Loop - Loop 1987 (White Trash Soul Real R'n'R No.23)

 

It's fair to say that Loop were Spacemen 3's rivals. They were probably the only band that could pose any kind of threat to them. Hailing from South London, these noise terrorists were one of the few bands to reference the nastier end of the '60s bad trip. Many have name-checked the drugged grandeur of The Velvet Underground or the minimalist industrial noise of The Stooges, only a handful succeeded. The flame keeper of Mary Chain's early steps is kept alive by these recordings. In fact, they often sounded like a more psychedelic version of Mudhoney. (During Loop's US tour, they had Nirvana as the opening act.) Less pop, more drone. And fuzz. I mean, FUZZ! When Spacemen 3 split, the Telescopes and My Bloody Valentine stole Loop's thunder. I guess they were always thought of as outsiders, even when they reached number one on the UK indie charts a few times and even made it into the general top 40. Maybe it's better this way. 

This is the soundtrack of a vast, toxic wasteland. Proceed at your own risk.

The Heads - Reverberations: The 90s Singles & EPs (White Trash Soul Real R'n'R No.22)

 

This Bristol band had nothing to do with its hometown's trip-hop scene. In fact, it was a cornerstone of what was hyped to death in the '90s as 'Stoner Rock' (but it wasn't). While the rest of the UK music scene in the mid-'90s was busy dressing up for Britpop and rave parties, The Heads were holed up in a rehearsal room surrounded by their amplifiers' fuzz and cannabis smoke. Their entire output from the '90s, anchored by their legendary debut "Relaxing With...", alongside a string of singles, EPs and BBC Peel Sessions, stands as an unapologetic monument to heavy proto-punk psychedelia. 

The raw, lethal energy of the Stooges and MC5 was ingrained in their DNA and Sabbath was non-existent to them, unlike most other bands of the era. The Heads took the basic chord progression of dirty garage punk and stretched it out. Hawkwind were already there, of course, but their affection for Can and Neu!'s motorik beats was deeper and this allowed them to transform a simple blues riff into a ten-minute trance. (Am I hearing you shouting the name of Spacemen 3 as well?). The hasty comparisons in reviews from that period to bands like Monster Magnet, Kyuss and Fu Manchu may have some basis and share common elements and fans, but musically they were closer to Mudhoney and Loop or even The Scientists. I believe you have grasped the direction in which this is heading... 

As you can see, I have brought together all of The Heads' rare recordings from the '90s in one place. Their EPs and singles are now highly sought-after collector's items, showcasing their unique "one chord, three pedals" space-garage-grunge aesthetic. Before releasing at least three essential albums, they spent years producing raw, short-run vinyl pressings with staggering, monolithic and psychedelic results, as well as distinctive, high-contrast, pulp-heavy sleeves inspired by cult classics from the late '60s/early '70s such as Russ Meyer's films.

In brief, here are some of the initial chapters of the Stoogian Bible and their chaos theory, as well as instructions on how to appropriately abuse a guitar and an amplifier.

Blue Cheer - Vincebus Outsideinside (White Trash Soul Real R'n'R No.21)

 

I don't have a problem with the term 'heavy metal' itself, but I do have a problem with people confusing anything with a more heavy approach as heavy metal. Black Sabbath were the only band to invent this genre. Blue Cheer, Motörhead or the MC5, for example, never considered themselves to be metal and of course they weren't. Sorry, not sorry. Like any other band of the era, Blue Cheer's monolithic debut was rooted in rhythm & blues and their first single was an Eddie Cochran cover. However, it was their sheer volume that set them apart. They delivered a 100% rock'n'roll onslaught that bullied the hippies in their home city of San Francisco. 

"Vincebus Eruptum" is the epitome of primitive musicianship elevated to the level of artistic expression by mistake. Focusing on feeling over form, it directly foreshadowed the punk movement that emerged a decade later and along with Sabbath and Stooges influence, created what was called later 'stoner' or/and 'grunge' in the 90s. While "Vincebus Eruptum" was a brutal force unlike anything ever heard before (and probably never to be equalled), "Outsideinside" was a more polished effort, blending high decibels with psychedelia in a less mature way, but it still carried a high risk of damaging your home stereo speakers.

Both LPs were released in 1968, which makes it logical to me to combine them for a post. Together, these two records represent the brief and intense peak of Blue Cheer's original power trio line-up. Still unmatched.

Electric Wizard - Supercoven 667

What if I told you that there's a band that sounds like Black Sabbath when Ozzy was behind the mic but with Ron Asheton on guitar and the rhythm section from Blue Cheer, who are obsessed with everything occult, acid and weed, S&M erotica, motorcycles and '70s horror flicks? Or imagine if Venom had formed a side-band that was really into Jimi Hendrix and performed satanic rituals to the sounds of the Stooges' 'We Will Fall'. Would you want to check them out? What if I added that they recorded all their music using vintage instruments and studios, giving it the sound of a long-lost '70s acid psych demo from some evil unknowns? And that they're actually the heaviest group of the last thirty years? Well, this band does exist and they hail from the Old Albion. They perform under the Electric Wizard marquee. And yeah, it's pretty bloody doomy. Weighty riffs, sludgy distortion, tons of fuzz. If you're not prepared, then stay away. I've fuckin' warned you...

Does It Doom? Heavy Riffs & Drugs Worship.

 

This time, I want to talk about my guilty pleasures, the music and bands that I loved listening to while pretending to hate them. This was either out of reaction or because I was just too shy to admit that I liked them. But as you grow up, you learn not to care about other people's opinion and being provocative just isn't fun anymore. Back in the 90s most bands had no problem admitting that they liked the Stooges and the MC5 as much as Black Sabbath and Hawkwind. You had never encountered music like this before, and you were at a loss as to how to categorise it, but you were absolutely certain that it was completely amazing! Does anyone not remember the first time they heard "Spine of God"? Was there anyone who said they didn't like it who wasn't an idiot?

As I mentioned in a previous post, all my friends were (and still are) metalheads. It was only natural that we would influence each other. I've never been keen on metal without punk or doom elements, but I didn't mind going to their place and listening to some cool thrash bands, as they didn't have either coming to mine and listening to some trashy garage punk. We all listened to Monster Magnet, Kyuss, Cathedral, Hellacopters and Mudhoney, for example (perhaps for different reasons), but the most important thing was that we all liked them! The same goes for Stooges and Sabbath. For instance, everyone else was going crazy over 'Paranoid', I was the guy who got a kick out of 'The Wizard' (that wailing harmonica!).

And it wasn't just the influence we had on each other as a gang, there were other signs as well. When I first bought and played Black Flag's "My War", I instantly thought it had more in common with "Vol. 4" than with any other punk album. In fact, their label also featured Saint Vitus, who played at an even slower pace than Iommi and Ozzy's band. At the time, both SST bands sounded punk enough to alienate metalheads, yet still metal enough to do the same for punks. They were also psychedelic, with a completely innovative druggy approach. That's what punk was always supposed to be, shock everyone, right?! The same goes for Corrosion of Conformity and Lee Dorrian, a huge punk rock fan whose label is named after a Black Flag song and whose band was as if Iommi was dead and Fred Sonic Smith and Wayne Kramer were replacing him.

Anyway, I'm not going to pretend that I'm an expert on stoner/doom genre (because I'm not), but I think I can easily handle a playlist of some of the catchiest and grooviest tracks from different decades that anyone can listen to and agree are good enough to grab a beer and roll a joint to. (I never liked marijuana. I thought of it as a hippie thing and I never liked the idea of laughing all the time for no reason. However, I admit that this plant has beneficial qualities in some cases, at least to some records. I was always a cigarette and alcohol guy, I guess, before I quit them both.) 

Here's a stoner/doom kinda compilation from someone who's certainly not a metalhead or a stoner, but who definitely knows a thing or two about fuzz, wah-wah and distortion. I mean, I've never tried heroin, of course, but I do have a shelf full of different pressings and copies of "L.A.M.F." and a tattoo on my arm, you know... Oh, and I still hate fuckin' hippies!  

1. Born Too Late - Saint Vitus
2. Funeralopolis - Electric Wizard
3. Midnight Mountain - Cathedral
4. Paegan Love Song - Acid Bath
5. Murky Fen - Slabdragger
6. Caravan - Lowrider
7. Greenthumb - Bongzilla
8. Streetside - The Obsessed
9. This Mortal Decay - Beastwars
10. To Ride, Shoot Straight And Speak The Truth - The Entombed
11. Dixie Whiskey - Eyehategod
12. God Luck And Good Speed - Weedeater
13. State Of Non-Return - Om
14. Picking From The Box - Spiritual Beggars
15. King Of The Road - Fu Manchu
16. Gardenia - Kyuss
17. Cyclops Revolution - Monster Magnet
18. Mad Prophet - Nightstalker
19. Dragonaut - Sleep
20. Empress Rising - Monolord
21. Vote With A Bullet - Corrosion Of Conformity
22. Swan Song - Down

The Action - The Complete Rolled Gold Era, 1967/1968 (White Trash Soul 60s Psychotropia No.4)

 

Some things in life are just not meant to be. Whenever any lost recordings by a hugely influential band or artist are unearthed, the cliché of the 'lost classic' is the first thing you read. In most cases, at least in my opinion, they're not but the mystery of the unknown or better still, the unheard, leads us to these hyperbole filled early conclusions. Sadly, this is the bitter truth for the highly revered 60s mod band, The Action and their 1967 and 1968 recordings.

The "Rolled Gold" reels are the long-lost masterpiece that nobody was ever allowed to hear until the guys at Dig the Fuzz Records got their hands on them back in the mid-90s. Despite being signed to legendary Beatles producer George Martin's AIR label and enjoying strong support in clubs, the Action strangely never had a hit record. No one before or since has recreated the Tamla sound quite so brilliantly. As Steve Marriott famously said: "We all tried our hand at getting that (Motown) sound you know, all the bands in the mid ‘60s. The best ones at it were the Action... They were an amazing band!" Some things are not meant to be, indeed... 

I talked previously about the changes in sound and attitudes of the 'in crowd' bands on the few freakbeat compilations I made for this space. As the mods became interested in more psychedelic drugs, their sound evolved accordingly. 'Never Ever', their self-penned pop masterpiece showcasing astonishing three-part harmonies (not unlike those of the 'other' band Mr. Martin had under his wing), was released in February 1967... Their final single, the acid pop brilliance and most adored by yours truly 'Shadows and Reflections', was recorded in early March and subsequently released two months later. Although it received rave reviews, mysteriously failed to sell enough. Again...

During this period, Pete Watson, one of their guitarists gave up. The remaining members continued as four-piece. At one point, they even asked Keith Emerson to join them on Hammond organ, but he declined. The Action were already in search of new lands. A version of John Coltrane's 'India', recorded for the BBC, has proven this clearly. The "Rolled Gold" material was started and the process was underway. Although they weren't signed to Giorgio Gomelsky, they did use his studio and Reg King was at the top of his game. He was in charge of everything, producing, singing and writing most of the songs' parts. 

The 'Rolled Gold' demos, supposedly named after the tapes kept in a handmade gold sleeve, were played to George Martin. He chose 'In My Dream' as a potential single, and the band re-recorded it with him at De Lane Lea Studios. EMI (AIR's distributor) showed no interest and the tracks were shelved. The band tried to persuade another label to provide the funding to record the album properly but unfortunately and for reasons The Action members cannot remember, Polydor decided to pass also. And that was the final nail in the coffin. Reggie left the band to work on a solo album after Rod Stewart's advice (with all Action comrades playing in), while the rest of the group slowly morphed into Mighty Baby. 

In the summer of 1968, the remaining Action members put on tape five final songs under that name. The absence of Reg's voice led many to refer to these recordings as Mighty Baby, but they are not. All these songs embrace a brilliant Mods-meets-Byrds approach, rather than the Baby's known occult prog material. Personally, I rate them as highly as any of the previous Action recordings. Whiteman and Bam sing like any other West Coast band of the era, and as beautifully. I would even go so far as to say that these songs would easily have made it onto any Byrds LP or Syd's Floyd. Anyway...

I'm still trying to understand why this masterpiece was never given a chance. In those demos, the band definitely went psychedelic and clearly they were still in love with Soul and R&B. Don't be intimidated by the term 'demo', the recordings are as rough and clean as they need to be and so unbelievably ahead of their time! "Rolled Gold" is more direct than Who's "Sell Out", more adventurous than Small Faces' "Ogden's Nut Gone Flake" and more concise than The Byrds' "Fifth Dimension". Believe me people, these songs are as fruitful and vibrant in their raw form as any comparable finished material of the era!

Various Artists - Get Happy: Indie and Jangle Psychedelic Pop from the 80s Underground (WTS Popkid No.9)

I have always thought of the C86/indie pop scene as punk's softer, more delicate offspring. Both shared a DIY attitude, making their own rules and not caring what others might think. They printed their own fanzines, recorded their music (sometimes primitively/lo-fi) and most importantly, released it themselves. And the women who participated weren't just there for eye candy... It looks punk rock to me for sure. 

The term 'C86' was first coined by the legendary Brit newspaper, NME, for its eponymous 1986 cassette compilation, created to showcase new bands from the thriving underground pop scenes in England and Scotland. The term not only describes the groups' jangly, overblown sound, but also the shambling and emotionally fickle mentality behind it. I know it's hard now to imagine how a simple mail order tape could become such a controversial document but that's exactly what happened. 

And that was just the tip of the iceberg. Jangle pop wasn't just a British phenomenon, nor did it emerge out of nowhere. The US made a significant contribution to this sound, with bands such as those in the Paisley Underground scene and some of the early '80s garage revivalists showcasing their milder side. Gene Clark-era Byrds and Big Star were genuinely worshipped on both sides of the Atlantic (along with Velvet Underground of course). As with their punk rock forefathers, another crucial element of their sound was their admiration for the Nuggets garage outfits. 

I'm not here to recount the whole story, which is rather long and has given rise to many subgenres (such as twee pop, dream pop, noise pop, chamber pop etc). Nor am I trying to create an authentic indie pop treasury. There are myriad around the market who hold the genre in higher esteem. My goal is to provide you with a compilation of jangle and indie pop songs from that period which draw heavily on '60s garage and psychedelic sounds. Some of the bands you'll hear didn't stick to indie pop and proved to be adventurous. Some were never indie or jangle pop to begin with but recorded a few songs in that style and finally, a few others, though they remained true to their roots, never hid the fact that deep down they were mod rockers with more sensibilities than they would have liked. 

Here you’ll find bands and songs from all the iconic labels of the era: Sarah, Flying Nun, Creation, Subway Organization and Lazy, to name a few. There are well-known tracks such as 'Just Like Honey' by the Jesus and Mary Chain with the legendary Ronettes-like intro, as well as b-sides that should have been on the other side, such as 'On the Hill' by House of Love featuring Andrea Heukamp's wonderful, Nico-esque vocals. There's also a lost track by the Stone Roses that never made it past the demo stage for a strange reason (it would easily have fit on their debut album and stood out!). The moment when Reni and Ian Brown sing a cappella is electrifying, especially for a rehearsal performance! 

There's the head honcho band of Creation Records, Biff Bang Pow, who should have been bigger. Then there's the embryonic and cutesy at this stage Primal Scream, my beloved Razorcuts, who took their name from Buzzcocks and sounded like if the Prisoners were trying to play the Beau Brummels and the one-offs The Clouds, who issued just a single with three fairly killer songs (and a young Teenage Fanclub member on their roster). There's also The Springfields, a short-lived but highly influential American indie pop bunch who were the first foreign group to release a single for Sarah Records and was led by Ric Menck and Paul Chastain, who would later find fame with the Velvet Crush. Or The Nashville Ramblers, whose members were previously involved in well-known San Diego garage punk bands such as The Crawdaddys, The Gravedigger Five and Mystery Machine. There are tons, anyway, of well-known and lesser-known bands that you should definitely search for if you're not already familiar with them and If I had the time, I could write a thick booklet about them. Have a look at the list below and I'm sure you'll get what I mean...

The cover I designed, the title of this comp and the overall aesthetic are a blatant rip-off of the fanzines of that period and scene (Are You Scared to Get Happy, Woosh, The Fine Art of Shoplifting, etc). 

As always, all the tracks have been ripped or taken from the best possible sources, for your listening pleasure. Over an hour and forty minutes of Rickenbackers doing the Pop!

1. Someone Stole My Wheels - Biff Bang Pow
2. Solace - The Sea Urchins
3. All Fall Down - Primal Scream
4. Turn It Around - Mod Fun
5. Get Out Of My Dream - The Clouds
6. Tomorrow's Time Today - The Reactions
7. Kim The Waitress - The Green Pajamas
8. Thru The Flowers (Single Version) - The Primitives
9. Just Like Honey - The Jesus and Mary Chain
10. Secret Goldfish - Baby Lemonade
11. Sunflower - The Springfields
12. The Last Picture Show - Razorcuts
13. Love Is Blue - Hangman's Beautiful Daughters
14. Sun Still Shines (Demo) - The Stone Roses
15. The Trains - The Nashville Ramblers
16. Talulah Gosh - Talulah Gosh
17. Million Tears - The Pastels
18. Strawberries Are Growing in My Garden (And It's Wintertime) - The Dentists
19. In Love In Too - The Three O'Clock
20. Changing Every Day - The Nuthins
21. You Opened Up My Eyes - Fat Tulips
22. On The Hill - House of Love
23. Rolling Moon - The Chills
24. Sad Eyes Kill - Rain Parade
25. Kiss The Eclipse - My Bloody Valentine
26. Emma's House - The Field Mice
27. Honeypearl - The Summer Suns
28. In The Afternoon - Revolving Paint Dream
29. Heaven Sent Me an Angel- The Times
30. My Favourite Wet Wednesday Afternoon (Live BBC) - The Siddeleys
31. Back Between Places - East Village
32. It's Over - The Things

The Beach Boys - Ma SMiLE (WTS Popkid No.8)

 

Never ever trust the so-called "rock critics". They’re idiots, clueless, self-centered (I'm talking about the older ones who were worth their salt - today's are unworthy of any further mention) and all they care about is pushing the stuff for the right amount. I'm writing all this as a review junkie of sort (isn't human existence a contradiction anyway?). In the pre-Napster, Limewire, Soulseek etc days, "Smiley Smile" was the most tangible thing anyone had and the closest to the legendary and aborded "SMiLE". And many of those wankers had smashed it. Today and by having listened to countless bootlegs of every quality, countless remixes (some by fans I dare say are particularly imaginative), as well as the official release of the sessions and Brian Wilson's reinterpretation without the Beach Boys, I consider "Smiley Smile" a near-masterpiece! In some cases I find the songs creepier and weirder, which I think is a cool thing for a pop record. 

I was sitting the other day doing nothing, just fooling around the net and came across a debate about "SMiLE" and "Smiley Smile". Honestly, I enjoy those clashes as much as any classic battle in football (or soccer, for my US readers). Then I thought it would be interesting, if not a good idea, to try rebuilding an album containing recordings from both officially released issues. And so I did! It was much easier than I thought it would be. In fact, I spent more time designing the cover for this one because I already had a clear idea of what I wanted in. So here's a mixture of brilliant peculiarities ("Smiley Smile") and the stunning and intricate production that Brian was working on before it became too overwhelming for him ("SMiLE Sessions"). 

PS: I believe the "20/20'"versions of 'Our Prayer' and 'Cabin Essence' are better, but then again this one began as a dispute over two albums.

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 Solarflares - That Was Then: Their Best 1999 - 2004 (White Trash Soul Real R'n'R No.0)

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!

Five Thirty - EPs (WTS Popkid No.5)

 

As I have written many times before, I grew up in the '90s. Specifically, in 1990, I started middle school and was 12 years old. Although I tried to keep up with all the latest releases, it was very difficult in the pre-internet era unless you lived in a big city with specific radio stations and imported magazines and newspapers. Nevertheless, I presented my own radio show through which I tried to introduce as many people as possible to the music I thought was the 'best'. I clearly remember being very hostile towards dance music, especially techno (although that changed rather swiftly when 'Screamadelica' landed). I was completely immersed in '70s punk rock, and my life had just been transformed by discovering The Ramones, the Sex Pistols, and Johnny Thunders and The Heartbreakers.

It was only much later that I discovered those 5:30 guys. I was all about Cool Britannia and Britpop, and when that scene came to an end, I was anxious to unearth hidden gems or forgotten jewels from that era. And, of course, this came through fanzines. I remember there being an indie record store in Athens dedicated to British music. Sometimes imported fanzines were displayed on its shelves as well, so I grabbed them. Alongside bands such as Studio 68!, the Aardvarks and the Stairs, Five Thirty combined the '60s garage punk that I had discovered only a few years earlier through bands like the Lyres and the Chesterfield Kings with the sounds of the Jam, the Small Faces, the Who and even the Stone Roses! Before these bands, I thought 'mod' meant looking casual. Of course, I used to wear Adidas trainers, Levi's jeans and football shirts. Actually, I still do.

Anyway...

5:30's sole album ('Bed') is a true lost classic. It sits comfortably alongside other UK and US albums that went massive, yet has bizarrely received no recognition from the crowd. The same was true of all the EPs that were released (remember those 12-inch records with their superb sound?). Their first material was dated in the mid/late '80s, but returned in 1991 as a mod and psych-influenced band wearing suits, striped trousers and Chelsea boots. Five Thirty's music was tough, gritty and rockin', yet highly melodic. They favoured a punky, edgy pre-Britpop/snot power pop sound with lots of the era Madchester influences and a gifted arsenal of two frontmen/songwriters plus a drummer as good as Keith Moon. Three years before Oasis, they exuded a rock’n’roll arrogance that rubbed people the wrong way and perhaps they were too mod for the times (mind you Paul Weller was still label-less back then). With their sharp edges and sub three minute songs, this band was clearly at odds with the early '90s shoegaze sound of their hometown (Oxford). In fact, they predated acts such as These Animal Men and S*M*A*S*H, who are often cited as the forerunners of Oasis/Supergrass/Manic Street Preachers/Libertines kind of supercharged pop and rock'n'roll.

I think you've got the idea - I won't bore you with more details. All their 'singles' (actually EPs) have been gathered here, along with some bonuses from recent reissues. 

PS: Don't be fooled by the awful production of this era on the mid-80s, third league, teenage punk debut that starts this compilation. By the time they re-emerged in the '90s, this band had exploded like a supernova.

Various Artists - Psychedelic Mod, Funky Prog, Acid Soul and Freakbeat (White Trash Soul 60s Psychotropia No.1)

 

OK, I've just made another compilation and I couldn't wait to share it, even though there are other posts already waiting in the pipeline. That's how excited I am! Having listened to a lot of acid jazz recently, I decided to compile a playlist of British bands and songs from the late '60s that undoubtedly influenced the creation and development of the genre in the early '90s. At least, from my point of view.

Anyway, by the time this booming decade was coming to an end, psychedelia was also in troubled waters, and musicians were looking for new sounds to take its place. Some turned to jazz, some amped up the blues, while others started heading in the direction of a more progressive sound, yet still funky. And quite many fearless musicians tried to combine all these elements to create something new. Most of them (if not all) were ex-mods already accomplished by the groove of black Americans and the mighty Hammond organ was now at the forefront, leading the way. Many of them mods also collaborated with each other in one or more bands, and many of those collaborations can be found here.This new sound had a grittier, nastier, smooth and manic at the same time overtone, with fuzz guitars polluting the area and rumbling organ and horns wailing all over.

Was it psychedelic mod, funky prog, acid soul or just another variant of what later was called freakbeat? Probably all of these and more! Sometimes it's tricky to put into words what you're hearing, but it's not hard at all to get excited about it and dance! I chose to stay in the old Albion because dealing with the US would have been a far greater challenge (Funkadelic, Betty Davis, etc.). See you soon! Cheers!!

1. Don't Want You No More - The Spencer Davis Group
2. My Friend Jack (Demo Version) - The Smoke
3. Anymore Than I Do - The Attack
4. Speak Your Mind - The Lion Tamers
5. Gone Is The Sad Man - Timebox
6. Your Love is Burning Me - Thane Russell & Three
7. Baby I Need You - Curiosity Shoppe
8. Jumping Jack Flash - Wynder K. Frog
9. Somebody Stole My Thunder - Georgie Fame
10. Emmaretta - Deep Purple
11. Egyptian Tomb - Mighty Baby
12. Don’t Be Afraid - Keef Hartley Band
13. Lola (Instrumental) - The Kinks
14. My Mind Can Ride Easy - Killing Floor
15. Indian Rope Man - Brian Auger & Julie Driscoll and The Trinity
16. Call You Liar, Liar - Satisfaction
17. Crazy Feeling - Carl Douglas & The Big Stampede
18. Pineapple & The Monkey - The Faces
19. Solar Level - Johnny Almond Music Machine
20. (If You Think You're) Groovy - P.P. Arnold & The Small Faces
21. My Time (Brass-Free Version) - The Pretty Things
22. It's a Crime - The Kirkbys
23. Eiderdown Clown - Scots Of St. James
24. In The Deep End - The Artwoods
25. Evil Woman - Guy Darrell
26. Which Way - The Sorrows
27. Big Boss Man - Dave Davani
28. Loot - Steve Ellis
29. I'm Alive - Don Fardon
30. The Cheat - Sutch Lord
31. Midway Down - The Creation
32. Follow Me - The Action
33. In a Broken Dream - Python Lee Jackson ft. Rod Stewart
34. Snowy Wood - John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers

Beady Eye - Complete 7Inches (WTS Popkid No.3)

Beady Eye was often dismissed as Oasis 2.0, whatever that means, but they were much more than that. Of course they sounded like Oasis minus Noel, because that's what they were (duh!). People expected that, and there are plenty of things to be snobby about just to seem hip or sophisticated to a certain crowd, but nobody actually gives a fuck. You know why? Because, just like The Faces, Slade or The Ramones, Beady Eye (or Oasis, for that matter) was always a people's band. There were no pretentious assholes, just an old-school rock 'n' roll gang with a warmth that knicked whatever they liked, just like their heroes did. So fuck you very much if you came that far!

Their reception among critics and the "indie" mob was, at best, sceptical. Their records just weren't good enough for them. I don't know what they were thinking and to be honest to this day I'm typing these lines, I don't care. Because you don't buy into Beady Eye for the groundbreaking stuff, mate. I mean, take a closer look at them. Their artwork and aesthetic were massively influenced by the Immediate Records and the whole Swinging London scene. I have always been captivated by their connoisseur, characterised by that mod-style dressing with flashy shirts and scarves, not to mention the incredible jackets, reminiscent of those worn by The Creation, The Birds and any other mid-to-late sixties freakbeat band worth their salt, along of course with those iconic Beatles hairdos from the "Rubber Soul" era. 

As for the songs, you can clearly hear the influence from The Beatles and The Who to the early Humble Pie or Status Quo at their most hooligan and pub rowdy. Even when they tried to adopt a more adventurous and psychedelic approach, on their second and last step "BE" incorporating the motorik Velvets rhythms (and some Stooges like one note piano), they were still able to produce some seriously good music when they were in the mood for it. 

So, if there's one thing I can be sure about, it's that Beady Eye were definitely a singles kind of band. Thinking of this, I gathered all their seven-inch singles, even the Pretty Green super rare remixes two-sider and after a LONG hiatus, I played them all again on my earphones and I'm telling you guys and gals that I haven't been able to listen to another band for two days in a row now. 

Anyway, I always thought they were great and didn't deserve to fail so badly or having such a bad mouthing. Beady Eye was rock 'n' roll at its best, in a time real rock'n'roll was/is under most people's radar and definitely underground. There's none of that mainstream stuff, no anthemic choruses, and it's kind of raw — at least by Oasis standards. And when the songs were good, they were fuckin' brilliant! And oh, at least had an identity. After all, you can't take the opinions and criticism of people who thought their haircuts weren't cool seriously. They're clueless and have no connection to rock 'n' roll or its history. Right? RIGHT!

Spacemen 3 - Rollercoaster, The Singles & EPs (White Trash Soul Real R'n'R No.7)

Spacemen 3 were the definitive psychedelic band of the '80s (at least), led by two charismatic personalities and influenced by the heavy drones of The Stooges, Velvet Underground and Suicide. Formed in Rugby, they fused the proto-punk of the Detroit scene with garage, psychedelia, blues and gospel to lethal effect. Or to put it another way, their music was druggy and addictive. Like the MC5, they were interested in revolution and (hypnotic) guitar noise at a time when jangle pop dominated the indie scene. Spacemen 3 were, and still are, the unconditional forefathers of the shoegaze scene of years to come. 

None of their compilations of singles and EPs are quite this. They're a blend of singles with different mixes or demos. As far as I know, they never had a proper release, so I decided to do it myself again. Here, you'll find all of their singles, EPs and mini LP ("Walking With Jesus", "Transparent Radiation", "Revolution", "Take Me To The Other Side" and "Big City") in any version released before the band broke up, as well as their cover of Mudhoney's "When Tomorrow Hits" from their rare split. 

As Will Carruthers, the band's bassist (also on Spectrum, Spiritualized and Brian Jonestown Massacre) and author of the excellent memoir Playing the Bass with Three Left Hands, wrote: "To this day, I’m still not sure if it was art."

Various Artists - Lysergic Acid 60s Punkers, Raw Mod and Freakbeat Fuzzters (White Trash Soul 60s Punk No.2)

 

Freakbeat! Yeah!! 

First things first, what is it? The term was coined by English music journalist Phil Smee (who later started the Bam-Caruso Label) to describe the harder, fuzz loaded and sometimes psychedelic mutations that happened to the British Mod scene. A rock'n'roll sub-genre, graphic design style, and aesthetic in general that was prevalent throughout the mid-to-late '60s. Freakbeat bands combined aspects of rhythm & blues, beat, pop with psychedelia and proto-punk, a sonically distinct kind of music often drawing parallels with the American garage punk. 

The diversive music style of the Mods, characterised mainly by soul elements, became somewhat lost in the mid-sixties when psychedelic drugs and vibrant clothing became the defining attributes of a (new) generation. These elements included definetely fuzztones which are often manipulated with trippy echoes and other effects. 

As you might have guessed, the lines between what is and isn't Freakbeat are blurry. The same thing happened when I was trying to create the compilation that I'm offering here. The songs have changed many times - I've actually lost count. As always, I wanted to include obscure and unprocessed gems of the era, as well as more well-known songs, at least to those familiar with this period. I also wanted to compile tracks from outside the British and US scenes. I'm fairly confident that I've succeeded, but as always, you're the judge. 

Anyway, to be more precise I changed the title to "Lysergic Acid 60s Punkers, Raw Mod and Freakbeat Fuzzters". All the tracks contain the elements I mentioned in the opening lines. The Who, The Yardbirds and The Pretty Things collaborate with lesser-known acts who are equally brilliant and perhaps even wilder! For example, there's St. Louis Union's amazing take on Bob Seger's early garage stomper "East Side Story", Jimmy Winston covering the band he founded and played on the first single with (The Small Faces), Them going punk R&B under the direction of sleazy mogul Kim Fowley after Van Morrison left and Northwest proto-punks The Kingsmen, (in)famous of course for "Louie Louie", covering this time an unknown Freakbeat tune by The Fairytale. There's also Viv Prince's band after The Pretty Things (The Bunch of Fives), The Action going psychedelic pop under the Beatles' producer, Q65 and the Outsiders' off the rails Nederbeat, and The Fleur de Lys doing "Hold On" under the pseudonym of Rupert's People before handing it to Sharon Tandy. There's even Mickey Finn's "Time to Start Loving You" (before MC5 change it to "Kick Out the Jams"), and an Italian guy who relocated to Greece singing a cover of the Troggs' "I Want You" in... Greek! Τhe range is so big actually that you'll find young savage punks from Quebec and Iceland to New Zealand and Australia. It's almost impossible to write you even a few lines about each song, although each one has a unique story behind, like the ones I've already given you to get an idea of ​​what you'll hear.

In the true spirit of Oscar Wilde ("The drawback of stealing a thing, is that one never knows how wonderful the thing that one steals is"), I even tried to recreate Bam Caruso's label logo, with Joe Meek taking the place of the famous girl for the cover. By the way, if you're wondering who's that guy carrying the guitar and playing the tambourine, look for the golden-haired founder of The Rolling Stones. I even asked myself if "Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby" by the world's greatest rock 'n' roll band fitted in, but I gave up in the end - after all, there are so many songs and bands that need more pairs of ears. 

Dig!

Bam Caruso Records (Caff Fanzine No2, 1987)

Caff Corporation was a short-lived Brit indie label founded by Bob Stanley of Saint Etienne fame. The label operated under the names Caff, Caff Records and Caff Corporation. Established in 1989, it ran until 1992, releasing seventeen 7-inch singles. The label grew out of a fanzine that Stanley produced with a fellow band member, Pete Wiggs. 

Here's a piece about the legendary (now) Bam Caruso label, founded by Phil Smee in 1983. Bam Caruso Records was a pioneering British independent label dedicated to reissuing rare '60s psychedelic, freakbeat, and garage pop/popsike music. The label is best known for its 'Rubble' series, a compilation of obscure British psychedelic tracks, quite similar in terms of quality to 'Nuggets' or 'Pebbles'. 

(Right click and select 'open link in new tab' for full scans resolution)

Primal Scream - Kill All Hippies (WTS Popkid No.2)

 

Once upon a time, Kris Kristofferson sat down and wrote "Me and Bobby McGee". My younger self would not have appreciated the reference, by the way. Punk rock put me through a fanatically anti-hippie phase, and this is something that I admit has not yet gone away. Could this humble blog post paraphrase this classic song as "Me and Bobby G"? After all, Primal Scream was a mainstay of my music diet since I left my parents' record collection to find my own way. Back when the internet was still the stuff of a sci-fi writer's imagination, I obviously didn't have the knowledge I have now. I grew up just by listening to a band that sounded like the Byrds at first and then like the MC5 and the Stones, and I had no problem with that. Even their acid house delirium seemed fantastic to me!

I now know though that Bobby Gillespie and I have a lot in common — more than I once thought. We both come from working-class families and our parents instilled in us a sense of political awareness, Marxism and pride in our social background. We are still fanatical supporters of the football clubs we grew up with and we love the music, books and films that shaped us as individuals with the same passion. Although Bobby is a little older than me, he is just as fanatical about rock 'n' roll mythology as I am. I imagine he still spends his money on records and books, just like he did back then — and just like I do.

We are also different in (many) other ways. He is the leader of one of the greatest British bands the last 40 years, while I am a network engineer doing nothing that interesting. He used to be the drummer in the most influential band of his generation, the Jesus and Mary Chain, and I am still a network administrator. An when I'm bored and have a little free time, I sit down and write little stories on my blog that probably no one cares about. OK I also share some knowledge and geekiness about the subcultures that shaped us and music that companies normally shouldn't chase. But we live in a capitalist society, so at least we know what to expect.

So, as my typical habits dictated, I wanted to make a compilation to transfer to my iPod for my summer vacation. I wanted it to contain a mix of well-known and obscure tracks. So I did just that and the more I listened to that selection, the more confident I became that this is perhaps the best collection of Primal Scream songs ever compiled by someone (the little devil on my shoulder tells me to relax, but I won't). Companies always concentrated on singles and greatest hits material, but I strongly believe that this one has everything for both newcomers and Primal Scream aficionados.

I then thought, "What's to stop me sharing it in my usual socialist way?" And here it is!

The Green Telescope - The Green Telescope Complete? (White Trash Soul Real R'n'R No.6)

The brilliant early '80s garage/psychedelic band from Edinburgh, Scotland. I mean, fuck yes! The Scots have produced so many amazing bands in so many genres and styles over the years, from garage punk and neo-psychedelia to C86, jangle pop, shoegaze and noise pop. I guess there must be something in the water.

I had the pleasure of meeting Lenny many years ago at a Thanes gig in Athens, Greece. Most of the conversation was between John Alexopoulos of The Sound Explosion and Lenny. I was just sitting there, watching in awe at how well-informed he was. Back then, I was more into the Velvet Underground-inspired bands than the Velvets themselves. But Mr. Helsing put an end to that.

Anyway, the band's original line-up consisted of Lenny Helsing on guitar and vocals, Bruce Lyall on organ, and Colin Blakey on bass. Before any records were made, Colin Blakey left and was replaced by Alan McLeann and the group then added a drummer, Gavin Henderson, soon after. Steve Fraser temporarily took over from Alan, playing bass on the three tracks the group recorded for the Psycho label compilation, 'The Waking Dream'. He also played on the recording of Pink Floyd's "Scream Thy Last Scream", which featured on the Syd Barrett tribute LP 'Beyond the Wildwood', released on Alan Duffy's Imaginary label a few years later, in 1988. The "Face in a Crowd' b/w 'Thoughts of a Madman" debut single was issued in 1986 with a new drummer, Mal Kergan on Wump.

The four-piece line-up of Helsing, Lyall, McLean and Henderson recorded the 'Two by Two' EP for Imaginary again. After this they would change their name to The Thanes Of Cawdor then shorten that to The Thanes. For some (really) strange reason, this outfit lacks a proper reissue treatment of their records or a complete works compilation, so I had to create one myself to secure new fans for them and their legacy.

Dig!

Various Artists - Modernist Jukebox: Paul Orwell

 

This next one came up when I was searching for more information about Paul Orwell's influences (although it was obvious just by listening to his records). If you're not familiar with his music, the London-area genius will steamroll you with his retro energy. If you didn't know any better, you'd think it was a solo project from a member of the Pretty Things, Small Faces, or the Creation. In a word: Freakbeat! All the basic ingredients are in here, fuzz guitars, Hammond organ and tambourines. I love this guy because he's like me; he doesn't care if he's a mod or a rock 'n' roller. He likes his Fred Perry shirts as much as his bomber leather jackets. Fuck borders in any case!

So, I came across a Modculture.uk post from 2017 in which Paul picked his favorite tunes and made short comments about them. The problem is that this "Jukebox" playlist is on Spotify, and I can't stand people who listen to music on Spotify. To make matters worse, some of the tracks that this guy chose weren't in the streaming site's database. Enter White Trash Soul again to set things straight. The whole list could have easily been mine. If someone had asked me to compile an introduction to that era, I would have only changed a few songs. For example, I would have chosen the amazing original "Shadows and Reflections" instead of the punked version of "I'll Keep Holding On" by The Action. But nevermind, it's still a kick-ass song collection. Head over to the original post to read Orwell's remarks while listening to what I've made for you this time.