Various Artists - Introspection: Lysergic Mod Echoes (White Trash Soul 60s Psychotropia No.3)

So, here’s another installment in my series about all things Mod becoming freakier and punkier. It is certainly nothing new for connoisseurs, but it's definitely worth checking out if you're new to these sounds. I'd like to remind you that I create these compilations primarily for my own enjoyment, not to demonstrate my extensive knowledge or to seek out the least known band. I mean, I used to like to be a snob bastard once but I'm not interested in that anymore. And of course I'm no expert in anything...

In this new volume, I have also included some bands from the US that are better known as garage punk acts that they were tempted to replace methamphetamines with LSD, and they definitely fit in with these Brits. Speaking of this, there’s a psych update on 'Gloria' as 'Gloria ‘69' for example by the Shadows of Knight with guitar and bass overdubs and without the consent of the band that I have to admit I like it so much! Or a 1967 release of the mighty Attack with their take on a Standells' hit from 1966. Or 'Baby I Need You' a fantastic one-off release by the The Curiosity Shoppe (what a name!) with a heavy organ-driven sound and fuzzy guitars, often compared to the early Deep Purple (I have the same aversion to Deep Purple that I have to Pink Floyd, with one exception: I think of their embryonic Mark1 phases as totally different and brilliant!!).

Of course, I had to include The Action and their full-length version of 'Brain'. Every time I listen to the "Rolled Gold" demos, I try to understand why this amazing band didn’t have the chance to properly record these tunes. They're up there with the Beach Boys' "Pet Sounds" and the Beatles' "Revolver" and fuck you very much if you disagree. Reg King was, without a doubt, the best vocalist on both sides of the Atlantic and this music, man, I mean ouch! - psychedelic but obviously still in love with Soul and R&B, so much ahead of their times! The End's 'Introspection', parts 1 and 2, which gave this compilation its name, is another example of the era's 'what the fuck?'. Produced and championed by Bill Wyman and Glyn Johns of the Rolling Stones, it is the equal of "Their Satanic Majesties" or "S.F. Sorrow", and far better than "Sgt. Pepper's" (to this day, I still wonder how the Fab Four managed to record such a terrible album that is still widely regarded as a classic - give me a break). Both parts has intricate harmonies, heavy Hammond organ, wild guitars and of course as a previously Mod band, a hard hitting soul groove!  

I can go on forever for Loose Ends’ amazing rendition of ‘Taxman’ with the added organ and the dancefloor friendly sound or Sharon Tandy’s and Les Fleur De Lys ‘Daughter of the Sun’ haunting, occult-themed freakbeat monster or Powder’s take on The Who even though they were from San Fran, or In Crowd’s demo for "Blow Up" before The Yardbirds stole their thunder, but I need to work also, even if I don't want to...

Note: I know I've used some of these songs in previous compilations before, like 'Grounded' by The Syn on Lyres' Under Influence, or different mixes of them like with Pretty Things' 'My Time' in its original form with the brass section this time, but I had to 'cause, you know what, I really fuckin' love them and I wouldn't want it any other way.

1. Barricades - The Koobas
2. Try It - The Attack
3. For All That I Am - The Creation
4. Children Of The Sun - The Misunderstood
5. Evil Woman - The Troggs
6. Baby I Need You - The Curiosity Shoppe
7. Grounded - The Syn
8. Introspection Pt. 1 - The End
9. Introspection Pt. 2 - The End
10. Brain - The Action
11. My Time - The Pretty Things
12. What Shall I Do - The Artwoods
13. Wooden Spoon - The Poets
14. Taxman - Loose Ends
15. Daughter of the Sun - Sharon Tandy & Fleur De Lys
16. Walking Through The Streets Of My Mind - Timebox
17. Don’t Know Which Way To Turn - Force Five
18. I Can See Your Face - Pneumania
19. Just Help Me Please - The Outer Limits
20. Blow Up - The In Crowd
21. Gloria '69 - The Shadows Of Knight
22. Hate To See Her Go - Powder
23. Purple, Purple - Spontaneous Generation
24. Down Down - The Silence
25. A-Minor Explosion - Don Shinn & The Soul Agents
26. Hush - Kris Ife
27. Black Cat - Brian Auger
28. Groovin' Slow - The Sound Barrier
29. I Must Be Mad - The Craig
30. Searchin' In The Wilderness - Allen Pound's Get Rich

Big Boy Pete (Miller) - Cold Turkey: The Sixties Recordings (White Trash Soul 60s Psychotropia No.2)

 

Big Boy Pete (real name Pete Miller) is an innovative guitarist from Norwich who recorded some eccentric and wacky tracks in the '60s. These have gained quite a reputation among psychedelic and freakbeat collectors over the years. He started out as a member of the relatively unknown Peter Jay & the Jaywalkers before going solo in late 1965 with 'Baby I Got News for You', a song that's featuring lots of punky, fuzzy and distorted guitar (I wonder if Jeff knew about it, this tune wouldn't have been out of place in a Lyres' set or record). Miller was joined by Peter Frampton and members of the Herd, at least for this and over the next few years he wrote and recorded demos for his own pleasure. In 1968, a second single came out, the largely unheard at the time 'Cold Turkey' under the name Big Boy Pete, a much compiled mod-psych nugget by now, and eventually relocated to San Francisco to work as a producer and engineer, occasionally releasing albums on small labels mostly. 

The above pretty much sums up his life. Miller's recorded output started being released in 1998 and has since gained a cult following with a good reason: This guy had recorded some seriously quirky garage psych stuff! Really now, Pete Miller is a criminally underrated artist and producer. When you hear his stuff from the '60s, it's as if you're witnessing a secret session with Syd Barrett fronting the Kinks, with Joe Meek pushing the knobs and running the tape. Many compilations have been released since then, most of which are worth your hard-earned money, but I have chosen to focus on recordings he made from the '60s. 

The Raveonettes - Rave On (WTS Popkid No.8)

 

The Raveonettes sound ingredients: '50s rock'n'roll, Jesus and Mary Chain's noise pop, Phil Spector's Wall of Sound, The Everly Brothers' harmonies, Buddy Holly's ghost and Velvet Underground's dark, a little bit of C86 jangle just for spice and the '90s love for electronica of Primal Scream. Now, mix all these elements together with cult noir movies and '70s VHS wild b-movie erotica. This Danish duo certainly look like they could have come straight out of the Andy Warhol Factory, don't they? Have you ever pondered what the outcome might have been if Sonic Youth had been a Cramps tribute band or if The Ronettes had been the singers for Suicide? I suppose you can already see where this is going...

Following the huge success of 'Love in a Trashcan', The Raveonettes could have repeated the formula that brought them fame and fortune without losing their charm. However, they chose to delve even deeper into their darkness, continuing to produce small masterpieces to this day. Rather than stealing glances backwards, they pick up where they left off. Even when tragedy struck. (Sune Rose Wagner was in a long-term relationship with the late American fashion designer, Katie Gallagher. Gallagher was found dead in her Manhattan apartment in July 2022, just one day before Wagner's 50th birthday. Since then, Wagner has spoken publicly about the trauma of her loss.) As Samuel Beckett said, "I can't go on, I'll go on".

Like usual, here's an unofficial compilation of what I think are their best compositions and recordings, which, as far as I know doesn't exist in any form, especially with these songs.

Jubilee - Genuine Nineties Manchester Snot Pop (WTS Popkid No.7)

               

Alright! I'm obviously in a 90s mood and I guess this is something every middle-aged man goes through as he rediscovers and re-embraces his memories of the parties, the booze, the girls, the music, the past glories in general. Judging by the comments and visits, this blog's fanbase mainly like their music from other decades, but I don't really care. If you're smart enough, just listen to what I'm offering - you won't be disappointed!

Formed in 1994, Jubilee were a popular live act in Manchester, regularly packing out venues across the city. Managed by former Hacienda and Stone Roses manager Howard Jones, they were local superstars and championed by the music press as Manchester’s answer to more popular britpop bands such as Supergrass with influences ranging from the Small Faces and the Sham 69 to Syd era Pink Floyd and of course, the Stone Roses (in fact, the pair of main tracks on their singles were much more reminiscent of Oasis' punkier tunes, such as 'Bring It On Down'). Jubilee's snot pop sound proved very popular with the city's student population and Silverstone Records signed them in 1995. Both of their EPs are issued by Mono subsidiary and both releases scraped the Top 50 in 1996. 

Conflicts soon arose within the management, with the band becoming disillusioned with Jones after he pushed Andy Couzens (his collaborator and former member of the Stone Roses) to produce their first single. The band was upset with the end result and the fact that Jones had let an inexperienced producer to work on their record. Typical stuff I guess. Jubilee decided not to provide Silvertone with any more recordings, considering that the record company had not fulfilled its contractual obligations and that there had been insufficient promotion of their second and last move with 'Shake and Shiver'. Jubilee and Silvertone parted ways in 1997 amid bitterness and bad blood. Although they continued to play for a year, the momentum had clearly been lost. As you already have guessed, here you’ll find their two releases for Mono. 

The band is now considered as a junkshop britpop act but believe me they had much more to offer than mediocre outfits that were relatively or hugely successful, such as Menswear or the Bluetones.

The Solarflares - That Was Then: Their Best 1999 - 2004 (WTS Popkid No.6)

From 1999 to 2004, some really intriguing music was produced down in Kent, England. Half of the Prisoners or three quarters of The Prime Movers, have formed the Solarflares and by blending the influences of the hard-edged, late 60s mod soul-psych-garage sounds with strong '78 guitars, swirly Hammond organ, pounding Mitch Mitchell like drums and John Entwistle bass lines, plus Graham Day’s white soulboy shouting, created a sonic mayhem that could only be matched by their younger selves! In other words, the essence of the Prisoners is realised in the Solarflares, ladies and gentlemen. 

This quartet faced their mid-life crisis head on, took a handful of amphetamines as in the old days and hit it on again. In fact, this is some of the strongest material these guys ever put their names to. Sometimes I even have the blasphemous thought that they might be better than my beloved Prisoners, but I immediately dismiss it so that it doesn't become an obsession. But they were definitely better than 80% of the music of that period (I remind you that the late 90s/early 00s were indeed a good era), even if you didn't read about them in the media or the press and even if bands that had stolen everything they could from them, were glorifying them. It was no mean feat trying to create an unofficial 'best of' compilation about them, which had been missing for some time, but as usual I gave it my best shot. Cheers!