Top 13 Historic & Classic 1960s Psychedelic Songs . A SAUCERFUL OF SECRETS . . . PINK FLOYD

EXPERIENCE PSYCHEDELIC ROCK HISTORY

– A SAUCERFUL OF SECRETS –
PINK FLOYD
July 27, 1968 – 11:52

The Top 13 Historic & Classic 1960s Psychedelic Songs Count-Down
is based on ascending order of release dates – not on popularity or chart position.
The only exception is #1
This is #5

This song is truly historic and classic; as it presents Pink Floyd’s creative unity as a foursome without Syd Barrett, and serves as the prototype for what would come. With “A Saucerful of Secrets” we get the first true insight into the depth and scope of classic Pink Floyd.
This is “new” psychedelic music.

Those who made the list did so in true Rock ‘n’ Roll spirit and with the newly found psychedelic power of expanded consciousness on full display. But with this song, Pink Floyd has taken the whole psychedelic music genre to a higher level of evolved music – a level that they own.

I, like many others, am a Space (Rock) Music Freak and have searched the known universe for space sounds for decades; a mania that began and really took off with early ’70s Tangerine Dream imports.  This effort paid off with hearing spectacular space music throughout the decades by many excellent bands; a terrific source was from Pat Murphy’s truly great Alien Air Music radio station.
Another source came with the experience as a  manager of record stores and as a record and tape rack jobber, both certainly helped to broaden my horizons and expand access to excellent Space Rock Music.  So I can say as a professional and a fan; there have been many excellent and worthy Space Rock contenders – but there is only one Pink Floyd.

While I certainly honor Syd Barrett’s vision that got Floyd in gear; it was the evolution of Pink Floyd into the world-class creators of phenomenally excellent “head” music that is previewed with, and within, this song.

Like Hendrix, Pink Floyd could have easily filled the Top 13;
so to be fair they are represented with this classic song to cure all your ills;
in the words of Dr. Floyd;
“World got ya down? Take “A SAUCERFUL OF SECRETS” twice daily.”

You may also enjoy the Top 13 Psychedelic Songs of the 1970s

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JIMI HENDRIX …….. 70 YEARS ETERNAL TODAY!

A TRIBUTE TO JIMI HENDRIX – 70 YEARS ETERNAL TODAY!

James Marshall Hendrix – November 27, 1942 – September 18, 1970

Hendrix’ age would have been seventy today.

I was foot-cruising down on Main Street in Venice in the spring of ’98 and outside a bar at the south end of the strip a homeless dude a bit older than me was sitting on the pavement working away on a large drawing.
I wanted to acknowledge a fellow artist’s work so I asked to see it, he turned it around and there was this really nice pencil drawing of Hendrix, I immediately asked him if he would like to sell it and he said yes. I was making very decent money back then so I offered him a very decent price and after we agreed he told me that he wasn’t completely finished and could I come back in about 20 minutes; I said sure and knew right then that whatever this man’s life was about, he had the talent and background of an artist – and the curse of a true artist’s dilemma, “When is a piece of art finished?” Leonardo Da Vinci said, “Art is never finished, only abandoned” and in this case he would abandon it to me in 20 minutes.
I cruised back on time and he had finished, signed and dated it.  He drew it in pencil on the back of a 14” by 20” cardboard advertisement for the L.A. Weekly newspaper – I loved it and it’s always been very special to me.

So to celebrate the birthday of Jimi Hendrix I wanted to share this original hand drawing of Jimi by the artist who drew it, William Davis and the procurer 00individual, who along with all the other millions of Hendrix fans planet-wide wish Jimi a very Happy Birthday!
Hendrix will outlive us all; he’s Immortal!

.     .     .

Today also marks:
the debut of the Jimi Hendrix Experience at the Bag O’ Nails Club in London 1966!
the six month anniversary of this site – thanks to all who visIted!
the birthday of a longtime friend, TFS!
the attendance of this site is equal to “filling” the San Bernardino Swing Auditorium
(a haven for rock concerts in the mid-’60s to the mid-’70s) with a capacity of 10,000!
Weird Fact:
the Swing Auditorium was destroyed when on September 11, 1981 a plane crashed into the building demolishing it beyond repair!
(Kinda creepy, spooky.)

Also for a treat:
PLEASE CHECK OUT THIS HENDRIX STREET ARTIST –  DENNIS DENT – AMAZING!

Top 13 Historic & Classic 1960s Psychedelic Songs . 1983 … (A Merman I Should Turn To Be) JIMI HENDRIX

EXPERIENCE PSYCHEDELIC ROCK HISTORY!

1983… (A Merman I Should Turn To Be) – Jimi Hendrix
October 25, 1968 – 13:39 

The Top 13 Historic & Classic 1960s Psychedelic Songs Count-Down
is based on ascending order of release dates – not on popularity or chart position.
The only exception is #1
This is #4

“1983 …” is beyond belief – Jimi is beyond belief – I wouldn’t want to live in a world where Hendrix’ music wasn’t a huge influence – I thank the Rock Gods for bestowing the soulful pleasure of Jimi’s music in my lifetime.

Jimi’s sound is invigorating and powerful; it gives me strength in hard times and super-strength in easier times. This track literally lifts my soul every time I hear it – it is magical.

When this double album of pure pleasure was released I was seventeen and being a Pisces, a water sign, this selected gem with its sweeping majesty and immersion in psychedelic undersea otherworldly vibes is not only the perfect track to represent Jimi in full-psychedelic mode, but it pleases my cosmic aquatic desires.

After listening to “Electric Ladyland” several times I could feel the difference from his first two LPs – these songs had a strange sophistication – I felt like my appreciation for music was raised with Electric Ladyland.
For one thing, I was dying for Hendrix to do an entire album side song, or at least a long extended track – and he did with “1983 …” and “Voodoo Chile”.

Jimi’s obsession with the mysteries of the unknown is a recurring theme. Whether in the realms of the sea, altered states of consciousness, the outer limits of space or with the exotic and elusive muse, (which is a recurring theme unto itself) Jimi had the ability to take us with him – to fantastic places we had never been.

I believe that IF Jimi had continued to live on in this plane of existence that the jazz exploration would have been inevitable – but also as evident anywhere on this track, his abilities would also eventually include some super-amazing soundtracks and film scores – and from there, …?

In any case, I plan on seeing and hearing Hendrix again – and I won’t be late.

“1983 …” cannot help but bring back great memories of nights and days getting high to the super-groove of the double-LP playing as the ambient and dominant sound of life.

So, take your mandatory psychedelic weapon of choice,
flex those gills and submerge into
the Cosmic Undersea World of HENDRIX:

1983… (A Merman I Should Turn To Be) – Jimi Hendrix

Moon, Turn the Tides … Gently, Gently Away

Psychedelic video of “1983 …” (part 2 )

I CAN HEAR ATLANTIS FULL OF CHEER!

You may also enjoy the Top 13 Psychedelic Songs of the 1970s

1960′s Historic & Classic Rock Albums . . . . . . . . . . ZEPHYR …1969

EXPERIENCE ROCK HISTORY!

ZEPHYR – ZEPHYR – 1969
Zephyr was another of those groups that really pissed me off.  Like Frijid Pink, Rumplestitlskin and unfortunately many other bands who for personal reasons, management and/or record label “mishandling” or just plain bad luck/timing seemed to be prevented from their rightful place in Rock History.

Formed in 1968/69 in Boulder, Colorado by guitarist Tommy Bolin, keyboardist John Faris, bassist David Givens, drummer Robbie Chamberlin and VOCALIST Candy Givens, this band was totally innovative with roots in jazz, blues and the cosmic and had all the right moves to take them to the top.

Zephyr’s two unsung Rock Heroes; Tommy Bolin and Candy Givens, like Hendrix, Joplin and Morrison took on the mystique that in order to evolve they had to move on.
Bolin was a born Rock Star, with the talent to back it. His virtuoso style and ability was in demand from rock groups like Deep Purple to world-class session work to jazz-fusion collaborations to solo LPs – his work on Billy Cobham’s “Spectrum” LP is astonishing and on the track “Quadrant” he becomes super-human and is likely one of the reasons he had to move on – when you reach this level with your talent on this plane of existence, well, …
Candy was, for my mind, much better than Janis, really. Ms Givens had a far better range and could whisper/sing like an angel and belt out the blues like Big Mama Thornton, Nina Simone and Janis herself. Candy was the real deal.

Side two of their debut self-titled album killed and is why I’m sad and pissed off.  Having been a rack jobber and record store manager in the early to mid-‘70s, I saw which record companies promoted and advertised successfully and at the other end was ABC records.  Unless the public made a successful artist out of their roster (Jim Croce, Dunhill (ABC) artists Mamas and the Papas, etc.) they didn’t seem to promote. Zephyr was on ABC (Probe) and therefore I never heard of them until working the counter at Crane’s famous record store in Inglewood, the home of the Fabulous Forum, and played a copy someone had traded in.  Once I heard side two, I was an instant fan; I just loved it – Hard Chargin’ for sure!

Everyone in the band were exceptional musicians and Zephyr seemed destined to make Rock History – and for those of us who have listened to this LP over the years, the decades, they did.
We will be able and happy to include them with all the top bands of the ‘60s and ‘70s as they may be unknown to many but they impressed those of us true discerning Rock ‘n’ Roll fans:  the ultimate judges of those who deserve Rock Icon status, like; ZEPHYR!

Side one

“Sail on” (Tommy Bolin, Candy Givens) – 7:22
“Sun’s a Risin'” (Bolin, David Givens) – 4:45
“Raindrops” (Dee Clark) – 2:40
“Boom-Ba-Boom” (D. Givens) – 1.20
“Somebody Listen” (D. Givens, C. Givens, Bolin, John Faris) – 6:10

Side two

“Cross the River” (C. Givens, D. Givens) – 4:43
“St. James Infirmary” (Joe Primrose) – 5:15
“Huna Buna” (C. Givens, Bolin) – 2:26
“Hard Chargin’ Woman” (Bolin, Robbie Chamberlin, Faris, C. Givens, D. Givens) – 8:40
(This track gives me instant chills – too good!)

Bonus: “Night Fades Softly” from the “Going Back to Colorado” album: a tasty bit of psychedelia and Candy’s vocal/voice toward the end is ethereal and the lyrics that finally break in, “and yet, it shows me where my . . . . . .” has been locked in my brain crystal clear for decades; a passage from a Rock ‘n’ Roll Angel.

Top 13 Historic & Classic 1960s Psychedelic Songs . the SUB-SYLVIAN LITANIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . JOE BYRD AND THE FIELD HIPPIES

EXPERIENCE PSYCHEDELIC ROCK HISTORY!

– the SUB-SYLVIAN LITANIES –
KALYANI / YOU CAN’T EVER COME DOWN / MOONSONG: PELOG
JOE BYRD and the FIELD HIPPIES
October 1969 – 10:30

The Top 13 Historic & Classic 1960s Psychedelic Songs Count-Down
is based on ascending order of release dates – not on popularity or chart position.
The only exception is #1
This is #3

Well, Psychedelic Trippers, here’s a fun one, especially with headphones on OR just nice and loud. Break out the timecapsuled Blotter Acid and take a ten minute acid trip at your favorite portal.

But, before you do we need to stop and take a quick look at the word “psychedelic”; from the Greek psyche (mind) and dēlōsē/delia (manifest);  a mind manifest which can be hallucinations of any kind OR a true mind manifestation of an object or concept, which is of course per the individual’s perspective.

Psychedelic music was born from artists who experienced the effects of mind (psyche) altering and consciousness expanding drugs and used those experiences to express (manifest) their feelings in their art.  Since many shared the ultra vivid, brightly colored detailed visions and the fantasy distortion and crystalline aspects of sound; those elements became part of expressions in clothing/fashion, art, music, writing and attitude.

Psychedelic music in its pure state, has no axe to grind, it’s apolitical.  Mainly because when you’re high on acid the last thing on your mind is reality, you are experiencing a fantastic world outside of your head and inside as well – both worlds you never knew existed that were there all the time – and still are – and psychedelic music expresses the many and varied feelings and sensations that are part of that trip.

A major factor that makes a psychedelic song a classic was the time in history that Psychedelia became a cultural force – and here is where a zeitgeist of feeling really matters.  Since no one had a handle on what was “psychedelic”, (because much if not most was personal) the simple symbols of things like flowers, butterflies, rainbows, mandalas, paisleys and even the Peace sign were used to represent and reflect the fun, colorful, free, psychedelic experience.
Our minds were so open that perched on the verge of mind-manifesting on a daily basis meant that your world now had no limits.  Your imagination was free to think and feel and do whatever it wanted.  When you have a massive amount of people feeling the same way, the “psychedelic” floodgates opened and produced amazing visual art as well as the music on this list.

With all of that in mind, the architect of this perfect slice of ’60s Psychedelia, Joe Byrd, left after creating the band, “The United States of America” and created the album “The American Metaphysical Circus” with a group of top west coast session musicians he dubbed “the Field Hippies”.
The album has a sardonic and satiric sense of humor in its music and lyrics – but with the Sub-Sylvian Litanies only someone who has experienced and embraced LSD or any fine psychotropics, could have produced such a loving “trip” as this:

KALYANI: Birth and rebirth with a strong dose of metaphysical metamorphosis and some truly amazing and ground-breaking “too real” effects.  You can literally hear your consciousness expanding.
YOU CAN’T EVER COME DOWN: The female vocals capture the essence of that which borders reality and fantasy and is so coolly representative of the free-form spirit of the Psychedelic ‘60s that it’s eerie – and it Rocks!
MOONSONG: PELOG:  A very “pre-David Lynch/Julie Cruise/Angelo Badalamenti/Twin Peaks” hauntingly twisted psychedelic ending to a sonic trilogy of just about every element that makes up a classic psychedelic song.

This ten minute trilogy song, the Sub-Sylvian Litanies, is so Lysergic that it has the ability to create a music video in your head!

– the SUB-SYLVIAN LITANIES –
KALYANI / YOU CAN’T EVER COME DOWN / MOONSONG: PELOG
JOE BYRD & the FIELD HIPPIES 

You may also enjoy the Top 13 Psychedelic Songs of the 1970s

00INDIVIDUAL THANKS THE AUDIENCE! – Attendees fill the Anaheim Convention Center!

With this post, Rock ‘n’ Rollers world-wide who have visited this site
“filled” the Anaheim Convention Center –  capacity 9,000!  THANK YOU! 
This was my first indoor “arena” concert; so to commemorate these milestones
here’s a revised concert and culture review of CREAM and SPIRIT from 1968!

Top Ten Historic Classic Rock Concerts 1968 – 1972  #10

CREAM
and
Spirit
03-18-68  Anaheim Convention Center Arena (Capacity: 9,100)

Spirit was a local L.A./Topanga Canyon band, so to have them open for Cream was a real kick; hometown boys make good!
They were an exceptional band and ahead of the musical curve; these guys tapped into and presented an inventive and pioneering blend of musical styles and elements that would later serve as a career basis for other artists. They organically blended hard rock and jazz-fusion and psychedelic tinges with unique arrangements and melodic interludes and great diverse vocals and lyrics that touched on social and ecological issues.

This was my first indoor arena concert and I was thrilled.  Our seats were mid-way back and mid-way up to the left of stage, you know the experience, you’re there, the music, sound and performances are great but the band members are these brightly-lit humanoids on stage – and even though the venue seemed huge; it was half the size of the Fabulous Forum so relatively speaking these were good seats!  I can still vividly remember Spirit’s performance of “Fresh Garbage” and “Mechanical World” as well as Ed Cassidy’s drum solo.

I had just turned seventeen and this concert has always left a definite “flavor” in my mind; it was/is one of those memories that bring you right back to that era of experience – virtually all music can have that effect for one reason or another – but this was sideways from that, more emblematic of a period-shift or state of mind shift.  It was the first realization of a world to come, of concerts like this becoming part of our routine, a world where we could regularly meet en mass with our Tribe.

Everything about it was exciting, even purchasing tickets at the little Ticket-Tron booths at major department stores – once you had your printed ticket in hand the event became real and the anticipation of the concert began to build so that by the day of the concert we were all really hyped and thrilled.  It was like a Disneyland trip for Hippies – you were excited because you knew you were going to experience thrills, fun and righteous Rock ‘n’ Roll music – and we did.

The “Wheels of Fire” LP live cuts were featured and we were treated to lengthy jams plus “Sunshine of Your Love”; groovy!  I was fortunate to experience live Cream! I mean this was Eric Clapton of the Yardbirds! I Loved the Yardbirds they were easily one of my favorite “rave up” brit bands and I’m very sad to say I never saw them live. The upside is that I saw Jeff Beck several years back at the House of Blues up on the Sunset Strip less than twenty feet from the stage and was blown away – a true Guitar God!

I had listened to “Wheels” “Gears” and “Fresh” so many times that they became the theme music for an incredible era – so to hear the songs live was truly a Far Out and memorable experience!

Spirit Lineup: Randy California (guitars, vocals), Jay Ferguson (vocals, percussion), Mark Andes (bass), John Locke (keyboards) and R. California’s step-dad Ed Cassidy (drums)

Cream Lineup: Eric Clapton (guitar), Jack Bruce (bass) and Ginger Baker (drums).
Set List: Spoonful, Sunshine of Your Love, Rollin’ & Tumblin’, Stepping Out, Traintime, Toad, I’m So Glad.

I could not locate a poster, ad or handbill for this concert – so I made my own –
not era accurate but the photo of Cream and the ticket prices are!

1960′s and 1970′s Culture Archives . . . . . . . . . . . . . TRUE PSYCHEDELIC TRIPS! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MIND-BLOWER #4 . . . Spring 1970 . . . . . . . . . . . DEATH RIDES A METAL HORSE

“Death Rides a Metal Horse” copyright 2012 00individual  TLL

TRUE PSYCHEDELIC TRIPS!
MIND-BLOWER #4 – Spring 1970
DEATH RIDES A METAL HORSE

After historic times at the beach pad, an era had ended and two of us (the Driver from Mind-Blower #1) moved into a nice, but unfurnished stand-alone place isolated on top of our garage and several other units’ garages. This gave us tremendous freedom to play loud music, both from our stereo and from us – the Driver was a guitarist and I had a drum kit and friends would drop by and jam. We could cut loose and party every day and night with outrageous behavior and no one complained.
Our apartment was situated mid-way down the back-alley that served as the main exit of the most popular McDonald’s in the area. So our convenient location became a place to “drop by” and the apartment soon became known as the “Topside Room”.
We never furnished it other than our bedrooms – there were some Hippie pillows and a mattress in the front room along with my drum kit in the corner and an amp and speaker – the kitchen literally turned into a workshop where my buddy built his components for his future step van mobile home. The fumes from the resin-lacquered propane-burnt wood boards could get you high just entering the place.  I don’t ever remember even using the kitchen to make a meal – we knew waitresses at several local restaurants that we frequented and they’d get us free meals – sometimes breakfast and dinner on the same day. We were livin’ like total Bohemians back then.

I was still working at the art department (saving-up money so I could quit and go have Hippie Adventures, which I did), when one night a good friend upon arrival back from Hawai’i treated us to some bowls of Primo Abdoolie #1 Hash.  I knew it was Primo Hash; as I could taste it in my brain, really. Then for a few nights straight a small circle of friends came by the Topside Room and we got pretty hallucinogenic from this Primo Hash.  I remember vividly, we were all sitting on the floor of my buddy’s bedroom and after several tokes I felt the whole room tip and slant to the point I thought we would all slide out through his doorway.
After a couple nights of this ritualistic mind-bending Hashish I became such a drugged numbed artist at work that it was only when the Exacto blade that had jammed into my leg through my jeans (when I got up from my drawing table to go use the darkroom) and the handle hit the doorway as I was walking through did I say, OW!  And looked down at the blood-soaked area around my stabbed leg and realized that just maybe I should stop, or at least slow down on the Hashish consumption, and I did for one night – what was I thinking? This was Primo Abdoolie #1 Hash! I haven’t had any since!  I was an unenlightened dope to skip a night.

A few days after the Abdoolie Primo #1 Hash rituals ceased and we were ready for some psychedelic fun, we decided to drop acid and go for a motorcycle ride – now that’s not strange for us, we’d done that before, but this time it was a very blustery and windy early evening and the sights of the trees swaying in the wind and the sounds of the howling winds created an atmosphere that made the evening already psychedelic.

I remember feeling the anticipation of fun to be had as I was on my bike giddily revving the engine at the people who came down our alley while my buddy did the same– it was so windy and blustery that we were just adding to the cacophony of the leaves flying and the wind howling.
Our metal horses were screaming, chomping at the bit, wanting us to let them loose and ride. Once we settled them down we took off and headed for the beach towns for some psychedelic sight-seeing and cruisin’ fun.
As we rode past our old beach pad at 338 Pershing in Playa Del Rey, we curved onto PCH and headed for the beach cities Hermosa and Redondo.  It was getting dark and the winds had died down so we could enjoy the ambient setting sun.

Although my buddy had been known to do the “Coffin” (a lethally dangerous move) on his bike  – tonight we both had a lethally dangerous experience – and while tripping on LSD.

Fortunately, we were slowing to enter the first beach town proper, slowing meaning about 50 mph, when my buddy pulled his bike up next to mine and we immediately got our handlebars entangled – for real!
My right throttle grip and his left grip and clutch were stuck – all I thought of was the next second we would dovetail together into end-over-end human and metal pretzels.
At the last second before we miraculously got “unhooked” I looked over at him and his face was this psychedelic grinning skull – as if he did it on purpose and with a look of, “Wasn’t that fun!?”
His Triumph 650 could catch my Honda 350, but I still got way out ahead of him and lost him in Hermosa Beach. (I later upgraded to a classic ’69 900cc Harley-Davidson Sportster! Cool!) He didn’t try and catch me  – he may have been as terrified of me!

We later ran into each other on the main boulevard, not literally, and cruised the rest of the psychedelic night by taking in the fresh, crisp, night sea air, the sparkling, vibrant yet soothing lights, the incredible unhelmeted joy that you get from becoming one with a powerful machine between your legs that responds to your every move and the total freedom of mind, spirit and body of living right then.

Now the question is; what was real, and what was a hallucination?

Everything was real, however, even though my friend had moments of evil-tinted mischievous deeds, manifesting into a skeletal demon was beyond his capabilities – but I could see his grin in there, so, that’s one of the fun things about hallucinogenics; the real and the unreal blend and you experience what you see and hear as real, but very rarely is it life-threatening – our ride with Near Death was.

Hey, as long as you live to tell the tale …

Here’s a truly amazing look at what we were listening to in the Spring of 1970 –
all of these albums were released within the previous seven months!!!

TEN YEARS AFTER – SSSSH – August 1969
FLEETWOOD MAC – THEN PLAY ON – September 9, 1969
the BEATLES – ABBEY ROAD – September 26, 1969
KING CRIMSON – IN THE COURT OF THE CRIMSON KING –October 10, 1969
FRANK ZAPPA – HOT RATS – October 10, 1969
LED ZEPPELIN – LED ZEPPELIN II – October 22, 1969
the ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND – THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND – November 4, 1969
PINK FLOYD – UMMAGUMMA – November 10, 1969
the MOODY BLUES – TO OUR CHILDRENS’ CHILDRENS’ CHILDREN – November 21, 1969
ROD STEWART – the ROD STEWART ALBUM – November 1969
the ROLLING STONES – LET IT BLEED – December 5, 1969
GRAND FUNK RAILROAD – GRAND FUNK – December 29, 1969
ZEPHYR – ZEPHYR – 1969
FRIJID PINK – FRIJID PINK – January 1970
VAN MORRISON – MOONDANCE – February 28, 1970
CROSBY, STILLS, NASH & YOUNG – DEJA VU – March 11, 1970
JIMI HENDRIX – BAND OF GYPSYS – March 25, 1970

TRULY HISTORIC TIMES!