Category Archives: Uncategorized

378) The Zipps — “Kicks and Chicks” “Well I’m a bloody guy with a knack. I read all the books of Jack Kerouac.” I so love Dutch garage rockers with their over-exuberant use of the English language. “Kicks and Chicks”, a Zipps ‘66 A-side, is “cocky beat-punk rebellion” (Richie Unterberger, https://www.allmusic.com/album/be-stoned%21-dig-zipps-mw0000952858) and a “stone coldContinue reading “The Zipps — “Kicks and Chicks”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — March 9, 2022”

377) Lazy Smoke — “Under Skys” This previously unknown John Lennon song comes from his lost Lazy Smoke weekend. Don’t believe me? Well, where do you think “People say I’m lazy dreaming my life away” came from? OK, actually, it’s “Beatles-tinged psyche rock, aided largely by a lead singer whose vocals conjure John Lennon” (JitteryContinue reading “Lazy Smoke — “Under Skys”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — March 8, 2022”

376) Jan and Dean — “Girl, You’re Blowing My Mind” You know those songs of Bruce Springsteen on Tracks that surely would have been iconic hits had they actually been released on or around the time of The River? Well, “Girl, You’re Blowing My Mind” by Jan and Dean SURELY would have been a smashContinue reading “Jan and Dean — “Girl, You’re Blowing My Mind”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — March 7, 2022″

375) Elmer Gantry’s Velvet Opera — “Reactions of a Young Man” The opera ain’t over till the fat Elmer sings! This “proto-prog” (https://recordcollectormag.com/reviews/album/elmer-gantrys-velvet-opera) “brilliant ballad” (https://psychedelicized.com/playlist/e/elmer-gantrys-velvet-opera/) came from the Opera’s ’68 “minor masterpiece” of an album. (https://recordcollectormag.com/reviews/album/elmer-gantrys-velvet-opera) The album, and especially “Reactions”, sounds as if it was written yesterday. The song is so wise, andContinue reading “Elmer Gantry’s Velvet Opera — “Reactions of a Young Man”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — March 6, 2022″

374) Paul McCartney — “Heather” How many times has it been said that most musicians would sell their souls to write a “throwaway” composition scribbled by a musical genius as an afterthought or on a whim? Well, I’m not sure, but I do remember that movie Amadeus. Hey, I’m not saying that Paul McCartney isContinue reading “Paul McCartney — “Heather”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — March 5, 2022″

373) The Great Scots — “The Light Hurts My Eyes” ‘66 A-side from “the most kick-ass garage band ever to don kilts” (https://sundazed.com/great-scots-great-lost-great-scots-album.aspx) and “Canada’s answer to the Beatles”! (https://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-great-scots-mn0000070866/biography). Utterly fantastic song — compelling riff and the message that sunlight isn’t always the best disinfectant. Cub Koda informs us that: [T]he biggest group fromContinue reading “The Great Scots — “The Light Hurts My Eyes”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — March 4, 2022”

372) Tim Hollier — “In Silence” A gentle ode to silence and daydreams by the great Tim Hollier (see #298, 299). Think “The Sound of Silence” but without the electric guitar solo the record label stuck in. Paul Cross calls the song “majestic folk-pop.” (http:/rockasteria.blogspot.com/2018_12_12_archive.html) “In silence . . . I hear the truth IContinue reading “Tim Hollier — “In Silence”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — March 3, 2022”

371) Sharon Tandy — “Hold On” Richie Unterberger gets it right for once, calling Tandy’s ‘68 A-side “galvanizing soul-freakbeat” (https://www.allmusic.com/album/you-gotta-believe-its-mw0000741620) and “storming soul-psychedelia.” (https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-magic-world-of-ruperts-people-mw0000984861). Nostalgia Central says that “her fiery version of Hold On . . . became her signature tune – with her breathless rasp going head-to-head with searing Yardbirds-like guitars.” (https://nostalgiacentral.com/music/artists-l-to-z/artists-s/sharon-tandy/) The songContinue reading “Sharon Tandy — “Hold On”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — March 2, 2022″

370) Rupert’s People — “Dream On My Mind” “Dream On” — no, not that “Dream On”!!! — is the B-side of the People’s second of three singles (’67). Claudia A appropriately calls it “a great slice of rock-pop psychedelia” (https://www.music-news.com/review/UK/8862/Read) and 45rpy says it “may be the[ People’s] most definitive statement [with] a driving beat,Continue reading “Rupert’s People — “Dream On My Mind”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — March 1, 2022″

369) The Shady Daze — “I’ll Make You Pay” This B-side of the Chicago garage band’s debut single (‘67) is one minute and fifty six seconds of pure mayhem, pure teenage romantic revenge fantasy. Garagebill says: [B]eware, it sounds like your house is being demolished. Between the crashing cymbals which sounds like glass and appliancesContinue reading “The Shady Daze — “I’ll Make You Pay”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — February 28, 2022”

368) Billy Preston — “Hey Brother“ I offer today’s song as a tribute to the courageous and resolute Ukrainian people fighting for their freedom (and, ultimately, for all of ours), their country and their lives. I think Billy would approve: “Hey, brother, where you goin’ with that stick in your hand? He said, “Goin’ overContinue reading “Billy Preston — “Hey Brother”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — February 27, 2022″

367) The 49th Parallel — “Missouri” Super-cool ‘68 B-side from Calgary band about being stuck in California missing Missouri! Canadianbands.com says: [B]y ‘67 they had all but outgrown the local circuit. They played the prairies relentlessly for the next year or so, making over a dozen stops in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan at The Temple GardensContinue reading “The 49th Parallel — “Missouri”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — February 26, 2022”

366) Buddy Miles Express — “My Chant” JP in the Selvedge Yard writes that Buddy Miles was a “blues/rock funkmaster legend if there ever was one.” (see #112, 221) (https://www.google.com/amp/s/selvedgeyard.com/2010/03/25/buddy-miles-the-band-of-gypsys-funky-badass-mother-drummer/amp/) Yes indeed he was. And “My Chant” is such a sweet song that just gracefully lopes along as Miles lays out a young man’s hopesContinue reading “Buddy Miles Express — “My Chant”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — February 25, 2022″

365) Ray Brown & The Whispers — “Ain’t It Strange” For a few bright shining years, Ray Brown & The Whispers were beat superstars in Australia. “Ain’t it Strange”, their seventh A-side (’66), is such a cool, hypnotic garage rocker with a guitar riff that gives me close to the satisfaction I get from Keith’sContinue reading “Ray Brown & The Whispers — “Ain’t It Strange”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — February 23, 2022”

364) Marie-Claire — “Un Petit Bigoudi” Classic ye-ye from Marie-Claire’s only EP (’66) — “Un Petit Bigoudi” (” A Little Curler”). Marie-Claire was wise beyond her years. Yes indeed, a little curler looks like many men, desiring to ride, gets pinned. I have added a Facebook page for Brace for the Obscure 60s Rock! IfContinue reading “Marie-Claire Courcel — “Un Petit Bigoudi”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — February 22, 2022”

363) The Appletree Theater — “You’re the Biggest Thing in My Life” I could swear this wonderful song was an omnipresent 80’s new wave hit, or a demo for Tom Petty’s “You Got Lucky”, but it was actually a ’60’s lark by the Brothers Boylan and the album from which it came “received virtually NOContinue reading “The Appletree Theater — “You’re the Biggest Thing in My Life”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — February 21, 2022”

362) Nick Garrie — “The Wanderer” It’s been too long — so here’s another of Nick’s wonderful songs (see #3, 19, 41, 65, 104, 137, 245) — sorry Franz, this is my Wanderer Fantasy. I have added a Facebook page for Brace for the Obscure 60s Rock! If you like what you read and hearContinue reading “Nick Garrie — “The Wanderer”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — February 20, 2022”

361) Chuck Berry — “It’s My Own Business” Who knew that Chuck Berry still wrote classic songs in 1965? Well, he did, and I think the greatest is “It’s My Own Business,” which Bruce Eder calls “a great teen rebellion number.” (https://www.allmusic.com/album/fresh-berrys-mw0000841212) Forget teen rebellion, it is a great FU number to all those peopleContinue reading “Chuck Berry — “It’s My Own Business”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — February 19, 2022”

360) Kissing Spell — “Gente” Los Pajaros, the ‘70 album by Chile’s Kissing Spell, “is one of the best and most sought after South American psych albums . . . . [It has w]ell-crafted songs with an attractive dreamy quality enhanced by spacey effects, occasional bursts of well-handled fuzz guitar, and strong harmonies . .Continue reading “Kissing Spell — “Gente”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — February 18, 2022″

359) The Illusion — “Happy Days” This is not your mother’s “Happy Days Are Here Again”, or even Richie and the Fonz’s “Happy Days.” Bruce Eder and John McCarthy say that the song, from the band’s ’69 album Together (as a Way of Life), is “a dramatic mid-tempo number with choral vocals and prominent electricContinue reading “The Illusion — “Happy Days”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — February 18, 2022”