eddievanzant
01-18-2006, 05:35 AM
Wanna here some kickass music that'll make Pink Floyd seem, um, slightly less trippy and whatnot? Here are 7 totally kickass Psychadaelic Rock albums. The only way this could get any better would be to get them in surround sound like the old Floyd albums.
http://www.meganova.org/download/959e0c09681f37dbd60c38d2a8db75760f84735b.torrent
Also, for cosmic sounds, I'm pretty sure it says it in the art, but YOU MUST PLAY THE ALBUM IN THE DARK.
Superb Albums of US Psychedelic Rock 1967-72
Size: 684 MM
Bitrade: 256
mp3
Ripped By: ChrisGoes(Psych)
Artwork Included
Tracker: tracker.prq.to/announce
The Flow - The Flow´s Greatest Hits (US Stoned HeavyFuzz 1972)
From New York, this trio was responsible for one (and a half) of the most sought-after private pressings of the early seventies. The music of The Flow is intensely heavy but still indebted to melody. The songs are full of ideas and largely avoid the pitfalls of the usual blues-based/trio format. It Swallowed The Sun is about the heaviest blast of rock ever to open a record, but ten minutes later the band is gently breathing through Meditations and then into Bach's Toccata In D Minor. The Flow were only three, but there are no weak points to be found in their musical integrity. The original LP cover is pretty mindblowing as well. About the only fault to be mentioned is the recording quality - it sounds like the music was recorded live in a big room and the vocals overdubbed later. It's not a disaster by any means, though - and the Shadoks reissue (which has considerably better sound than the bootlegs) is recommended.
Pete Fine obviously used Flow as a catalyst for ideas, and themes from this period turned up in all the recordings he made throughout the seventies. The Flow disbanded when his girlfriend inherited some money and they moved to Arizona. He put together a new and entirely different kind of band there, and in 1974 made a solo album that holds a similarly mind blowing status among record collectors.
Monte Farber went on to become an author: "The truth is that I've moved on from making music of a spiritual secret nature to writing books of a metaphysical nature that have done quite well, thank you. So take care and keep up the good work". He adds: "Flow was a great band, what the record didn't capture was that our real love and our real speciality was to just stand up and jam. It was truly amazing and we were like one mind, waaaaaaaayyyyyyyy ahead of our time and of this time, too, unfortunately."
1. It Swallowed the Sun
2. Searchin
3. Funny Funkin Woman
4. Mediations
5. Toccata
6. Bijinkes
7. Mousely
8. Troubadour Between Sets
9. Third Movement
10. Get Up & Smile
11. Sunday Night Randoms
12. I Saw a Dog
13. Insanity Creeping
14. Things We Said Today
15. Baghdad Express
16. Wynds
The Litter - Distortions (Very Rare US GaragePunk 1967)
The name "The Litter" was presented to the band by Jim Kane and chosen over several other suggestions including "The Mustys". The original connotation of "The Litter" referred to a "litter" of puppies NOT trash or garbage as many people have assumed over the years. The album title $100 Fine was in part responsible for perpetuating this misconception.
Tom "Zip" Caplan replaced Bill Strandlof in 1967 after Bill had recorded Action Woman, Legal Matter and Soul Searchin' for the Distortions album. The album was finished with "Zip" playing lead on the rest of the tracks.
In the early days "The Litter" would learn songs from English albums imported to Jim Kane from a friend. Not yet released in the United States, these songs were mistaken by audiences for original "Litter" tunes.
"The Litter" was the first group in the Mid-West to use lights and strobes in their stage act.
Dan Rinaldi was the first musician in "The Litter", and in fact in the entire Mid-West, to smash his equipment on stage.
"The Litter" as a group was the first band in the Mid-West to use fire and smoke as well as wrecking their equipment as part of their stage show.
Contrary to popular belief it was "The Litter" not "The Electras" (later renamed "Twas Brillig" for the national release of Warren Kendrick's Dirty Old Man) who recorded Action Woman first in Nov. 1966. "The Electras" recorded their own version for Kendrick in the spring of 1967, but this 45 rpm was never released and is extremely rare. "The Litter" 45 rpm of Action Woman also commands big bucks on todays collectors market.
The song Action Woman written by Warren Kendrick, was a major regional hit, but never made the national charts.
Action Woman was re-released in 1968 with Whatcha Gonna Do About It? on the flip side. Due to a very limited pressing this 45rpm is also extremely rare.
Action Woman has been covered over the years by "The Lime Spiders" on their album The Cave Comes Alive - Virgin Records - Vinyl LP - 1987, "The Hypstrz" on their picture sleeve vinyl EP - Bogus Records - 1979 and by "Naz Nomad and The Nightmares" (formerly "The Damned") on the British album Give Daddy The Knife Cindy - Big Beat Records - Vinyl LP - 1984. and The Tall Boys on the compilation album Single Minded - Big Beat Records - CD - WIKD109. All of these records are out of print with the exception of the "Naz Nomad" which is available on CD.
Action Woman has been covered live by "The Replacements", Ken Hyland and "Jordan and the Half Transplants", the latter two are East Coast bands. The original version of the song appears on the soon to be released The Litter - Live at Mirage - 1990 and was updated in 1992 by "The Litter" for the new studio album Re-Emerge.
The song Soul Searchin' from the album Distortions, was originally titled (Just A Little) Soul Searchin' on the 45 rpm and was recorded first by "The Electras", another Warren Kendrick group. It has since been covered by "The Cynics" (Get-Hip GH-1000) on the album Blue Train Station.
The instrumental The Mummy which follows Substitute on the album Distortions was arranged by "Zip" Caplan and keyboardist Bernie Bomberg in 1963 after hearing it in the 1932 Boris Karloff film The Mummy.
Jim Kane not Denny Waite recorded the Hammond Organ parts on The Mummy for the album Distortions, Denny Waite played the parts on stage.
The title Distortions was Warren Kendrick's idea after he realized that almost every song on the album utilized fuzz tone guitars.
Every sound effect heard on I'm A Man from the Distortions album was created by a musical instrument and to keep the vocals in character with these strange and wild sounds, Denny Waite sang through a filter.
The little "ditty" heard at the very end of the K-Tel re-issue of Distortions was played by Denny Waite as a joke between takes and was recorded by accident. Excluded from the original Distortions it is untitled on the re-issue. Denny, who wrote it while in High School, calls it Harpsichord Sonata #1.
Contrary to popular belief, the second "Litter" album $100 Fine, had fewer copies pressed (1000), than its predecessor Distortions with 2000 copies.
The album name $100 Fine was "Zippy" Caplan's idea after he saw a sign on the highway during a road trip to Chicago with the warning "No Littering - $100 Fine".
Unable to come up with an idea for the $100 Fine album cover, "Zippy" Caplan suggested to Warren Kendrick that a color photo of Denny Waite's face be blown up to dot information proportions but Kenrick used a picture of one of Murrays' drums instead.
Blues One from the $100 Fine album was the first original song exclusively written by "Litter" members.
In order to fill out time on Side 1 of the $100 Fine album, the last track was added by Warren Kendrick after the album was finished. Calling it Apologies to 2069 Warren put it together in the studio using parts of Action Woman slowed down and parts of Tallyman and Kaleidoscope played backwards. Mixed with electronic sound effects, he used to say it was his way of apologizing to the people of the future for the crude recording technologies of the 1960's.
The song Kaleidoscope from the album $100 Fine was the first American made recording to use the then new phasing technology thanks to Warren Kendrick.
The version of "The Zombies" She's Not There used on the $100 Fine album was arranged by "Zippy" Caplan and guitarist friend Randy Resnick ("John Mayall Group") and presented to "The Litter" by Caplan. The idea for the arrangement came to the two guitarists while they were experimenting with the song after being influenced by the "Doors'" Light My Fire and "Quicksilver's" Gold and Silver.
The album $100 Fine was #10 on the Twin Cities album charts in 1968 and received a major write-up and review in the Star and Tribune.
"The Litter" recorded a song called Angelica while in Texas recording $100 Fine in 1968. Since the vocalist was J. Frank Wilson (Last Kiss fame) this song was excluded from the album's final version. Due for release by J. Frank Wilson, it was pulled after (a very similar type song) Honey (Bobby Goldsboro) hit the charts big. This cut, to date, has not appeared on any "Litter" album or compilation and is the rarest "Litter" recording.
Angelica, written by the well known songwriting team of Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann, was originally released by Barry Mann on Capital in July 1966 and later re-released in 1971 by Ed Ames on RCA. Neither version became a hit song.
"The Litter" recorded 8 songs with Larry Loofbourrow and Ted Dooley at Goldstar Studios in California during the late 60's. Also involved in these recording sessions were Roy Hensley ("The Castaways") David Z. (formerly David Rivkin - "The Chancellors" and Prince's chief engineer), and Bruce Pedalty ("The Accents") on keyboard. These songs are as yet unreleased. Loofbourrow was a "Litter" songwriter in the 1960's - Morning Sun, Confessions (of a Traveler Through Time) and The Egyptian. Later he penned Coming Down for "White Lightning".
Dan Rinaldi took center stage and sang the lead vocal on only one song at live "Litter" performances. "The Music Machine's" Talk Talk brought down the house every time. (This song can be heard for the first time ever on the album The Litter - Live At Mirage 1990 - soon to be released.)
"The Litter" was the No. 1 draw in Chicago clubs in the late 1960's with the main venue being The Electric Theatre.
Aaron Russo (Bette Midler's long time manager) owned The Electric Theatre and wanted to manage the group. He was turned down.
In 1968 Electra Records made an offer to sign the group after their performance at the famed Cheetah Club in LA. with "Genesis" and "The Iron Butterfly".
In August 1968 "The Litter" recorded 7 songs live at The Electric Theatre for the movie "Medium Cool". The band was paid $500 for the days shooting, but when the movie was released to theatres the scenes of "The Litter" on stage were intact but the soundtrack was Frank Zappa.
In 1969 The Electric Theatre in Chicago held a contest to see which band was louder, "The Litter", or "Blue Cheer". "The Litter" won hands down.
ABC Probe Records signed "The Litter" sight unseen to a recording contract and the album Emerge - The Litter was recorded in Michigan. Although the record was charting in Billboard and the group was touring the U.S. with acts like "The Who", unavailability of their albums due to distribution problems, plagued the group everywhere they appeared.
The album Emerge - The Litter is the only album by the group to chart in Billboard magazine.
The album Emerge - The Litter was #1 in Puerto Rico and successful as well in the European market.
The single Silly People (flip side Feeling) from the album Emerge - The Litter was picked as a Special Merit Spotlight in Billboard magazine, but was banned from airplay by some radio stations because of the lyrics.
"The Litter" often played on a double bill with ("White") "Lightning".
All the albums by "The Litter" have been bootlegged on vinyl and/or CD since the early 80's. Their quality is fair to poor at best.
The bootlegged record The Litter - Rare Tracks is NOT a "Litter" album. Only 5 of the 14 songs are actual "Litter" recordings. The remaining tracks are by other real groups and not by "The Litter" using alias recording names, as stated in the albums liner notes.
For a period of time in the 1980's a band was touring certain European cities calling themselves "The Litter" It is unknown if anyone realized this group was a phony.
The K-Tel Re-Issue of Distortions made the Top 10 List of album Re-Issues for 1991 as reported by "Flashback", a music industry trade publication.
The K-Tel Re-Issue of $100 Fine received notice and a write-up in Billboard Magazine's "GrassRoots" column.
"The Litter" has toured all over the United States and Canada playing such venues as The Electric Theatre - Chicago, The Peppermint Lounge - New York, "Cheetah" Club in L.A. and the Chicago Amphitheater among many others. They also appeared on an East Coast syndicated Top 40 TV show, the locally syndicated B-Sharp Beat and the famous network TV Rock Variety Series "Hullabaloo". The band has been billed with such famous acts as "The Who", "Brian Augar", "Canned Heat". "The Iron Butterfly", "Genesis", "Eric Burdon & War", "Blue Cheer", "Joe Cocker", "Grand Funk Railroad" "Led Zeppelin" and "Cream" to mention just a few.
"The Litter" has been written up in countless books and magazines including "Billboard", "Cream Magazine" - Detroit, "Kansas City Free Press", "Pulse", "Goldmine", "New Music Report", "Mpls. Star & Tribune", "St. Paul Pioneer Press", "Chicago Tribune", and "Twin Cities Reader". Articles on the group can be found in the books "The Acid Trip - A Complete Guide to Psychedelic Music" published in the U.K. in 1988, Joel Whitburns "Top Pop Albums 1955-1996", Tom Tourvilles "Minnesota Rocked - The 1960's" (all 4 editions), "The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music" Vol. 4 L-P, "The Rolling Stone Illustrated History of Rock and Roll" - 1997- Random House and numerous Record Price Guides and Music Listing Editions.
There have been 12 different versions of "The Litter" from 1966-2000.
Produced by: Warren Kendrick
Recorded in 1966 at: Dove Recording Studios, Minneapolis
and Warren Kendrick's Lake Street Studio, Minneapolis
The Litter
Dennis Waite: Lead Vocals, keyboard, blues harp
Tom 'Zip' Caplan: Lead guitar, vocals, arrangements, special effects
James Worthington Kane III: Bass guitar, vocals, SFX
Dan Rinaldi: Rhythm guitar, vocals, special effects
Tom Murray: Percussion
01 - Action Woman - 2.33
02 - Whatcha Gonna do About it - 2.27
03 - Codine - 4.32
04 - Somebody Help Me - 1.57
05 - Substitute - 2.36
06 - The Mummy - 1.26
07 - I'm So Glad - 3.49
08 - A Legal Matter - 2.50
09 - Rack My Mind - 3.42
10 - Soul-Searchin' - 2.50
11 - I'm a Man - 4.03
12 - Hey Joe - 4.10
13 - Harpsichord Sonata #1 (Bonus) - 0.27
14 - Here I Go Again (Bonus) - 2.40
15 - The Egyptian (Bonus) - 2.54
16 - (Under The Screaming Double) Eagle (Bonus) - 3.03
17 - Confessions (of a Traveler Through Time) (Bonus) - 2.24
18 - Blues One (Bonus) - 4.06
19 - She's Not There (Bonus) - 7.55
20 - Pegasus (Bonus) - 3.19
The Rose Garden - The Rose Garden (Good US West Coast Rock 1968)
Most folks remember this band solely for the song 'Next Plane to London' that leads off this album, but for fans of California folk-rock, this record has some real gems, not the least of which are the two Gene Clark songs, 'Till Today' and 'Long Time', that Clark wrote for them and were never recorded by anybody else! Then there?s the three tunes contributed by Pat Vegas, co-founder of Redbone, and another song co-written by legendary producer Bob Johnston (Dylan, Simon & Garfunkel); these guys were very definitely in the mix of that oh-so-heady late ?60s SoCal folk-rock scene (they were even managed by Buffalo Springfield?s management team), which guitarist John Noreen expounds upon in Richie Unterberger?s notes. Don?t overlook this one, ?60s rock fans! Also includes 'I?m Only Second; February Sunshine; Coins of Fun; Rider; She Belongs to Me; Flower Tone', and 'Look What You?ve Done'. A 'Collectors? Choice Music' exclusive!
1. Next Plane to London
2. I'm Only Second
3. February Sunshine
4. Coins of Fun
5. Rider
6. She Belongs to Me
7. Flower Town
8. Till Today
9. Look What You've Done
10. Long Time
The Zodiac - Cosmic Sounds (Good US Psychedelia 1967)
The Zodiac, the greatest semi-band in the world? This little piece of work is their only album together, though many of them had and would work together again in other stuff. Anyhoohas, the music is excellent, and the narration is...we, the narration is utterly 60s. It says "Must Be Played In The Dark" on the cover, and that's approporiate, but for the words, an additional "Must be Played While Stoned" would be nice. Cyrus Faryar has a cool voice, but Jac Wilson's words are so dated and sound so silly now that it sounds totally absurd. My dad laughs every time he hears the words, expecially "six men and six trees" on Taurus.
The Moog is hot stuff on this one. PaulBeaver blows off some sweet riffs. Emil Richards shows off fine percussive tricks, Hal Blaine shows fine drumming, finer than any of his session work. Carol Kaye has some fine bass goin' too. Bud Shank can creep you out with his flute work, Nobody knows the guitar players' names, which is sad, 'cause they give this a hot California acid rock feel that makes me wonder when Grace Slick will jump in. Wilson's poetry sounds pretty Jim Morrison also!
Highlights:
Leo-Lord Of Lights, this is the happiest song on the album. Real coo, guitar funk there!
Taurus-The Voluptuary: Heavy Metal synth blasts the opening riff into youe ears and some creepy flute keeps you goin.
Sagittarius-The Versatile Daredevil: Circus music gone mad. Swirling sythns tricks and Cyrus's slightly crazy vocals make this worthwhile
Capricorn-The Uncapricious Climber: More creepy flute and some exotic synth make this is cool little piece of ghost rock.
In my personal list of the Ten Best Rock Albums, this is right there at ten! Believe me, the narration is a bit silly, but the voice si cool and the music is top notch! This is one truly forgotten classic.
1. Aries -- The Fire Fighter
2. Taurus -- The Voluptuary
3. Gemini -- The Cool Eye
4. Cancer -- The Moonchild
5. Leo -- The Lord of Lights
6. Virgo -- The Perceptual Perfectionist
7. Libra -- The Flowerchild
8. Scorpio -- The Passionate Hero
9. Sagittarius -- The Versatile Daredevil
10. Capricorn -- The Uncapricious Climber
11. Aquarius -- The Lover of Life
12. Pisces -- The Peace Piper
Wailing Wall - Wailing Wall (US Psychedelic Rock 1970)
CD version of this excellent U.S. psychedelic rock outfits sole album recorded in 1970. They move from heavy sounds to soft and melodic vibes with long trippy passages that need liquid lights on as you fully soak up the music. Some of the unusual rhythms in 'Scissor Tailed Swallow' and 'Country of the Goose', are really quite unique and make this a really good psych album.An 8 page informative booklet rounds off the package.
1. Scissor-Tailed Swallow
2. Country of the Goose
3. Flying
4. Hot Summer's Night
5. Mad Rapper
6. Dark House/Crazy Nights
7. I'm Running Low
8. Meet My Dreams
Velvert Turner Group - Velvert Turner Group (US Jimi Hendrix Influenced Rock 1972)
New York born friend and protégé of Jimi Hendrix cut this album in 1972 supported by Presscot Niles and Tim McGovern(both of whom appeared on the Randy California Kapt Kopter LP)." versions of this album were recorded and this is the heavier of the 2 which retained the wild acid soloing in the mix.
Velvert Turner was apparently a friend of Jimi Hendrix's, and the Hendrix vibe on the album Velvert Turner Group is almost overpowering, right down to the fish-eye photo on the back cover. Turner's got great guitar tone and a playing style quite similar to Jimi. The songs are also similar to later-period Hendrix, circa First Rays of the New Rising Sun, but with some keyboards added. In fact, "Three O'Clock Train" starts out with a riff very close to "Izabella," then sounds more like "51st Anniversary" in the body of the tune. The really shocking thing, though, is how much Turner's voice sounds like Jimi. It's jarring, right down to the same vocal inflections. But it doesn't sound like imitation, it just sounds like they came from the same places. The songs are good, although not the equal of Hendrix's, but some of the guitar playing is great, with some good feedback and panning effects to boot. It's certainly derivative, but Jimi left so few official albums that this will be a welcome sound to Hendrix fans.
01 - Madonna (of The Seven Sons) - 3.39
02 - Talkin´´Bout My Baby - 4.00
03 - Country Chicken - 2.48
04 - Strangely Neww - 5.15
05 - Scarlet Warrior - 3.33
06 - Trhee O´ Clock Train - 5.09
07 - Just Look And See - 4.23
08 - Excuse Me, Gentlemen (The Fall Of Atlantis) - 4.27
09 - (Love Rides) The Slow Swirling Seas - 3.36
10 - Freedom - 5.49
White Lightning - Strikes Twice (US Raw Heavy Psychedelia 1968-69)
Hard fuzz trio featuring the blazing leads of Zippy Caplan (ex-Litter). The band was less garagy and more pounding hardrock than the Litter. "Under the Screaming Double Eagle" collects studio tracks from 1969. White Lightning was a slang term for LSD at the time (and bootleg whiskey prior to that). The group added two new members and shortened their name to Lightning. They continued in the hardrock mode but now with dual leads. "Lightning" is another excellent effort, just missing the certain magic they possessed as a power trio.
"White Lightning" was formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1968 by ex-"Litter" guitarist "Zippy" Caplan and bassist Woody Woodrich. The two musicians had been jamming together for close to a year before they decided to become a group.
The name "White Lightning" was picked by "Zip" Caplan and Woody Woodrich during their drive back from the "Litter's" filming of "Medium Cool" because it was another name for acid.
"White Lightning's" original drummer, Garr Johnson, quit the group after only a months rehearsals because he didn't believe a three-piece act could make it in Minneapolis. Mick Stanhope was immediately brought in from Chicago by Ronn Roberts to fill the empty drummer's chair.
1. Prelude to Opus Iv
2. [Under the Screaming Double]
3. Born Too Rich
4. Coming Down
5. Borrowed and Blue
6. Bogged Down
7. Let Me Feel It Too
8. Only Love
9. Age [Version 1]
10. Fantasy Days [Version 1]
11. No Time for Love
12. William Tell
13. Prelude to Opus Iv [Ver 2]
14. Freedom
15. Groundhog
16. 1930
17. Just Let the World Roll on B
18. Before My Time
19. Age [Version 2]
20. Fantasy Days [Version 2]
http://www.meganova.org/download/959e0c09681f37dbd60c38d2a8db75760f84735b.torrent
Also, for cosmic sounds, I'm pretty sure it says it in the art, but YOU MUST PLAY THE ALBUM IN THE DARK.
Superb Albums of US Psychedelic Rock 1967-72
Size: 684 MM
Bitrade: 256
mp3
Ripped By: ChrisGoes(Psych)
Artwork Included
Tracker: tracker.prq.to/announce
The Flow - The Flow´s Greatest Hits (US Stoned HeavyFuzz 1972)
From New York, this trio was responsible for one (and a half) of the most sought-after private pressings of the early seventies. The music of The Flow is intensely heavy but still indebted to melody. The songs are full of ideas and largely avoid the pitfalls of the usual blues-based/trio format. It Swallowed The Sun is about the heaviest blast of rock ever to open a record, but ten minutes later the band is gently breathing through Meditations and then into Bach's Toccata In D Minor. The Flow were only three, but there are no weak points to be found in their musical integrity. The original LP cover is pretty mindblowing as well. About the only fault to be mentioned is the recording quality - it sounds like the music was recorded live in a big room and the vocals overdubbed later. It's not a disaster by any means, though - and the Shadoks reissue (which has considerably better sound than the bootlegs) is recommended.
Pete Fine obviously used Flow as a catalyst for ideas, and themes from this period turned up in all the recordings he made throughout the seventies. The Flow disbanded when his girlfriend inherited some money and they moved to Arizona. He put together a new and entirely different kind of band there, and in 1974 made a solo album that holds a similarly mind blowing status among record collectors.
Monte Farber went on to become an author: "The truth is that I've moved on from making music of a spiritual secret nature to writing books of a metaphysical nature that have done quite well, thank you. So take care and keep up the good work". He adds: "Flow was a great band, what the record didn't capture was that our real love and our real speciality was to just stand up and jam. It was truly amazing and we were like one mind, waaaaaaaayyyyyyyy ahead of our time and of this time, too, unfortunately."
1. It Swallowed the Sun
2. Searchin
3. Funny Funkin Woman
4. Mediations
5. Toccata
6. Bijinkes
7. Mousely
8. Troubadour Between Sets
9. Third Movement
10. Get Up & Smile
11. Sunday Night Randoms
12. I Saw a Dog
13. Insanity Creeping
14. Things We Said Today
15. Baghdad Express
16. Wynds
The Litter - Distortions (Very Rare US GaragePunk 1967)
The name "The Litter" was presented to the band by Jim Kane and chosen over several other suggestions including "The Mustys". The original connotation of "The Litter" referred to a "litter" of puppies NOT trash or garbage as many people have assumed over the years. The album title $100 Fine was in part responsible for perpetuating this misconception.
Tom "Zip" Caplan replaced Bill Strandlof in 1967 after Bill had recorded Action Woman, Legal Matter and Soul Searchin' for the Distortions album. The album was finished with "Zip" playing lead on the rest of the tracks.
In the early days "The Litter" would learn songs from English albums imported to Jim Kane from a friend. Not yet released in the United States, these songs were mistaken by audiences for original "Litter" tunes.
"The Litter" was the first group in the Mid-West to use lights and strobes in their stage act.
Dan Rinaldi was the first musician in "The Litter", and in fact in the entire Mid-West, to smash his equipment on stage.
"The Litter" as a group was the first band in the Mid-West to use fire and smoke as well as wrecking their equipment as part of their stage show.
Contrary to popular belief it was "The Litter" not "The Electras" (later renamed "Twas Brillig" for the national release of Warren Kendrick's Dirty Old Man) who recorded Action Woman first in Nov. 1966. "The Electras" recorded their own version for Kendrick in the spring of 1967, but this 45 rpm was never released and is extremely rare. "The Litter" 45 rpm of Action Woman also commands big bucks on todays collectors market.
The song Action Woman written by Warren Kendrick, was a major regional hit, but never made the national charts.
Action Woman was re-released in 1968 with Whatcha Gonna Do About It? on the flip side. Due to a very limited pressing this 45rpm is also extremely rare.
Action Woman has been covered over the years by "The Lime Spiders" on their album The Cave Comes Alive - Virgin Records - Vinyl LP - 1987, "The Hypstrz" on their picture sleeve vinyl EP - Bogus Records - 1979 and by "Naz Nomad and The Nightmares" (formerly "The Damned") on the British album Give Daddy The Knife Cindy - Big Beat Records - Vinyl LP - 1984. and The Tall Boys on the compilation album Single Minded - Big Beat Records - CD - WIKD109. All of these records are out of print with the exception of the "Naz Nomad" which is available on CD.
Action Woman has been covered live by "The Replacements", Ken Hyland and "Jordan and the Half Transplants", the latter two are East Coast bands. The original version of the song appears on the soon to be released The Litter - Live at Mirage - 1990 and was updated in 1992 by "The Litter" for the new studio album Re-Emerge.
The song Soul Searchin' from the album Distortions, was originally titled (Just A Little) Soul Searchin' on the 45 rpm and was recorded first by "The Electras", another Warren Kendrick group. It has since been covered by "The Cynics" (Get-Hip GH-1000) on the album Blue Train Station.
The instrumental The Mummy which follows Substitute on the album Distortions was arranged by "Zip" Caplan and keyboardist Bernie Bomberg in 1963 after hearing it in the 1932 Boris Karloff film The Mummy.
Jim Kane not Denny Waite recorded the Hammond Organ parts on The Mummy for the album Distortions, Denny Waite played the parts on stage.
The title Distortions was Warren Kendrick's idea after he realized that almost every song on the album utilized fuzz tone guitars.
Every sound effect heard on I'm A Man from the Distortions album was created by a musical instrument and to keep the vocals in character with these strange and wild sounds, Denny Waite sang through a filter.
The little "ditty" heard at the very end of the K-Tel re-issue of Distortions was played by Denny Waite as a joke between takes and was recorded by accident. Excluded from the original Distortions it is untitled on the re-issue. Denny, who wrote it while in High School, calls it Harpsichord Sonata #1.
Contrary to popular belief, the second "Litter" album $100 Fine, had fewer copies pressed (1000), than its predecessor Distortions with 2000 copies.
The album name $100 Fine was "Zippy" Caplan's idea after he saw a sign on the highway during a road trip to Chicago with the warning "No Littering - $100 Fine".
Unable to come up with an idea for the $100 Fine album cover, "Zippy" Caplan suggested to Warren Kendrick that a color photo of Denny Waite's face be blown up to dot information proportions but Kenrick used a picture of one of Murrays' drums instead.
Blues One from the $100 Fine album was the first original song exclusively written by "Litter" members.
In order to fill out time on Side 1 of the $100 Fine album, the last track was added by Warren Kendrick after the album was finished. Calling it Apologies to 2069 Warren put it together in the studio using parts of Action Woman slowed down and parts of Tallyman and Kaleidoscope played backwards. Mixed with electronic sound effects, he used to say it was his way of apologizing to the people of the future for the crude recording technologies of the 1960's.
The song Kaleidoscope from the album $100 Fine was the first American made recording to use the then new phasing technology thanks to Warren Kendrick.
The version of "The Zombies" She's Not There used on the $100 Fine album was arranged by "Zippy" Caplan and guitarist friend Randy Resnick ("John Mayall Group") and presented to "The Litter" by Caplan. The idea for the arrangement came to the two guitarists while they were experimenting with the song after being influenced by the "Doors'" Light My Fire and "Quicksilver's" Gold and Silver.
The album $100 Fine was #10 on the Twin Cities album charts in 1968 and received a major write-up and review in the Star and Tribune.
"The Litter" recorded a song called Angelica while in Texas recording $100 Fine in 1968. Since the vocalist was J. Frank Wilson (Last Kiss fame) this song was excluded from the album's final version. Due for release by J. Frank Wilson, it was pulled after (a very similar type song) Honey (Bobby Goldsboro) hit the charts big. This cut, to date, has not appeared on any "Litter" album or compilation and is the rarest "Litter" recording.
Angelica, written by the well known songwriting team of Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann, was originally released by Barry Mann on Capital in July 1966 and later re-released in 1971 by Ed Ames on RCA. Neither version became a hit song.
"The Litter" recorded 8 songs with Larry Loofbourrow and Ted Dooley at Goldstar Studios in California during the late 60's. Also involved in these recording sessions were Roy Hensley ("The Castaways") David Z. (formerly David Rivkin - "The Chancellors" and Prince's chief engineer), and Bruce Pedalty ("The Accents") on keyboard. These songs are as yet unreleased. Loofbourrow was a "Litter" songwriter in the 1960's - Morning Sun, Confessions (of a Traveler Through Time) and The Egyptian. Later he penned Coming Down for "White Lightning".
Dan Rinaldi took center stage and sang the lead vocal on only one song at live "Litter" performances. "The Music Machine's" Talk Talk brought down the house every time. (This song can be heard for the first time ever on the album The Litter - Live At Mirage 1990 - soon to be released.)
"The Litter" was the No. 1 draw in Chicago clubs in the late 1960's with the main venue being The Electric Theatre.
Aaron Russo (Bette Midler's long time manager) owned The Electric Theatre and wanted to manage the group. He was turned down.
In 1968 Electra Records made an offer to sign the group after their performance at the famed Cheetah Club in LA. with "Genesis" and "The Iron Butterfly".
In August 1968 "The Litter" recorded 7 songs live at The Electric Theatre for the movie "Medium Cool". The band was paid $500 for the days shooting, but when the movie was released to theatres the scenes of "The Litter" on stage were intact but the soundtrack was Frank Zappa.
In 1969 The Electric Theatre in Chicago held a contest to see which band was louder, "The Litter", or "Blue Cheer". "The Litter" won hands down.
ABC Probe Records signed "The Litter" sight unseen to a recording contract and the album Emerge - The Litter was recorded in Michigan. Although the record was charting in Billboard and the group was touring the U.S. with acts like "The Who", unavailability of their albums due to distribution problems, plagued the group everywhere they appeared.
The album Emerge - The Litter is the only album by the group to chart in Billboard magazine.
The album Emerge - The Litter was #1 in Puerto Rico and successful as well in the European market.
The single Silly People (flip side Feeling) from the album Emerge - The Litter was picked as a Special Merit Spotlight in Billboard magazine, but was banned from airplay by some radio stations because of the lyrics.
"The Litter" often played on a double bill with ("White") "Lightning".
All the albums by "The Litter" have been bootlegged on vinyl and/or CD since the early 80's. Their quality is fair to poor at best.
The bootlegged record The Litter - Rare Tracks is NOT a "Litter" album. Only 5 of the 14 songs are actual "Litter" recordings. The remaining tracks are by other real groups and not by "The Litter" using alias recording names, as stated in the albums liner notes.
For a period of time in the 1980's a band was touring certain European cities calling themselves "The Litter" It is unknown if anyone realized this group was a phony.
The K-Tel Re-Issue of Distortions made the Top 10 List of album Re-Issues for 1991 as reported by "Flashback", a music industry trade publication.
The K-Tel Re-Issue of $100 Fine received notice and a write-up in Billboard Magazine's "GrassRoots" column.
"The Litter" has toured all over the United States and Canada playing such venues as The Electric Theatre - Chicago, The Peppermint Lounge - New York, "Cheetah" Club in L.A. and the Chicago Amphitheater among many others. They also appeared on an East Coast syndicated Top 40 TV show, the locally syndicated B-Sharp Beat and the famous network TV Rock Variety Series "Hullabaloo". The band has been billed with such famous acts as "The Who", "Brian Augar", "Canned Heat". "The Iron Butterfly", "Genesis", "Eric Burdon & War", "Blue Cheer", "Joe Cocker", "Grand Funk Railroad" "Led Zeppelin" and "Cream" to mention just a few.
"The Litter" has been written up in countless books and magazines including "Billboard", "Cream Magazine" - Detroit, "Kansas City Free Press", "Pulse", "Goldmine", "New Music Report", "Mpls. Star & Tribune", "St. Paul Pioneer Press", "Chicago Tribune", and "Twin Cities Reader". Articles on the group can be found in the books "The Acid Trip - A Complete Guide to Psychedelic Music" published in the U.K. in 1988, Joel Whitburns "Top Pop Albums 1955-1996", Tom Tourvilles "Minnesota Rocked - The 1960's" (all 4 editions), "The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music" Vol. 4 L-P, "The Rolling Stone Illustrated History of Rock and Roll" - 1997- Random House and numerous Record Price Guides and Music Listing Editions.
There have been 12 different versions of "The Litter" from 1966-2000.
Produced by: Warren Kendrick
Recorded in 1966 at: Dove Recording Studios, Minneapolis
and Warren Kendrick's Lake Street Studio, Minneapolis
The Litter
Dennis Waite: Lead Vocals, keyboard, blues harp
Tom 'Zip' Caplan: Lead guitar, vocals, arrangements, special effects
James Worthington Kane III: Bass guitar, vocals, SFX
Dan Rinaldi: Rhythm guitar, vocals, special effects
Tom Murray: Percussion
01 - Action Woman - 2.33
02 - Whatcha Gonna do About it - 2.27
03 - Codine - 4.32
04 - Somebody Help Me - 1.57
05 - Substitute - 2.36
06 - The Mummy - 1.26
07 - I'm So Glad - 3.49
08 - A Legal Matter - 2.50
09 - Rack My Mind - 3.42
10 - Soul-Searchin' - 2.50
11 - I'm a Man - 4.03
12 - Hey Joe - 4.10
13 - Harpsichord Sonata #1 (Bonus) - 0.27
14 - Here I Go Again (Bonus) - 2.40
15 - The Egyptian (Bonus) - 2.54
16 - (Under The Screaming Double) Eagle (Bonus) - 3.03
17 - Confessions (of a Traveler Through Time) (Bonus) - 2.24
18 - Blues One (Bonus) - 4.06
19 - She's Not There (Bonus) - 7.55
20 - Pegasus (Bonus) - 3.19
The Rose Garden - The Rose Garden (Good US West Coast Rock 1968)
Most folks remember this band solely for the song 'Next Plane to London' that leads off this album, but for fans of California folk-rock, this record has some real gems, not the least of which are the two Gene Clark songs, 'Till Today' and 'Long Time', that Clark wrote for them and were never recorded by anybody else! Then there?s the three tunes contributed by Pat Vegas, co-founder of Redbone, and another song co-written by legendary producer Bob Johnston (Dylan, Simon & Garfunkel); these guys were very definitely in the mix of that oh-so-heady late ?60s SoCal folk-rock scene (they were even managed by Buffalo Springfield?s management team), which guitarist John Noreen expounds upon in Richie Unterberger?s notes. Don?t overlook this one, ?60s rock fans! Also includes 'I?m Only Second; February Sunshine; Coins of Fun; Rider; She Belongs to Me; Flower Tone', and 'Look What You?ve Done'. A 'Collectors? Choice Music' exclusive!
1. Next Plane to London
2. I'm Only Second
3. February Sunshine
4. Coins of Fun
5. Rider
6. She Belongs to Me
7. Flower Town
8. Till Today
9. Look What You've Done
10. Long Time
The Zodiac - Cosmic Sounds (Good US Psychedelia 1967)
The Zodiac, the greatest semi-band in the world? This little piece of work is their only album together, though many of them had and would work together again in other stuff. Anyhoohas, the music is excellent, and the narration is...we, the narration is utterly 60s. It says "Must Be Played In The Dark" on the cover, and that's approporiate, but for the words, an additional "Must be Played While Stoned" would be nice. Cyrus Faryar has a cool voice, but Jac Wilson's words are so dated and sound so silly now that it sounds totally absurd. My dad laughs every time he hears the words, expecially "six men and six trees" on Taurus.
The Moog is hot stuff on this one. PaulBeaver blows off some sweet riffs. Emil Richards shows off fine percussive tricks, Hal Blaine shows fine drumming, finer than any of his session work. Carol Kaye has some fine bass goin' too. Bud Shank can creep you out with his flute work, Nobody knows the guitar players' names, which is sad, 'cause they give this a hot California acid rock feel that makes me wonder when Grace Slick will jump in. Wilson's poetry sounds pretty Jim Morrison also!
Highlights:
Leo-Lord Of Lights, this is the happiest song on the album. Real coo, guitar funk there!
Taurus-The Voluptuary: Heavy Metal synth blasts the opening riff into youe ears and some creepy flute keeps you goin.
Sagittarius-The Versatile Daredevil: Circus music gone mad. Swirling sythns tricks and Cyrus's slightly crazy vocals make this worthwhile
Capricorn-The Uncapricious Climber: More creepy flute and some exotic synth make this is cool little piece of ghost rock.
In my personal list of the Ten Best Rock Albums, this is right there at ten! Believe me, the narration is a bit silly, but the voice si cool and the music is top notch! This is one truly forgotten classic.
1. Aries -- The Fire Fighter
2. Taurus -- The Voluptuary
3. Gemini -- The Cool Eye
4. Cancer -- The Moonchild
5. Leo -- The Lord of Lights
6. Virgo -- The Perceptual Perfectionist
7. Libra -- The Flowerchild
8. Scorpio -- The Passionate Hero
9. Sagittarius -- The Versatile Daredevil
10. Capricorn -- The Uncapricious Climber
11. Aquarius -- The Lover of Life
12. Pisces -- The Peace Piper
Wailing Wall - Wailing Wall (US Psychedelic Rock 1970)
CD version of this excellent U.S. psychedelic rock outfits sole album recorded in 1970. They move from heavy sounds to soft and melodic vibes with long trippy passages that need liquid lights on as you fully soak up the music. Some of the unusual rhythms in 'Scissor Tailed Swallow' and 'Country of the Goose', are really quite unique and make this a really good psych album.An 8 page informative booklet rounds off the package.
1. Scissor-Tailed Swallow
2. Country of the Goose
3. Flying
4. Hot Summer's Night
5. Mad Rapper
6. Dark House/Crazy Nights
7. I'm Running Low
8. Meet My Dreams
Velvert Turner Group - Velvert Turner Group (US Jimi Hendrix Influenced Rock 1972)
New York born friend and protégé of Jimi Hendrix cut this album in 1972 supported by Presscot Niles and Tim McGovern(both of whom appeared on the Randy California Kapt Kopter LP)." versions of this album were recorded and this is the heavier of the 2 which retained the wild acid soloing in the mix.
Velvert Turner was apparently a friend of Jimi Hendrix's, and the Hendrix vibe on the album Velvert Turner Group is almost overpowering, right down to the fish-eye photo on the back cover. Turner's got great guitar tone and a playing style quite similar to Jimi. The songs are also similar to later-period Hendrix, circa First Rays of the New Rising Sun, but with some keyboards added. In fact, "Three O'Clock Train" starts out with a riff very close to "Izabella," then sounds more like "51st Anniversary" in the body of the tune. The really shocking thing, though, is how much Turner's voice sounds like Jimi. It's jarring, right down to the same vocal inflections. But it doesn't sound like imitation, it just sounds like they came from the same places. The songs are good, although not the equal of Hendrix's, but some of the guitar playing is great, with some good feedback and panning effects to boot. It's certainly derivative, but Jimi left so few official albums that this will be a welcome sound to Hendrix fans.
01 - Madonna (of The Seven Sons) - 3.39
02 - Talkin´´Bout My Baby - 4.00
03 - Country Chicken - 2.48
04 - Strangely Neww - 5.15
05 - Scarlet Warrior - 3.33
06 - Trhee O´ Clock Train - 5.09
07 - Just Look And See - 4.23
08 - Excuse Me, Gentlemen (The Fall Of Atlantis) - 4.27
09 - (Love Rides) The Slow Swirling Seas - 3.36
10 - Freedom - 5.49
White Lightning - Strikes Twice (US Raw Heavy Psychedelia 1968-69)
Hard fuzz trio featuring the blazing leads of Zippy Caplan (ex-Litter). The band was less garagy and more pounding hardrock than the Litter. "Under the Screaming Double Eagle" collects studio tracks from 1969. White Lightning was a slang term for LSD at the time (and bootleg whiskey prior to that). The group added two new members and shortened their name to Lightning. They continued in the hardrock mode but now with dual leads. "Lightning" is another excellent effort, just missing the certain magic they possessed as a power trio.
"White Lightning" was formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1968 by ex-"Litter" guitarist "Zippy" Caplan and bassist Woody Woodrich. The two musicians had been jamming together for close to a year before they decided to become a group.
The name "White Lightning" was picked by "Zip" Caplan and Woody Woodrich during their drive back from the "Litter's" filming of "Medium Cool" because it was another name for acid.
"White Lightning's" original drummer, Garr Johnson, quit the group after only a months rehearsals because he didn't believe a three-piece act could make it in Minneapolis. Mick Stanhope was immediately brought in from Chicago by Ronn Roberts to fill the empty drummer's chair.
1. Prelude to Opus Iv
2. [Under the Screaming Double]
3. Born Too Rich
4. Coming Down
5. Borrowed and Blue
6. Bogged Down
7. Let Me Feel It Too
8. Only Love
9. Age [Version 1]
10. Fantasy Days [Version 1]
11. No Time for Love
12. William Tell
13. Prelude to Opus Iv [Ver 2]
14. Freedom
15. Groundhog
16. 1930
17. Just Let the World Roll on B
18. Before My Time
19. Age [Version 2]
20. Fantasy Days [Version 2]