Cherry People – Sea And Me / Come on Over. 1971 USA ~ Washington, D.C.

At one point I had Cherry People's first single from 1968 and my notes there stated: "Saccharine pop for the psych era. Safe for the whole family. "As seen in Better Homes and Gardens" one can predict. 'Imagination' has some trippy effects, so not too bad on the whole. But this is miles away from the best groups of the genre such as The Free Design. Not keeping."

'Sea and Me' is an interesting shift of sound from this DC based band. Here they are peddling early 70s styled North American hard rock. Nice guitar work though the tune lacks any kind of memorable melodies. Still it would be interesting to hear a whole album of music like this.

3/2/25

Spontaneous Generation - Purple, Purple / I'll Hold Out My Hand. 1971 USA-North Carolina

The A) side is somewhat famous for being seriously expensive as well as a killer cut. Spontaneous Generation's sound is from a couple of years earlier with fuzz guitar, organ, and punky Van Morrison styled vocals. I thought I had this track on one of the compilations I own, but nope it really hasn't been as anthologized as much as you might think.

The B) side is the hedge. There's a reason why no one has taken the time to record this for all to hear. Essentially a folk rock tune with trumpet (lol, anathema to underground psych collectors) and harmony pop vocals. If you want more than one side, it ain't here.

I do really enjoy 'Purple, Purple', but it's not a 5 star monster in my book. 4 stars on the nose. The other is 2 at best.

11/12/20 (first listen); 1/2/25 (review / new entry)

Acoma - My Store / My Long Lost Friend. 1971 USA

The A) side is very interesting. Psychedelic soul with a really mellow groove. Sort of like a laid back Gil Scott-Heron. The B side is not to my taste, perhaps a bit of country even. The label is from Nashville but no idea where Acoma might be from. Interesting that it alleges the music comes from the album This Land is Our Land, but it does not appear this album exists. 

From a thrift shop in Bozeman, Montana (cleaner than the Discogs copy). I almost kept it for the A-side, but I think I'll take the profit this time. 

8/15/24

3.5/2.0

Larry John Page & The Vision - Shadow of Love / You Baby You. 1971 South Africa

Almost identical to the The Gentle People 45, wherein the A side is fairly commercial harmony pop and the B side has psychedelic characteristics including fuzz. I preferred this one just a bit more.

Own. Found at a local estate sale (2024). The Discogs image is our copy.

8/4/24

3.5

Buzzard - Blurry Visions / Please. 1971 South Africa

Of the four South African 45's I found at an estate sale, this was the clear winner. In the parlance of the hipster: It's a banger. Not only are both sides catchy, but they have some mean fuzz instrumentation, especially the mid guitar solo on 'Blurry Visions'. The music is very much in the same league as the UK psych prog scene of 1969 to 1971. The Pussy Plays album came to mind here a couple of times. This is a heavyweight. 

Ownership: SP: 1971 RPM. Found at an estate sale (2024). The others will be featured in the next Psychedelic Journal edition.

8/4/24 (first listen / review / new entry)

The Challengers - Moon, Send My Baby / Dream. 1971 USA-North Carolina

From eastern North Carolina. What a strange opening to a 45. Vocalist croons "Let's go to the moon" followed by a bluesy guitar solo. Eventually it rips into a fast soul like dancer. It's kind of a mess, but intriguing all the same. B) side sounds like a rip of The Everly Brothers. Dream, dream, dream. 

2/23/24

Soul Patrol - Don't Knock the Cop / Peter Pan. 1971 USA-Fort Worth

Soul Patrol's sole 45 is a four figure expensive rarity. Musically it's right in the JB's / James Brown strike zone. Tight horns, rhythm guitar, sax, funky bass/drums, lots of "huh's" and "owws". 'Peter Pan' is instrumental and is in a similar musical vein.

1/2/24

Contingent - Fantasy / Such a Time. 1971 USA-Rhode Island

A) side is a solid brass rocker with tight horn charts and rocking rhythm. B) side is a bit more introspective with piano, trumpet, and trombone. Nice one for the genre.

Ownership: SP: 1971 Freeform. Sold to me online at a higher grade than it was, so that was disappointing (2021).

4.0 / 3.5

11/2/21 (first listen); 1/27/22 (review / new entry)

White Magik - I Can't Come Back / After It's Over. 1971 USA

The a) side is a mellow drifting psychedelic number with fine Hammond organ, and a lightly amplified electric guitar. Melancholic and very good. The flip gives us some wah wah and more tempo. The vocals maintain their trippy breezy nature. Excellent organ solo that leads to a progressive rock break, followed by a guitar solo. Very good two sider throughout.

Yet another mystery band. Discogs suggests a Dec 1971 or Jan 1972 date. 

Ownership: SP: 1971 Shantih. Online acquisition (2021). 

4/19/21 (first listen); 6/6/21 (review / new entry)

Jr. & Punky Lee - Slippin' And Slidin' / How Does That Taste In Your Mind. 1971 USA-Los Angeles

How is this not more well known? The A side is bubblegum. It's decent, but not going to move the needle. It's the B side that you're going for here. It's every bit as good as the title suggests. Great 60s organ sound, with driving bass, and fuzz guitars. It's an instrumental track that moves in different directions and could be considered early progressive rock. The sound is late 60s, but the music is more forward thinking. A lot gets done in its allocated 2 and a half minutes. No idea where these guys are from. Never been comp'd either. Last of the great sub $10 finds...

Ownership: SP: 1971 Lionel. Recent acquisition in a bulk buy.

---

We have some more info from the producer: I produced and arranged How Does That Taste In Your Mind B side of Jr & Punky Lee. Thanks for the great review!!!

I was working with the band Storybook in the mid late 60's when they were approached by Dick Clark Productions to record a track for Psych Out Movie track. Nothing happened with their recording and were not picked up by DCP.

I went into the studio and recorded 5 tracks with them intending to put vocals on all the tracks. Most of the songs recorded I had written with Jeff Wayne, before he moved to UK and did Rock On with David Essex and War Of The Worlds which sold 3 million copies world wide. How Does That Taste was written with Dick Monda (aka Daddy Dewdrop and Jr.) & Punky Lee (who was his wife), whom I was writing with since Jeff Wayne was busy in UK.

Dick needed a b side for Slippin & Sliding . I had the track and the track with a scratch vocal of Dick doing the song which needed to be re done. Instead, I gave him the track for the production credit and half the publishing on the track.

Paul Robin

Here is some other stuff I wrote with Dick:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCkcIw43dOA Collection Of Hearts

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCgQdKpwioQ Spats - The Upsetter

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9iMyIIOTcM The Novells 1968] Age Of Innocence

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOGfGZp7BY0

More band information from Paul:

They were from San Fernando Valley (Los Angeles). The group included:

Dennis's Myers - Bass
George Cox- lead vocals
Jay Tressler- other guitar and vocals
Steve Bacon- keyboard and vocals
Ben Barrigan - Drums
Ron Brunswick - Guitar

5/9/20 (first listen); 9/20/20 (review / new entry); 12/24/21 (update)

Tinta Blanca - Todo va a Cambiar / Salmo VII / Avándaro / Virginia. 1971-72 Mexico

Well here's something interesting. Ostensibly Mexico's Tinta Blanca belongs to the horn rock genre. All the trademarks are here including the gravelly vocals (in English), electric guitar solos, jamming organ, and of course the horns. But here's the kicker. Those horns aren't Chicago, BS&T styled horns. No, we're talking Mexican brass here. As in Ranchera, cabrón. (what you're hearing at a Mexican restaurant OK?). It's a bit disorienting at first, but I found myself warming up to it. And Salma VII features some wicked extended guitar soloing like Terry Kath. Yea, I think I want more of this.

'Avándaro' (a Woodstock-like festival held in Mexico in 1971 that has quite a history, including Tinta Blanca) is largely a continuation of the previous single, except they're now singing (properly) in Spanish. It's a bit more jazzy, and there's even saxophone, organ, and drum solos this time. But the Mexican brass remains. 'Virginia' finally sees the band slowing things down for an attempt at a ballad, though it's hardly corridos. Still plenty of great instrumental breaks. I find myself fascinated by Tinta Blanca. How about an archival release? Surely there must be some unreleased early 70s recordings hiding somewhere...

2/13/20

TNS - Time's Up / Telling Your Fortune. 1971 USA-Michigan

TNS were a high school band from Wyoming, Michigan (near Grand Rapids) who only released this one fantastic single. Alternately they used the acronym to mean Take No Shit, Tougher'N Shit - or for the wedding receptions - simply The Nichols Sound. 'Time's Up' is just one of those gems of the American underground. Hard rock, or in reality proto metal, with some heavy riffing, screaming vocals, and lethal guitar solos. 'Telling Your Fortune' is a cover of the Chicken Shack song from 1970, and is also amplified considerably. According to their bio, the band recorded this in 1971. No release date was given, though 1972 seems to have taken hold in the internet age. Either way, it's definitely of that era. Supposedly 500 copies were pressed, but good luck in actually finding one of them. 

'Time's Up' is part of the Warfaring Strangers: Acid Nightmares compilation CD that I own. 

9/5/19 (first listen to the a side); 2/10/20 

Tac Poum Systeme - Asmodaï / Il fait bon / Josica / Emotion. 1971-72 France

Tac Poum Systeme were a band from Paris and one of the leading lights of the era, but disbanded before releasing a full LP. They left behind 2 singles and a lengthy cut on the Groovy Pop Session compilation. I didn't realize until now that Fernand Pena was one of the key members of the band, as I've owned his album with the group Puzzle (1977) for some years. And it's considerably different to the harder rocking Tac Poum Systeme.

After hearing both singles back to back, the winning song by a good margin is 'Asmodaï'. Sounding like Cream, but with a heavier fuzz attack ala Blue Cheer, it's one of those early 70s European hard psychedelic rock classics. The flip side 'Il Fait Bon' is good but rather nondescript when compared to the A side.

As for Tac Poum Systeme's second single, the band is already looking to chart. 'Josica' is clearly pandering to the masses, and is mostly a swing and a miss. It has some rougher edges regarding the guitar work, so there's some redeemable value. 'Emotion' is Tac Poum Systeme imitating the Rolling Stones - again perhaps a bit heavier - but nothing to get too excited about.

And yet another familiar name is brought to the fore. The producer is none other than Claude Perraudin, who I know from his electronic oriented Mutation 24 album.

The best part of this single is the picture sleeve. That would make a great album cover. Perhaps if they do find some extra material from the band to make a full album, that's the cover they should use.

Speaking of that, something tells me this era of Tac Poum Systeme has more recorded material hiding in a vault somewhere. Time to unleash that.

2/6/20

Terza Classe - Animal Love / Jimmy. 1971 Italy

Terza Classe (aka III Classe) were a band from Bergamo that ultimately evolved into Perdio. 'Animal Love' is a hard funky number with choppy Hammond and fuzz guitar with English vocals. 'Jimmy' is a fine hard psych instrumental with organ and fuzz guitar.

5/10/19 (new entry)