Various Artists – Think I’m Going Weird: Original Artefacts from the British Psychedelic Scene 1966-1968 (@320)

 

Various Artists – Think I’m Going Weird: Original Artefacts from the British Psychedelic Scene 1966-1968

 

Think I'm Going Weird: Original Artefacts from the British Psychedelic Scene 1966-1968 Review by Tim Sendra.

 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. 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. 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. 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). 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. 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. 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. 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.

Tracklist:

 

DISC 1:

 

1 THINK I’M GOING WEIRD – Art

2 MY CLOWN (single mix) – July

3 THE VIEW – Gary Walker & The Rain

4 UTTERLY SIMPLE – Traffic

5 A WOMAN OF DISTINCTION – Caleb

6 LIKE THE SUN, LIKE THE FIRE – Simon Dupree & The Big Sound

7 LAZY OLD SUN (alternative version, stereo) – The Kinks

8 PLASTIC DAFFODILS – Atlanta Roots

9 PSYCHEDELIA – Ron Geesin

10 DREAM STARTS – Elmer Gantry’s Velvet Opera

11 TELL ME WHAT YOU SEE IN ME – Strawbs

12 FUNNIEST GIG – Manfred Mann

13 SUNNY CELLOPHANE SKIES – The Status Quo

14 MRS GRUNDY – Plastic Penny

15 BUFFALO BILLYCAN – Apple

16 CHARLES BROWN – Sweet Feeling

17 ROSIE CAN’T FLY – Sleepy

18 I KNOW, SHE BELIEVES – The Picadilly Line

19 THE LOBSTER – Fairport Convention

20 YELLOW BRICK ROAD – The Mindbenders

21 THE STORY OF DAVID – Granny’s Intentions

22 THE DEVIL RIDES OUT – Icarus

23 IS ANYBODY HOME? – The Mirage

24 WHY – Eyes Of Blond*

*previously unreleased

 

DISC 2:

 

1 WORLD WAR III – Dantalian’s Chariot

2 SEE THROUGH WINDOWS – Family

3 SALAD DAYS (ARE HERE AGAIN) – Procol Harum

4 THE TRUTH IS PLAIN TO SEE – Freedom

5 SUN SING – Force Four

6 MR SMALL THE WATCH REPAIRER MAN – Kaleidoscope

7 IMAGE BLOWN OUT – Genesis

8 LIFE IS JUST BEGINNING – The Creation

9 TAKING OUT TIME – The Spencer Davis Group

10 THAT MAN – Small Faces

11 YOU’RE HAUNTING ME – The Hi-Fis

12 MRS GILLESPIE’S REFRIGERATOR – Sands

13 PLEASE RETURN – Rust

14 LAST MINUTE – The Nashville Teens 15 ALL ALONG THE WATCHTOWER – The Alan Bown!

16 THE TOUCHABLES (ALL OF US) – Nirvana

17 HALLIFORD HOUSE – The Virgin Sleep

18 CATHERINE’S WHEEL – Denny Laine

19 GIRL IN THE MIRROR – Christopher Colt

20 ELEVATOR (single mix) – Grapefruit

21 WORLD IN MY HEAD – Mike Stuart Span

22 UFO – Neo Maya

23 THE LAUGHING MAN – John Carter & Russ Alquist

24 FLOATIN’ – Vamp

25 LIFE DOES NOT SEEM WHAT IT SEEMS – Tinsel Arcade*

26 SCENE OF THE LEMON QUEEN – One Step Beyond*

*previously unreleased

 

DISC 3:

 

1 HAPPENINGS TEN YEARS TIME AGO – The Yardbirds

2 HAVE SOME MORE TEA – The Smoke

3 WALK UPON THE WATER – The Move

4 JABBERWOCK – Boeing Duveen And The Beautiful Soup

5 THE MAD HATTER’S SONG – The Incredible String Band

6 SHOPLIFTERS – Ivor Cutler Trio

7 LOOK OUT THERE’S A MONSTER COMING – The Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band

8 SARA, CRAZY CHILD (extended German 45 version) – John’s Children

9 BEYOND THE RISING SUN – Tyrannosaurus Rex

10 HEY GIRL – JP Sunshine

11 MR SUNSHINE (film version) – Barclay James Harvest

12 TICK TOCK – Shyster

13 CHEADLE HEATH DELUSIONS – Felius Andromeda

14 THE INCREDIBLE JOURNEY OF TIMOTHY CHASE – Tomorrow

15 THE BIRTHDAY – The Idle Race

16 HOW CAN WE HANG ON TO A DREAM? – The Moody Blues

17 YES IS A PLEASANT COUNTRY – Circus

18 SUMMER SUN SHINES – The Fresh Windows

19 THE BLUE MAN RUNS AWAY – Crystal Ship*

20 WHAT’S HAPPENING? – The Crazy World of Arthur Brown

21 MOTHER’S MAGAZINE – Mother’s Pride*

22 FLYING MACHINE – Turquoise

23 IN THE PARK – The Cortinas

24 HUNG UP ON A DREAM – The Zombies

25 WE ARE THE MOLES PART 1 – The Moles

26 WE ARE THE MOLES PART 2 – The Moles

*previously unreleased

 

DISC 4:

 

1 ARMENIA CITY IN THE SKY – The Who

2 FREDEREEK HERNANDO – One In A Million

3 FLOWERMAN – The Syn

4 I CAN HEAR COLOURS – The Motives

5 GREEN – The Lion & The Fish

6 I’M SO LOW (aka JET- PROPELLED PHOTOGRAPH) – The Soft Machine

7 JEANETTA – Mabel Greer’s Toyshop

8 COME OVER STRANGER – Canto

9 CHILDREN OF THE SUN (demo version) – The Misunderstood

10 BROTHER CAN YOU SPARE A DIME – St. Valentine’s Day Massacre

11 (I’M SO) SAD – The Magic Mixture

12 YOU’VE GOTTA HAVE LOVE BABE – The Graham Bond Organisation

13 RUMBLE OF MERSEY SQUARE SOUTH – Wimple Winch

14 COSMIC TRIP – Third Ear Band

15 I BRING THE SUN – John Bryant

16 POLICE IS HERE – A New Generation

17 SPICKS AND SPECKS – The Bee Gees

18 DEATH OF THE SEASIDE – The Human Instinct

19 BOYS AND GIRLS TOGETHER – Friday’s Chyld*

20 CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE – Jason Crest

21 TOYMAKER’S SHOP – Louise

22 PLASTIC AEROPLANE – Medium Rare*

23 VENUSIAN MOONSHINE (live at Middle Earth) – 117*

*previously unreleased

 

DISC 5:

 

1 PATH THROUGH THE FOREST – The Factory

2 FREEDOM FOR YOU – The Attack

3 WALKING THROUGH MY DREAMS – Pretty Things

4 DON’T GO ‘WAY LITTLE GIRL – The Shame

5 MY PRAYER – Tintern Abbey*

6 PHANTOM I – Jade Hexagram

7 COVER GIRL – Perfumed Garden

8 ROSE COLOURED GLASSES – The Tickle

9 AMY PEATE – The Orange Bicycle

10 DREAM IN MY MIND – Rupert’s People

11 SPIDER – Downliners Sect

12 WHAT ON EARTH (single mix) – Blossom Toes

13 BUILDING UP A DREAM – The End

14 THE CAT – The Merseys

15 PANDEMONIUM SHADOW SHOW – Mandrake Paddle Steamer

16 WATERWAYS (demo version) – East Of Eden

17 WHICH WAY – The Sorrows

18 BUN – The Deviants

19 ANOTHER VINCENT VAN GOGH – The 23rd Turnoff

20 SMILE AT THE SAD SUN – Champagne*

21 TALES OF BRAVE ULYSSES – The Zany Woodruff Operation*

22 SITTING ON A BLUNESTONE – Tales Of Justine

23 BRAIN – The Action

*previously unreleased

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