Friday Freak Flag Flying ~ “Today” ~ Jefferson Airplane.

God I still get chills hearing this fantastically beautiful song. Marty Balin’s vocals cut straight through your heart, the instrumentation almost haunting.

Frank Sinatra said he thought “Something” was the best love song ever written, truth be told if “Today” had gotten the airplay it deserved from its 67′ release I think the Marty Balin & Paul Kanter composition might have been reconsidered. To me it had more passion and the harmonies priceless.

This song along with Balin’s “Comin’ Back to Me” were Airplane’s most hidden gems and so over-shadowed by White Rabbit & Somebody To Love off the same album. They were so underplayed it was a crying shame.

Yes the more psychedelic acid rock ones struck their chords amidst the trips, but you can’t deny that these softer also psychedelic in nature speaking of love didn’t take their rightful place.

Marty sung it with such feeling and expression, how could it not.

“I’m so full of love I could burst apart and start to cry.”

1967 “Summer of Love”, you betcha.

 

Saturday Psychedelics ~ “San Francisco Girls (Return of the Native)” ~ Fever Tree

 

Sadly unforgotten band and song.

This may have only been their biggest hit out of the four albums produced from 68′-70′ but this native Texas group in my opinion had some nice sounds with other songs. I loved Dennis Keller’s set of pipes. What they lacked was more innovating writing.

Saturday Psychedelics ~ “Odyssey” ~ Jasper Wrath

This band formed in 1969, New Haven, Connecticut. They mostly defined progressive rock on their self entitled album released in 71′, but I thought Odyssey stood out the gem hearing what had come out of the 60s San Fran Haight/Ashbury scene.

Giannotti (aka Gennette) split from the band before a national tour even took place soon after its release. Not finding a suitable replacement the band went on a hiatus with Cannata ( aka Christopher Hawke) & Solden going to London then to Spain. In 73′ the reformed with Stone (aka Stoltie) and three new members but really never had any national success though they maintained performing live with new songs until 76′ when Jasper Wrath finally came to a conclusion.

 

Friday Freak Flag Flying ~ “Time Has Come Today ” ~ The Chambers Brothers

An Epic Masterpiece.

 

Saturday Psychedelics ~ “Wind & Rain” ~ Warren S. Richardson Jr.

If there is any singer who reminds me a bit of Mark Farner of Grand Funk Railroad it is this artist.

Richardson also has a vibrato ridden set of pipes, the music Blues Rock with the other tracks on the album fused with psychedelic, jazz & funk.

He went on to start the band The Tubes in 75′. I definitely like the 69′ vibe a lot better from this Arizona band.

 

Saturday Psychedelics ~ “April ’68” ~ Young Flowers

Copenhagen’s equivalent to the Power Trio’s of Hendrix’s Experience and Cream and fared very well as the Danish’s first psychedelic progressive blues band of the day (in reality labeled them their first super-group but there were a few others). Bands that followed them gained more notoriety by getting their records released in Britain & the USA by way of major labels where Young Flowers hadn’t.

They got bluesier and put out three albums before disbanding in 1970.

Friday Freak Flag Flying ~ ” Long Time Gone” ~ CSNY & Tom Jones

Damn… Tom Jones not only does justice among our 1969 Hippie Elite’s music here, he sings the living shit out of Long Time Gone.

David Crosby actually looks on with amazement here while watching Tom wail but really don’t know why, Jones himself was on fire during this period. In fact all looked a little surprised as if they really hadn’t expected the performance Jones gave.

Have to admit when Janis appeared on his show and remember him doing a song with her and the band, it just didn’t seem to fit. But with CSN&Y on the contrary he just became a part of the group very comfortably.

The cream of the crop of all music here.

 

Friday Freak Flag Flying ~ “Dark Magic” ~ Moby Grape

Just going to run this Masterpiece into Saturday Psychedelics ~ ~ ~

This song was never recorded in the studio and released on an album by the original group. “Moby Grape Live” was released in 2010 with previously un-released live recordings from 1966, 67′ & 69′.

To me Dark Magic was an epic jam and phenomenal start to San Fran’s hey day of psychedelic proportions and Skip Spence shined on it.

 

Thursday “Take It As It Comes” ~ The Doors

Band self entitled debut album.
Recorded Aug. 1966
Released Jan. 1967

This song should have went on for an hour. Manzarek is a work of art, whole band cooked on this track.

 

Saturday Psychedelics ~ “Numbers” ~ The Paupers

This band blazed out of Toronto Ontario with a debut single & album in 1967 called “Magic People”. Must of fit because they soon were playing at The Fillmore West and The Monterey Pop Festival in San Fran.

Saturday Psychedelics ~ “Pretty As You Feel” ~ Jefferson Airplane

This is my ultimate and only favorite song from JA post Marty Balin.

All I can say is grab some headphones for this one. It’s like taking a trip without any drug, more satisfying as well. In one respect it’s like the song together is also in parts if that makes any sense. Between Joey Covington & Grace Slick’s opening eerie vocals, the magic of the guitars being played on this track by Carlos Santana, Paul Kantner & Jorma Kaukonen or the debut of Papa John Creach violin riffs as if they were talking to each other. The combination made this whole song a psychedelic bliss.

Friday Freak Flag Flying ~ ”My Child, He Walks Alone” ~ The Corporation

A Milwaukee garage band that Capital thought enough of to sign them unfortunately it didn’t last. Seems their first album sold well but the band never saw much money. So they left and returned home to record the next two on a small label from their neck of the woods, The Age of Aquarius. Short time later they broke up.

In 2008 a CD of the latter two was released.

Ray Manzarek Breaks On Through To The Other Side.

Another continuing sad loss for our Woodstock Generation with the passing of Ray Manzarek. It seems like only yesterday that The Doors journey started but what a mark that was left by this legendary band.

It was fate that both him and Jim Morrison again would meet up at Ventura beach and I guess for the crazy changing wondrous times it would be that same fate along with Robby Krieger and John Densmore that this band’s sound would explode.

Saturday Psychedelics ~ “Look At Yourself” ~ Uriah Heep

Friday Freak Flag Flying ~ “I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night)” ~ The Electric Prunes

I will always remember this song as it hit the Detroit airways in 66′. I was living on the east side and although me and my friends still too young at the time couldn’t yet grasp the psychedelic aura, we knew we liked this new wave of strange sounding music coming out of our little transistor radio’s.

Everybody saw it coming!

Future latter-day hippies we definitely would become. LOL

Saturday Psychedelics ~ “Chasing Shadows” ~ Deep Purple

A masterpiece that should have been longer like an hour.

In my opinion one of Ian Paice’s finest works on drums. The song written by him and Jon Lord would set the standard in what direction the band would take from this point on. This was DP third album that simply reflected their name, it would also be the last album that Nick Simper and lead singer Rod Evans would be on. But make no mistake the talents of both contributed much to the earlier introduction of this band.

Saturday Psychedelics ~ “World” ~ Felt

This Alabama band of all teens sadly only recorded one self entitled album in 1970 (released in 71′). Consisting of Myke Jackson, Mike Neel, Stan Lee, Tommy Gilstrap & Allan Dalrymple were unable to find a label in their neck of the woods who recorded their kind of music. A small label (Nashboro/Nasco) who up to that point had only recorded country/bluegrass & gospel gave them a shot. A couple of months after the recording their 17-year old lead singer Myke Jackson was busted with an ounce of pot and got sent off to reform school for 6 months, thus the band broke apart.

Friday Freak Flag Flying ~ “I Got Dem Ol’ Kozmic Blues Again Mama!” ~ Janis Joplin

This Queen of Rock would have been 70 now. One can only wonder how much more she would have contributed and became had she lived beyond 27. Sadly a further explosion we never got to experience.

And why she was also called Queen of just Psychedelic Blues? It might have been the era, but this lady was 100% good old-fashioned low down dirty Mother F’N Blues. To me “Work Me Lord” was a Masterpiece.

Pipes, Talent and Real but all so alone.

One song on this album would ultimately define Janis for the song she sang was really about herself, Little Girl Blue.

Raw, Honest, Pure, Heart, Soul, Emotion… and Beyond Missed.

Saturday Psychedelics ~ “Square Room” ~ Them

The beginning of Van Morrison’s career. Of course many will just remember hits like “Gloria” & “Baby, Please Don’t Go” from 64′ & 65, then Morrison quit in 66′. From my view it was only then Them became quite interesting. In reality there were two ” Them’s” when band-mates broke apart. So then there was ” The Other Them”.

But this album and song were THEM.

Still following? lol

Through Thursday ~ “I Talk To The Wind” ~ King Crimson

It makes more sense.

What an incredibly gifted band. We had many poets in the 1960s that spoke their souls. They didn’t have to lure us, we went in willing.

This first album was epic.

 

The Passing Of A Butterfly… Lee Dorman

I could have posted their signature “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida”, but I always loved this song that showed a different side of their talents.

Unfortunately with each passing day our youth that moves farther and farther away, we are reminded of how old our generation has gotten. Thus another musician has left us and now with bassist Lee Dorman’s passing at the age of 70 we’re a little more empty but grateful for the trip he gave us while he was here.

Something our Woodstock Nation will always treasure.

Iron Butterfly gave us so much more than “In The Garden Of Eden”.

We may have aged but the memories will never be left behind.

Thank You Lee and a Peaceful Journey.

Wednesday ~ “Wake Me Up In The Morning” ~ Big Brother Ernie Joseph

This band is not associated with the wider known Big Brother Holding Company.

This band consisted of brothers Ernie, Colt & Ruben Orosco all going by different stage names with drummer Steve “D” Dunwoodle. Ernie was the oldest and was a part of prior bands: The Giant Crab & Ernie and the Emperors with different members before joining his brothers in 69′.

On this particular song I get a feel of a bit of “Traffic”. Nice laid back sound.

All the brothers were also multi instrumentalists.

Frankly their vocals and playing among other psychedelic era bands of that time were great and should have been wider known. They definitely held their own and seemed to play and open for some of the best acts of the day but always remained a California cult. Yet still touring today as the Brian Faith Band.

All together they produced 4 albums from 1968-70.

Anyway “Wake Me Up In The Morning” caught my attention with more than a worthy listen and a lot more recognition proving there were a lot of hidden gems.

Lyrics sadly and eerily still fit.

“In this world confusion lies within the hearts and minds..
The headline say’s no peace today with other games to play…”

Saturday Psychedelics ~ “Never Had A Girl like You Before” & “I Can Take You To The Sun” ~ The Misunderstood

 

And people thought that it was some magical mystery tour that had brought the mid 60s into another realm. So untrue for their were so many bands that had already made the music but didn’t have the name or the backing. Therefore they became sad casualties in the frantic ever-changing music business. Forming in Riverside, Ca. this band moved to London very early on before the British Invasion had even happened here. They had only released 7 singles (one album side to “Before The Dream Faded”) there before deported (long story via drafts, without working papers, more drafts, France, etc…) back to the States.

The group already had made their mark with “I Can Take You To The Sun” and “Children Of The Sun” in 66′ that would top the list of best psychedelics songs ever. Then they were forced to disband in 67′.

Creem magazine in their September 2004 review, wrote “The saga of the Misunderstood is one of the most unbelievable, heartbreaking, and unlikely stories in the entire history of rock.”

Friday Freak Flag Flying ~ “Dead Man” ~ Josefus

It’s too bad this band only produced three albums. Hookah was their own label and that was the problem. With anything no major label to market you, no money and then were left out cold. In reality they had poor management and it cost them a big career.

But cold was anything but this band was. This Texas-based underground band that had formed in the late 60s smoked. The blazed their way through the south and did make a big enough impression to be the opening acts to some very big names. Sadly they just wouldn’t become one of them. Not for lack of talent that’s for certain.

1969 “Get Off My Case”. “Dead Man” 70′ was their second and they would only produce one more their third, “Josefus” 70′ before disbanding for good.

Friday At The Fillmore ~ “At The Mountains Of Madness” ~ H.P. Lovecraft

Written by George Edwards, Dave Michaels, Tony Cavallari
Recorded May 11, 1968 at the Fillmore West.
Released in 1991

Why it ever took so long for this material to be released is beyond me. This band formed in Chicago in 1967 but soon went to the San Fran scene and fitted in perfectly with the psychedelic happening of the day. They became very quick favorites of the hippie masses and performed and toured with every major act known then.

Saturday Stunning ~ “The Green Manalishi (With the Two-Prong Crown)” ~ Fleetwood Mac

In reality this was the only Fleetwood Mac I have ever related to.

The original Blues-Based mid-late 1960s band.

When Peter Green left, for me it was never the same. Yes they continued on and so did he. Both scoring big but with one exception, Green stuck to his roots and it was those roots that made him grow bigger and bigger and in essence would put his playing in the history books forever.

The Green Manalishi was among the very best of his compositions.

Saturday Psychedelics ~ “The World Is On Fire Tonight” ~ Strawberry Alarm Clock

 

One out of four songs that were featured in the 1967 movie, “Psych-Out”.

This one accompanied the last scene where the female deaf character (Susan Strasberg) gulps down an extra dose of STP and she flashes more than just a bad trip. More like a world explosion inside of the mind with everything around her igniting with fire. Buildings, telephone poles, from out of bricks and cement sidewalks. Spinning out of control then landing her some how onto a freeway with more fireballs blazing at her (I’m now experiencing this too, it’s called menopause), in realty headlights from cars.

One big exaggerated hallucination…. I loved it!

And the entire soundtrack was outstanding.

Saturday “Spirit” ~ 1968 In Full

My God how I actually sat and felt like I had indeed slipped into a time capsule and then wondered how I almost forget the greatness of Spirit’s earliest muse.

All I could think of is WABX.

This entire album was phenomenal from the classic chord and muse changes of “Fresh-Garbage”, trippy guitar work on “Mechanical World”, the melodic acoustic work on “Taurus” and then a little citar sound classic of the acid rock era into “Girl in your Eye” to the straight out Jazz of “Free Spirit” & “Elijah”, along with both Rock & Jazz fused in throughout many songs. And one of the first rock bands of that time using strings.

Definitely a psychedelic mix of all.

Spirit’s epic self-titled debut has measured up to time that sounds as good now as the first time our FM radio stations gave us our initial taste of them.

The songs were so damn good because you never knew where they were going to take you.

Friday At The Fillmore ~ Jimi Hendrix in Concert May 10, 1968

Now you know by time it gets to the 12:34 point on the video when “Red House” starts to pour out I’m going into 7th heaven. Awesome Version too.

Friday Freak Flag Flying ~ “The Pusher” ~ Steppenwolf

Can still remember sitting in one of my friend’s room listening to this when the album came out, we had to listen to it low.

In 68′ we were 11-years old wishing we were older and out in San Fran Haight/Ashbury with the real hippies. We turned into the latter ones in 70/71′.