The Ultimate Spinach is an legendary project, founded by Ian Bruce-Douglas and a couple of friends from the non existing 60's Boston scene. You might wonder about the band's obscure name. if so, read what Ian has to say about it: "...One day, in 1967, I was in my room, tripping on some really pure LSD. I started looking at myself in the mirror and my face was doing funny things. I had a bunch of colored markers I used to draw with. I grabbed a green one and started drawing all these psychedelic designs on my face. When I was done, I looked at myself and said “Whoa! I am ultimate spinach. Ultimate spinach is me!” A couple of months later, I started “The Underground Cinema” and when we signed with The Parasite, I changed the band’s name to “Ultimate Spinach” for “luck”. Some luck!"
the first two albums of the 'Spinach, where really masterpieces, but then it began to crumble within the band and conflicts increased. Ian left the band after they recorded their second album "Behold & See". the thrid album is, - to be honest - not even worth to listen to. However, if you interested in more information about the Band's history, you can read an interview with Ian at Klemen's "It's Psychedelic Baby" magazine:
Most of you will know about the Incredible String Band I guess. Those that never heared of them and are just about to discover them, either love their mystic and freaky sound or the find them just annoying and strange. if you are searching for psychedelic folk & related music you will soon discover, that there are more and more occult and black magic people and bands are cavorting within contemporary scenes and releases. one good thing about the ISB is, that they seemed to be mostly peaceful, openminded and into "hippie-mystics" and white-magic. that's what makes me enjoying them as much as I do. so this song is one of several that are waiting to be posted at the jukebox. I hope you are enjoying this "cosmic-ringelreien" as well.
Lyrics:
Then come to me secretly
And with your silken feather
And with your silken feather
Open your rooms
Never, in fact, as he gazed amazed
At two lost eyebrows lisping into the unexpected
And the archetypal postman delivering your seed letters
Whose eyes are black eggs really
Upon a long shore, upon a long shore
Open your door, open your door
'Ask anyone,' he muttered, as he spat a small,
Brilliant blue insect whirring into the gauze.
'I would advise stilts for the quagmires,
And camels for the snowy hills
And any survivors
Their debts I will certainly pay.
There's always a way, there's always a way.
I smiled with that gallantly concealed forceful nervousness
That has proved that oysters cry
And that I have come to know and accept as myself.
And plucking a barbed feather from the morose universe
I called him deathless
And he left before he could reply
Open your eyes, open your eyes
Our first father, Abraham, whose bosom
Was the unique soul of the humans
Was certainly as bewildered as we are
If not infinitely more so
And with an ancient ceremonial gesture of dismissal
He pointed forward.
Verily, verily
Verily, verily
The first day was golden
And she coloured the sun
And she named it Hyperion
And she made it a day of light and healing
The second was silver
And she coloured the moon
And she named it Phoebe
And she made a day of enchantment and the living waters
And the third was many-coloured
And she coloured the earth
And she made a day of joy
With the scarlet strength of seed
In the fourth black and white were mingled into quicksilver
And she coloured Mercury
And she made a day of wisdom
And the signs that are placed in the firmament
The fifth was bright blue
And she envisaged Jupiter
And she made a day of awe and circles, circles
And she sent it to guide the blood of the universe
The sixth was burning with icy, green flames that glowed white
And of her beauty she made Venus
And she made a day of love
Whereby all beings are united
The seventh was rich purple of the mollusks
And she coloured Chronos
And she made a day of idleness and repose
Whereon all beings cease from struggle.
Verily, verily
Verily, verily
I am the pebble in your very own eye
I am the sword and your enemy dies.
I am the storm and the hurricane wind
I am the thorn of an unkind friend
I am desire what colour my eyes?
I am Loki wizard of lies
Catch me, find me, see me if you can
I am the guilt of an honest man
Then seven times we raised our arms and with cat-stretch
Sent our footspells yawning into the multitudes
In need we called upon the mother of all living
Three times for succor
But with ambitious spears they made us change
They crouched behind their mirrors and fought on.
I will not allow them praise
That broke the harmonious globe in splintered fragments
And yet they moved perforce with a perfect pattern
And complemented harmony with dischord
And light with darkness
It was then that we stepped out of our world machine
Between the palm and the fingers
Peeling like gloves
And for each eye that shed one tear,
We made of that tear an ocean
And in the five directions
We loosed our several craft.
Wild sea, I say today,
Please be a sweet cow for me
Amethyst galleon, out on the rolling sea
Gentle as lightning, easily
Take me to the root of the world tree
Amethyst galleon, out on the rolling sea
Your face is consumed in a bruised sky's glance
By the brazen wall with your sword and lance
Where
Where dappled maidens, endless danced
Round the root of the world tree.
Wild sea, I say today
Please be a sweet cow for me
Amethyst galleon, out on the rolling sea
Wild sea, my love is salty for me
Every ripple in her body is a wave in me
Amethyst galleon, out on the rolling sea.
I never heared of this band until I read about them in one of Anazitisi Records' last years' newsletters. so the usual process began. I searched for them on youtube, digged, what I heared and got hold of their "In Retrospect" CD. The sound of Six Feet Under is of a darker shape, just in the vein of the "John Bassman Group", "Analogy" or "Axe". although this track is of a very short playtime, it's worth each second listening. heavy driffen guitar lines meet organ vibes and female vocals.
"baaaahhh, aaah, baaaahhh, aaaaah, ..." the Alarmclock's '67 single "Incense and Peppermints / The Birdman of Alcatrash" is a landmark in the history of the psychedelic music of the 60's. to be honest, their full length debut is really awesom! gentle and soft psych pop melodies merge there with rocking tunes and touches toward jazz. "The Birdman of Alcatrash" for example is another great piece, wich becomes very surreal shortly after it beginns. more tracks from the album are coming someday for sure! the soundtrack of the '68 psychedelic cult-movie "Psych-Out" (starring Susan Strasberg, Jack Nicholson, Dean Stockwell and others...) also feat. a nice selection of Strawberry Alarm Clock songs. below you'll find the trailer:
The lyrics:
Ba-ba, ba-ba
Ba-ba, ba-ba
Good sense, innocence, cripplin' mankind
Dead kings, many things I can't define
Occasions, persuasions clutter your mind
Incense and peppermints, the color of time
Who cares what games we choose?
Little to win, but nothin' to lose
Incense and peppermints, meaningless nouns
Turn on, tune in, turn your eyes around
Look at yourself, look at yourself, yeah, yeah
Look at yourself, look at yourself, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
To divide the cockeyed world in two
Throw your pride to one side, it's the least you can do
Beatniks and politics, nothin' is new
A yardstick for lunatics, one point of view
Who cares what games we choose?
Little to win, but nothin' to lose
Good sense, innocence, cripplin' mankind
Dead kings, many things I can't define
Occasions, persuasions clutter your mind
Incense and peppermints, the color of time
Who cares what games we choose?
Little to win, but nothin' to lose
