The Other Half - Mr. Pharmacist

Μια garage επιλογή για σήμερα από ένα γκρουπ το οποίο είχε ελάχιστη διάρκεια ζωής. Γνωστότερή τους επιτυχία που μπήκε σχεδόν σε όλες τις garage συλλογές το Mr. Pharmacist. Προσωπικά μου αρέσει εξίσου το I Know αλλά και το ψυχεδελικότερο Wonderful Day. Περισσότερες πληροφορίες για του γκρουπ υπάρχουν σε μία συνέντευξη που μπορείτε να διαβάσετε στο Βeyond the beat generation εδώ.

Personnel:
LARRY BROWN bs A
RANDY HOLDEN ld gtr A
JEFF KNOWLEN vcls, hrmnca, gtr A
GEOFF WESTERN rhythm gtr A
DANNY WOODS drms A
RON SAURMAN drms B

ALBUM:
1(A) THE OTHER HALF (Acta 38004) 1968

NB: (1) also released in Germany with a totally different sleeve (Die Volks Platte ) 1968. (1) counterfeited on CD and on vinyl as Mr. Pharmacist (Eva 12003) 198?. Housed in a different sleeve, the Eva album contains additional 45 cuts.

45s:
1 Wonderful Day/Flight Of The Dragon Lady (Acta 801) 1967
2 No Doubt About It/I Need You (Acta 806) 1967
3 Oz Lee Eaves Drops/Morning Fire (Acta 825) 1968
4 Mr Pharmacist/I've Come So Far (GNP Crescendo 378) 1968
NB: There's also a rare French EP with picture sleeve: Mr Pharmacist/I've Come So Far/It's Too Hard/I Know (Vogue INT 18112) 1968.

The above album was a competent effort, composed of original numbers aside from an interesting version of Arthur Lee's Feathered Fish. Holden's fine psychedelic guitar work stands out throughout and is at its best on Morning Fire plus the finale What Can I Do For You?. Another number, Oz Lee Eaves Drops had an interesting beat, whilst the band's best known track, the non-LP Mr. Pharmacist, is a classic psych-punker and well worth checking out.

This group contained Randy Holden who, on The Other Half's demise, replaced Leigh Stephens in the better known Blue Cheer. Craig Tarwater (gtr) and Mike Pon (bs), both ex-Sons Of Adam, were also members of the band, but did not feature on the album.

Carolyn White, who used to live with the band in Mill Valley, California, recalls that they may have recorded a second album entitled The Other Half And How To Get It - Anyone have further info? Carolyn also tells us "Things came to an official end in L.A. when Jeff and Larry and Ron decided to move to Northern California, however I think Randy was the first to want to break up. It happened right after they recorded the theme to 'Mod Squad', a sixties cop show".

Compilation appearances include: Mr. Pharmacist on Mayhem & Psychosis, Vol. 2 (LP), Mindrocker, Vol. 1 (LP), Nuggets Box (4-CD), Nuggets, Vol. 12 (LP), Sound Of The Sixties (Dble LP) and Sixties Archive Vol. 1 (CD); Mr. Pharmacist and I've Come So Far on Psychotic Reaction Plus Ten (CD); Feathered Fish on Sixties Rebellion, Vol. 8 (LP & CD).
(Vernon Joynson/Stephane Rebeschini)

Tracks:

1 - Introduction - 1.53

2 - Feathered Fish - 2.30

3 - Flight of The Dragon Lady - 2.29

4 - Wonderful Day - 2.16

5 - I Need You - 2.41

6 - Oz Lee Eaves Drops - 2.27

7 - Bad Day - 2.14

8 - Morning Fire - 2.32

9 - What Can I Do For You (First Half) - 2.42

10 - What Can I Do For You (The Other Half) - 6.48
Bonus

11 - I´ve Come So Far - 2.22

12 - Mr. Pharmasist - 2.30

13 - No Doubt About It - 2.36

14 - It´s Too Hard (Without You) - 2.13

15 - I Know - 2.41

http://sharebee.com/98b18271