here is the NFO file from Indietorrents
Uploaded by turntabler 5 days, 2 hours ago
Ripped with LAME 3.96
Disk 1:
1. The Versatiles – Cyclothymia
2. The Yardleys – Your Love
3. Days Of The Week – Home At Last
4. The Movement – Green Knight
5. The Jerks – I’m Leavin’ You
6. The Dedications – Midnight Gray
7. The Rites Of Spring – Comin’ On Back To Me
8. The Tories – Walkin’ The Dog
9. The Stolen Children – I Need You
10. The Changin’ Tymes – Bye Tyme
11. The K-Pers – The Red Invasion
12. Sheffield’s Gate – Tell Her No
13. The Judges – The Judge And Jury
14. The Mixed Emotions – Can’t You Stop It Now
15. The Bittersweett – She Lied
16. Randy & The Holidays – Paul Revere 250
17. The Illusions – Shadows Of You
18. The Lost Chords – I Won’t Have To Worry
19. The Very-Ations – She Can’t Be Won
20. The K-otics – I’m Leaving Here
21. Mickey Buckins & The New Breed – Reflections Of Charles Brown
22. The Seeds Of Time – She’s Been Travelin’ ‘Round The World
23. The Mad Lads – Come Back To Me
24. This Side Up – Why Can’t I Dream?
25. The 5 – I’m No Good
26. The Rockin’ Rebellions – By My Side
27. Fox & The Huntah’s – Funny Kinda Day
28. The 5c Stamp – Gotta’ Go Now
29. The Omen & Their Luv – Maybe Later
Disk 2:
1. The Chimes – #38
2. The Vikings – Come On And Love Me
3. The Mishaps – Under My Thumb
4. The Stolen Children – Set Me Free
5. The “In” – Just Give Me Time
6. George Wallace, Jr. – Think!!
7. This Side Up – Sun Arise
8. The Distortions – Smokestack Lightning
9. The Outlets – Love Doesn’t Happen In A Day
10. The Movement – Just-A-Driftin’
11. The Tikis – Somebody’s Son
12. String & The Beans – Come Back To Me
13. The Preachers – Inspiration
14. The Citations – Better Stop Your Lying
15. The Outer Mongolian Herd – Hey Joe
16. The Swingin’ Lamp Liters – Get Away
17. The W.C. Dorns – I Need You
18. The Bassmen – I Need You
19. The Hackers – Keep On Running, Girl
20. The K-otics – Double-Shot
21. The Weejuns – I Spy
22. The Male – You’re Playing With Fire
23. The Lost Chords – I Want To Be Her Man
24. The Stolen Children – I’m Alive
25. The Versatiles – Somethin’ Like A Man
Compilation info
There’s more where this came from. I’ll post ’em incrementally.
1.
What I have in my cd player is Psychedelic States: Alabama in the 60s, Vol 1. Volume 1, dig that. Volume 2 is already en-route. These Alabama bands were cranking out psychedelia down south even when Captain America and the other Easy Rider were motorcycling through the countryside. Did you Yankees know that?
The cd starts off with the Versatiles’ 1967 release “Cyclothymia,” [cyclothymia, n., “a temperament marked by alternately lively and depressed moods”]. The Versatiles played in Mobile — often with go-go dancers — but dressed like they shopped on Carnaby Street in Swinging London: The lyrics are about as socially conscious as the Monkees’ “Pleasant Valley Sunday,” but “Cyclothymia” sounds, well, pretty groovy and more than a little druggy, with a bluesy guitar solo over a choppy, hypnotic bass line:
You’re wondering
Why your ambitions can’t come true
You’re wondering
With your life what will you do
You’re like an artist
Trying to paint a dream
The K-Pers’s “Red Invasion,” the rockin’est cut on the cd, combines a 1960s groove-out with something of Billy Lee Riley’s “Flying Saucer Rock & Roll.” This is the over-the-top raver. But maybe the standout is a Birmingham group, the Dedications, doing what I think might be an original, “Midnight Gray.” Surely they listened to the Doors, and probably the Animals too — the organ solo is particularly fine on this cut.
Midnight you’re lighting me
I have visions of ecstasy
I’m trying to reach to show that I care
I clutch at the shadows but you’re not there
I try to hold you
Embrace and enfold you
But all I see are the Grays and Blacks
I shout your name
But you’re not there
I long for your eyes
And the scent of your hair
Of course, overall the emphasis might better be placed on the “garage” in garage psychedelic. Much of the music on this cd reflects southern boys adopting the sound of the British Invasion. And somewhere behind that lurks the loving ghost of Buddy Holly, the original garage band rocker. Let’s confess that there are certain similarities about Alabama garage music. You better like the type of guitar solo played most famously in the Kingmen’s cover of “Louie Louie.” You better love organs playing bouncy block chords. You better find something goddam charming about Alabamians trying to sound English.
The K-Optics sound Kinky, with their song “I’m Leaving Here” probably inspired by “You Really Got Me.” Sheffield’s Gate do the Zombie’s “Tell Her No” with every English inflection so faithfully reproduced you wonder why anybody recorded it at all; I assume it got them plenty of bookings and plenty of swooning alcoholic rubdowns at the time. You might think Micky Buckins and the New Breed are trying to sound like Procal Harum as they perform “Reflections Of Charles Brown;” the same charge was made against Rupert’s People when they performed the original. The Movement, with their oddly titled “Green Knight” — the title’s the most psychedelic thing about the recording — seem to have been a Midfield, Alabama, reincarnation of the Animals. Doubtless, though, The Rolling Stones, particularly Mick Jagger’s vocals, are what influenced these Alabama cats the most. It’s quite a relief to report that despite their name, the Tories probably studied the Rufus Thomas original “Walkin’ the Dog” as well as the Rolling Stones’ markedly inferior cover; they certainly blow the Stones version away.
I came across Gear Fab’s Alabama in the 60s through a casual conversation with Louisiana musician Coco Robicheaux (about whom I hope to be writing more soon.) Coco croaked at me, “You know, I was in a psychedelic band in Mobile in the Sixties. Fab Gear Records released one of our singles. Fab Gear, like the Beatles, dig it? Like Liverpool.” It was close enough for me to track down the cd.
Now, with a little help from your friend, you can do the same. And if you were experienced, contact Gear Fab, particularly if you played in one the bands featured on a Gear Fab reissue.
2.
There’s plenty of good stuff to pick from here on the Gear Fab label’s second chapter of long forgotten Alabama sixties bands. Garage band purists will whistle with glee upon hearing this disc because that’s exactly the type of music it entails. None of the folks on “Psychedelic States: Alabama In The 60’s Volume 2” were what you would classify as overachievers. They weren’t the least bit interested in garnishing their material with elaborate string arrangements or mind-expanding improvisational jams. No, these bands relied on standard rock and roll essentials to transmit their messages. A couple of guitars, a set of drums and maybe keyboards, tambourines or harmonicas were what completed the job.
A number from Governor George Wallace’s son even shows up on the record. Credited as simply George Wallace Jr., “Think!!” sounds a little bit like Martha and The Vandellas’ “Dancing In The Streets” in some parts and consists of introspective words advising the listener to slow down the pace, look around and be thankful for the freedom they have. From The Hackers arrives “Keep Running Girl,” which includes a lead vocalist reminscent of Del Shannon (minus the falsetto, that is) and pairs teary-eyed teen theatrics with a dash of spunky rhythms. Featuring a fellow who speaks and shouts the lyrics rather than sing them, “#38” by The Chimes is further noted for its reverberating tremolo guitar licks.
Other choice cuts on “Psychedelic States: Alabama In The The 60’s Volume 2” are The Vikings’ “Come On And Love Me,” The Bassmen’s “I Need You” (not to be confused with either The Kinks or The Beatles tune of the same title), The Citations’ “Better Stop Your Lying,” and The Lost Chords’ “I Want To Be Her Man.” The album also offers a fair share of inspired cover songs, namely The Mishaps’ accelerated take of The Rolling Stones’ “Under My Thumb,” The Mongolian Herd’s “Hey Joe” that swoops and dives with untamed force, and The Stolen Children’s “I’m Alive,” which mirrors the beat popping treatment by The Hollies. The best well-known track on the disc is The K-Otics’ “Double Shot (Of My Baby’s Love).” Although their version of the frat-punk stomper didn’t sell kaboodles of copies, the Swinging Medallions’ recording did, and was a top-twenty national hit in 1966. Alabama certainly spawned a whole lot of cool bands in the sixties, so perhaps a third volume of its contributions to the rock and roll community is on the table!