Category Archives: Psychedelia

SONGS OF LIGHT AND DARKNESS WRITTEN BY LEONARD COHEN.

Songs Of Light and Darkness Written By Leonard Cohen. Label: Ace Records. Format CD. Release Date: ‘25th’ November 2022. Just over six years ago, on October the ’21st’ 2016, Canadian singer-songwriter, novelist and poet Leonard Cohen releasedYou Want It Darker to widespread critical acclaim. Sadly, it turned out to be that last album released during …

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TRIP ON ME-SOFT PSYCH AND SUNSHINE (1966-1969).

Trip On Me-Soft Psych and Sunshine (1966-1969). Label: Big Beat Records. Format: CD. Release Date: 30th September 2022. The perfect soundtrack to a long hot summer is Trip On Me-Soft Psych and Sunshine (1966-1969). It’s a lovingly curated collection of late-sixtes California sunshine pop and psych nuggets from the vaults of various independent labels and …

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GIRLS WITH GUITARS GONNA SHAKE!

Girls With Guitars Gonna Shake! Ace Records. Format: CD. There are very few compilation series that are still going strong after thirty-three years. Often, by then, the compiler has run out of material or musical tastes have changed.  However, some compilation series survive changing musical tastes and prosper. That’s the case with Ace Records’ long-running …

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HAPPY IN HOLLYWOOD-THE PRODUCTIONS OF GARY USHER.

Happy In Hollywood-The Productions Of Gary Usher. Label: Ace Records. Format: CD. Release Date: ‘29th’ July 2022. Although Gary Usher was born in Los Angeles, California, on December ‘14th’ 1938, he spent his childhood and teenage years living in New England. That was where his lifelong love affair with music began. Growing up, music was …

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FUNKADELIC’S GREATEST HITS.

Funkadelic’s Greatest Hits. Label: Westbound. Format: CD. Nowadays, most albums released in 1975 have been reissued at least once. An exception is Funkadelic’s Greatest Hits compilation which was originally released in 1975. That’s about to change when Westbound, an imprint of Ace Records reissues this ten track CD. It’s been newly remastered and is a …

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THE PRISONERS-THE LAST FOURFATHERS.

The Prisoners-The Last Fourfathers. Label: Big Beat Records. Format: LP. Musical history is littered with the story of groups who could’ve gone on to enjoy a long and successful career. This includes The Prisoners, who were one of the leading lights of the Medway Scene. They were formed in Rochester, Kent in 1980, and released four albums. This included The Last …

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WE ARE THE CHILDREN OF THE SUN.

We Are The Children Of The Sun. Label: BBE Music. Format: CD. Recently, BBE  released the compilation We Are The Children Of The Sun, which was compiled by DJ and renowned crate digger Paul Hillery, who is one of leading lights of folk-funk scene. This new compilation offers a tantalising taste of a genre that …

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YOU SHOWED ME-THE SONGS OF GENE CLARK.

You Showed Me-The Songs Of Gene Clark. Label: Ace Records. Format: CD. Like so many of his generation, Gene Clark developed an interest in folk music after hearing the Kingston Trio. It was no surprise that after graduating from Bonner Springs High School, in Bonner Springs, Kansas, in 1962, that the seventeen year old formed …

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THE MORE THINGS CHANGE-FILM, TV AND STUDIO WORK 1968-1973 BY JOHN BARRY.

The More Things Change-Film, TV and Studio Work 1968-1973 By John Barry. Label: Ace Records. Format: CD. By 1968, composer and conductor John Barry was enjoying a golden era in a career that began in 1957. He had come a long way in a short space of time and already written the soundtrack to four …

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JON SAVAGES’S 1977-1979-SYMBOLS CLASHING EVERYWHERE.

Jon Savage’s 1977-1979-Symbols Clashing Everywhere. Label: Ace Records. Format: 2CD Set.  Jon Savage’s 1977-1979-Symbols Clashing Everywhere is the seventh instalment in the compliant series he has curated for Ace Records. This long-running series has been released to critical acclaim, and like previous volumes features a truly eclectic collection of tracks. They reflect just what music journalist Jon Savage was listening to …

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LENNY KAYE PRESENTS LIGHTNING STRIKING.

Lenny Kaye Presents Lightning Striking.  Label: Ace Records. Format: 2CD. Versatile describes musician, composer and producer Lenny Kaye. Many music fans remember him as the guitarist in the Patti Smith Group. Lenny Kaye also worked with everyone from REM and James to Suzanne Vega and Kristin Hersh right through to Soul Asylum and even poet …

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GUS DUDGEON-PRODUCTION GEMS.

Gus Dudgeon-Production Gems. Label: Ace Records. Format: CD.  The late, great Gus Dudgeon never set out to become a producer. It was something he had never considered after leaving school and being fired from eleven jobs over a four year period. Working in a toy shop, advertising agency and even a clip joint wasn’t for …

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BLOW MY MIND! THE DORE-ERA MIRA PUNK AND PSYCH LEGACY.

Blow My Mind! The Doré-Era-Mira Punk and Psych Legacy. Label: Big Beat Records. Format: CD. During the fifties and sixtes many small record companies sprung up across America. Especially, in cities like New York and Los Angeles which were two of America’s musical cities.  One of these new labels was Era Records which was founded …

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PSYCHEDELIC SOUL PRODUCED BY NORMAN WHITFIELD.

Psychedelic Soul Produced By Norman Whitfield. Label: Kent Soul. Format: CD. In 1968, producer Norman Whitfield began to pioneer the groundbreaking psychedelic soul sound at Motown. This was a stylistic departure for the label and the start of a new and exciting chapter for Motown.  By then, Norman Whitfield had been at Motown  for nine …

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CULT CLASSIC: PIERRE MOERLEN’S GONG-DOWNWIND.

Cult Classic: Pierre Moerlen’s Gong-Downwind. In January 1973, Daevid Allen invited drummer and percussionist Pierre Moerlen to join Gong following the departure of Laurie Allan. He agreed and became the group’s new drummer.  However, in June 1973 he was asked by Virgin Records’ founder Richard Branson to play percussion at the premier of Mike Oldfield’s …

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CULT CLASSIC: THE OHIO PLAYERS-ECSTASY.

Cult Classic: The Ohio Players-Ecstasy. It wasn’t until The Ohio Players signed with Westbound, and released their sophomore album Pain in 1972, that commercial success their way. The group  was founded in 1959 and originally was known as The Ohio Untouchables and had a chequered history. Initially, The Ohio Untouchables lineup featured drummer Cornelius Johnson, …

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CULT CLASSIC: COCTEAU TWINS-VICTORIALAND.

Cult Classic: Cocteau Twins-Victorialand.  In 1979, guitarist Robin Guthrie and bassist Will Heggie formed a new band in their hometown of Grangemouth, in Scotland.  The new band they called the Cocteau Twins after a song by Johnny and The Self-Abusers, who later changed their name to Simple Minds. Not long after forming the Cocteau Twins band …

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CULT CLASSICS: VICTOR CHUKWU-AKALAKA-/UNCLE VICTOR CHUKS AND THE BLACK IROKOS-THE POWER.

Cult Classics: Victor Chukwu–Akalaka /Uncle Victor Chuks and The Black Irokos–The Power. By 1977, Victor Chukwu was regarded as one of masters of Igbo highlife and over the next two years recorded two of his most important and rarest albums. The first was a solo album Akalaka, and the second was The Power which was credited to …

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HURDY GURDY SONGS-WORDS AND MUSIC BY DONOVAN 1965-1971.

Hurdy Gurdy Songs-Words and Music By Donovan 1965-1971. Label: Ace Records. Format: CD. Having signed to Pye Records in 1965, nineteen year old singer-songwriter Donovan began working with the producers Terry Kennedy, Peter Eden and Geoff Stephens on his debut single Catch The Wind. When the single was released on the ‘12th’ of March 1965, …

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WHAT GOES ON-THE SONGS OF LOU REED.

What Goes On-The Songs Of Lou Reed. Label: Ace Records. Format: CD. After leaving The Velvet Underground, Lou Reed embarked upon a solo career that spanned five decades and saw him release twenty albums. His final album was Hudson River Wind Meditations which was released on April the ‘24th’ 2007. By then, the former Velvet Underground frontman …

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