Author Archives: georgefishman2

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 1,684) The Missing Links — “You’re Drivin’ Me Insane” The Missing Links’ (see #1,328) first A-side is “a wild, pile-driving original . . . totally unique in Aussie rock in 1965” (Peter Markmann, http://www.milesago.com/artists/missinglinks.htm), “tremendous ’60s punk, with blistering, feedback-ridden guitar and cord-shreddingContinue reading “The Missing Links — “You’re Drivin’ Me Insane”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — August 13, 2025”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 1,683) The Easybeats — “Johnny No One” The Easybeats get incredibly funky on this ‘68 demo recorded at Central Sound Studio in London, not released until it showed up on ‘77’s The Shame Just Drained compilation LP. And they didn’t even have Billy Preston!Continue reading “I Shall Be Released: The Easybeats — “Johnny No One”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — August 12, 2025”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 1,682) Gene Pierson — “Matchstick in a Whirlpool” This New Zealand-only B-side by Venice-born immigrant to Australia Gene Pierson — in NZ to escape being drafted — is a soaring pop rock confection. Kimbo writes of Pierson: Gene Pierson was born Giancarlo SalvestrinContinue reading “Gene Pierson — “Matchstick in a Whirlpool”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — August 11, 2025”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 1,681) Johnny Young — “Craise Finton Kirk Royal Academy of Arts” Australian Johnny Young’s (see #682) irresistible version of the Bee Gees’ pop psych classic was a hit on UK pirate radio stations and heading skywards . . . until the British governmentContinue reading “Johnny Young — “Craise Finton Kirk Royal Academy of Arts”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — August 10, 2025”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 1,680) The Elois — “By My Side” The B-side of the Elois’ sole single is a much-lauded, Nuggets-worthy Australian garage stunner that induces paroxysms of ecstasy in listeners. It is “incredible” (Mike Stax, liner notes to the CD comp Nuggets II (Original ArtyfactsContinue reading “The Elois — “By My Side”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — August 9, 2025”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 1,679) The Second Movement — “Fairyland (Why, Oh Why)” “Rare Australian psychedelic pop/freakbeat” (urbanpharaoh, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3UozBJZNKU) with a Spanish classical guitar feel. Unique and mesmerizing. Kimbo tells us: The Second Movement played in and around Canberra in the late 60’s and early 70’s andContinue reading “The Second Movement — “Fairyland (Why, Oh Why)”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — August 8, 2025”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 1,678) Billy Nicholls — “Portobello Road” Another installment of gorgeous UK pop psych from Billy Nicholls, who gifted us with one of, if not the, greatest “lost” albums of the ’60’s — Would You Believe (see #2, 64, 144, 428, 757, 964, 1,085, 1,205, 1,396). As DavidContinue reading “Billy Nicholls — “Portobello Road”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — August 7, 2025”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 1,676) The Spectrum — “Portobello Road” Utterly delightful, “a nice slice of whimsydelia it is” (zabadak, https://www.45cat.com/record/rca1619), “a song about London’s then fashionable street market, which surprisingly failed to chart despite considerable airplay on pirate radio [including Radio London]”. (Vernon Joynson, The TapestryContinue reading “Portobello Road Special Edition: The Spectrum/The Gathering — “Portobello Road”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — August 6, 2025”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 1,675) The Strangers — “Take the Time” Australia was no stranger to the Strangers. Here they give us gorgeous and romantic harmony pop with “absolutely brilliant harmonies and musicianship!” (karabata297, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H982r-UPraY) written and sung by John Farrar. The definitive Milesago: Australasian Music &Continue reading “The Strangers — “Take the Time”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — August 5, 2025”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 1,674) The Sunsets — “I Want Love” World-class garage rock from Australia’s Sunsets (see #403), who would morph into proggers Tamam Shud (see #1,058). Man, this unrelenting testosterone-fueled epic sounds like it came straight outta Cleveland or Corpus Christi. What do we want?Continue reading “The Sunsets — “I Want Love”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — August 4, 2025”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 1,673) The Wild Colonials — “Get the Picture” I love me my Pretty Things (see #82, 94, 153, 251, 572, 731, 892, 1,001, 1,327), but these wild Australians’ cover exceeded the original on ‘65’s “Get the Picture”. The Pretty’s version seems pretty lethargic,Continue reading “The Wild Colonials — “Get the Picture”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — August 3, 2025”

The D-Coys — ATV-10 program The Go!! Show — September 19, 1966. THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 1,671) The Roulettes — “Bad Time” How was this “priceless” (Bruce Eder, https://www.allmusic.com/album/stakes-chips-mw0000057150) irresistible ‘64 Merseybeat number not a hit (though it did reach #43 on Melody Maker)? (My Friend Jack,Continue reading “Bad Times Special Edition: The Roulettes — “Bad Time”, The D-Coys — “Bad Times”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — August 2, 2025”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 1,670) The Lost Souls — “This Life of Mine” Today’s phrase is Animal angst! This “gritty slab of Animals-inspired angst” (Mike Stax, liner notes to the CD comp Nuggets II (Original Artyfacts From The British Empire And Beyond 1964-1969)), this “angst-laden punk complaintContinue reading “The Lost Souls — “This Life of Mine”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — August 1, 2025”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 1,669) Steve & Stevie — “As I See My Life” Yesterday, I wandered through Australia’s Groves of gorgeous music, or at least Australia’s Steve Groves’ gorgeous music with the Kinetics (see #1,668). Today — Groves’ gorgeous music with Steve & Stevie (see #1,496).Continue reading “Steve & Stevie — “As I See My Life”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — July 31, 2025”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 1,668) The Kinetics — “Fed-uping Day” Mellow, melancholy Australian gold from a group featuring future Tin Tin man Steve Groves. He had a heart! Kimbo: The Kinetics were a popular band in Melbourne following their formation in 1965. Playing a progressive style ofContinue reading “The Kinetics — “Fed-uping Day”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — July 30, 2025”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 1,667) The Twilights — “Comin’ on Down” From “one of the most successful and popular Australian pop acts of the 1960s” (see #563) comes a late gem, a “cosmic, slightly confusing, phasing-drenched [song that] seemed to be about the apocalypse or something”. (PaulContinue reading “The Twilights — “Comin’ on Down”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — July 29, 2025”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 1,666) The Gibsons — “Lazy Summer Day” An Australian band takes off for the UK . . . No, I’m not talking about The Bee Gees! I’m talking about the Cicadas (renamed the Gibsons since, as Kimbo tells us, no one in theContinue reading “The Gibsons — “Lazy Summer Day”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — July 28, 2025”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 1,665) The Blue Beats — “She’s Comin’ Home” Sneering, “Cracking 60’s Aussie Garage Beat” (Sean Parry, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1dBgGRJgUM) by a “Sydney-based band . . . . [that] changed their name when they moved from Melbourne where they were known as The Outcasts. Neither [of itsContinue reading “The Blue Beats — “She’s Comin’ Home”Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — July 27, 2025”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 1,664) Doug Ashdown — “For Lovin’ Me” Peter, Paul and Mary (see #1,307) had a #30 hit with this early Gordon Lightfoot (see #92, 167, 392) classic, which has been covered about a billion times (https://secondhandsongs.com/performance/119685/all) by everyone from Elvis Presley to JohnnyContinue reading “Doug Ashdown — “For Lovin’ Me”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — July 26, 2025”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 1,663) The Avengers — “Twiddle-E-Dee” Warning: If you are from Brisbane, read no further! This “unpromisingly titled [song] turns out to be a bouncy mod pop gem [verging on bubblegum], penned by the very talented Terry Britten who wrote some amazing psych stuffContinue reading “The Avengers — “Twiddle-E-Dee”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — July 25, 2025”