THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD
997) The Crazy World of Arthur Brown — “Devil’s Grip”
“Devil’s Grip” is “a haunting and powerful track that showcases [Arthur] Brown’s [see #783, 797] ability to captivate listeners with his unique blend of rock and theatricality. . . . [It] delves into the darker side of Brown’s music, incorporating elements of psychedelia and showcasing his ability to create a mood of mystery and suspense.” (https://oldtimemusic.com/most-popular-arthur-brown-songs/) The song had “creepy-yet-catchy black mass organ riffs” and “was put over by Brown’s vocals, shakily gentle . . . rising into stentorian high-pitched yelps at the most dramatic crescendos. . . . ‘[T]he record that introduced all that [satanic] imagery to the rock field, in England at least,’ [Brown] claims.” (Richie Unterberger, http://www.richieunterberger.com/brown.html)
Perry Jimenez contends that:
If it wasn’t for this underrated one-hit-wonder we wouldn’t even have Shock Rock, That’s Right, as in No Alice Cooper seducing snakes and Killing chickens, No Ozzy Osborne biting off the heads of Bats and turning into a werewolf, no Kiss and Gene Simmons Bleeding from his tongue and breathing fire, and no Marylin Manson turning into a demonic hermaphrodite, let’s take some time to truly appreciate the legacy this man had made, and to think he did it by singing with fire in his head, Thank Mr. Arthur Brown, you have changed Rock and Roll for generations.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KlQLJri-a4
As to Arthur Brown, Vernon Joynson writes that:
[He] was undoubtedly one of the memorable figures of British psychedelia. . . . [The Crazy World] had become a very popular attraction around London’s underground clubs, like the UFO . . . . They had a flamboyant stage act which often involved Brown appearing in a flaming helmet with bizarre facial make-up. Indeed, their act was so expensive to stage that Brown eventually [went] broke.”
The Tapestry of Delights Revisited
Mark Deming gives us some Crazy World history:
Arthur Brown burst out of obscurity in 1968 with “Fire,” an energetic and forceful fusion of blues, jazz, psychedelia, and embryonic hard rock . . . invoking the dangers of the dark side. . . . [I]t was the defining song of his career, but Brown’s oeuvre was impressively diverse. . . . The common thread that ties [it] together is his big, booming voice, over-the-top vocal theatrics, and a willful eccentricity that boosts the power of his music. . . . He was a member of the Ramong Sound [later to become the Foundations of “Build Me Up Buttercup” fame] . . . . [E]ager to launch a project that would match his outsized stage persona, he left the band to form the Crazy World of Arthur Brown . . . . Kit Lambert and Peter Townshend were part of the production team for their self-titled debut album. . . . [and] captured a grandiose sound full of drama and menace . . . . “Fire” . . . became a major hit on both sides of the Atlantic. The[ir] live show, which featured Brown wearing a helmet that spit fire and occasionally taking the stage naked, help spread the word about the group, and Brown became one of the most talked-about characters in British rock. In the wake of the success of their debut, [they] cut a second album, Strangelands. It was originally slated for release in 1969, but executives at Atlantic and Track felt it was too experimental for mainstream listeners, and it was shelved. (It received a belated release in 1988.)
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/arthur-brown-mn0000510278/biography
998) The Laurels — “The Devil’s Well”
This “[f]antastic horror prog pop rocker [was] released on UK Pye in 1971” — “[b]rilliant heavy prog pop with diabolical psych leanings”. (Happenings45, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMESjEpgYVc, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KyKU9EpfT4s) It is “like a pop version of the Satanic rock then being released by the likes of Black Sabbath and Black Widow. Opening with sparse heavy drums and including a mixed cauldron of stinging lead guitar, Glam hand-claps and demonic laughter this 45 is a lot of fun and I only wish I owned a copy!” (Dr. Doom, https://www.45cat.com/record/7n45034) Forget about Black Sabbath, I say that it would have been a mega hit for Def Leppard had they released it in their 80’s prime!
And it was released by the Laurels, an English comedy/variety act! Dig the Fuzz Records tells us:
Originally a comedy act releasing a couple of harmony pop singles on RCA, Hertfordshire’s Laurels signed to Pye and this was their second and last single for that label. . . . [T]he A side, The Devil’s Well, features some mean fuzzy lead guitar in this 7th of this, 7th of that etc… tale of damnation. It’s a fun Eddie Seago/Mike Leander creation and the 3rd verse is made more interesting by featuring some crunching Proto-Glitter handclaps prior to the song dissolving into a Devil’s laugh…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_EaPTN_wSw
And a vintage promotional sheet adds:
[A] combination of vocal harmony, expert musicianship and riotous comedy . . . . From Wakefield to Wiesbaden, Istanbul to Ilford, the Paradise Club in Guideley to the Playboy Club in London’s Park Lane, these four talented young men have covered every major Club venue in Great Britain, plus successful forays into Europe and beyond with their happy highspeed presentation of music, comedy, harmony and impressions. With two single discs to their credit, TV appearances and broadcasts, THE LAURELS are a modern package of quality entertainment which finds appreciation by all classes and most nationalities. Their biggest — and longest — London engagement to date, after headlining all over the Provinces in clubs both great and small, was at the celebrated “Carousel” in Piccadilly, the heart of London’s nightlife, where they starred for a sixteen week season! . . . These four fellows . . . certainly combine musical and vocal talent with well-timed comedy teamwork to give a professionally-presented act which goes from strength to strength — and deservedly so.
http://www.coda-uk.co.uk/laurels2.htm
Quality entertainment which finds appreciation by all classes and most nationalities!
Don Fardon’s ’72 B-side version:
999) Takeshi Terauchi and the Bunnys — “Little Devil”
From “Japan’s premier guitar hero” (AV+ML, http://www.fancymag.com/bunnys.html) comes “[k]iller fuzz!!!” (Nezumi Records, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEOyIkKjk7c) “The fuzz sound is raw, the drums are funky and the singing is snotty and childish, perfect”. (https://www.nezumirecords.com/product/takeshi-terauchi-the-bunnys-7-little-devil-hey-you-stop-1967/) “Oh, no, no, no!!!”
AV+ML:
Little known in the U.S. [,] . . Takeshi Terauchi, affectionately known as Terry[,] . . . started recording electric guitar . . . music in the early Sixties. His best recordings in the mid-to-late Sixties were with two different bands: the adorably named Bunnys and Blue Jeans. Generally, the music itself is Ventures inspired instrumentals accented with fuzzed-out whammy bar acrobatics. What makes The Bunnys and Blue Jeans unique is that they were also influenced by traditional Japanese Minyo, that is, very old rural folk songs. Terry recorded many a Minyo with the electric guitar at the helm in place of traditional instruments like the Shamisen. Terry-san ranks close behind Western contemporaries Link Wray and Davie Allan when it comes to bad-ass guitar riffing. . . . Terry recorded with The Blue Jeans during the early to mid Sixties. The Blue Jeans belted out surf instrumentals with authority and Terry’s guitar is always interesting. Management problems coupled with the need to keep up with changing times triggered Takeshi’s departure from Blues Jeans in 1966. The Beatles invaded and GS, or Group Sounds (Mersey Beat pop sap with vocals), was in. Terry recruited unknown players to form his own GS band, the Bunnys. . . . Terry’s years with Bunnys were brief: – from Dec. of ‘66 through ‘68. Terry’s Bunnys put out 16 singles, and 6 LPs, including a live album. . . . His next move was to add something uniquely Japanese to an otherwise Western sound. Seicho Terauchi-Bushi, released in ’67, is Terry’s interpretation of Japanese Minyo. He replaced the traditional shamisen (3-string instrument) with his powerful electric guitar sound and created fresh and exciting eleki versions of 200 year old songs. This heightened his fame, as he simultaneously exposed his young audience to something from past generations and gained the older crowd’s respect. This was the Bunnys’ most successful record, selling over 100,000 copies and becoming the best selling GS record at the time. 1967 was a busy year for The Bunnys, as they released 8 singles on Seven Seas and 3 LP’s on King. . . . Terry left in the Fall of ‘68 to form his own Blues Jeans . . . .
http://www.fancymag.com/bunnys.html
“[M]usical differences emerged and Terauchi left the [Bunnys], reforming Blue Jeans. Bunnys continued without him for several years . . . finally splitting up in 1971.”(https://www.discogs.com/artist/3425042-Takeshi-Terauchi-And-The-Bunnys)
Pay to Play! The Off the Charts Spotify Playlist! + Brace for the Obscure 60s Rock Merchandise
Please consider helping to support my website/blog by contributing $6 a month for access to the Off the Charts Spotify Playlist. Using a term familiar to denizens of Capitol Hill, you pay to play! (“relating to or denoting an unethical or illicit arrangement in which payment is made by those who want certain privileges or advantages in such arenas as business, politics, sports, and entertainment” — dictionary.com).
The playlist includes all the “greatest songs of the 1960’s that no one has ever heard” that are available on Spotify. The playlist will expand each time I feature an available song.
All new subscribers will receive a Brace for the Obscure 60s Rock magnet. New subscribers who sign up for a year will also receive a Brace for the Obscure 60s Rock t-shirt or baseball cap. See pictures on the Pay to Play page.
When subscribing, please send me an e-mail (GMFtma1@gmail.com) or a comment on this site letting me know an e-mail address/phone number/Facebook address, etc. to which I can send instructions on accessing the playlist and a physical address to which I can sent a magnet/t-shirt/baseball cap. If choosing a t-shirt, please let me know the gender and size you prefer.
Just click on the first blue block for a month to month subscription or the second blue block for a yearly subscription.
Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! / Off the Charts: 60s Rock Revelations😊 
Just remember Fire from this guy, very Zappa like.
LikeLiked by 1 person