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12-16-2008, 03:29 PM
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#1 (permalink) |
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Music Addict
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 490
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An Alternative Look at The 1960's
Hello Good Evening and Welcome
I'm Ben and I'm a devotee of the 1960's. No no, don’t leave!, please allow me to explain. I'm not an old man; I’m actually in my mid twenties and have a girlfriend and stuff. My love affair with the 1960's started strangely enough with a band called Oasis whilst I was at high school. I loved Oasis, all that attitude, proper Mancunian lads making it big time, fresh and very much a band for the now. But Oasis was and still is 15 years on, very much a band with a retrospective view on music. In 1994 they had 4 bands they kept going on about, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Who and The Sex Pistols. Being an impressionable young man I investigated for myself what these bands were about, because if Oasis liked them, they must be good. I remember with my birthday money buying 6 Beatles albums, going home and playing the first one by date, it was Please Please Me of course, and it was not that good. Then With The Beatles went on, that was not very good either, I've spent 60 quid on this rubbish!! Getting desperate I thought I'd skip doing it in date order and I'd go with the album that I thought had the best front cover, in popped Revolver.......oh my. What has followed in my life since has been a gradual dependence on the need to discover new music that I have not heard before and in particular from the 1960's. The 1960's was a very exceptional decade, which is pretty much a given, but was it just about The Beatles and The Rolling Stones? Or was it about the thousands upon thousands of kids from all four corners of the planet getting together to create energy, create something interesting, create something dynamic, create something new. The 1960's were just as much about Sao Paulo with Os Mutantes then it was about Liverpool with The Beatles or San Francisco and its flowers. From the West Coast to The East Coast, from swinging London to the super chicness of Paris, from the Ska coming out of Jamaica to the Tropicalia movement in Brazil, the sixties is now a treasure trove of the under appreciated and the criminally neglected. With this journal I aim to bring you reviews of the albums from the 1960’s that have left their mark on the music that has followed. My aim is not to reinvent the wheel, there will be some albums that even your Dad has heard of within this thread, but mostly it will be the exciting stuff, the ear openers if you like, which I will tend to focus my time on. So I hope it’s a good interesting read and that you enjoy the thread. Thanks Ben |
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12-16-2008, 04:25 PM
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#3 (permalink) |
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Music Addict
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 490
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The Pretty Things - S.F. Sorrow
(1968)  Tracks 1 S.F. Sorrow Is Born 3:12 2 Bracelets of Fingers 3:41 3 She Says Good Morning 3:23 4 Private Sorrow 3:51 5 Balloon Burning 3:51 6 Death 3:05 7 Baron Saturday 4:01 8 The Journey 2:46 9 I See You 3:56 10 Well of Destiny 1:46 11 Trust May, Taylor, Waller 2:49 12 Old Man Going 3:09 13 Loneliest Person 1:29 14 Defecting Grey 4:30 15 Mr. Evasion 3:31 16 Talkin' About the Good Times 3:45 17 Walking Through My Dreams 3:46 The beginnings of The Pretty Things is quite interesting, initially formed by Richard Taylor, Phil May, Keith Richards and Mick Jagger, they were really an early version of The Rolling Stones. After going their separate ways and with a more stable line-up, The Pretty Things released their first two albums in 1965; "The Pretty Things" and the follow up "Get The Picture", were nothing short of being high octane R&B, making them sound a lot rawer, and some would say more pleasurable, then their counterparts The Rolling Stones. Whilst The Rolling Stones had conquered America and successfully back filled for the now touring retired Beatles, The Pretty Things were marginalised to a more niche European audience. With that in mind, in 1968 the band released an album which was far removed from their initial first two freakishly R&B albums; "S.F. Sorrow" was a first class example of the Psychedelic concept album which littered the 67-68 music scene within the UK. Recorded at Abbey Road and produced by Norman "Hurricane" Smith (producer of Piper at The Gates at Dawn), the album tells the story of a British man named Sebastian F Sorrow, from his birth right through to his eventual death, morbid stuff I grant you. But The Pretty Things with this release have successfully combined their raw bluesy roots with a new found need for experimentation with some quite marvellous results.  It's also worth mentioning, that with the CD reissue of this album, we have the delights of some cracking singles and B-Sides which the band released in 1967-68 also, making this album nothing short of an essential purchase. This release in my view is on par with any concept album created during the period. Maybe it is not as polished as Sgt Pepper and maybe it is not as well structured as Ogden's Nut Gone Flake, but with all things considered with the inclusion of the singles and with the initial album itself, SF Sorrow is a beautiful thing. From gorgeous songs such as "Trust" and "I See You", through to the highly addictive "Talkin' About The Good Times" and "Mr Evasion", to the marvellously experimental "Defecting Grey". SF Sorrow stands shoulder to shoulder with the heavy weights of the period, but remains a very much forgotten masterpiece which I reckon deserves your attention today. |
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12-17-2008, 06:55 AM
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#4 (permalink) |
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Music Addict
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 490
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Turquoise - The Further Adventures of Flossie Fillett
(2006)  Tracks 1 Tales of Flossie Fillett 3:04 2 Flying Machine 3:05 3 Sister Saxophone 3:10 4 53 Summer Street 2:52 5 The Sea Shines 4:01 6 Village Green 2:23 7 Saynia 2:52 8 Sunday Best 2:41 9 Woodstock 3:29 10 Stand Up and Be Judged 2:52 11 Woodstock 3:24 12 Flying Machine 3:06 13 Leana 2:53 14 What's Your Name 2:54 15 Mindless Child of Motherhood 3:34 16 You're Just Another Girl 2:27 17 Wrong Way 3:31 18 The Turquoise 1968 Christmas Record 1:52 When I set out to discover the wonders of the 1960's, looking beyond household names like The Beatles, The Who and The Kinks, delving beyond the bands that my Gran has never heard of like The Velvet Underground and The Standells, I learnt, sometimes with complete dismay, that there was a whole host of acts from the Sixties which for whatever reason were not as big as they should have been. In my later reviews I will cover the works of such criminally neglected bands, bands like The Sonics and The Monks, such bands are even more obscure to the general public then The Velvet Underground, and yet you could argue had similar impacts on popular music. But in this review I would like to share with you all another band who I believe should be re-examined by the NMEs of this world and that band is Turquoise. In 2006, Rev-Ola Records released an album of demos, unreleased recordings and two released singles from a London band called Turquoise. The Further Adventures of Flossie Fillett for the first time captures the work of this shockingly overlooked band when they were under the Decca umbrella and previous to that when they were unsigned and known as The Brood. Formed in 1966 in the Muswell Hill area of London, The Brood/Turquoise had close associations with both The Kinks and The Who, in fact so close were the links to these bands that both Dave Davies and The Who's Keith Moon and John Entwistle had all been on producing duty at some point for The Brood in their early career. Sometimes good connections are all you needed to make it, but The Brood had much more then just influential mates.  It was all looking good in 1968 when The Brood signed a publishing deal with Decca through Apple Corp, changed their name to Turquoise, had backing from The Rolling Stones management team, and began work on their first single. 53 Summer Street / The Tales of Flossie Fillet was a release which bizarrely never kicked in with the public, despite both songs on the release being rather strong. I'm particularly fond of the flip side Flossie Fillet; a song which I find staggering never launched the band into a long successful career. The follow up was even better; however Woodstock / Saynia had a similar low impact with the record buying public, which troubles me no end. How can a song as wonderful as Woodstock not register even a one hit wonder in 1968? Of all the songs covered in this fabulous compilation, Woodstock is by far my favourite and is possibly one of my favourite songs from the 1960s, is that a bit over the top? Well I think ultimately after one listen, a few of you might agree with my raving ways, I'm not even going to attempt to review this song's structure, Bob Dylan impersonated chorus or lyrical content, I would simply state my feeling when I first heard it, "this is outstanding" Woodstock shouldn't detract from the fact that throughout this compilation there are yet even more cracking songs and criminal acts of neglect, Sister Saxophone and Sunday Best for example, didn't even get to the printers back in 1968, how that happened I have no idea. I guess what this compilation shows, other then good on you Rev-Ola Records, is that sometimes ultimately being in the right place at the right time, can be the difference between the bands we know and love and the bands you just have to go out and discover to know and love. In 1969, Turquoise called it a day, vanishing into thin air, all we have are two cracking forgotten singles and a collection of marvellous tapes, all here on this fantastic compilation. If you like anything remotely Kinkish/Small Facerish or Brit Poppy, you should discover this band and help start to re-evaluate their career, you'd be foolish not to. |
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12-18-2008, 04:47 PM
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#5 (permalink) |
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Music Addict
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 490
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The Small Faces - Ogdens' Nut Gone Flake
(1968)  Tracks 1 Ogdens' Nut Gone Flake 2:28 2 Afterglow (Of Your Love) 3:29 3 Long Agos and Worlds Apart 2:34 4 Rene 4:31 5 Song of a Baker 3:16 6 Lazy Sunday 3:07 7 Happiness Stan 2:37 8 Rollin' Over 2:49 9 The Hungry Intruder 2:15 10 The Journey 4:09 11 Mad John 2:50 12 Happy Days Toy Town 4:18 13 Tin Soldier (Live) 3:29 Released in 1968 on the ill fated Immediate Record Label, Ogdens' Nut Gone Flake was The Small Faces developing from their RnB routes, merging it with their new found Psychedelic side (as seen with songs like Itchycoo Park and That Man), entering the world of the concept album and producing their finest collection of songs to date, which left the band number one in the UK Charts for six continuous weeks yet ultimately cast an undeniable shadow over the band's future. Side 1 of Ogdens Nut Gone Flake contains songs which would later become the measure for what defies a Small Faces song. Songs like Rene; a song about a London Docklands prostitute, and Lazy Sunday Afternoon; about feuding neighbours, were classic Marriott/Lane cheeky chappy, bringing through influences for old London Music Halls from Marriott's childhood and merging it with the modern RnB Psychedelic influences they'd both picked up along the way to create what many people would term to be the unmistakable Small Faces sound. There is also the other side of the Small Faces and in particular Marriott's soulful voice, this can be heard in all its glory on Track 2, Afterglow (of Your Love) is nothing short of brilliant, a love song with powerful soulful vocals from Marriott, matched as always by Ian McLagan's irresistible organ, underpinned by pounding rhythm from Ronnie Lane's Bass and Kenny Jones' Drums, classic Small Faces. Not only that but Side 1 begins with the title track, an instrumental, which it has to be said sounds remarkably fresh even for today's standards, so back then it must have been quite the tune with allsorts going on with it. Side 1 to summarise has everything you want from noise and in itself would make for a quality album, but what of side 2 and the concept behind that.  Well Side 2 is the story of Happiness Stan, a boy who one evening looks up at the night's sky to see that one half of the moon is missing. Told by comedic wordsmith Stanley Unwin who fills his narration with bizarrely structured sentences, backed by songs from The Small Faces, combined together they create an unusual yet fun journey. Far from being a boring 20 minute tale about lunar cycles, it's entertaining and most certainly trippy, Side 2 contains yet more quality from The Small Faces, the beefy Rollin Over, the knees up Happy Day Toy Town and the almost folk like Mad John all help make this album an unbelievable release, an audacious attempt to create an album that anyone who hears will treasure, something The Small Faces succeed with. But it could have been much more then that, the band had plans to take the album on the road, to have it played in theatres across the land, just think Queen: The Musical but much, much better. However because the band had created what was a studio masterpiece, it was pretty difficult to try and recreate that sound live. Alas though the band didn't have that much longer together to fulfil this idea. Marriott's lust to be taken seriously and to take the band away from their pop persona, boiled over in early 1969, he soon left the band and formed Humble Pie with the fear in the back of his mind that The Small Faces would never be able to top Ogdens' Nut Gone Flake. A sad end to the story of this album, but not one that should detract from what this album is, the work of pure genius and the highlight to a band's career for which we should all be thankful happened. |
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12-19-2008, 05:16 PM
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#6 (permalink) |
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Forever young
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 608
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Top thread. I am looking forward to reading this at it grows.
The Sonics. I have never heard any of their music so will be intrigued to read about them. I have The Monks and considering it's place and time of recording deserves a look at and understanding by a new generation. Looking forward to your review on that. |
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12-21-2008, 01:37 PM
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#9 (permalink) |
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Music Addict
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 490
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The Electric Prunes - I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night)
(1967)  Tracks 1 I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night) 2:55 2 Bangles 2:27 3 Onie 2:43 4 Are You Lovin' Me More (But Enjoying It Less) 2:21 5 Train for Tomorrow 3:00 6 Sold to the Highest Bidder 2:16 7 Get Me to the World on Time 2:30 8 About a Quarter to Nine 2:07 9 The King Is in the Counting House 2:00 10 Luvin' 2:03 11 Try Me on for Size 2:19 12 The Toonerville Trolley 2:34 The Electric Prunes were formed in Los Angeles in 1965, and released their debut in 1967 on the Reprise Record Label, the band in subsequent years would become mired in internal affairs and personnel changes but here they have certainly left an important album. The record they released fully displays the qualities which are the essence of the original line-up of The Electric Prunes, "I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night)" as a song and an album oozes Garage, Psychedelia and Punk, which lets be honest are all you can ask for. Although this album is famed for its key contributions from song writing legends of the alternative scene; Tucker and Mantz, The Electric Prunes have unmistakably stamped their mark on this record, heavily influencing the sound and feel of the album, the success of which can be heard throughout. Obviously the "strong" singles which reached the mainstream from this album; "Get Me To The World on Time" and the title track "I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night)", are the stand out tracks on the record, but if you delve deeper there are some brilliant numbers which move the Prunes from being your typical Garage band to one of the key players in the genre, with a sound distinctly theirs.  Always trying to find ways to be different, my favourite song off this album is not what many observers would believe to be their strongest, sure "I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night)" is a glorious song with its ear shifting start and eerie content, and "Get Me to The World On Time" is what an on form Rolling Stones would have sounded like if they were raised in the California sun, but for me "Sold to The Highest Bidder" is a marvellous effort which I have to listen to at least once a day, with its Greek sounding guitar and lyrics about greed, I really cannot get enough of it. There is also the bonus track "Aint It Hard", and "Luvin'" which again demonstrate beyond all doubt just how good this band actually were. The follow up album "Underground", I believe shares similar qualities to their debut and contains some gems, which again I recommend to you strongly, truly a great band. From 1968 onwards though the band spiralled downwards with wranglings galore and eventually an unrecognisable Prunes dissolved in 1970. But it certainly has to be said that for me, their debut is up there with the landmark albums of the Psychedelic/Garage scene of the late sixties, if that scene is your bag, then no doubt about it, you'll have to buy this album. |
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