MAD RIVER! Best psych!! High all the time...

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jamestkirk
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MAD RIVER! Best psych!! High all the time...

Post by jamestkirk »

I can't believe I missed this Ohio/SF psych band on Capitol Records (1968-69)!! I haven't been this excited since the Quicksilver/Fish daze!!

GREAT GREAT PSYCH JAMS in the genre of Country Joe and Quicksilver....but very original!!!


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Thanks to rw's tip...it's been reissued!!

WIND CHIMES
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNhkjGOs ... re=related

MAD RIVER

Mad River [1] formed at Antioch College in Yellow Springs, Ohio in April 1966. The band took its name from the nearby Mad River. By March 1967 they had relocated to Berkeley, California. There they came to the attention of cult author Richard Brautigan who launched the band into the growing hippie culture. They released an EP on the independent Wee label before signing a contract with Capitol Records in February 1968.[2] The group's lead songwriter was Lawrence Hammond, but all of the members sang vocals. They released two albums before disbanding in July 1969.

* David Robinson - guitar
* Rick Bockner - guitar
* Lawrence Hammond - bass
* Tom Manning - bass (April - Sept. 1966 / 6 & 12 string guitar - Mar. 1967 - Dec. 1968)
* Greg Dewey - drums
* Greg Duian - guitar (April - 1966 - Mar. 1967)


* Mad River (Capitol Records, ST-2985. 1968)
* Paradise Bar and Grill (Capitol Records, 1969) U.S. #192[3]

Both albums have been reissued by both Edsel and Sundazed Records.

_____________________________________________________________________


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About : One of the oddest San Francisco Bay Area bands of the late ’60s, Berkeley-based Mad River cut two albums that are highly regarded by psychedelic collectors. After releasing a rare EP on a tiny local label in 1967, the band signed with Capitol and released their self-titled debut the following year. Perhaps the most ominous San Francisco band of the time, the group often sounded like an extremely dark version of Quicksilver Messenger Service with a bit of Country Joe & the Fish’s minor-key melodies thrown in.

My words : This band ain't that heavy as Blue Cheer, but sure is darker. When you picture Bay Area psych rock from around late 60s, you picture it as the best music to trip to, but this is just opposite - this is probably music for bad trip. Weird, dark songs (Amphetamine Gazelle, Merciful Monks, High All The Time) in minor keys are what this band is about - and this is how Black Sabbath would sound if they would've been in the middle of Summer of Love. This obscure heavy dark psychedelic band acts like a bad brother of Quicksilver Messenger Service and Country Joe & The Fish - droned bass and organs with gloomy guitar and sad vocals are probably not the basic thing you would've find on the streets of Haight-Ashbury. However, they sure know how to kick some ass - in three maestral psych pieces that goes over 7 mins each (Eastern Light, Wind Chimes, The War Goes On) they show their jam skills. There's even acoustic piece that made me really glad (Hush, Julian). Being on edge of space rock of , let's say, pre-DSOTM Pink Floyd and psychedelic rock of Big Bro & Holding Company they produce unique blend of non-mainstream psych rock wraped in their own world of music thoughts - they were sure ahead of their time. If you thoguht you already heard what some bunch of smelly hippies on guitar can make, think again because this unobtrusive album will prove it wrong. --the60sound

___________________________________________________________________

rolling stone mag....


Jersey Sloo
Mad River
Jersey Sloo
Shagrat
Rolling Stone: star rating
5 4
Community: star rating
Comment 0
By David Fricke
April 11, 2012

This is psychedelic scholarship at its finest: a lavishly illustrated booklet and vinyl album devoted to these acid-rock pioneers. Born in Ohio, Mad River emigrated to San Francisco's ballrooms in early 1967 and cut legendary wax, including the 1968 freakout Mad River. David Biasotti's account of the band's highs and trials (a disastrous mastering of that album, a crushing review in this magazine) is a lesson in busted hippie dreams, while the music here – the furious outtake "Jersey Sloo" and four '67 demos, among them the group's signature trip, "Windchimes" – proves Mad River had nirvana in their grasp.

The War Goes On
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLeMms3Z ... ure=relmfu

Eastern Light
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nkm1eqLT ... ure=relmfu

JUST AMAZiNG!!!


Leave Me Stay
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xC7kXo9Znu4



[Image

=)
Last edited by jamestkirk on Thu Apr 19, 2012 4:02 pm, edited 2 times in total.
"After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music".

-Aldous Huxley
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jamestkirk
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Post by jamestkirk »

Another great psych tune...Mad River

Merciful Monks
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGf2OBk5aJs


& this nice little ditty...

Love's Not the Way to Treat A friend
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqj_RN5c ... re=related
"After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music".

-Aldous Huxley
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jamestkirk
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Post by jamestkirk »

High all the time...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5IEz_w8COM


MAD RIVER

=)
"After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music".

-Aldous Huxley
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Post by lovemygirl »

Mad River - "A Gazelle" & "Orange Fire", "High All The Time " and -" Love's not the way to treat a friend "....and

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xP0IX6Ig ... 3E7BCB5095


.....a killer band...
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Lost Prophet
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Post by Lost Prophet »

First time I've heard this less known psychedelic band and I can tell you, they made some fantastic music. Simply amazing.
James, have to agree with you, they sound like darker version of QMS, but also their passages remind me of Country Joe. One hell of a band from SF psychedelic scene. Thanks for posting!
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jamestkirk
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Post by jamestkirk »

Lost Prophet wrote:First time I've heard this less known psychedelic band and I can tell you, they made some fantastic music. Simply amazing.
James, have to agree with you, they sound like darker version of QMS, but also their passages remind me of Country Joe. One hell of a band from SF psychedelic scene. Thanks for posting!
I hear Country Joe & The Fish a lot too, especially in the long instrumental breaks

The track "Paradise Bar & Grill" moves into a country rock psych direction.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWSxthwN ... re=related

...and...

"Harfy Magnum" is a great acoustic instrumental..a kind of prog folk rock
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-y1nPBFe ... re=related
"After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music".

-Aldous Huxley
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Lost Prophet
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Post by Lost Prophet »

These two tracks are also great, James. Simply cannot believe I haven't heard this band earlier, they are great. Wonder why they were so obscure? They should be among the best psych bands, judging by creativity and unique sound.
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jamestkirk
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Post by jamestkirk »

Lost Prophet wrote:These two tracks are also great, James. Simply cannot believe I haven't heard this band earlier, they are great. Wonder why they were so obscure? They should be among the best psych bands, judging by creativity and unique sound.
They were out of print for 30 years...and their initial Capitol release was so PANNED by reviewers for the bad production (mastered at a higher speed that distorted the sound) they didn't stand a chance. The badly produced record was the only chance they got until the 1969 release and by then the psych sound was going away, pushed aside by country rock and the 70's!

Rolling Stone gives the 2012 reissue five stars!!
"After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music".

-Aldous Huxley
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