Monocled Alchemist

Here are some of my random thoughts and words about obscure and in-demand ’60s garage and psychedelic singles over the years.

TENDERFOOT KIDS – ’Time Is Up’ / ’Intoxication’ (Movie Play SN 20.349) 1970

60s garage psychedelic singles: Here’s a very interesting 45 to add to your collections from Belgium band The Tenderfoot Kids.

’Time Is Up’ is late 60s balladry with a lingering catchy chorus but the flip ’Intoxication’ is perhaps the one to get psych fans interested.

This song is laid back psychedelia with a West Coast feel. It’s got some neat guitar licks with subtle piano (would have sounded so much cooler with Hammond organ).

’Intoxication’ comes off sounding like a mix of Spirit and Crosby Stills and Nash.

My copy is the Spanish release on Movie Play.

Reader comment:
There is also a very good SP with Paul Simul, which includes on the B-side a nice rework of ”Hold On I’m Comin” featuring some cool Hammonds.

THE SEVENS ’Panam’ (Aug 1965)

I’m a sucker for a wild swingin’ go-go beatin’ instrumental and none come finer that ’Panam’ by The Sevens, an obscure mid 60s beat combo from Basel, Switzerland.

The track kicked off side two of their 1965 album, then was chosen as a B-Side for the single ’Don’t You Fret’ in March 1966. The latter being a lame cover of a boring Kinks tune. Should have released the fantastic mod beater ’Panam’ as the top side.

60s Garage Psychedelic Singles

THE SPENCER DAVIS GROUP ’My Babe’ (Fontana TL 5242) 1965

Hidden away on their first album for Fontana is this classy bit of R’n’B. I dig the way Steve Winwood comes in with his soulful vocals mid way through the song.

The French always had a unique angle on 60s pop music. There was occasional flashes of brilliance especially from Antoine when his backing band was R’n’B group Les Problemes.

This is why I was very pleased to find this rare 1966 promo video of Antoine et Les Problemes on YouTube recently singing ’Les Elucubrations D’Antoine’.

THE ANIMALS – Are Back EP (Columbia SEG 8452) Oct 1965

By the time this EP was released The Animals had conquered the World. This four track EP is made up of songs that had previously been hits plus the odd B-Side.

The anthem under scrutiny is ’We’ve Gotta Get Out Of This Place’ I can’t tell you how many times I’ve sung this in my head when I’ve been bored shitless at work where the only conversation is probably coming from some fat bird yacking on about her diet. (I work in an Office by the way – no escape).

This killer song is notable for Eric Burdon’s ferocious vocal delivery.

JOHN SMITH and the NEW SOUND – ’Birthday’ / ’Just A Loser’ (Vogue DV 14819) 1968

This English band were unknowns in the UK and had none of their records released in old blighty. They did however, have a good following in Continental Europe, in particular Germany.

’Birthday’ was a sizeable hit in Germany and of course was a Beatles cover. As you can see from the cover, the label went to great lengths to point out that it was ’eine John Lennon-Paul McCartney composition’ and to be fair this probably went a big way in making it a hit because The Beatles were always very popular in Germany following their ’Hamburg Era’.

The flip is where the mod action is. ’Just A Loser’ is a fab Hammond organ led groover with just enough soul to make it a hit with the mod crowd.

THE HERD – ’Sunshine Cottage’ / ’Miss Jones’ (Fontana 267 892 TF) 1968

The Herd formed out of the ashes of R’n’B band The Preachers in 1965 and their first three singles on Parlophone flopped and were dropped from their contract with EMI.

Despite this, they were still pulling in the crowds and making money from gigs and it wasn’t long before Fontana took a chance with them.

Some big hits on Fontana followed but the pop psych ’Sunshine Cottage’ didn’t sell and leader Peter Frampton quit and formed Humble Pie with ex Small Faces frontman Steve Marriott.

Co-writer of ’Sunshine Cottage’ Andy Bown later joined Status Quo. The flip ’Miss Jones’ is a bit more ’freaky’ with some good guitar work.

The single cover pic shown here is the Spanish release.

60s Garage Psychedelic Singles

THE FACTORY – ’Path Through The Forest’ (Heads Together)

Because I’ve got some spare time this week I’m managing to post a daily instalment of English psych (that’s the trip I’m on at the moment). Here’s a cool one from The Factory.

I’m sure most people into psych will be aware of this monstrous song from the umpteen compilation appearances but maybe not this version.

The Factory were three Surrey based teenagers (the drummer was 16 years old!!!) who got lucky when producer Brian Carroll happened upon them at one of their London gigs.

He got them a record deal and they cut several songs. One of the covers they attempted was ’So You Want To Be A Rock And Roll Star’ by The Byrds but this has been lost.

The original tape FX for ’Path Through The Forest’ did survive though. They were not used on the final single mix. Brian Carroll used those FX and mastered this classic with the psychedelic ’forest’ noises for this posthumous release on Heads Together. This was a vinyl release only and copies quickly vanished and it’s now impossible to find.

The original ’Path Through The Forest’ was released on MGM 1444 on 18/10/68.

JASON CREST – ’A Place In The Sun’ / ’Black Mass’ (Philips BF 1809) August 1969

Tonbridge band Jason Crest released five singles on Philips between 1967-69 and all are very rare. Check out their retrospective collection on the Wooden Hill CD that came out about 10 years ago.

According to the liners, Jason Crest were considered to be one of the most dynamic live acts operating in and around London during the late sixties mixing original material with reconstructions of other artists songs such as ’A Hazy Shade Of Winter’, ’Fresh Garbage’, ’California Dreaming’ and ’Paint It Black’.

These songs were all recorded during sessions with the BBC and can be heard on the LP of radio recordings released on Tenth Planet Records in the late 90s. Only 1000 were pressed and it’s now a hard item to score.

The mellotron and flute soaked psychedelia of ’A Place In The Sun’ was Jason Crest’s last throw of the dice for a hit but it bombed and singer Terry Clark quit shortly after.

The band continued with a new singer for a while eventually changing their name to High Broom for one last 45 on Island Records.

’I’ve been alone so long
Like time I just go on
Looking For A Place In The Sun’.

FLOWER – ’Heart Teaser’ (Dig The Fuzz Records) acetate 1968

While I’m on an English psych trip I’ll post this incredible mod psych mover from Flower.

Their ’Heart Teaser’ was never issued in the 60s.

It only survived as an acetate.

That was until those cool chaps from Dig The Fuzz Records unearthed this gem and compiled it on the LP only ’Fuzz Pudding Factory’ in the early 90s.

According to the liners, ’Heart Teaser’ was recorded in November 1968. I’m assuming this information was written on the 8” white label acetate found in the vaults. No other details about Flower are known.

Reader comments:
A 60’s Quebec band published that same song as an instrumental in 1968-69. The band was Les Masking Sound and the song, retitled ”Une File Comme Ca” (A Girl Like That).

I don’t know which came first and I’m investigating as to this might actually be the same band – Probably not, but you never know. Sebastien Patrimoine PQ

The track is really by Flavor, from Columbia single “Heart Teaser/Yea, I’m Hip”. US band I’m sure as the it’s a US 45, but it does sound a bit British. Not a very rare record but a great double sider!

60s Garage Psychedelic Singles

THE KINKS – ’Don’t Ever Let Me Go’

This bootleg CD from Europe hit the Record Fairs in 2000. I don’t know how many were produced but the usual amount(s) are in the region of 500 or less. They were all quickly snapped up and now this is a difficult CD to locate so grab it if you ever see it.

Thankfully, for the most part the sound quality on the majority of tracks is excellent with most of them being in mono.

’Don’t Ever Let Me Go’ was The Kinks projected third single but for some reason it was shelved in favour of the all time classic ’You Really Got Me.’ Let’s just say that The Kinks made the right decision but maybe should have put ’Don’t Ever Let Me Go’ on the B-Side.

The song was recorded on the 8th September 1964 at Pye Studios in London.

“You Really Got Me” was released in August, before this was recorded, if your date is right. It must have been replaced by “All Day And All Of The Night”, their fourth single, recorded a fortnight later.

TIMEBOX – ’Gone Is The Sad Man’ (Deram DM219) Nov 1968

Timebox released several 45s during the the period 1967-69 but all (apart from the small hit ’Beggin’) flopped. They even recorded a collection of songs in 1968 for an album called ’Moose On The Loose’. Unfortunately, Deram did not release it at the time.

All of those unreleased songs, as well as the Deram 45s were compiled by Deram in the late 90s on ’Timebox – The Deram Anthology’ CD. This CD is now deleted and has become something of a collectors item.

The lazy and laid back psychedelic ’Gone Is The Sad Man’ was the B-Side of ’Girl, Don’t Make Me Wait’ – the follow up single to ’Beggin’ which had reached number 38 in the UK Charts. It flopped.

the line-up on the record was:

Mike Patto (vocals, guitar)
Ollie Halsall (vocals, guitar)
Clive Griffiths (bass)
Chris Holmes (keyboards)
John Halsey (drums)

Reformed

Most of the Timebox line-up reformed in the early 70s as prog rockers Patto. Ollie Halsall would also add guitar parts for the Rutles album and of course John Halsey became Barry Wom (Ringo) in The Rutles.

Researching Timebox and in particular their amazing ’Walking Through The Streets Of My Mind’ I found a rather special blog called strangely ’Sir Henry@Ed Debba’

Check it out for some ultra rare and obscure British psych 45s from the late 60s.

Reader comments:
Hi Colin, been meaning to check out more of Timebox for ages. Is this deleted Timebox CD identical with the in-print title on RPM? Here’s the RPM tracklist:

I Wish I Could Jerk Like My Uncle Cyril, I Will Always Love You, Soul Sauce, Waiting For The End, Save Your Love,Your Real Good Thing Is About To Come To An End, Come On Up, Woman That’s Waiting Beggin’ Walking Through The Streets Of My Mind Don’t M ake Promises Girl Don’t Make Me Wait Leave Me To Cry

Gone Is The Sad Man Eddie McHenry Barnabus Swain Baked Jam Roll In Your Eye Poor Little Heartbreaker Stay There Country Dan And City Lil Love The Girl Tree House You’ve Got The Chance Black Dog Yellow Van Promises Timebox-b

RPM release

The RPM release adds the Timebox first two 45s on Piccadilly.. ’I Will Always Love You’, ’Save Your Love’ and ’I Wish I Could Jerk Like My Uncle Cyril’, ’Soul Sauce’ but omits ’Misty’. The running order is also completely different. The Deram CD is official and from the master tapes.

It has a nice booklet with some label pics and old music paper cuttings of 45 reviews. The information comes from former band members John Halsey and Chris Holmes. I’m assuming the RPM release is similar but can’t say for sure.

cool, many thanks; will keep reading & no doubt grab some of your cd’s as looks like you got some boss stuff there; and you’re right compressed music is pants – long live rich sounding crackly vinylmatt

THE FLOWERPOT MEN – Blow Away (unreleased 1969 recording)

’Blow Away’ was first issued on The Flowerpot Men retrospective LP ’Let’s Go To San Francisco’ which was released on C5 Records in 1988. It then appeared on the CD RPM put out in 2001 titled ’The Psychedelic World Of The Flowerpot Men’.

’Blow Away’ is a wonderful Byrdsian jangle. This version is the extended mix that was recorded for the unreleased ’Peace’ album in 1969.

The album never happened because The Flowerpot Men’s contract with Decca expired after several flops following the hit single ’Let’s Go To San Francisco’ in September 1967.

Listen out for the drones, slide guitars and 12 string.

The main stays of The Flowerpot Men were John Carter and Ken Lewis. They also wrote ’Semi-Detached Suburban Mr James’ for Manfred Mann, ’Sunshine Girl’ for Herman’s Hermits and perhaps more famously ’My World Fell Down’ recorded by Sagittarius.

DONOVAN – Three Kingfishers (EPIC LN 24217) 1966

By mid 1965 Donovan was a household name in Britain but he s breakthrough LP. If you’re into psychedelia you’ll know all about it anyway. The absolute killer psych interlude is ’Three Kingfishers’. Here, Donovan goes for the Indian raga sound with sitar, tablas and trippy lyrics.

It’s documented elsewhere that Shawn Phillips played sitar on ’Three Kingfishers’ but he’s not given credit on the album cover.

“Twelve king fisher birds shall you have
Dive and swim in the ripples of your laugh.
Oh, I dreamed you were a Jewel
Sitting on golden crown on my head, my head, my head.
Look at the tiny oceans in-my hand
Waves of liquid colours touch the sand.
Oh, I dreamed you were a jewel
Sitting on golden crown on my head, my head, my head.”

DOWNBEAT – 25 Independent Singles From The Netherlands CD

I was playing The Thanes CD ’Downbeat And Folked Up’ at the weekend (which is amazing by the way) and was really taken by their cover of The Sparklings ’Now It’s Your Turn To Cry’.

I don’t have the original 45.

But it was compiled in great sound from the mono single on ’DownBeat’ some years ago. Folks into Dutch beat really need to get this CD.

Not everything is GREAT.

In fact some cuts would force Vincent van Gogh to cut his other ear off if he was still alive.

The 24 page booklet that comes with this collection is very impressive. Maybe one of the best I’ve seen coming as it does with excellent information, sleeve pics and band photos. Here’s what the liners said about The Sparklings.

’This band came from the prolific Amsterdam scene. ’Now It’s Your Turn To Cry’ was released twice on two different labels in 1966. Once on 7Up then again on CNR. It’s an organ powered tormentor and is simply stunning with it’s knife-sharp fuzz guitar and a very strong melody line’.

SIMON DUPREE & THE BIG SOUND – ’Kites’ / ’Like The Sun Like The Fire’ (Parlophone R 5646) Oct 1967 

When I was about 10 years old back in the mid 70s, my Uncle gave me a handful of singles because he no longer needed them.

Included in the pile were records by The Beatles, The Kinks, The Searchers, Slade and this one by Simon Dupree & The Big Sound. ’Kites’ always made me feel weird probably because the melody was playing on my mind.

I’d never heard anything so exotic sounding before and the strange background noise held me captive. It wasn’t until many years later that I discovered I’d been listening to psychedelia and the strange background noise was made by a mellotron.

Simon Dupree & The Big Sound were from Portsmouth, England. They consisted of three brothers. Ray Shulman, Derek Shulman and Phil Shulman. They had previously been in local bands called The Howling Wolves and The Road Runners.

They were joined by ex Classics Tony Ransley on drums and Pete O’Flaherty on bass. It won’t have escaped your attention that no one in the band was actually called Simon Dupree.

Abbey Road Studios

This was a name dreamed up by their Manager who also brought them the song ’Kites’ to record. By all accounts the band hated the song and didn’t want to record it but changed their minds when they had the opportunity to record and produce the disc at the famous Abbey Road studios in London.

The recordings took place sometime in September 1967, only months after The Beatles had completed the album Sgt Pepper. Fortunately for Simon Dupree & The Big Sound they were able to use the obscure instruments that The Beatles had utilized on Pepper such as the mellotron, finger symbols, woodblocks and they also added the strange wind effects.

So what had been something of an ordinary love ballad ’Kites’ blossomed into a flower power and completely ’turned on’ slice of psychedelia.

The flip ’Like The Sun Like The Fire’ is also another cool psych track with plenty of mellotron. Simon Dupree & The Big Sound carried on with limited success until late 1969 before disbanding.

The three Shulman brothers then formed a new band called Gentle Giant in 1970 and moved into progressive rock territory.

THE SHOTGUN EXPRESS – ’I Could Feel The Whole World Turn Round’ EP (Columbia ESRF 1864) 1966

Short lived mod pop band from England probably best known for featuring Rod Stewart before he became famous with The Jeff Beck Group then The Faces.

’I Could Feel The Whole World Turn Round’ was released in England on 21/10/66 and is the only song where Stewart’s vocals are employed. The flip is an organ dominated mod swingin’ instrumental titled ’Curtains’ and is essentially a Peter Bardens solo effort.

The flip of their follow up 45 ’Funny, ’Cos Neither Could I’ is also a mod go-go instrumental titled ’Indian Thing’. This was compiled on Rubble Volume 2 back in the 80s.

The Shotgun Express certainly had some future stars in their ranks. Alongside Rod Stewart, The Shotgun Express also boasted the skills of the previously mentioned Peter Bardens who is best known for his work with 70s progressive rock band Camel. Bardens died in 2002.

Guitarist Peter Green and drummer Mick Fleetwood were briefly in John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers before forming Fleetwood Mac. Bass player Dave Ambrose would quit The Shotgun Express in early 1967 to join The Brian Auger Trinity.

Singer Beryl Marsden was also lead vocalist for all girl band The She Trinity.

ENGLISH 60s POPSCENE – Killer B’s CDR

I put this CDR together way back in August 2005 and more or less forgot about it until a contact requested a copy a few months ago. As far as I remember I compiled this way back to offer someone as a trade for an old forum comp that I missed out on. Somehow it got around to a few other people?

Anyway the concept of this collection was simple. To re-discover or perhaps have someone enjoy for the first time high quality B-sides from 45s that were hits in England during the glory years of 1964-1967. Hence the subtitle ’Killer B’s’. Plus at the time I thought my cover design (with the odd bit of tinkering in photoshop to make it look pop art) was cool as fuck.

EDDY MITCHELL – Rien Qu’un Seul Mot (Satisfaction) EP (Barclay 70 855 M) 1966

Don’t be put off by Eddy Mitchell’s ’thunderbird’ look because he sure delivers a cracking cover of The Rolling Stones hit ’Satisfaction’.

It is probably my favourite cover of this classic.

For those not familiar with this guy, he’s French and sings in French and looks like a French square.

’Rien Qu’un Seul Mot’ (Satisfaction) is full of scorching fuzz with constant clattering tambourine.

There’s also time to add a powerful lead guitar break before the fuzz kicks in once more.

Eddy’s vocals are a treat and I dig it when he throws in some Buddy Holly mannerisms.

His back up band on this EP are billed as The London All Stars. I don’t know who they would be. Most likely the best session musicians London had to offer at the time.

The rest of the disc is the more familiar Club/Soul sounds Eddy Mitchell is better known for and not to my particular taste. But I can’t argue with his version of ’Satisfaction’ – it’s a killer.

Eddy did some rocking tunes, everyone in France consider him as a square but to my opinion he did some really good stuff including a fine original tune ”Si Tu N’ Etais Pas Mon Frère”

LES JETS – La Cornemuse EP (Impact 200.007 M) 1967
LES JETS – La Rencontre EP (Impact 200.011 M) 1967

Decent French mod band I know nothing about. So if anyone reading this can fill me in on any details please feel free to do so.

These are the third and fourth EPs released by Les Jets on Impact, also home for The Smoke and Tages. The fourth EP ’La Rencontre’ features songs from the film soundtrack ’Mamaia’

BILL FAY – ’Some Good Advice’ / ’Scream In The Ears’ (Deram DM 143) 25/08/1967

This outstanding psychedelic 45 is part of the Decca Psych masters Box of singles put out by Acme Records. All six records chosen are from the Decca archives. The label Deram was set up by Decca for the more progressive outfits of the time.

I recommend this Box of singles to any more interested in English 60s psychedelia. All records are exact reproductions and far superior to those horrible bootleg repros that have been doing the rounds lately. Acme have used the analogue masters and the services of technicians at Abbey Road Studios, London to create these beautiful 45s.

I’ve chosen to focus on the Bill Fay 1967 release on Deram. ’Some Good Advice’ has been a firm favourite of mine ever since I heard it on 80s comp ’Deram Dayze’.

It’s a psych masterpiece underpinned by melancholic mellotron creating that perfect English psychedelic sound. The vocals are pretty damned great and to my ears sound exactly like Syd Barrett. In fact the sound on this record is pure Syd, even down to the childlike lyrics:

’If you want to build a shed
Go ahead and build a shed.
And if you want to ride a bike,
Ride your bike if you like’.

The flip ’Scream In The Ears’ is another winner with obscure lyrics. Bill Fay sounds really pissed off here as if someone has given him some bad acid or something.

MARK LEEMAN FIVE – ’Forbidden Fruit’ / ’Going To Bluesville’ (Columbia DB 7812) January 1966

The third Mark Leeman Five single was largely ignored by the record buying public in England. I suppose the record was fortunate to be released at all, having had their lead singer killed in a car crash the previous Summer.

’Forbidden Fruit’ was chosen as the top side and it’s awful. This kinda dirge just ain’t my bag. The Nashville Teens beat Mark Leeman Five to the punch and released their version first which became a minor UK hit. Some damsel called Nina Simone had a hit with this song in the very early 60s.

But trust me folks when I say it’s a square song for 60s squares. If you dig shite like Gerry & The Pacemakers it could be your ’sound’.

The flip ’Going To Bluesville’ is far superior in every way. Classy and intelligent R’n’B with a cool guitar break and organ.

Denny Cordell

This song may never have never been a hit if it was the A-side but who cares when it’s easily better than the song that was chosen (probably by their squaresville Manager) – according to the liners from the ’See For Miles’ retrospective collection ’Going To Bluesville’ was just a demo recorded before Mark Leeman’s death (obviously).

Both sides were produced by Denny Cordell who was the producer for better known bands like The Moody Blues, The Move, Procol Harum and Joe Cocker.

they called it quits a year later after subsequent 45s (already recorded with Leeman before his death) went no where.

’Blow My Blues Away’ is a big favourite of mine. The flip is a beat cover of ’On The Horizon’ previously done by The Drifters. The producer on this disc was Kenneth Pitt who mainly managed bands. Those under his guidance were Manfred Mann, David Bowie and Marc Bolan.

The comp was called The Memorial Album and contained both sides of all the demo and official singles recorded by the band, 1962-66, plus their unreleased demo album from 1963.

Issued by See For Miles on CD in 1991. Not reissued but copies crop up on Amazon from time to time. Strongly recommended if you’re into early British R’n’B.

TAGES – ’Fuzzy Patterns’ / ’I’m Going Out’ (Odeon SD 6005) April 1967

Tages were a popular 60s band from Gothenberg in Sweden but I’m not sure if that popularity extended beyond their home country. This 45 picture sleeve is the Danish release so maybe they enjoyed some success in Denmark. Who knows?

’I’m Going Out’ was the top side and it’s a typical 60s pop affair with Hollies style backing vocals.

Unfortunately no one could complete with The Hollies in the harmony stakes so this song sounds like a poor imitation to me.

The B-side ’Fuzzy Patterns’ is far more interesting. With a good song title like that you’ll be pleased to know that it IS a freakbeat mover with a curious trippy mid song break.

Reader comments:
I can tell you that Tages were hugely popular throughout Scandinavia, but not much beyond. Great choice of song from them.

I myself remember expecting great things on the basis of the song title alone when I first picked up their Contrast LP, which included both sides!It’s not ”The Tages”, by the way, it’s ”Tages”, meaning ”Tage’s” in English; in other words, the ”s” is not plural, it’s possessive. Tage was the middle name of rhythm guitarist Danne Larsson.

It was common for Swedish bands to have as their name that of a member (usually the leader) put in the genitive case: if it was Sture’s band, it was called ”Stures”, if Erik’s, it was called ”Eriks”.

This naming convention originated among the showbands catering to adults, but it was adopted tongue-in-cheek by many teenage bands besides Tages: Ragges, Fabians, Ackes, Gaggas, Jean Lundens, and so on (and here in Finland, Jormas, named after their manager).

MARK LEEMAN FIVE – ’Blow My Blues Away’ / ’On The Horizon’ (Columbia DB 7648) July 1965

The Mark Leeman Five were one of those sad tales of ’what could have been’. In 1964 their career was starting to take off with prime support slots for hot new band Manfred Mann at London’s Marquee Club.

They even secured gigs at hip mod hideout The Cromwellian Club. Not only this but their first single ’Portland Town’, released in January 1965 was critically acclaimed.

Sadly band leader and singer/songwriter Mark Leeman was killed in a car crash on 27/06/65. The rest of the band had planned to carry on with a new singer but never recorded again?