Tuesday, November 17, 1998
CDs bring psychedelic ’60s back to life
MUSIC: Latest boxed set resurrects long since forgotten music,
bands
By Vanessa VanderZanden
Daily Bruin Senior Staff
One hundred eighteen tracks of obscure ’60s garage band music
combined on four albums with a 98-page glossy booklet outlining the
biographies of each group: is this $60 box set worth the
effort?
"A lot of stuff I would have swum though pools of monkey vomit
to do right by," says sound producer Bill Inglot in the booklet’s
introduction.
Psychedelic colors spin out of control on the album covers of
each CD in the "Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First
Psychedelic Era, 1965-1968" collection. These bad-trip-visions,
fortunately, represent the contents of the CD cases only in so far
as the music’s energy is concerned.
Although the vast amount of music feels almost too extensive for
the casual ’60s punk listener to digest all at once, a steady-paced
perusal of the various selections fails to overwhelm. Perfect for
those afternoons set aside to write essays and study for tedious
exams, "Nuggets" works best as a backdrop while poring over the
peculiar informational notes included.
The first disc holds the catchiest, most intense works in the
set. It contains 27 hits released on the original 1972 "Nuggets"
collection – upon which the box set expands. "I Had Too Much to
Dream (Last Night)" by The Electric Prunes kicks the album off. A
restless and eager lead singer Jim Lowe propels the spindly-guitar
work forward and dares the tinny-drums to catch up.
Like most of the wackily-named bands in the selection, it failed
to secure the Prunes a stable spot on charts for future works,
although the track brought the vivacious pop group national success
at its initial release.
Another notable component of the first album comes in the form
of "Moulty" by The Barbarians. Here, the one-armed drummer (Victor
"Moulty" Moutlon) uses a beat-style voice-over to persuade
audiences to over step obstacles on the path to success. Growing
their hair longer than most musicians in their era, they had a
"barbaric" reputation for wearing leather sandals, opposing the
then standard Beatles-inspired boots.
The second volume eeks out a boppier, lighter collection of
head-whipping pop hits. Yet, in keeping with the first album, even
the flippier tunes carry an undertone of soul that modern rock
music tends to slide over.
For instance, "I Ain’t No Miracle Worker" by the Brogues climbs
through a tough sea of driving beats that pound on in the
ever-pursuing whirlwind of organ chords and guitar riffs. It’s
followed by the impassioned "7 and 7 is" by Love. Practically
screaming about becoming a man and ice cream cones, it’s like
liquid testosterone; the original kind that Metallica and other
poodle-haired ’80s rockers only wish they could emulate.
Although many songs cream over soft lyrics, like how one song’s
title is "I’m Gonna Make You Mine" by The Shadows of Knight, while
two songs later The Seeds follow with "Can’t Seem to Make You
Mine," the cheesiness comes off as self-aware fun. This cheesiness
was intended at least by those who compiled the tracks, if not by
the young, idealistic artists performing those tunes many years
ago.
Finally finding themselves in an era where music leapt free from
the confines it had seen in the days of Frank Sinatra and fine
voiced performers of the same crooning ilk, strange songs abounded.
Many such hits find their way onto the third volume, which begins
with The Hombres’ Bob Dylan-inspired Nashville beat-wail, "Let it
Out (Let it All Hang Out)."
With the lyrics, "Saw a man walkin’ upside down, / My TVs on the
blink / Made Galileo look like a boy scout / Sorry ’bout that / Let
it all hang out," the twangy rockers took the musical times in a
whole new direction.
And it continues on right through to the fourth album. Past
harmonica heavy pieces, like the Daily Flash’s "Jack of Diamonds"
and jive-happy pieces complete with doo-wop style back up vocals,
like on The Rare Breed’s "Beg, Borrow and Steal," the box set
rambles harmlessly, motivatingly and tumultuously through the wild
years of rock and roll’s infancy.
Having lost faith in God, the country and their parents, kids of
this era needed someone or something to rely on, to stand behind,
relate to and believe in. Some say it was only rock and roll, but
it’s a lot more than that, as any confused youth can tell you
today.
Many songs, like "Hey Joe" by the Leaves (covered by Jimi
Hendrix) and "Farmer John" by The Premiers (covered by Neil Young)
are easily recognizable hits that have stood the test of time.
Others, like "Are You Gonna Be There (At the Love-In)" by The
Chocolate Watchband, have become dated for obvious reasons.
However, all songs pay homage to the experimental side of pop
music that continues today. Spritely, dark and chaotic, the works
play off the angst and beauty of a constantly changing world.Rhino
Records
"Nuggets," a boxed set of CDs, has compiled the very best of
underground ’60s music that has since been lost in the haze.
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