Uriel: Arzachel 1969

Uriel were an English Heavy - Psychedelic Blues Band formed in 1968 by Steve Hillage (Guitar,

Vocals, later with Gong), Dave Stewart (Organ, later formed Egg), Mont Campbell (Bass, Vocals, later formed Egg), and Clive Brooks (Drums, later formed Egg).  The band initially called themselves Uriel, they produced their sold album under the Arzachel in June 1969.
                                                                   

The album Arzachel was recorded and mixed in a single session in London. The 'A' side has four songs,

while the 'B' side consists of only two mind-bending psychedelic tracks, the longer of which is a 17-minute jam entitled 'Metempsychosis'. It was issued on the short-lived Evolution label (also home to the debut by Raw Material) and quickly became a collectors' item. A pirate version is thought to have circulated in the late 1970s, and it has been much bootlegged in more recent years. It was eventually released on CD by Demon Records in 1994.
                                              

Formed while Hillage, Campbell and Stewart were at the City of London School, they initially played

covers of Cream, Jimi Hendrix, John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers and the Nice. After Hillage left in mid-1968 to attend university, the remaining trio began playing original material written by Campbell and Stewart. Bowing to pressure from their managers, they changed their name to Egg in early 1969.
                                                 

Shortly after Egg signed to Decca, a tiny company named Zackariya Enterprises gave the musicians an

opportunity to record a psychedelic session for the burgeoning market. Since this was not "Egg material" (and besides, they were under contract now to Decca), Uriel re-united to produce their sole album in June 1969, a one-off psychedelic project under an assumed name Arzachel (named after a crater on the moon, itself named after a medieval Spanish astronomer). The musicians also used pseudonyms on the album, although their biographies each contain some measure of truth:
                              

Simon Sasparella (Steve Hillage) - lead guitar and vocals. Sim was born in Seatoller, Cumberland in 1948, and has been playing guitar for 11 years. His dark Northern ruggedness is offset by the coolness of his manner. These two qualities are reflected in his playing – heavy, emotional work, and soft, subtle sounds. He believes that music is the only really physical art form – and is in a lifelong search for the ultimate musical power, on the same scale as the rocky Lake District crags from whence he came.

Njerogi Gategaka (Mont Campbell) – bass guitar and vocals. Njerogi was born in Mzumi Springs, a small border town in the north of the Kenyan Rift Valley. He trained to be a Manjanga drummer for the local Kyuma dances, but came to England with family in 1962. He lived in Brighton for five years, then moved to London, where he formed Arzachel with Sim, Basil and Sam. He believes that music stems largely from the sexual urge, both of which have an integral part in rhythm, having been taught this as part of his drum training.

Basil Dowling (Clive Brooks) – drums. Basil was born in Tottenham in 1947; as one would expect, he was an ardent Tottenham Hampton F.C. supporter in his younger days, but decided it would no longer be wise to go to football matches when his wiry bushy hair reached shoulder-length. He has been in seven groups, playing every conceivable style of music from dance band to skiffle. Basil is a heavy, violent drummer; he has been known to break fourteen sticks in as many bars. He believes that if it were not for Arzachel's music, his violence would still be expressed in seat-slashing and toilet-roll throwing.

Sam Lee-Uff (Dave Stewart) – organ. Sam was born in Lewisham in 1949 – he could play the piano when only two years old, and began to take organ lessons at the age of seven. He was expelled from public school, and spent eight months living on crusts, playing a battered accordion on street corners. This he refers to as his "hang-up" period. When the Psychedelic scene began to blossom, Sam joined various unsuccessful groups. Arzachel was a result of meeting up with Sim and Njerogi. Sam's favourite artistes include Heinz; Mike Ratledge; Holst; P.J. Proby; Vincent Crane. He believes music to be an expression of one's inner being – this expression, he says, will lead to the ultimate spiritual liberation of one's personality.
                                        

The album was re-released on 7 December 2007 as Arzachel Collectors Edition by Uriel (2007, Egg Archive CD69-7201). This official band release features a re-mastered version of the original album plus four unreleased Uriel studio demos, a spoken-word message from the past and a live snippet recorded in 1968. Steve Hillage plays on two of these bonus tracks.
                                         

Uriel – Arzachel (Collectors Edition)
Label: Egg Archive – CD69-7201
Format: CD, Album, Reissue, Remastered, Stereo Dec 7, 2007
Country: UK
Released: 1969   
Genre: Rock
Style: Heavy Psychedelic Blues Rock, Prog Rock

TRACKS

                                                     

01. Garden Of Earthly Delights  (Written-By – Campbell)  4:26
02. Azathoth  (Written-By – Stewart, Campbell)  4:26

Azathoth is a deity in the Cthulhu Mythos and Dream Cycle stories of writer H. P. Lovecraft and other authors. He is the ruler of the Outer Gods, and may be seen as a symbol for primordial chaos.
03. Soul Thing (Theme From 'Queen Street Gang')  (Arranged By – Campbell/Written-By – Mansfield)  4:32
04. Leg (Lyrics By – Vinall, Hillage/Music By – Hillage)  5:49
05. Clean Innocent Fun  (Lyrics By – Vinall, Hillage/Music By – Hillage)  10:34
06. Metempsychosis  (Written-By – Uriel)  16:58

Bonus Tracks

                                                       

  
07. Introducing The Bass Guitarist  (Written-By – Mr. Campbell)  0:21
08. Egoman  (Written-By – Campbell)  4:12
09. Swooping Bill  (Written-By – Stewart)  3:19
10. The Salesman Song  (Written-By – Campbell)  2:56
11. Saturn, The Bringer Of Old Age  (Arranged By – Campbell/Written-By – Holst)  3:45
12. The Stumble      0:46
                                                

Recorded At – Denmark Street Studios
Bass, French Horn, Bugle, Vocals – Mont Campbell  
Drums – Clive Brooks   
Guitar, Vocals – Steve Hillage (tracks: 1 to 6, 11, 12)
Organ, Piano – Dave Stewart
Design [Front Cover] – Mont Campbell
Producer – Peter Wicker (tracks: 1 to 6)

                                                                       

AZATHOTH LYRICS

 
     

Mindless Demon
Ruling in absolute chaos
Human minds cannot believe

Fractured rainbows
Circling deep in the darkness
Bright red trails of pain

Azathoth the Mighty
Centre of confusion
Ruler of the dead beneath the Sea of Clouds

                            

Evil blind things
Ruling in absolute darkness
Fighting forever

Weeping, gnashing
Falling in utter confusion
Fire and chaos thrive

MP3 @ 320 Size: 142 MB
Flac  Size: 334 MB

Jason Crest: The Colllected Works 1968 (1998 Compilation)

 

Jason Crest (formerly The Good Thing Brigade) were an English, Tonbridge, Kent based psychedelic

pop group, active from around 1967 to 1969. Despite releasing five singles on Philips from 1967 to 1968, (including a cover of the Move's "(Here We Go Round) The Lemon Tree"), the band were never commercially successful and disbanded towards the end of the 1960s when their contract with Philips expired.
                                                                    

However, the singles "Black Mass", "Turquoise Tandem Cycle", "(Here We Go Round) The Lemon

Tree" and "Place in the Sun" have all appeared on the Rubble collection of British psychedelia and freakbeat, and the band garnered a modest cult reputation. Jason Crest's fourth single, "Waterloo Road" (1968), was adapted into French as "Les Champs-Élysées" by singer Joe Dassin and reached number one in France.
                                                                                      

Formed in Tonbridge, Kent from the ashes of 'The Good Thing Brigade', Jason Crest were signed to Philips in the latter part of 1967 after being discovered by former Four Pennies bassist Fritz Fryer, who got them a recording contract ahead of EMI. On signing their name seemed a little inapproiate so this

was duly changed with a slight amendment from one of the groups tracks, 'The Collected Works of Justin Crest'. Within weeks from being spotted, the newly named Jason Crest were in the studio recording their first single, 'Turquoise Tandem Cycle', a wonderful debut dubbed by Philips on advertisments as "the first new group of 1968" this over the years, has often linked up with Procol Harum and Tomorrow especially with the former for it's distinctive organ sound, but despite a fair measure of airplay the single failed to click, it's a shame they never picked the flip 'Good Life', as this was the strongest of the two.
                                                        

The same fate happened with the second single 'Juliano The Bull' , nice enough but banned by radio one after some bright spark suggested it was "promoting blood sports", once again though the flip, this time, 'Two By The Sea' was the strongest of the two. After two flopped singles, Philips pulled the plug on the

groups original songs and opted for a cover version, the song in question was The Move's '(Here We Go Round) The Lemon Tree', despite rumours though Roy Wood wasn't on the production team for this single, sadly once again, this also ended in the same fate despite considerable radio play. Bassist Ron Fowler quit around this time, working in a band and a full time job time didn't mix especially when the Crest were off to Germany and so he was replaced by John Selley. After three flops, Philips were desperate for a hit, Fryer got the band to record one of his numbers and a fourth single, the more commercial 'Waterloo Road' was recorded and promptly bombed, probably just as well as the single is uninteresting and uncompiled.
                                                        

With one single left on the contract, a final single 'A Place In The Sun' was released, again this met with the same fate although rather surprisingly the strange 'Black Mass' found it's way onto the flip, surprising because Philips had earlier decided that the song was unfit for public consumption!! By now

the group were breaking up, the album that was promised had all but disappeared, the lack of success had caused indifferences in the band and to top it all, not surprisingly, Philips were not in the mood for re-newing contracts, the end wasn't too far away. Fitz Fryer had new interests in The Open Mind of whom he also produced for. Terry Clarke (the original co-founder) was to leave first joining up with a London based outfit called Orang Utan, whilst the remainding members continued with new vocalist Brian Prebble and ex-Mike Stuart Span / Leviathan guitarist Brian Bennett under the new name of High Broom. In 1971 Clark, Smallcombe and Siggery all sorted out their differences and formed Holy Mackrel.
                                                        

All was not lost when more recently Wooden Hill put out the excellent compilation "The Collected Works of.....". The album included the complete singles collection plus six unreleased acetates, 'My

House Is Burning'; 'The Collected Works of Justin Crest'; 'King of the Castle'; 'Teagarden Lane'; 'Charge of the Light Brigade' & 'You Really Got A Hold On Me'. If that wasn't enough, the recently discovered radio sessions (recorded over two afternoon sessions) got a deserved release on Tenth Planet, both albums are essential stuff. Jason Crest were one of the finest British act to come out from the late Sixties, maybe with a little bit of luck, better selections for the A-side on some singles such as 'Charge of The Light Brigade' and others things could have been very different.

Jason Crest – Collected Works Of Jason Crest
Label: Wooden Hill – WHCD006
Format:    CD, Compilation
Country: UK
Released: 1998
Genre: Rock, Pop
Style: Psychedelic Rock, Pop Rock

TRACKS

                                                                          

01. Turquoise Tandem Cycle
02. Teagarden Lane
03. Patricia's Dream  (Written-By – Sandison, Fryer)
04. A Place In The Sun
05. My House Is Burning
06. King Of The Castle
07. The Collected Works Of Justin Crest
08. Black Mass
09. Charge Of The Light Brigade
10. (Here We Go Round) The Lemon Tree  (Written-By – Wood)
11. You Really Got A Hold On Me  (Written-By – Robinson)
12. Two By The Sea
13. Juliano The Bull
14. Education
15. Waterloo Road  (Written-By – Deighan, Wilsh)
16. Good Life

MP3 @ 320 Size: 121 MB
Flac  Size: 197 MB

Allah-Las: Allah-Las 2012

 

[Created by record store employees with a love for laid-back '60s sounds that verged on somnambulant

psychedelia, the L.A. band Allah-Las documented the sounds and moods of sunny West Coast days with nothing to do but strum guitars and gently harmonize.
                                                                  

Their first two albums also had a heavy surf influence, but by the time of 2016's Calico Review some of

the reverb was replaced by a Stones-y swagger. The group's fourth album, Lahs, took another step out of their SoCal garage to add sounds from around the world, while still sounding ready for a long afternoon nap.
                                                               

The Allah-Las formed around the talents of lead vocalist/guitarist Miles Michaud, lead guitarist/vocalist Pedrum Siadatian, bassist/vocalist Spencer Dunham, and drummer/vocalist Matthew Correia. Three of

the four bandmembers were working in the L.A. branch of the legendary record store Amoeba when the group formed in 2008, and they must have spent a great deal of time researching the garage and psychedelic sounds of the '60s while propping up the counter. The band's sound combines the harmonies and pop hooks of the British Invasion, the trippy atmosphere of West Coast psychedelic groups, and the raw swagger of countless American garage rockers.
                                                

They made their debut on vinyl in 2011 with a single ("Catamaran"/"Long Journey") produced by

friend of the band and old-school soul revivalist Nick Waterhouse, and released on his Pres label. The Allah-Las' alliance with Waterhouse continued as they issued two singles during 2012 on his new label, Innovative Leisure: a split single with the boss featuring their song "(Tell Me) What's on Your Mind," and another single featuring that song with "Sacred Sands" on the flip.
                                                         

The Allah-Las were dedicated travelers during this time, playing shows all around the globe and soaking up experiences and influences. Their next appearance on record was on the soundtrack to Self-Discovery for Social Survival, a surf documentary released in 2019. Later that year, the band's fourth

album, Lahs, was released. After three albums that captured their hazy West Coast lifestyle, this time the group (and producer Jarvis Taveniere) gathered up sounds and feelings collected while on tour to make a much more outward-looking album that added elements of soul music, Brazilian psych, and Dead-style jamming to their psychedelic mix.
By Tim Sendra]
                                                  

25 August 2017
Dutch police said on Wednesday they had foiled an attack on a concert planned by the Allah-Las in

Rotterdam after a tip-off from Spain, where 15 people died last week in twin vehicle attacks by Islamist extremists. The Allah-Las, whose show was called off, thanked Dutch police in a statement to AFP and declined further comment. Ever since achieving greater prominence, the nearly 10-year-old band - a critical favourite in indie rock publications - has been on the defensive over its name. Some hardline Muslims find it blasphemous to say Allah, the Arabic word for God, in the context of music or entertainment.
                                                       

ALLAH-LAS: ALLAH-LAS

                                                        

L.A. garage psych revivalists Allah-Las met and formed when three of the four bandmembers were

working at Amoeba Records. No doubt they bonded over repeated airings of Pebbles collections and arguments over who was moodier, Love or the Chocolate Watchband, because the sound they conjure up on their self-titled debut album sounds like it came straight out of a Midwestern garage or from the stage of a West Coast teen club.
                                               

With the help of friend and producer Nick Waterhouse (who expertly re-creates old-school soul music

on his own records), the group nails the sometimes overlooked melancholy side of garage rock. Every band worth its Voxx guitars had at least one misty minor-chord ballad in its repertoire to show off the tenderness that lurked below the shouting rockers and pissed-off rants.
                                                     

The record starts under a cloud of grey sadness and it never lets up; even the two instrumentals have a

wistful heart. Plenty of bands have done just as good a job at re-creating the sound and feel of '60s psych and garage bands; few have done it with the unceasingly downcast and yet somehow peaceful approach of Allah-Las.
                                                     

The debut album from LA four-piece Allah-Las has been hailed in some quarters as the year's best piece of guitar-pop classicism, a long overdue return to the values of 1965 in an age where tone and texture are valued above melody and songwriting.
                                                                                     

Allah-Las – Allah-Las
Label: Innovative Leisure Records – IL 2007
Format:    CD, Album, Digipak
Country: US
Released: 2012
Genre: Rock
Style: Garage Rock, Indie Rock

TRACKS

                                                                                            

01. Catamaran  (Organ [Hammond] – Nick Waterhouse)  3:33
02. Don't You Forget It    3:05
03. Busman's Holiday    3:28
04. Sacred Sands    3:31
05. No Voodoo    3:01
06. Sandy    2:44
07. Ela Navega  (Mixed By – Nick Waterhouse)  3:55
08. Tell Me (What's On Your Mind)    3:32
09. Catalina    3:43
10. Vis-A-Vis  (Lead Vocals – Spencer Dunham)  3:29
11. Seven Point Five  (Mixed By – Nick Waterhouse)  2:48
12. Long Journey  (Lead Vocals – Matthew Correia/Songwriter [Additional] – Rudy Wyatt)  3:12
                                                  

Bass, Vocals – Spencer Dunham
Drums, Percussion, Vocals – Matthew Correia
Lead Guitar, Vocals – Pedrum Siadatian
Lead Vocals, Rhythm Guitar – Miles Michaud  
Producer – Nick Waterhouse
Songwriter – Allah-Las

MP3 @ 320 Size: 96 MB
Flac  Size: 267 MB