SIDEWALK SKIPPER BAND - STRAWBERRY TUESDAY / CYNTHIA AT THE GARDEN, MARCH 1968

Here are two slices of top shelf pop-psych that I'm very happy to have in my record stash.  As previously mentioned the Sidewalk Skipper Band hailed from Milwaukee, Wisconsin and cut two 45's for capitol in early 1968, this being the first released in March of that year.  The hard driving 'Strawberry Tuesday' is absolutely killer and has been featured in a few compilations over the years.  I have to mention the explosive drumming in the song as being standout for me among the rest of the extremely well crafted arrangement.  'Cynthia At The Garden' is another terrific piece of pop song craft with more fantastic drumming, great vocals and a nice touch of harpsichord.  The image below was taken from the liner notes of the Now Sounds Book A Trip CD, a resumé of sorts for the SSB.  Pure gold!

SWEETWATER - WHAT'S WRONG / MY CRYSTAL SPIDER, 1968

My latest record excursion brings me this debut single by Sweetwater released on the Reprise label in November 1968.  Info on Sweetwater is not quite in surplus, but they are fairly common among 60's enthusiasts and are most known for being the first 'band' to play at the Woodstock festival in 1969.  That is by no means a selling point for me, but I dig the sounds found here.  'What's Wrong' features a cool arpeggiated groove with male/female harmony vocals and lyrics heavy in social/political commentary.  The original band had 8 members which leads to a nice break in the song featuring flute, cello and bongos among other things.  'My Crystal Spider' takes a more experimental psychedelic approach and it's pretty obvious that female lead vocalist Nancy Nevins was going for a Grace Slick delivery.  They're no Jefferson Airplane, but this is a nice pair of tunes nonetheless.

BLUES MAGOOS - ELECTRIC COMIC BOOK, APRIL 1967

(Like always) I'm finding myself immersed in a select handful of killer records, one of them being The Blues Magoos second LP 'Electric Comic Book'.  'Electric Comic Book' was released in April 1967, just five months after their successful debut album 'Psychedelic Lollipop' (quite the testament to how incredible the music market was in this era).  It largely fell in the shadow of 'Lollipop' which was in the charts well into '67, but I find it every bit as engaging and fun.  The highlight for me is album opener 'Pipe Dream', a two and a half minute blast featuring guitar and organ breaks that are cooler than just about anything.  'Pipe Dream' was originally released as the b-side of 'There's A Chance We Can Make It', but in one of those strange cases ended up charting higher.  The freak flag flies high throughout the rest of the album, and they even throw in the nice baroque tinged 'Summer Is The Man' for good measure.  Covers on this record are limited to a great take on 'Gloria' and a more traditional blues arrangement, 'Let's Get Together'.  This is a record that will drive your square neighbor crazy when played repeatedly at volumes.  Too bad for them!

THE PEANUT BUTTER CONSPIRACY - THE PEANUT BUTTER CONSPIRACY IS SPREADING, APRIL 1967

'LOVE IS THE GROOVIEST THING UP 'TILL NOW IN THE WORLD'

Instead of chiming in with my own unorganized thoughts about this fabulous record I have transcribed the 'custom' liner notes handwritten on the inner sleeve of my unique copy by a previous unknown owner.  The Peanut Butter Conspiracy's debut album was released in March of 1967, produced by the great Gary Usher and is most definitely A HAPPENING THING.

YA WANT FLOWER POWER?  HERE IT IS, FROM 1967!!!

What I’m surprised by is that all the stuff, even the big hit single is ORIGINAL material.  While I cringe at the word “GROOVY” (the word long went the way of ‘Daddy-O’) this group can rock out and then sing it pretty too… one nice trademark of flower power bands was that they had a soft lyrical side too.  So while “It’s Happening” blasts off, “Then Came Love” is reminiscent of softer Mama’s and The Papa’s type material.  Songs like “Twice Is Life” sort of echo the Byrds… So really, this band fits right in with the Byrds, We Five, Jefferson Airplane, and perhaps even Sweetwater (before Sweetwater’s lead singers accident, that is)…  Well, OK, “Second Hand Man” was written by someone not in the band… It’s a friendly little folkie toe-tapper.  Back when this LP came out, record companies were signing up everyone… and from what I can tell, a lot of bands had a ‘folk’ influence before things got really heavy…  Good album coordination too… Lots of variety.  “You Can’t Be Found” rips out, sorta like the Seeds “Pushin Too Hard”… really, this album is a real period piece.  Sure this was a LESSER band but this record is nothing to be ashamed of, and is probably how a LOT of bands in that area sounded like way back when.  Folk, British invasion, and even some country were all interwoven by bands of that time.  “Why Did I Get So High” is very British in approach, with a cute little Jane… and she is “high” on Love by the way… Maybe this album tries a bit hard to be ‘hip’ but this WAS the climate way back when.  “Dark On You Now” is a smooth fast-paced number, while “Market Place” is weird in vocal and lyrical approach (hey, the hippies gathered in the market place didn’t they?)  So this song must be a direct reflection of the times?  “You Should Know” almost sounds like the Seekers turned up a notch… and it then shifts tempo for a bit of Jazzy guitar – so this is a fairly talented band!  Also the chick doesn’t sing ‘lead’ on every song.  “The Most Up Till Now” for instance, so the group can change and weave their sound.  This album is much more real than I thought it would be – I’m pleasantly surprised… and “You Took Too Much” closes the album harmoniously.  Not bad, not bad. And ‘tasty’ too.  They don’t ‘spread’ it on ‘too thick’ (groan!)
6/09/01

BLUES MAGOOS - ONE BY ONE / DANTE'S INFERNO, JUNE 1967

'One By One' was featured on the Blues Magoos debut LP released in late 1966 and reappeared as a single in the summer of '67 with a different, slightly uptempo mix.  It was backed with the insane noise piece 'Dante's Inferno' which I can imagine had a few stuffy DJ's scratching their heads...

THE MUSIC MACHINE - THE PEOPLE IN ME / MASCULINE INTUITION, JANUARY 1966

'The People In Me' was The Music Machine's follow up single to their late 1966 top 20 hit 'Talk Talk', and along with being my personal favorite of theirs has to be one of the all-time coolest garage tracks ever.  What a perfect package it is with it's driving bass, fuzz guitar, farfisa flashes and Sean Bonniwell's ultra cool vocals backed with the bands moody garage harmonies.  'Masculine Intuition' is every bit as good and deserves mention as well.

THE WEST COAST POP ART EXPERIMENTAL BAND - VOL 3. A CHILDS GUIDE TO GOOD AND EVIL, 1968

I'm in the midst of a deep delve into the West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band which inspires this post.  Vol 3. starts off with the beautiful folk harmonies of 'Eighteen Is Over The Hill' followed by the properly country tinged 'In The Country' in which it's opening lyrics strikingly state 'San Francisco is dead / in LA no one's in the street'.  The rest of the album then slowly descends into arranged madness.  Or perhaps it was rearranged madness as the original sleeve track listing was different than what was actually on record.  There are plenty of memorable moments throughout, but the strange lyrics of Bob Markley really come to full blossom on side 2 with the title track's haunting harmonies and trippy electric sitar sounds.

'After the doors of many strange rooms have been bolted and locked

when you come back dragging your day dreams behind you

I'll give you a new shiny face and a yellow brick road

The rest of the world is wrong, don't let anyone change you.'

THE OUTSIDERS - CQ, 1968 (Jackpot Records reissue)

I discovered this gem by dutch group The Outsiders somewhat early on in my exploration of 1960's psychedelia and it's strange sounds have proven to be an essential piece to my ongoing puzzle.  This record creates a very unique mood with it's blend of garage, soft mysterious ballad, aforementioned strange sounds and psychedelic undertones.  I have to mention the title track 'CQ' as a personal favorite, and one of the ultimate mind altering interludes.  Those guitars are something else! 

Jackpot Records released this excellent reissue in 2010 which sold out, but I noticed it has recently been repressed.  It comes complete with a HEAVY gatefold replica sleeve and a two page liner insert which includes a brief writeup (seen above) from Mike Stax featured in Ugly Things magazine,  and an interview with lead guitarist Ronnie Splinter from the pages of Shindig in 2009.  The sound is top notch.

Another nice informative interview with Ronnie Splinter can be found HERE

GENE CLARK

THE DOVERS - WE'RE NOT JUST ANYBODY (SIDE 2), 1966

Here's part 2 of the article/interview included with the Misty Lane Dovers' compilation, We're Not Just Anybody.  This section highlights the two singles they cut for Miramar Records in 1966.

In The early months of 1966, a shake up in the Dovers lineup occured.  Seems the two clean cut guys had had enough of the drug scene and agreed to bail on the group together.  Both Goosey and Rick have told me via phone interviews done back in 1995 that it (the band) wasn't fun anymore, and that there were a few scrapes with the law that almost got the whole band in trouble.  It was the emergence of LSD, thanks to Robbie, who encouraged everyone to 'trip on out for the good of the band', or something like that.  Bruce, always the curious one, took his first hit, and was blown away.

Throwing a Ravi Shankar LP on the hi-fi, Bruce began fleshing out a psychedelic tune that told of his trip: 'magic curtains of green and blue light pass by moon and sky' and 'no wings for my flight, I drift through the night' were two of the lyrical lines which became what Bruce titled 'The Third Eye'.  Musically he borrowed the Ravi Shankar style of middle eastern tones, and created the 'tripadelic' riff played as a hypnotic, trance-like break following each verse.  Bruce showed it to the band, who were concurrently getting settled with their new drummer, Randy Busby, who vacated his seat in Ernie And The Emperors so that he could, in Bruce's words, "get wasted with his buddies."  "I knew Randy from high school, as I've said.  he wanted in our band bad, cuz the Orosco brothers were all straight as an arrow.  I remember when he came to sit in with us for the first time - we got him loaded, and he still kept perfect time!"  A few more suggestions were added and the Dovers had another stellar original, completely unlike anything they had attempted musically to date.  Tim came up with another jangly love song, 'Your Love', for the next Dovers 45.  But something very strange happened.  The radio began playing a song in a similar vein to 'The Third Eye'.  Though not as wild, the tune 'Eight Miles High' featured that Ravi Shankar type middle eastern break.  Though not anywhere near an exact copy of his tune, Bruce was shocked when he heard the song for the first time: "We had already worked on the tune and everything.  A few weeks later I'm in the car and 'Eight Miles High' came on.  I was crushed, I thought I had something unique.  Oh, well..."  And speaking of the Byrds, Bruce did actually come in contact with one caped crusader, or should I say caped egomaniac, David Crosby, during the time of the Dovers.  "David Crosby actually was a friend of Robbie Ladewig.  Crosby saw us play, since his hometown was Santa Barbara."  I had to ask Bruce if Crosby was (in my words) the &*%$@#) people say he was/is, to which Bruce replied, "you bet."

April of 1966 saw the release of 'The Third Eye' / 'Your Love' on the Mirimar label, but this time, the record didn't do as well as the previous two releases.  Mysteriously, copies of the single show no writers credit for either tune, probably Cary's shortsightedness rising to the fore again.  Gigs were still only once a week "if we were lucky" lamented Bruce.  One good show saw the Dovers driving down to Oxnard, the closest venue they ever got to Los Angeles.  (Note: Assertions have been made that the Dovers played in LA, and on the Sunset Strip, but Bruce assets that is not the case: "We did go down to check things out from time to time, but we never played in LA.  We don't know if Cary tried to get us booked in down there or not either."  The Oxnard gig had the Dovers on a bill with a very professional group called the Rising Sons, featuring the soon to be guitar wunderkind Ry Cooder.  Perhaps they played 'The Devils Got My Woman', their lone single recorded for the Columbia label.  But the stars of the show, recalled Bruce: "...were a bunch of 10 to 12 year old black kids.  They were great.  They were better than us!"  The Dovers also found themselves playing in a big battle of the bands gig at the University of California at Santa Barbara.  they finished either third or fourth, depending on who you talk to.  "Battles were never good to us, we never one any of those," laughed Bruce.  

With 'The Third Eye' never really getting off the ground, the Dovers worked on what was to become their final opus, the astounding 'She's Not Just Anybody', which to the author's ears, showcase the penultimate Dovers tune.  Another minor-key melody, featuring Bruce's blonde 12-string Rickenbaker ("A rare bird, they didn't make too many of the model I had") and his reverberated jangly lead on the break that builds to a crashing crescendo, while Randy Busby kicked the skins double time to keep up with the frenzy.  Robbie snaked down a fuzz riff on his bass (It didn't sound good with the guitar, so we tried it on the bass" recalled Bruce.), and Tim again emits a haunting vocal which would make the Dovers famous twenty plus years after the fact.  Tim also penned another original for the flipside of the single, the defiant 'About Me', which again features his trademark vocal quaver.  Bruce also uses the 'harmonic' technique of plucking the strings on the tune, giving it a ringing 'doorbell' like chiming effect.

Released in late May, 1966, 'She's Not Just Anybody' sold better than 'The Third Eye', but failed to match earlier record sales or interest.  By this time Bruce was growing disenchanted with the group: "the drugs, while fun, were starting to become a serious hazard toward whatever momentum we would have going.  Robbie and Tony began doing hard drugs, which I didn't really know about at the time - I still had a full time job, plus a family.  I knew we had something, but Cary started to grow real distant.  Neither he or Robbie would show up for rehearsals, stoned out of their gords.  I began to cause trouble to vent my frustrations".

No one was more surprised than Bruce when he himself got the boot at the end of the summer: "They decided to kick me out, because I was causing trouble, getting aggravated with the situation and all.  So I decided to quit playing altogether.  Nick Hoffman replaced me".  (Note:  This is the same Nick Hoffman who recorded the rollicking 'King of The Moon', and 'Blind And Leaving Blues' on the Miramar label in 1965).  Nick says that the band changed the name at this point, but did not really last for any given length of time.  A sad end, but oh so typical of the times.

Fast forward to recent years - I confirmed the home base of location for the Dovers as Santa Barbara in 1995 via research, after years of guesses and speculations.  A reclusive, hoarding record collector found Tim Granada in the late 1980's and interviewed him for his recollections on the Dovers, but neither I, or anyone else could get this vilified collector to share his findings.  I spoke with members of Tim's family, all of whom informed me that Tim had gone through rough times, and had not contacted anyone in a long time.  Attempts to reach him have failed.  I finally found Bruce after a few years of digging, and after a brief contact, we fell out of touch until the dreaded Napster brought us together again: "I was going through Napster, and I fell out of my chair when I saw Dovers songs up there!  I couldn't believe it!"  Bruce contacted your friendly proprietor of the Misty Lane record empire, who in turn sent him onto me.  We spoke at length for a planned interview, which comprises the basis for this Dovers retrospective.

Thanks again to Bruce for his time, Nick Hoffman for his memories, as well as the other guys I spoke with many moons ago, Tony Rivas, and Rick Morinini.  Robbie Ladewig passed away in 1988; Tony Cary died of an overdose in the early 1970's.  And Tim Granada continues to elude all who wish to acknowledge his contributions as a member of Santa Barbara, California's folk rock icons, The Dovers.

Mike Markesich 
June, 2001