Psychedelia / Prog / Kraut / Space / Psychedelic Folk (60s-70s)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Golden_Dawn_(American_band) wrote:The Golden Dawn are an American psychedelic rock band formed in Austin, Texas, in 1966. The band released one album, titled Power Plant,[1] before breaking up soon after the album's release in 1968. The record company, the infamous International Artists label out of Houston, had made a decision that seems to have "shafted" the career of the vibrant Golden Dawn. This is what happened: a few months after the release of the 13th Floor Elevators' "Psychedelic Sounds" debut, the Dawn had finished Power Plant in mid-1967 and were ready to let it fly; but, by that time, the Elevators were beginning to record their second album, Easter Everywhere, which the record company management thought, for unknown reasons, should come out first, much to the dismay of George Kinney (voc, guitar), Tom Ramsey (lead guitar), Jimmy Bird (rhythm guitar), Bill Hallmark (bass), and Bobby Rector (drums)--collectively, The Golden Dawn. When Power Plant was finally released in 1968, it was largely panned as the work of an Elevators knock-off band and was unjustly snubbed in a way that was big enough to discourage the development of the band. Through the years, Power Plant climbed in "cult" status to the point where recognition of its music drew out George Kinney once again to reform the band in 2002 and perform live all over the States.

http://rateyourmusic.com/artist/sand_f1 wrote:The Papenberg brothers and Vester, along with friends Yogi and Gento, began playing in a band named P.O.T. (Part of Time) and opened for Can at a show in Cologne in 1971. Here they began a lifetime friendship with Can's manager Manfred Schmidt as well as with Klaus Schulze. When P.O.T. disbanded in 1973, the Papenbergs and Vester moved to Berlin at the urging of Schulze, and began working under the name Sand. Schulze recorded and produced their one and only album, Golem, which sold four thousand copies but failed to bring substantial recognition to the band outside of a handful of dedicated followers. Sand broke up the following year; Ludwig Papenberg joined the art project Amelith, while Ulrich Papenberg and Johannes Vester both continued on as solo artists but were unable to release any albums.

In the late 1980s, several artists on the World Serpent label, among them David Tibet and Steven Stapleton, were so impressed by Sand's one recording that they wanted to rerelease it on World Serpent. After some difficulty, Tibet contacted Schulze and finally tracked Johannes Vester down. The resulting 1996 rerelease, Ultrasonic Seraphim, contains the entire Golem album as well as a variety of other studio recordings, both by Sand and by the band members individually.

http://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=2459 wrote:This german band was produced by Klaus Shultze. The music is somehow folk, but also cosmic rock inspired, reminiscent of Ash ra temple and Cosmic jokers, thanks to Shultze's influence who mixed it using "Artificial Head Stereo Sound", the aim was "to get an illusion of perfect surrounding space. The idea was brilliant but unfortunately not the sound.". The album has indeed been pressed again three times, as the band was not satisfied with the result. Their sole album Golem, was released in 1974.

http://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=6804 wrote:Mickey CURTIS was born of English parents in Tokyo, Japan in 1938. After the end of The World War II he lived by singing in the Occupation Forces or Camps, and as a result he was approved as a rockabilly singer. Although he had been an active pop singer and a frontman of two chorus-pop outfits named 'City Crows' and 'Vanguards' in mid 60s, he was awakened to rock suddenly and finally formed SAMURAI (The SAMURAIS in their early days) in 1967. During the first two years SAMURAI made a lot of gigs and released two albums - "Tenor Sax Of Love" (1968; as The SAMURAIS) and "Samurai" (1970) - in Europe. In early 1969 their soundscape was completely shifted to progressive rock, and we can easily realize the fact especially in their eponymous album. Soon after that they came back to Japan and released "Kappa" (1971), which has been appreciated as a masterpiece of Heavy Progressive Rock in Japan.

Mickey's said "There is no way for childish bands in Japanese rock scene. We need to produce our originality to raise the level of Japanese Rock higher than of Western nation as soon as possible."

After SAMURAI disbanded, Mickey released "Mimi" (1972) as a solo artist and has been active as a pop & country singer or a TV actor in Japan.

http://www.forcedexposure.com/artists/fingletoad.strange.and.siho.html wrote:This is the first and second album by young bohemian Americans Fingletoad, Strange & Siho. Their self-titled first album was recorded in 1969 in Chicago as Fingletoad & Strange, and very few acetates were pressed. The follow-up Mazzola was recorded in 1970, and perhaps less than 100 records were pressed. This double CD includes all original songs from both albums, taking the listener on a psychedelic trip merging imaginary landscapes and dreamy folk with teenage angst. Clearly influenced by the top musicians of the time, The Beatles, Neil Young and Jimi Hendrix, they undoubtedly manage to create a sound all their own ranging from beautiful lyrical ballads with harmony vocals to over-the-top fuzz and feedback frenzy. All professionally executed while still retaining a garage atmosphere and production, creating the perfect mix.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Pretty_Things wrote:The Pretty Things are an English rock band from London, who originally formed in 1963. They took their name from Bo Diddley's 1955 song "Pretty Thing". Their most commercially successful period was the mid-1960s, although they continue to perform to this day. David Bowie covered two of their songs on his album Pin Ups.

http://www.last.fm/music/Comfortable+Chair wrote:What little attention this West Coast sunshine-rock band’s 1969 self-titled album The Comfortable Chair has gotten seems to stem from the fact that it was The Doors’ lead singer Jim Morrison who discovered them, while his fellow band members John Densmore and Robbie Krieger served as producers for their sole 1969 album on Ode Records.

It seems unfortunate that they were never a big band outside of the 60s California circuit since their set is actually quite impressive in its own right. Featuring all-original songs (virtually every band member contributing to the writing chores), the self-titled album bounces all over the musical spectrum. Lead singers Bernie Schwartz and Barbara Wallace are both quite good, navigating through the different genres without any trouble. Highlights include the opening rocker Ain’t No Good No More, Let Me Through, and the sweet ballad I’ll See You.

The band made its film debut in the Bob Hope - Jackie Gleason comedy vehicle movie How to Commit Marriage (1969) and really shines in the film as a psychedelic-hippie rock band associated with the young people in the plot of the story. This fantastic group did a wonderful music video-style presentation in the film, performing their charming hippie anthem, A Child’s Garden.

http://www.last.fm/music/The+Daily+Flash wrote:Formed in the late autumn of 1965, the group lasted until 1967, but not without member losses along the way. The original drummer, Jon Keliehor departed in the early summer of 1967 and guitarist Doug Hastings was taken into the Buffalo Springfield, and then into the supergroup Rhinoceros. New members replaced old but their stay was short lasting as the band played it’s last performances December 1967.

Their journeys from Seattle to San Francisco and then to Los Angeles brought considerable attention as they played in the ballrooms of Haight Ashbury and the cultural club scene of Sunset Strip.

They were hugely respected by musicians they shared the stage with, which would include groups such as The Byrds, Buffalo Springfield, Jefferson Airplane, Grateful Dead, Country Joe and the Fish, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Turtles, Taj Mahal, Steve Miller Band, Grass Roots and many others. However by the end of 1967 their direction had become uncertain.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meic_Stevens wrote:Meic Mortimer Stevens is a Welsh singer-songwriter often referred to as "the Welsh Dylan",[1] who has been compared with Syd Barrett. Stevens's songs have a mystical, faintly psychedelic flavour, and are mostly sung in his native Welsh language. Still largely unknown outside Wales, he was discovered by DJ Jimmy Savile, who saw him performing in a Manchester folk club in 1965. This led to Stevens recording his first single - with arranger John Paul Jones (later of Led Zeppelin) - for Decca Records that same year, though it sold badly.

In 1967 he suffered a nervous breakdown and retreated to his home village of Solva (in Pembrokeshire) to recuperate, and started to write songs in Welsh in a concerted effort to create a distinctive national pop music. From 1967-69 he recorded a series of now rare Welsh-language picture sleeve EPs (Mike Stevens, Rhif 2 (Number 2), Mwg (Smoke), Y Brawd Houdini (Brother Houdini), Meic Stevens, Diolch yn Fawr (Many Thanks), Byw yn y Wlad (Living In The Country)). These were made for local labels like Sain and Wren, for whom he was one of the first artistes to record. He also performed around Britain during the '60s, playing on recording sessions (notably for his friend Gary Farr's debut album on the Marmalade label). He made a one-off English language LP, Outlander, for Warner Bros. Records in 1970, but the contract was abandoned by mutual consent. Today, like his other LPs of the period, Gwymon (Seaweed) and Gog (Cuckoo), it is very rare and highly sought-after.

Today Stevens' psych-folk influence can be heard in contemporary Welsh groups such as Super Furry Animals and Gorky's Zygotic Mynci, and his song "Cwm y Pren Helyg" was recently covered by Alun Tan Lan. Several CDs of his are available from the Sain label in Caernarfon, and two volumes of his classic 1960s EPs have recently appeared on Sunbeam Records.

Stevens can be found occasionally singing in certain pubs/hotels in Aberystwyth until the late hours. He can also be seen performing regularly throughout Wales and England at major festivals, eisteddfodau, pubs, theatres etc. He performs periodically in France, mainly Brittany where he is very popular.

http://www.progarchives.com/Review.asp?id=161194 wrote:Long time lost krautrock classic delivering a dynamic, complex combination between fuzzy freak out improvisations (full of Hammond organs and catchy heavy guitar leads) & folk epic arrangements for the flute. They published only one album in 1970 in a rather anonymus way at D. Dierks's studio (for the Brain label in a very limited edition, lately re-published by Second battle). A very accomplished essay. Similar to (early) Deep Purple, Nosferatu and Rufus Zuphall.