[1968] The Next Exit - Break Away

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Jay Siegal of The Tokens produced the first and only LP this band every released. Their real name
were "The Fabulous Four", but the labels and manager changed their name several times, so they
ended up as "The Next Exit" for these two songs. On garagehangover.com and rockkansas.com you
can read a bit about the whole story of this great band.
With "Break Away" an overdubbed psych pop artifact awaits you. Somewhat of a moodmaker,
crawling out of the popular beat sound of 60's, like "Mr. Postman" or some hits by "The Lords"!

"In 1967 the group landed a great opportunity to travel New York to record "I'm the Only One" and 
"Break Away" as the Next Exit for Warner Bros, produced by the Tokens. "Break Away" was written 
by Stephen Friedland (aka Brute Force) and Paul Kahan, and is well-crafted psychedelic pop." ~ 
garagehangover.com



Here are comming some words from the guitarist of this band, about the song:

Bob Theen: This song was recorded in NY in 1967, produced by The Tokens. It was supposed to be 
the title song for a movie that was released that next year in 1968 called “Butterflies Are Free’ The 
movie did come out it ‘68 but for some reason unknown to us our recording was not chosen. The 
song "I'm The Only One" was in the movie but only one short verse was sung by one of the stars on 
an acoustic. Darn the luck!! The other side of this is "Breakaway".

Our version of the song was released in the spring of 1968 and got some air play here in K.C. MO. 
Don't know about anywhere else. But evidently it wasn't a smash hit.

I still have a letter from Hank and Jay asking us to return to NY for some more recordings but for 
some reason at the time the trip was too far. I still wonder to this day why we didn't go. I think it had 
something to do with our families, wives, babies and that sort of thing.

[1967] The Hollies - Maker

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I was really surprised, when I read for the first time of the Hollies doing psychedelic music. I was checking their '67 album "Evolution" due to the trippy coverart, but I was rather disappointed when it turned out to be another standard pop record. Shortly afterwards I gave a try to the "Psychedelia at Abbey Road" compilation and found a pretty song by the Hollies called "Maker". It's maybe nothing special and as normal as their other works, but the sitar in there gives it a completely new character. So it turned out to be a really cool psych-pop track.

[1968] July - Dandelion Seeds

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July are an excellent example of UK Psychedelia. on their '68 debut album a fine blend of weird reverb and trippy stereo shenanigans drives their songs. most of them consist of a strong pop-vein that might be typical for records from the late 60's UK psych scene. on some tracks a sitar and eastern melodies emerge and build a kind of highlight for the whole album in my opinion. Dandelion Seeds appears to be a bit stoned and reaches it's peak with the dreamy passage somewhere in the middle of the playtime.

[1967] The Baroques - Iowa, A Girl's Name

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"The Baroques had a fuzz-guitar/keyboard-damaged sound that retained much of the garage intensity of ’66 while plunging into the experimentation that marked the latter part of the decade." (~therisingstorm.net)
Starting like a psych-pop ballad, you'll later get overwhelmed with tons of heavy fuzz storming through your mind. Iowa is one of this sort of songs, wich might suprise you of their short runningtime. If you hear the experimental garage-psych-jams you probably would expect an 8-10 minute journey. However, this way it's been a nice flipside for their single "Mary Jane" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqDa5hCSQX0).

[1970] Shelagh McDonald - Peacock Lady

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Wonderful baroque pop and british-folk mixture! Released  in october 1970 on her selftitled debut
album. You can read more about Shelagh in this Guardian article "Experience: I disappeared for 30 years".

[1967] The Peanut Butter Conspiracy - Light Bulb Blues

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It's 1967 and the Peanut Butter Conspiracy hit the peak of psychedelic music before they fall into a melting pot of annoying pop. this track is also taken from the "Spreading from the Ashes" compilation that feat. a lot of nice archival material by the PBC. Enjoy!

[1967] The Sandals - House Of Painted Glass

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This is the B-side of "Cloudy." This song was described as a "novelty" for this band, although it
stands up incredibly well on it's own merit. Great harmonies, arabic melodies, sitar, lots of humor and
a portion of psych pop of the day. The Band was formed in 1964. They were from Riverside,
California. They released some LP's and 45's and are most notable for their soundtrack contribution
to the Surf cult classic movie "Endless Summer". So it's even more surprising to hear this psychedelic
tune by a band that is foremost known for their Surf Rock.

[1967] Tomorrow - My White Bicycle

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I doubt if I should post this song on the jukebox, since it's more than worn out and everybody of you might have heared it about 100 times already on several comps... however, this is a classic psych pop tune you should not miss to listen to once again. highly driven in that UK "Pepperish" psychedelic vein with a lot of echoing effects swirling around your head, even if you have no headphones on.

[2012] Jacco Gardner - Summer's Game / Clear The Air

Jacco Gardner is a talented young musician form the Netherlands. I recognised, who he is, after reading, that he played on MiriMay's single, that will hopefully be released on Saturno Records soon! In brackets I read "The Skywalkers" behind his name. Then I knew, I'd have to checkout his stuff too! Some of you might remember, that I posted a song by the Skywalkers some time ago (here you go). Their 2010 album "Year One" is just amazing! Due to strange results of effects that where added to the drum-section, the drum sounds quite unnatural, almost like an electronic drum, but it ain't one actually. However, Jacco's music is not only a great enrichment to the contemporary psychedelic scene, but also he seems pretty committed to his work. The US label "Trouble in Mind Records" released his latest single and will release his upcomming and new album "Cabinet Of Curiosities" on CD and LP (propably in february 2013). What to say about the sound? It's pretty mellow and dreamy and sometimes makes me think of Sunshine and Baroque Pop. The second video below even reminds on the early Pink Floyd stuff... I know it's a pretty canned comparison and too often used, but hear it yourself ;-). All in all it gets in a similiar direction than the Sufi's music (see some posts below), but it's less weird and trippy, it's more like having a daydreamy day and lying on a grassy hill, feeling a warm breeze, having flowers all around you and watching the clouds, while you are floating along with them... Don't forget to like Jacco on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jaccogardnermusic

[1968] The Lemon Fog - Summer

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The spacey psychedelic sound of The Lemon Fog never sounded better with all their singles, previously unreleased outtakes, and complete version of 'Summer, ' all from the original master tapes. Hailing from Houston, Texas, The Lemon Fog blew many minds during 1967- 68, quickly becoming a popular draw at the local Houston hot spot, The Living Eye. Their first single 'Theme For The Living Eye' (changed to 'Lemon Fog' upon release) was a psych- pop flower power masterpiece released in the winter of 1967. The B- side 'Echoes of Time' was nothing short of brilliant, reminiscent of the British psych scene. In June, 1968, the second Lemon Fog single, 'Summer, ' was released and remains the signature track of the band with its moody and introspective sound, unusual for a summer themed song. 'Summer' should have been a number one hit. The Lemon Fog's third and final single, 'The Prisoner' and 'Day By Day' was released in November 1968, but also failed to chart. The surreal lyrics and tight playing of The Lemon Fog obfuscate the fact that the members were in high school when these sophisticated psychedelic masterpieces were recorded. (~Cicadelic Records)

[1967] Fapardokly - Gone To Pot No Retreat

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It's 1967 again and "Fapardokly" is actually the album title, but the producer forgot to put Merrell & The Exiles on the cover as the band name! I know it's confusing. The LP is actually a compilation of Merrell Fankhauser & The Exiles tunes written & recorded from 1964-1967.
This song is like the never ending ecstasy from "8 Miles High" followed by some wah-ing psyh-pop to fade out at least.

[1967] Strawberry Alarm Clock - Incense and Peppermints

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"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

Incense, peppermints
Incense, peppermints

Sha-la-la
Sha-la-la
Sha-la-la
Sha-la-la
Sha-la-la
Sha-la-la

[1967] Svensk - Dream Machine

listen to the song:


This song is released 1967. Beginning with organ, than guitar, drums and soft male psychedelic pop voice, a bit of hashbury sound. Enjoy! greetings, amadeus :)

[1967] Dantalian's Chariot - The Madman Running Through The Fields

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UK Psych-Pop/Rock-Sike from an band that only released an 7" and splitted after 1 year. Band member Andy Summer later joined "The Police", "Soft Machine" and many others... Drummer Colin Allen went to play with John Mayall. And singer Zoot Moneywould also joined Eric Burdon's Animals.

[1967] The Misty Wizards - It's Love

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The Misty Wizards released only one single in july 1967 (It's Love / Blue Law Sunday).
Later 2 members of the Misty Wizard formed together with other musicians a new band called "The 
Spike Drivers". Here you can find a bit more about the band's bio. In this song, Psychedelic Pop
meets tingled sitar play and rhythmnful guitar play. Enjoy!

The Spike Drivers

The single "It's Love / Blue Law Sunday"

[1968] The Pretty Things - Bracelets Of Fingers

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It's been a while again since the last post. at the moment I'm quite busy with my shop and label. however, here's another great track for you to enjoy! "Bracelets Of Fingers" is taken from the Pretty Things best album, the "S.F. Sorrow". a huge load of british psychedelic pop in a mixed vein of the early Pink Floyd, the Beatles in Pepperland and UK popsike... oh and maybe a bit of the Who's musical "Tommy" feeling. groovy effects, swirling vocals, sitar and everything you need.

[1967] Baker Knight & The Nightmares - Hallucinations

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Overdubbed Psychedelic Pop, takes you into a river of colours and fantastic feelings, ...
Baker Knight, who sadly died in 2005, was an american songwriter, who also wrote songs for big acts
like Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Perry Como and a lot of others. 10 years earlier, in 1957, his sound
was a bit different, deeply rooted in the blossoming rockabilly scene (Bring My Cadillac Back).

[1968] Aphrodite's Child - The Shepherd And The Moon

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On theire 68 Album “End Of The World” I never thought, I will find a non-psych-pop track. But “The Shepherd And The Moon” is an exception. Nice psychedelic folk with a bit medieval -arabic singing is waiting! Enjoy! greetings, amadeus :)