SFA 4 ( first published Dec 2001/Jan 2002 )

love love love love love love love love love love love love love love

Why? How uncanny! "Tis the legendary

Sweet Floral Albion

crew, with their unique ramblings on the subject of UK psychedelic culture... (Dec 2001/Jan 2002) No. 4 price: Gratis!

My Lords, Ladies and Midgets, good evening and welcome to issue Numero Quattro of the thyme machine known as SFA (look Mum, no parentheses!!!) For your entertainment, delectation, titillation and cerebral stimulation we offer you a platter of tasty treats and mouth-watering morsels.
We hope you enjoy our mag and look forward, dear reader, to hearing from you- we welcome all feedback, well, the good stuff. Hello to everyone reading this on "Marmalade Skies" and many thanks to Jim for believing in us!!
-Dave Thubron (editor)

** this (rather late) issue, which is humbly dedicated to the memory of GEORGE HARRISON,
includes:

OUT IN THE COLD - 2 long-lost chromosome curlers, by Jason Scott
REVIEWS - by Paul Hodges (PH), Jon Kerr (JK), John Salomon (JS) and Dave Thubron (DT) FURTHER QUOTES from Roger's masterpiece
THE HAPSHASH REPRINTS, by Paul Cross
UK PSYCHEDELIA DISCOGRAPHY, Pt 36: - Addenda
PRETTY THINGS - Philippe de Barge : Acid Burns, by Dave Thubron "Please Sir, could I have some..." by John Salomon
TECHNICOLORED SWAP SHOP "Till we meet again" - more news from nowhere

OUT IN THE COLD - Jason Scott
Time to have a listen to two more LPs long since consigned to the dustbin of history and ignored by psych-heads...

WOODY KERN - The Awful Disclosures of Maria Monk (Pye NSPL 18273, 1969)
'But it's bluesy innit? - is the quote that people who ain't heard it, reach for when this LP is recommended to them. OK, so there is a bluesy (in a progressive sense) edge to some of the stuff on offer here, but it's a pity this tag has adhered so stubbornly for so long as this LP has become neglected by the very audience it originally tried (and failed) to attract. Of the eleven tracks that comprise this album only a couple are predominantly 'blues-based' and even then they're not in yer average "muddy-waters-ripped-off-by-the-white-boys" stylee. The opener, 'Biography', is a lengthier rendition than the 45 version, replete with more echo and reverb. It's a tasty and superlative merger of prog and off-kilter, ragaesque psych, as is much else on this album. Other tracks that are in the same 'crossover' territory are the melodramatic 'Xoanan Bay', 'Uncle John' with its mad sax-break, a fine old version of Spirit's 'Gramophone man' - phased to the max!!! There's oodles more phasing on 'Fair Maiden'. The influence of Mr Beefheart is most felt on the punningly titled 'Vile Lynn', which also contains a great guitar break. There's some flutey Tull-style prog-jazz ('Tell you I'm gone, and mellow 'The Blues KeepFalling'), and versions of tracks by Little Walter & B.B.King). This album easily stands its ground alongside many other home grown products from the tail-end of the decade and should be investigated by all those who have a serious interest in late 60s psychedelia and related sounds, especially those who, say, are open-minded enough to appreciate gear like 'Mercator Projected' or the early Jethro Tull albums; and not just by RoxyMusic fans (Rik Kenton was in the band) or those club DJs who continue to sample it's evocative flute runs. (A little bird tells me this LP is down for reissue by Castle/Sanctuary, so no-one will have any excuse for not owning a copy.)

RUST - Come with Me - Germany : (Horzu Shzl59, 1969)
What a grear sleeve! A spooky, gothic-looking chick raises her arms aloft above the heads of two starey-eyed flower children, whilst the typeface of the album's title melts, dripping down live lava. Horrible! This album is far from common in its original form (even in Germany it's become a rarity). But there was a CD reissue on TRC (TRC017) about ten years ago. As a piece of music this LP has few, if any, other UK releases with which it might be compared. It possesses a 'loose' and in some parts (eg 'You Thought You Had it Made' with its distorted vocals and unruly edginess) aUS, 'punk' - feel. Maybe the closest sounding UK act would be the Deviants, but there are as many similarities as differences... The tracks, as was common back then, cross fade into each other, and are punctuated by sound effects. The weird keyboard sound and tolling Big Ben,of 'You thought You Had It Made', dissolve into 'Please Return' which in its half-worked-out amiable chugginess, resembles some of the lesser Gary Walker & The Rain LP tracks. This track dissolves (by way of water noises) into a "mod-soul boys gone awry" sort-of-sound. It's general structure is intriguing even if as with 'Please Return' its a bit unfinished-sounding.Still it's pretty good. 'Think Big' begins with a NASA news-piece then moves into a twangy guitar& profundo echoed vocal piece of sub-Americana. 'Rust' is lyrically OK, although another weird and sparse arrangement with nice treated piano. The next track (side two's opener) 'Delusion' is lead by more nice US style guitar and general garage mayhem. It also contains a nice opening lyric in 'Living Under Bridges, Sleepin' in the rain/Listen to the ratbag tryin' to screw your brain'. The echoed choral refrain/chant also has a faint hint of future Glam about it. 'Doesn't Add Up To Me' is pretty off-balance, its rhythm changes trip you up, and the vocal distortion can be quite disturbing especially if you're in a delicate state of mind. Lovely echo on the guitar, phased drums, and more alternative/radical lyrics, then a beautiful hazy ending - from a psych viewpoint this is probably the LP's standout tracks. But up next is the beautifully-crafted 'Find a Hideaway', with its gorgeous keyboard flourishes, and more sound effects which lead us into the excellent title track which has some much welcomed melodicism about it, plus backwards(?) tapes and another nice ending - A MINOR MASTERPIECE OF UK PSYCHEDELIC POP. The final track, the aptly named 'The Endless Struggle', is another kettle of fish entirely. A full-on, fuzzed-up guitar assault is followed by a driving pop/rock hybrid offset by layered harmonies. A fine album indeed and as original a piece of work as the genre ever threw up, go on, give it a go and... 'Come with me, we'll be oneJust the three of us, With the sun...

From The Bumper Book of Psych Quotations, by Roger St. John: Entry No. 85: Timothy Leary (on UK psychedelia 1968)
'For the last few years, America has been on a Magical Mystery Trip, planned and guided by Englishmen. Everything harmonious and graceful in the electronic psychedelic revolution of the 1960s has come from the venerable East-Anglia Import-Export company. The eye-land empire. The English have seed style. The polished performance based on the rich racial myth. A hip DNA root structure that enables them instinctively to deal with the pulsing energies of our time - electronics and psychedelics.'

***REVIEWS***

THE FLOWER POT MEN : Midsummer Dreaming (Tenth Planet TP051) 180g vinyl. Ltd edn 1000 copies
First thing you notice, of course, is the beautiful multicoloured Phil Smee designed sleeve, in a sort of Lord John-meets-Yellow-submarine style. The Flower Pot Men have been too easily dismissed as cash-in one-hit wonders. But, whilst that song is included here, there are others that help present a more intelligent overview of their work. And, whilst the two Radio One jingles are of perhaps minor interest to completists only there are some absolutely essential gems here, most of which have been available elsewhere but so what??? Cos here, on one piece of solid virgin vinyl in amazing wraparoundsound you get John Carter & Russ Alquists superduper 45 sides 'Midsummer Dreaming' and 'The Laughing Man' The Flower Pot men's (unreleased at the time) 'Blow Away' which is a real beauty their version (basically the same) of 'The Cooks of Cake and Kindness' (The Californians), and the lengthy prog pop 'Children Of Tomorrow' (NOT the MSS song) amongst others. What more do you want for your £12? Blood? Go get. But be quick... (DT)

WE CAN FLY 2 CD (Past & Present PAPRCD 2037)
22 tracks which are here issued under the 'UK psychedelic obscurities' banner. Of which 3 are German (The Lords, The Petards, Joy Unlimited), 2 are Swedish (Pugh and The Tages - who are not from Denmark as it says in the liner notes!!), 1 from Holland (Brainbox), 1 from Belgium (the Julian Kirsch), 1 US (John Fitch, albeit recorded in the UK), and 1 from the Lebanon (The Cedars), which leaves 13 'UK psychedelic obscurities'. Still, enough bitchin', overall this is another fine comp. Nice to see Shy Limbs 'Trick Or Two', the excellent 'Colour Sergeant Lilywhite' by West Coast Consortium, Nite People's 'Love...' and the mighty 'Rabbits' by Norman Haines (alias Avalanche). The final tracks on the comp, viz Danny McCulloch, and the Moonshine 'acetate' are pretty good musically but even to us open-minded and open-hearted guys can't really be termed 'psychedelic'. (JK)

WATERLOO - First Battle CD (Musea (France) FGBG 4281 AR)
You should all know 'Why May I not Know' - a strident piece of psych gone prog -from 'Circus Days 6'. But this release has a lot more to offer besides that goodie. It contains the superb ten-track original 1969 LP (Euro release only) recorded in London by this Belgian band... PLUS six bonus tracks (Note; you don't get these on the Musea vinyl release). This music is highly influenced by '68-69 era Tull but there is a strong Arzachel feel in the phasing, bombastic keyboards, tons of echo and intricate guitar motifs. For me the stand out track was the previously unreleased 'The Youngest Day', which although laid down c. 1972 is a prime slice of '68/69 psych with vocal distortions and double flanging to the fore. Also, 'Smile', a '71 45 side is great brass-tinged pop-psych. For those who wish for some "musical exploration" but love the 'UK sound' this is a highly recommended album. Great songs, superb musicianship & English vocals. If this was a British band it would be a UK premier league prog-psych collectable. Well good! (PH)

JOHN KONGOS - Lavender Popcorn CD (sequel, CMRCD 395)
If you want the Scrugg and Floribunda Rose 45s in stunning sound quality (and frankly who wouldn't?) then this is a must-buy purchase. There's also another unreleased Scrugg track, 'Patriotic' (gently satirical pop sike), to tempt you. The solo John Kongos album - 'Confusions About A Goldfish', is however an oddity for those who have acquired its extremely odd fishy flavour (sorry!). It's sort of acoustic singer songwriter stuff but with some whacked out lyrics (the title track for starters!) and the odd bendy-ish moment ('Desert of Mountains Of Men' and 'Flim, flam Pharisee'). (JK)

MAGIC SPECTACLES - CD Comp (Hyacinth H 003)
Oh dear, where do we begin? This is a mess. Awful 'scanned' liners. It's on CD-R, but being sold (in the US) as a 'CD' - naughty! Most of the stuff on here hasn't been comped before (nice) but most of it should never have been comped and its a rag bag of junk (not nice). The 'notes' and liner are peppered with typos and other errors (OK, we now this mag ain't perfec, befroe yuo all right inn at wonce). And worst of all the last track - Paper Blitz Tissue's fine 'Grey man' (which is reproduced here in pretty good sound quality) runs out half-way through cos the bleedin' CD-R was full up!!! Steer clear (JS)

From The Bumper Book of Psych Quotations, by Roger St. John:
Entry No 196 : Johnnie Young
(Bee Gees hanger-on who covered two of their '67 masterpieces. Here, in interview with DJ Keith McGowan on Sydney Radio 6PR), Johnnie, who certainly ain't no drugs guru (he gets his "micrograms" muddled with his "milligrams"- VERY dangerous indeed!!!) talks about his hilarious acid experience) -
Johnnie: ... I started to feel very light and very tingly all over and everything seemed quite nice and then got a little bit frightening you know things started getting dark and light and everything like that, and I would advise no-one to try it, because it's a, you know, a very stupid thing to do.
Keith: Well, over what period of time were you under the influence of this very small dose of LSD? J: Ermm... well it seemed like only a very short time. Apparently it was about an hour or so (!!!) or something like that. And then I had a good sleep for about then hours K: How long ago was it?
J: This was only several weeks before I left England
K: Ohhh...
J: Very strange. Hope you don't mind me saying that
K: Oh there's sort of a million questions I want to ask you but, I er.. what's the scene like, is there much of it around? Have many people taken it, or what? J: No, now it's all changed again. You see The Beatles are the ones that start all these things you know. They started by admitting they'd taken LSD. They got terrible criticism and all this sort of thing. they'd taken the full 250 milligrams.. (!!!) K: And what did you take? J: ... which is a trip of only abut 50 or 70 milligrams(!!!) or something like that which is quite minute (!!!) so y'know I could quite imagine what a full trip would be like, would be quite terrifying and er, now the big thing is meditation of course where you sit down and meditate with yourself (!!) I've got a book on that. K: Yeah, I saw a book on yoga in your bag there J: I had another book called 'Kama Sutra' which I tried to bring in the country but er that was unfortunately banned and taken from me. K: It's a record label isn't it? So Johnnie Young has take LSD! It's eleven minutes past five. Have you told anyone else that on the air before'? J: No, I haven't been game actually. K: Oh a first for me...
Many thanks to Ellis & the guys at "Boobs-a-lot Records" for putting us on to this "classic" interview and thanks to Rosa and Mickey for those illuminating specimens of Aussie Fungi - nice!

THE WIMPLE WINCH "DEMOS" - NOT!!!
It's very satisfying that those much-loved whimsydelic demos, incorrectly attributed to Wimple Winch on the 'Wimple Winch Story' compilation (Bam Caruso KIRI 107 CD, 1992), and the recently expanded 30 track bootleg comp have finally been issued under, what some of us have long since known as, their correct name, i.e. that of their author - Dee Christopholus solo tracks. Now available on "Waterloo Road" (Pluto TH 03074), a fascinating collection of tracks cut at the small Pluto Studios in Stockport between 1968 and 1975.

*** UK PSYCH (and related) DISCOGRAPHY ***
Part 36: - Further addenda (Sorry, not in A-Z - see (S)FA3)

- TERRY BRITTEN - 2,000 weeks/Bargain Day (Columbia, 1969).Promo - only solo 45 by the former lead singer of The Twilights - whom we adore (see "A few of my favourite things" - this ish). Nice double-sider, love the bubble-icious guitar on the 'b' side

- DAVE CLARK FIVE - Tabatha Twitchit - Lost In His Dreams- It Ain't What You Do The first two are off the 'Everybody knows' LP (Columbia SX6207, 1968), which also included the slightly better known 'Inside And Out'. 'Tabatha' is ultra-catchy 'Chitty Chitty Bang Bang' - style, toy-town pop and frankly rather tacky. 'Dreams' is great pop-psych with a waltzy fairground organ and nice lyrics, albeit a bit snooty & micky taking. 'It Ain't What You do' is off the 'If Somebody Loves You' LP (Columbia SCX 6437, 1970), and is a bit like Procol/Freedom in their more serious(?) moments - a quality track. Also on this latter LP is '5 by 5' a full-on fuzz-fest; and 'Live In The Sky' kind of pop-sike-ish featuring the chants of the '66 World Cup crowd.
- CONSORTIUM - The Day The Train Never Came (Pye 7N 17725, 1969)

Trademark falsetto harmonies from the former 'West Coast Consortium'. Nice & weird & very English. On one of the 'Justa...' comps and the CD version.

- MERION - Abyssinan Secret (Page One POF 042, 1967)
Also issued as 'MARION', and also covered well-enough (surprisingly!!!) by 'Our Cilla'. Great stuff, with the right kind of ethnic-vibe for our ears.

- THE BABY - Heartbreaker (Spark, 1969)
Fuzzed up proto-glam meets tardo-psych. Very odd. Very rare and totally unknown. Sort of like The Eggy (kind of). A Scottish Bovver Boy pop treasure!

- DAVID CHRISTIE - Penelope Breedlove (Mercury MF 1028, 1968)
Lovely! This epitomises a certain type of fey pop-psych! Another version (v.similar) by 6AX is on 'Syde Tryps 7'.

- STAVELY MAKEPIECE - I wanna Love you Like a Mad Dog (Pyramid, 1969)
On a reggae label (why?). This is flipped-out UK style to the max and... by those Lieutenant Pigeon persons (GASP!).

- LOVE AFFAIR - Hush - The Tree- 60 minutes of your time
All off the 'The Everlasting Love Affair' LP (CBS 63416, 1968) 'Hush' is yet another great club-friendly version, with superb guitar. 'Tree' sound like a Fleur de Lys out take (Yes, it REALLY is that good!) absolutely, bloody marvellous! '60 Minutes' is a tasty Small Faces-style freakbeat - soul hybrid that works very well. None of these 3 tracks are anything like the usual crap associated with this pre-fabricated outfit.

- LUVVERS - House on the Hill (Parlophone R5459, 1966)
Lulu's erstwhile backing band with a snotty/punky piece of pop that hits all the rights notes. Quite bendy too.

- UNIVERSALS - Green Veined Orchid (Page One POF 049, 1967)
Neglected track. Why?? It is the total "dogs". Knocks spots off 'Hey You' (which is pretty straight mod-beat). The phased ending is worth tracking this 45 down for on its own, but even without that its still top quality UK 60s pop! By the way, the correct title is "Green Veined Orchids" (misprinted on label)

- CIRCUS - Do you Dream? (Parlophone R5672, 1968)
Wow! Phasing-a-go-go! A real beauty. Love the lyric - 'Do you Dream? Castles in the Sky/ Do you Dream? Ever so high'... A winner!

--TOYSHOP - Say Goodbye to Yesterday (Polydor, 1969)
Lovely jubbly!! Pity my copy is trashed beyond redemption... Is this still gonna be comped...?

- TAPESTRY - Who Wants Happiness (NEMS 56 - 3964, 1969)
B side of 'Heart and Soul'. This is a brilliant 'Blow up!' type dancer. Ignore the Tapestry (no pun intended) of Delights entry for this - it's well off the mark.

- CLOWN - Lord of the Ringside (CBS, 1972)
Plugged by Lewis 'Lowland Paradise' Anderson on the now sadly defunct 'Marmalade Skies' forum. Spooky folk with nice wah-wah. Supposedly recorded in 1970(?) c/w 'Rumania', which is OK. There's a forthcoming CLOWN comp from those nice 'Dig The Fuzz' people. So keep 'em peeled - it'll also include the disturbingly perv-tastic 'Uncle'... among other good things. Can't wait!

- THE EXECUTIVES - The Ginza Strip (CBS 3067, 1967)
A paean to Tokyo, wrapped in fab and groovy 1967-style pop-psych finery (sitar & flute, etc). A nice piece (and rarer than you think) from a band too-often dismissed by sad, moanie-minnie psych snobs who prefer prog muso twaddle to the "proper" stuff. (See SFA 2 for our "appreciation" of 'Tracy Took A Trip')

PLEASE NOTE:
SFA are planning to issue a series of CDRs/tapes of these and other recommended/neglected tracks. Let us know if you are interested. Possible track-lists will be published in SFA5, or emailed direct to those who are interested

LYRICS
For no other reason than we like 'em, we've included the following words of weird and wondrous wide-eyed wisdom (let us know of any errors, oh do, please!!!)

RIVER TO ANOTHER DAY - Love Sculpture

You start to close your eyes
Your mind begins to slow
Velvet shadows fall
Your worries start to go
You're drifting through the lily patch
Away
You're on the river to another day

Another day has gone
And darkness touches you
Your mind is slipping free
There's nothing you can do
The roundabout's stopped turning
You won't stay
You're on the river to another day

River, where are you going?

Everyone is marking time for you

Reality has lost
And reason doesn't care
Your clothes, lost, interests you [?]
Lie as you left them there
The colours have all changed
From white to grey-ey-ey
You're on the river to another day
Flow down the river to another day-ay-ay-ay-ay
~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~

TIME/CONFUSION - The Crazy World of Arthur Brown

Time bending faces
Time mending places
Time into time
One white hand holding silence
Collapses ecstacies of violence
Time into time
Time, let your fist open wide
You'll find the hand and the pattern
Behind which we all hide
Change into time
A bubble of blood shut from laughter
Circles death before and after
Time beside time
Smiles, yawning, wisdom
Joy, or a liar's kingdom?
See leaves scattered in the bracken
Lemons in a spider's web
And travel down on ancient foot-path
Where the sudden scent catches you
And you try to stay its flavour
And find at its source
A green leaf already muddied
All things have a pattern...
~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~

KALEIDOSCOPE -Marmalade

In the mystic magic mind of mirrors
Silver sand of sunbeams slowly filters
Imagination knows no senses
Interpretation indispenses

Rainbow rivers rounds of red and yellow

Peaceful purple planets of contentment
Exhilaration reaches inside
Hallucinations fill the mind wide
In & Out round about
Leave the world behind
Up & down round and round
There are dreams to find

Golden gardens glistening in the spectrum
Silhouetted shadows flit in silence
Manifestations of the time flies
Reincarnations of the mind's eye
~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~

SONG FOR INTERNATIONAL TIMES - Soft Machine

People say they want to be free
They look at him and they look at me
But it's only themselves they're wanting to see
And everyone knows about it

We talk all night and we're all turned on

We believe we heard him singing his song

He told us all that there was work to be done
And we all sung the chorus

Yes, Disneyland has come to town
Everyone's dressed and they're standing around
Alice is wearing her sexiest gown
But she still doesn't want you to look at her

Beautiful people who are queuing to drown
Wait for the lifeguard to put on his crown
But he's up at the other end of town
Trying to talk to the mirror

The scientist talks and he knows what he means

He sits on the floor and has beautiful dreams
Then gets brought down by a woman who screams
But he knows that it's only a record

His brave new girl stops feeding the ants

And looks at him with her septic pants
She still knows how to make him dance
And f*** emancipation

And you and I sit and hum
We know something's got to come
And get us off our endless bum ...

There's probably one in the bathroom

Note: A revised version - 'Song For Insane Times', appeared on Kevin Ayers' magnificent 'Joy Of A Toy' LP (see SFA 1)

From The Bumper Book of Psych Quotations, by Roger St John: Entry No 65 : Paul McCartney (A Beatle)
'God is in everything. God is in the space between us. God is in that table in front of you. God is everything and everywhere and everyone. It just happens that I realised all this through acid, but it could have been done through anything. It really doesn't matter how I made it... The final result is all that counts'
(so what went wrong, Paul?) From Queen magazine. Also quoted in Hansard 28/07/67.

'UNISSUED'(?) SAM GOPAL 45 - Stable STA 5602
I should like to say (a somewhat suspicious) 'thank you' to one of our readers, viz Lloyd Ridgwell, who sent me label-photocopies and a tape of the legendary & supposed non-issued Sam Gopal 'Horse'/'Backdoor Man' 45. The label mis-attributes these tracks to The Deviants (also, of course, on Stable Records). Mr Ridgwell states: "This printing error, and resulting wasted cash, probably explains why the single was withdrawn and subsequently failed to reappear in a corrected form". All quite plausible, especially as he goes on to say that he received his copy of this 'unique' 45 (all copies should have been destroyed) from Steve Sparkes (Deviants' producer). The mixes, he says are 'slightly different to the acetates aired on the 'Psych Salvage Co' comps. But to mine ears they sound the same only in better sound quality; but hey! I'm a tone deaf, very cynical kinda guy, who only believes the evidence of his own ears and eyes - show me the actual record, Lloyd, and I'll be as happy as a pig in ... Until then, the jury is still out.
Paul Hodges

Here, one of our readers (Mr Dean Sanders, of Cobham) tells us about the fings wot he likes, in a piece we hillariously call - "These are a few of my favourite things"

DEVIANTS- 'Last Man' (off 'Disposable' LP)- Weird and scarey poo that has always given me the colly wobbles. Not just the track itself, which, of course, is the epitome of post-apocalyptic dementia, but the hideously awful idea of Micky Farren as the sole-surviving member of humankind. Jeepers!

ELMER GANTRY - 'Air'-The band disowned this track, saying it was all tongue-in-cheek, mickey-taking stuff. Mmm? Nevertheless, it's superlative, sitar-embellished pop psychedelia with hippy-trippy lyrics.

TWILIGHTS - 'Paternoster Row'-What can you say? Well... simply the best piece of Oz-psych EVER recorded, and the best 'Walrus' - period Beatles track the Beatles never recorded. A total marvel. Check out this band ASAP. Their material ranks with the very best of UK psychedelia (Look out for a future SFA article on their psych material). Send us your choices, we'll try to include them in future issues.

Roll up! Roll up!
### MINI QUIZ ###
Q. What was the inspiration (other than 500 mikes of Orange Sunshine) for the following line from the fab "Yellow Brick Road", by The Mindbenders: 'where music is blowing, from liquid pianos around you...' The first person who emails the correct answer wins a suitably psychedelic "mystery prize" (ooh!) If no-one gets it right, I'll keep the prize myself for being such a clever old sod. By the way, 'tis a shame "Yellow Brick Road" hasn't been comped, as it's not too-well known, which is a great shame, as it is absolutely top-notch UK psychedelia (one of the very best tracks of the era) and, methinks, the best thing that The Mindbenders ever did, and that's saying something!

From The Bumper Book of Psych Quotations, by Roger St John Entry No. 60 : Brian Epstein (An impresario of some stature): talking of the 'new mood' capturing the UK in '67:
Bri : ... this new mood has originated from hallucinatory drugs, and I am whole heartedly on its side!

THE HAPSHASH & THE COLORED COAT REPRINTS, by Paul Cross
The Hapshash posters have long been admired, even in '67 they were recognised as 'art' (for example see The Observer Magazine, December 3, 1967), and esteemed by memorabilia collectors. The original series produced by Michael English with help from Nigel Waymouth (proprietor of 'Granny Takes a Trip' and NOT a friend of Jonathan Meade's!), numbered 33 screen prints on fairly standard poster paper that, for all the abuse most copies have suffered, have stood the test of time pretty well (OK, so some of the metal inks have cracked where posters have been rolled up...
In April YK2 the duo were flown to San Fran to oversee the reprinting of their entire series (as those of us who were sent the prospectus were told) of posters in an edition of 250 numbered & signed copies). The resulting work is stunning and apart from a few minor liberties taken by Roger Bernhardt (the SF printer) are faithful copies of the posters and, barring the odd bootlegged 'reprint' (some of which have not been the correct size) would have been the first time the series has been reproduced. Unfortunately, only half a dozen of the posters ("Soft Machine Turns On"; "The Who-I can see for miles"; "Tomorrow - My White Bicycle"; "Save Earth Now"; "Saville Theatre 01/10/67"; & "CIA v UFO") were made available, as "Collectors" (primarily trendy, loft-living, high-income nostalgia buffs; as well as the odd well-heeled 'genuine' fan of the psych era) weren't interest. They didn't want hand-signed reprints on fine-quality art paper - they wanted the REAL THING! And with a price of 300 US Dollars each, who can blame em!!
(NOTE: they've since been sold off cheap - Ted Owen of Fleetwood-Owen (auctioneers to the gentry), the man behind the idea and joint-author of High Art was not a happy man (allegedly))

VERY MORE-ish
by John Salmon
The Pink Floyd eh? Yeah, good old Syd, he was great wasn't he? Well maybe, but he ain't on this disc (cue cries of outrage) What disc? The 'More' soundtrack.
The album opens with 'Cirrus Minor' a nice blend of
English pastoralism and space rock (self-produced to boot), as blissed-out as anything on the two previous, more celebrated LPs. 'Cirrus Minor' lulls you into a false sense of security, as suddenly... BANG! The Floyd rock on 'The Nile Song': pugnacious guitar chords and some superlative machine-gun drumming are handled with finesse and some remarkable, quickly gained maturity. After that STP-fuelled, rollercoaster ride, it's time to roll a nice fat one ("roll and roll") and mellow out to the acoustic-based melancholia of 'Crying Song' and 'Green is the Colour'. 'Up the Khyber' comes on like a jarring & stacatto 'Toc H' Part 2 (very 'ava gardy'). 'Cymbaline' is melodic hippie prog par excellance with a delicious, shimmering keyboard ending. A 'high time' indeed (a lovely demo version of this track by Hawkwind Z00 should not be overlooked either). Flip the album over for a short, percussion and flute instrumental. 'Main Theme' is amazing, with keyboards reminiscent of 'The Committee' soundtrack, and complete with the wonderful and now famous Big Gong that first appeared at Floyd gigs around this time (i.e. 1968-69). 'Ibiza Bar' is another guitar-based heavy acid rock attack. Whilst 'More Blues' is pretty down home y'all. 'Quicksilver' is another late psych fest, similar in arrangement to 'Main Theme'.
A 'Spanish Piece' is like anexpanded version of The Kooba's 'Spanish Joe' ditty (although I think they confused their Mexicans with their Spaniards in the works???)
Those whose musical tastes have been shaped (ie. dictated) by received ideas should (and do) steer clear of this LP. But, anybody who can see through the 'Syd was the Floyd' hype will be in for a treat. There is enough good stuff here to give both 'Piper' and 'Saucer' a run for their money, and then some.

Joe Public, it's over to you... A READER'S LETTER: "The Psych 'Scene' - An Overview"
Dear Dave,
It was evident from postings on the "Marmalade Skies" message board (R.I.P.) that the psych 'scene', if such a beast exists, is a very confused and agitated animal, in a state of crisis, and perhaps near death. Perhaps already extinct.
The 'scene's' only hope for survival is to learn. And we could learn a lot from the Rare Soul scene, about how to maintain things for the futre and how not to tear apart things in futile and bitter internecine squabbles.
The Rare Soul scene has evolved it's own forms of classification and delineation that, although rightly not set in stone help to structure musical appreciation. These 'structures' help those within and without the scene come to an understanding of the scene as a totality. This is one of the major, albeit less obvious ways in which the Rare Soul scene differs from the psych 'scene'. "Our" terminology is limited and faulty. For eg "Freakbeat", which although an earnest and thoughtful attempt at specificity, has long since lapsed into generality and of late into near meainglessness. And the very term "psychedelic" is itself nearing absurdity in terms of definition.
What I think we need is a commonly understood and accepted language of critical & musicologcal terms. For example, on the Rare Soul scene they have "Northern" (traditionally 60s mid-uptempo dance soul); "Deep" (slower, impassioned ballads); "Modern" (uptempo 70s/80s); "Crossover" (mid-tempo, late 60s /early 70s - literally wher te sixties and seventies fans' tastes meet/croxx-over); as well as "two-sep", "poststompers", "popcorn", "tumbleweed", "oldies", "newies" and so forth... The existence of these different sub-groups doesn't confuse or fragment the scene; they bind it together, creating a cohesive whole in which each term is understood by people speaking the same language.
We need a codification along similar lines. Some examples may help to point the way forward:

FREAKBEAT - in its narrowest sense: souped-up beat/proto-psych

POP SIKE - Ersatz psychedelia/pop whims

PSYCH-POP - Psych influenced/infused pop music (also 'Pop-Psych')

ACID ROCK - Hard edged, psych influenced/infused guitar driven rock music

PROG/PSYCH CROSSOVER - The edgy/uneasy point at which psych & prog blur. A term based on the music, applied to a grey area of chronology (strangely enough, akin to crossover soul's blend of 60s & 70s tastes)

SPACE ROCK - A Floyd-influenced mutation, a la Hawkwind, Nektar, Khan et al. (Also 'Cosmic Rock')

All these terms can be covered by the umbrella term of musical 'psychedelia'. The other major (non-musical) distinction between the psych ad soul scenes, of course, is that, whilst the Rare Soul scene is based on the integral club experience (one of competive bonhomie and social interaction), the psych scene is simply composed of isolated, asocial old tossers wit tapes, 45s & CDR burners instead of clubs to go to.
I hope that this isn't taken as too harsh an insult, after all I too am one of those old tossers
Yours, Alan Watson (via e-mail)

NOTES & QUERIES - help!
- o Anybody got any inf re. the band histor of STEEL MILL (we know the line up, release details, producer, writers, etc etc)? We don't know nuffink about what the guys did before or after this period (ie. 1970/71) and nor does anyone else we know.
- o Anybody (oher than Peter Jenner) have a copy of the flyer or poster for The Floyd's 'Games for May' gig, Queen Elizabeth Hall, May 12th, 1967? Don't worry, we don't want to buy it; to just have a Xerox copy, or even know that other copies exist, would be nice.
- o Line up details (in fact, any info at all PLEASE!) for THE HINGE, who cut the brilliantly mod-tastic "You Better Go Home". They are a blank page in our encyclopaedia.
- o Colour photographs of GEORGE HARRISON's psychedelic mini (especially of the right-hand (driver's) side of the car. Required by restorer. (NB. we already have footage from 'Magical Mystery Tour' file (&out takes) - thanks)

TECHNICOLORED SWAP SHOP
To list an ad here simply e-mail us with your text - we'l give you a number, and pass on all your replies. It's FREE and confidential!
4.01 WANTED: FLOWER SCENE mags, or decent photo-copies thereof. STC
4.02 WANTED: MINDBENDERS - schoolgirl 45 EX/M cond. STC
4.03 WANTED: BROKEN DRAMS vols 3,4 &6. STC/condition
4.04 FOR SALE: US psych 45s/LPs. 100s of items email for list
4.05 FOR SALE: "International Times". All issues (barring half issues/broadsheets) decent offers only please (£1000+)
4.06 FOR SALE: BLOND - 'The Lilac years' (Swedish Fontana) Ex/M- Bids. Othe scandi-psych items too
4.07 FOR SALE: Leviathan double - 45 promo pack. Mint vinyl. pack:- Ex, slightly knocked at edges. Good offers please
4.08 WANTED: Swinging 60s chick for penpal type thing. Must be cool fab and very groovy and willing to frug
4.09 Demure, Julie Christie - type seeks handsome attentive actor Must own e-type and pad in Chelsea. Reply Box 69
4.10 WANTED : Rupert's People original (yellow) badge & fanclub membership card STC/condition

WEB WATCH - More internet stuff that we like
OO MIKE STUART SPAN (Link via Marmalade Skies)- very nice, and another one from Jim Mac- the world's busiest man bar none. contemporary press cuttings,loads of info,nice pics, all presented in a colourful and stylish way. Highly recommended.
OO GIBRALTAR ENCYCLPOAEDIA OF PROGRESSIVE ROCK- OK, so it's nowhere near the scale of Vernon's book...BUT it does give more info than that tome, on the type and quality of the music, so as a guide to potential purchases it's extremely useful.
OO ROCKINBEAT- http://www.rockinbeat.de/ superb stuff. Gabor & the gang are reissueing some of the rarest beat and psych LPs. A nice international selection and very competitively priced they are too.
OO TAPESTRY OF DELIGHTS (various links)- Nice to see that Borderline are still correcting this work (well...very occasionally). It's an essential book but it does need a damned good seeing to. Pity Vernon is busy with other things...

TIL WE MEET AGAIN...
Next time we'll have articles on EYES OF BLUE, ALPHABEAT, THE MOTIVES EP, a review of the new RUPERT'S PEOPLE comp, plus all the usual features. Sorry that the PRETTY THINGS fell off somewhere along the line, when we find 'em and dust 'em down, we'll put 'em in the next issue.
Au revoir mes enfants!!!

As we said in our Christmas speech: issues 1&2 are, by an ancient alchemical process, being converted from paper to computer, so, soon you'll all be able to read our early stuff ('L' Plates not included!)

All contents are copyright (c) 2002 Sweet Floral Albion
The Bumper Book of Psych Quotations by Roger St. John, is copyright of the publisher: Tangerine Books (Lo
Sweet Floral Albion is published monthly (well, we do try) and is edited by The Right Honourable David Thubron, CBE, LSD, BSE.

love love love love love love love love love love love love love love