The 23rd Turnoff: Liverpool quartet, issued one 1967 Deram single: “Michael Angelo” (b/w “Leave Me Here”). Evolved from beatsters The Kirkbys. Further recordings (demos, alternates) collected on the Bam Caruso disc The Dream of Michaelangelo. Singer/guitarist Jimmy Campbell cut three 1969–72 solo albums and one with Rockin’ Horse.>
The Accent: Bradford quintet, issued one 1967 Decca single: the much-comped “Red Sky at Night” (b/w “Wind of Change”). Guitarist Rick Hayward cut a 1971 folk-psych album.>
The Act: Essex quartet, issued three 1967/68 freakbeat singles on Columbia: “Cobbled Streets” (b/w “One Heart”), “Here Come Those Tears Again” (b/w “Without You”), and “Just a Little Bit” (b/w “The Remedies of Dr. Brohnicoy”). Both sides of the first and third singles have been comped, “Brohnicoy” being a cornerstone of the Rubble series.>
The Action: .>
The Actress: One single on CBS: “It’s What You Give” (b/w “Good Job With Prospects”). Bassist/songwriter Alan Barry (Bowery) joined the Shy Limbs (see below) and subsequently teamed with that band’s drummer, Andy McCulloch, in Fields. Barry and Actress drummer Tino Licinio later re-teamed in the ’77 one-off King Harry.>
The Almond Lettuce: Two 1968–69 harmony singles: music-hall ditty “The Tree Dog Song” (b/w modest organ ballad “To Henry With Hope,” Columbia) and the twangy, modulating “Magic Circle” (b/w racing “Twenty Weary Miles,” Philips).>
Anan: Pop-psych duo, cut two 1968/69 singles on Pye and Astor: the harmony ballad “Haze Woman” (b/w the phased waltz “I Wonder Where My Sister’s Gone”) and the jaunty “Madena” (b/w “Standing Still”). The latter features backing by Deep Purple and appears on their comp of pre-band and early side-projects, Pre-Purple People.>
A New Generation: Three 1968 Spark singles: “Sadie and Her Magic Mr Galahad” (b/w “Digger”), “Smokey Blue’s Away” (b/w “She’s a Soldier Boy”), “Police Is Here” (b/w “Mr. C”), all written by guitarist Iain Sutherland. “Smokey” also on Columbia 7″ w/ cover “Coloured Rain.” He and bassist brother Gavin formed the Sutherland Brothers. John Wright surfaced in folksters Cyril Dagworth Players and NWOBHM Demon.>
The Apostolic Intervention: Evolved from Hertfordshire beatsters The Little People. One 1967 Immediate single: “(Tell Me) Have You Even Seen Me” (b/w “Madame Garcia”), both Marriott–Lane compositions produced by Steve Marriott (Small Faces). Incl. keyboardist Dino Dines (T. Rex, Keef Hartley Band) and drummer Jerry Shirley (Humble Pie, Natural Gas, Magnet, Fastway).>
Apple: Welsh freakbeat on Page One. Singular 1969 album An Apple a Day incl. the much-comped “Buffalo Billy Can,” “The Otherside” and “Doctor Rock.” (Not connected to the ‘The Apple,’ a Jim Sullivan-produced nursery-psych combo on Dutch Philips that covered Scaffold’s “Thank U Very Much” b/w “Your Heart Is Free Just Like the Wind.” >).
The Aquarian Age: Post-Tomorrow duo of bassist John “Junior” Wood and drummer John “Twink” Alder. One Mark Wirtz-produced single on Parlophone: the shimmery/cello-laden “10,000 Words In a Cardboard Box” (b/w the acting dialogue “Good Wizard Meets Naughty Wizard”). Also cut a third track, “Me.” All three are included on the 2009 EMI deluxe reissue of Tomorrow. Alder concurrently played on The Pretty Things‘ S.F. Sorrow. He later co-founded the Pink Fairies and fronted ’77 one-off punks The Rings.>
Arcadium:
Argosy: One 1969 single on DJM: “Mr. Boyd” (b/w “Imagine”). Essentially a pre-Supertramp solo single by Roger Hodgson with support by Elton John (piano) and his nascent backing players, Caleb Quaye (guitar) and Nigel Olsson (drums).>
Art: One 1967 album of Hendrixian psych on Island: Supernatural Fairy Tales, sporting a technicolor, fish-eyed cover. (The title was later appropriated for a V.A. progressive-rock box set on Rhino.) Evolved from Carlisle mods The V.I.P.’s. Subsequently became Spooky Tooth (see below) with the addition of American keyboardist/singer Gary Wright.>
The Attack:
Balloon Busters: One 1969 Pye single of treated harmony pop: the drum-rolled, machine-gun overdubbed “Alcock and Brown” (b/w the 2/4 singsong ballad “Bluer Than Blue”). Produced by Mark Edwards (Curved Air, Marsupilami); written by the team of Blaikley/Howard with Barry Mason.>
The Bamboo Shoot: Bristol combo, issued one 1968 Columbia single: the Rubble cut “The Fox Has Gone to Ground” (b/w “There and Back Again Lane”), produced by David Paramor (Head Machine).>
The Barrier: Fulham quartet, formed as Purple Barrier for intended 1967 single “Shapes and Sounds” (b/w “Dawn Breaks Through”). Dropped ‘Purple’ at the insistence of Deep Purple‘s management. B-side appeared on ’68 Eyemark single “Georgie Brown.” Two ’68 Philips singles: “Uh!” (b/w “Spot the Lights”) and “The Tide Is Turning” (b/w “A Place In Your Heart”), produced by Mark Edwards↑ (Air Conditioning). Missing “Tomorrow of Yesterday” issued on 10″ First, Last And Always. “Shapes” issued in 2013 on Top Sounds Records. “Spot” and “Dawn Breaks” on multiple Bam-Caruso comps.>
The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band: .>
The Brain: One 1967 single of rupturous baroque-psych on Parlophone: the echoey “Kick the Donkey” (b/w with the cackling, much-comped “Nighmare in Red”). A second 7″ — “Murder” (b/w Dylan’s “Most Likely You Go Your Way (and I’ll…)”) — exists only on acetate. Evolved from beatsters Trendsetters Limited/The Trend. Drummer Michael Giles and bassist Peter Giles proceeded to Giles, Giles and Fripp (see below), the precursor to King Crimson.>
Breakthru: Brummie psych, pooled from The Clampets and The Set. One 1968 Mercury single: “Ice-Cream Tree” (b/w “Julius Caesar”). Completed album of originals (incl. “The Story of Peer Gynt,” “Alice Dropped Out”) vaulted after label drop. Fifteen tracks comped on 2007 Circle Records CD Adventures Highway. Incl. organist Bill Hunt (Hannibal, ELO, Wizzard), drummer Plug Thomas (Jonesy), bassist Frank Farrell (Supertramp, Leo Sayer).>
Bulldog Breed: One 1969 single of raunchy freakbeat — “Halo In My Hair” (b/w “Portcullis Gate”) — and the like-minded 14-song album Made In England. Evolved from the beat-psych Please (originally Neon Pearl). Drummer Louis Farrell played on the two Gun albums. Bassist Bernard Jinks formed T2 with two late-arriving Bulldog members. Guitarist/singer Rod Harrison resurfaced in Asgærd.>
The Bunch: Bournemouth beat septet, cut four 1967/68 CBS singles and one acetate, produced by Eddie Tre-Vett. Psyched up on “Spare a Shilling” (b/w “Looking Glass Alice”). Recordings compiled on the Record Collector Magazine CD Spare a Shilling.>
The Buzz: Renamed from Edinburgh beatsters The Boston Dexters. One 1966 Columbia single: stinging punk-psych “You’re Holding Me Down” (b/w “I’ve Gotta Buzz”). Bassist Brian Henderson played on Nirvana‘s Story of Simon Simopath. Singer Tam White made five ’67–69 Decca singles and eponymous ’70 album.>
The Bystanders: Welsh harmony pop/beat group, issued seven 1965–68 singles, mostly on Piccadilly. Edged into organ-psych on 1967’s “Pattern People” and two 1968 Pye singles: “When Jezamine Goes” (b/w “Cave of Clear Light”) and “This World Is My World” (b/w “Painting the Time”). Mutated into legacy jam-rockers Man.>
Caleb: Guitarist Caleb Quaye. One 1967 Philips single: the phased/vocally distorted “Baby Your Phrasing Is Bad” (b/w “Woman of Distinction”). Became a mainstay of Elton John‘s backing band and its early ’70s rustic-rock spinoff Hookfoot.>
The Casuals: Lincolnshire beat group, part of the British Invasion of Italy (The Rokes, The Primitives). Cut numerous 1965–69 singles in English and Italian on assorted labels (Fontana, Joker, Decca, Vogue), embracing orchestral pop on 1968’s “Jezamine” (UK #2), previously recorded as “When Jezamine Goes” by The Bystanders.>
Cats Pyjamas: Soul-psych quintet. Two 1968 CBS-Direction singles: “Baby I Love You” (b/w “Virginia Water*”) and “Camera Man” (b/w “House For Sale”), produced by Peddlers soundman Mervyn Conn (*co-written by Zephyrs/Ram Jam guitarist Pete Gage; covered by Writing On the Wall). Singer Kenny Bernard sang with The Wranglers and cut multiple solo singles on Pye and CBS.>
Cherry Smash: Gosport psychsters, issued the 1967 Track single “Sing Songs of Love” (b/w “Movie Star”), the a-side included on Up The Junction (OST). Two 1968/69 Decca singles: “Goodtime Sunshine” (b/w “Little Old Country Hometown”) and the Tony Hazzard-penned Rubble fave “Fade Away Maureen” (b/w “Green Plant”). The first two singles were co-written by producer Mike Hugg (Manfred Mann, Chapter Three) and Brian Hugg.>
Chocolate Frog: An alias of Les Fleur de Lys (see below) on the 1968 Atlantic single “Butchers and Bakers” (b/w “I Forgive You”).>
The Chocolate Watch Band: Orchestral pop-psych harmony duo of Gary Osborne and Jack Oliver. Two 1967 Decca singles: “Requiem” (b/w “What’s It to You”) and “The Sound of the Summer” (b/w “The Only One In Sight”), originals produced by Sandy Robertson. Gary cut the ’70 solo single “Three Day Nation” with Faces backing and two albums with Edison Lighthouse singer Paul Vigrass in the duo Vigrass & Osborne, which originated “Forever Autumn,” a ’78 WotW hit for Justin Hayward. Osborne became Elton John‘s ’78-81 lyricist.> (Not the American garage rockers The Chocolate Watchband.)
Chords Five: Stratford pop-psych, formed as The Pioneers. One 1967 Island single: The Smoke cover “I Am Only Dreaming” (b/w Merry Dragons cover “Universal Vagrant”), produced by Jimmy Miller. One single each on Polydor (“Same Old Fat Man” b/w “Hold On To Everythin’ You’ve Got”) and Jay Boy (Graham Gouldman‘s “Some People” b/w “Battersea Fair”). Two ’69 bubblegum singles on President/Admiral as The Hammer: “Baby and Me” (b/w “Little Butterfly”) and “Sugar Baby” (b/w “Power of Love”).>
Christopher Colt: AKA singer/songwriter Chris Simpson. One 1968 Decca single: the vibraslap-laden “Virgin Sunrise” (b/w the zither-echoing “Girl In the Mirror”). Subsequently co-founded Magna Carta.>
Cinnamon Quill: Brummie pop-psych. Two 1969 singles on Morgan: “Girl On a Swing” (b/w “Take It or Leave It”) and the Tony Hazzard cover “Hello, It’s Me” (b/w “Candy”). Cut prior EP as Katz (Live at the Rum Runner) and masqueraded as The Worrying Kynde on “Sand & Water” (on the Strange Things comp Circus Days Vol 5).>
Coconut Mushroom: Unsigned Portsmouth pop-psych w/ singer/songwriter Colin Carter. Culled from beatsters The Inspiration and Tangerine Slyde. Cancelled 1968 Decca single “Run” (b/w “Time Will Tell”). Five originals — “Any Day Now,” “Run Run Run,” “Mirror,” “Like a Butterfly,” “Without Her” — appear on the RPM Retrodisc CD 94 Baker Street Revisited (Poptastic Sounds From the Apple Era 1967-1968). Allegedly behind Good Ship Lollipop’s Beatles cover “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer” and The Good Vibrations’ Who cover “Call Me Lightning.” Guitarist Roger Griffin was the brother of Colin Griffin (The End). Carter surfaced in Flash.>
The Cortinas: One 1968 Polydor single of harmony-laden toytown: “Phoebe’s Flower Shop” (b/w “Too Much In Love”). Morphed into Octopus for the 1970 album Restless Night. Bassist Nigel Griggs later joined Kiwi art-rockers Split Enz.>
Craig: Birmingham quartet, issued two 1966 Fontana singles: the much-comped “I Must Be Mad” (b/w “Suspense”) and “A Little Bit of Soap” (b/w “Ready Steady Let’s Go”). Guitarists Geoff Brown and Richard Pannell formed brass-rockers Galliard. Drummer Carl Palmer joined The Crazy World of Arthur Brown and its offshoot Atomic Rooster, ultimately finding fame in ELP.>
The Crazy World of Arthur Brown:
Cream: Super-trio comprised of ex-Yardbirds slowhand Eric Clapton and the GBO rhythm section, bassist/singer Jack Bruce and drummer Ginger Baker. Three 1966–68 albums of blues-rock/psych on Atco. Evergreens include the breezy/exuberant “I Feel Free,” the wispy “Strange Brew,” and the melodramatic “White Room.” Disraeli Gears (1967) sports one of the era’s iconic dayglo covers.>
Crocheted Doughnut Ring: Southend freakbeat quintet, cut two 1967 Polydor/Decca singles: the phased/sparkly “Two Little Ladies (Azalea & Rhododendron)” (b/w the proto-ambient drone “Nice”); “Havana Anna” (b/w the harpsichord/fuzz-adorned “Happy Castle”). Two additional Decca singles of streamlined pop followed in 1968. Produced by Donovan manager Peter Eden.>
The Cuppa T: Harmony pop-psych duo, cut two 1967–68 Decca singles: the cockney music-hall “Miss Pinkerton” (b/w the woodwind ditty “Brand New World”) and “Streatham Hippodrome” (b/w “One Man Band”). Bassist/singer Terry Widlake passed through a sequence of beat and bubblegum acts (The Overlanders, The Pudding, The Art Movement).>
Curiosity Shoppe: One 1968 Deram single of monster organ/tribal drum soul-psych: “Baby I Need You” (b/w the somber, minor-key “So Sad”). Both sides written by Malcolm Rabbitt of The Fairytale↓.>
The Cymbaline: Redbridge beatsters, issued seven 1965–69 singles (Pye, Mercury, Philips), including the ’68 fuzz-box ditty “Down By the Seaside” (b/w “Fire”). Morphed into the more psych-oriented Infinity (1968–70). A third incarnation as Lodestone yielded the 1971 German release Time Flies. Keyboardist John Da Costa moonlighted in The Flies↓. Guitarist/bassist Gerry Morris issued a 1973 solo album, Only the Beginning. Singer Stuart Calver became a prolific backing vocalist (Cockney Rebel, Linda Lewis, Al Stewart, Cliff Richard, Alan Parsons, Danny Kirwan, Roger Daltery, etc).>
Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich: Salisubury pop act, formed 1964. Psych phase includes 1967–69 Fontana singles “The Wreck of the ‘Antoinette,'” “Snake in the Grass,” the Afro-charged “Zabadak!” (UK No. 3), and the brassy whip-cracking “The Legend of Xanadu” (UK No. 1) .>
Dead Sea Fruit: London Bonzo-style comedy/vaudeville quintet. One 1967 eponymous album and standalone single “Love at The Hippiedrome” (b/w “My Naughty Bluebell”) on Camp Records. Retro ’20s look gave way to painted hippie style (ala Velvett Fogg) on French TV clips of “Kensington High Street” and “Put Another Record On” (a French hit as “Loulou”). Singer Clive Kennedy later became a country singer.>
Deep Feeling: Brummie pop-psych, spun from beatsters The Hellions. Recorded 12 songs in early 1967, compiled on 2008 Sunbeam comp Pretty Colours. Singer Jim Capaldi joined Traffic (on drums). Guitarist Luther Grosvenor joined Spooky Tooth. Drummer John “Poli” Palmer became a journeyman (Blossom Toes, Family, Streetwalkers). Not the same as Deep Feeling.>
The Drag Set: London freakbeat quartet, issued the 1967 Go single “Day and Night” (b/w “Get Out of My Way”). Morphed into The Open Mind for an eponymous 1969 album on Philips.>
Dr. Marigold’s Prescription: London popsike combo, formerly The Followers. Two 1968/69 Pye singles, (“My Old Man’s a Groovy Old Man,” “You’ve Got to Build Your Love”) and Marble Arch album Pictures of Life. Eight ’70–74 singles and ’73 Santa Ponsa album Hello Girl. Backed multiple singers (Bruce Channel, John Walker, The Flirtations, Madeline Bel, Billy Fury).>
Dry Ice: One 1969 B & C single: “Running to the Convent” (b/w “Nowhere to Go”). An album’s worth of 1967–69 songs collected on the archival disc Dry Ice (Morgan Blue Town, 2018). Guitarist/songwriter Paul Gardner formed Pluto. Drummer Terry Sullivan joined Renaissance.>
Edwick Rumbold: Woolwich quartet. Two 1966–67 singles: CBS beat “Specially When” (b/w “Come Back”) and Parlophone freakbeat “Shades of Grey*” (b/w “Boggle Woggle”). Became Free Ferry for two ’68–69 singles: “Mary, What Have You Become” (b/w “Friend”) and “Haverjack Drive” (b/w “Flying”), both written by guitarist Jeff Martin; produced by Zombies Chris White and Rod Argent. A fifth Free Ferry track, “Magic Carpet Ride,” appears on 2020 comp The Chris White Experience (Volume Five). (*On Rubble 3: Nightmares In Wonderland.)>
The Elastic Band: Wrexham psych-pop outfit formed in the mid-60s. Released two 1968 Decca singles and the 1969 LP Expansions on Life, marked by wah-guitar flourishes and theatrical vocals from Gus Eadon (aka Ted Yeadon). Guitarist Andy Scott later rose to fame in Sweet. Cut De Wolfe library-pysch LP as The Cool..>
The Empty Vessels: Torquay pop-psych trio, issued 1969’s “My Son John” (b/w the “Low Toby”) on Metronome (Germany). The multi-comped b-side appears on Elastic Cat’s We All Live On Candy Green.> Evolved from unrecorded beatsters The Torinoes. Did a record-less (1969) stint as Tanglewood before bassist Martin Turner and drummer Steve Upton formed Wishbone Ash.>
The End:
Episode Six: Harrow-based harmony psych-pop group formed in 1965 by members of The Lightnings and The Madisons. Despite ten UK singles (1966–69) and prolific BBC session work, they failed to chart at home but scored a hit in Beirut with “Morning Dew.” Their evolving sound—from beat-pop to proto-prog—featured the soaring vocals of Ian Gillan and fluid basswork of Roger Glover, both of whom joined Deep Purple in mid-1969. Later lineups included John Gustafson and Mick Underwood, both of Quatermass.> >
The Excelsior Spring: Songwriting duo of Mike Finesilver and Peter Ker. One 1968 Instant–Immediate single, “Happy Miranda” (b/w “It”), and the acetate “Ain’t That The Line.” Also co-wrote songs for Crazy World of Arthur Brown (“Fire”) and Love Sculpture (“In the Land of the Few”). Co-founded Pathway Studios in 1970.>
The Exception: Brummie pop/freakbeat combo, issued two singles in 1967 on CBS and five in 1968/69 on President Records. Spun from local instigators The Brumbeats. Select sides (“Gaberdine Saturday Night Street Walker,” “Sunday Night at the Prince Rupert”) feature vibraphone (ala Timebox.) Their ’68 a-side “Rub It Down” is a rare example (along with early Locomotive) of white ’60s UK ska. Complete recordings gathered on the 2014 RPM comp The Eagle Flies On Friday. (Not to be confused with stateside Chicago/Aorta precursors The Exceptions.) Bassist Dave Pegg did lengthy stints in Fairport Convention and Jethro Tull. Guitarist/singer Roger Hill did brief stints in Fairport and (with Move/Wizzard players) the ’73 one-off Mongrel.>
The Executives: Blackpool beatsters, issued nine singles between 1964 and 1969 on Columbia/CBS. Psyched up for the ’67 sitar/flute bouncer “The Ginza Strip” and (title-wise, anyway) the ’68 Motown-influenced single “Tracy Takes a Trip” (b/w “Gardena Dreamer”). Bassist Glenn Cornick did a 1968–70 stint in Jethro Tull and cut two albums apiece in Wild Turkey and the stateside power-trio Paris with (ex-Fleetwood Mac) guitarist/singer Bob Welch. Guitarist Tony Williams (not to be confused with the American drummer) played bass on the first Stealers Wheel album. Singer Roy Carr became a music writer for Jazz News, Melody Maker, and NME.>
The Factory: Surrey Freakbeat trio, issued a fuzz-tinged single apiece on MGM and CBS in 1968/69: “Path Through the Forest” (b/w “Gone”) and “Try a Little Sunshine” (b/w “Red Chalk Hill”). Both sides collected with two additional songs (“Mr. Lacey” and a live cover of Family‘s “Second Generation Woman”) on the Bri-Tone EP Path Through The Forest (aka The Complete Recordings). (Not to be confused with the namesake American garage band headed by later-Little Feat frontman Lowell George.) Bassist Jack Brand resurfaced in late-’70s rustic-rockers Meal Ticket.>
The Factotums: Mancunian beatsters, issued a single apiece on Immediate and Piccadilly in 1965/66, sporting title-psych prescience on the piano/castanet instrumental “Run in the Green and Tangerine Flaked Forest.” Went sunshine-psych for the 1967 Pye single “Cloudy.” Also cut a single under the alias Barley-Bree.>
The Fairytale: Lancashire combo, issued two 1967 Decca singles of light harmony-psych: “Guess I Was Dreaming” (b/w “Run and Hide”) and “Lovely People” (b/w “Listen to Mary Cry”). All four sides are Bam-Caruso comped (Adventures In the Mist, Electric Crayon Set, Rubble 3/4/6). Organist/songwriter Malcolm Rabbitt also wrote for Curiosity Shoppe (see above) and Black Widow prototype Pesky Gee. Drummer Billy Fogg and singer John Ryan cut a pair of 1972/73 pop singles as Smiley with ex-Creation bassist Bob Garner.>
Family:
Felius Andromeda: One much-comped 1968 Decca single: “Meditations” (b/w “Cheadle Heath’s Delusions”). Originally known as The Unidentified Flower Objects, which backed actor Harry H. Corbett on the 1967 psych novelty “Flower Power Fred.” Keyboardist Denis Couldry cut two 1968 Decca singles: “Penny for the Wind” (b/w “Tea and Toast, Mr. Watson?”) and “James In the Basement” (b/w “I Am Nearly There”); the latter features backing by Second Hand and appears as a bonus on reissues of their 1968 album Reality. (Denis possibly inspired their Denis James The Clown character on said album.) Bassist Alan James co-wrote the later Second Hand track “Funeral.” He resurrected Andromeda (minus “Felius”) for a 1972 symph-pop single. Guitarist Peter Parks resurfaced in hard-rockers Warhorse and their much-later followup, Nick Simper’s Fandango.>
Finders Keepers: Wolverhampton beat combo, cut three 1966–68 singles on CBS/Fontana, including the much-comped ’67 violin/harpsichord sweep “Friday Kind of Monday” (b/w “On the Beach”). Earlier know as The Strangers (1964) and The Martells (1965). Bassist Glenn Hughes, guitarist Mel Galley, and drummer Dave Holland formed hard-rockers Trapeze. Hughes later joined Deep Purple and recorded solo. Galley surfaced in Whitesnake and reunited with Hughes in Phenomena. Holland spent the 1980s in Judas Priest.>
Fire:
Fleur de Lys: .>
The Flies: London quartet (aka No Flies On Us), formed as The Rebs. Two 1966–67 Decca singles: Monkees cover “I’m Not Your Stepping Stone” (b/w Mersey-style “Talk to Me”) and harmonized freakbeat pounder “House of Love” (b/w jaunty Sinatra cover “It Had to Be You”). Please organist–songwriter joined for ’68 RCA psych single “The Magic Train” (b/w ballad “Gently as You Feel”), produced by Gary Osbourne (Chocolate Watch Band↑). Singer Robin Hunt cut ’67 harmony single as Alexander Bell and formed Bulldog Breed with Please bassist Bernie Jinks, who formed T2. Acme comp Complete Collection 1965-1968 contains vaulted Dunton originals “Turning Back the Page,” “Sincerely Yours,” “Where,” and “Winter Afternoon.”>
Floribunda Rose: One 1967 Piccadilly single: “Linda Loves Linda” (b/w “One Way Street”). Morphed into Scrugg (see below) for a trio of 1968/69 Pye singles, all collected on the Castle Music comp Lavender Popcorn. Frontman John Kongos hailed from South African beatsters Johnny & the G-Men.>
The Flower Pot Men: Sunshine-harmony studio project of songwriters John Carter and Ken Lewis (2/3 of vocal pop trio The Ivy League). Four 1967–69 Deram singles, incl. Aug. ’67 UK #4 “Let’s Go to San Francisco” (inspired by Scott McKenzie’s Monterey Pop theme “San Francisco (Flowers in Your Hair)”). Carter & Lewis assembled a group to tour the song, incl. singers Tony Burrows (Edison Lighthouse, Pipkins), Neil Landon (Fat Mattress), and two soon-to-be Deep Purple members: organist Jon Lord (Artwoods) and drummer Nic Simper (Pirates, Warhorse, Fandango). Carter (aka John Shakespeare) used Burrows on ’74 First Class surf pastiche “Beach Baby.”>
Focal Point: Liverpool five-piece, issued one 1968 Deram single: “Love You Forever” (b/w the crunchy/echoey “Sycamore Sid”). Signed to Apple Publishing, but no further records materialized. Their complete recordings, including the band faves “Never Never” and the Zombies-like “Far Away from Forever,” are collected on the Kissing Spell CD First Bite of the Apple.> >
Focus Three: One 1967 Columbia single: the much-comped “10,000 Years Behind My Mind” (b/w “The Sunkeeper”). Singer Liza Strike did backing vocals for numerous ’70s acts (Mick Softley, Elton John, Carly Simon, Atomic Rooster, Pink Floyd, Manfred Mann’s Earth Band, Edgar Broughton Band, Kevin Ayers, Kiki Dee, Leo Sayer). Multi-instrumentalist Larry Steele worked with Cat Stevens, Steve Harley, Gonzalez, and Howard Werth. Bassist/singer Tony Wilson co-founded Hot Chocolate and had a solo career. All three appeared on Stephen Still’s 1970 s/t album.>
Fortes Mentum: Pop-psych sextet led by Morgan Music staff writer Danny Beckerman. Three 1968–69 Parlophone singles: “Saga of a Wrinkled Man” (b/w “Mr Partridge Passed Away Today”), “I Can’t Go On Loving You” (b/w “Humdiggle We Love You”), and “Gotta Go” (b/w “Marrakesh”). Beckerman wrote and produced the 1969 album Pussy Plays by Pussy. Mogan Town’s 2009 reissue Pussy Plays Plus / Humdiggle We Love You combines all recordings from both groups, incl. unearthed Fortes Mentum tracks “Green Mello Hill,” “Harry the Keeper,” and “I Maybe Napoleon.” >
The Fox: One 1968 CBS single: the sitar-ensarled “Mr. Carpenter” (b/w the echo-distortion-drenched “Seek and You Find”). Guitarist Top Topham was the first in a string of Yardbirds guitarists. He also played in the Christine Perfect band with a post-Chicken Shack/pre-Fleetwood Mac Christine McVie. Singer Winston G. cut three Decca singles in 1966/67, including the soul-psych nuggets “Mother Ferguson’s Love Dust” and “Judge and Jury.” He later cut four 1971/72 singles with Dutch blues-rockers Cobra. No relation to The Fox.>
The Frame: Brumbeat quartet. Two 1966–67 RCA singles: Mersey-style “She” (b/w jangly “My Feet Don’t Fit In His Shoes”) and the harmonized freakbeat “Doctor, Doctor” (b/w “I Can’t Go On”). Guitarist Mick Webley played in Brit→Italy The Renegades and retro ’50s rockers Kim & The Cadillacs.>
Frazer Hines: Horsforth actor–singer. One 1968 Major Minor single: searing pop-psych singalong “Who’s Dr. Who?” (b/w galloping “Punch and Judy Man”), backed by Jimmy Page and Tornados drummer Clem Cattini.>
Fresh Air: Heavy freakbeat quartet. One 1969 Pye single: searing dramatic rocker “Running Wild*” (b/w simple singalong “Stop Look Listen”). (*Rubble #10: Professor Jordan’s Magic Sound Show).>
Friends: Production of Carter & Lewis (see The Flower Pot Men↑). One 1968 Deram single: nursery-pop “Piccolo Man” backed with mellotron/harpsichord lurch “Mythological Sunday.”>
The Fruit Machine: Three 1968/69 singles on AMM and Spark: the phased/overdubbed “The Wall” (b/w the folksy, guitar-wailing “Willow Tree”), the jaunty singalong “Cuddly Toy” (b/w “Follow Me”), and the pile-driven harmony/fuzz-rocker “I’m Alone Today” (b/w “Sunshine of Your Love”). All produced by Barry Kingston (Elmer Gantry, Herbie’s People). Deep-voiced vocalist/bassist Steve Gould subsequently formed Rare Bird, where he was later joined by guitarist Andy “Ced” Curtis. Gould and Curtis cut a ’68 single as Walham Green East Wapping, Carpet Cleaning Rodent and Boggit Exterminating Association↓.>
Gary Walker & The Rain: Pop-psych w/ drummer–singer Gary Leeds (Walker Brothers), singer–pianist Paul Crane (The Cryin’ Shames), and guitarist–singer Joey Molland (The Masterminds). One album on Philips (Japan only), Album No. 1, with covers of The Easybeats (“Come In You’ll Get Pneumonia”), Classic IV (“Spooky”), and Molland originals (“Francis,” “Magazine Woman,” “Market Tavern”). Molland joined Badfinger. Paul cut ’70s solo singles as K.C. Crane, Charlie Crane, and Leroy Brown.>
Gentle Influence: Oxfordshire soul-psych quintet. Two 1969 Pye singles: the brassy upbeat sides “Never Trust In Tomorrow” (b/w “Easy to Know”) and “Always Be a Part of My Living” (b/w dramatic organ mini-epic “Captain Reale”). The performed The Impressions‘ “You’ve Been Cheatin'” for BBC DJ Jimmy Young’s 8/30/68 broadcast.>
Geranium Pond: Painted hippie quintet, only cut demos. One track (the phased toytown–chamber–avant “Dogs In Pockets”) surfaced on the 1986 comp Pebbles Vol. 20 The Continent Lashes Back! Guitarist–keyboardist Steve Webber surfaced in Promise, which cut one ’69 NEMS brass-pop single: “Just For You” (b/w “Nine Till Five”).>
Giles Giles and Fripp:
The Glass Menagerie: Mancunian freakbeat combo, cut three 1968 Pye singles produced by John Schroeder (Sounds Orchestra, Bystanders, Spectres/Status Quo) and two 1969 Polydor singles produced by Chas Chandler. Two much-comped sides: the organ piledriver “Fredrick Jordan” and the Stones cover “She’s a Rainbow.” Complete recordings collected on the Time Box comp Have You Forgotten Who We Are? Drummer Bill Atkinson (using the surname Harrison) played in Mogul Thrash and Gordon Haskell‘s backing band. Keyboardist/singer Lou Stonebridge cut two albums apiece with Paladin and McGuinness Flint. Guitarist Alan Kendall played on the second Toe Fat album and joined the 1971–79 Bee Gees backing band.>
The Glass Opening: Essex quintet with guitarists John Edmonds and Ian Scott (both ex-Transatlantics) and hyperactive drummer Tony Miles. One 1968 Plexium single: party polka “Silver Bells & Cockle Shells” (b/w freakbeat shuffle “Does It Really Matter?”). Backed belter Keith Dangerfield (as The Way Ahead) on “No Life Child” (b/w uptempo blues-rocker “She’s a Witch”). Morphed into Clovis for ’71 single “Funny Fool.”>
Gospel Garden: Scunthorpe pop-soul quintet with countertenor John Gladwin; managed by Dave Dee. Morphed from The Dimples with added Primitives guitarist Geoff Tindall. One 1968 Camp Records single: uptempo Motown pastiche “Finders Keepers” (b/w vibes ballad “Just a Tear”), produced by Family Dogg’s Steve Rowland. Morphed (minus Tindall) into Methuselah, from which Gladwin (who stopped singing) and guitarist Terry Wincott formed Amazing Blondell.>
Granny’s Intentions: Lodon-based Irish quintet, formed as a Limerick relief band. Three 1967–69 Deram singles, incl. Procol-like organ harmonie numbers “The Story of David” (b/w “Sandy’s On the Phone Again”) and brassy Motown-styled “Never an Everyday Thing” (b/w phased fast–slow “Hilda the Bilda”). Made 1970 blues-rock album Honest Injun with teenage guest guitarist Gary Moore.>
Grapefruit: Eight 1968–70 singles on RCA Victor: five collected on the beat-psych Grapefruit (1968), three on the rootsier Deep Water (1969). Bassist/singer Alexander Young was part of the Scot/Oz kin of George/Angus/Malcolm Young (Easybeats, AC/DC, Flash & the Pan). Guitarist/singer John Perry — not bassist John G. Perry (Gringo, Quantum Jump) — later surfaced in Tranquility and Cliff Richard‘s backing band.>
Griffin: One 1969 Bell single: the organ-drenched “I Am the Noise in Your Head” (b/w “Don’t You Know”), produced by Alan Price. Evolved from soul-beat combo The Happy Magazine. Featured two members of Skip Bifferty, singer Graham Bell (pre-Every Which Way) and bassist Colin Gibson. Drummer Alan White followed Bell into Bell + Arc, then joined Gary Wright‘s Wonderwheel and Yes. Gibson surfaced in Mark-Almond with guitarist Peter Kirtley and keyboardist Kenny Craddock. Kirtley did stints in Pentangle, Riff Raff, and (with Craddock) Radiator. Craddock joined the 1973–75 lineup of Lindisfarne. As a group, Griffin remained on standby (as Simpson’s Pure Oxygen) and “backed” White on his 1976 “solo” album Ramshackled, essentially a Griffin album written by Gibson, Craddock, and Kirtley with vocals by Happy Magazine frontman Alan Marshall.>
Grisby Dyke: Formed as The Impact. One 1969 Deram single: fuzz-laced singalong “The Adventures of Miss Rosemary La Page” (b/w brassy uptempo R&B-pop “Mary Anne She”). Second lineup recorded “Nebula,” unearthed on 2012 Finders Keepers comp Man Chest Hair. Guitarist Derek “Grisby” Foley joined Paladin. Ronnie Henshall cut a ’72 single w/ Mancunian boogie-rockers Socrates. Drummer Dave Bucle joined Alvin Stardust’s backing band, Alvin’s Heartbeats.>
Gullivers People: London male/female harmony sextet w/ American sound (ala We Five, Mamas & Papas). Two sunshine ’66 Parlophone singles: Jackie DeShannon’s “Splendor In the Grass” (b/w “Took This Land”) and “Fi-Fo-Fum” (b/w “Over the Hills”). Norman Smith produced–arranged ’68 single: brassy uptempo “On a Day Like This” (b/w ballad “My Life”), both originals. One ’69 Columbia single: jaunty uptempo “Somehow, Somewhere” (b/w “I Found Love”).>
Gun:
Hamlet: One 1967 Decca single: orchestral ballad “She Won’t See the Light” (b/w “Go Play In Your Own Yard”). A-side covered by Timothy Blue↓.>
Hat and Tie: Harmony duo of Patrick Campbell-Lyons and Chris Thomas (both ex-Second Thoughts). Two 1966–67 President Records singles: the piano boogie-woogie jitterbugs “California Jazz Club U.S.A.” (b/w “Chance for Romance”) and music hall “Bread to Spend” (b/w fuzzy proto-punk “Finding It Rough”). Campbell-Lyons formed Nirvana. Thomas entered production (Roxy Music, Sex Pistols, Pretenders).>
Herbie’s People: Evolved from Bilston beatsters Danny & the Ramrods. Three 1966/67 CBS singles, incl. “Humming Bird” (b/w “Residential Area”). US Okeh label issued cancelled a-side “Semi-Detached Suburban Mr. Jones,” a #1 hit for Manfred Mann as “Mr. James.” Became Just William for ’68 Spark single “I Don’t Care” (b/w “Cherrywood Green”), then The Bullring for ’70 Jamie single “Birmingham Brass Band” (b/w “Lady of the Morning Sun”) .>
The Hobby Shop: Scarf-wearing dandy trio; 3/4 of beatsters The Roger James Four. One 1968 Columbia single: acoustic harmony “Why Must It Be This Way” (b/w organ-guitar ballad “Talk to Me”).>
Honeybus: London baroque-pop group formed 1967 by Pete Dello, Ray Cane, Colin Hare, and Peter Kircher. Known for ornate, melancholic melodies and tight harmonies. Hit UK No. 8 with the wistful “I Can’t Let Maggie Go” (1968). Other psych-tinged Deram singles include “(Do I Figure) In Your Life?” and “She Sold Blackpool Rock.”.>
The Hush: Brummie freakbeat quintet, issued one 1968 Fontana single: the tik-tok toy tune “Elephant Rider” (b/w the pile-driving “Grey”), produced by Hammond-Hazlewood. Drummer Mac Poole traded places with Cozy Powell in Young Blood and Big Bertha, followed by a sequence of stints (Warhorse, Broken Glass, Nic Simper’s Fandango). Keyboardist Peter Wood joined The Spectrum (see below) and became a prominent sessionist (Jonathan Kelly, Sutherland Brothers, Al Stewart, Carly Simon, David Essex, Starry Eyed & Laughing, Cyndi Lauper, Martin Briley, Julian Lennon, Al Corley).>
Ice: Two Zombies-esque singles on Decca in 1967/68: the melancholic harmony pop of “Anniversary (of Love)” (b/w “So Many Times”) and the eerie/shimmery organ-psych of “Ice Man” (b/w “Whisper Her Name (Maria Laine)“). Emerged from beatsters The Baskervilles and subsequently merged with jazz-rockers Affinity. Recorded an album’s worth of live tracks/demos and masqueraded as Russell’s Clump. Complete recordings compiled on the Angel Air disc Ice Man. Drummer Grant Serpell resurfaced in Sailor.>
Infinity: Pop-psych quintet, active 15 months w/ ex-members of The Flies and The Cymbaline. Demoed originals (“Venetian Glass,” “Space Shanty,” “Time Keeper”) combined with covers (“Taxman,” Jimmy Webb‘s “Pattern People,” Cole Porter’s “I’ve Got You Under My Skin”) on 2002 Kissing Spell comp Collected Works 1969-70.>
Izzy Pound: Croydon quintet. One 1969 Plexium single: upbeat ditty “Pumpkin Mini” (b/w frantic organ racer “Na, Na, Na, Na”).>
Jardine: Unsigned Birmingham quartet, active in 1969. Recordings compiled on Lion/Anazitisi CD Look In The Window…. Guitarist–songwriter Keith Law oversaw Velvett Fogg. Guitarist–singer Michael Cox played in Robert Plant‘s pre-Zep Band of Joy.>
Jason James: aka Geoff Mulles: Manchester Club DJ (Twisted Wheels), rock manager (Danny & the Demons, The Hellions), and singer (The Yaks). One 1967 Columbia single: martial music-hall fanfare “Miss Pilkington’s Maid” (b/w brassy Stax belter “Count Me Out”).>
John’s Children: Leatherhead freakbeat combo groomed by Simon Napier-Bell (Yardbirds). Issued six 1966–67 singles (Columbia, Track): anarchic mod-psych with glam precursors. Marc Bolan joined for the ’67 Track single “Desdemona” (BBC-banned). Bolan continued in Tyrannosaurus Rex. Singer Andy Ellison reemerged in Jet and Radio Stars..>
The Joint: London acid rockers, stemmed from beatsters John Andrews and The Lonely Ones. Recorded an album’s worth of material circa 1968/69, collected on the Cyclone archival comp Freak Street. Guitarist Tony Catchpole also played with The Alan Bown Set. Singer/guitarist Trevor Williams surfaced in Judas Jump. Drummer Keith Bailey joined reed-rockers Warm Dust. Keyboardist Rick Davies formed Supertramp. Briefly included on-off Tangerine Dream/Steamhammer player (and later solo artist) Steve Jolliffe.>
Jon: London quartet. Two ’67 singles: “So Much For Mary” (b/w “Polly Sunday” Parlophone)* and “Is It Love” (b/w “Sing It Out,” Columbia). *Produced by Donovan manager Pete Eden, arranged by Fingers↑ singer Richard Mills. Singer Chris Simmons cut two ’68–70 MCA singles. Guitarist Stuart Cowell and drummer Jim Toomey wrote ’68 Still Life↓ single and formed Titus Groan.>
Jon Plum: Baroque-pop duo of Dave Plummer and Jon Kennett. Two 1969 singles on Snb (the acronymic label of Yardbirds manager Simon Napier-Bell): chamber melodrama “Alice” (b/w harmonized ivory sweep “Sunshine”) and swelling ballads “You Keep Changing Your Mind” (b/w “An Apple Falls”). They also cut a Christmas single as the Annie Rocket Band. Plummer surfaced in the ’70s singles acts Happy Valley and Bond Street Union. Kennett became a serial writer–producer and recorded solo as Sonny Worthing.>
Joyce’s Angels: Pop-psych with Surfsonic brothers Chris and Nick White. One 1967 Major Minor single: sunny harmonized jaunt “Flowers for My Friends” (b/w brisk, phased, tinkling “Rodney Reginald Smithfield Harvey Jones”), produced by Tommy Scott, co-written by Peter Law. Chris White (not The Zombies bassist) cut the 1976 Charisma album Mouth Music.>
July:
Junior’s Eyes: Hammersmith quintet led by guitarist Mick Wayne, formery of the UK Outsiders (w/ Jimmy Page). One 1968 Polydor single, “Woman Love” (b/w “White Light Pt 2”), produced by Tony Visconti. Three ’69 Regal Zonophone single and the album Battersea Power Station. Served as David Bowie‘s late ’69 backing band. Guitarist Tim Renwick formed Quiver. Keyboardist Rick Wakeman joined Strawbs and Yes.>
Just Plain Smith: Ten-piece project w/ ‘Hansel and Gretel’ backstory. One 1969 single on ORYX–Sunshine: “February’s Child” (b/w gruff freakbeat “Don’t Open Your Mind”).>
Just William: Alias for Bilston beatsters Herbie’s People. One 1968 Spark single: “I Don’t Care” (b/w “Cherrywood Green”). Changed name to The Bullring for 1970 single “Birmingham Brass Band” (b/w “Lady of the Morning”).>
Justin’s Timepiece: One 1968 single on small-press Reverberation (Reverb Records): “Lonely Man” (b/w “Bull Durham Workout”). Bassist Richard Lathan Hicks and drummer Mike Fouracre surfaced in Marsupilami.>
Katch 22: Mod-freakbeat quartet, formed as The Midnite Blues; managed by Hawaiian producer–songwriter Tokenam Aw. Five 1966–69 Fontana singles: some brisk/fuzzy (“Major Catastrophe,” “Baby Love”) and brassy (“The World’s Getting Smaller,” “Makin’ My Mind Up”). Saga Eros label issued 1968 half-covers album It’s Soft Rock & All Sorts It’s Katch 22. Completed works gathered on 2011 RPM CD Major Catastrophe (The Katch 22 Story 1966-1969). Singer Mike Eastman, guitarist Keith Wilford, and drummer Paul Bonner formed the powertrio Westland Steamboat for one 1970 Columbia single: “Born Under a Bad Sign” (b/w “Missouri Train”), both originals authored under the collective psuedonym Phil Bossman. All three joined the Vanda–Young project Paintbox.>
Kate: Pop-psych quartet led by London-based Armenian singer–guitarist Hratch. Three 1968–69 CBS singles: xylo/string sweep “Strange Girl” (b/w phased harpsichord jaunt “Don’t Make a Sound”), swelling orchestral ballad “Hold Me Now” (b/w pounding/brassy “Empty World”), and hippie anthem “Shout It” (b/w upbeat soul-rocker “Sweet Little Thing”). Hratch cut sweeping Decca solo single “Beautiful Bare Back Rider” (b/w acoustic strum “Ain’t It Tough”). Guitarist Chris Gilbey became an Aussie producer (The Saints, The Church).>
Kippington Lodge: Suffolk pop quartet. Five 1967–69 Parlophone singles; first two performed by outside sessionists. Mark Wirtz-produced single: jaunty 2/4 “Shy Boy” (b/w psych waltz “Lady On a Bicycle”). Bassist–singer Nick Lowe joined for 2/4 jaunt “Rumours” (b/w brassy vibes “And She Cried,” written by guitarist Brinsley Schwarz). Six self-performed sides: organ-flute “Tomorrow Today” (b/w “Turn Out the Light”), harmony pop-psych “Tell Me a Story” (b/w wah-wah’d “Understand a Woman”), gruff organ Beatles cover “In My Life” (b/w minor-key heavy psych “I Can See Her Face”). All compiled on 2011 RPM CD Shy Boy: The Complete Recordings 1967-1969. Lowe, Schwarz, and keyboardist Bob Andrews formed Brinsley Schwarz.>
The Klubs: Liverpool-based psych-beat combo whose lone 1968 single “I Found the Sun” b/w “Ever Needed Someone” fused raw garage energy with lysergic flourishes. Frontman John Reid later surfaced in Strife. Archival material — including the explosive “Can’t Ebenezer See My Mind” — was unearthed in 1999 on Midnight Love Cycle (Tenth Planet).>
The Kytes: Bristol-bred trio (ex-Peter & Gordon backing band) with 1966–68 UK singles on Pye and Island. “Frosted Panes” = baroque-folk popsike; “Running in the Water” = moody Hammond psych. Bassist Julian Bailey later joined White Plains.>
Lace: Short-lived late-‘60s pop-psych duo/project led by Pete Dello (later of Honeybus). Issued one Page One single in 1969 — “I’m a Gambler” b/w “Go Away” — tuneful, melodic, and baroque-tinged.>
Lace: Southampton-area pop-psych group featuring future Aubrey Small member Peter Pinckney. Issued one 1968 Columbia single — the harmony-laden “People People” backed with the eerie, baroque-flavored “The Nun.” >
The Late: Surrey band with harmony-rich, folk-tinged psych. Recorded 1967–68 demos before label-enforced name change to Unicorn. Vault material compiled on Songs From the Family Tree (Wooden Hill, 2008).>
Lavender Grove: Mitcham psych-beat w/ guitarist Terry Spencer (The Game, The Secrets, Grail). Hazy acetate track “When I Was Young” compiled on Purple Heart Surgery Vol. 3. “Lavender Grove” (the song) on The Story of Oak Records..>
Legay: Leicester beat outfit formed 1965. Issued the 1968 Fontana single “No-One.” Unearthed 1960s psych demos compiled on the High Flying Around EP (Circle, 2015). Precursor to folk-leaning Gypsy.>
Lemon Tree: Birmingham popsike unit named after the Move song. Issued two 1968 Parlophone singles: “William Chalker’s Time Machine” (b/w “I Can Touch a Rainbow”) and “It’s So Nice to Come Home.” Members later surfaced in Idle Race, Mongrel, and Quartz..>
Living Daylights: Two singles of freakbeat-psych on Philips: “Let’s Live for Today” / (b/w “I’m Real”) and “Always With Him” (b/w “Baila Maria”), the first paired on a maxi-single with two further songs, “Jane” and “‘Cos I’m Lonely.” “Let’s Live for Today” — soon made famous by American act The Grass Roots — was the first-recorded English translation of The Rokes’ 1966 Italian hit “Piangi Con Me.” Guitarist Garth Watt-Roy and bassist Norman Watt-Roy joined brass-rockers The Greatest Show On Earth.>
The Loot: Andover beat-psych combo tied to producer Larry Page. Cut fuzz-toned, mod-angled sides for Palette and Page One, including “Baby Come Closer” and “She’s a Winner.” Members Pope, Quaye, and Duck formed Hookfoot, backing Elton John on early sessions.>
Louise: Psych-rock combo headed by guitarist/singer Tony Durant. One 1967 acetate, “Look at the Sun” (b/w “Toymaker Shop”), on EMI’s French press Emidisc. An undated maxi-single, “Fragment” / “Lament” (b/w “The Bay”), appeared on small-press Saturn. Durant later headed the 1971 symphonic-folk one-off Fuchsia. Bassist/singer Nigel Smith cut three albums with Irish pyschsters Andwella’s Dream (later Andwella). Drummer Chris Cutler surfaced in Henry Cow and its numerous offshoots (Art Bears, Cassiber, News from Babel).>
Made in Sheffield: heffield trio featuring Chris Stainton (bass/keyboards), issued the 1967 Fontana single “Amelia Jane.” Stainton later became a sought-after session player with Joe Cocker, Eric Clapton, and The Who.>
Magic Lanterns: UK band who evolved from The Sabres, issuing psych-tinged singles and the 1967 CBS album Lit Up – With The Magic Lanterns. Known for melodic, orchestral pop-psych like “Excuse Me Baby” and “Knight in Rusty Armour.” Members later included Kevin Godley and Lol Creme (pre-10cc).>
Magic Mixture: London psych quartet who issued the 1968 album This Is The Magic Mixture (Saga). Known for instrumental work on “(I’m So) Sad,” “Urge to Leave,” and “Slowly The Day.” Members included Terry Thomas (later Charlie) and Jack McCulloch (Andromeda, Andwella, Thunderclap Newman).>
The March Hare: UK psych-pop sextet featuring Peter Skellern and Stu Leathwood (ex-Koobas). Issued two 1968–69 singles (Chapter 1, Deram). Morphed into Harlan County for a 1970 album with Barrie Guard’s involvement.>
Marmalade: Glasgow pop-psych harmony group, active since 1961 (as Dean Ford & the Gaylords). Hit their stride in 1967 with the fuzz-toned “I See the Rain,” hailed by Hendrix. Their 1967–68 CBS sides mix baroque, whimsical, and Beatlesque elements before pivoting to softer MOR pop.>
Marquis of Kensington: Studio-only baroque-pop project led by Kinks manager Robert Wace (vocals) and producer Mike Leander (music, image). Issued ornate psych-pop 45s on Immediate and CBS in 1967–68, including the harpsichord-laced “The Changing of the Guard” and fuzz-backed “Flash.” >
The Maze: Mod-soul beatsters, issued 1966 orchestral-pop cover of the Barbara Lewis hit “Hello Stranger” (b/w “Telephone”) on Robert Stigwood’s Reaction label. Adopted mod-psych look for the 1967 French four-song EP “In” Special Danse Discotheque on Disques Vogue. A pair of Italian-language singles followed on MGM and Polydor. Vocalist Rod Evans and drummer Ian Paice joined Deep Purple.>
The Medium: Pre-Rubettes pop-psych combo with Alan Williams, John Richardson, and Mick Gower. Their lone 1968 CBS single pairs the kaleidoscopic “Colours of the Rainbow” with the whimsical “Edward Never Lies.” >
The Merseys: Liverpool duo formed from The Merseybeats’ split, best known for their 1966 hit “Sorrow” (later covered by Bowie). Continued with fuzz-tinged mod-psych singles like “The Cat,” “Lovely Loretta,” and “Penny in My Pocket” through 1969 one-off as Crackers.>
The Mickey Finn: London mod-R&B act turned psych cult heroes. Cut raw 1964–66 bluebeat and beat-era sides with help from Jimmy Page. Much-compled 1967 Direction single “Garden of My Mind” backed with the pounding “Time to Start Loving You.” Guitarist Mickey Waller surfaced in Heavy Metal Kids. No connection to the Tyrannosaurus Rex percussionist.>
Mike Stuart Span: Brighton band evolved from beat origins into one of the UK psych underground’s most enigmatic cult names. Issued one prized 45 on Jewel in 1968: the fierce fuzz-fueled “Children of Tomorrow” backed with the moody, effects-laden “Concerto of Thoughts.” Signed to Elektra and rebranded Leviathan in 1969, but split after their album was shelved. Later interest revived with the Timespan CD and BBC’s A Year in the Life documentary.>
The Mirage: Hertfordshire psych-pop band active 1965–68, known for the 1967 singles “The Wedding of Ramona Blair” and the rare “Ebaneezer Beaver.” Backed Elton John early on, with bassist Dee Murray later joining his band. After splitting, members formed Portobello Explosion, then Jawbone. They also released the 1968 Yellow Pages single “Here Comes Jane.” >
The Mixed Bag: Two 1969 Decca singles: “Round and Round” (b/w “Have You Ever Been In Love”) and “Potiphar” (b/w “Million Dollar Bash”), both arranged by Andrew Lloyd Webber and produced by Tim Rice. “Potiphar,” recorded with the Ramases III Orchestra, is part of Webber’s 1968 musical comedy Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Keyboardist John Cook surfaced in Slack Alice, Kestrel, and Midnight Flyer.>
The Moles: Psychedelic novelty alter ego of Simon Dupree & The Big Sound with Derek, Philip, and Ray Shulman (later of Gentle Giant). Released the 1968 Parlophone single “We Are The Moles (Part 1 & 2).” >
The Monopoly: Birmingham psych-pop act fronted by singer–songwriter Raymond Froggatt. Issued two 1967 Polydor singles: “House of Lords” / “Magic Carpet” and “We’re All Going to the Seaside.” Froggatt later pivoted to country rock and built a major UK cult following.>
The Mooche: One 1969 Pye single: Bubble Puppy cover “Hot Smoke and Sasafrass” (b/w the Brian Tatum original “Seen Through a Light”), produced by John Schroeder. Organist Tatum surfaced in Mud. US-born reedist Dave Winthrop joined Supertramp (1971 lineup), Chicken Shack (1978), and mod-revicalists Secret Affair.>
Moon’s Train: Evolved from The Preachers and The Train (w/ Peter Frampton, pre-Herd). One 1966 MGM single: “Deed I Do” (b/w “It’s In My Mind”). Vaulted tracks comped as Rare Recordings ’65-’68 (1996) and a limited edition album Moon’s Train (1998) on Tenth Planet, featuring songs like “Shades of Orange” and “Nervous.” Keyboardist Peter “Moon” Gosling surfaced in Choral and the Renaissance-spinoff Nevada, then augmented the trio’s 1981–83 albums Camera Camera and Time-Line.>
The Move:
The Moving Finger: Norwich soul-psych combo. Two 1968/69 Mercury singles: the urgent, melodramatic, string-laden “Jeremy the Lamp” (b/w the organ/Mellotron soul-beat ballad “Pain of My Misfortune”) and a cover of Jackie Wilson’s “Higher and Higher” (b/w the pounding Hammond belter “Shake and Finger Pop”). Previously known as The Anglians, which cut the ’67 soul-rock single “A Friend of Mine,” an Ashford & Simpson cover (b/w “Daytime Lover”).>
The Neat Change: Mod combo led by future new wave singer Jimmy Edwards. Joined by guitarist Peter Banks (between The Syn and Yes) for 1968 Decca single “I Lied to Auntie May” (b/w “Sandman”).>
The Nerve: Mod quintet, signed to Page One as The Lovin’ for two 1967 singles, followed by ’68 Nerve singles “Magic Spectacles” (b/w “Come The Day”), “It Is” (b/w “Mystery Lady”), and “Piece By Piece” (b/w “Satisfying Kind”). One ’69 single as Duffy Taylor Blues.>
New Formula: An evolution of beat quintet Formula. Two singles each on Piccadilly (1967) and Pyw (’68/69), including the much-comped sides “Hare Krishna,” “Stay Indoors,” and “Burning In the Background of My Mind.” Saxist Rick Dodd later backed Kevin Coyne.>
The New Nadir: Unsigned London freakbeat, formed in 1966 as Me and the Others. Jammed with Hendrix at the Speakeasy. Bassist Gary Thain became a journeyman (Keef Hartley Band, Uriah Heep). Kiwi drummer Peter Dawkins entered Oceanic production (Fourmyula, Spectrum, Dragon). Eleven songs gathered on 2009 Feathered Apple comp Uncovered.>
One in a Million: Glasgow psych rock band fronted by teenage guitar prodigy Jimmy McCulloch (later of Wings). Issued two 1967 singles: “Use Your Imagination” (CBS) and the freakbeat classic “Double Sight” b/w “Fredereek Hernando” (MGM).>
Onyx: Cornish psych-pop harmony quintet active 1965–71, known for BBC sessions and intricate vocal blends. Issued seven singles (including one as Salamander), notably “Tamaris Khan” (Pye, 1968) and “Crystal Ball” (CBS, 1970). Rebranded as Vineyard in 1974 with two Deram/Decca singles before disbanding. Early demos compiled on Kaleidoscope of Colours (Wooden Hill, 2009).>
Opal Butterfly: Oxfordshire heavy-psych band active 1968–70, noted for gritty singles like “Beautiful Beige” (CBS) and the Who cover “Mary Anne With the Shaky Hand.” Briefly featured future Hawkwind mates Simon King (drums) and Lemmy (bass). Final single “Groupie Girl” (Polydor) caused a stir with its risqué sleeve and appeared in the 1970 film Groupie Girl. Post-split lineups led to Fine China and further Hawkwind ties.>
Orange Bicycle:
The Orange Machine: Dublin psych-pop outfit formed 1967, famed for whimsical 1968 Pye single “Three Jolly Little Dwarfs” (b/w “Real Live Permanent Dream,” Irish No. 14) and the follow-up “You Can All Join In” (b/w “Dr. Crippen’s Waiting Room”). Noted for surreal lyrics and inventive arrangements. Members later surfaced in Gentry, Cotton Mill Boys, and Irish radio.>
The Orange Seaweed: Hastings psych-pop band formed 1968 from the remnants of The Kingpins and Those Fadin’ Colours. Issued the lysergic Pye single “Stay Awhile” b/w “Pictures in the Sky.” Guitarist–vocalist Ray Neale (Screaming Lord Sutch & The Savages) led the group w/ bassist brother Keith.>
Our Plastic Dream: Alter ego of beatsters The Jeeps, issued one 1967 Go single: the tremolo-drenched “A Little Bit of Shangrila” (b/w “Encapsulated Marigold”). One of several psych-era projects of guitarist/songwriter Pierre Tubbs (The Owl, see below).>
The Outer Limits: Leeds psych-beat act fronted by Jeff Christie (later of Christie). Issued two Deram singles: “Just One More Chance” (Apr. ’67) and “Great Train Robbery” (Sept. ’68), the latter arranged by ex-Shadow Tony Meehan. Evolved from The Soul Agents; later morphed into Acid Gallery.>
The Owl: Studio psych-pop one-off featuring Pierre Tubbs (Our Plastic Dream), drummer Rob Tait, and singer J. Vincent Edwards. Issued the dreamy 1968 single “Run to the Sun” (b/w “Shades of Blue and Green Water Flies”) on United Artists. Tait had multiple post-psych stints (ARC, Arthur Brown’s Kingdom Come, Gong, Pete Brown & Piblokto!, The Battered Ornaments, Vinegar Joe).>
Pandamonium: Kent psych-pop act led by Bob Ponton and Martin Curtis, evolved from The Pandas in 1966. Issued several harmony-rich singles, including “No Presents for Me,” “Chocolate Buster Dan,” and a Donovan cover (“Season of the Witch”). Backed by drummer Steve Chapman (later of Poco) and bassist Mick Glass. Recorded the Thoughts and Words LP (Liberty, 1969).>
Paper Blitz Tissue: London psych quartet. Explosive 1967 RCA single “Boy Meets Girl” / “Grey Man,” a heavy, fuzz-laden gem with cinematic flair. Members included Miller Anderson (Keef Hartley Band, Dog Soldier), Bernie Lee (ex-Onyx), and drummer Dave Dufort (East of Eden, Kevin Ayers). Scored music for the BBC drama Death of a Private with Ron Grainer but left no other known recordings.>
The Penny Peeps: Two 1968 Liberty singles: “Little Man With a Stick” (b/w “Model Village”) and “I See the Morning” (b/w “Curly, the Knight of the Road”), all multi-comped. Evolved from R&B sextet The Motivation. Guitarist Martin Barre joined Jethro Tull (Stand Up onward). Singer Denny Alexander hailed from beatsters Clayton Squares and The Thoughts. Drummer Malcolm Tomlinson played in US psychsters Rhinoceros and Canadian country rockers Bearfoot.>
Peppermint Circus: Coventry soul-pop/psych quintet, formed in 1967 as Sporting Life. Five 1968–70 singles include the leaping “I Won’t Be There” (b/w the organ/fuzz “Keeping My Head Above Wate”), the toytown trolly “All the King’s Horses,” and the galloping “School Days.” Singer Paul Thomas surfaced in Hard Horse (1971–72).>
Piccadilly Circus: Nursery folk psych led by Alan Wakeman (Rick‘s saxist brother). Two 1970 maxi-singles on Rupert Hart-Davis Educational Publications.> (Namesakes: Ohio garage band > | Memphis soul-rock band >)
Pinkerton’s Assorted Colours: Formed in 1963 in Rugby, Warwickshire, originally known as The Liberators before adopting the Pinkerton’s Assorted Colours name in 1965. They are best remembered for their 1966 hit “Mirror, Mirror.” The band shifted towards a more pop-rock sound and in 1969 renamed themselves The Flying Machine. Key Pye singles include “Mum and Dad” / “On a Street Car” (1967) and “There’s Nobody I’d Sooner Love” / “Duke’s Jetty” (1968).>
The Plague: Three/fourths of The Explosive w/ Syndicats drummer John Truelove. One 1968 Decca single: “Looking for the Sun” (b/w “Here Today, Gone Tomorrow”), both fuzzed-out psych originals by keyboardist Russ Harness (ex-O’Hara’s Playboys).>
Plastic Penny: Psych-pop quintet with 1967 hit “Everything I Am” and 1968/69 Page One albums Two Sides of a Penny and Currency, mixing covers (“Strawberry Fields Forever,” “MacArthur Park”) with originals (“Your Way to Tell Me Go,” “No Pleasure Without Pain”). Post-split band activity by guitarist Mick Grabham (Cochise, Procol Harum), keyboardist Paul Raymond (Chicken Shack, UFO), drummer Nigel Olsson and bassist Tony Murray (Elton John Band).>
Please: Emerged from UK/German act Neon Pearl. No recordings from original 1967–68 formation with (later Gun) guitarist Adrian Gurvitz. Drummer Peter Dunton briefly joined The Flies (mid-’68) then reformed Please with bassist Bernie Jinks and recorded two album’s worth of organ-dominated pop-psych, unreleased at the time but later compiled on the Acme discs 1968/69 and Seeing Stars. Became Bulldog Breed after Dunton joined Gun. Jinks and Dunton later re-teamed in T2.
The Poets: Scottish freakbeat quintet managed by Andrew Loog Oldham. Six singles between 1964–67, including the moody psych sides “Wooden Spoon” and “In Your Tower.” Early material mixed R&B covers (“Baby Don’t You Do It”) with baroque pop originals. Ties to One in a Million↑. Material collected on Wooden Spoon: The Singles Anthology 1964–1967.>
The Pop Workshop: Harrow-based pop-psych band active 1968–69, previously known as The Locomotion. They issued two singles: the whimsical “Fairyland” (Fontana, France) and the fuzz-toned “Punch and Judy Man” (Page One). Style ranged from baroque pop to mod-tinged psychedelia.>
Portebello Explosion: Post-Mirage↑ project formed by drummer Dave Hynes after a brief stint in the Spencer Davis Group. One 1969 Carnaby single: the harmony-laden psych-pop original “We Can Fly” (b/w Bubble Puppy cover “Hot Smoke and Sasafrass”). Soon rebranded as Jawbone.>
Pregnant Insomnia: Orpington/Bromley quintet w/ two ex-Konrads: guitarist Neville Wills and bassist/singer Rocky Shahan. One 1967 Direction single: the fuzz-toned raga “Wallpaper” b/w the baroque pop ballad “You Intrigue Me.” Percussionist John Boswell surfaced in the Eighties French avant scene (Noco Music, Nyssa Musique).>
The Pretty Things: Central figures in London’s R&B/beat boom of 1963/64. Experimented with orchestral pop on 1967’s Emotions, then went phaser-psych on the single “Defecting Grey” (b/w “Mr. Evasion”). Recorded one of rock’s first operas, S.F. Sorrow (1968), followed by another classic psych single, “Talkin’ About the Good Times” (b/w “Walking Through My Dreams”). Turned hard-rock in the ’70s.>
The Pyramid: Pop-psych trio of Iain Matthews (pre-Fairport Convention), Steve Hiett (later a noted fashion photographer), and Albert Jackson. Lone 1967 Deram single paired the dreamy, orchestrated “Summer of Last Year” with the baroque ballad “Summer Evening.” >
The Quik: Southampton mod-soul/psych quintet. Three 1967 Deram singles include the Hammond-driven dancefloor fave “Bert’s Apple Crumble,” plus “I Can’t Sleep” and “King of the World.” Featured organist Alex Chamberlain (The MeddyEvils, Les Fleur de Lys) and guitarist Bruce Roberts (Iguana, Jess Roden Band).>
Revolver: One 1969 pop-psych covers single on Young Blood: “Frisco Annie” (b/w “Imaginations”). Guitarist David Titley and keyboardist Alister Benson formed Salamander. Singer Peter Mackie surfaced in folksters Fable.>
Rhubarb Rhubarb: Psych-pop quartet. One 1968 President Records single: the brooding, fuzz-laced “Rainmaker” backed with the harmony-rich “Moneylender,” both by the songwriting duo Smithling (Peter Smith & Ian Stirling).>
Rifkin: Aalias of Edward “Eddie” Lynch, a UK singer-songwriter formerly of The Cheynes. As Rifkin, he released the 1968 psych-tinged power pop single “We’re Not Those People Anymore” b/w “Continental Hesitation” (Page One, produced by Colin Frechter). Earlier solo singles appeared on Fontana in 1966: “Sad Songs” and “Hurt on Love.” >
Robbi Curtice: Stagename of Rob Ashmore, a Warwick-born singer-songwriter who issued the 1968 US single “The Soul of a Man” b/w “When Diana Paints the Picture” (Sidewalk 942), a mod-psych pop production by Vic Coppersmith-Heaven (The Jam) and Ralph Murphy. His 1970s archival track “Gospel Lane” featured in the 2007 film La France, leading to a 2023 mini-album comeback.>
The Rolling Stones: Turned experimental in 1966 with the “dive-bomb” bass on “19th Nervous Breakdown” and the sitar-guitar on “Mother’s Little Helper,” followed by forays into baroque-pop (“Lady Jane”) and rock melodrama (“Paint It Black”) on Aftermath. Further baroque-psych experiments (“Yesterday’s Papers,” “Cool, Calm & Collected”) on 1967’s Between the Buttons, followed by the tripped-out Pepper-isms of Their Satanic Majesties Request.>
Rupert’s People: Revolving psych-pop project by producer Rod Lynton w/ Les Fleur De Lys personnel. Their 1967 Decca single “Reflections of Charles Brown” echoed “Whiter Shade of Pale” with baroque organ and moody pathos. Follow-ups included “Prologue to a Magic World” b/w “Dream in My Mind” and the mod psych groover “I Can Show You” (1968). Later lineups featured John Tout (Renaissance), Terry Poole (Bakerloo), and a young Stewart Copeland. Complete output on 2004 comp Dream in My Mind: Anthology 1967–1969.>
Sands: Hampton quartet, formed as The Others. One 1967 Reaction single: the Bee Gees-penned “Mrs. Gillespie’s Refrigerator” b/w “Listen to the Sky,” a dramatic, three-part psych epic with dogfight sonics and a Mars-quoting coda. Included drummer B.J. Wilson (between The Paramounts and Procol Harum). A 2006 Rev-Ola CD, Listen to the Sky, compiles 1964–73 recordings as The Others, Sands, and Sun Dragon↓.>
Scaffold: Liverpool comic-pop trio of Mike McGear (Paul McCartney’s brother), poet Roger McGough, and performer John Gorman. Known for satirical, whimsical singles on Parlophone, incl. the 1968 UK No. 1 “Lily the Pink” and its surreal b-side “Buttons of Your Mind.” Later titles include “Charity Bubbles” and “Goose” (1969).>
Schadel: Alias of Aussie multi-instrumentalist Robert MacLeod, active in 1960s UK pop-psych circles. Cut three singles on Parlophone (1966–67), incl. “Stop Where You Are” (Coulter–Martin), “Flower Shop Girl,” and “Man in the Making.” Issued the Bee Gees-penned “With the Sun in My Eyes” on Pye in 1968, backed with his own “Goodbye Thimble Mill Lane.” Released the LP Schadel No.1 (1970, United Artists).>
The Scots of St. James: Glasgow beat–psych quintet named after the London club where they held a 1966 residency. Issued three singles: “Gypsy” b/w “Tic Toc” (Go), the mod-psych “Timothy” b/w “Eiderdown Clown” (Spot), and the acetate-only “Through the Eyes of a Child” (1967). Lineups featured future members of Blue (Hugh Nicholson), Forever More/Average White Band (Alan Gorrie, Onnie McIntyre), and Glencoe (Graham Maitland, Stuart Francis).>
Scrugg: Three 1968/69 Pye singles: “Lavender Popcorn” (b/w “Sandwichboard Man”), “Everyone Can See” (b/w “I Wish I Was Five”), and “Will the Real Geraldine Please Stand Up and Be Counted” (b/w “Only George”). Followup to the 1967 Piccadilly one-off Floribunda Rose (see above). All comped on the Castle Music CD Lavender Popcorn. Frontman John Kongos released two 1969–71 solo albums. Drummer Henry Spinetti joined Storyteller and became a prolific sessioneer (Gerry Rafferty, Roger Daltery, Pilot, Joan Armatrading). Keyboardist Christos Demetriou played with Strange Days precurssor Travis.>
Serendipity: Tunbridge Wells psych–prog sextet formed from Abject Blues in 1967. Issued two CBS singles: the fuzzed-out “Through With You” b/w the moody “I’m Flying” (1968), and the orchestral folk-prog track “If I Could” b/w “Castles” (1969). Members incl. Ian Bellamy (Zoo, Clearlight) and keyboardist Graham Waller (Toggery, Blodwyn Pig).>
The Shame: Earliest recorded band of Greg Lake. Cut 1967 Emidisc acetate (unreleased) and one single: the sitar-guitar freakbeater “Don’t Go ‘Way Little Girl,” a Janis Ian cover (b/w the organ-driven “Dreams Don’t Bother Me”). Guitarist/singer Lake cut two 1969 singles with the Shy Limbs (with keyboardist John Dickenson, below) and became the bassist/singer on In the Court of the Crimson King, followed by a long run as the L in ELP.>
Shy Limbs: Two 1969 CBS singles of thick organ-psych: “Reputation” (b/w “Love”) and “Lady In Black” (b/w “Trick or Two”). Evolved from beatsters The Shame. Robert Fripp plays on “Love.” Bassist Greg Lake joined him in King Crimson, which drummer Andy McCulloch joined in 1970 after Lake departed for ELP. McCulloch subsequently played in Fields (1971) and Greenslade (1973–75). Keyboardist/songwriter John Dickenson later re-teamed with late-period Shy Limbs bassist Alan Barry (who also played in Fields) for the ’77 one-off King Harry.>
Sight and Sound: Birmingham harmony–psych combo with roots as The Sombreros. Released three singles: the whimsical “Ebenezer” (1968), the kinetic “Alley Alley” (1968), and the orchestrated ballad “Jose” (1970). Originals featured Rick Price (later of The Move, Wizzard), Mike Sheridan, and Geoff Turton (ex–Rockin’ Berries). Later iterations veered toward cabaret with future ELO bassist Kelly Groucutt and comedian Roger “Ollie” Spencer.>
Sleepy: Psych-pop combo led by ex-Warriors bassist David Foster and guitarist Rodney Hill. Two 1968 CBS singles: the baroque-fuzz “Love’s Immortal Fire” and the Mellotron-laced “Rosie Can’t Fly,” both produced by Mike Hurst. Lineup included drummer Ian Wallace (pre-King Crimson), organist Mick Fowler (Grapefruit), and sax–flute player Geoff Peach (Every Which Way).>
The Slender Plenty: One 1967 Polydor single: the David Bowie composition “Silver Tree Top School for Boys” (b/w “I’ve Lost a Friend and Found a Lover”). Guitarist Colin Charles was in beatsters The 4 and the West Five.>
Small Faces:
Smile: London trio, issued one 1969 Mercury single: the organ/harmony ballad “Earth” (b/w the jaunty “Step On Me”). The b-side features the Red Special guitar of Brian May and the piledriving drums of Roger Taylor, traits they would advance in their next band, Queen. Bassist/singer Tim Staffell surfaced in Morgan. Smile’s complete recorded legacy (six songs) exists on the Pseudonym Records comp Ghost of a Smile.>
The Societie: November 1967 Deram single “Bird Has Flown” (b/w “Breaking Down”), produced by Hollies singer Allen Clarke. Keyboardist Dave McDougall and bassist Dave Struthers joined Andwella.> (Not The Society, an Ohio garage band.>)
Sons and Lovers: Harmony pop band from Ilkeston, Derbyshire, active from the late 1960s into the 2010s. Fronted by drummer–vocalist Philip Wright (later of Paper Lace), they issued four 1968/69 singles on Beacon between, including the sunny psych-tinged “From Now the Sun Shines” and the soul-pop cover “Reach Out in the Darkness.” Debut single “Matters” (b/w “Peaceful Is the River”) appeared on Camp in 1967..>
The Sorrows: Coventry beat group formed in 1963 by guitarist–vocalist Pip Whitcher. A mod-scene fixture, they pioneered a hard-edged, aggressive style now termed freakbeat. Between 1965–67, they issued eight singles on Piccadilly, including the fuzz-toned “Pink, Purple, Yellow and Red” (b/w “My Gal”) and a driving cover of “Take a Heart.” Guitarist Roger Lomas later became a noted producer..>
The Spectrum: London pop-psych group manufactured by RCA in 1967 as a UK response to The Monkees. Despite British TV exposure (including Captain Scarlet) and pirate radio spins, they found greater success in Europe—scoring #1 hits in Spain (“Samantha’s Mine,” “Headin’ for a Heatwave”) and Germany (a Beatles cover). Their lone LP, The Light Is Dark Enough (1970), followed ten UK singles, including the 1967/68 sides “Portobello Road,” “London Bridge Is Coming Down,” and “Little Red Boat by the River.” Drummer Keith Forsey later rose to fame as a hitmaking producer (Billy Idol) and Oscar-winning songwriter.>
Spice: One 1968 United Artists single: “What About the Music” (b/w “In Love”). Three-fifths of the band — singer David Garrick (aka David Byron), guitarist Mick Box, and bassist Paul Newton — went on to form Uriah Heep. Drummer Alex Napier and keyboardist Colin Wood guested on Heep’s first album …Very ‘Eavy Very ‘Umble…. Original drummer Nigel Pegrum joined Gnidrolog, then Steeleye Span. Additional Spice recordings (“Born In a Trunk,” “Magic Lantern,” “Astranaza,” etc.) were released on the 1993 Heep compilation The Lansdowne Tapes.>
The Squires: Tom Jones’ former backing band. One 1969 MCA single: “Games People Play” (b/w “Funky Bayswater”). B-side co-written by drummer Chris Slade, who joined Manfred Mann’s Earth Band. Guitarist Bill Parkinson was also in beatsters The Circle.>
Still Life: Jon-related Feb. ’68 Columbia single: “What Did We Miss,” written by Stuart Cowell and Jim Toomey (both Titus Groan) b/w “My Kingdom Cannot Lose” written/produced by Paul Korda. No relation to Still Life.>
The Stoics: Scottish combo with singer Frankie Miller, keyboardist Hugh McKenna, and bassist/singer James Dewar. One 1968 RCA single: “Earth, Fire, Air, and Water” (b/w “Search for the Sea”). McKenna and Dewar did respective stints in the Sensational Alex Harvey Band and Stone the Crows. Dewar formed a lasting partnership with Robin Trower.>
Strawberry Children: American trio. Jimmy Webb arranged ’67 sunshine single “Love Years Coming” (b/w “One Stands Here”) included on Rubble #14 Magic Rocking Horse.>
Studio Six: Scottish beat group with singer Colin McClure and his guitarist brother Clive; managed by their father Carl. Active 1966–68 with five Polydor singles, they blended Mersey-styled harmonies and light psych touches on tracks like “Strawberry Window” and “Times Were When.” Popular on the UK club circuit, they also issued a single in Italy.>
The Summer Set: South coast UK harmony pop/rock band active mid-1960s, with members from The Javelins, Count Downe & The Zeros, and Peter & The Headlines. Released three singles including the 1967 Columbia release “Overnight Changes” (b/w “It’s A Dream”), blending pop rock and psychedelia. Featured bassist David Green (Deep Feeling), singer Alan Spriggs (Crazy Mavel), and keyboardist Les Humphries, a subsequent schlager bandleader.>
Sun Dragon: UK psych-pop duo formed 1968 by ex-Sands↑ members Rob Freeman (guitar) and Ian McLintock (bass). Scored a minor UK hit with their Lemon Pipers cover “Green Tambourine,” backed on several tracks by early Deep Purple members Jon Lord, Ritchie Blackmore, and Ian Paice. Their 1968 MGM album Green Tambourine includes subsequent a-sides “Blueberry Blue” (another Pipers cover, also performed by the Idle Race) and “Five White Horses.”.>
Sweet Marriage: Manchester psych quartet with one 1969 German Metronome single: “Childplay” (b/w “Bitter Wind”). Featured songwriter duo Keith Lawless (Ivans Meads, High Society) and Tony Merrick (aka DJ Stevi Merike). Guitarist Alan Doyle (ex-The Toggery Five) surfaced in Alvin’s Heartbeats.>
The Syn: London psych quintet, formed in 1964 as The Selfs. Two 1967 Deram singles: “Created By Clive” (b/w “Grounded”) and “Flowerman” (b/w “14 Hour Technicolour Dream”). Other tracks include “Mr White’s White Flying Machine” (vocals by Ayshea Brough), released on 2005 Acme comp Original Syn. Guitarist Peter Banks (Syndicats, Neat Change↑) and bassist Chris Squire formed Mabel Greer’s Toyshop, the springboard of Yes. Keyboardist Andrew Pryce Jackman became a noted composer/arranger.>
Tales of Justine: Hertfordshire teenage psych trio led by singer/keyboardist David Daltrey, formed mid-1960s after evolving from The Sound of Silence and The Court Jesters. One 1967 His Master’s Voice single: “Albert” (b/w “Monday Morning”), produced by Tim Rice and arranged by Andrew Lloyd Webber. Extensive 1967–69 demos (“Obsolete Incident,” “Aurora,” Saturn”) surfaced on 1997 Petals From a Sunflower and 2016 Complete Recordings compilations. Bassist Paul Myerson surfaced in unsigned symphonic-rockers As You Like It.>
Tapestry: UK harmony pop-psych quintet with two 1968–69 NEMS singles: “Like the Sun” (b/w “Florence”) and “Heart and Soul” (b/w “Who Wants Happiness”). The latter featured orchestral arranger Richard Hewson (Bee Gees, James Taylor). Produced by Pete Gage (ex-Zephyrs, later Vinegar Joe). Members included Mike Hutson (vocals), David Moses (bass), Martin Woodward (keys, later of Aquila), and jazz drummer John “Chick” Webb.>
The Tickle: One 1967 single on Regal Zonophone: “Subway (Smokey Pokey World)” (b/w “Good Evening”), produced by Tony Visconti and co-written by keyboardist David Stuart Williams and guitarist Mick Wayne. Both sides paired with two additional songs (“Rose Coloured Glasses,” “Something Out of Place (aka Eltiton)”) on the 2019 Fly Records release Rare and Unreleased: 1967 EP. Spun from R&B/beatsters The Bunch of Fives. Wayne played with the Pink Fairies and appeared on Bowie‘s Man of Words, Man of Music.>
Timon: Liverpool singer–songwriter Stephen Murray issued two psych-tinged singles: “The Bitter Thoughts of Little Jane” (b/w “Rambling Boy”) on Pye in 1968, and “And Now She Says She’s Young” (b/w “I’m Just a Travelling Man”) on Threshold in 1970. The former track appears on Rhino’s Nuggets II. Later known as Tymon Dogg, he collaborated with Clash frontman Joe Strummer and guested on Sandinista! and Combat Rock before joining The Mescaleros..>
Timothy Blue: Aka Glaswegian singer Ton Briggs. One 1968 baroque-pop Spark single: “Room at the Top of the Stairs” (b/w “She Won’t See the Light”), written/produced by Eric Woolfson (Alan Parsons Project). B-side recorded earlier by Hamlet↑.>
Tinkerbells Fairydust: London harmony psych-pop act, formerly The Rush (two 1967 Decca singles). As Tinkerbells Fairydust, they cut three singles: “Lazy Day,” “Twenty Ten” (a baroque psych standout), and “Sheila’s Back In Town” (b/w Jeff Lynne’s “Follow Me Follow”). Though none charted in the UK, two singles were hits in Japan. A planned 1969 Decca album was shelved but later issued on CD. Members had earlier roots in Tommy Bishop’s Ricochets and Easy Come Easy Go. Drummer Chaz Wade played w/ The Symbols on their 1968 album.>
Tintern Abbey: One 1967 Deram single: “Beeside” (b/w “Vacuum Cleaner”), both sides heavily comped. Four additional songs (from 1968) issued on the 2006 archival EP Do What You Must. Singer Dave MacTavish and late-arriving guitarist Paul Brett stepped in for Elmer Gantry in Velvet Opera. MacTavish cut 1970/71 singles in the hard-rock one-offs Big Bertha (with Cozy Powell and ex-Move bassist Ace Kefford) and Smoke Stack Crumble. Brett joined Fire for their 1970 release The Magic Shoemaker then fronted folk-rockers Sage before launching a solo career. Late-lineup Tintern drummer John ‘Willie’ Wilson subsequently drummed for Cochise, Quiver, and Al Stewart.>
Toby Twirl: Newcastle pop-psychsters, issued three 1968/69 Decca singles: “(The World of) Harry Faversham” (b/w “Back in Time”), “Toffee Apple Sunday” (b/w “Romeo and Juliet”), and “Movin’ In” (b/w “Utopia Daydream”). Both sides of “Toffee” are comped in the British Psychedelic Trip series on See For Miles. Other recordings are gathered on the 2017 Mega Dodo CD Toby Twirl. Drummer John Graham Reed produced assorted ’70s pop and disco acts (Fogg, Dead End Kids, Nightfall). Singer Steve Pickering cut a 1981 solo single as Dudley Doolittle.>
Together: Folk-psych duo of ex-Yardbirds Keith Relf and Jim McCarty. Issued one 1968 Columbia single: “Henry’s Coming Home” (b/w “Love Mum and Dad”). The pair assembled the original Renaissance for a 1969 self-titled album, then handed that nameplate to other musicians. Relf cut an album with hard-rockers Armageddon and died of electrocution in 1976 (age 33). McCarty headed one-off Shoot and rejoined the original Renaissance members in Illusion.>
Tomorrow: Two 1967 Parlophone singles — “My White Bicycle” (b/w “Claramount Lake”) and “Revolution” (b/w “Three Jolly Little Dwarfs”) — and a 1968 self-titled album. Mutated from mod-soulsters The In Crowd, featuring ex-Four + One singer Keith West, ex-Syndicats guitarist Steve Howe, and ex-Fairies drummer John “Twink” Alder. Involved in the Mark Wirtz super-project A Teenage Opera, which spawned two ’68 West solo singles. Twink and bassist John “Junior” Wood cut a single under Wirtz as The Aquarian Age (see above). West cut a 1974 solo album and a 1975 one-off in rustic-rockers Moonrider. Howe scored big in Yes and later Asia. Twink briefly joined The Pretty Things and formed proto-punks the Pink Fairies.>
Traffic:
Tuesday’s Children: Six singles (Columbia, Pye, King, Mercury) of light harmony pop-psych between 1966 and 1968, including the brassy “She,” the cello/harpsichord-laden “High On a Hill,” and the exotic-flavored “A Strange Light From The East.” Complete recordings collected on the Rev-Ola comp Strange Light From the East. Morphed into symphonic-rockers Czar after the departure of singer Phil Cordell.>
Turnstyle: One 1968 Pye single: “Riding a Wave” (b/w “Trot”). Drummer Mark Ashton played on the first two albums by Rare Bird. He later cut two albums with hard-rockers Headstone and two more as a solo artist.>
Turquoise: Two 1968 Decca singles: “53 Summer Street” (b/w “Tales of Flossie Fillett”) and “Woodstock” (b/w “Saynia”). Complete 1966–69 recordings collected on the Rev-Ola comp The Further Adventures of Flossie Fillett. Evolved from Muswell Hill beatsters The Brood, proteges of The Kinks. Drummer Ewan Stephans cut a pair of 1971/72 Decca solo singles. Guitarist Gus Peters surfaced in mid-’70s hard-rockers Slowbone.>
The Ugly’s: Brummie beatsters led by Steve Gibbons, issued four 1965/66 Pye singles. Turned psych with (future ELO) keyboardist Richard Tandy and (later Wizzard) drummer Keith Smart. Issued a single apeice on CBS (1967) and MGM (1969): “And the Squire Blew His Horn” (b/w “Real Good Girl”) and “I See the Light” (b/w “Mary Cilento”). Evolved into Balls with (ex-Move) Trevor Burton for a 1971 single.>
Vamp: An acronym of their fornames: drummer Viv Prince (ex-Pretty Things), keyboardist Andy Clark, and two ex-Sons of Fred members — guitarist Mick Hutchinson and bassist Pete Sears. All played in an early (pre-record) Sam Gopal lineup. One 1968 Atlantic single: “Floatin'” (b/w “Thinkin’ Too Much”), both Clark originals. Andy and Mick formed Clark Hutchinson. Sears joined Rod Stewart‘s early solo backing band and moved stateside for stints in Copperhead and Jefferson Starship. Clark later formed UPP.>
The Virgin Sleep: Hanworth/Feltham quartet, formed as beatsters Themselves. Two 1967/86 Deram singles: “Love” (b/w “Haliford House”) and “Secret” (b/w “Comes a Time”). A-sides multi-comped. Missing fifth track, “Arthur.” Guitarist Keith Purnell later backed Jackie Lynton. Bassist/songwriter Tony Rees cut ’70s singles in Sweeny Bean and The Cottagers, both on the Scandinavian Sonet label.>
Walham Green East Wapping, Carpet Cleaning Rodent and Boggit Exterminating Association: Fruit Machine↑ spinoff w/ guitarist Steve Gould and drummer Andre Curtis. One 1968 Columbia single: “Sorry Mr. Green” (b/w “Death of a Kind”). Gould became singer/bassist in Rare Bird, which later hired Curtis.>
Warm Sounds: Duo of Barry Younghusband (ex-Chancis, Thursday’s Children) and Denver Gerrard. July 1967 single “Sticks and Stone” (an original b/w “Angeline”) on Andrew Loog Oldham’s Immediate label between two ’67/68 Deram singles: “Birds and Bees” (b/w “Doo Dah”) and “Nite is a-Comin'” (b/w “Smeta Murgaty”). A-sides multi-comped. Gerrard made 1970 Deram solo album Sinister Morning, backed by High Tide. Husband played on Windy Daze by Open Road, Donovan‘s ex-backing band.>
The Washington D.C.’s: Formed pre-beat (c. 1959); three 1964–66 Ember/CBS singles. Final ’68 single on Domain: “I’ve Done It All Wrong” (b/w “Any Time”), produced by Miki Dallion. Bassist Roger Saunders and his replacement, Walt Monaghan, became the guitarist and bassist (respectively) in Freedom. Saunders joined Medicine Head. Monaghan joined Mick Abrahams (post-Blodwyn Pig) Band and the final lineup of IF. Drummer Brian Hillman formed German-based psych-rockers Rust w/ Monaghan and “Creepy” John Thomas..>
West Coast Consortium: North London quintet. Two 1967/68 Pye singles: “Some Other Someday” (b/w “Looking Back”) and “Colour Sergeant Lillywhite” (b/w “Lady from Baltimore”). Also recorded ’67 single “Indigo Spring” (b/w :LIsten to the Man”) under the forename of singer Robbie Fair. Shortened name to Consortium on four 1969 Pye singles. Two ’70/71 singles on Trend Records and a long-vaulted 1975 album (released in 2005). Pye material collected on 2003 Castle Music comp Looking Back – The Pye Anthology. Guitarist Geoff Simpson played in the 5000 Volts precurssor Airbus.>
Wimple Winch: Stockport-based Freakbeat quartet, spun from Merseybeatsters Just Four Men. Three 1966/67 Fontana singles: “What’s Been Done” (b/w “I Really Love You”), “Save My Soul” (b/w “Everybody’s Worried ‘Bout Tomorrow”), and “Rumble On Mersey Square South” (b/w “Typical British Workmanship / Atmosphere”). Drummer Lawrence Arends cut the 1970 album Feelin’ Free with Pacific Drift.>
Winston’s Fumbs: Formed as The Reflections by original Small Faces keyboardist (turned singer/guitarist) Jimmy Winston. One 1967 RCA single: “Real Crazy Apartment” (b/w “Snow White”). Keyboardist Tony Selvidge (ex-Federals) surfaced as original Yes keyboardist Tony Kaye (later Badger, Detective).>
Woolly Fish: Avant-psych combo, formed circa 1967 by Preston art student Dennis Leigh. Issued the electro-psych instrumental single “The Way You Like It” (b/w “The Sound of Thick”) on Plexium in 1970. Both sides are credited to one “Hodge.” The b-side is a reinterpreted Ideal Milk jingle. Leigh later became John Foxx and fronted Ultravox on three 1977–78 albums before launching a solo career.>
The Yellow Bellow Room Boom: Mancian studio concoction presented as a Regency-clad quintet for sham photoshoot. Actually a trio of Kevin Godley (ex-Mockingbirds), Lol Creme, and Stan Hoffman (ex-Measles). One 1967 CBS single: “Seeing Things Green” (b/w “Easy Life”), both Godley/Creme originals. The pair formed Hotlegs, which morphed into 10cc. Later worked as an art-pop duo and video-production team.>
Yellow Pages: Formerly The Mirage↑, cut 1968 Page One single “Here Comes Jane” (b/w “Ding Dong Bell”). Guitarist Dee Murray and drummer David Hynes joined a late-’68 Spencer Davis Group lineup and reteamed with keyboardist Ray Mynott for one single as Portebello Explosion and a 1970 album as Jawbone. Murray joined Elton John‘s backing band.>
Young Blood: Brummie quintet, spun from The Sorcerers. Four 1968/69 Pye singles, including the much-comped sides “Green Light,” “Masquerade,” “Don’t Leave Me In the Dark,” and the Beatles cover “The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill.” Mac Poole replaced original drummer Cozy Powell. Poole had 70s stints in Warhorse and Broken Glass.>
The Young Idea. Duo of Tony Cox and Douglas MacRea-Brown. Five 1966/67 Columbia singles, including much-comped Beatles cover “With a Little Help from My Friends” (b/w “Colours of Darnkess”) and “Mr. Lovin’ Luggage Man” (b/w “Room With a View”). One 1968 album on Music for Pleasure. Cox arranged 1968–71 titles by Caravan, Family, Gringo, Trees, and Yes.>
Zion De Gallier: aka Fairies singer Dane Stephens (b. Douglas Robert Ord). Two 1968 Parlophone singles: “Me” (b/w “Winter Will Be Cold”) and “Dream Dream Dream” (b/w “Geraldine”), the latter for A Teenage Opera by Mark Wirtz.>
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