Jimi Hendrix Experience - Are You Experienced

Seattle born Johnny Allen Hendrix changed his name as a three year old to James Marshall Hendrix and after being discharged from the US Army on medical grounds, he began his musical career supporting people like Ike and Tina Turner, Little Richard and Curtis Knight. During this process, he became Jimi Hendrix and after being spotted by Animals bass player, Chas Chandler, he was invited to London for some live gigs.

Managed by Chandler, Hendrix recruited Noel Redding on bass and drummer Mitch Mitchell and they soon had a top ten hit single with 'Hey Joe'. Signed to the fledgling Track record label the trio began work on 13 December 1966 on what would be their debut album, Are You Experienced'




The recording sessions took place at De Lane Lea, Olympic Sound and CBS Studios in London and they ended on 3 April 1967. The album was released to critical acclaim on 12 May that year. In particular, it was the guitar playing of Hendrix which caught the imagination as Hendrix played the instrument like no one had ever done before utilising heavy distortion and feedback.

The track listing of the UK and US release differs but as the album was first released in the UK, I intend to focus on that version here.

Foxy Lady
Beginning with a single note guitar run gradually fading in, the song erupts with a howl of feedback and then the distinctive signature riff that introduces the song. Noel Redding claimed that he came up with the chord that closes this opening number.

Manic Depression
Following a London press conference, Chandler is alleged to have told Hendrix that he sounded like a manic depressive. Intrigued by the phrase, Hendrix wrote this song around that idea. Beginning with thunderous guitar chords backed by the manic drumming and cymbal work of Mitchell, this song is in waltz time. But Strauss it certainly isn't!

Red House
Although written by Hendrix, this is probably the most traditional slow blues track on the album and in the whole of Hendrix's career. With a long 12 bar instrumental introduction and with words telling of how his baby doesn't love him any more so he is moving on, it could hardly be more typical of the blues. The song was omitted from the US version of the album allegedly because 'Americans don't like blues'.

Can You See Me
A much more straight forward rock song but once again featuring great guitar playing from Hendrix and some fiery support work from the rhythm section. The guitar sound may well have been influential on a certain Eric Clapton as much of their 1967 album 'Disraeli Gears' utilised a similar sound.

Love Or Confusion
This is about as far removed from conventional blues as it is possible to get as the song merges elements of rock, jazz and psychedelia, all held together by the powerhouse playing of Mitchell and Redding while the guitar of Hendrix soars and swoops like a bird.

I Don't Live Today
Beginning with an almost native American Indian drum pattern, the song is essentially a vehicle for the guitar playing of Hendrix some of which sounds like a ringing sitar. Clearly George Harrison wasn't alone in introducing Indian elements into his music. Towards the end the song fades in and out and features some spoken pieces by Hendrix a trait he would also include in future recordings.

Side two of the album opened with -
May This Be Love
A slower song that was allegedly written by Hendrix for his mother who had died while he was very young.  The track was recorded at De Lane Lea on 3 April 1967 and was never played again.

Fire
This rather funky R&B song was recorded at De Lane Lea studios on 11 January 1967 and completed at Olympic Sound on 3 February. The words stem from a visit Hendrix made to the home of Redding's mother's house at Christmas 1966. Freezing, Hendrix asked if he could stand close to the fire but his way was blocked by the Redding's sleeping dog. This resulted in the lyrics, 'Move over Rover and let Jimi take over'.

Third Stone From The Sun
Opening with the slowed down voices of Hendrix and Chandler backed by spacey sounds, this dedication to Earth (the third planet from the sun) has been often cited as one of the earliest examples of jazz/rock fusion. It was recorded at De Lane Lea on 13 December 1966 and finished at Olympic on 3 April 1967.
Towards the end, Hendrix can be heard saying 'You'll never hear surf music again'. One theory suggests that this was directed towards surf music star, Dick Dale who had been diagnosed with cancer and it was said to encourage Dale to fight the illness and recover. He did and later covered this track in gratitude.
Apart from the spoken parts, this track is essentially an instrumental.

Remember
Essentially a 12 bar R&B shuffle, coming after the futuristic sounds of the previous track, this seems almost like a step back in time. Perhaps this was deemed something of a filler on the album as it was never played again.

Are You Experienced
The title track was one of the last recorded, at Olympic Sound Studios on 3 April 1967. Taking a lead from The Beatles' 'Revolver', Hendrix made heavy use of backward guitar parts for this futuristic sounding track. Some of the drum parts were also reversed giving a very distinctive sound to this number.

The album was very well received by the critics and by the UK record buying public upon its release. Curiously despite being American, Hendrix was initially less well received in his native country, perhaps because the US were currently hung up on new phenomenon, The Monkees.

There can be little doubting that Hendrix changed guitar playing for ever and the list of those influenced by him is virtually endless. This album started the ball rolling but sadly the career and life of Jimi Hendrix would be over all too soon.

Love - Da Capo

The US west coast formed band who called themselves Love, began playing clubs in and around Los Angeles in April 1965. Composed of guitarists Arthur Lee and Bryan MacLean (a former roadie with The Byrds) along with drummer Alban 'Snoopy' Pfisterer and Ken Forssi on bass they were also joined by another lead guitarist, Johnny Echols.

Signed to folk orientated label Elektra Records, they released their eponymous album in April 1966 and on 20 June 1966 at Sunset Sound Recorder studios, Hollywood, they recorded '7 and 7 Is'. This was released as a single in July 1966 and became the highest charting 'single' record by the band.

Work on the rest of 'Da Capo' took place between 27 September and 2 October 1966 with a line-up that included Michael Stuart-Ware on drums and Tjay Cantrelli on saxophone and flute. Pfisterer subsequently moved to organ and harpsichord. Released in either January or February 1967, the first side was a radical departure from their debut and signalled the way they would move with their follow up album which would be released the following November.

Stephanie Knows Who
Described by Johnny Echols as a jazz-waltz, this track begins with distinctive harpsichord from Pfisterer then Lee belts out the vocals utilising a similar style to that employed in '7 And 7 Is'. The subject matter of the song is a girl who at the time was the girlfriend of Lee but later moved on to Bryan MacLean causing a degree of conflict between the two guitarists. The instrumental section features the saxophone of Cantrelli and some almost free-form guitar playing from Echols.
Recorded towards the end of the sessions on 1 October 1966, this is a wonderful album opener and was subsequently covered by British group, The Move and also by The Aardvarks.

Orange Skies
Bryan MacLean describes this gentle song as the first one he ever wrote while he was working as a 17 year-old roadie for The Byrds. He also claimed that the song was based on part of The Byrds' 'The Bells of Rhymney'.
The song was originally issued as the B-side of the single 'She Comes in Colors' and was the first to be recorded at the opening session dated 27 September. Maria McKee (of Lone Justice), the half sister of MacLean, released a live piano version of the song. They had earlier played together as a teenage duo.

¡Que Vida!
Recorded on 28 September 1966 the melody of this question and answer song was said to have been taken from a Burt Bacharach/Hal David song entitled 'Lifetime of Loneliness'. The title of the song is Spanish for 'what a life' and in the lyrics, Lee explores topics of life and death that he would later develop more fully in the follow-up album, 'Forever Changes'.
Opening with a gentle fingerpicked guitar part by Johnny Echols, the sound of a popping champagne cork heralds the bossa nova rhythm which gives the track the Latin feel suggested by the title. A repeat of the champagne cork brings in the opening guitar motif once again before the song ends to the sound of sleigh bells.

7 And 7 Is
The title makes reference to the girlfriend of Arthur Lee, Anita 'Pretty' Billings, with whom he shared a 7 March birthday. The track was recorded on 20 June 1966 before Michael Stuart-Ware joined the band so featured either 'Snoopy' Pfisterer or Arthur Lee on drums. (Apparently Pfisterer struggled with the complex drum parts, causing Lee considerable frustration and leading to his decision to recruit Stuart-Ware from another LA band, The Sons of Adam). Tjay Cantrelli does not feature on this track at all.
Released as a single in July 1966, it gave Love their first and highest scoring hit record. It has since been covered by a number of other artists including, Alice Cooper, Rush and The Ramones.

The Castle
This had been the name of the Los Angeles house the band shared during their early time together. In fact the cover of the album depicts the band in the grounds of 'The Castle'. The track was recorded at the session on 30 September 1966.
Once again the song begins with beautiful fingerpicked guitar but the opening melody is soon broken as the song goes through a number of changes in tempo. In this respect, possibly more than any other song on the album, 'The Castle' signals what was to follow with the next album.
The number ends with some distinctive Spanish flavoured guitar playing.

She Comes in Colors
Said to be inspired by the outrageous clothing worn by a regular fan of the group (Annette Ferrell), this Arthur Lee song features great flute playing and harpsichord by Cantrelli and Pfisterer respectively.
Because of the 'difficult' chord changes employed, Johnny Echols has declared that this was the most problematic of all the tracks to record.
In May 1967, the title was used as the first line of 'She's a Rainbow' by The Rolling Stones and it is widely believed that Jagger and Richards had been influenced by this song.

Revelation
Versions of this extended jam had been part of the band's repertoire since their club playing days in Los Angeles, though the song was then called 'John Lee Hooker'. It was recorded at the final album session on 2 October 1966 and features individual solos by all of the band members. It occupies all of the second side of the album, though it was not the first instance of one song taking up a whole side. Bob Dylan had beaten them to it with 'Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands' from 'Blonde on Blonde', the previous year.

Moving 'Snoopy' Pfisterer to keyboards (he was a classically trained pianist) and the introduction of Tjay Cantrelli on flute and saxophone, was a masterstroke as the sounds they contributed took the music away from the folk-rock they had played on the first album. The subtle flute parts written by Cantrelli in particular, added a new dimension to the sound of Love and the vision that Arthur Lee had for their way forward. Ironically, Cantrelli (real name John Berberis) would not be included in the line-up for the next album 'Forever Changes'.

However, the album was not a commercial success and this commercial failure can be put down to several possible reasons. Some feel that it was too much of a departure from the rock sounds of their debut album, while others point to the fact that they did not have enough of the newer sounding material to fill an album and had to resort to a lengthy blues jam to fill side two. Drummer Michael Stuart-Ware in his interesting book 'Pegasus Epitaph', claims that he feels that the inclusion of 'Revelation' was a mistake. He suggests the number was included because Lee wanted to 'piss-off' record label Elektra with whom he was in something of a dispute.

Another possible reason for the album not selling in huge numbers was the fact that they failed to promote it with enough live performances. This was partly down to bad luck but also due to the erratic behaviour of Arthur Lee and the general laid back drug culture of the band members. Nevertheless, a new sound had been created and Arthur Lee was to develop this even further and more successfully for the follow-up that would be released later in 1967.

The Velvet Underground - The Velvet Underground & Nico

In April 1966, while The Beatles were commencing work on 'Revolver', The Velvet Underground also began recording their debut album at the rundown Scepter Studios in New York City. Whereas 'Revolver' would be released in August 1966, The Velvet Underground & Nico' would have to wait until March 1966 to see its release. The acetates recorded during April were subsequently rejected by a number of major labels before eventually being accepted by MGM Records for their Verve record label. This led to a further session at TTG Studios, Hollywood during which a further three songs 'I'm Waiting For The Man', 'Venus in Furs' and 'Heroin' would be recorded.

The subject matter of many of the songs contained within the album, was controversial to say the least. Openly dealing with drug use, prostitution, sexual deviancy, sadism and masochism, it is astonishing that these topics were even considered for general release in early 1966. A year later, many artists, The Beatles included, were still hiding drug references within obscure titles and phrases although exactly one month before the release of this album, on 12 February 1966, Keith Richards was arrested at his Redlands home, on drug charges. Little wonder that upon its release, this album was largely condemned for breaking virtually every taboo possible. Being banned by a number of record stores and starved of radio play and advertising, it is unsurprising that the album was at the time, deemed a commercial failure. Due to a lawsuit, the album was withdrawn in June 1967 and it was not until ten years later that critics first began to praise the album as the great work it clearly is. The praise continues almost unanimously to this day!

Although the artist Andy Warhol is credited with the production of the album, in truth, he did little more than provide the finances for the initial New York recording sessions. Confusion reigns as to who was responsible for the actual technical production of the music. Norman Dolph was present at the Scepter Studio sessions but he claims that John Cale did most of the musical arrangement. Interestingly Cale credits Tom Wilson who had been appointed by MGM to supervise the Hollywood sessions, as the main producer.

There is of course no doubt as to who provided the artwork for the album cover. Original pressings showed only the name of Andy Warhol and featured a peelable banana, production of which led to further delays with the release of the album. Whatever the problems at the time, the image is now instantly recognisable and immediately associated with both Warhol and The Velvet Underground.

Sunday Morning
This November 1966 recording was the last one completed for the album. Written to feature the voice of Nico at the specific request of producer Tom Wilson who felt that a single was required to promote the album, the final version actually features Lou Reed on lead vocal. It is the most lavishly produced track on the album and features the distinctive sound of the celesta played by John Cale.

I'm Waiting For The Man
The 'man' of the title is of course a drug dealer and the song relates the attempt to purchase 26 dollars worth of heroin. The percussive rock and roll beat coupled with the subject matter has ensured that this song remains one of the most popular numbers in the Velvet Underground repertoire.

Femme Fatale
This track does feature Nico on lead vocals, a feature that added to the allure of the album at the time of its release and perhaps even to this day. It is clear that English was not her first language as her heavily accented vocal delivery shows. ('She'll build you up to just put you darn, what a clarn').
One of the more gentle sounding songs on the album, it was written by Lou Reed about the Warhol starlet, Edie Sedgwick. The song has since been covered by a host of other artists.

Venus in Furs
Here the band get right down to the taboo subjects of sadomasochism and bondage a full decade before X-Ray Spex were yelling 'Oh Bondage! Up Yours!' The song title is taken directly from the book by Leopold von Sacher-Masoch and the track features John Cale scraping the bow across the strings of his electrified viola to the rhythm set by Reed's unusual guitar. Unusual in that all of the strings are tuned to the same note, albeit in different octaves.
Alternate versions show that the song had been worked on since 1965 and then had a very different arrangement with vocals by John Cale. Before the final Hollywood session, the track was also worked on at a quicker pace and with slightly different lyrics at Scepter Studios in New York.
The song features in a handful of movies and has also been covered by a number of other artists.

Run Run Run
The jogging pace of this song matches the title perfectly. Written By Lou Reed it tells the story of a number of New York City characters trying to score drugs. The drug references are mixed with religious imagery but the most outstanding features of the track are the unconventional guitar solos played by Reed. Against the insistent rhythm he plays jagged lines occasionally distorted by squealing feedback.

All Tomorrow's Parties
This song was apparently Andy Warhol's favourite which is fitting as Lou Reed wrote it about Warhol and his entourage (The Factory). Once again Reed used his guitar with all of the strings tuned to D. Sung by Nico with her voice double tracked, the number has featured prominently in the horror film 'The Lords of Salem'.
Curiously when the first CD version was issued in 1987, an original single tracked mix was included.

And so ends side one of the original vinyl album.

Heroin
Recorded in Hollywood during the Tom Wilson produced sessions in the summer of 1966, this track clocked in at just over seven minutes (yet it still wasn't the longest track on the album). The two chords that make up the song help to provide a hypnotic effect as the tempo starts slowly but builds to replicate the high experienced by the heroin user. This effect is repeated throughout the song.
Lyrically one can understand the reluctance of radio stations to play such a song and one can almost hear the screams of outrage when this was released in early 1967. Reed leaves nothing to the imagination as he graphically describes the act of the needle puncturing the skin and the effect that the drug has on him.
When the track is reaching its crescendo, the frantic drumming abruptly stops. Drummer Maureen (Moe) Tucker explained later that it got so loud and fast that she couldn't hear anything and stopped playing thinking that everyone else would stop also. They didn't so she simply started again!
The track is controversial for 1966 or 1967 yet it is astonishing that the earliest recording of the number dates from sessions in Ludlow Street, NYC in July 1965!

There She Goes Again
The Velvets try their hand at a track that seems to have been largely influenced by The Rolling Stones cover of 'Hitch Hike', a Marvin Gaye song released in 1965 on 'Out of Our Heads'.

I'll Be Your Mirror
This track originally appeared as a single in 1966. Sung by Nico, there appear to have been difficulties in her achieving the delicate vocal effects required by the band. After several attempts she broke down in tears and then achieved the desired result at what would have been the final attempt. The band must have been pleased with the result as following her departure from the band in 1967, they replicated her vocal and her accent during live performances of the song.
Andy Warhol is said to have suggested that the record stylus should become 'stuck' thus repeating the line 'I'll be your mirror' continuously until the record arm was lifted. Nothing ever came of this idea which is probably just as well as a large number of 'faulty' discs might have been returned to the factory.

The Black Angel's Death Song
This song appears to have been the one that first brought The Velvet Underground to the attention of Andy Warhol. After playing a long improvised version of it before a small crowd of drunks at Café Bizarre in New York's Greenwich Village on 11 November 1965, they were approached by Warhol who would later fund and produce their debut album.
The dissonance is created by the screeching of John Cale's violin and by him hissing into the microphone as Lou Reed drones lyrics to represent the figure of death, the black angel of the title.

European Son
Commencing with a couple of verses to a Chuck Berry riff, the track quickly dissolves into a free-form piece of improvisation utilising screaming feedback and heavy distortion. This continues for over six minutes and is possibly a precursor to the improvisational rock they played on tracks such as 'Sister Ray' from their next album, 'White Light/White Heat'.
The song is dedicated on the album to Delmore Schwartz a mentor of Reed who had died in July 1966, though the song itself makes no mention of Schwartz.
At over seven minutes in length, this is the longest track on the album.

Like most records at the time, 'The Velvet Underground & Nico' was released in both stereo and mono versions. Both are now readily available on CD reissues and while both have their individual merits, I have a preference for the mono mix simply because the rockier tracks have that bit more punch.

Despite the understandable lack of commercial success in 1967, the influence of the album and of The Velvet Underground themselves, continues to be heard via a range of artists up to this day. As examples I cite David Bowie, Patti Smith, Television, Can, REM, My Bloody Valentine and The White Stripes. 'Nuff said?

Jefferson Airplane - Surrealistic Pillow

'Surrealistic Pillow' the second album by Jefferson Airplane was released in mono and stereo in April 1967. It was recorded at RCA Victor's Studio B at 6363 Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood over thirteen days from late October to mid November 1966.
Drummer Skip Spence had left the band in the summer of 1966 as had original vocalist Signe Anderson. They were replaced by Spencer Dryden and Grace Slick.
Slick had previously been in a band The Great Society with her husband Jerry and when she left she took with her her own song 'White Rabbit' and also 'Somebody To Love' written by Jerry's brother Darby Slick. Both appeared on this album and were issued as singles.

Jerry Garcia was credited on the album cover as 'musical and spiritual advisor' and he also added guitar to several tracks though this fact was refuted by producer Rick Jarrard. According to road manager Bill Thompson, Garcia was definitely there and even came up with the name for the album when he commented 'That's as surrealistic as a pillow'.




She Has Funny Cars
Written by vocalist Marty Balin and guitarist Jorma Kaukonen, this song deals with the materialistic society in the US. The song recorded on 31 October 1966 provides the first example of the wonderful blend between the voices of Balin and Slick. It also features Jack Casady playing a bass with a 'fuzzy' sound similar to that employed by Paul McCartney on 'Think For Yourself' from 'Rubber Soul'.

Somebody To Love
Darby Slick's song was rather different when played at a much slower pace by The Great Society. With it's rockier arrangement, Jefferson Airplane took the song to a new level and thanks to regular features in movies and TV shows, it has become arguably the best known song by the Airplane. The track was recorded on 3 November 1966.

My Best Friend
Although Alexander 'Skip' Spence had left the band to form Moby Grape by the time this album was recorded, the band decided to include this jaunty love song written by their former drummer. It was also the first single released from the album.

Today
A beautiful ballad written by Marty Balin and Paul Kantner and sung by the former. According to Balin, Tony Bennett was recording in the next studio and Balin decided to try to write a song for Bennett to record. They never met and the song was destined to be covered by the lesser known Tom Scott. The gorgeous repetitive guitar part was played by Jerry Garcia of The Grateful Dead.

Comin' Back To Me
A lovely song composed by Balin while under the influence of marijuana provided by Paul Butterfield of the Butterfield Blues Band. The recorder part is played by Grace Slick. It was recorded on 1 November 1966.

3/5 Of A Mile In 10 Seconds
Another Marty Balin composition starts side two of the vinyl album. I feel that Balin was always more adept at writing beautiful ballads but a rock song was required to kick off side two and this fits the bill.

DCBA-25
Paul Kantner takes solo writing credits for this song which he later revealed is named after the chord sequence that accompanies the melody. The number 25 refers to LSD-25. The track was recorded on 15 November 1966.

How Do You Feel
Vocally and musically this song draws comparisons with the work of The Mamas & The Papas another US folk/rock group who gained popularity in the mid 1960's. The song is credited to Tom Mastin who had played with Michael Brewer as Mastin & Brewer. It features nice three part harmony vocals from Slick, Balin and Kantner and more recorder from Slick.

Embryonic Journey
This short instrumental was the first piece ever written by guitarist Jorma Kaukonen as far back as 1962. A fingerpicking workout, he never intended for it to appear on the album but it did so on the insistence of producer Rick Jarrard.

White Rabbit
When performed with The Great Society, this song was a totally different beast. At over six minutes in length, it was part Ravel's 'Bolero', part Miles Davis 'Sketches of Spain' and part 'Alice in Wonderland'. Featuring lengthy guitar solos and even Grace Slick playing oboe, it was a live favourite of the time.
Jefferson Airplane cut the song down to less than three minutes focusing on the drug imagery of the lyrics.
Slick herself was never totally happy with it but the public disagreed and it became a hit single as well as going on to define the drug fuelled mid to late 1960's.

Plastic Fantastic Lover
Recorded on the same 3 November session as 'White Rabbit', this Marty Balin song is a rant against one of America's favourite obsessions, the TV.

The fusion of folk and rock utilised on this album was totally unique at the time and the album influenced not only other US bands and artists but also others from farther afield - most notably a young group of folk musicians in England who called themselves Fairport Convention.

The Doors - The Doors

1967 began with the January 4th release of the eponymous album by The Doors.

The band had formed in Los Angeles two years earlier and famously took their name from the Aldous Huxley book, 'The Doors of Perception'.  As the resident house band at the famous Whisky a Go Go, they were spotted by Elektra Records president, Jac Holzman and immediately signed to the label.

The sound of The Doors was instantly identifiable thanks to the unique guitar playing of Robby Krieger and the keyboard playing of Ray Manzarek. Add to that the poetic lyrics and sonorous voice of the charismatic but controversial Jim Morrison and the result was a winning combination.

Recorded at Sunset Sound Recorders, Hollywood in August 1966, the album was released in rather different stereo and mono mixes. The mono version was soon deleted and has remained unreleased until 2010 when it was re-released on vinyl only. This mix remains unavailable on CD yet strangely is available as a digital download from certain media outlets. Because of the differences, it is certainly worthwhile having both stereo and mono versions.

Thanks to the sequencing of the tracks, the record is a classic example of how a vinyl album should be constructed with a very strong opening track and two absolute classics ending each side.

Break On Through (To The Other Side)
Beginning with a series of rim shots on John Densmore's snare drum, the bass soon takes up the rhythm which is ironic itself as The Doors never employed a permanent bass player. On this first album most of the bass parts were played by Manzarek on the keyboards.
On the repeated phrase 'She gets high', the final word was edited out of the recording because of the implied drug references. This has been reinstated in later CD releases but remains absent from the mono version.
A great opening song, this immediately introduces the distinctive sound of The Doors.

Soul Kitchen
This song was Morrison's tribute to Olivia's, a soul food restaurant in Venice Beach, Los Angeles. The bass on the track is played by session player, Larry Knechtel.

The Crystal Ship
This parting love song to a former girlfriend of Morrison features some beautiful piano from Manzarek embellishing Morrison's psychedelic imagery.

It has been suggested that the title may have been influenced by an oil rig off the coast of Santa Barbara which glittered like a crystal ship at night, or alternatively may have come from a story in a book of Celtic mythology, 'The Book of the Dun Cow'. Then again, it may have been just about the drug methedrine.

Twentieth Century Fox
Both Ray Manzarek and John Densmore have claimed in their autobiographies that the subject of this song was Manzarek's girlfriend of the time.

Alabama Song (Whisky Bar)
This song by Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill dates from 1927 and was used in the 1930 opera 'The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny'. Morrison changes the original English words 'Show me the way to the next pretty boy' to the more natural (for him) 'Show me the way to the next little girl'. Producer Paul Rothchild adds backing vocals to this track.

This leads into the final song on side one, the instantly recognisable:-

Light My Fire
The song was mainly written by guitarist Robby Krieger though Ray Manzarek created the distinctive keyboard opening part. When released as a single in April 1967, the seven minute track was cut to just under three minutes by editing out the superb organ and guitar solos. This is something of a travesty though it did gain the song a great deal of airplay which increased sales of the album, so not such a bad thing after all.

Back Door Man
This blues by Willie Dixon kicks off side two of the album in a much rockier arrangement than the original.

I Looked At You
End Of The Night
Take It As It Comes
Essentially these were three short filler songs before the main event of side two.

The End
The creepy but sexy opening guitar phrases lead into Morrison intoning 'This is the end, beautiful friend.' Beginning life as little more than another goodbye song to the girlfriend subject of 'The Crystal Ship', this number evolved over time and during several live performances until the band arrived at the finished product stretching to a little under twelve minutes. Unlike, 'Light My Fire', this number was never going to be cut down to make a radio friendly single. There is little friendly about this song particularly when midway through, Morrison takes the song into the famous (or infamous) spoken 'Oedipus' section beginning with the line 'The killer awoke before dawn'.

Throughout, the drone like keyboards and intricate guitar lines add to the mood though the wonderful drum and cymbal work of Densmore should not be overlooked. The song was recorded live in the studio with the second take being the released version.

Interlude#2 - 1966 Albums That Failed To Make The List

Besides the albums that we have looked at since my starting date of 16 May 1966, there were other very fine records released and you may be wondering why I have not included those in my selections.

For example, in August 1966, Jefferson Airplane released their debut album 'Jefferson Airplane Takes Off'. I have no doubts that Jefferson Airplane were an influential band and in the period we shall be examining, made some recordings that helped to shape the sounds of the remainder of the 1960s and beyond. However, in my opinion, their first effort did not.

'Jefferson Airplane Takes Off' features the developing songwriting partnership of Marty Balin and Paul Kantner and the line-up at that time included guitarist Jorma Kaukonen, drummer Skip Spence bassist Jack Casady and singer Signe Toly Anderson in addition to Kantner and Balin but the music was to all intents and purposes, folk-rock in much the same sort of genre as The Byrds and a host of other bands at that time. Jefferson Airplane would not really 'take off' until October 1966 when Anderson quit the band to be replaced by Grace Slick from neighbouring San Francisco band The Great Society. With two of their songs, 'White Rabbit' and 'Somebody To Love', she helped to take Jefferson Airplane into a totally different direction. But more of that in due course.

One could also make a very sound argument that the third album by The Byrds, 'Fifth Dimension', released in July 1966, was as influential as some of the albums I have included in my list. Certainly 'Eight Miles High' was a leap forward into the realms of raga and psychedelic rock. I would be unable to refute such claims. However, the album for me represents a band that were in transition after the departure of their main songwriter, Gene Clark. Consequently this album is a little inconsistent though by this time they have stopped relying on Bob Dylan songs to flesh out their albums.

Other really good albums that were released in this period were 'Parsley, Sage, Rosemary & Thyme' by Simon and Garfunkel, 'Fresh Cream'  by Cream, 'Jack Orion' by Bert Jansch and the eponymous  debut albums from Tim Buckley and Buffalo Springfield. All were very good albums indeed, but not in my opinion, influential enough to make my list. No doubt, some will feature with subsequent releases as we move into 1967 and beyond.

13th Floor Elevators - The Psychedelic Sounds Of......

The 13th Floor Elevators were formed in 1965 in Austin, Texas by singer Roky Erickson, guitarist Stacy Sutherland and Tommy Hall who played something called an 'electric jug'. This was basically a ceramic jug with a microphone held close to it, or for recording studio purposes the mic was often placed inside the jug. Sounds were created by blowing into the mouth of the jug resulting in hypnotic rhythms similar in feel to those produced by the Brazilian cuica drum. This sound helped to define the music of The 13th Floor Elevators who rapidly established themselves as a great live touring band around Texas in the Spring and Summer of 1966. Signed to the International Artists label based in Houston, they set about recording their first album at Sunset Sound Studios, Dallas.

Whether or not, Roky Erickson was the first to use the term 'psychedelic rock' is open to debate but certainly this album represented one of the first occasions that the word 'psychedelic' was used in an album title. The music on the album was clearly influenced by the use of drugs and the album sleeve notes, written by Tommy Hall, advocated open use of drugs such as mescaline and LSD. Sadly, excessive use of such drugs led to the early demise of the band in 1968 and in the following year, Erickson found himself incarcerated in
Rusk State Psychiatric Hospital in Texas.

The musical legacy they left however, begins with this album which was released in November 1966. In eleven fairly short tracks they splash their trademark sound across the grooves of this record. From the distinctive (and some might say, over-used) wibbly-wobbly sound of Hall's electric jug, to the acid influenced poetry of his lyrics. From the melodic guitar phrases of Stacy Sutherland to the wild shouting/screeching voice of Erickson, this album (and the follow-up) have influenced a host of artists since. Apparently Janice Joplin modelled her vocal style on Erickson and one wonders how much of a debt, Robert Plant owes.

I would offer only one piece of advice. LISTEN TO THE VERSION IN MONO!
For some reason the stereo version of the album is awash with reverberation which diminishes the overall impact. Thankfully this is largely removed in the mono mix allowing the power of the rock songs on the album and the clarity of vocals and instrumentation to shine through.  Tune in, freak out and ENJOY.

'You're Gonna Miss Me'
This was the only song on the album written solely by Erickson. Written and performed while he was still with his previous band The Spades, the Elevators recorded a version which was released as a single in January 1966 (backed by 'Tried To Hide') and which sold quite well in Texas. The song has since become something of a garage-rock classic having been covered by many other artists, as well as featuring at the beginning of the film 'High Fidelity'.
From the opening strident guitar chords, the song fairly rattles along with Erickson shouting and yelping until it fades out on his wailing harp solo.

'Roller Coaster'
Like the roller coaster of the title, this number starts fairly slowly but after Erickson sings 'Come on and let it happen to you', the ride picks up speed and it careers down the track driven by great guitar playing from Sutherland.
'You've gotta open up your mind and let everything come through.'

'Splash 1 (Now I'm Home)
The wife of Tommy Hall, the former Clementine Tausch was working on a novel when she was asked by Roky Erickson to write lyrics for some of his songs. This ballad was one of those and was given it's title because it was as though something splashed between the two of them upon meeting. As the lyrics describe it, 'The neon from your eyes is splashing into mine'.

'Reverberation (Doubt)'
The pounding bass of Ronnie Leatherman drives the rhythm of this song, sung in a sleazy, creepy voice by Erickson. His lone bass also introduces the next track -

'Don't Fall Down'
The band members repeatedly chant the title as Erickson sings the verses over the top. This strangely hypnotic song began life as 'We Sell Soul' when Erickson was with his previous band, The Spades.

'Fire Engine'
Side two of the album begins with the simulation of a fire engine siren, perhaps the influence behind the opening of The Move's 'Fire Brigade' from 1968. Erickson howls over the cacophony of sirens and guitar riffs, then the song develops along a Chuck Berry or early Rolling Stones rhythm.

'Thru The Rhythm'
Whether lyricist Tommy Hall was inspired to use the same rhyming patterns for this song as Frank Zappa did for 'Hungry Freaks Daddy' is unknown but the use of the same rhyme at the end of each verse line, is actually quite effective in this nightmarish psychobabble.
'I've smelt the stench from the fumes that rise
From the books that rehash the same old lies.
I felt the panic that they disguise
In the form of laws of every size.' Etc.

See what I mean?

The album then continues with a trio of songs written by a certain Powell St. John.

'You Don't Know (How Young You Are)'
Rayward Powell St John was born born in Houston, raised in Laredo and attended university in Austin. In The Waller Creek Boys he sang and played harmonica with the likes of Janis Joplin. Gravitating eventually to San Francisco, he became a member of Mother Earth a band which for a while featured Mark Naftalin form The Paul Butterfield Blues Band. The quality of his songwriting came to the attention of a number of acts including The 13th Floor Elevators who included three on this, their debut album. Another, 'Slide Machine' would feature on their follow up album in 1967. This track features lines like, 'Your eyes are filled with coral snakes and liquid plastic castles'.

'Kingdom Of Heaven'
The slow plodding bass of Ronnie Leatherman opens this song. 'I'm bringing you this message because it's time I think you knew that the Kingdom of Heaven is within you'. Erickson sings the words of Powell St John over a wash of distorted guitar in this slow, dreamy ballad.

'Monkey Island'
This song about trying to fit in by being something you're not allows Erickson to really stretch himself vocally as he screeches like a demented monkey.

'Tried To Hide'
Another more upbeat song by Tommy Hall and Stacy Sutherland allows Erickson to again demonstrate his vocal prowess and his harmonica skills.

While none of the songs on this album can stand up against the quality of those that had recently been issued by The Beatles, The Beach Boys or The Kinks, the sound created on the disc was unique for its time and certainly inspired many other bands to develop into more psychedelic areas. There are also a number of notable musicians who have acknowledged the influence the 13th Floor Elevators had on their career for example the use of reverb and echo which was adopted by ZZ Top and The Allman Brothers Band.
The irony is that the drugs which influenced their sound and their songs also led to their downfall, but not before the band bettered this first effort. More of that in due course when we look at the influential releases of 1967.

The personnel on 'The Psychedelic Sounds of The 13th Floor Elevators' were:
Roky Erickson - vocals, guitar, harmonica
Stacy Sutherland - lead guitar
Tommy Hall - electric jug and vocals
Ronnie Leatherman - bass
Benny Thurman - bass on 'You're Gonna Miss Me' and 'Splash 1'
John Ike Walton - drums