Peacepipe - Peacepipe (1968-73 us, heavy raw bikers psych garage rock, Shadoks 2002 remaster)

Jon Uzonyi told me tonight that he still has his old 50 watt Marshall heads. He was quick to add that he doesn't use them anymore 'cause they're just too loud. "But I just can't bring myself to sell 'em." That sentiment pretty well encapsulates what remains of the dreams of many talented musicians that didn't happen to write "hit" songs. It also confirmed that my first impression of Jon was correct- that he was driven; the vapour of his conviction as evidenced on Peacepipe's Accent 45 was simply too strong to have evaporated from him completely. 

Initially, it was my hope that he had continued to record for a year or two beyond the single and might have a few demos laying around Of course, tracking him down in 1994 resulted in one of the great Rockadelic albums (Peacepipe: The Human Equation Featuring Jon Uzonyi, RRLP 18, 1995) when it was discovered that an entire album had been painstakingly assembled with legendary engineer Eirik Wangberg and was lurking in the dark recesses of his doset This recording was made with Jon's old friends Gary Tsuruda (drums) and Rick Abts (keyboards), who were the other two-thirds of Peacepipe, a trio that often used the less-druggy name Human Equation when they played live shows. 

This is the first ever release of the Peacepipe album on compact disc, taken from the original master tapes via 24-bit digital technology. There's a ton of great rock from California's underground scene. . that's a given But if you're after serious guitar pyrotechnics, you'll be hard-pressed to top this CD The hideously rare Peacepipe single (by far the best record released on Accent) is one of the most utterly possessed recordings of the late 60's Both tracks have a unique dark energy to them that is not easy to describe with words- but they are indisputably lysergic Jon is quite certain that the small pressing was distributed by label owner Scott Seeley via promotional channels and none were ever offered for sale in stores. 

To my knowledge, this 45 is still virtually unknown amongst collectors and has never been camped. Incidentally, Rick does not appear on these tracks, it's only Gary on drums and Jon on everything else! After gigging around Southern California and Arizona for a couple of years, the band split amicably to pursue non-musical careers Jon continued to experiment with both music and electronics (you may have noticed in the photos that his various electric guitars are all odd hybrids that he pieced together himself!) and eventually the bug to record had infected him again. "Actually, I think it was more about a need to close that chapter of my life. The three of us had invested a lot of time and energy in that band, and had made great strides artistically. I felt compelled to capture at least some essence of that for posterity, even if nobody else would ever hear it." He rang up Gary and Rick and the trio converged at Sound Recorders in Hollywood. 

Jon has high praise to this day for staff engineer Eirik Wangberg. "We never could have finished it without him. He knew exactly what I was trying to do, what sound I was trying to get. It was Eirik that did those wild mixes, the weird echoes on the vocals, and those crossfades like the point at which A Biker's Tune becomes Open Your Mind He was brilliant." (Collectors might be interested to know that Wangberg was responsible for The Oxford Circle's "Mind Destruction" 45, and the two amazing albums by Public Nuisance, available on CD from Frantic Records and on double vinyl from Shadoks Music) 

This recording was more about Uzonyi's opportunity to create a comprehensive document about Peacepipe, though- and it is his fiery, inventive guitars in their dense layers that render awe today. The trademark creepy Peacepipe sound is evident especially on Sea Of Nightmares (". if dreams of happiness lose their way, you die of sadness in the grave... I know that feeling...") and The Day The War Has Ended, an elaborate and stunning reprise of the A-side of the Accent 45. It is here that those artistic improvements really come into focus. 

There is softer material as well, some of which is excellent, but it's the overtly psychedelic hard rock in their repertoire that the band will be remembered for. Jon is still active in rural Southern California's music scene as a musician, sound engineer and audio technician He still builds guitars and amplifiers, and our conversations usually wind up over his workbench where be describes his deconstruction of an old Fender blackface amplifier for its parts or his discovery of a lost cache of American made power tubes He's still motivated by music. He tells me he really doesn't have the opportunity to play heavy rock anymore, but we both know that if that door opened, he'd dart right through it carrying an arsenal of fuzzboxes and wah-wah pedals... and he'd bring those old Marshalls with him.

by Clark Faville

Tracks

1. Sea Of Nightmares - 6:26    
2. Angel Of Love - 4:10    
3. I Can Never Take Your Dreams Away - 6:24    
4. Carry On Together - 2:43    
5. A Bikers Tune - 2:49    
6. Open Your Mind - 4:49    
7. The Day The War Has Ended - 10:08    
8. Love Shines - 3:12    
9. Keep A Smilin' Cari - 2:49    
10.The Sun Won't Shine Forever - 2:51    
11.Lazy River Blues - 3:39

Peacepipe
*Rick Abts - Keyboards
*Gary Tsuruda - Drums
*Jon Uzonyi - Guitar, Vocals

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Graffiti - Graffiti (1968 us, west coast psychedelia with high multi-part vocal harmonies, 2010 remaster)

Graffiti is it quite an interesting group with considerable ambition. Almost classical in spirit, melodies and fuzzy structure to the late sixties, the American psychedelic style, to make an album like Freeborn, Beacon Street Union and the Ford Theatre, but also psychedelic Beatles, and even The Pretty Things.

Graffiti released an obscure, self-titled LP on ABC in 1968 that was co-produced by Bob Thiele (more known for his work with many major jazz musicians), Eddie Kramer (most known for his engineering onJimi Hendrix records), and Jay Senter. Though accomplished in its musicianship and versatile in its stylistic focus, Graffiti lacked much in the way of enduring musical interest, blending some jazz, classical, pop, and blues influences into a generic, West Coast rock-influenced psychedelic sound that often employed high multi-part vocal harmonies.

Graffiti's sole album was in some ways typical of numerous obscure psychedelic one-shots on fairly big labels in the late 1960s: over-ambitious lyrics, a kaleidoscope of styles that butted heads as often as it blended, emulation of several passing psychedelic trends pioneered by bigger groups, and an absence of really good songs. All that said, as such albums go, it's better than average, though hardly noteworthy. That's kind of faint praise, but at least Graffiti were less ponderous than many such bands, with a sort of gossamer lightness to much of their material.

As for what kind of styles they mined, they're hard to pin down, though they're fairly influenced by West Coast psychedelia of the era, with some of the vocal harmonies so high that one can mistakenly think there was a woman in the group (there wasn't). Bits of jazz, classical guitar, blues-rock, psychedelic effects, and vocal harmonies both sunshine pop and Gregorian seep through from time to time as the band float through an ever-shifting melodies and styles. The songs and instrumental solos do tend to go on too long, however, and the songwriting isn't memorable.

But in general, in spite of this - or because of this, the drive entertaining, very positive with a number of interesting things. Good, good, vocals, guitar and cool sunshine melody - what do you need for a particular mood? Unique and rare release, no doubt belonging to an absolute canon of psychedelic rock.

by Adamus67

Tracks

1. Father Protector - 4:16

2. The Capture Of Me 

3. Life Blood - 9:45

4. Interlude #1 - 0:55

5. Jingle Jangle Woman - 5:10

6. New Life - 2:51

7. Girl On Fire - 2:26

8. nterlude #2 - 1:17

9. Cold Water - 4:40 

10.Interlude #3 - 0:32

11.Love In Spite - 3:22

12.Ugly Mascara - 5:17

13. Love In Spite (A Side Single) - 3:23

14. He's Got The Knack (B Side Single) - 2:42

Graffiti
*George Stuntz - Guitars
*Jon St.John - Guitar
*Steve Benderoth - Bass, Keyboards
*Richie Blakan – Drums, Percussion
*Tony Taylor - Vocals

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Brigade - Last Laugh (1970 us, rough psychedelic rock, Shadoks release)

Official release of Portland, OR garage/psych bands, impossible to find independent record /homemade (BVRS 1066 - originals are impossible to find because only 100 copies pressed were made at the time and some even had the wrong record in)album. Hammond organ, full of dynamic and strong fuzz guitar solos, driving drums and amazing vocals,quintessence 1970 American independent record which deserves this offical reissue (Shadoks)

The story of the Brigade will ring bells of recognition from just about anyone who grew up in the '60s. Growing up in the north suburbs of Portland during this era, of course, The Brigade emerged from a context - in this case a very vibrant '60s music scene in the Pacific Northwest. The "Northwest Sound" in fact had two rival epicenters: the Tacoma/Seattle area and, 3 hours drive to the south, Portland, Oregon.

From the late '50s and on into the '60s, the region produced its share of wellknown acts: The Kingsmen, Paul Revere & The Raiders, Don & The Goodtimes, The Ventures, The Fleetwoods, The Wailers, and The Sonics. Most of these bands initially focused on a white version of R&B, gradually moving into original songs that got regional radio play and occasionally broke out into the national "hitmakers" scene.

Other wellknown Northwest artists of the era included The Viceroys, The Dynamics, The Frantics (two of whom later re-emerged to form Moby Grape), Little Bill & The Bluenotes, Ron Holden, Merilee Rush & The Turnabouts and a handful more. But of course for every one band that made it into the studio, much less got airplay, there were another 50 bands caught up in the dream. Portland, with its near neighbors Salem and Eugene to the south, had the usual share of teenagers doing their musical thing.

Once they were ready to move out of the bedroom and garage, bands had numerous venues to show off their stuff: school dances, store openings, church events, private parties, plus a whole circuit of teen dance halls and armories. The idea was to have fun, meet girls and make a little money. Portland also offered an annual teenfair Battle of the Bands, affording the lucky winners some local press coverage, maybe some cash, musical instruments or amplifiers, and often the greatest prize of all, "a recording contract". Monster psychedelic rarity 1970. This record will be the crown jewel of your record collection.

by Adamus67

Tracks
1. Change in Me - 5:55
2. Love Day for Day - 2:33
3. Desert Song  (You're All Alone) - 5:53
4. Bad Town - 2:56
5. Self Made God - 4:06
6. Forever - 1:23
7. Circles of Life - 4:20
8. Everybody Is Laughing - 3:54

The Brigade
*Peter Belknap - Vocals
*Eric Anderson - Keyboards, Background Vocals
*Ed Wallo - Guitar, Background Vocals
*Dennis Steindl - Bass, Background Vocals
*Bob Anderson - Drums, Background Vocals

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Jody Grind - One Step On (1969 uk, exciting progressive rock with jazz elements, 2006 japan remaster)

Jody Grind remain vastly understated in musical measure and lyrical overflow.Their story started in 1966 when a group called The News comprising guitarist Ivan Zagni, Andy Fields vox and keyboards, Harvey Platt bass and Denny Royal drums released two singles “The Intertainer” and “I Count The Tears”. The News even included at one time ex Chicago Line Blues Band vocalist Mike Patto which evolved into 

The Continentals with Andy Fields being replaced by Peter Miller and future Zagni looking for a more vibrant conduit. The connection came in 1969 with drummer Barry Wilson and ex Chicago Line Blues Band keyboardist Tim Hinkley, a veteran having played on Bo Street Runner’s “Ready Steady Win” formed the trio Jody Grind and launched their debut One Step On.

The album was a busy affair with Hinkley letting loose and providing the core of their improvised structures. The opening brass riddled trilogy “One Step On” was an austacious pounding with extremely fast leadbreaks by Zagni which included a very speedy rendition of the Stones’ “Paint It Black” featuring Renaissance bassist Louis Cennamo.The highlight was a heavy loaded bluesy lament called “USA”. David Palmer handled the arrangements for the debut that stands out like a mighty warrior, but sadly the swordsman were about to defect. 

After two viciously splendid singles, the Chuck Berry styled “Rock ‘n Roll Man” and “Paint It Black”. Zagni and Wilson were cajoled by ex Renaissance Cennamo to form Bogomas while later Zagni played with Elton Dean. Within six months the group depleted into Blue Whale with Ansley Dunbar keyboardist Tommy Eyre and Juicy Lucy/ Tempest vocalist Paul Williams.The group sessions included Robert Fripp but after their debut Aynsley departed for Frank Zappa. 

by Shiloh Noone

Tracks
1. One Step On - 18:46
..a.In My Mind
..b.Nothing At All
..c.Interation
..d.Paint It Black
2. Little Message - 4:42
3. Night Today - 5:04
4. U.S.A. - 6:40
5. Rock 'n' Roll Man - 4:35
All songs by Tim Hinkley, Ivan Zagni

Jody Grind 
*Tim Hinkley - Organ
*Ivan Zagni - Guitar
*Barry Wilson - Drums
With
*Louis Cenammo - Bass on 'Paint It Black', 'A Little Message', and 'Rock n Roll Man'.

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Mike Stuart Span - Children Of Tomorrow (1964-68 uk, great mod psych beat with sunny blue eyd soul and jazzy blinks, 2011 Grapefruit remaster)

 

They made precious little impact at the time, but Brighton based quartet the Mike Stuart Span have been lauded by collectors for at least a couple of decades now as one of the finest British psychedelic bands of the era.With their early 1968 single Children Of Tomorrow b/w Concerto Of Thoughts widely acknowledged as one of the best (and rarest a copy recently sold on eBay for in excess of £700) examples of the genre, their recordings have appeared on numerous illegal releases as well as a limited edition, band-authorised mid-1990s anthology. 

However, licensing restrictions ensured that a definitive, all-encompassing Mike Stuart Span compilation remained an impossible dream.Until now, that is, because Children Of Tomorrow represents the Mike Stuart Span motherlode. Featuring every MSS studio recording known to have survived, it includes their brace of mod-soul singles for EMI and their notorious but little-heard stab at pop stardom with Fontana together with that superlative psych-pop 45 on Jewel and a host of demos in a similar vein.

As a considerable bonus, we also feature a clutch of previously-unissued treasures: the only recording made by pre-MSS outfit the Mighty Atoms, a far more muscular radio session stab at Fontana A-side You Can Understand Me and two 1966 demos that effectively won the group their EMI deal. With previously unpublished photos and fresh quotes from band members Stuart Hobday and Gary Murphy, Children Of Tomorrow is the definitive Mike Stuart Span anthology.

Grapefruit 

Tracks
1 Come On Over To Our Place (Mann, WeiI) - 2:13
2. Still Nights (Hobday) - 2:07
3. Dear (Stevens) - 2:30
4. Invitation (D'Abo) - 2:14
5. Children Of Tomorrow (Hobmur Benmac) - 3:15
6. Concerto Of Thoughts (Hobmur Benmac) - 3:02
7. You Can Understand Me (Howard Blaikley) - 2:45
8 Baubles And Bangles (Hammond, Hazelwood) - 2:32
9. Second Production (Murphy, Bennett) - 3:41
10.Rescue Me (Smith, Miner) - 3:38
11.World In My Head (Hobday, Bennett) - 4:28
12.Time (Murphy, Bennett) - 4:08
13.Flames (Murphy, Bennett) - 5:02
14.Blue Day (Hobday, Bennett) - 6:12
15.Remember The Times (Hobday) - 2:48
16.Wanderin1 Eye (Hobday) - 2:35
17.You Can Understand Me (Howard, Blaikley) - 2:51
18.Follow Me (Lynch, Shuman) - 2:27
19.Workout (Hobday) - 3:02

Mike Stuart Span
*Stuart Hobday - Vocals
*Roger McCabe - Bass Guitar
*Gary ‘Roscoe’ Murphy - Drums
*Brian Bennett- Lead guitar, Vocals
with
*Garry Parsley - Trumpet
*Jon Poulter - Keyboards
*Dave Plumb - Tenor Saxophone

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Les Irresistibles - L'Integrale Complete Works (1968-71 us, orchestrated sunshine beat pop, 2009 Magic edition)

US psychedelic pop band Les Irresistibles (The Beloved Ones) scored a huge hit with "My Year Is A Day". they were based in France at the time. William Sheller produced them and wrote the hit.

Here are their complete works, 24-bit remastered from original tapes, from the Magic Records label. A delicious slice of light psych. 

Tracks
1. My Year Is A Day - 2:56
2. She And I - 3:21
3. Lands Of Shadow - 2:49
4. Sunshine And You - 2:13
5. Dreams Of Dolls - 2:49
6. Why Try To Hide - 3:12
7. Things Inbetween - 2:31
8. Girl I Loved You - 3:00
9. Universe Of Love - 2:44
10.Peace Of Love - 3:41
11.My Love Is With Me Today - 2:09
12. Christmas Bells Will Ring - 4:48
13.Who Ever You May Be - 3:05
14.Baby I Need You Back Again - 3:06
15.The Lady Of France - 2:15
16.Baxter's First Step - 2:03
17.Baxter's Blues - 3:01
18.Baxter Williams - 2:24
19.Baxter's Last Step - 3:36
20.Fade Away - 2:09
21.Gotta Find Another Girl - 2:32
22.The Break Through - 3:26
23.Here She Comes - 2:23
24.Slave To Freedom - 2:09
25.To Experience - 2:51

Les Irresistibles
*Jim McMains - Vocal, Keyboards
*Steve McMains - Bass
*Tom Arena - Lead Guitar
*Andy Cornelius - Drums

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Les Sauterelles - View To Heaven (1968 swiss, flower beat pop with baroque tinges)

A Swiss '60s band that have sometimes been mistakenly identified as a British group due to their 1968 single "Dream Machine," a quite catchy and enjoyable facsimile of British flower pop with high harmonies, psychedelic lyrics, and driving guitars. The band had actually been recording since 1965, and established themselves as one of Switzerland's best and most popular groups. 

That's a status that isn't conferred upon most, Switzerland being a small country. Much of their first LP (1966) was filled with covers of popular rock hits. These were interpreted, however, with a brash energy that makes the record stand out above the scores of similar covers-oriented albums produced around the globe during the era. "Dream Machine" was a more original effort, and an album from 1968, View to Heaven, also had a more pronounced folk and psychedelic feel than their earliest outings. Les Sauterelles continued recording all the way into the early '70s, and several of their songs (notably "Dream Machine") surfaced on collector-oriented reissues in the '80s. 

Although much of this debut consists of covers of popular British and American rock songs of the mid-'60s, it's pretty enjoyable in spite of its unoriginality. The raw, almost punky cover of "Cheryl's Going Home" is terrific, and arguably better than the prototypes by Bob Lind and the Blues Project; not far behind is the moody reading of "No No No," a power-chord pounder originally performed by the obscure (in the U.S., at any rate) British Invasion group the Sorrows. Dylan's "Desolation Row" and "She Belongs to Me" are given 

British mod-type arrangements that, while they will most likely find no favor with most Dylan fans, have a refreshing irreverence that most Dylan covers lack; the Paris Sisters' wimpy ballad "I Love How You Love Me" is somehow transformed into a decent rock tune. The rest of the album doesn't match these highlights, yet it's a decent (and very rare) artifact of a Swiss band that no doubt wowed 'em live in their homeland; in the absence of frequent tours by the genuine originators, they were probably a pretty acceptable substitute. 

by Richie Unterberger

Tracks
1. Montgolfier - 2:43
2. Big Old Sun - 2:28
3. Hippie Soldier - 2:28
4. Hello, One Kiss, Goodbye - 2:00
5. Good New Times - 2:18
6. Where Have All The Flowers Gone? - 1:45
7. Silly Damsel - 3:44
8. Heavenly Club - 2:35
9. Homage - 2:27
10.Hotel Continental - 2:40
11.Dream Machine - 2:28
12.It's All Over Now Baby Blue - 3:12
13.Auf Wiedersehen - 1:15

Les Sauterelles
*Peter Rietmann - Bass Guitar, Vocals
*Kurt (Dude) Durst - Drums, Vocals
*Rolf Antener - Lead Guitar, Vocals
*Little Fritz - Organ, Piano
*Toni Vescoli - Rhythm Guitar, Vocals

Related Act
1971  Toni Vescoli - Information (Korean remaster)

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Bobby Callender - Rainbow (1968 us, wonderful orchestrated orient folk psychedelia with jazz tinges, Akarma remaster bonus tracks edition)

This a very unique concept by Bobby Callender, with Colin Walcott and Donald Robertson on sitar, Paul Harris on organ, piano and harpsichord, and many more "progressive" artists. 

"Rainbow" is a very personal spiritual approach with end 60's progressive foundation. The singing has deep emotions, is fragile in its mellowness. The association for listeners and for Bobby might be different. He was on his spiritual search. For us he's in a sort of musical mind-blowing experience. 

"My rainbow of colours reflects the past and present. Each change has been indicated by the spectrum of my life and only it knows the hidden colours of my future"  says the cover quote about the concept, telling us about Bobby's quest. 

"Sade Masoch" might be the most outstanding track in various ways ; it is a sad but nice touching story about a teacher who lost his mind after a too self-controlled life. The mellowness gives it also a very sad feeling of a very introvert spiritual introspective. As I said before several people might use this more readily to get stoned by. Some tracks are a bit sleepy mellow in singing, but all have interesting progressive approach of music. This contrast makes the complete concept highly original. Also the bonus tracks are worth to discover.

Psych-Folk 

Tracks
1. Rainbow - 2:48
2. Nature - 4:39
3. Sade Masoch - 2:57
4. Purple - 11:49
5. Mother Superior - 4:26
6. Autumn - 3:09
7. Man - 4:13
8. I'm Just High On Life - 4:51
9. Symphonic Pictures - 4:54
10.Raga Man - 6:32
11.Story Of Rahsa And d'Ahra - 4:44
Words and Music by Robert Callender.

Musicians
* Bobby Callender - Vocals
* Collin Walcott - Percussion, Sitar, Tabla
* Paul Winter - Violin
* Richard Davis - Bass
* Maurice Brown - Cello
* Thomas Buffum - Violin
* Robert Bushnell - Bass
* Eric Gale - Guitar
* Louis Haber - Violin
* Paul Harris - Organ, Piano, Harpsichord
* Stuart Macdonald - Violin
* Louis Mauro - Bass
* Hugh Mccracken - Guitar
* Bernard "Pretty" Purdie - Drums
* Alan Raph - Trombone
* Elliott Rosoff - Violin
* David Sackson - Viola

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Drama - Drama (1971-72 holland, significant hard blues rock with folk traces)

For more than a year now people have been talking and writing about the group Drama. The band comprised a number of individuals who had already made their marks in the past in several different bands: Polle Eduard (Tee Set, After Tea], Drummer fen "Shell" Schelfekens (InCrowd, Big Wheel), Ulli Grun (Boots, After Tea), and the young guitar virtuoso Frank Van Der Kloot (Bobby's Children and soon to play on the new Barry Hay album: 'Only Parrots, Frogs And Angels'). 

Twenty five years ago it was Harrie Knipschild, Hollands best known blues expert, who started penning his praise for the band Drama in the Veronica Television Magazine. Drama started after splitting of the band After Tea (Trio: Ulli, Shell and myself). We needed a new challenge, and with the addition of guitarist Frank Van Der Kloot we grew into a band with, what's the word, balls. Record companies quickly became interested and we were even given studiotime without even having written anything. 

We used the studio to write and rehearse, and because we all had the same blood group, we all knew that it would only be a matter of time before the material came rolling out. Now, on the 23rd of July 1997, with the help of a dog eared scrapbook and a somewhat scanty memory, I'm trying to write a foreword for the soon to be appearing Drama CD. Initially I was pleased that this was happening, even though our friend and Drama producer Hans Van Oosterhout won't be able to enjoy it. Hans slipped peacefully into an eternal sleep on the 4th of May 1995, but I know he would have been proud that this was happening. 

Apart from the fact that Hans was also Supersister's producer, he was also responsible for a large part of the Drama sound. By this I don't mean the sound on 'Mary's Mama' (produced by Peter Koelewijn). Phonogram had spent a lot of money on Drama by that time, and after the tiring creation of the album, a hit was most welcome. Koelewijn came, and Drama had themselves a hit which they subsequently refused to play live. It wasn't particularly a "Drama" but it was quite difficult trying to explain that to irate venue owners after our gigs. We were quite often involved in hassles after our shows, but never had any trouble with our real fans who had already bought the album anyway. 

Drama came and went quite quickly. After Ulli had gone back to Germany and we'd once more become a trio, we no longer had a recording deal, and couldn't find much work. Quite good reasons to call it a day I can't really think of anything else to say at the moment except that this should have been a double CD with one “studio” disc and one "live1 disc to give you a good picture of what Drama were really about. Because live, without leaving a trace of modesty, we were something else.

by Polle Eduard, July 1997

Tracks
1. Dreamed I Was The President (Shel Schellekens) - 4:46
2. I’m Your Hoochie Coochie Man (Willie Dixon) - 7:51

3. No Doctor (FrankVan Der Kloot) - 2:29

4. Melodrama (Shel Schellekens, Polle Eduard, Ulli Grόn, Polle Eduard) - 4:30

5. Smile Or Yell (Polle Eduard) - 6:59

6. Tell The World I’m Coming (Ulli Grόn) - 2:57

7. Brains Or Not (Polle Eduard) - 6:31

8. Give Up And Go (Polle Eduard) - 2:29

9. Down (Polle Eduard) - 3:08

10.Hard To Believe (Shel Schellekens, Polle Eduard, Ulli Grόn, Polle Eduard) - 5:18

11.Daddy Won’t Let Me (Polle Eduard) - 3:04

12.Everywhere (Ulli Grόn) - 3:27

13.Mary’s Mamma (Peter Koelewijn, Peter Schoonhoven) - 3:20 

Drama
*Shel Schellekens  - Drums
*Frank Van Der Kloot - Guitar, Vocals
*Ulli Grόn - Hammond Organ, Mellotron, Guitar, Vocals
*Polle Eduard - Lead Vocals, Bass, Acoustic Guitar
With
*Sacha VanGeest - Flute

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Wallace Collection - Laughing Cavalier • Serenade (1969-70 belgium, psych beat baroque pop melted with jazzy tunes, 2004 remaster)

Wallace Collection was a Belgian pop rock group active in the late 1960's and early 1970's,that was founded on the remains of the group Sylvester's Team.

Sylvester’s Team had been a well-oiled group that convinced on stage with Sylvain and Freddy on vocals. They had recorded six 7-inches for record labels “Roover” and “Vogue” and the press had been embracing them with very positive comments. At the other side, Raymond Vincent and Jacques Namotte were also musicians in the “highest league”: indeed, Raymond, holder of several prizes, was first violinist in the National Orchestra of Belgium; Jacques was first cellist in the same orchestra and had also gained a first prize.

The Wallace Collection founded in 1968 by three musicians from the formation of Sylvester's Team (Sylvain Vanholme, Freddy Nieuland and Marc Hérouet), which was joined by two musicians on the education of classical (Raymond Vincent and Jacques Namotte - members of the Belgian National Philharmonic Orchestra , but also a team of pop music circle - Stradivarius) and bassist Christian Janssens.

That way, the Wallace Collection, perfect blend of the best of pop, jazz and classical music. The newly formed band didn’t hide its ambitions and to realize these, it needed a manager who knew the business. The musicians decided to entrust the management to the one person who would be capable to allow them to make recordings in England. In fact, this was the big dream of every musician in that fabulous era and that was the challenge Jean Martin had undertaken to confront.

The band's name has its prototype in the London museum of the same name, which was in the immediate vicinity of EMI. The dream of the group was to record an album in the studio. In 1969. Australian David Mckay, the production of the first record of the band it embodied a dream and saw Their debut studio album, Laughing Cavalier, was recorded at Abbey Road Studios and was released in 1969.

The single "Daydream" became a hit in 21 countries,including going #1 in Belgium and sold millions of copies,but essentially a one-hit. . In the wake of its success, the group toured Europe, the United States, Mexico, and South America. They also composed the soundtrack to a French film, La Maison, in 1970. Later singles, such as "Love" and "Serenade", were hits in Belgium and some other countries but did not reach the level of "Daydream".

Sylvain Vanholme recalls how this breakthrough:(was also responsible for the downfall of the band in "Wit-Lof from Belgium) "There was chaos. One day we would be playing in the North of Holland, the next day in Spain. We didn't have time to rehearse or write new material. Between to concerts, they booked us a studio and said : quickly record a song like "Daydream". The quality of the singles that followed went steadily downward. "Love" and "Serenade" at least made it to the Belgian Top 30.

In 1971 the band decided to call it a day. Freddy Nieuland however has continued to record under the name Wallace Collection. This success, however, proved to be fatal and musicians, who failed to hit the post as "Daydream", they decided to disband in 1971. (Later between 80's-90's the band went through a few, a brief reactivation In 2005, the group reunited again for performances with an altered lineup.)

Raymond Vincent later on formed a band called Esperanto (with German and British strings, Italian keyboards, with singers from Hawaď, Papoea and Australia. After four records the band was dumped by record company A&M in 1975.

Marc Hérouet, the organ-player of the band, enjoyed some success with his group Salix Alba. The biggest future for the ex-members of The Wallace Collection would be for Sylvain Vanholme, who has had huge hits with Two Man Sound and has produced a large number of Belgian records since (e.g. Octopus, Salix Alba, The Machines, Gorky, Jo Lemaire & Flouze, The Kids ... )Sylvain Vanholme became a appreciated Belgian record producer.

by Adamus67

Tracks
Laughing Cavalier

1. Daydream - 4:10

2. Fly Me To The Earth - 2:50

3. Get That Girl (Sylvain VanHolmen, David Mackay) - 2:40

4. Get Back (Sylvain VanHolmen) - 4:05

5. Ragtime Lily (Marc Herouet, Sylvain VanHolmen, David Mackay) - 2:20 

6. Natacha - 2:39 

7. Merry-Go-Round (Sylvain VanHolmen, David Mackay) - 1:41 

8. What's Goin' On (Sylvain VanHolmen, David Mackay) - 2:12 

9. Baby I Don't Mind (Sylvain VanHolmen, David Mackay) - 3:40 

10.Laughing Cavalier (Raymond Vincent, Sylvain VanHolmen) - 4:05  
Serenade

11.Love - 3:50 

12.Dear Beloved Secretary - 3:45  

13.We Gotta Do Something New (Sylvain VanHolmen, David Mackay) - 2:32 

14.Serenade - 5:52

15.Hocus Pocus (Sylvain VanHolmen, David Mackay) - 2:38  

16.Let Me Love Her (Sylvain VanHolmen, David Mackay) - 2:30

17.Since You're Gone For Ever More - 2:45

All compostision by Raymond Vincent, Sylvain VanHolmen, David Mackay except where stated

The Wallace Collection
*Freddy Nieuland - Drums, Vocals
*Sylvain VanHolmen - Guitar, Vocals
*Marc Herouet - Keyboards
*Christian Janssens - Bass
*Raymond Vincent - Violin
*Jacques Namotte - Cello

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