Author Archives: georgefishman2

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 1,221) Brainbox — “Down Man” The band’s first A-side was a blistering number that “swagger[s] like [a] stevedore[]”. (Marco Rossi, https://recordcollectormag.com/reviews/album/brainbox) It is “a prime example of their sound, which can be described as ‘progressive blues with folk influences’”. (elgreco, https://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/brainbox-remaster-focus-or-brainbox.184910/) And itContinue reading “Brainbox — “Down Man”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — May 27, 2024”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 1,220) Les Baroques — “Such a Cad If you are from the Netherlands, read no further — this song reached #8 on the Dutch charts in ‘66! It is “a brilliant pop song … extra special thanks to the prominent role played byContinue reading “Les Baroques — “Such a Cad”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — May 26, 2024”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 1,219) Sandy Coast — “I See Your Face Again” This soaring ballad, a ‘68 A-side from Voorburg’s own Sandy Coast Skiffle Group, no make that Sandy Coast Five, no make that Sandy Coast Rockers, jeez, just call them the Sandy Coast (see #236),Continue reading “Sandy Coast — “I See Your Face Again”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — May 25, 2024”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 1,218) The Outsiders — “Do You Feel Alright” The Outsiders (see #615, 664) were “Holland’s greatest beat/punk group . . . . [w]ith their unheard-of long hair and wild stage presence . . . in a class by itself [with] a weird combinationContinue reading “The Outsiders — “Do You Feel Alright”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — May 24, 2024”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 1,217) Group 1850 — “Mother No Head” “Frere Jacques” freakout from the delightfully unhinged Group 1850 (see #516), whose “thoroughly weird[]-sounding contenders for infamy upon the [Netherlands’] singles charts . . . includ[e] the disquieting, almost Zappa/Mothers-esque (ahem) ‘Mother No Head’ . .Continue reading “Group 1850 — “Mother No Head”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — May 23, 2024”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 1,216) Boudewijn de Groot — “Voor De Overlevenden”/“For the Survivors” The Dutch Master Boudewijn de Groot (and I’m not talking about cigars) is a “[t]roubadour with a Dylan-esque impact, who shoots to fame in [the Netherlands in] the ’60s and ’70s” (https://en.muziekencyclopedie.nl/action/entry/Boudewijn+de+Groot) (see #107, 161,Continue reading “Boudewijn de Groot — “Voor De Overlevenden”/ “For the Survivors”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — May 22, 2024”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 1,215) Golden Earrings — “I Am a Fool” Here is a lovely, “effectively moody” (Mark Deming, https://www.allmusic.com/album/just-earrings-mw0000454482) ballad off the Earrings’ (see #63, 163, 319) first LP, 65’s Just Ear-Rings. The Golden Earrings are my favorite British beat group . . . from Holland!Continue reading “Golden Earrings — “I Am a Fool”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — May 21, 2024”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 1,214) Shocking Blue — “Long and Lonesome Road” This Dutch treat is “just as catchy, just as cool, just as memorable as ‘Venus[]’” (Brian Green, https://www.scrammagazine.com/shockingblue/) — the ‘69/‘70 hard psych A-side reached #75 in the U.S. Rob Horning tells us that “[Robbie]Continue reading “Shocking Blue — “Long and Lonesome Road”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — May 20, 2024”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 1,213) The Alan Bown! — “You’re Not in My Class” A super popular live UK soul and R&B band tries its hand at pop psych/baroque pop. The Bown shoots, the Bown scores! One of the “highlights” of an LP that contained “an embarrassmentContinue reading “The Alan Bown! — “You’re Not in My Class”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — May 19, 2024”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 1,212) The Ministry of Sound — “In the Sky” The greatest pop psych ode to aliens, UFO’s and flying saucers wasn’t released for decades. Talk about the X-Files! As to the song, written by Micky Keen and Robin Shaw, Russ Alquist [see #1,201]Continue reading “I Shall Be Released: The Ministry of Sound — “In the Sky”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — May 18, 2024”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 1,211) Treez — “You Lied To Me Before” Here’s a “MONSTROUS cave-basher” (liner notes to the CD comp Teenage Shutdown: “She’s a Pest!”: 18 Revved-Up Teen Swingers!“) by a Chicago cave band. “The cool old cat who recorded the group remembers them asContinue reading “Treez — “You Lied To Me Before”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — May 17, 2024”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 1,210) The Legend — “The Sky that Is Blue” A beautiful song for a beautiful day, this “pop psych delight[]” (TYMETRIPS https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfmzlOd-XII) from Colorado is “a tasty blend of tight, Bealtesque harmonies and surprisingly commercial melod[y] . . . . a breezy, mid-tempoContinue reading “The Legend — “The Sky that Is Blue”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — May 16, 2024”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 1,209) Brenda and the Tabulations — “That’s in the Past” How was this ‘68 Philly soul stirrer A-side not a hit? Derek says: A very dense, busy production but DAMN it sure does work (not to mention swing like a mofo!). . .Continue reading “Brenda and the Tabulations — “That’s in the Past”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — May 15, 2024”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 1,208) She Trinity (& The Onyx) — “Climb that Tree” Here is a number so unique that it took two bands — one all girl and one all boy — spanning the Atlantic from Canada to the UK to bring it all together.Continue reading “She Trinity (and the Onyx) — “Climb that Tree”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — May 14, 2024”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 1,207) Joe Bataan — “Make Me Smile” Joe Bataan (see #55, 339) takes a #9 hit by Chicago and turns it into a swinging and joyous Latin romp. Richard Pierson tells us about Joe: Born Peter Nitollano, of African-American/Filipino parents, Joe Bataan grew upContinue reading “Joe Bataan — “Make Me Smile”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — May 13, 2024″

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 1,206) Barclay James Harvest — “Mother Dear” This “incredibly beautiful” (VianaProgHead, https://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=3380) song off their ’70 debut is “a Poe-like Gothic mystery (about dream-like figures in black or white) as an acoustic, string-laden gem first penned in ’67”. (Brian Banks, https://www.psychedelicbabymag.com/2018/05/barclay-james-harvest-barclay-james.html) It “combinesContinue reading “Barclay James Harvest — “Mother Dear”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — May 12, 2024”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 1,205) Billy Nicholls — “Come Again” 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). As David Wells says,Continue reading “Billy Nicholls — “Come Again”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — May 11, 2024”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 1,204) M.G. & The Escorts – “A Someday Fool” This ‘67 A-side is a garage classic, a “killer track . . . [with] raw, savage power” (johnprestigiacomo2134, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGglguGM1eE), “fiery garage rock, lifted by a blazing fuzz guitar riff and a powerfully simple rhythm”Continue reading “M.G. & The Escorts – “A Someday Fool”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — May 10, 2024”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 1,203) The Shangri-Las — “Sophisticated Boom Boom” Sometimes called the first female rap record, this ’65 and ‘66 B-side is a hoot, “a brilliant single”, “one of the most bizarre things ever committed to vinyl. . . . a paen to lounge music,Continue reading “The Shangri-Las — “Sophisticated Boom Boom”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — May 9, 2024”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 1,202) Jackie DeShannon — “Windows and Doors” This ’66 A-side, a Burt Bacharach/Hal David composition, is a “haunting” and “underrated gem[]” (Joe Marchese, https://theseconddisc.com/2011/01/06/come-and-get-them-upcoming-releases-due-from-deshannon-nelson-and-more/), “a wonderful, haunting ballad with a gorgeous melody – a secret favourite of the big Bacharach/David catalogue” (Xanadu, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2vJtIfD5HA),Continue reading “Jackie DeShannon — “Windows and Doors”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — May 8, 2024”