Various: Think I’m Going Weird - Original Artefacts From The British Psychedelic Scene 1966 - 68

 

British psychedelia blossomed during the years 1966-1968, the period covered by this fascinating new

THE YARDBIRDS

collection from Grapefruit Records – the label’s landmark 100th release – with established bands such as The Who and The Small Faces enthusiastically embracing the psychedelic culture, and newer bands such as The Move, Procol Harum, Pink Floyd, The Incredible String Band and The Crazy World of Arthur Brown achieving rapid yet significant success.  

TRAFFIC

A thriving club scene that included venues such as UFO and Middle Earth provided a fertile breeding ground for other less successful but equally (arguably more) significant outfits such as Family, Fairport Convention, Dantalian’s Chariot, Blossom Toes and Elmer Gantry’s Velvet Opera.  

THIRD EAR BAND

It was a vibrant, intense and highly productive period that grew from the innocence of the pop scene and paved the way for the seventies and prog rock (and as if to emphasize that particular point, there’s a lovely preview within this collection of what a group of young Charterhouse students, calling themselves Genesis and mentored by Jonathan King – himself an Old Carthusian – were getting up to before they got down to the serious business of ejecting tenants (by Friday), watching the skies and preparing supper whilst dressed as a flower.)

STATUS QUO

Almost inevitably, it was over quickly.  By mid-1968, a back-to-basics mentality, ignited to a large degree by the success and accessibility of The Band’s Music From Big Pink was sweeping across Britain and the USA.  It was a wave so strong that even the likes of The Beatles, The Stones and Eric Clapton were unable to resist it.  

MOODY BLUES

Equally strong, at least in the UK, was a revitalized interest in Chicago Blues.  So it was that, spurred on by bands like Fleetwood Mac and Chicken Shack, or by The Band, the re-emerged Dylan and Gram Parsons, many of the former psychedelic magicians shed their kaftans and moved on to something more rootsy, workaday and, ultimately, equally rewarding.  But it was tremendous fun whilst it lasted!

TYRANNOSAURUS REX

The US mid-sixties psychedelic birth was, of course celebrated in style with Lenny Kaye’s iconic Nuggets compilation, back in 1972 – a collection also subtitled as “Original Artefacts.” And now, taking its cue from Nuggets, a flavour of those heady British psychedelic summer days (and it was always summer back then…) has been captured and bottled in this excellent new 5 CD collection.  As we’ve come to expect from the Grapefruit/Cherry Red stable, it’s another wonderful package.

THE INCREDIBLE STRING BAND

Since the label’s launch in the late noughties, Grapefruit Records has worked tirelessly to bring top quality reissues to fans of cult 60s and 70s sounds. Thanks to their archive digging skills, previously unaffordable vinyl albums by Skip Bifferty and Picadilly Line were no longer an extortionately priced mystery; Jeff Lynne’s early years with The Idle Race were reappraised, and dark psych combo Zior reached the ears of many people for the first time.

THE KINKS

This British take on ‘Nuggets’ is something of a jewel in the label’s crown.  It seems only natural that the label would raid the archives of psychedelia’s peak years for their hundredth release, and ‘Think I’m Going Weird’ is Grapefruit’s biggest and most adventurous release to date.

STRAWBS

To celebrate its 100th release, reissue label Grapefruit released its most impressively deluxe set to date. Compiling over 120 songs spread across five discs, Think I'm Going Weird: Original Artefacts from the British Psychedelic Scene 1966-68 is a trove of treasures by the biggest names of the era like Traffic and the Kinks, cult heroes like Nirvana and the Creation, and a multitude of acts so obscure that only the most dedicated follower of psychedelic fashion might recognize them.

SOFT MACHINE

Grapefruit has made a career out of digging up these kinds of gems, and the label does a knockout job here, not only showcasing unheard bands but also songs that had never seen the light of day.

SMALL FACES

What that means is that a trawl through the set list will get you choice psychedelic cuts like the Yardbirds' "Happenings Ten Years Time Ago" or the Pretty Things' "Walking Through My Dreams," but also previously unheard tracks like Eyes of Blond's rampaging cover of the Byrds' "Why" or Tinsel Arcade's brilliant freakbeat rocker "Life Does Not Seem What It Seems" In between these two poles are an almost breathtaking amount of wonders that span the range of psych made during those three years.

PROCOL HARUM

A quick spin will uncover twee toytown pop (the Picadilly Line's "I Know She Believes"), rippling hard psych (Dantalian's Chariot's doomy "World War III"), trippy ballads ("Vamp's "Floating"), proto-bubblegum (Turquoise's "Flying Machine"), and songs that range from happily weird ("Jabberwock" by Boeing Duveen & the Beautiful Soup) to achingly pretty ("Green" by the Lion & the Fish).

PLASTIC PENNY

The choices are stellar with nary a duff track in sight. It feels like the brains behind the label did everything right. The bigger-name bands are represented by lesser-known tracks that fit the bill perfectly -- the Who's "Armenia City in the Sky'' is an inspired pick, as is "That Man" by the Small Faces.

MANFRED MANN

The midrange bands are represented by deeper cuts -- the Smoke's "Have Some More Tea" proves they have more up their sleeve than "My Friend Jack." The inclusion of acts not often thought of as psychedelic like the Nashville Teens or the Merseys shows just how far the sound spread; in fact, the Downliners Sect's "Spider" is one of the set's oddball highlights.

GRAPEFRUIT

Add to these impressive feats of compilation a feeling that this isn't a rehash of any of the hundreds of other collections like it that have sprung up since the early '80s. It feels so perfectly researched and presented that it's as close to definitive as one could hope. Indeed, any student of the era, whether advanced or a beginner, will get lost listening to the music and admiring the exhaustively researched liner notes.

GENESIS

Anywhere one might drop in, there's going to be a song that's a total jam, a weird delight, or a welcome discovery. Sometimes all three at once, like Caleb's "A Woman of Distinction" or "World in My Head" by Mike Stuart Span. The listing could go on, the extolling of virtues could continue, but the proof is in the pudding and Think I'm Going Weird is without a doubt top tier from conception to execution.

FAIRPORT CONVENTION

VARIOUS-PROG & PSYCH Think I’m Going Weird (2021 UK/EU limited edition FIVE CD set - A definitive overview of the British psychedelic scene, this epic five-CD/book set that includes more than 50 minutes of previously unreleased music from the halcyon period 1966-68. Including the major acts of the era [The Who, Traffic, Small Faces, The Move, Procol Harum, Incredible String Band, Family, Crazy World of Arthur Brown etc], the set features many bands who also played London's underground dungeons during the Summer Of Love.

EYES OF BLOND

Perhaps most enticingly of all, the collection includes a number of hitherto-unknown recordings by bands who are only now gaining their first public exposure including Eyes Of Blond, Tinsel Arcade, Crystal Ship [whose contribution features lyrics from Pete Brown] and the semi-mythical 117, such a legendary name from the era's handbills and posters that they even had a UK psych fanzine named after them in the ‘90s.

BARCLEY JAMES HARVEST

It’s difficult for a box set such as this to please everyone, but ‘Think I’m Going Weird’ has a bloody good go. Covering an array of hits, misses, cult classics, and taking in a world of sounds from the largely forgotten, all in all, it’s a fantastic release. With almost an album’s worth of unreleased cuts, a huge supply of hard to find sides, and just enough over familiar material to lend the musical journey some chart-related context, this is an essential dip into an era of ever evolving rock and pop. Those willing to take the far out journey are guaranteed a good trip.
              

Various – Think I’m Going Weird Original Artefacts From The British Psychedelic Scene 1966-68
Label: Grapefruit Records – CRSEGBOX100
Format:    5 x CD, Compilation
Country: UK
Released: 2021
Genre: Rock
Style: Psychedelic Rock, Art Rock

CD1.

             

01. Art – Think I’m Going Weird   3:21
Written-By – Ridley, Grosvenor, Harrison, Kellie
02. July – My Clown (single Mix)   3:18
Written-By – Cook
03. Gary Walker & The Rain – The View   2:51
Written-By – Leeds, Molland
04. Traffic – Utterly Simple   3:19
Written-By – Mason
05. Caleb – A Woman Of Distinction   2:33
Written-By – Quaye
06. Simon Dupree And The Big Sound – Like The Sun, Like The Fire   2:29
Written-By – King, Smith
07. The Kinks – Lazy Old Sun (alternative Version, Stereo)   3:15
Written-By – Davies
08. Atlanta Roots – Plastic Daffodils   3:18
Written-By – Lord, Bromley
09. Ron Geesin – Psychedelia   1:06
Written-By – Geesin
10. Elmer Gantry's Velvet Opera – Dream Starts   3:01
Written-By – Ford, Hudson
11. Strawbs – Tell Me What You See In Me (Alternative Version)  5:02
Written-By – Cousins
12. Manfred Mann – Funniest Gig   2:25
Written-By – Hugg
13. The Status Quo – Sunny Cellophane Skies   2:48
Written-By – Lancaster
14. Plastic Penny – Mrs. Grundy   5:15
Written-By – Keith, Raymond
15. Apple – Buffalo Billycan (Single Mix)  3:07
Written-By – Barber
16. Sweet Feeling – Charles Brown   2:21
Written-By – Lynton
17. Sleepy – Rosie Can’t Fly   4:10
Written-By – Fowler
18. Picadilly Line – I Know, She Believes   3:06
Written-By – Edwards, Hand
19. Fairport Convention – The Lobster   4:44
Written-By – Hutchings, Painter, Thompson
20. The Mindbenders – Yellow Brick Road   3:07
Written-By – Eric Stewart
21. Granny's Intentions – The Story Of David   2:56
Written-By – Duhan
22. Icarus – The Devil Rides Out   2:33
Written-By – Havard, Hines
23. The Mirage – Is Anybody Home?   2:43
Written-By – Hynes
24. Eyes Of Blond – Why   6:47
Drums – Paul Watts
Lead Guitar – Phil Dimitri
Lead Vocals, Bass – Neil Applegate
Twelve-String Guitar, Harmony Vocals – Phil Wade
Written-By – Crosby, McGuinn

Flac Size: 392 MB

CD2.

         

01. Dantalian's Chariot – World War III   4:10
Written-By – Summers, Money
02. Family – See Through Windows   3:47
Written-By – Whitney, Chapman
03. Procol Harum – Salad Days (Are Here Again)   3:38
Written-By – Brooker, Reid
04. Freedom – The Truth Is Plain To See    3:55
Written-By – Bobby Harrison, Mike Lease, Ray Royer, Steve Shirley
05. Force Fou r– Sun Sing   3:31
Written-By – Dunsterville
06. Kaleidoscope – Mr Small The Watch Repairer Man   2:43
Written-By – Pumer, Daltrey
07. Genesis – Image Blown Out   2:14
Written-By – Anthony Phillips, Rutherford, Gabriel, Banks
08. The Creation – Life Is Just Beginning   3:00
Written-By – Phillips, Pickett
09. The Spencer Davis Group – Taking Out Time (Alternative Version)   2:12
Written-By – Hardin, Davis
10. Small Faces – That Man   2:16
Written-By – Lane, Marriott
11. The Hi-Fi's – You’re Haunting Me   2:22
Written-By – Unwin
12. Sands – Mrs. Gillespie’s Refrigerator   2:05
Written-By – Gibb
13. Rust – Please Return   2:35
Written-By – Hillman, Monaghan
14. The Nashville Teens – Last Minute   1:58
Written-By – Sharp
15. The Alan Bown – All Along The Watchtower   3:10
Written-By – Dylan
16. Nirvana – The Touchables (All Of Us)   2:58
Written-By – Spyropoulos, Campbell-Lyons
17. The Virgin Sleep – Halliford House    2:42
Written-By – Rees
18. Denny Laine – Catherine’s Wheel   3:15
Written-By – Laine
19. Christopher Colt – Girl In The Mirror   2:52
Written-By – Simpson
20. Grapefruit – Elevator (single Mix)   2:07
Written-By – Alexander
21. Mike Stuart Span – World In My Head   4:30
Written-By – Bennett, Hobday
22. Neo Maya – UFO   2:46
23. John Carter & Russell Alquist – The Laughing Man   3:25
Written-By – Carter, Alquist
24. Vamp – Floatin’   2:34
Written-By – Clark
25. Tinsel Arcade – Life Does Not Seem What It Seems   2:56
Written-By – Quinton
26. One Step Beyond – Scene Of The Lemon Queen   5:53
Written-By – Carroll, Hughes

Flac Size: 354 MB

CD3.

                 

01. The Yardbirds – Happenings Ten Years Time Ago   2:58
Written-By – Beck, McCarty, Page, Relf
02. The Smoke – Have Some More Tea   2:15
Written-By – Gill, Ridley, Rowley
03. The Move – Walk Upon The Water   3:19
Written-By – Wood
04. Boeing Duveen And The Beautiful Soup – Jabberwock   2:31
Backing Band – Junior's Eyes
Vocals, Sitar – Sam Hutt
Written-By – Carroll, Hutt
05. The Incredible String Band – The Mad Hatter’s Song   5:39
Written By – Williamson
06. Ivor Cutler Trio – Shoplifters   2:15
Written-By – Cutler
07. Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band – Look Out There’S A Monster Coming   2:55
Written-By – Stanshall
08. John's Children – Sara, Crazy Child (extended German 45 Version)   2:28
Written-By – Bolan
09. Tyrannosaurus Rex – Beyond The Rising Sun   2:16
Written-By – Bolan
10. J.P. Sunshine – Hey Girl    2:25
Written-By – Goodway
11. Barclay James Harvest – Mr Sunshine (film Version)   2:58
Written-By – Holroyd, Pritchard, Wolstenholme
12. Shyster – Tick Tock   2:46
Written-By – Hionides
13. Felius Andromeda – Cheadle Heath Delusions   2:46
Written-By – Couldry
14. Tomorrow – The Incredible Journey Of Timothy Chase   3:19
Written-By – Hopkins
15. The Idle Race – The Birthday   2:54
Written-By – Lynne
16. The Moody Blues – How Can We Hang On To A Dream?   2:22
Written-By – Hardin
17. Circus – Yes Is A Pleasant Country   4:07
Written-By – Collins
18. The Fresh Windows – Summer Sun Shines   2:27
Written-By – Brian Barrett
19. Crystal Ship – The Blue Man Runs Away   2:47
Bass – John Symonds
Drums – Phil Biggs
Lead Guitar – Tony Masterman
Organ – Alan Morris
Vocals – Alan Hodder
Written-By – Morris, Symonds, Brown
20. The Crazy World of Arthur Brown – What’s Happening?   3:19
Written-By – Brown, Finesilver, Kerr, Crane
21. Mother’s Pride – Mother’s Magazine    3:16
Bass – Howard Robinson
Drums – Des Kendrick
Guitar – Bill Worthington, Paul Travis
Vocals – Barry Lord
Written-By – Lord
22. Turquoise – Flying Machine   3:07
Written-By – Stephens, Peters
23. The Cortinas – In The Park   3:19
Written-By – Mike Swain
24. The Zombies – Hung Up On A Dream   3:02
Written-By – Argent
25. The Moles – We Are The Moles Part 1   4:30
Written-By – Shulman, King
26. The Moles – We Are The Moles Part 2   2:45
Written-By – Shulman, Shulman

Flac Size: 356 MB

CD4.

             

01. The Who – Armenia City In The Sky   3:50
Written-By – Keen
02. One In A Million – Fredereek Hernando   3:20
Written-By – Young, Scenters
03. The Syn – Flowerman   2:38
Written-By – Nardelli
04. The Motives – I Can Hear Colours   2:56
Written-By – Winter
05. The Lion And The Fish – Green   3:00
Written-By – Farr, Westlake
06. Soft Machine – I’m So Low (aka Jet - Propelled Photograph)   2:32
Written-By – Ayers
07. Mabel Greer's Toyshop – Jeanetta   3:09
Written-By – Bayley
08. Canto – Come Over Stranger   3:06
Written-By – Maldoon
09. The Misunderstood – Children Of The Sun (Demo Version)   2:51
Written-By – Hill
10. The St. Valentine's Day Massacre – Brother Can You Spare A Dime   2:58
Written By – Turner
Written-By – Harburg, Gorney
11. The Magic Mixture – (I’m So) Sad   4:14
Written-By – Thomas
12. The Graham Bond Organization – You’ve Gotta Have Love Babe   2:34
Written-By – Bond
13. Wimple Winch – Rumble Of Mersey Square South   4:33
Written-By – Christopholus
14. Third Ear Band – Cosmic Trip   3:46
Written-By – Sweeney, Minns, Coff
15. John Bryant – I Bring The Sun   3:03
Written-By – Bryant
16.  A New Generation – Police Is Here   2:55
Written-By – Sutherland
17. Bee Gees – Spicks And Specks   2:51
Written-By – Gibb
18. The Human Instinct – Death Of The Seaside   2:33
Written-By – Hall, Christie
19. Friday's Chyld – Boys And Girls Together   2:23
Bass – Dick Dufall
Drums – Bob Voice
Lead Vocals, Guitar – Dave Lambert
Written-By – Voice
20. Jason Crest – Charge Of The Light Brigade   3:04
Written-By – Clarke, Dobson
21. Louise – Toymaker’s Shop   1:56
Bass – Nigel Smith
Drums – Chris Cutler
Guitar – Tony Durant
Lead Vocals – Robert Chudley
Written-By – Chudley
22. Medium Rare – Plastic Aeroplane   3:05
Bass – Ed Starks
Drums, Vocals – Ken Young
Lead Guitar – Lee Barnes
Lead Vocals – Ron Moore
Rhythm Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals – Glenn Agg
Written-By – Agg, Moore
23. 117 – Venusian Moonshine (live At Middle Earth)   11:44
Bass – Pete Carr
Drums – Johnny Shirreff
Guitar – Alan Grimley
Organ – Charlie Hart
Vocals – James Fraser
Written-By – Grimley, Hart, Fraser, Shirreff, Carr

Flac Size: 387 MB

CD5.

             

01. The Factory – Path Through The Forest   3:59
Written-By – Ward
02. The Attack – Freedom For You   2:37
Written-By – Du Cann
03. The Pretty Things – Walking Through My Dreams   3:39
Written-By – Taylor, Povey, May, Waller
04. The Shame – Don’t Go ‘Way Little Girl   3:06
Bass – Malcolm Brasher
Drums – Billy Nims
Keyboards – John Dickenson
Lead Vocals, Guitar, Sitar – Greg Lake
Written-By – Ian
05. Tintern Abbey – My Prayer   5:24
Written By – MacTavish
Written-By – Smith, Dalton, Mackay
06. Jade Hexagram – Phantom I   5:05
Written-By – Callow, Halliday, Morris, Leman
07. Perfumed Garden – Cover Girl   4:11
Written-By – Bell, Gallagher
08. The Tickle – Rose Coloured Glasses   3:14
Written-By – Stuart, Wayne
09. Orange Bicycle – Amy Peate   2:08
Written-By – Malone
10. Rupert's People – Dream In My Mind   3:22
Written-By – Lynton
11. Downliners Sect – Spider   2:58
Bass – Keith Grant
Drums – Johnny Sutton
Written-By – Taylor, Evans
12. Blossom Toes – What On Earth (single Mix)   2:56
Written-By – Godding
13. End – Building Up A Dream   2:44
Written-By – Giffin, Brown, Graham, Taylor
14. The Merseys – The Cat   3:00
Bass – John Entwistle
Drums – Keith Moon
Guitar – Joey Molland
Written-By – Greenaway, Cook
15. Mandrake Paddle Steamer – Pandemonium Shadow Show   4:19
Written-By – Engel, Briley
16. East Of Eden – Waterways (Demo Version)   6:41
Written-By – Caines
17. The Sorrows – Which Way   2:39
Written-By – Fryers
18. The Deviants – Bun   2:42
Written-By – Rees
19. The 23rd Turnoff – Another Vincent Van Gogh   2:21
Written-By – Campbell
20. Champagne – Smile At The Sad Sun   3:47
Bass – Paul Arscott
Drums – Tony Carney
Organ – Greg Vandike
Vocals, Guitar – Terry Ball
Written-By – Ball
21. The Zany Woodruff Operation – Tales Of Brave Ulysses   2:56
Bass – Kenny Rooke
Drums – Martin Garside
Guitar – Pete Sewell
Organ – Graham Lockwood
Saxophone – Russ Walker
Written-By – Clapton, Sharp
22. Tales Of Justine – Sitting On A Blunestone   2:39
Written-By – Daltrey
23. The Action – Brain   3:03
Written-By – King, King

Flac Size: 365 MB