Plain and Fancy

rep>>> Inner Sanctum • Sunset Love - Psychedelic Moods, Pt. 2: Journey Thru Inner Space (1967-68 us, impressive garage psych)

After releasing the “Psychedelic Moods” album, in October of 1966, Mark Barkan envisioned another psychedelic album for his next release. It was to be performed by a Greenwich Village band called “Inner Sanctum”. The theme of the album was to be a psychedelic journey into the various psyches of the mind.

The trip started with a journey into the past (The House Of Yesterday) then covered the inner workings of the mind (ID) then the descent into madness (Hydro Pyro) hallucination (Purple Floating) and finally culminating in nirvana (Snow Petals). Unfortunately, Barkan was unable to find a record company willing to lease the masters and so they languished for decades unreleased. Now, at long last the masters for this aborted album are mixed from the original four track tapes and forty plus years later the psychedelic sounds of “Inner Sanctum” are now ready, willing, and able to blow your mind.

“Sunset Love” was comprised of band members from New Mexico and Texas. In the fall of 1968, thirteen original songs and two covers were recorded for a potential album, but nothing was ever released. “Sunset Love’s” lush harmonies, soaring vocals, superior song writing, and flower power consciousness pervaded their songs with a depth and quality unheard of from most 60s’ bands. While their sound can be compared to such bands as “The Mamas and The Papas”, “The Peanut Butter Conspiracy”, “Spanky and Our Gang”, and “The Love Exchange”, “Sunset Love” had their own inimitable style that transcended a generic stereo-type.

Had Sunset Love released their album in the 60’s, there is no doubt it would have been an instant rarity of excellence. The “Sunset Love” tapes are sourced from the original stereo versions and reveal the great harmonies and surrealistic lyrics of an undeservedly overlooked and forgotten band from the late 60’s.

Cicadelic

Artists - Tracks
1. Sunset Love - Change - 2:04
2. Sunset Love - Tribute to Kay - 2:39
3. Sunset Love - Run to the Sun - 2:38
4. Sunset Love - Reach Out - 2:39
5. Sunset Love - Little Children - 3:08
6. Sunset Love - Winters Day - 3:58
7. Sunset Love - Sunset Love - 3:47
8. Sunset Love - Green Hippie - 2:44
9. Sunset Love - World of Pain - 2:38
10.Sunset Love - A Man in the Park - 3:29
11.Sunset Love - Father Paul - 3:35
12.Sunset Love - I Will - 1:43
13.Sunset Love - Wheels - 2:07
14.Sunset Love - Push - 2:26
15.Sunset Love - Innocence Dies Young on Our Street - 3:00

16.Inner Sanctum - The House of Yesterday - 1:56

17.Inner Sanctum - ID - 2:02

18.Inner Sanctum - Hydro-Pyro - 2:06

19.Inner Sanctum - Purple Floating - 1:53

20.Inner Sanctum - Snow Petals - 2:11

21.Inner Sanctum - Little Tin Soldier - 2:32

22.Inner Sanctum - The Man Who Shot Your Mother - 1:49

Tracks 1-15 written by William J. Stone II, Victor Kay Lindsay

Tracks 16-20 written by Mark Barkan, David Blackhurst

Tracks 21,22 written by Kevin Michael, Gerry Michael, Vince Taggart, Frank Thumhart

The Sunset Love

*Bruce Callich -Drums

*James Crenshaw - Guitar, Bass

*Greg Sadler - Guitar, Bass, Keyboards

*Victor Kay Lindsey - 12 String Vox Guitar, Vocals

*James William Stone II - 12 String Vox Guitar, Vocals

*Montie Carol Montgomery - Vocals

The Inner Sanctum

*Kevin Michael - Lead Guitar

*Gerry Michael - Drums

*Vince Taggart - Rhythm Guitar

*Frank Thumhart - Bass Guitar

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1974 Keith West - Wherever My Love Goes

Monday, June 15, 2026

rep>>> Tomorrow - Tomorow (1968 uk, excellent mod beat acid psych with Keith West and Steve Howe)

Tomorrow was one of the most innovative of the late 1960s British "psychedelic" groups." Keith West, Steve Howe and John Wood had all been in the In Crowd that had released a few singles while Twink joined from the Fairies.

Tomorrow was an exciting live act as the tracks on 50 Minute Technicolour Dream testify. They supported artists such as Jimi Hendrix who even jammed on stage with them at Brian Epstein's Saville Theatre. Pink Floyd had been a major influence on artists such as Twink who saw something different in the improvisation and light shows. Other influences came through Steve Howe's liking for jazz as well as the direction being supplied to everyone by the Beatles and the Byrds. The jazz influences can be heard on one of Tomorrow's earliest tracks, Why? At the same time vocalist Keith West had started writing his own material for the group.

Word got to Michaelangelo Antonioni that there was an exciting band around and he spoke to them about appearing in his forthcoming film, Blow Up. Although Antonioni said he liked the songs, the band was dropped to be replaced by the Yardbirds. However, they did appear in the film Smashing Time where they were billed as The Snarks.

Tomorrow's own material started simple but contained different sounds thus making the tracks sound far more complex than they actually were. Drugs such as acid may have played a role in tracks such as Real Life Permanent Dream and Hallucinations.

The group made two singles, one of which, My White Bicycle, is a British psychedelic classic. The other single was Revolution. These did not make an impact on the charts although the group did manage to build up a sizeable underground following. One of the group's earlier champions was disc jockey John Peel who played the first single extensively on his Perfumed Garden radio show. He also had a Night Ride session recorded early in 1968 which was broadcast although the tapes were subsequently lost or, in true BBC style, erased.

The strength of the band live belied their poor commercial success. They were playing gigs most nights and became one of the hottest brands of the London scene alongside Pink Floyd and the Soft Machine. However, this did not always translate into success outside the capital.

Keith West may be better known as a participant in the Teenage Opera project that gave him a solo hit single Excerpt from a Teenage Opera (Grocer Jack) and brief commercial success. This was part of an idea for all the members of Tomorrow to have parallel solo careers alongside tomorrow. However, the move to work on other projects pulled the group apart with Twink joining the Pretty Things and the Pink Fairies. Poor record sales did not help either.

An album was released called Tomorrow in early 1968. This was billed as Tomorrow featuring Keith West, hoping to cash in on his solo success. It was also released too late to benefit from the summer of love and had a compromise cover that did not do justice to the material within.

By spring 1968 the group was no more. Steve Howe later joined Yes. Incidentally, My White Bicycle was included on the Heavy Karma album by the Young Ones' Neil.

Making-Time
Tracks

1. My White Bicycle - 3:18

2. Colonel Brown - 2:53

3. Real Life Permanent Dream (Keith Hopkins) - 3:17

4. Shy Boy - 2:27

5. Revolution (Keith Hopkins, Steve Howe) - 3:50

6. The Incredible Journey Of Timothy Chase (Keith Hopkins) - 3:18

7. Auntie Mary's Dress Shop - 2:46

8. Strawberry Fields Forever (John Lennon, Paul McCartney) - 3:59

9. Three Jolly Little Dwarfs - 2:28

10.Now Your Time Has Come - 4:53

11.Hallucinations - 2:43

12.Claramount Lake - 3:02

13.Real Life Permanent Dream (Keith Hopkins) - 2:24

14.Why (David Crosby, Roger McGuinn) - 3:59

15.Revolution (Keith Hopkins, Steve Howe) - 3:50

16.Now Your Time Has Come - 3:05

17.10,000 Words In A Cardboard Box (John "Junior" Wood, John Charles Alder) - 3:27

18.Good Wizzard Meets Naughty Wizzard (John "Junior" Wood, John Charles Alder, Mark Wirtz) - 4:42

19.Me (John "Junior" Wood, John Charles Alder) - 3:12

20.On A Saturday - 3:13

21.The Kid Was A Killer - 2:31

22.She - 2:30

23.The Visit - 4:05

Songs 1,2,4,5,7,9,10,11,12,16 written by Keith Hopkins, Ken Burgess

Songs 20-23 written by Keith West

Songs 17-19 by The Aquarian Age

Songs 20-23 by Keith West

Tomorrow
*Keith West - Vocals
*Steve Howe - Guitar
*John "Junior" Wood - Bass
*John Adler "Twink" - Drums

1972 Dave Cousins - Two Weeks Last Summer (2019 remaster & expanded)

Sunday, June 14, 2026

The Strawbs - From The Witchwood (1972 uk, melodious and often magical folk prog rock)

On the whole the album has stood the cruel test of time pretty well. Perhaps one or two lyrics are a little overblown and a tad too romantic for the cynical 90s, but most lyrics stand up and the eclecticism of the instrumentation (Banjo with organ and dulcimer with clarinet) is a joy. The title track remains a true classic which evokes the enchantment of place and antiquity, a special quality for those of us who live in relatively new lands. "Glimpse of Heaven" is a great anthem (which I had played at my wedding and certainly want played at my funeral along with the live version of "Grace Darling") even if references to lambs that 'sweetly play' is a touch mawkish for someone living in a land with 45 million sheep [Tom's from Dunedin, New Zealand - DG] whose low grazing habits have caused a far bit of environmental damage.

"Hangman" and "Sheep" toughen things up a little (although I prefer the rip roaring live version of sheep) and "Canon Dale" is a Hudson Ford classic. "Thirty Days" and "Flight" are very Beatleish but still make for great listening. "The Shepherd's Song" is an amazingly exotic piece which few modern bands would ever dare to attempt. It is topped off by Rick's excellent moog-lines. "In Amongst the Roses" is still wonderful for its delicate, even fragile quality, while "I'll Carry on Beside You" and bonus track "Keep the Devil Outside" bring proceedings to a mellow and optimistic conclusion.

Overall this album is getting lots of time on the disk player but it is fun to compare it with some of the other reissues. Antiques and Curios scores better in its slight edgy quality and raw energy, while Grave New World has a little more power (Hero and Heroine and Ghosts deserve separate treatment as they are much more mainstream rock). I might be a heretic but I believe Grave New World's slight edge comes, in part, from Blue's playing which complements Dave's music better than Rick's more strictly classical approach. "Tomorrow" also has to be one of the band's best ever rock songs but I believe that "Ways and Means" (from Dave's solo album) should have been included instead of "Here It Comes" which is already on disk and fails because it is neither folk nor rock.

by Tom Brooking

Tracks

1. A Glimpse Of Heaven - 3:50

2. Witchwood - 3:23

3. Thirty Days (John Ford) - 2:52

4. Flight (Richard Hudson) - 4:24

5. The Hangman And The Papist - 4:11

6. Sheep - 4:14

7. Cannondale (Richard Hudson) - 3:46

8. The Shepherd's Song - 4:34

9. In Amongst The Roses - 3:48

10.I'll Carry On Beside You - 3:09

11.Keep The Devil Outside (John Ford) - 3:02

Songs written by David Cousins except where stated

Bonus Track 11

The Strawbs

*Dave Cousins - Vocals, Guitar, Banjo, Dulcimer, Electric Guitar, Tenor Recorder

*Tony Hooper - Vocals, Autoharp, Guitar, Tambourine

*Rick Wakeman - Organ, Celeste, Clarinet, Electric Piano, Piano, Moog, Harpsichord, Mellotron

*Richard Hudson Drums, Vocals, Sitar, Snare Drum

*John Ford - Bass, Vocals, Guitar

rep>>> Hotspur - Sweet Fortune's Darling (1974 us, elegant west coast country rock)

Ted Munda was born and raised in Wilmington, Delaware, mid to late sixties he was member of two local bands. Round 1964 he formed The Enfields they were highly influenced by the British Invasion and folk rock. In 1967 the band split and Ted formed Friends of the Family he also joined the Blues Magoos, in 1973 together with Gene Barkin, Russ Smith and Tracy Longstreth they signed to Columbia Records under the name "Hotspur".

In 1974 this talented quartet release their debut LP titled "Sweet Fortune's Darling". Exquisite harmonies and powerful, driving rhythms highlight. "I Lost My Wings Ir Memphis" is a fabulous rocker with a steady, repeating chorus that gives it enough strength to be considered as a single. Throughout the collection, Hotspur effectively makes use of percussion, in much the same way as the Stones, using accents to bolster the feeling of the song. "I Wrote This Song," "The Best I Can Do," "Countryside Ride," "You Can't Lose (What You Never Had)," and "We Need A Captain" are all well worked pieces of music, showing promise for the band.

Tracks

1. I Wrote This Song - 4:43

2. The Best I Can Do (Gene Barkin) - 3:13

3. Wings Of A Dove (Russ Smith) - 3:59

4. No Place At All - 4:19

5. Constant Weather - 3:24

6. Countryside Ride - 3:00

7. You Can't Lose (Gene Barkin) - 4:08

8. We Need A Captain - 3:27

9. All Along The Lake - 4:20

10.I Lost My Wings In Memphis - 5:00

All songs by Ted Munda except where stated

Hotspur

*Ted Munda - Lead Vocals, Rhythm, Acoustic, Lead Guitars

*Gene Barkin - Lead Guitar, Vocals

*Russ Smith - Bass, Vocals

*Tracy Longstreth - Drums

1971 Wild Turkey - Battle Hymn (2013 remaster)

Saturday, June 13, 2026

rep>>> Wild Turkey - Turkey (1972 uk, excellent prog rock, 2013 bonus tracks remaster and 2002 xtra tracks reissue)

Wild Turkey released their second album, Turkey, in October 1972 on Chrysalis. It contains two Hopkins cuts (“Tomorrows Friend,” “Chuck Stallion and the Mustangs”) and six numbers by Cornick, including “Telephone,” “A Universal Man,” and the lengthy epics “Eternal Mother/The Return” and “See You Next Tuesday.” The opening track, “Good Old Days,” is a group-written number.

Cornick produced Turkey at Morgan Studios with engineer Robin Black, a sound tech for Red Dirt who later worked with Jethro Tull (Storm Watch, A), Mallard, and the Spanish band Ñu. The gatefold cover, designed by Alan Cracknell (Matching Mole), depicts a black Spanish turkey in wait (front) and the wooden stable cleared (back). The inner-spread, designed by Visualeyes (Traffic, Claire Hamill, Amazing Blondel, Vinegar Joe), assembles lives shots of the band in hippie regalia; Gurl sports a pinstripe tie and blazer.

Chrysalis released “Good Old Days” as a single, backed with the non-album track “Life Is a Symphony.” The a-side also appears on a Thai maxi-single with cuts by Slade, Blackfoot Sue, and Harry Nilsson.

Jazz-Rock-Soul

Tracks

1. Good Old Days (Glenn Cornick, Gary Pickford Hopkins, Tweke Lewis, Mick Dyche, Jeff Jones) - 4:13

2. Tomorrow's Friend (Gary Pickford Hopkins) - 4:08

3. A Universal Man - 3:49

4. Eternal Mother/The Return - 7:59

5. Chuck Stallion And The Mustangs (Gary Pickford Hopkins) - 3:42

6. The Street - 4:45

7. See You Next Tuesday - 6:52

8. Telephone - 3:40

9. Good Old Days - 3:02

10.Life Is A Symphony - 3:44

All songs by Glenn Cornick except where noted

Bonus Tracks 9-10

2002 Progressive line Bonus Tracks

9. Soldier Airplay (Gary Pickford-Hopkins, Glenn Cornick) - 5:44

10.Brother (Gary Pickford-Hopkins, Glenn Cornick, Mick Dyche) - 7:18

11.Social World (Gary Pickford-Hopkins, Alan Marsden) - 7:57

BBC Live in Concert, 1974

Wild Turkey

*Mick Dyche - Slide, Lead Guitar, Vocals

*Glenn Cornick - Bass, Guitar, Keyboards

*Gary Pickford Hopkins - Acoustic Guitar, Vocals

*Jeff Jones - Drums, Percussion

*Alan "Tweke" Lewis - Guitar

Relates Acts

1975 Paris - Paris (2013 japan SHM remaster)

1976 Paris - Big Towne 2061 (2013 japan SHM remaster)

1966-68 Eyes Of Blue - Crossroads Of Time (2012 extra tracks remaster)

1969 Eyes Of Blue - In Fields Of Ardath (2012 remaster and expanded)

1970 Ancient Grease - Women And Children First (2003 digipak edition)

1971 Big Sleep - Bluebell Wood (2007 remastered edition)

1969 Man - Revelation (2009 remaster and expanded)

1969 Man - 2 Ozs Of Plastic With A Hole In The Middle (2009 Esoteric remaster)

1974 Fantasy - Beyond The Beyond Plus... (2015 Prog Temple)

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Friday, June 12, 2026

rep>>> Fantasy - Paint A Picture (1973 uk, essential progressive rock, full of delightful twists and turns, 2005 remaster with bonus tracks)

Many of the most obscure progressive bands of the late 60s and early 70s are included in our exhaustive appraisal of private pressings elsewhere in this issue. They took the independent route in the hope of being spotted by talent scouts from labels like Charisma, Island or Harvest, having already proved themselves on vinyl.

Others, like Gravesend-based Fantasy, were more fortunate. They were picked up by a major label, Polydor, and given a favourable recording budget and a name producer. Sadly, this arrangement didn't work out, and when it became clear that Fantasy weren't going to turn into Genesis or Van Der Graaf Generator overnight, the band were promptly dropped.

Today, many experts in the burgeoning progressive field scoff at the label's shortsightedness. For several years, Fantasy's only album, "Paint A Picture", issued in 1973, has been renowned among collectors for displaying talent that, if properly nurtured, could have given the group a massive profile in the years to come. The phenomenal BP300 price tag for a mint copy does not simply reflect the album's rarity: Fantasy's "Paint A Picture" has long been hailed as a masterpiece of classically influenced, quintessentially English progressive rock, full of delightful twists and turns and instrumental prowess, coupled with an uncanny talent for songwriting. Now, interest in the band has been heightened by the release of "Beyond The Beyond", a fascinating find dating from the summer of 1974 which, in the opinion of many collectors, simply confirms Fantasy's early promise.

The band began playing some time around 1970 as Chapel Farm, named after the Singlewell building which provided them with rehearsal space. The nucleus of Dave Metcalfe (keyboards), Paul Lawrence (guitar/vocals) and Dave Read (bass), together with drummer Brian Chatham and guitarist Bob Vann, began by performing cover versions, before focusing their attentions on their own material.

With a support slot to Argent just three weeks away, tragedy struck the band when, turning up for a 'Melody Maker' competition held at a hotel in Cliftonville, Bob Vann toppled over the cliffs edge outside. Paul Lawrence recalls that, "The rest of us had gone back inside the hotel, but we became worried because, as it was Bob's 18th birthday, he'd been drinking a lot." Bob lay on the beach below, and died in the ambulance on the way to a hospital.

It was a cruel blow, but the group eventually decided to stick together, for Bob's sake if nothing else. With Brian Chatham also having left the line-up, Chapel Farm recruited guitarist Pete James and drummer Jon Webster from local band Joy, changed their name to Firequeen, and began supporting progressive heavyweights like the Edgar Broughton Band and the Pink Fairies.

After they sent out demos of their homegrown material to companies like Decca, it was Polydor who took the bait, on the proviso that the group change its name. "They didn't like Firequeen", recalls Dave Metcalfe, "as it was too close to Queen, and they said that Chapel Farm suggested that we were a country band." The name Fantasy was suggested. "We had no choice in the matter," remembers Paul Lawrence, "and we hated it right the way through our whole career. But in a way, they were right, because the name is quite representative of the sound of the music."

Having signed a three-year contract in spring 1973, the group entered Chipping Norton Studios in May with producer Peter Sames (who'd recently worked on Peter Skellern's massive hit, "You're A Lady"), emerging with a ten-song album that would have delighted Genesis and Caravan fans had they heard it. Metcalfe remembers, "We just couldn't get through that barrier of recognition. I don't think Polydor understood our music, and our management appeared not to take us seriously enough."

The label, then riding high with Slade, may have also detected a slight lack of commitment in the fact that the group members still maintained their day jobs.

Originally titled "Virgin On The Ridiculous", "Paint A Picture" appeared in the autumn, containing much of the group's stage set, including "The Award", a tribute to their late guitarist Bob Vann. Also included was the commercially inclined "Politely Insane", which was written and recorded on the same day. Brass was later added, and the track provided Polydor with the single they wanted. It didn't give them the sort of sales figures they were looking for, however. "Politely Insane' was backed by the non-LP cut, "I Was Once Aware", which helps explain its current asking price of BP20.

Fantasy were disappointed but not disheartened by the poor response to "Paint A Picture". They knew that their music was the kind that needed nurturing, and that audiences would take time to warm to their classically influenced and richly textured material. But after sharing the bill with Queen at the Marquee, they failed to follow up with regular concerts and any momentum set in motion by the LP quickly subsided.

Tracks
1. Paint A Picture - 5:24
2. Circus - 6:18
3. The Award - 4:52
4. Politely Insane - 3:27
5. Widow - 2:12
6. Icy River - 5:53
7. Thank Christ - 4:06
8. Young Man's Fortune - 3:41
9. Gnome Song - 4:19
10.Silent Mine - 4:39
11. Beyond The Beyond (Bonus Track) - 5:37
12. Reality (Bonus Track) - 2:58
13. Alanderie (Bonus Track) - 9:01
14. Afterthought (Bonus Track) - 5:51
15. Worried Man (Bonus Track) - 2:56
16. Just A Dream (Bonus Track) - 3:32
17. Winter Rose (Bonus Track) - 3:27
All songs written by Paul Lawrence, David Metcalfe, David Read.

Fantasy
*Peter James - Lead Guitar, Vocals
*Paul Lawrence - 12 String Guitar, Vocals
*David Read - Bass, Vocals
*David Metcalfe - Keyboards, Vocals
*Jon Webster - Drums, Percussion, Vocals

Thursday, June 11, 2026

rep>>> Donovan - Breezes Of Patchouli His Studio Recordings (1966-69 uk, outstanding folk jazzy bluesy pychedelia, 2013 four discs remaster)

Despite a title that suggests, to the uninitiated, a mocking comedy sketch by Chris Morris, this box of delights comprising Donovan Leitch’s late 60s output, is a glorious snapshot in time. No other British singer did as much to merge folk sensibilities with mainstream pop, and the results are here across 90 remastered tracks.

Ostensibly a collection of five full albums, plus a disc of period B-sides and bonus tracks (where we find the Patchouli song of the title), it represents a prolific output of material that struck a chord with traditionalists and teenyboppers alike. 1966’s Sunshine Superman was the eye-opening calling card, where leftfield psychedelia rubbed shoulders with whimsical folk. The following year’s Mellow Yellow broadened the canvas further to include sassy brass and Beat-style poetry.

1968’s The Hurdy Gurdy Man dabbled in drug references while producer Mickie Most added heavier rock hues, but 1969’s Barabajagal arguably suffered from being too scattergun. Most intriguing, though, is A Gift From A Flower To A Garden, the 1968 double set that could be the work of two artists, Donovan dividing himself between fey folkie and earthy bluesman.

by Terry Staunton

Tracks

Disc 1

Sunshine Superman 1966

1. Sunshine Superman - 3:16

2. Legend Of A Girl Child Linda - 6:54

3. Three Kingfishers - 3:18

4. Ferris Wheel - 4:15

5. Bert's Blues - 4:00

6. Season Of The Witch - 4:58

7. The Trip - 4:38

8. Guinevere - 3:42

9. The Fat Angel - 4:14

10.Celeste - 4:13

Mellow Yellow 1967

11.Mellow Yellow - 3:44

12.Writer In The Snow - 4:31

13.Sand And Foam - 3:21

14.The Observation - 2:25

15.Bleak City Woman - 2:26

16.House Of Jansch - 2:46

17.Young Girl Blues - 3:48

18.Museum - 2:58

19.Hampstead Incident - 4:44

20.Sunny South Kensington - 3:50

All songs by Donovan Leitch

Disc 2

The Hurdy Gurdy Man 1968

1. Hurdy Gurdy Man - 3:18

2. Peregrine - 3:39

3. The Entertaining Of A Shy Girl - 1:43

4. As I Recall It - 2:10

5. Get Thy Bearings - 2:54

6. Hi It's Been A Long Time - 2:39

7. West Indian Lady - 2:19

8. Jennifer Juniper - 2:43

9. The River Song - 2:17

10.Tangier - 4:14

11.A Sunny Day - 1:58

12.The Sun Is A Very Magic Fellow - 2:48

13.Teas - 2:41

14.Jennifer Juniper (Italian Version) - 2:43

Barabajagal 1968

15.Barabajagal - 3:26

16.Superlungs My Supergirl - 2:50

17.Where Is She - 2:49

18.Happiness Runs - 3:28

19.I Love My Shirt - 3:19

20.The Love Song - 3:16

21.To Susan On The West Coast Waiting - 3:14

22.Atlantis - 5:01

23.Trudi - 2:25

24.Pamela Jo - 4:27

25.A Poor Man's Sunshine (Nativity) - 5:17

All compositions by Donovan Leitch

Bonus Track 14

Track 25 From The Barabajagal Sessions

Disc 3

A Gift From A Flower To A Garden 1967

1. Wear Your Love Like Heaven - 2:30

2. Mad John's Escape - 2:24

3. Skip-A-Long Sam - 2:30

4. Sun - 3:21

5. There Was A Time - 2:06

6. Oh Gosh - 1:52

7. Little Boy In Corduroy - 2:38

8. Under The Greenwood Tree - 2:00

9. The Land Of Doesn't Have To Be - 2:33

10.Someone Singing - 3:09

11.Song Of The Naturalists Wife - 2:48

12.The Enchanted Gypsy - 3:23

13.Voyage Into The Golden Screen - 3:18

14.Isle Of Islay - 2:25

15.The Mandolin Man And His Secret - 3:36

16.Lay Of The Last Tinker - 1:55

17.The Tinker And The Crab - 2:56

18.Widow With Shawl (A Portrait) - 3:04

19.The Lullaby Of Spring - 3:29

20.The Magpie - 1:33

21.Starfish On-The-Toast - 2:49

22.Epistle To Derroll - 5:47

Words and Music by Donovan Leitch

Disc 4
1. Breezes Of Patchuli - 4:36
2. Museum (First Version) - 2:53
3. Superlungs (First Version) - 3:17
4. The Land Of Doesn't Have To Be - 2:43
5. Sunshine Superman (Original Longer Stereo Version) - 4:44
6. Epistle To Dippy - 3:12
7. Preachin' Love - 2:41
8. Good Time - 1:55
9. There Is A Mountain - 2:36
10.Superlungs (Second Version) - 3:17
11.Epistle To Dippy (Alternative Arrangment) - 3:13
12.Teen Angel - 2:18
13.Poor Cow - 2:58
14.Lalena - 2:55
15.Aye My Love - 2:08
16.What A Beautiful Creature You Are - 2:45
17.Colours - 4:19
18.Catch The Wind - 5:05
19.The Stromberg Twins - 4:41
20.Snakeskin - 2:41
21.Lauretta's Cousin Laurinda - 4:18
22.The Swan (Lord Of The Reedy River) - 3:10
23.New Years Resolution (Donovan's Celtic Jam) - 3:15
All titles by Donovan Leitch
Tracks 1-5 "Sunshine Superman" Associated Recordings
Tracks 6-11 "Mellow Yellow" Associated Recordings
Tracks 12-16 "Hurdy Gurdy Man" Associated Recordings
Tracks 17-21 "Barabajagal" Associated Recordings
Track 22 "Hurdy Gurdy Man" Associated Recording
Track 23 "Barabajagal" Associated Recording

Musicians
*Donovan - Vocals, Guitar, Organ, Harmonica, Whistling
*Bobby Ray - Bass Guitar
*Eddie Hoh - Drums
*Shawn Phillips - Sitar
*Jimmy Page - Electric Guitar
*Eric Ford - Electric Guitar
*John Cameron - Keyboards, Arrangement
*Spike Healey - Bass Guitar
*Bobby Orr - Drums
*Tony Carr - Percussion, Bells, Congas, Finger Cymbals
*John Paul Jones - Bass Guitar
*Danny Thompson - Bass Guitar
*Spike Heatley - Bass Guitar
*Phil Seamon - Drums
*John Mclaughlin - Rhythm Guitar
*Joe Moretti - Rhythm Guitar
*Danny Moss - Saxophone
*Ronnie Ross - Saxophone
*Big Jim Sullivan - Electric Guitar
*Eric Ford - Electric Guitar
*Shawn Phillips - Sitar
*Pat Halling - Violin
*Harold Mcnair - Flute
*Eric Leese - Electric Guitar
*Cliff Barton - Bass Guitar
*Jack Bruce - Bass Guitar
*Ken Baldock - Double Bass
*Mike O'Neill - Keyboards
*Keith Webb - Drums
*Mike Carr - Vibraphone
*"Candy" John Carr - Congas
*John Bonham - Percussion
*Clem Cattini - Drums
*Jeff Beck - Guitar
*Madeline Bell - Backing Vocals
*Ronnie Wood - Guitar
*Lesley Duncan - Backing Vocals
*Aynsley Dunbar - Drums
*Alan Hawkshaw - Piano
*Nicky Hopkins - Keyboards
*Rod Stewart - Backing Vocals
*James Kehn - Percussion, Drums
*Gabriel Mekler - Keyboards

1965 Donovan - Fairytale (2001 expanded deluxe edition)

1967 Donovan - A Gift From A Flower To A Garden (2008 remaster)
1967 Donovan - In Concert, The Complete Anaheim Show (2006 two disc set)
1973 Donovan - Cosmic Wheels

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1967 Cream - Disraeli Gears (2013 SACD SHM)

Wednesday, June 10, 2026

rep>>> Derek And The Dominos - Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs (1970 uk/us, classic treasure, 2013 platinum SHM edition)

In 1970, the recording engineer Tom Dowd brokered one of the most auspicious meetings in rock history -- between guitarist Eric Clapton and the slide-guitar master Duane Allman. Clapton was working with Dowd at Miami's Criteria Studios, attempting to shake off the bitter demise of Blind Faith with a new group that included keyboardist and singer Bobby Whitlock. After a few days of what Dowd describes as "getting sounds and breaking ice," Allman called, curious to see the British guitar legend in person. Clapton's group went to watch the Allman Brothers play instead, and afer the concert, the musicians partied all night, eventually repairing to the studio the next afternoon. Dowd: "We turned the tapes on, and they went on for fifteen, eighteen hours like that. I went through two or three sets of engineers."

Those jams -- furious marathons based loosely on blues songs (Howlin' Wolf's "Killing Floor") and simple riffs -- set the stage for Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs, a multidimensional rock landmark. Clapton was, according to legend, at loose ends durng this time: He'd fallen in love with Patti Boyd, the wife of his best friend George Harrison, and was deeply troubled -- a pain evident not just on the celebrated title track he wrote with Jim Gordon, but also such apt covers as Freddie King's sorrowful blues about messing with a friend's wife, "Have You Ever Loved a Woman."

Fueled by cocaine, heroin, and Johnny Walker ("It was scary," Whitlock recalls, because "we didn't have little bits of anything....We had these big bags laying out everywhere"), the group went from open jamming to developing actual songs, among them the beseeching "Bell Bottom Blues." The basic concept was rock, pitched at the whiplash frequency of Memphis soul. The band worked up nontraditional approaches to old blues (this "Key to the Highway" has a searing energy that far outstrips Clapton's more scholarly later blues), and then recorded the masterpiece "Layla" as a suite, in stages.

Inspired by the Persian poet Nizami's romantic fable The Story of Layla and Majnun, Clapton wrote lyrics that expressed a worshipful devotion, and surrounded the verses with a guitar phrase, authored by Allman, that endures as a rock and roll anthem. Then, when things can go no higher, comes the postcoital cigarette -- in the form of a reflective elegy, written on piano by Gordon, that allows Allman and Clapton to have a more leisurely discussion. Their combined mojo takes everyone to church, where the impassioned whirling-dervish embrace of two swooning, imploring guitars leads to a state of illuminated bliss. Transcendence-wise, this is as close as rock gets to Coltrane's quartet collectively hitting the rafters at the Village Vanguard, or Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan singing in an unshakable trance, or...

by Tom Moon

Tracks
1. I Looked Away (Eric Clapton, Bobby Whitlock) - 3:05
2. Bell Bottom Blues (Clapton) - 5:02
3. Keep On Growing (Clapton, Whitlock) - 6:21
4. Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out (Jimmy Cox) - 4:57
5. I Am Yours (Clapton, Nizami) - 3:34
6. Anyday (Clapton, Whitlock) - 6:35
7. Key To The Highway (Charles Segar, Willie Broonzy) - 9:40
8. Tell The Truth (Clapton, Whitlock) - 6:39
9. Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad? (Clapton, Whitlock) - 4:41
10.Have You Ever Loved A Woman (Billy Myles) - 6:52
11.Little Wing (Jimi Hendrix) - 5:33
12.It's Too Late (Chuck Willis) - 3:47
13.Layla (Clapton, Jim Gordon) - 7:05
14.Thorn Tree In The Garden (Whitlock) - 2:53

Derek And The Dominos
*Eric Clapton - Lead, Rhythm, Slide, Acoustic Guitars, Lead Vocals
*Duane Allman - Slide, Acoustic Guitars
*Jim Gordon - Drums, Percussion, Piano
*Carl Radle - Bass Guitar, Percussion
*Bobby Whitlock - Organ, Piano, Vocals, Acoustic Guitar

Related Acts

1967-68 Cream - Live Cream (2010 Japan SHM)

1972 Cream - Live II (2010 Japan SHM-CD)

1968-89 Allman Brothers - Dreams (4 disc box set)

1970 The Allman Brothers Band - Live At The Atlanta International Pop Festival
1971 The Allman Brothers Band - S.U.N.Y. at Stonybrook NY

1972 Bobby Whitlock - Where There's a Will There's a Way (2013 remaster)
1975 Bobby Whitlock - One Of A Kind (2016 japan SHM remaster)
1976 Bobby Whitlock - Rock Your Sox Off (2016 SHM remaster)

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Tuesday, June 9, 2026

rep>>> Thunderduk - Thunderduk (1972-74 us, fine heavy guitar jamming psych with jazz elements, 2007 Footprint issue)

Spawned from the fertile musical grounds of Cleveland, Ohio, Thunderduk was part of a local scene that included the likes of The James Gang, Glass Harp, Bang and Dragonwyck. Their desire to play original music and their on stage antics made them one of the top draws on the club circuit in the early 70's. The combination of Phil Hilow's folk background and the versatility of Jeff Ulmicher produced a sound that included intricate rock ballads and long complicated concert pieces.

The foundation of their sound lied within the Bass work of Gary Wallis who spend many hours working on the band's equipment and developing new sound techniques to enhance the band's overall presentation. Rounding out the band was Bob Turchek on Drums who was later replaced by ex-Catscradle drummer Rick Fischer. Most of the material heard on this album was played by the band on two Agency Studio live broadcasts carried by local radio station WNCR.

These recordings span a period from 1972-74 and we think you will agree that some forty years later they stand strong amongst the tradition of Cleveland Kick Ass Rock and Roll!!

by Rockadelic-recs

Tracks
1. Why Don't You Love Me? (Jeff Ulmicher) - 3:56
2. Mountain By The Moon (Phil Silow) - 3:28
3. Something To Look At (Phil Silow) - 3:35
4. Time And Again (Jeff Ulmicher) - 6:17
5. The Collector (Jeff Ulmicher) - 3:12
6. Keep On Comin (Phil Silow) - 2:58
7. Number One (Phil Silow) - 3:23
8. Once Again Darkness (Jeff Ulmicher) - 9:23
9. Take 26 (Jeff Ulmicher) - 2:36

Thunderduk
*Gary Wallis - Bass, Vocals
*Bob Turcheck - Drums, Congas
*Rick Fischer - Drums, Percussion
*Jeff Ulmicher - Guitar, Vocals
*Phil Silow - Guitar, Vocals

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