Too much "psych"

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James T
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Too much "psych"

Post by James T »

Is it just me? I'm baffled by hearing and seeing about Psych fests here there and everywhere. Is there one in every town now?

Everywhere I look now even in a reasonably small city like Manchester there are psych gigs and psych nights and psych this and psych that. Bars that would not ask me back if I played stuff like this 4/5 years ago are now promoting this stuff and lapping it up. When did it become a fashion? Coffee table psych is coming, starbucks will be selling the CDs soon.
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Re: Too much "psych"

Post by runcible »

Stop complaining. We've got fuck all like that in Leeds.

More psych in Leeds please!
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Re: Too much "psych"

Post by James T »

Yes, maybe I am being a little grumpy. It's just total overkill though it seems!
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Re: Too much "psych"

Post by runcible »

Not in Leeds it isn't.
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Re: Too much "psych"

Post by James T »

Leeds gets a whole load of awesome gigs at the brudenell though, which is better than any Manchester venue. So you can't have everything. I fear I have made a terrible thread here, but it stands that I am getting a bit exhausted of psych psych psych. Although I have just booked carlton melton, so I will have to list it as a psych show and psych it up to everyone.
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Re: Too much "psych"

Post by runcible »

We get a few great gigs at the Brudenell. That place's reputation has bands wanting to play there.

Don't go envying Leeds for that one outstanding venue though. Most bands touring miss us out. And as I type I still have no gigs lined up for 2014 bar the ones I'm taking my kids to. The one possibility is German psychonauts Electric Moon who play in June, but that show is in... ...Manchester.

In terms of bands playing the cities outside London Manchester is a 99% certainty for most people on tour. So stop moaning - you get a better selection of shows than we do by some distance. We don't even have any decent collectors record shops although, bizarrely, one has just opened up in Harrogate of all places!
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Re: Too much "psych"

Post by James T »

I'm not moaning about the shows themselves, I just don't like the way they're all tagged up in the same way so all the shows end up looking identical and a bit "in crowd"... Maybe this is a manchester thing.
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Re: Too much "psych"

Post by James T »

I guess it just looks here like it is the easy way forward and a lot of new "psych" nights are cropping up and do much of the same as what is already going on.
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Re: Too much "psych"

Post by runcible »

I refer you to the first point I made in this thread.
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Re: Too much "psych"

Post by James T »

I've made a bad job of this. I'm not saying any of the nights/events are better or worse than the others, I just think there's maybe too many and people could work together on them more rather than exhausting it. Obviously this doesn't apply to you and people in Leeds, but maybe it's similar in London or maybe for the metal stuff in Birmingham, there seemed to be a lot of crossover at one point unless it was all the same promoters.

I remember in Manchester a while back there were a load of nights doing electro-pop and DFA type clubs and eventually some of the best ones just stopped because there because a lot of clashes and stuff.

I guess its more worry than moaning from this side. Some quality nights won't carry on if they're not breaking even which can be hard when there's so much similar stuff going on and venues are not cheap to let.
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Re: Too much "psych"

Post by runcible »

You could do one in Leeds of course - that's said without any piss-taking I should add. I'd go!
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Re: Too much "psych"

Post by James T »

I'd be happy to do a Dots & Loops in Leeds, only problem is printed promotion with me being in Manchester. Also, our "reach" online seems to only cover Manchester and London so it makes it hard to get visibility. I'd be very much up for a shoegaze "psych" pop krautrock party though. I did try once previously.
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Re: Too much "psych"

Post by runcible »

You should think about it. We have a fine psych band in Hookworms and those guys know a few cool musicians in the area.

Have a look at Wharf Chambers in Leeds. Compact, nice people, central - and it's cheap to hire.
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Re: Too much "psych"

Post by James T »

Wharf Chambers does look to be a good place. Maybe I'll look into it, I'd need to find help though to really make it take off. A good idea though buddy.
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Re: Too much "psych"

Post by runcible »

If you set anything up and I am free I will come.

There is a promoter here called Cops and Robbers:
http://www.copsandrobbers.net/

People always go on about those guys. Might be worth getting in touch. Failing that the guys in Jumbo and Crash are always friendly and may have some advice on promotion.

Good luck - hope you can sort something...
plastic37
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Re: Too much "psych"

Post by plastic37 »

Yes, there seems to be a lot more of it about.
I guess people have a clearer idea of what the term means... or have extended the definitions they work with so it is more comfortable to use it. And the associations with classic bands from the cannon means that Psych = quality, conviction, grit, raw, passion, noncommercial, loud and good to see live even if the bands don't put on much of a show. As long as they look like they mean it it works.

I hate the word myself. Never use it. Has over use led to a diluted version? No, i think many of todays bands are more psychedelic than the previous generations. Bands seem happier to run with it.
Here in Birmingham i've always thought of the Supersonic festival as very much a gathering of psychedelic bands but I'm sure the promoters would never use the term psych to market it.

Have you ever been to see a band that are described as psychedelic and not agreed with the classification?

When people start defining the genre i groan. To me pretty much all music has psychedelic qualities.
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Re: Too much "psych"

Post by shalloboi »

yeah, i understand the sentiment here.

kansas city even has a psych fest now. i'm wondering where this mania was 12 years ago when i was playing psych/shoegazey stuff there and could never find shows or places to play or like-minded bands or people there.

the one in chicago has been around for a few years and is still pretty small, but the same 10 bands always play it- seems kind of weird for a city this size that has tons of bands.

for the most part it just seems like it's a fashionable way to classify things right now- i find it applied to a lot of music that it doesn't necessarily fit.
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Re: Too much "psych"

Post by clewsr »

plastic37 wrote:Yes, there seems to be a lot more of it about.
Psych = quality, conviction, grit, raw, passion, noncommercial, loud and good to see live even if the bands don't put on much of a show. As long as they look like they mean it it works.
I like that definition. I have no problem with the term psych or psychedelic. I think it reasonably describes most of the music I've been into over the last 20 years and am pleased it seems to be gaining popularity, relatively speaking.

I wonder if the use of the term has increased due to the denigration of the term 'indie' over the last decade. Landfill indie and all that early 2000s stuff, Keane et al, would probably put off any aspiring bands from be termed as indie. Also I imagine 'Indie' nights smacks a little of teenage discos.
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Re: Too much "psych"

Post by James T »

A fair point about 'Indie'. It says it on my flyer and people ask why I don't play the killers and courteeners. I would generally avoid a night that classed itself as exclusively indie.
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Re: Too much "psych"

Post by plastic37 »

Landfill Indie/Indie Landfill is a new phrase that i am totally happy about using!
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Re: Too much "psych"

Post by Shinesalight »

I agree that the term "psych" has certainly become more and more widespread. When I was questioned several years ago about what type of music I was into and I replied that "psychedelic drone rock" best described it, I was always met with puzzled looks. Obviously this kind of music is still really niche but I think the likes of Wooden Shjips and Black Angels (especially through their Psych Fest in Austin) , the "success" of smaller independent record shops like Norman, Picadilly and Resident down here in Brighton backing the genre and the labels like Thrill Jockey Cardinal Fuzz creating a buzz with vinyl collectors especially have helped give Psych a bigger profile. Hopefully it won't become an over and incorrectly used label though.
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angelsighs
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Re: Too much "psych"

Post by angelsighs »

it's true that the term 'psych' seems to be being bandied around a lot these days, much more than a few years ago. I reckon it will have a brief moment in the sun of being the 'In Thing' then will go back to how it was.
like any genre it has a lot of formulaic acts in there, but you just have to sort out the wheat from the chaff. I certainly hope events like the Liverpool Psych Fest stick around and go from strength to strength.
I do agree that a lot of music (if it's any good, anyway) can have psychedelic qualities. and the term can cover quite a lot of stuff, from drone, to shoegaze, to acid rock, to krautrock.
there is perhaps still some way to go before the layman understands the term, though... one friend of mine, when I told them I like psychedelic music, thought I was talking about dance music (getting Acid House mixed up with Acid Rock?). or I get asked if I take drugs, when I enjoy nothing stronger than a few beers!
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Re: Too much "psych"

Post by plastic37 »

Shinesalight wrote:Hopefully it won't become an over and incorrectly used label though.
errr... i think the horse has bolted on that one!
angelsighs wrote:thought I was talking about dance music (getting Acid House mixed up with Acid Rock?).
May be that's a case of getting psychedelic mixed up with psych which i guess is where the latter term has some use. Psych is perhaps all about guitars but psychedelic sounds can be anything, from any instrument, style, voice, subject matter.

Currently listening to the recently discovered 13th Floor Elevators session on youtube. For me they are the least psychedelic of the first generation psych bands. That jug is cool, the voice is superb and the lyrics mystical/visionary (?) but i like my guitar psychedelia to be laced with wha/delay/fuzz and flange.
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Re: Too much "psych"

Post by runcible »

plastic37 wrote:Currently listening to the recently discovered 13th Floor Elevators session on youtube. For me they are the least psychedelic of the first generation psych bands. That jug is cool, the voice is superb and the lyrics mystical/visionary (?) but i like my guitar psychedelia to be laced with wha/delay/fuzz and flange.
I don't agree - the sounds on that 1st album hadn't been heard before. It's also rather hard to argue with the vibe of something Earthquake which positively ripples with lysergic energy - that song is massively psychedelic and possesses a truly demented amount of weird sounds and fuzzy guitar. That's 1967 and the year people always look at for psychedelic origins. Yet that was the Elevators 2nd album, so despite being miles from the epicentre they were at least a year ahead of almost everyone else.
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Re: Too much "psych"

Post by plastic37 »

10 Bands Which (to me) Sound More Psychedelic Than The 13th Floor Elevators And Released Records In Or Before June 1967.
...is a rather dry name for a play list but will keep me busy revisiting and researching over the next few cold nights for alligators. Cheers Runcible! I'm looking forward to digging up some nuggets.

I do love the Elevators and solo Roky/Aliens etc
But i don't see/hear what is so ground breakingly psychedelic about much of the actual sounds that come from the speakers. Lyrics - yes, lifestyle - yes, vision and ethos - yes
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Re: Too much "psych"

Post by redcloud »

plastic37 wrote: Currently listening to the recently discovered 13th Floor Elevators session on youtube. For me they are the least psychedelic of the first generation psych bands. That jug is cool, the voice is superb and the lyrics mystical/visionary (?) but i like my guitar psychedelia to be laced with wha/delay/fuzz and flange.

The fact that you are new to this band and that you are listening to them on youtube means that there is absolutely NO WAY you can listen properly to them and make such a sweeping statement.

To put it simply...The Elevators lived and breathed psychedelia. They were not just about "sound effects" or making drone, effects driven, stoner, guitar jams. They believed in spirituality through chemistry and they lived and breathed the very definition of the word. Also, in 1966 there really was very little else that comes close to what they were doing. Yes, there are other bands who were moving in that direction but, the Elevators trio of albums musically, lyrically, spiritually and conceptually embody everything that is psychedelic.

Listen beyond some crap 128kbps youtube video. Seek the albums out, listen closely, read more about this band and then come back and form a logical argument either way.
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Re: Too much "psych"

Post by plastic37 »

redcloud wrote:The fact that you are new to this band
Where did i say i was new to the Elevators?

I am new to that session - i think every one is.
The first Elevators lps i brought were the Decal reissues in the late 80s - when i was 18/19. Perhaps it is becsue i am so familiar with them that their status as THE Psychedelic trailblazers somewhat bemuses me.

There were loads of other bands at it in 1966.
For you clearly The Elevators were one of the best.
And for me too they are a great band. A great rock n roll band with some spiritual subjects in the lyrics.
Sonically they weren't pushing many boundaries - no more so than several others. I have some other heretic views on another band who occupy a similar position in the cannon but I don't want to be accused of not knowing anything about them in any "sweeping statement"s i make. 'Cos i tend not to make sweeping statements.

I've read what there is. I slogged through the Paul Drummond book (needs to loose at least 100 pages) after years of picking up bits and bobs of information from fanzines, old press cuttings and that chapter in Nick Kent's The Dark Stuff - which is very very dark indeed. I don't like the way Tommy was this Guru figure. I didn't realise that Roky was so young and how much Tommy piloted the ship in a particular direction. And all the stuff with the label. When i got those Decal releases i thought that a bad press/mastering was the cause of the crap sound. Turns out they have sounded pretty poor from the start.

My argument is totally logical. Heresy I know but hey, I could do with out the "go away and come back when you know something" sentiment - totally uncalled for. But, yes, i will be coming back with my 10 Bands Which (to me)... list.

Its a long time since those lps were released. A lot of psychedelic music has been released since then so I think the term can be applied way beyond the philosophy/song structures/lyrics etc of one band. I don't think one 40 year old band can embody a vibrant scene. And yep, i still think that there are a few good examples of what came before that was (to me) more psychedelic.
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Re: Too much "psych"

Post by redcloud »

plastic37 wrote:
redcloud wrote:The fact that you are new to this band
Where did i say i was new to the Elevators?

I am new to that session - i think every one is.
Fair enough. I immediately jumped on the "newly discovered" and the rest of your comment without absorbing the "session" that followed. Those sessions being the Contact Sessions, I am assuming? They were released in the original "Sign of the Three eyed Men" cd box set. But, a lot of those recordings have been on various boots for years. It's also my understanding there are several more than collectors would not part with. One day, hopefully we will hear them.

Sticking with American psych....there is an album by The Deep called "Psychedelic Moods", which was released at a similar time as "Psychedelic sounds" as was the Blues Magoos first album. It's arguable which band used the term first as they were released within weeks/months of each other. But, we all know the BM album is far from psychedelic. The Deep album, however, is pretty fucking creepy and wild. Well worth exploring if you do not know it.

Songs like "Slip Inside This House", "Reverberation", "Roller Coaster", "Thru The Rhythm" are very psychedelic in my opinion. Especially when listened to in context for when they were recorded. The mind set was very different, the technology primitive to today's standards and rock and roll was still in its infancy. When Roky sings about metaphysical existence or stripping ones ego or the surreal, spiritual imagery throughout "Slip Inside This House" one can feel the honesty in his words that he believed it (even if it was Tommy who was the spiritual leader of the band). I feel it in Stacy's notes as well as in Danny/John Ike/Leatherman and Benny's playing. They lived what they preached and unlike many other bands they also had less of an overt blues influence coming through their music. They really took it in a different direction. I also do not believe one can compare their brand of 48 year old psychedelia and compare to bands today. Too much has come since the Elevators.

There are also a ton of unknown 60's bands that recorded stuff one can find on Pebbles or the various off shoots that eventually unearthed extremely obscure teen bands that recorded a single or two. But, they don't, nor can they, count as their influence was never as big as the Elevators. I think early Country Joe & The Fish are definitely worthy of high praise too with "Bass Strings", "Section 43", "Happiness Is A Porpoise Mouth", "Grace", "Magoo", "Eastern Jam" etc. They too ingested a lot of LSD and lived what they preached. BUT, the difference with many of these bands and the Elevators is just how completely invested they (The Elevators) were in the psychedelic/spiritual lifestyle and concept of mind and way of life.

And yes, I am biased. For me, The 13th Floor Elevators, The MC5 and The Pretty Things are, in my opinion, the three greatest rock and roll bands, ever!
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Re: Too much "psych"

Post by plastic37 »

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Re: Too much "psych"

Post by redcloud »

plastic37 wrote:here's the session.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNF1Nr-_UmE#t=28
This tape, I believe is from Feb. 9, 1966 and it was their first performance at the New Orleans Club. After it they were signed as the house band. It was broadcast live on the radio and tapes were known to exist but Elevatorheads held tight to them. Clearly, they are now out. The wonders of the internet? Maybe. Sometimes it is nice to have something dear rather than something so easily available. But, I digress.

Keep in mind this recording was eight months before the 1st LP was released. These early days of the band they still needed to pad out their set list with a number of covers. That said, listen to the strength of the original material and compare it to a lot of other bands in '66. It's very profound, tribal and pretty fucking "out there" even for today's standards. I have several recordings from the New Orleans Club during this time and I find them fascinating.

To be honest, as the band progressed the studio was probably a better medium for the Elevators anyway. They would have been able to explore directions and get their message across much easier and without the limitations that the live technology of the day would have presented.
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Re: IS there too much "psych"?

Post by semisynthetic »

It is somewhat amusing for me to think of this "overload" of "Psychedelia" when what was once clearly listed as "Acid Rock" or "Acid Music" in record stores or in the common language, was made Politically Correct by relabeling certain bands as "Ambient" or "Electronic" or some other "acceptable" genre.

I once bought, in the "Acid Rock" section, a copy of Tangerine Dream - "Journey through a Burning Brain"; within a few years, it had by then been downgraded to being found listed as "Electronic", and any reference made to Psychedelia was ommitted, something that I have observed with a great many bands and releases.

Personally, I have always had some trouble with the nomenclature used to describe what any band produces. Now, at least the IDEA of Psychedelia can be readily seen again; but I wonder. Is "Psych" once again "in" because of an increase in the use of Psychedelics, thus increasing the interest in the music that seems "made" for excursions, or is it just the "Idea of Psychedelia", without any first hand experience or intimate knowledge of just what "Psych" entails? Is it a marketing ploy or movement again? In fact, like most "music" and "fashion", one usually follows the other, unfortunately. Despite my enjoyment of Psychedelia over the years, I was always amused with Zappa's "psychedelic dungeons popping up on every street" (which was the case at the time, in fact). Still, I enjoy music that lets my mind drift. Much of that music is not harmed a bit by the correct apertif, of which many natural and synthetic varieties are appropriate to the specific piece.
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Re: Too much "psych"

Post by redcloud »

Semi, I could be wrong but I do not think there is an increase in psychedelic use. I think the term "psych" these days is used to describe any band that has a tendency to jam or use a fuzz pedal, wah, phaser etc. Essentially, a band that writes introverted or "cosmic" lyrics, lets loose and explores their pedal board by distorting the guitar signal often becomes labeled as "psych".

For me, however, the lack of expected or cliche psychedelic effects does not make a band any less psychedelic. This was the point I was trying to say about The Elevators and what I recently said in more detail to a few friends. In comparison to the Elevators so many of these newer "psych" bands lack soul and an honesty about them. The Elevators lived, breathed and preached a psychedelic life style. Few bands are as true to the term "psychedelic" as these guys were.

This is one of the reasons why S3 were so amazing as they said more with one extended, wiry drone note than most bands could in a 20 minute jam. That said, Bardo Pond are a good example of a contemporary band that ooze psychedelia, imho. Their multi-layered, heavily textural riffs coupled with Isobel's voice are thick, organic and smoky just like the substances there were conceived out of.
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Re: Too much "psych"

Post by nogoodboyo »

We used to have a psych night in town. The Reverberation Club.
Some bunch of rowdies called the Spacemen occasionally interrupted the proceedings but other than that it was a pretty decent night out.
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Re: Too much "psych"

Post by runcible »

nogoodboyo wrote:We used to have a psych night in town. The Reverberation Club.
Some bunch of rowdies called the Spacemen occasionally interrupted the proceedings but other than that it was a pretty decent night out.
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Re: Too much "psych"

Post by davedecay »

cool elevators page
http://www.lysergia.com/LamaWorkshop/El ... rsLive.htm
" A Survey Of Existing Elevators Live Recordings 1966-68"
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Re: Too much "psych"

Post by redcloud »

davedecay wrote:cool elevators page
http://www.lysergia.com/LamaWorkshop/El ... rsLive.htm
" A Survey Of Existing Elevators Live Recordings 1966-68"
Patrick is one of the leading voices of psychedelia and a major collector. He's based in Sweden and is an old trading chum of mine. He wrote a reference book on the Elevators, which for the completist is excellent but I believe it is now out of print.
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Re: Too much "psych"

Post by BzaInSpace »

nogoodboyo wrote:We used to have a psych night in town. The Reverberation Club.
Some bunch of rowdies called the Spacemen occasionally interrupted the proceedings but other than that it was a pretty decent night out.
Ha!

To be honest, as some have indicated here or already suggested, "psyche" is just a fashionable tag to have at the moment. A few years back wasn't it suddenly fashionable to state your band's style was "afrobeat-inspired"? Load of wank.

There was even an article about this last year on the Guardian's music section - can't be bothered to look for it - Sonic Boom and some other bands were interviewed for it.

(In saying this, anything is better than the brutal post-Strokes hangover of truly shitty 'garage' bands, with the likes of the Libertines as the vanguard of a tidal wave of crapness. That nonsense lasted for years...)

I think it's also fashionable at the moment for new bands to lose the definitive article - so you get these bands with daft, one word names that defy logic: Fragments. Lassoos. Pouches.

Fucknuts.

Good times...

A wiser man than me once said that if you really need to take drugs to get off on the music, then there's something wrong with the music, and I'm inclined to agree.

A bunch of expensive guitar pedals and "Haight-Ashbury at Topman" threads do not make you psychedelic - they make you look like a tit.

The most truly psychedelic, head-spinning, levitation-imminent records I heard last year were probably by Major Lazer and Daniel Avery. Just of the top of my head... but not a lot of guitars there, and in Avery's case, none at all.

As for the 13th Floor Elevators, I can see the Plastic37's point in that 45 or so years down the line they don't sound overly "psychedelic" with the lack of modern (or not) staples of "psychedelic" production effects - as effects is all they are - such as phased/panned vocals, backward delays, tremelos, heavy reverb, distorted guitars, flange...

A lot of these effects, at least in analogue format such as tape delays etc had been around since the 60s or earlier - but IMO in a lot of cases date the music a lot. The likes of Hendrix avoided that though through skillful and subtle use, and not just throwing everything through a massive phaser (with the respectful exception of the outro to 'Bold As Love', and that sounds magnificent!

In my opinion, the fact that The Elevators didn't smother their recordings in all those, well... 'gimmicks' is massively to their advantage. They still sound so fresh, raw, vital and head-spinningly intense, I think covering that stuff in effects as such would dilute it's raw lysergic power.

'Earthquake' and 'I've Got Levitation' are probably my favourites from Easter Everywhere- which probably means their my all-time favourite Elevators tracks. I think I prefer the bonkers, full-tilt heavy garage flavour to even the epics on that album.
Despite being a pretty early example of a rock band using full 8-track recording (The Beatles were at least a away from that technology!) it's so primal and live in the room... they could have easily filled those tracks with all sorts of trippy effects, but they just got down the great sound of the band on fire in the room with the use of minimal overdubs.

For me... that's just another reason why they fucking rule.

Besides, Tommy Hall's jug is bonkers enough... :D
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Re: Too much "psych"

Post by plastic37 »

I had forgotten about the Bobby Gillespie interview at the end of this broadcast. This is a view of psychedelic meaning from the front line of the 'when indie was indie' era - 1987.
Interview starts at 3.12: "I think being in a car crash can be psychedelic..." as an opening gambit surely prompts a listen.

Great track.
Last edited by plastic37 on Fri Apr 11, 2014 10:12 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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TheWarmth
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Re: Too much "psych"

Post by TheWarmth »

One of my Facebook friends has been griping a lot about "psych" being everywhere nowadays. Too many psych rock bands, festivals, etc. Whatever. I don't really see it as something to moan about. So there is more interest in that genre than there used to be. So what? That doesn't mean that you have to stop enjoying the bands you enjoy. Maybe there will be a bit more muck to wade through when seeking out good music, but I long got over the fact that there is a ton of horrible muck out there.
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Re: Too much "psych"

Post by James T »

Definitely too many '[location] psych fest'

Berlin one seems to have gone well.... :shock:
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Re: Too much "psych"

Post by TheWarmth »

Too many? Why? If there were six psych fests in one city in a year, then I could see being annoyed by it, but I don't think that's the case.
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Too much "psych"

Post by semisynthetic »

TheWarmth wrote:One of my Facebook friends has been griping a lot about "psych" being everywhere nowadays. Too many psych rock bands, festivals, etc. Whatever. I don't really see it as something to moan about. So there is more interest in that genre than there used to be. So what? That doesn't mean that you have to stop enjoying the bands you enjoy. Maybe there will be a bit more muck to wade through when seeking out good music, but I long got over the fact that there is a ton of horrible muck out there.
Absolutely right. It is a very GOOD way of seeing and hearing what you like or what is "muck". I have always disliked the categorization of music, I commented on the "de-evolution" of Pyschedelic to "psych", but as for the purpose of weeding out the noise and finding good music and good bands, bring on the Concerts! One time I DO travel (other than to obtain items of interest) is to go to Live Shows. It is daunting to enter a multi-level record store filled with "filler", with exceptional music hiding amongst the mass.
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Re: Too much "psych"

Post by Huxley123 »

I see it as a positive that more and more people are finding out about and getting into the sub genre although whether it is just the latest passing transient fashion remains to be seen. Funny thing is though you've got authentic bands who have been pushing the scene for years well under the radar still playing to niche crowds whereas watered down versions who have managed to hit the nme/mainstream appeal are playing at large venues and festivals...
So for all the talk and coverage that "psych" is getting by the press, warlocks, asteroid 4 etc etc are playing the same venues they have for years which for bands like that must be frustrating.
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Re: Too much "psych"

Post by James T »

TheWarmth wrote:Too many? Why? If there were six psych fests in one city in a year, then I could see being annoyed by it, but I don't think that's the case.
One reason is that they stop promoters from putting on the bands for their own stand-alone headline shows. I would rather watch a bands own show any day instead of a 40 minute slot at 5 in the afternoon.
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Re: Too much "psych"

Post by olan »

Huxley123 wrote:I see it as a positive that more and more people are finding out about and getting into the sub genre although whether it is just the latest passing transient fashion remains to be seen. Funny thing is though you've got authentic bands who have been pushing the scene for years well under the radar still playing to niche crowds whereas watered down versions who have managed to hit the nme/mainstream appeal are playing at large venues and festivals...
So for all the talk and coverage that "psych" is getting by the press, warlocks, asteroid 4 etc etc are playing the same venues they have for years which for bands like that must be frustrating.
Not as frustrating as trying to watch the Warlocks play when Bobby carries on like an arse.... :evil: I take your point about The Asteroid #4 and many others though.....
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Re: Too much "psych"

Post by Laz69 »

I had a chat with the Julian, drummer with The Cosmic Dead, at the Lumerians Glasgow show last week and he kinda agreed that the whole "psych" scene was being very much diluted by many poor imitation bands that were simply cashing in with the labels being thrown around, HOWEVER, he actually suggested that it works in his favour as the band realise that they have to work hard to keep pushing themselves and their music forward to stay original and interesting and to not get lost amongst all the dross thats now around... so i think it helps keep bands on their toes too!
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Re: Too much "psych"

Post by davedecay »

Brown Sabbath? nice.

http://noisey.vice.com/blog/brown-sabba ... e-stream-1
Hey, you. Yeah, you. You sitting behind the computer screen. What are you doing with your life right now? You're probably just were surfing the internets, catching the latest tweets and trending topics of what's happening in this big bad world. How many tabs do you have open now? Eight? Nine? Ten? How many are YouTube clips your friends gchatted you and you watched instead of filling out that paperwork you should've filled out yesterday? It's cool. We all do it. But right now, let's procrastinate in the way that you know you want to: close all that other shit, run to the bathroom, take a bong rip, put on your headphones, and crank the volume the fuck up, because we have a special premiere for you. Brown Sabbath—an alter-ego Black Sabbath cover band from Austin-based Brownout—delivers a note for note crushing take on Black Sabbath's "Hand of Doom," featuring vocals from Black Angels singer Alex Maas. It comes from the group's upcoming ten-inch Hand of Doom, out May 27, with a full-length LP that will follow on June 24.

And hey, like what you hear? Well then get psyched because Noisey is a proud sponsor of this year's Austin Psych Festival.
http://brownout.bandcamp.com/album/hand ... -wizard-10
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Re: Too much "psych"

Post by angelsighs »

yet another psych fest, in Manchester.
too much psych?

https://www.facebook.com/cosmosisfestival
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Re: Too much "psych"

Post by James T »

This also happened last year also with the warlocks and the kvb, telescopes etc..., I DJ'd at it and am again! It was a fun time, though I really don't like the venue. The guys who run it are always really helpful if i ever need help with Dots & Loops stuff, and i think they've done really well with the line-up this year.

No doubt that Liverpool gets the better line-up and (probably) venue, lots more funds to spend; but I had a lot more fun at Cosmosis because it just seemed like a really great house party at a derelict mansion off the curry mile.

I am still sick of hearing about psych though.
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Re: Too much "psych"

Post by Laz69 »

I read today that the main man of Tame Impala has been working with Mark Ronson... wonder where that fits in the new "psych" spectrum :lol: :lol: :lol:
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Re: Too much "psych"

Post by sunray »

Laz69 wrote:I read today that the main man of Tame Impala has been working with Mark Ronson... wonder where that fits in the new "psych" spectrum :lol: :lol: :lol:
Fits in perfectly with my opinion of Tame Impala; psych for twelve year olds. Alright soundtrack for your first ever spliff but not much cop beyond that. (Puts on tin hat in preparation for angry mob! )
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Re: Too much "psych"

Post by angelsighs »

A Psych Tribute to The Beatles

http://cleorecs.com/store/shop/the-magi ... eatles-cd/

A Psych Tribute to The Rolling Stones

http://cleorecs.com/store/shop/stoned-a ... stones-cd/
sunray wrote:
Laz69 wrote:I read today that the main man of Tame Impala has been working with Mark Ronson... wonder where that fits in the new "psych" spectrum :lol: :lol: :lol:
Fits in perfectly with my opinion of Tame Impala; psych for twelve year olds. Alright soundtrack for your first ever spliff but not much cop beyond that. (Puts on tin hat in preparation for angry mob! )
not even gonna rise to that! :) suffice to say I disagree. will say what I think what sets them apart is the fact the band write melodic, catchy songs and the fact that Kevin is the main auteur and writes all the songs and arrangements.. they are not a jam band..
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Re: Too much "psych"

Post by davedecay »

I'm just coming to learn that two members of Carlton Melton came from Zen Guerrilla.
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Re: Too much "psych"

Post by Laz69 »

davedecay wrote:I'm just coming to learn that two members of Carlton Melton came from Zen Guerrilla.
Yeah, Andy and Rich are from Zen Guerrilla. Good training for what is the behemoth that is Carlton Melton's live shows! Pretty sure Rich still uses the same guitar he used way back then too...
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Re: Too much "psych"

Post by davedecay »

Very cool. Would love to see them on the East Coast (USA).
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Re: Too much "psych"

Post by johnnyboy »

Talking of psych, again (a bit belatedly)....... I'm on my mates radio show next week and he's chosen Psych as the theme. We'll be playing some old original stuff, new psych, foreign psych, 'hybrid' psych (his term not mine, ie: psych-jazz, psych-folk, whatever....), archetypal psychedelia and we'll know doubt chat about it all as well. Thing is, how would you describe psych if someone asked you what you thought it was? I hate answering questions like that as I think I'll sound a tad poncey. He has me down as the man who knows most about it amongst our crowd so I best be on good form! I was planning on playing some Elevators (original), Liminana's or Goat/Follakzoid (foreign), Country Joe & The Fish (psychedelic), possibly Destruction Unit for a hybrid (just to mess with his dance/R&B orientated head!) or some old psych/soul/funk stuff.
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Re: Too much "psych"

Post by simonkeeping »

Yeah, its a strange one the term Psych or Psychedelic. I guess we all have different interpretations of what it means. For me its bending something out of shape so its sounds a bit weird. but not forcing it, its got to happen naturally and most importantly you've got to mean it. Turning on a flanger and whacking up the reverb doesn't make you psych, nor does playing any number of old sixties combo organs. Alot of the bands labelled psych to me sound like they have been assembled from identikit sets.

Heavily effected vocals - Check
Delay pedal on the lead guitar (must be Vox Teardop guitar for Max psych points) - Check
Fuzz on the rhythm guitar - Check
Bit of distortion on the bass - Check
old vox organ playing (must only play 2 chords) - Check
Long bowl cuts or similar - the approved Psych look - Check

Most of it leaves me feeling a bit cold to be honest. As BZA said (sort of), the best psych records are often not the ones that are labelled up that way. Stuff you stumble on when you're wandering through life. I always Just as J always mentions Slipping and sliding by Buddy Holly, I don't think that will be mentioned anywhere a s being psych rock.

Recently I stumbled on a band called 'Parson Sound'. They never set out to be Psych, they were trying to recreate Terry Riley's 'In C', but along the way it all got mixed up and that's how it came out. It's an unholy noise those freaks make, but it's so good. They never really recorded 'properly', its all just taped live recordings of them playing in art galleries and stuff. Its heavy duty music which shifts and changes and melodies appear and then die. Check them out, music like this has much more life to it than all of the stuff The Black Angels and the Warlocks do. Check it out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qPHqGydVVQ[url][/url]
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Re: Too much "psych"

Post by olan »

I'm inclined to agree with anybody who pours scorn on The Warlocks. They have their moments, but their lead singer is an utter arse, which makes it difficult for me to appreciate the merits of what they do.

However, bands like Hills, Earthless, Dead Skeletons, Electric Moon, Zone Six and Carlton Melton are producing music that is usually grouped under the Psyche banner, but is far from Simon's description. And then of course, there is the unholy racket that is The Heads :D . Not many bowl haircuts or hammond organs to to be seen amongst that lot :lol: .

It's not all lightweight cod-60's pistaches as purveyed by the likes of Tame Impala and the Allah-Las, guitar noise and rumble merchants such as Black Bombain (all of whom I quite like), let alone the heavy influence krautrock that is also out there. There is some mad electronic music out there too (check out Constellation Botsu on Bandcamp if you want to hear some true lunacy).

Psyche is just a label, and a pretty crappy one too. Much of the music that falls under this category is made by people who, in the spirit of Lou Reed, just do not give a fuck (in a positive way). Having said this, I do enjoy the Psyche Festival in Liverpool every year. Good music, decent beer, usually an excellent atmosphere and above all, nice people to bullshit the day away with.
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Re: Too much "psych"

Post by davedecay »

It reminds me how generic a label like "alternative" can be, too.

Or "Indie."
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Re: Too much "psych"

Post by niamhm »

In my mind I know what the term `psyche` means to me, but its pretty loose and I would struggle to put it into words as I prefer it to be open ended, if that means weird early rock`n roll, to modern electronica, including kraut type, jam, stoner, doom, lounge, easy listening, 60`s retro, reggae acid house an hip hop along the way, then that's fine, its all got a place with me,

The thing is, folks here are pretty much on the same wavelength, we may not always agree, but we usually know where each other are coming from, and our different definitions of `psyche` can be like splitting hairs among the converted,
the real problem for me comes when I try an take my musical tastes outside the converted, I can feel like a right ... tit, explaining the term` psyche` to somebody, which kinda brings me back to what Johnnyboy was on about, I know he likes lots a good shit , but good luck trying to explain it to your mate on air :twisted:

ps Johnnyboy?? The latest Destruction Unit? Its amazing, so looking forward to seeing these dudes at Liverpool, where the f#ck do they fit on the psyche spectrum?? Somewhere down the hardcore punk sub-section I`m gonna guess,
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Re: Too much "psych"

Post by johnnyboy »

niamhm wrote:..........which kinda brings me back to what Johnnyboy was on about, I know he likes lots a good shit , but good luck trying to explain it to your mate on air :twisted:

ps Johnnyboy?? The latest Destruction Unit? Its amazing, so looking forward to seeing these dudes at Liverpool, where the f#ck do they fit on the psyche spectrum?? Somewhere down the hardcore punk sub-section I`m gonna guess,
Haha, cheers dude. Hopefully we won't have too much of a discussion about what it means but will just let some chosen tunes do the talking instead. Some little chit chat won't go amiss though.......and then I'll start waffling away. I've chosen Ennio Morricone "'Svolta Definitiva" as my 'psych hybrid' song. Such a great song that one, really funky, heavy drums, stinging freaked guitar https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_dr8dE3zb4

Yeah, the new D-Unit track! Man, I love that band. I've been playing that one over and over on headphones at work. The upcoming album is going to be amazing. Seeing them live in London in Sept which can't come soon enough. I have them down as psych/psychedelic punk rock........God knows actually........all I know is that they always make me feel like anything is possible......heading towards white light, chaos, abandon, something huge..........and a hell of a lot more I can't explain. Ear plugs will be a must at the gig, of that I'm sure.
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Re: Too much "psych"

Post by simonkeeping »

johnnyboy wrote:
niamhm wrote:..........which kinda brings me back to what Johnnyboy was on about, I know he likes lots a good shit , but good luck trying to explain it to your mate on air :twisted:

ps Johnnyboy?? The latest Destruction Unit? Its amazing, so looking forward to seeing these dudes at Liverpool, where the f#ck do they fit on the psyche spectrum?? Somewhere down the hardcore punk sub-section I`m gonna guess,
Haha, cheers dude. Hopefully we won't have too much of a discussion about what it means but will just let some chosen tunes do the talking instead. Some little chit chat won't go amiss though.......and then I'll start waffling away. I've chosen Ennio Morricone "'Svolta Definitiva" as my 'psych hybrid' song. Such a great song that one, really funky, heavy drums, stinging freaked guitar https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_dr8dE3zb4
I love that tune. Relentless and focused and really dark.
johnnyboy wrote:Yeah, the new D-Unit track! Man, I love that band. I've been playing that one over and over on headphones at work. The upcoming album is going to be amazing. Seeing them live in London in Sept which can't come soon enough. I have them down as psych/psychedelic punk rock........God knows actually........all I know is that they always make me feel like anything is possible......heading towards white light, chaos, abandon, something huge..........and a hell of a lot more I can't explain. Ear plugs will be a must at the gig, of that I'm sure.
Whoa, Just listened on bandcamp. That's some heavy duty goodness right there! Sounds a little like comets on fire too? Might have to get along to that show.
http://www.soundcloud.com/haarlemriots
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Re: Too much "psych"

Post by johnnyboy »

Good to hear you love both of those songs Simon. I was going to play some David Axelrod for the psych hybrid as I find his Songs Of Innocence album a great one for that kind of vibe, very cinematic, funky, soaring strings, acidic guitar. But then I played an old Cherrystones comp on the weekend which kicks off with that Ennio Morricone track and my choice changed straight away. An excellent tune!

I've a couple of tickets for the D-Unit show at the Shacklewell Arms, may well have a spare if my girlfriend decides that it's too heavy for her on the lead up. I've been playing her the Deep Trip and Live In San Francisco LP's a fair bit. Appears that she likes the freeform chaos surrounding the actual 'tunes' than the 'tunes' themselves, haha, what a gal. Have you heard the Live album? Part of an ongoing series on Castle Face records, recorded by head honcho John Dwyer. It's an insane recording. I did blab and waffle about it on here some time ago but John Dwyers write up on D-Unit is fantastic http://www.brooklynvegan.com/archives/2 ... uni_8.html sums up their sound extremely well.
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Re: Too much "psych"

Post by angelsighs »

Psych in all its various flavours is one of my favourite types of music. might as well pin my colours to the mast.

like any genre label it's problematic but as long as you don't use the term too stringently, it's usage at least makes me want to check something out.
for me it means something leftfield, interesting, perhaps centred more on sonic effect than just songwriting (although of course you do get psychpop).
the definition of psychedelic is mind expanding and the best psychedelic music takes you on a journey, or takes you outside yourself somehow. perhaps it really kicked off when bands started experimenting in the studio, and you could draw up a soundscape rather than just the aim being to capture a natural, live sound.

I was going to mention David Axelrod funnily enough! very hard to classify that music- funky, cinematic, but somehow trippy

also count me in as another fan of Destruction Unit. pretty balls to the wall stuff. definitely psych of some kind but there is a punk spirit there too.

but lets also not forget the strange spell that psych-folk can cast- to me there's something slightly trippy about the way some Pentangle songs unfurl. and Nick Drake's River Man? the way those strings float in over the guitar figure.. really transports me in an almost psychedelic way. these people can weave a spell just with your traditional instruments. no goofy effects or hammond organs needed.

I think what we are all trying to say at length is that psych is very hard to pin down in words.. but you kinda know it when you hear it!
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Re: Too much "psych"

Post by sunray »

So the lineup is out for Reverberation (Dublin's psych fest). Much improved headliners on last year which were Dead Rabbits and The Watchmakers.
This year we've got The Cosmic Dead and The Cult of Dom Keller. Other than The Black Tambourines the rest of the lineup is Irish acts.
I'll pop along to both nights.
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Re: Too much "psych"

Post by angelsighs »

sunray wrote:So the lineup is out for Reverberation (Dublin's psych fest). Much improved headliners on last year which were Dead Rabbits and The Watchmakers.
This year we've got The Cosmic Dead and The Cult of Dom Keller. Other than The Black Tambourines the rest of the lineup is Irish acts.
I'll pop along to both nights.
looks pretty nice- The Cosmic Dead are fantastic live. I would definitely recommend catching Woven Skull if you get the chance. I saw them last year and they dish out a very potent mix of folky raga like drone. great stuff.
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