Exploring unheralded rock songs from many genres including classic rock, hard rock, psych, garage, metal, proto-punk, punk, post-punk, and the occasional blues tune...
It took the Welsh band Crys five years from their formation to release their first album. This seemed to be a good thing, because the work is rather well done for a first time effort. Check out this hard rock/prog band with the title track off of that first LP.
So for today, how about some British alt stoner psych rock from the early 90's...? Well, here are Thee Hypnotics from their last release in 1994 with this Stooges cover.
While I enjoy most types of music, when done well, I am not particularly fond of folk music. I think there is something about the homogeneous nature of the music that bores me. Maybe I just need to dive deeper into the genre. Anyway, this aversion to folk has steered me clear of many artists primarily known for it.
This is the case with David Bromberg. It just so happened that I heard this song on satellite radio as I was randomly flipping around. This song is definitely not folk, and probably not too indicative of Bromberg's other work. Still, the guitar hook on this song was immediately recognizable as the one that the Beastie Boys' sampled on Johnny Ryall for their seminal Paul's Boutique album. I could listen to that riff all day long. Check it out.
This last weekend, while leafing through a box of mostly beat records that I bought off of someone who was ready to discard them, I found this self-titled album from the band Quill. It looked psychedelic enough, so I didn't immediately put it in the recycled pile along with all of the Barbra Streisand lp's in the same lot.
Once I was able to dig up some information, I found that it is a relatively rare album and that the band was from Boston. The most interesting fact, though, was that they appeared at Woodstock! Unfortunately, for the band, their performance did not make the cut for the movie. After that was determined, the band's record label dropped them. After that, the band soon called it quits. Here is the opening track off of that only album.
In the haze of last week's untimely death of Prince, the world lost another great guitar player. Lonnie Mack was a Memphis guitar player who was able to solo with the best of the best. Check him out here from 1965.
The other night while listening to David Fricke's satellite radio program, I heard some very interesting psych music. As it turned out, this was from a new band. Fricke mentioned that someone described the band to him as a combination of Fairport Convention and Quicksilver Messenger Service. That was okay in Fricke's book(and in mine too).
While digging a little on the internet, I discovered that this new group is a supergroup of sorts with members originally hailing from Espers, Assemble Head in Sunburst Sound, and Comets on Fire. The humbling thing is that I had never heard of any of those bands. I'll get there someday.
Today, I'm in the mood for some heavy British psych, so I'm featuring the Edgar Broughton Band from their first album. This band would go on to record 8 albums through 1982. They would continue to tour(off and on) through 2010, before seemingly calling it quits for good.
So, for the first time in Deep Rock Mining's existence, I'm completely guessing on the year that today's song was recorded. I know that it was before 1994, as that was when it appeared on a CD. That'll Flat Git It!: Vol.04 Rockabilly From The Vaults Of Festival Records
I've been able to find out that Billy Balls was a piano player who recorded with members of the Dead Boys and the New York Dolls. But, I don't know much more than that. This feels like 1976 to me, but I could be wrong. In any case, the song rocks!
Iron Knowledge may have been the funkiest group to ever come out of Youngstown. Hey, they may even be the funkiest group to come out of all of eastern Ohio. Of course, we probably can't say much more than that, because they only released a couple of singles.
Here is their most known release, Show-Stopper on the Tammy label.
The work "electric" was quite popular in group names of the 1960's. In this space, I've already featured songs by The Electric Flag and Electric Prunes. Today's entry features the equally interesting Electric Banana. But, of course, the Electric Banana was not just another up and coming band in the psych rock scene. The Banana was just an alter ego of the Pretty Things, who've also be featured here. Like many bands' alter egos or side trips, the Electric Banana's work was just as interesting, or more, than the work of the original band. This is probably due to the fact that they could be more uninhibited by their developed style. The band must have liked this alter ego, as they would continue to work under this name periodically through 1978. Here they are from the early days with Street Girl. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gad_dfrH8Ig
These Italian prog rockers have been cranking out quality prog rock for over forty years. I have only just begun to dip my toe into their catalog. If you like prog, you'll like this band. Here they are from their debut album, Storia De Un Minuto. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymEjkfoAgNs
I don't know much about this Nashville rockabilly outfit from the early 60's. I used to hear this song as bumper music quite a bit during the late, great "Gorilla Got Me" radio show on college radio's WMBR in Cambridge/Boston. I used to hear this track while deejay Sara J. would back introduce the last set. I always thought that this instrumental was good enough just to listen to on its own.
Today, I am going to feature half of the complete discography of British garage rockers, Chicago Line (aka Chicago Line Blues Band). That's right, they would only release one single. This Rufus Thomas' cover is the B-side to Shimmy Shimmy Ko Ko Bop.
After this short-lived band broke up, the band members would go on become members of Spooky Tooth, Renaissance, and the Pretty Things.
This blues/psych rock outfit out of England had the honor of opening for Freddie King as he toured Great Britain in 1968 and 69. The band would go on to record four albums through 1972 before calling it quits. Here is a more psych track from their self-titled debut album.
As I was exploring classic rock in the mid-80's(I was a teenager), Canned Heat was one of the first bands that I took a deep dive into after the obvious classic rock giants(Beatles, Stones, Who, and Zep). I remember having heard On the Road Again and Goin' Up the Country on the radio, but I found so much more when and bought a few of their cassettes.
Here is an example of a great under appreciated tune with Bob "The Bear" Hite's distinct vocals and some smoking guitar.
Today's entry on Deep Rock Mining is some straight up fusion out of 1970's Netherlands. This is from the one and only LP released by the band. It is some great mood music. [Originally posted the one track, but that YouTube link got taken down, so here is a link to the full album. Today's track is the fourth selection]
Today's entry is some Southern Style rock out of mid-70's Denver, Colorado. Sugarloaf had been around since the end of the 60's. Their big hit was 1970's Green Eyed Lady off of their debut self-titled album, which I see all the time when shopping records at flea markets...
A few years later, the band's sound and name had changed a bit. They had a #9 single in 1974 with Don't Call Us, We'll Call You. Here is the flip side to that track.
The Little Killers were a nice latter day garage rock band from New York City. They formed in 2001 and broke up in 2007. Here is a track from 2006 that shows off their style.
Orlando's We The People were recording garage rock that was on the verge of transitioning into psych. We The People would not really make that complete leap, but you can still hear the edges of it with their 1966 local hit, Mirror of Your Mind. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4t9m--TueNM
Looking for a band that sounds like a cross between Jethro Tull and Black Sabbath with slightly worse production value? Well anyway, East of Eden sounds somewhat like that with some prog elements. This British band was on to something and managed to release a number of albums in the 70's. Here they are from their first album, Mercator Projected, in 1969.
In the mood for some instrumental bluesy psych rock from the heyday of the genre? Well, check out these studio musicians who decided to step out front and show off their skills. Here is the first track off of their one and only album.
I've seen Graham Parker's music described as a precursor to punk. I think I would disagree. After all, Graham's music often feature horns! I think of his music more like pub rock with an edge. Either with his original band The Rumour or on his own, Graham has released dozens of albums over the years. Here he is live in 1978 with a song off of his debut 1976 album Howlin' Wind. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWm8RUD4jOE
In looking up info for this blog post, I discovered that there are/were many bands called Dark Age over the years. The one that I am referring to today is the Los Angeles 80's metal band version. Here is the opening track to their one and only self-titled album.
I don't know much about this British girl group from the 60's, but I know that I like this chill version of the classic tune also recorded by the Shirelles, the Yardbirds, and much later by the Detroit Cobras.
Starz' self-titled debut album is an example of a mid 70's arena rock album that never had wide popularity, but managed to influence a number of hard rock hair bands in the years that follow. Specifically, Twisted Sister, Motley Crue, and Poison thought of New Jersey's Starz as an influence.
Listen, there is nothing too heavy here(musically or lyrically). It's just good ole rock n' roll writ large.
And now for something completely different. Here is some bluesy jazz mood music for your Sunday morning. This is the opening track off of Boogaloo Joe Jones' fourth album.
Today's entry is some turn-of-the-century Japanese hardcore that was heavily influenced by early Black Flag and Minor Threat. If those bands are your heroes, you are okay in my book...
Spizzenergi came into some brief popularity at the tail end of the punk rock movement. Add to that, the very punk move of changing your band name every year(Athletico Spizz 80, Spizzoil, and The Spizzles to name a few), and this band's popularity was lost to the ravages of time. The band itself, however, continued to play off and on for years. They still play to this day.
