the face of their cat.
Riley said the cat didn’t mind because he was a gentle soul – hence The Gentle Soul.
60s Los Angeles Psychedelic Scene
This debut 45 by The Gentle Soul is not on their studio album from mid 1968 and as such is a recommended single to track down.
But not only for that reason! ’Tell Me More’ is quite simply ’blissful’ with it’s ornate production by Melcher and beautiful arrangement by Jack Nitzsche, the song really soars with layers of perfect harmonies and baroque psych touches – GLORIOUS.
At this point in time, The Gentle Soul were a four piece including guitarist Riley Wyldflower who would go on to release an obscure 45 ’The Smog Song’/’Electric California’ on Beacon Records.
I have since obtained a copy of this rare 45. ’The Smog Song’ is hippie blues.
Drummer Sandy Konikoff played in several Buffalo, NY groups before linking up with The Gentle Soul including The Ravens and The Hawks who backed Bob Dylan during Feb/March 1966.
The Fire Escape – ’Love Special Delivery’/’Blood Beat’ (GNP Crescendo 384) January 1967
’Love Special Delivery’ or as it’s billed on the front of The Fire Escape ’Psychotic Reactions’ album, ’L.S.D’ is a fierce garage psych assault with fuzz and a totally wired mid song rave-up in the best tradition of The Yardbirds.
Of course ’Love Special Delivery’ is a cover of Thee Midniters song and here The Fire Escape do the original recording justice and add to it with that certain Sunset Strip vibe.
Not a great deal is known about The Fire Escape. They were most likely a studio outfit put together by producers Larry Goldberg and Hank Levine.
They even have the flip ’Blood Beat’ and ’Journey’s End’, on the album credited to themselves.
According to the liners on the back of the album Hollywood whiz-kid Michael Lloyd arranged musical proceedings adding weight to my theory that The Fire Escape, as a group, did not exist.
Merrel & the Xiles – ’Tomorrow’s Girl’/’When I Get Home’ (Glenn 426) April 1967
This was The Exiles final 45 in the Spring of 1967 after which Merrell Fankhauser would disband the group and return as Fapardokly with a new line-up.
Merrell & the Exiles or as shown on this label as Xiles enjoyed some degree of local popularity, even performing on Dick Clark’s American Bandstand and ’Tomorrow’s Girl’ certainly entertains with it’s raga rock rhythms, fuzz and lyrics about a girl with a fondness of hash.
”She is a girl who has everybody’s needs
While she sits and smokes her $20 weed”
’Tomorrow’s Girl’ and the flip ’When I Get Home’ were recorded at Audio Arts Studio, Hollywood during March 1967 with the following line-up:
Merrell Fankhauser (vocals/guitar)
Mark Thompson (organ)
Larry Willey (bass)
Randy Wimer (drums)
Gene Vincent – ’Born To Be A Rolling Stone’ (Everest Records CBR 1006) rec April 1967
Every garage fanatic will know Gene’s hard rockin’ 60s swinger ’Bird Doggin’ but several other cuts from his Challenge years are worthy of investigation, including the folk rock jewel ’Born To Be A Rolling Stone’.
By the mid 60s Gene Vincent was in his early 30s, no longer hip and without a record contract.
Enter Challenge Records, who signed him up to record some sessions at Sunset Sound Recorders in Hollywood, backed by The Champs and other notorious session men including Larry Knetchel and David Gates as an arranger and backing singer.
Sadly all three single releases on Challenge Records sank and a proposed album in America was never released. However, Gene Vincent always had a loyal following in England and France where the album did find a release on London Records.
10 songs from the Challenge sessions were re-issued in 1984 on Everest Records.
The Byrds – ’My Back Pages’/’Renaissance Fair’ (CBS 2648) May 1967
Forty four years ago, The Byrds released one of their finest ever singles. The top side being the impressive version of Dylan’s ’My Back Pages’ backed with the staggering psychedelic jewel ’Renaissance Fair’.
It’s safe to say that The Byrds have been my favourite group for almost 30 years ever since I bought my first Byrds LP titled ’The Byrds – the original singles 1967-1969’ from Boots in Sunderland sometime in 1982.
I remember being hugely disappointed with the country side which I just didn’t get. To me the songs sounded like background music I’d heard on some episodes of Dallas, probably when the Ewing’s hosted the ’Oil Baron’s Ball’
But I was completely in awe of the psych side. Listening to this side with songs of the calibre of ’Have You Seen Her Face’, ’Lady Friend’, ’Goin’ Back’ and ’Change Is Now’ quite simply CHANGED MY LIFE. At 16 years of age I had found my musical heroes and I set out on a mission to own everything they ever recorded.
60s Los Angeles Psychedelic Scene
’Renaissance Fair’ was one such song on that album that made my head spin with it’s glorious sound and mystical words. I could only imagine what The Byrds looked like because no photo of them was on either side of the cover.
Renaissance Fair was the name of one of the very first Love-Ins in Los Angeles and this is Crosby’s vivid account of this medieval type festival of music.
His song describes the event in a dream like sequence, focusing on the individual senses of hearing, smell and sight to convey his sensation of wonderment.
Anyone who has ever experienced an acid trip will no doubt know where Crosby is coming from.
Renaissance Fair
It was a hit in USA (released March 1967) but sank without trace in the UK.
“I think that maybe I’m dreaming…
I smell cinnamon and spices
I hear music everywhere
All around kaleidoscope of colour
I think that maybe I’m dreaming.
Maids pass gracefully in laughter
Wine coloured flowers in their hair
Flags call from lands I’ve never been to
I think that maybe I’m dreaming.Sun splash on a soda of prism
Bright jewels on the ladies flashing
Eyes catch on a shiny prismHear ye the crying of the vendors
Fruit for sale wax candles for to burn
Fires flare soon it will be night fall
I think that maybe I’m dreaming.”
The Turtles – ’It Ain’t Me Babe’/’Almost There’ (Pye International 7N.25320) September 1965
As everyone knows The Turtles are the undisputed kings of sunshine/harmony pop music but do not discount their folk rock period of 1965/66 and in particular the ferocious Kinks inspired garage rocker of ’Almost There’ written and sung by Howard Kaylan.
The Turtles didn’t have the cool, beautiful people image of say The Byrds or Love but they had the cutting ’now sound’ of ’65 alright. ’It Ain’t Me Babe’ transforms the Dylan original for the Sunset Strip crowd and I’m sure most of the kids back then would have been hip to the punky ’Almost There’ – fantastic double-sider to seek out and enjoy!
Pictured is my copy of the UK release and as you can imagine it’s a tough 45 to find, set your sights on the USA White Whale release which is easier to locate but now getting quite sought after.
The Fantastic Zoo – ’Light Show’/’Silent Movies’ (Double Shot 109) February 1967
The Fogcutters, a popular group from Denver, Colorado, cut some singles that did some action locally then sometime in 1966 the group relocated to Los Angeles or perhaps only members Don Cameron and Eric Karl and renamed themselves The Fantastic Zoo.
What is known is that veteran L.A. producers Hal Winn and Joseph Hooven produced all of The Fogcutters sides. Perhaps they persuaded the group to sign for their newly formed Hollywood label Double Shot.
The first Fantastic Zoo record released in December 1966, was the small L.A. hit and novelty ’Midnight Snack’, although the far superior side is the psychedelic folk of ’This Calls For A Celebration’ on the flip.
By now the small independent record label had a huge national hit on their roster with ’Psychotic Reaction’ by The Count Five so I’m sure Hooven and Winn were focusing all of their efforts on this.
60s Los Angeles Psychedelic Scene
However, the second and final Fantastic Zoo 45, the ultra trippy, ’Light Show’ was released in early February 1967 but appears to have sank.
For every 500 copies of ’Silent Movies’ you’ll be lucky to find a copy of ’Light Show’ – it’s a very scarce record to locate suggesting few copies were manufactured.
Eric Karl wound up in Bodine who recorded an album for MGM. He wrote the majority of the songs on that long player.
Hopefully someone will get in touch about The Fogcutters and The Fantastic Zoo as they appear to have an intriguing history.
Jefferson Lee – ’Book Of Love’/’Sorcerella’ (Original Sound OS-88) July 1969
In the late 60s Jefferson Lee was an up and coming producer from Atlanta who signed to Hollywood label Original Sound and released two sought after singles.
The Monotones cover, ’Book Of Love’ was the first from the Summer of ’69 but it’s the fuzz driven and Music Machine influenced flip ’Sorcerella’ that wins out.
The intense fuzztone bass is just insane and the weird lyrics add to the songs overall creepiness. I didn’t know much about Jefferson Lee so did a little digging. It turns out that he exclusively managed and produced Joe South in the late 60s early 70s.
discography:
’Book Of Love’/’Sorcerella’ (Original Sound OS-88) July 1969
’Bubble Gum Music’/’Pancake Trees’ (Original Sound OS-93) May 1970
The Poor – ’Feelin’ Down’/’Come Back Baby’ (Decca 32318) May 1968
The Poor were regulars at clubs and venues on the Sunset Strip playing at the legendary Ciros, PJ’s and The Whisky etc but seem to be one of those groups that still don’t get much praise and recognition.
An earlier 45 ’She’s Got The Time’ got close to becoming a hit but subsequent material fared less well including this final single on Decca.
’Feelin’ Down’ from mid ’68 shows The Poor in a good light with the punchy bass and stabbing background organ. Some pleasant Association harmonies add to the sunshine pop sound.
The song was written by Michael Brewer in 1966 while he was a staff writer for A&M Records. It was also recorded by The Black Sheep and released in January 1967 on Columbia.
The Poor broke up after this 45 flopped with Randy Meisner, Allen Kemp and Pat Shanahan joining Rick Nelson in Rick Nelson and the Stone Canyon Band. Meisner then went on to Poco, then The Eagles. Kemp and Shanahan later joined New Riders Of The Purple Sage.
The Peppermint Trolley Company – ’New York City’/’Spinnin’ Whirlin’ Round (Acta 45-835) 1969
There’s several sites on the net devoting space to The Peppermint Trolley Company and by now everyone who is a regular visitor to my site should own the Now Sounds CD release ’Beautiful Sun’ which compiles most of the Trolley sides plus rare and obscure 45s by their teenage garage outfits The Mark V, The C-Minors and The Intercoms.
By 1969 it was all over for the original members of The Peppermint Trolley Company. According to the CD liners, relations between the producer (Dan Dalton) and the band became strained and the Trolley decided to leave Dalton and reconvene as Bones.
That did not stop Dan Dalton recruiting Hollywood singer songwriter Bob Cheevers and session guitarist John Beland to continue under the guise of the Trolley and two further 45s on Acta were released in 1969.
The last record was ’New York City’ backed with the super cool sunshine pop masterpiece ’Spinnin’ Whirlin’ ’Round’ which was probably never heard at the time as it was lost on the B-side.
Sadly, this gem was not compiled on the Now Sounds CD at the request of the original Trolley members.
The Zodiac – ’Aries – The Fire-Fighter’ (Elektra EKL 4009) May 1967
’Cosmic Sounds’ was a completely original album of pioneering electronic music by Mort Garson who composed, arranged and conducted all tracks with lyrics by Jacques Wilson.
Ex MFQ member Cyrus Faryan provided narration.
Each song focused on the signs of the zodiac with album opener and moog/psych rock cross-over ’Aries – Fire-Fighter’ an instant winner. In fact the moog and weird sound effects dominate the whole LP.
Of course, this strangeness could only have happened in the late 60s.
Astrology has become a religious force in our time.
And in this extraordinary album, the ancient signs of the zodiac
are hauntingly evoked in a celestial fusion of poetry, music and electronic effects.
This is the love sound of the future.
M.F.Q. – ’Night Time Girl’/’Lifetime’ (Dunhill D-4025) April 1966
This is the second MFQ single in my Los Angeles select 100. Check out their early release ’If All You Think’ at number 32.
’Night Time Girl’ is adventurous folk/raga rock with a sound several groups were experimenting with during 1966/67.
Here, the MFQ utilize a five string banjo and a Bouzouki to get that authentic eastern feel. The single sold reasonably well and got a mention in Billboard during April 1966 as a regional break out single.
The song was arranged and produced by the in demand Hollywood face Jack Nitzsche.
The Beach Boys – ’Cabin Essence’/’Wonderful’ (Brother Records) 1967
Brian Wilson called ’Smile’ his ”teenage symphony to God” but the 1967 project was never completed and eventually got shelved as Brian’s life and mind became increasingly more frazzled.
However, between dropping acid, playing with his bucket and spade in his sand pit built inside his Los Angeles mansion and stuffing his face with too many snacks between meals, he created some memorable tunes with the help from his friend and lyricist Van Dyke Parks and Hollywood’s finest session players.
’Cabin Essence’ at 3:30 minutes is a little too long to post so here’s the flip ’Wonderful’ from the 45 given away with a collectors edition of Mojo magazine last month.
Mojo: You spent time at Brian’s house during the Smile sessions. Brian told me he was having fun, and didn’t think there was any eccentric behaviour.
Al Jardine: ”It was a very drug induced environment and very alien to me, nauseating and uncomfortable. It was Brian’s slippery slope. I wasn’t trilled with Brian’s excursion into the world of acid.”
Things To Come – ’Hello’/’Good Day’ (Warner Bros 7228) September 1968
The heavy psychedelic rock a la Cream is in evidence on the second and last Things To Come 45 on Warner Bros. Their first outing on this label was the excellent ’Come Alive’/’Dancer’ produced by the in demand Dave Hassinger.
’Hello’ is a sublime slow burner, written by bass player Bryan Garofalo and notable for some subtle psych guitar leads. Both sides were produced by David Crosby before he put together Crosby, Stills & Nash.
Garofalo went on to become a successful session player in the 70s and played with the likes of Jackson Browne, John Stewart, B.B. King and David Cassidy as well as many more performers.
I did some diggin’ on the net and found an online interview with Bryan Garofalo conducted in 1976.
Here’s an extract where Bryan talks about his time with Things To Come:
Q: How did you meet up with Russ Kunkel to get into your group I’d never heard of ?
BG: Well, Things To Come, the name came after. We both lived in Long Beach. The guy who was playing keyboards in the group I was with said, ”I know this drummer. You’ve got to hear him.
He’s really great. Let’s go over and see him.” We went over to Russell’s house, an apartment house, and he set up his drums outside and started to play for us. He blew me away. Did this crazy solo for about 20 minutes.
60s Los Angeles Psychedelic Scene
So we just started playing, and we’ve been together ever since. It used to be called The Satin Five, we were The Barons, it was nuts. Then we got this crazy guy named Steve Runolfsson, a very far out person, he came up with the name Evil.
So, for a while, that’s what we were called. Then, when we left Long Beach, we left Steve behind, and the four of us became The Things To Come and reopened The Whisky A Go Go.
At the time we went up in ’68 it was all black, soul music.
Then Elmer Valentine decided to change it back into rock ’n’ roll and The Byrds, which at that time still included Chris Hillman and David Crosby, the original band, opened-up the changeover.
We were the opening act for The Byrds, Electric Flag, Traffic, Cream, we were the resident band.
After we moved out, Chicago moved in as resident band. At that time they were called C.T.A.
The Whisky
Then there was Hourglass, who went on to be The Allman Brothers, and Duane was there. All these people staying in these little, shabby apartments and playing at The Whisky.
This dumpy motel down the street. Bought our black leather pants!
That whole thing was really neat for a while. We played all our own stuff, all original material, and very hard rock ’n’ roll.
Real loud! Marshall stacks – we purchased the amplifiers from Cream, actually. When they left they sold them to a musical service and we picked them up from them. CREAM printed on the back. Turn it up to ten and scream.
Q: Was it through this residency that Warners picked you up?
BG: Let’s see, how did we get that deal? There was a girl at Warner Brothers, Pat Slattery, who was a friend of my wife to be. Pat took some people from Warner Brothers to see us at The Whisky. They said, ”Give us a demo tape.”
Dave Hassinger
We did that and they said, ”That band’s great but the songs stink.” We said, ”Thanks!” We looked around for material and they gave us this producer, Dave Hassinger, and we cut some things with him and released a single.
Q: Was this your first experience of the studios?
BG: No. We had been recording all the time we had been in Long Beach. A good friend of ours, Dale Davis, had set up a studio at a place in Claremont, and we’d go up there, so we basically had some experience in there.
We’d go up and try things, cut some stuff, but it still takes a lot of getting used to.
Then, somehow, the guy that was managing Things To Come (whose name remained nothing at the time), he was managing David Crosby and Peter Fonda.
He picked us up and that’s how we got turned on to David. He listened to our stuff and he really thought some of it was good, so he said he would like to produce a couple of things on us.
Warner Brothers was definitely into that, so we did a couple of cuts with David.
Stephen Stills
The problems started with Stephen Stills. David was going to produce an album of us, then he got hung up with Stephen, and then they put together the Crosby, Stills and Nash thing.
It has worked out for the best. Russell still works with David, and I still see him, but we never did do an album.
We just did four songs for them. I wrote one of them called, ’Hello’, Russell wrote another one called ’Come Alive’, the other two were obscure pickup tunes that we had done to appease the publishing people at Warner’s.
60s Los Angeles Psychedelic Scene
Q: Could you listen to them now?
BG: Sure, oh yeah, it doesn’t bother me. It’s terrible, disgusting, but it brings back great memories for me, all that stuff.
I’ve still got all those demo tapes at my house, and every once in a while I get out of it and go and listen to these things and think, ’Oh, my God, listen to that stuff, would you believe it?’
Great times. It’s like listening to John’s records, you know. They’re wonderful. His songs are wonderful.
Henry Diltz
We did these four or five days up at Lake Tahoe. Henry Diltz played banjo and harmonica, Russell played drums while I played bass and John played guitar.
We’d go skiing all day, drink red wine and get totally shit faced, ski back down again, come back in and play in this lodge just for room and board.
God, it was awful. Get sick, go home with no money, bad cold.’
’We had a great time, dear!”
Q: Eventually, your group ran it’s course.
BG: Yeah, it really did, it couldn’t go anywhere but into debt. We didn’t have any management. I don’t think it was ever really meant to be. There were so many outside influences on the whole thing that it had to stop.
Russell and I both got married, and we really wanted to play, do other things, so we – I shouldn’t say ”we”.
It was independent of each other, but it happened that we both split to get out there to see if we really could do it on our own.
We started cutting demos for 15 dollars a song, that kind of stuff. People liked the way we played and that’s all it takes. If you can get heard, you can get the chance, and if you can do it, then you’ve got half a chance.
The Riptides – ’Last Wave Of The Day’ (Tower DT-5083) 1967
During last years countdown of the Los Angeles music scene 1965-69 I included ’Vietnam’ by Bobby Jameson from the Mondo Hollyood film soundtrack but I wanted to feature an obscure surf cut by The Riptides from this LP for my 2011 select fifty.
The Riptides were a group of teenagers from Burbank. The following information is from Riptides keyboard player Bob Bennett.
”The Riptides were first formed from a band that was initially called The Mai Tai Five. It was composed of Bob Bennett, Phil Kasper, Ron Record, Tommy Howell, and Tom Rockriver.
The basic musical content was surf music (note that most early surf music used saxophones-hence Tom Rockriver) and local garage band music.
We played some junior high dances at Jordan and elsewhere. But when we discovered that we could sing, and the Beach Boys were becoming popular we formed The Riptides after Rockriver left the band for a different type of music.
60s Los Angeles Psychedelic Scene
Bob Bennett on piano/keyboards, Phil Kasper on Fender Jazzmaster guitar, Ron Record on Gibson ES 335 guitar, and Tommy Howell on a Ludwig kit.
When we ran into a kid named Steve Schoen, who played bass, we were introduced to his mother who was a Hollywood type who had just written a song for a Christmas Supremes album.
She heard us and liked us. She said that she knew a guy who was just beginning to make it in the L.A music scene.
He had just written two songs for Honda-”You Meet The Nicest People On A Honda” and ”The Worlds Biggest Seller Is A Sporty Little Street Machine”. His name was Mike Curb.
Steve’s mother set up a meeting at her house and Phil and I played some songs that I had written and recorded on Ron’s Sony Reel to Reel.
Curb liked what he heard and thus began a new direction for The Riptides. Curb wanted us to record a Beach Boy song because he had produced the hit song ”Little Honda” by The Hondells on Mercury.
So he gave us a demo of one of the future Three Dog Night singers, Danny Hutton.
It was from an album by The Beach Boys and the song was ”Farmers Daughter”, written by Brian Wilson. We had a recording date set up and we practiced the song 897 times.
When we went to the studio it was the studio that had recorded all of the Steppenwolf and Three Dog Night albums and hits.
Richie Podolor
It was recorded in four track. The guitar solo in the middle of the song was performed by Richie Podolor who was also the engineer.
He was married to Pricilla Paris at the time and did the solo on a Rickenbacker 12 string. Absolutely fantastic, probably the best recorded song was our first. Perfect, but nothing happened.
Next song was ”I Couldn’t Love You Again” written by Curb writer and friend Harley Hatcher. Hatcher’s name appears on a lot of the songs in street gang movies that were popular at the time.
Our next effort was our only single released on Curb’s Sidewalk label. ”Sally Ann” which was a ”Barbara Ann” knock off written by Curb.
The B side was called ”April” and was written by Curb writer friend Ron Abeyta. It was also recorded in four track and included a dubbed in horn section.
60s Los Angeles Psychedelic Scene
The single bombed but it did make the John Burroughs Cafeteria juke box.
We recorded a song for the movie called Mondo Hollywood called “The Last Wave Of The Day”. It was written by Curb and it was a great song. The album was released on Tower, a Capital subsidiary.
After the bass player moved on to a low-rider band there was no bass in the song and it suffered as a result.
We also had some background parts for that movie which included the sidewalk surfing/skateboarding scenes.
The movie was terrible and very controversial at the time. Curb’s reputation suffered but not enough to stop him from eventually becoming California Lieutenant Governor.
The Golden Breed
Next we did two songs for the movie The Golden Breed. Curb had the backing tracks already done but he had Phil Kasper record a song called ”The Golden Breed” and Bob Bennett recorded a song called ”Hey Girl, What Turns You On”.
The album was released in stereo on Capital. That was our last involvement with Mike Curb.
The Riptides would eventually break up, Ron Record got married at age 17, Phil and Bob went on to college and Tommy Howell went off into the sunset. Great times, fun stuff. Some of it still available on DVD.”
The Ventures – ’Ginza Lights’ (Liberty LBY 1323) June 1966
According to the liners on the back of The Ventures LP ’Go With The Ventures’, they’re described as the world’s number one instrumental group. I’m not gonna argue with that, I don’t know enough about instrumental groups to have an opinion.
This 1966 album has it’s moments and I especially like The Ventures original ’Ginza Lights’ which sounds like a surfadelic spy theme tune played on those Mosrite guitars The Ventures were famous for.
One look at the credits on the back cover confirms that Bruce Botnick performed engineering duties. He was of course The Doors and Love’s engineer. He also co-produced ’Forever Changes’ with Arthur Lee.
Kaleidoscope – ’Keep Your Mind Open’ (Epic BN 26304) June 1967
The Kaleidoscope were one of the most enigmatic and mysterious groups from Los Angeles whose music came across like a gypsy ensemble on acid.
They utilized exotic instruments like saz bouzoukee, dobro, dulcimer, caz, oud and layered the Persian sound with keyboards, 12 string guitars, banjos and fiddles.
When I bought my first Kaleidoscope album in the mid 80s (the Edsel collection called ’Bacon From Mars’) I must admit I was perplexed and just didn’t understand where Kaleidoscope were at apart from some instant psychedelic jewels like ’Pulsating Dream’ and ’Keep Your Mind Open’.
’Keep Your Mind Open’ is from their debut album ’Side Trips’ and is one of their most instant songs with it’s laid back trippy sound and lysergic production.
The song was written by bass player Christopher Darrow who also wrote the previously mentioned and classic acid/folk rocker ’Pulsating Dream’.
Although ’Side Trips’ was released in June 1967, the songs were recorded much earlier at Columbia Square, Los Angeles during November and December 1966.
The Giant Sunflower – ”February Sunshine” / ”More Sunshine” (Take 6 -1000) May 1967
One of the most intriguing releases of 1967 was ’February Sunshine’ by The Giant Sunflower. This folk rock song was written by Pat Vegas and Val Garay, two musicians based in Hollywood.
The hot new sound in Los Angeles at this time was pleasant laid back sunshine rock with the groups often fronted by a good lookin’ flower girl with long hair and love beads.
’February Sunshine’ has that pure L.A. sunshine sound and is just perfect ’67 fodder for the radio. The song was recorded by studio musicians and released on Take 6 Inc with the non-existent group name of The Giant Sunflower.
The recording was quickly snapped up by Lou Adler’s Ode label who got the song re-recorded. Out of interest The Rose Garden also recorded ’February Sunshine’ at Gold Star Studios, Hollywood and their version can be found on their album.
The new recording of ’February Sunshine’ was then released on Ode in USA. Lou Adler had a deal with Columbia Records to distribute his Ode product in other countries around the world.
M.F.Q. – ’If All You Think’/’The Love Of A Clown’ (Warner Brothers 5481) November 1964
The Modern Folk Quartet were a group of pre Beatlemania folkies that formed in Honolulu but relocated to Los Angeles sometime in early 1963.
Their popularity rose among the folk crowd and two albums followed on Warner Bros (I’ve not heard these). By late ’64 they were simply called M.F.Q. and had a more electric folk sound.
The sublime ’If All You Think’ sounds like a proto-type Association with some great harmonies and an arrangement from Don Ralke that I consider to be ahead of it’s time.
Songwriter Jerry Yester was a well known face in Hollywood during this time and would later join The Lovin’ Spoonful when M.F.Q. disbanded in 1966.
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