PopSike and FreakBeat '66-'71

Copy and Paste the link cause it won't be enough just hitting the play button on the video above:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unbK1Y3pqYc&list=PLybnCZqytDvqKlTlCjGXOWSCW-lnKwY94

Ahhh where to begin?

Wimple Winch...evolved out of MerseyBeat band Just Four Men and according to wikipedia: "they experimented musically in other genres including psychedelic rock and protopunk. Their individualized sound was personalized by their intricate vocal harmonies and exploratory lyrics." First two songs on playlist are wimple winch, "Atmospheres" and "Save My Soul". Let them speak for themselves..

The Pretty Things is a favorite freakbeat band of mine, they were actually still together since 1963 until Phil May(RIP) , the lead singer died in May 2020. It's their material just before one of their albums, very first concept album ever- S.F. Sorrow(precedes Tommy by a year, sorry) that I've included "Walking through my Dreams" "Talkin' about the Good Times" & "Defecting Grey".

The Factory/Peter & the Wolves/the Norman Conquest or ANYTHING by Jon Pantry since he is the common denominator of these bands. If you ever run across these bands, have a listen-anything Jon Pantry was involved with is precious. "Red Chalk Hill" "Looking Glass Alice"and "Lanternlight" for instance and of course the iconic "Path Thru the Forest"(The Factory)

Q65-A raw dutch outfit with a cover of Willie Dixon's "Spoonful"--I'm not a blues fanatic but I make an exception with "spoonful". Also included in playlist are songs "So High I've Been(So down I must fall)" & "Ridin' On a Slow Train". This band had a lot of catchy, grungy singles that attempted to be more thought provoking than the mainstream you&me/love themed pop music.

Most of the songs on this playlist I first heard on compilation albums such as Rubbles, Electric Sugarcube Flashbacks, Circus Days way back in the 1990's. I used to love going to record stores and just thumbing through every '60's garage band, popsike, early progression album I could get my hands on.

For music of that era, from '64-'72 it was the freshest, boldest and most spontaneous youth had been able to rebel against authority up to that point. The resulting sound challenged the status quo, they the first generation of youth to popularize rebellion and the beginning of thinking outside of the box musically & lyrically & in life in general.

Most of the guys(and gals) in bands back then worked under tight, rigid & stringent studio conditions-herded in and out quickly, so results are often unrehearsed, spontaneous gems that sparkle and crackle with vibrancy and childlike naivete, see "Try A Little Sunshine" by the Factory or "Lollipop Minds" by Wimple Winch.

And the difference, the vast difference between what the Brits and Euros were doing musically versus what the Americans were doing musically is like night and day. I personally much more prefer what the Brits were doing, their songs more refined, better instrumentation, orchestral undertones(strings!strings!strings!) & beautiful vocal harmonies. Okay there were a few great american vocal harmonies in bands like the turtles, wcpaeb, & h.p.lovecraft but the Brits take the cake from mid to late' 60's-early '70's musically and vocally.

You'll find lots of beautiful British vocal harmonies on this playlist, see "Lollipop Minds" by Wimple Winch, "Golden Apples" by the Californians, "A Place in the Sun" by Jason Crest. The Kaleidoscope with a flowery slice of popsike in "A Dream For Julie". The mod group the Creation - "Through My Eyes", the blue eyed soul tinged "10,000 Years Behind My Mind" by Focus Three, perfect popsike from Serendipity with "I'm Flying" . The Executive with the lyrically cyptic "Gardena Dreamer".

(What, Vocal? Why you no have bullet point opts?)

You'll also find gritty rockers, bangers like a breath of fresh air: "Atmospheres" & "Save My Soul" by Wimple Winch; Mike Stuart Span with "Children of Tomorrow". "Hold On" by Sharon Tandy. "Do You Feel Alright" by the Outsiders(okay, I'm pretty sure he's singing about BDSM.. ...in 1969.. ok so the band's from Amsterdam, go figure).

We've got "grit and growl", solid rocker AND vocal harmonies with the arcane "The Fox Goes To Ground" by Bamboo Shoot. Follow that trend with Eyes of Blue -"Prodigal Son". "Vacuum Cleaner" by Tintern Abbey.

Weird and ominous "In Your Tower" by the Poets starts off first line --"wench you better watch your master". Last line in the song is "you were her knight in shining armor." You figure it out.

The ambitious "10,000 Words in a Cardboard Box" by the Aquarian Age- a Twink project with the band Tomorrow.

There is lots of bold instrumentation and psychedelia from bands you've likely never heard of--unless of course you are already into this genre.

I'm still putting the playlist together, there's 50+ songs on it so far, but it needs fine tuning, switching a few out with others etc-haven't messed with it for a few years.

I'm sure I can go on all day about this subject but listen to the playlist yourself. If you are looking for obscure 60's psychedelic(not acid rock-totally different genre) pop, look no further.

Enjoy!