Some who know me may ask "When are you not feeling psychedelic?" Well there are times when I do not feel the interlocking ebbing waves of oneness but that is not what this is about. I am talking about the music. I have been listening to a bit of psychedelic lately and thought I would share some thoughts.
My current resurgence started when I listened to a short documentary on Roky Erickson head man to the 13 Floor Elevators. Months later I was watching High Fidelity and realized the intro song was "You're Gonna Miss Me" by the 13th Floor Elevators. Check out Tommy Hall playing the electric jug.
I also recently discovered the Monks (Monks - Monk time) which hit my synchronicity spot.
These new old discoveries reminded me of how much I loved and was intrigued by underground Psychedelic music when I was younger. I had been interested in psychedelic music since I was a kid when I first heard 8 Miles High on a show about 60's music. I think this was the actual video I saw.
I tried, and failed, to emulate the intro solo many times. The Strawberry Alarm Clock grabbed me as well with Incense and Peppermints.
I had wanted to delve into more of the 60's original psychedelia so I asked my quite older brother Bob to make me a mixed tape. I was a little disappointed. Even though he grew up in the era of psychedelia and had a great feel for music, he didn't seem to provide me with what I was looking for. I wanted twangy guitars, colorful organ sounds and songs about Butterflies and zebras and moonbeams and fairy tales. I think some of the bands like Strawberry Alarm clock were a little too poppy for him. I wish I had the tape. He might have put some stuff on there that I just wasn't ready to listen to yet. A few years later, at 15, I went to visit Bob in Bellingham, WA for a summer vacation of mountaineering, smoked salmon, hitchhiking adventures, general hippie activities and a musical education. He brought me to a record store downtown and encouraged me to get my first Jimi Hendrix album. The Jimi Hendrix Experience was the perfect mix. It had that pop psychedelic style to it but was concurrently blues that Bob respected immensely.
At the same time there was an 80's psychedelic revival going on referred to as the Paisley Underground. The 3 O'clock from LA was so nerdy cool and they were based right in my home town, as was the Redd Kross whom some of my friends claimed they hung out with along with some members of the Bangles.
As an adult Bob asked me a question so he could gauge my knowledge of the California 60's underground music scene. It was something like who was the best psychedelic band from LA or SoCal? Of course to answer anything else but Love would be foolish.
I discovered Love through The Damned, one of my favorite bands, who covered "Alone Again Or" in the late 80's. It then became popular to know about Love if you were in any type of cool/hipster/garage band.
When all is said and done I can beat anybodies psychedelic resume' save those who were actually in a kick ass psychedelic band. I don't care if you hung out with Redd Kross. I don't care if you were were the double for Davy Jones in an episode of the Monkeys. I don't care if you have a really cool blog called The Psychedelic Music Blog. I don't care if you followed the Dead around till they gave you a nick name. At 12 years old I was baptized by James Lowe, of the Electric Prunes in his pool in Chatsworth California. I regularly went to his home spun bible study and played with his kids. I now regret that I never got to hear him play the autoharp. Later I backslid to an early teen lifestyle of partying in Chatsworth Park just west of their house and just east of Charles Manson's old hide out at Spahn Ranch. The Electric Prunes - I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night)
That's it. One more thing. If my buddy Chris from High School is reading this. You still have my Iron Butterfly album. It was a collectors item when I let you borrow it. It is even more valuable now. I hope you kept it in good shape and expect to see it sent to me shortly.
My current resurgence started when I listened to a short documentary on Roky Erickson head man to the 13 Floor Elevators. Months later I was watching High Fidelity and realized the intro song was "You're Gonna Miss Me" by the 13th Floor Elevators. Check out Tommy Hall playing the electric jug.
I also recently discovered the Monks (Monks - Monk time) which hit my synchronicity spot.
These new old discoveries reminded me of how much I loved and was intrigued by underground Psychedelic music when I was younger. I had been interested in psychedelic music since I was a kid when I first heard 8 Miles High on a show about 60's music. I think this was the actual video I saw.
I tried, and failed, to emulate the intro solo many times. The Strawberry Alarm Clock grabbed me as well with Incense and Peppermints.
I had wanted to delve into more of the 60's original psychedelia so I asked my quite older brother Bob to make me a mixed tape. I was a little disappointed. Even though he grew up in the era of psychedelia and had a great feel for music, he didn't seem to provide me with what I was looking for. I wanted twangy guitars, colorful organ sounds and songs about Butterflies and zebras and moonbeams and fairy tales. I think some of the bands like Strawberry Alarm clock were a little too poppy for him. I wish I had the tape. He might have put some stuff on there that I just wasn't ready to listen to yet. A few years later, at 15, I went to visit Bob in Bellingham, WA for a summer vacation of mountaineering, smoked salmon, hitchhiking adventures, general hippie activities and a musical education. He brought me to a record store downtown and encouraged me to get my first Jimi Hendrix album. The Jimi Hendrix Experience was the perfect mix. It had that pop psychedelic style to it but was concurrently blues that Bob respected immensely.
At the same time there was an 80's psychedelic revival going on referred to as the Paisley Underground. The 3 O'clock from LA was so nerdy cool and they were based right in my home town, as was the Redd Kross whom some of my friends claimed they hung out with along with some members of the Bangles.
As an adult Bob asked me a question so he could gauge my knowledge of the California 60's underground music scene. It was something like who was the best psychedelic band from LA or SoCal? Of course to answer anything else but Love would be foolish.
I discovered Love through The Damned, one of my favorite bands, who covered "Alone Again Or" in the late 80's. It then became popular to know about Love if you were in any type of cool/hipster/garage band.
When all is said and done I can beat anybodies psychedelic resume' save those who were actually in a kick ass psychedelic band. I don't care if you hung out with Redd Kross. I don't care if you were were the double for Davy Jones in an episode of the Monkeys. I don't care if you have a really cool blog called The Psychedelic Music Blog. I don't care if you followed the Dead around till they gave you a nick name. At 12 years old I was baptized by James Lowe, of the Electric Prunes in his pool in Chatsworth California. I regularly went to his home spun bible study and played with his kids. I now regret that I never got to hear him play the autoharp. Later I backslid to an early teen lifestyle of partying in Chatsworth Park just west of their house and just east of Charles Manson's old hide out at Spahn Ranch. The Electric Prunes - I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night)
That's it. One more thing. If my buddy Chris from High School is reading this. You still have my Iron Butterfly album. It was a collectors item when I let you borrow it. It is even more valuable now. I hope you kept it in good shape and expect to see it sent to me shortly.
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