Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Electric Prunes - Stockholm 67



Όταν πριν μέρες ανέβασα ένα live των H.P. Lovecraft έλεγα ευτυχώς που υπάρχουν και μερικά τέτοια κειμήλια, ώστε οι νεότεροι τουλάχιστον σαν εμάς να πάρουμε καμία μυρουδιά της εποχής διότι μάλλον γεννηθήκαμε σε λάθος εποχή και κράτος.

Στα ίδια ακριβώς πλαίσια εντάσσεται και αυτό το ιστορικό κειμήλιο των αξεπέραστων Electric Prunes. Στις 14 Σεπτεμβρίου το 1967 οι Σουηδοί που είχαν την ευκαιρία να απολαύσουν από κοντά τα «Δαμάσκηνα» μέσω της Swedish Broadcasting Corporation προνόησαν να ηχογραφήσουν την συναυλία και ιδού το δείγμα.

Τι να σχολιάσω? Τους Prunes? Μα είναι δυνατόν. Αφού είναι τέλειοι.

The Electric Prunes' December 14, 1967 show from the Concert Hall in Stockholm, originally taped for broadcast on Swedish radio, fully restored and properly remastered. The result is the finest record ever released by this band, and maybe the best live album of the psychedelic era. It was issued by a private label in England in a double-pocketed CD jacket with a beautifully illustrated booklet, complete with written reminiscences by the surviving members.

The band's lineup is from their second album, Underground: James Lowe (lead vocals), Mark Tulin (bass, organ, vocals), Ken Williams (lead guitar), the late Mike Gannon (rhythm guitar, vocals), and Quint (drums). Calling them tight would be an understatement -- the band does a 45-minute set, parts of which ("Try Me On For Size", "You Never Had It Better") display long instrumental passages showing off Williams' prowess on the fuzz-tone guitar and Quint's powerful drumming to great effect; "I Had Too Much To Dream Last Night" is here, along with "Long Day's Flight" and "Get Me to the World On Time" and solid covers of "Got My Mojo Workin'" and "Smokestack Lightnin'".

This live show presents the group as much more of a garage-punk band than a psychedelic band, though they still traffic in the currency of the latter, including lots of distorted guitars and organ cadenzas -- the snarl and energy keep things moving, however. Twice as valuable as their Edsel hits compilation

Members:
James Lowe - Lead Vocals
Mark Tulin - Bass, Organ & Backing Vocals
Ken Williams - Lead Guitar
Mike Gannon - Rhythm Guitar & Backing Vocals
Quint - Drums

Tracks:

1. You Never Had It Better
2. I Had Too Much To Dream (Last Night)
3. Try Me On For Size
4. I Happen To Love You
5. I Got My Mojo Workin'
6. Long Day's Flight (Til Tomorrow)
7. Smokestack Lightning
8. Get Me To The World On Time

Recorded by Sveriges Radio (The Swedish Broadcasting Corporation) at Konserthuset (The Concert Hall) in Stockholm, Sweden, December 14, 1967.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hello my friend, you have an interesting blog, congratulations, you know I'm looking for a Japanese band called Happenings four outsider no sekai, do you know this rare band.

See ya.

Psych-Spaniolos said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Psych-Spaniolos said...

I'll do my best. Thanks a lot

Psych-Spaniolos said...

Roberto your .rar file of The Happenings Four, will be ready on Sunday

Psychedelic-Rocknroll said...

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Anonymous said...

φιλε με πηγες πολλα χρονια πισω και αρχισα να ψαχνω τα βινυλια μου,οχι βεβαια πως εχω σταματησει να ακουω αυτη τη μουσικη ,που οπως και συ ,ημουν σχεδον μονος που ακουγα τετοια μουσικη.αρκετα απο τα γκρουπ που εχεις ανεβασει τα γνωριζω πολυ καλα και εχω αφιερωσει πολυ χρονο ακουγοντασ τα και αρκετο χρημα για δισκους εισαγωγης εκεινης της εποχης και ειναι και αρκετα που δεν τα εχω ξαναακουσει.αν καποια στιγμη ερθω στη χιο θα περασω απο το μπαρακι για να ακουσω διαμαντενια μουσικη,αν βεβαια εισαι ακομη εκει.