AGAPE - The Problem Is Sin - Live And Unreleased [USA christian psychedelic rock 1973-1993] 1996 Hidden Vision Ac-3023

 

1996 release. "Official reissue plus five bonus tracks... Agape should be remembered as the first Christian hard rockers. A band well ahead of their time. This release captures the intensity of Agape's live performances as well as providing some unreleased studio tracks. The live cuts are taken from an 8-track release which was produced as a promotional item passed around to local radio stations. Only a handful of copies of this ultra-rare 8-track were ever circulated. One copy recently changed hands for $200. Since resurrecting this find we cleaned it up and digitized it as best as the technology allowed." "This 8-track only live recording from a California college gig in 1973 captures the band in just the right jammy guitar-psych mood you hoped for. Extended excursions on tracks from their studio LPs, plus a title track unique to this release; all of it certain to please any fan of westcoast Jesus psych-rock with a dose of Hendrix and keyboard prog/jazzrock. Raw recording with in-yer-face sound and an enthusiastic crowd."

Acid Archives

Agape 

ETERNITY - Eternity [USA hard psychedelic rock 1981] 2014 Got Kinda Lost Records GKL002

 

Originally recorded in 1979–’80, and released on a private label in 1981, many songs originate from an earlier period in the ’70s, giving the release an "out of time" quality.

Led by the confidant vocals of Wallace Stoneking and the "human–riff" creativity of Frank Monroe, Eternity created a groove–oriented, no frills brand of hard rock, capturing the flair of their heroes existing a decade prior–and within this set Wallace Stoneking tells of all the surreal interactions and experiences that colored their time together.

Eternity

THE GOLDEN CUPS - Live Album - Recorded Live at the Hibiya Concert Hall [Japan hard psychedelic 1971] 2004 Capitol Records TOCT-25837

 

"The Golden Cups formed in Yokohama in 1966. Singer and founder Dave Hirao had played in an earlier combo called the Sphinx. Joining him was Eddie Ban on lead guitar, Kennith Ito on guitar and vocals, Louis Kabe on bass and Mamaru Manu on drums. Kenneth Ito had grown up in Hawaii and his English vocals gave them an edge over most other Japanese acts of the time. Initially calling themselves the Group and I, they renamed themselves after the Golden Cup nightclub near the Honmoku army base when they became the house band there. An appearance on the Young 720 TV show gave them national exposure and led to a contract with Capitol. Their recordings vary greatly, with lesser tracks ranging from sacharrine ballads to unspectacular versions of popular soul songs, and later on to sludgy blues covers. Still, almost every 45 and lp release has something to recommend it and a few are really superb. Hiwa Mata Noboru is the b-side to their first 45, Jezebel. Their second 45 Love Is My Life has it all - fuzz, screams, and incredible bass runs by Kabe. I recommend the flip, Do You Know I Love You (written by Ito and Ban) to real fans of the Japanese pop sound, but others may want to pass on it. No other ‘group sounds’ recording comes close to matching their next 45, This Bad Girl for pure garage sound. It’s probably their very best. From their first album comes their take on Hey Joe, surely one of the best versions of this song ever cut. The band takes it at an incredibly fast speed, with more amazing bass playing from Kabe, piercing fuzz leads, good vocals and a full three minutes of feedback laden freak-out during the middle of the song! The madness continues with Happening at 3 O'Clock A.M, where a speeded-up Vox Wah Wah ad segues into a psychedelic spaghetti-western style trip. It’s a later single that’s also on their second LP. Like many Japanese productions of the period these are all in stereo, and the band makes good use of it…"

johnkatsmc5.blogspot.com

Cups

VVAA - Psychedelic Sounds From The Young Blood, Beacon & Mother Labels, 1969-1974 [Psychedelic Rock, Hard, Pop] 2014 Guerssen GUESSCD051

 

Famous in collector circles for being the home of rare progressive/psych albums such as Salamander, Julian's Treatment or Moonkyte, Miki Dallon's group of labels also released many obscure 45s during the late '60s/early '70s. Here's a selection of the most psychedelic-sounding ones, plus some overlooked LP-only tracks. From mod-psych to hard-rock, from psychedelic pop to early glam, including the devastating hard-psych sounds of Taiconderoga (featuring a young, pre-Damned Brian James!), Small Faces mod-influenced sounds by Revolver, Moog psych/proto-glam by The Damned and much more. Features remastered sound and includes an insert with informative liner notes and pictures/memorabilia from the Miki Dallon archives. Other artists include: Shakane, Uzi & The Styles, Boots, Information, Derek Paul, Rubber Band, Jelly.

Imaginations

THE KING BISCUIT ENTERTAINERS - Northwest Unrelased Masters, 1967- 70 [USA garage, hard, psychedelic 1967-70] 2015 Out-Sider OSR036

 

Featuring Ray Kennedy and Roger Huycke from legendary garage band The Wilde Knights (of "Beaver Patrol"/"Just Like Me" fame), King Biscuit Entertainers rocked the Northwest music scene between 1968 and 1971, building up a reputation as one of the better live bands from the Pacific Northwest ballroom circuit. In addition to releasing a bunch of 45s for several local labels, the band recorded a lot of stuff at their own state-of-the art home studio, material that has not seen the light of day until now. This retrospective features a selection from their previously unreleased tape archive plus rare 45 sides, 1967-1970, including the fantastic garage-jangle 45 they recorded under the Genesis name. Music ranges from British-influenced mod-psych to early hard rock with stunning guitar and vocals. The raw sound and production brings to mind similar bands like Brain Police. Remastered sound.

King Biscuit

NOAH - Brain Suck [USA hard psychedelic 1969] 2021 Guerssen, Galactic Archive GUESSCD064

 

Formed in the late 60s in Salem, Ohio, out of the ashes of two garage bands, the Markees and the Sound Barrier (of the legendary “Hey, Hey” 45 on Zounds), Noah consisted of Mark Scheuring (guitar & lead vocals), Larry Davis (drums), Paul Hess (bass & backup vocals) and Danny Hall (keyboards & backup vocals). In 1972 the band recorded in just two days a concept album titled “Brain Suck” at Cleveland Recording studios with engineer/producer Ken Hamann (of Grand Funk Railroad and James Gang fame).

Expanded to a double set including the SOUND BARRIER (pre-Noah) sought-after garage-psych 45s plus unreleased demos, ’67-71. 

Noah

FINCHLEY BOYS - Everlasting Tributes [USA blues, psychedelic, rock 1972] 2016 Reaction Recordings REACTCD006 - Deluxe reissue

 

Although the original album has been bootlegged many times over the decades these pirated releases usually delivered poor sound quality. This, the first official, definitive, band-authorized CD/digital release for the Finchley's material was carefully restored from the original master tapes. Considerable time was then spent remastering the tracks to bring them up to modern day standards.

Deluxe DCD package features a second disc of bonus tracks, entitled 'Neverending Tributes', which includes a recently rediscovered trove of recordings from 1968-1969.

FB

CAPTAIN BEEFHEART - Bat Chain Puller [USA weird psychedelic blues rock, 1976] 2012 Vaulternative VR2012-1

 

Bat Chain Puller is the 13th studio album (and first official posthumous album) by Captain Beefheart, released on February 22, 2012. It was recorded in 1976 by DiscReet Records, who had intended to release it with Virgin Records as Captain Beefheart's tenth studio album. It was co-produced by Beefheart and Kerry McNab.

The album was a subject of friction between DiscReet cofounders Herb Cohen and Frank Zappa. Cohen had used Zappa's royalty checks to fund the album's production, and this led Zappa to withhold the master tapes from Virgin. Beefheart recorded a new album for Warner Bros., Shiny Beast (Bat Chain Puller), with no involvement from Cohen or Zappa.

Following a lawsuit which was settled in 1982, the album remained unreleased until 2012, after Zappa's family had announced in 2011 that they would release the original Bat Chain Puller in its intended form.

Bat

LARS LUNDBERG & MATS LODEN - Rebecca [Sweden hard, psychedelic, folk 1974-76] 2013 not on label BD 002

 

Lars Lundberg and Mats Lodén were buddies already from first grade in Luleå, located in northernmost Sweden. Although they were good friends, they did not share a musical interest during the first three school years. Lars was lucky enough to have a very special dad, who presented him a Hagström Standard 80 White Pearl electric guitar and a small amplifier on his eighth birthday in 1964. In 1973, Lars and Mats formed a new band together (Savannah) with old classmate Benny Sjödin. All three played the guitar. This was of course not an ideal setup for a band. The situation was solved by recruiting the one year younger Peter Larsson on drums. Lars played the bass guitar, as well as harmonica, recorder and alto saxophone. Benny and Mats doubled on the bass guitar when Lars was busy singing or playing another instrument. After the split of Savannah in 1975, Lars and Mats became heavily oriented towards early British progressive music. Lars was fond of bands like Pink Floyd, Traffic, and Curved Air, while Mats favored music made by for example David Bowie, Tyrannosaurus Rex, and The Doors. All songs on the album are written by Lars and Mats. With one exception, all titles and song texts are in English. There are no political ambitions whatsoever. The songs can rather be described as whimsical and psychedelic, which makes the album rather unique at the time, when Swedish music was either commercial with lyrics in English or anti-commercial with lyrics in Swedish and an outspoken political message. The album was originally pressed in 200 copies only, as it was intended to be a demo album. However, at the time no major Swedish record company showed any interest in the music. Lars sold his four-channel tape recorder, in order to afford the pressing. Most of the records were sold to friends and schoolmates in Luleå. There are very cool electric underground songs but others go in the direction of the best Tony Caro & John. A great and rare Swedish album which appears in Hans Pokoras's 7001 Record Collector Dreams book with a six-star value.

Lars - Mats

GRIT - Grit [UK hard psychedelic rock 1972] 2020 Sommor SOMM059

First ever reissue of this ultra-rare acetate (two copies pressed) from 1972, Grit's self-titled album. Featured in Hans Pokora's book with the maximum scale rarity. Psychedelic hard-rock with furious drumming and stunning lead guitar by this unknown until now London based band, Grit recorded a demo at SWM Studios and two copies of a one-sided 12" acetate were pressed for promo purposes. It featured four self-penned songs, the killer "Mineshaft" (pure underground fuzz hard-rock), and two lengthy numbers: "Child and the Drifter" (furious drumming, stunning leads, hard-prog moves), and the hard-psychedelic "What Do You See In My Eyes"/"I Wish I Was". 

Grit

THREE SOULS IN MY MIND - Rock & Roll Band, Mexico City 1970-71 [Mexico hard psychedelic rock 1970-71] 2010 Therapeutic Records THR-002

 

A rock band from Mexico City fronted by Alex Lora. The group is regarded as influential in the development of Mexican rock music.

Over the years, El TSIMM sound has touched on several different styles including rock, psychedelic rock, hard rock, acoustic rock, blues-rock, and blues. The group has enjoyed moderate success garnering numerous gold-certified albums in Mexico.

TSIMM

THE LITTER - Wretch (12 Previously Unreleased 1970 Recordings) [USA psychedelic hard rock 1970] 2018 Purple Pyramid CLO 0830

 

A very special album rescued from the vault – 12 previously unreleased 1970 recordings from American psychedelic garage rockers, The Litter!

The Litter’s late ’60s output, includiing the all-time classic “Action Woman,” has been hailed as some of the finest psych garage rock to come out of the States and this lost album will be welcomed with open arms by fans of vintage rock!

The Litter

UMBRA - Umbra [USA hard psychedelic rock 1971-72] 2018 Lion Productions LION 692

What was available to unknown hard rocking dreamers like Umbra in Denver in 1971-72? Weekend gigs. Nothing but weekend gigs. But there was an upside to that: bands like Umbra could mix original material in with covers, and make enough money to survive. Or in the case of Umbra, to make enough money to build a home studio, where they recorded ads to promote their upcoming shows—and eventually, laid down the eight tracks on this disc. Everything was recorded by bouncing tracks back and forth between two-track and four-track reel-to-reel tape recorders. Spacey intros and weird effects were created by recording guitar licks, then re-recording them played backwards at double speed. What sounds like a flute was the result of blowing over the top of a 14” goose neck (believe it or not).

The resulting tracks are hard edged and heavy, verging on acid rock at times. Makes sense, as Umbra was a power trio most of their too-brief existence. Yet the songs (heavy though they are) have a deft touch. There are weird effects, space rock elements, plenty of melody, and a refreshing category-free approach to writing songs that makes Umbra’s music exciting to hear.

→→→→

GEDO (外道) - ベスト Best Gedo [Japan hard psychedelic rock compilation 1974-1981] 2003 SAR AICL-1436

Formed in Osaka, Japan in 1972 by ex-M Hideto Kanoh and Too Much bassist Ryoichi Nakano, Gedo were very popular power trio in the early 1970’s festival circuit, mainly at biker meetings and political events. Much like the MC5, Gedo’s music carried a lot of political overtones, shooting down capitalism and following ideals from American hippy movements. Although they mix psych with hard rock, they sound much more proto-punk with their aggressive delivery. In fact , I wouldn’t hesitate to call them punk rock. An absolutely fantastic band.

→→→→