Neighb’rhood Childr’n -

Neighb’rhood Childr’n were an American psychedelic rock band that released a 1968 self-titled album on Atca Records.

Members: Dyan Hoffman (vocals, keyboards, tambourine), Rick Bolz (vocals, guitar, harmonica, tambourine), Ron Raschdorf (guitar, harmonica, tambourine, vocals), Wayne Arthur Farrens (harmonica, drums, vocals), George Glenn (bass guitar)

Background

Neighb’rhood Childr’n evolved from The Navarros, a garage band from Medford, Oregon, with singer–keyboardist Dianne Hoffman and singer–guitarist Rick Bolz. On the LA-based GNP Crescendo, The Navarros cut one 1965 single: the Ike Turner cover “Ikie,” a mid-tempo male–female harmony rocker with a galloping bridge; backed with the Bolz original “Moses,” a jittery surf-rocker.

The Navarros moved to San Francisco but lost three members to the military. Dianne (who abbreviated her forename to Dyan) and Bolz hired guitarist Ron Raschdorf and drummer Wayne Arthur Farren, both from Oroville north of Sacramento. As Neighb’rhood Childr’n, they signed with Atca, the newly established psychedelic subsidiary of the LA-based Dot Records label.

Neighb’rhood Childr’n (album)

Neighb’rhood Childr’n released their self-titled album in May 1968 on Atca.

The album contains ten originals by Rick Bolz plus a The Wizard of Oz number (“Over the Rainbow”) and “She’s Got No Identification,” a song by Owens Castleman and Michael Martin Murphy (recently of The Lewis and Clark Expedition).

Neighb’rhood Childr’n pairs swirling Farfisa and fuzz-toned guitar with dual vocals from Bolz and Dyan Hoffman, often in parallel motion. Songs like “Up Down Turn Around World” and “Feeling Zero” harness clipped garage rhythms and reverb-heavy tones, while “Chocolate Angel” veers into noise-laden psychedelia with volatile shifts and toy-piano motifs. “Patterns” and “Long Years in Space” stretch into droning minor modes, offset by the waltzing lightness of “Happy Child” and the clipped march of “Please Leave Me Alone.” Their take on “Over the Rainbow” begins as baroque parody and breaks into sustained distortion, while “Hobbit’s Dream” closes the album in bleary, slow-motion resignation.

A1. “Up Down Turn Around World” (2:20)
A2. “Long Years in Space” (2:50)
A3. “Feeling Zero” (3:08)
A4. “Over the Rainbow” (2:35)
A5. “Changes Brought to Me” (2:10)
A6. “Please Leave Me Alone” (2:33)

B1. “Chocolate Angel” (3:00)
B2. “Happy Child” (2:14)
B3. “Patterns” (3:23)
B4. “Happy World of Captain K” (2:53)
B5. “She’s Got No Identification” (2:33)
B6. “Hobbit’s Dream” (1:45)

Neighb’rhood Childr’n recorded the album with producers Larry Goldberg (Afterglow, The Maze, The Other Half), Leo Kulka (Syndicate of Sound, Mad River, Sons of Champlin). Kulka also served as engineer alongside Stan Agol.

Neighb’rhood Childr’n appeared in a single sleeve designed by Jack Martin (of Patterson & Hall) with art direction by Christopher Whorf, who oversaw 1968 Dot/Acta visuals for The American Breed, Colours, Nancy Priddy, The Peppermint Trolley, and The Travel Agency. The cover shows each member as posters inside the windows of a Victorian San Fransisco apartment complex. The backside contains three columns of band-written liner notes.

Acta preceded the album’s release with “Please Leave Me Alone,” issued as a March 1968 single with “Happy Child.”

Followup Singles

In July 1968, Neighb’rhood Childr’n dropped a standalone single: “Behold the Lilies,” a Diana Hoffman original backed with “I Want Action,” a Ruby Winters cover.

In May 1969, Dot issued a new Neighb’rhood Childr’n single: “On Our Way” backed with “Woman Think.” The two songs — written respectively by outsiders Tom Kouza and J.C. Horton — were tasters for a planned second album.

Aftermath

Neighb’rhood Childr’n toured the West Coast circuit in support of their album, sharing bills with The Who, Deep Purple, The Beau Brummels, and The Turtles. After a series of touring setbacks, the band shifted focus to spiritual material and changed their name to White Horse. Though they recorded a second album for Dot, its release was cancelled when the label ceased operations in 1970. Unable to secure a new deal, the group disbanded later that year.

Discography: