Browse by Label: PHOENIX RECORDS (UK)

Artist:	SILVER APPLES
Title:	Contact
Label:	PHOENIX RECORDS (UK)
Format:	CD
Price:	$17.00
Catalog #:	ASH 3001CD

This is a reissue of the second album Contact by '60s electronic legends Silver Apples, originally released by Kapp Records in 1969. This enigmatic duo, armed only with percussion, vocals and an early, specialized synthesizer, is often credited with giving the musical world its first electronic album, as well as having a significant influence on bands which followed in their wake; bands such as Ultravox and Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark. Silver Apples, named after a W.B. Yeats poem, consisted of electronics wiz Simeon Coxe and percussionist Danny Taylor. Simeon built an impressive collection of electronic paraphernalia (dubbed the "Simeon") which ultimately included a dozen oscillators, six of them tuned to bass notes which he played with his feet, an assortment of sound filters, telegraph keys, radio parts, lab gear and a variety of second-hand electronic junk. Contact ushered in the band's recorded popularity and a national tour was quickly organized. Several tracks on Contact feature bass lines provided by Simeon's banjo playing, but it is the clever use of the lead oscillator and new-found intensity of the lyrics that sets Contact apart from its predecessor. Such was the level of Simeon's growing electronic proficiency that the intro to the album's opening track, "You And I" more than successfully recreates the sound of an airplane taking off. Silver Apples all but disappeared from the musical firmament when Kapp folded in 1970, only to re-emerge in January 1997 to perform before a celeb-packed audience at the Knitting Factory. Again, the critics were unanimous. As the MC waxed poetic during an introduction to the Silver Apples concert in San Francisco, 1968: "You are about to have probably the most unusual musical experience of your life. The music will enter areas of your mind never before opened until now. At times it may be hard to understand, but if you let the music penetrate, you'll dig it."

Artist:	FLOWER TRAVELLIN' BAND
Title:	Satori
Label:	PHOENIX RECORDS (UK)
Format:	CD
Price:	$15.50
Catalog #:	ASH 3002CD

Repressed, non-numbered edition. The Flower Travellin' Band's first musical outing, Challenge, was released in 1970 and was essentially a series of covers of Cream, Hendrix, Big Brother and Jefferson Airplane material. However, Satori appeared a year later and forever changed the way the group would be perceived, both in Japan and in the musical world at large. Possessing the vision to select Akira "Joe" Yamanaka as their vocalist, the Flower Travellin' boys elevated themselves above other Japanese bands of the time, whose efforts were largely confined to imitating British and American bands of the era. Satori, which was released in 1971, is a conceptual hard rock/psych album driven by Hideki Ishima's furious guitar licks which erupt and explode over the harmonic heart beat of the drums and bass and Yamanaka's banshee-like vocal style which was turning him into an occidental Iggy Pop or Robert Plant while the band itself was rapidly becoming Japan's answer to Led Zeppelin. Satori is a huge album in every way. From power chords to Eastern-tinged North African six-string freak-outs and crashing tom-toms, the band flexes its collective muscle from start to finish. In short, this is a real rock classic of the type they simply don't make any more. Housed in a limited-edition card wallet.

Artist:	FLOWER TRAVELLIN' BAND
Title:	Satori
Label:	PHOENIX RECORDS (UK)
Format:	LP
Price:	$22.00
Catalog #:	ASH 3002LP

New repress. Previously issued on CD by Phoenix Records, now issued on deluxe LP format as well; 180 gram pressing. Reissue of the second Flower Travellin' Band album, originally issued by Atlantic Records in Japan in 1971. Satori is a conceptual hard rock/psych album driven by Hideki Ishima's furious guitar licks which erupt and explode over the harmonic heart beat of the drums and bass. Yamanaka's banshee-like vocal style turned him into an occidental Iggy Pop or Robert Plant while the band itself was rapidly becoming Japan's answer to Led Zeppelin. Satori is a huge album in every way. From power chords to Eastern-tinged North African six-string freak-outs and crashing tom-toms, the band flexes its collective muscle from start to finish. In short, this is a real rock classic of the type they simply don't make any more.

Artist:	SILVER APPLES
Title:	Silver Apples
Label:	PHOENIX RECORDS (UK)
Format:	CD
Price:	$17.00
Catalog #:	ASH 3003CD

This is a reissue of the self-titled first album by '60s electronic legends Silver Apples, originally released by Kapp Records in 1968. Fresh off their stint as The Overland Stage Electric Band, Simeon and Dan Taylor formed their own extravagant, two-man electronic space-odyssey, Silver Apples, to pretty remarkable critical acclaim. Their debut enjoyed a 10-week stay in Billboard's Top 100 list, and the album's first track, "Oscillations," made the Top 10 list in numerous cities around the U.S. The music critics loved them. "What's so amazing is that they make absolutely mind-shattering music with all this junky equipment" commented one reviewer, quite possibly astounded over the then-mindbending concept of build-it-yourself electronics combined with rock drums. The debut album features lyrics by poet Stanley Warren who met the duo at the Third Annual Avant Garde Arts Festival in 1968, organized by topless cellist Charlotte Moorman. An absolutely essential piece of musical history from electronic/psychedelic/rock music's ground-breaking legends.

Artist:	SILVER APPLES
Title:	Silver Apples
Label:	PHOENIX RECORDS (UK)
Format:	LP
Price:	$31.00
Catalog #:	ASH 3003LP

Previously reissued on CD by Phoenix Records, now issued on a limited edition deluxe LP format as well; pressed on 180 gram virgin vinyl. This is the first vinyl reissue of the self-titled first album by '60s electronic legends Silver Apples, originally released by Kapp Records in 1968. Fresh off their stint as The Overland Stage Electric Band, Simeon and Dan Taylor formed their own extravagant, two-man electronic space-odyssey, Silver Apples, to remarkable critical acclaim. "What's so amazing is that they make absolutely mind-shattering music with all this junky equipment," commented one reviewer, astounded over the then-mindbending concept of build-it-yourself electronics combined with rock drums. The debut album features lyrics by poet Stanley Warren and is an absolutely essential piece of musical history from electronic/psychedelic/rock music's ground-breaking legends. Housed in a deluxe gatefold foil sleeve containing the insert from the original release in a numbered limited edition of 1,000 copies.

Artist:	HOLMES, JAKE
Title:	"The Above Ground Sound" of Jake Holmes
Label:	PHOENIX RECORDS (UK)
Format:	CD
Price:	$17.00
Catalog #:	ASH 3004CD

When U.S. folk-rock singer/songwriter Jake Holmes opened for The Yardbirds in New York in August 1967, little did he suspect that one of his songs, "Dazed And Confused," would be "commandeered" by guitarist Jimmy Page and become one of his next band's major live showpieces. The band in question is, of course, Led Zeppelin, and although The Yardbirds did incorporate the song into their live set, it is the Led Zep version that provided Holmes with his 15 minutes of fame. Mr. Page, clearly suffering from a temporary bout of amnesia, forgetfully claimed the songwriting credit himself. Holmes had done the rounds of the New York folk scene, working in bands with the likes of Tim Rose before going solo. This, his first recording, originally appeared on the Tower label in 1967. The album is considered a folk-rock masterpiece, and was described at the time as "a songwriter, three guitars and a mirror." The guitars of Holmes and Ted Irwin (later to play with Elliot Murphy, Roy Buchanan and various country singers) are the only backing for Holmes' voice and the 10 short tracks are outstanding, but especially the sparer, stripped-down original version of "Dazed And Confused."

Artist:	HOLMES, JAKE
Title:	"The Above Ground Sound" Of Jake Holmes
Label:	PHOENIX RECORDS (UK)
Format:	LP
Price:	$22.00
Catalog #:	ASH 3004LP

Previously issued on CD by Phoenix Records, now available on 180 gram vinyl. When U.S. folk-rock singer/songwriter Jake Holmes opened for The Yardbirds in New York in August 1967, little did he suspect that one of his songs, "Dazed And Confused," would be "commandeered" by guitarist Jimmy Page and become one of his next band's major live showpieces. The band in question is, of course, Led Zeppelin, and although The Yardbirds did incorporate the song into their live set, it is the Led Zep version that provided Holmes with his 15 minutes of fame. Mr. Page, clearly suffering from a temporary bout of amnesia, forgetfully claimed the songwriting credit himself. Holmes had done the rounds of the New York folk scene, working in bands with the likes of Tim Rose before going solo. This, his first recording, originally appeared on the Tower label in 1967. The album is considered a folk-rock masterpiece, and was described at the time as "a songwriter, three guitars and a mirror." The guitars of Holmes and Ted Irwin (later to play with Elliot Murphy, Roy Buchanan and various country singers) are the only backing for Holmes' voice and the 10 short tracks are outstanding, but especially the more spare, stripped-down original version of "Dazed And Confused."

Artist:	HOLMES, JAKE
Title:	A Letter To Katherine December
Label:	PHOENIX RECORDS (UK)
Format:	CD
Price:	$17.00
Catalog #:	ASH 3005CD

U.S. folk-rock singer/songwriter Jake Holmes' second album, originally released in 1968 on the Tower label. Phoenix Records' reissue of Holmes' first album, "The Above Ground Sound..." generated an amazing level of interest. Of course, the fact that the album included the original "Dazed And Confused" had quite a lot to do with it, but it soon became apparent that Holmes' music, along with the work of a number of other male singer-songwriters is enjoying a bit of a renaissance at the moment. A Letter To Katherine December is a record that many critics rate even more highly than his first. This is indeed a great follow-up; an album which easily evades the shadow of its predecessor's success and another recording that, in typical Holmes fashion, defies description. Although Rick Randle, whose bizarre bass playing was such a feature on the first album, is missing on this one, Charlie Fox's immaculate string and horn arrangements more than compensate. Holmes' eccentric songwriting is here in all its rich diversity, the sound quality is outstanding and the production standards superb. As was the case with its predecessor, A Letter... failed to achieve any real commercial impact, so Holmes switched to a more country feel for his next two releases. Obviously, he had perplexed the people at Tower Records enough by this time, and so the label cancelled his contract. Without a safety net, Holmes plunged into the world of TV commercials, which, ironically, is where he was to eventually enjoy his only real financial success. Another great album that comes highly recommended.

Artist:	RELATIVELY CLEAN RIVERS
Title:	Relatively Clean Rivers
Label:	PHOENIX RECORDS (UK)
Format:	CD
Price:	$17.00
Catalog #:	ASH 3007CD

Former Beat Of The Earth leader Phil Pearlman assembled Relatively Clean Rivers in the early '70s and eventually released this excellent rural rock album in 1975. Although Pearlman's first recorded effort was a surf/hot rod 45 entitled Chrome Reversed Rails which appeared on the Fink label in the mid-'60s, it was with Beat Of The Earth that he began to forge a distinctive musical voice. The band was one of the earliest-known experimental bands with a sound reminiscent of their East Coast counterparts, The Velvet Underground, whose influence is often discernable on Relatively Clean Rivers. That said, RCR is recognized by those fortunate enough to have heard it as one of the very finest albums of the era, with a clearly-defined American sound akin to The Grateful Dead in all their American Beauty pomp or CSNY circa D�j� Vu. An album highly recommended to anyone even remotely interested in '70s West Coast music or simply great music in general. This numbered, limited edition CD is housed in a unique gatefold card wallet -- 1000 copies only.

Artist:	H.P. LOVECRAFT
Title:	H.P. Lovecraft II
Label:	PHOENIX RECORDS (UK)
Format:	CD
Price:	$17.00
Catalog #:	ASH 3008CD

Having relocated to Marin County in Northern California in the spring of 1968, H.P. Lovecraft's second, and it must be said, superior album, appeared later that same year. Clearly most of the band members (with the exception of Jerry MacGeorge who returned to the band's native city of Chicago to be replaced by former Hezekiah alumnus, Jeff Boyan, who was not only a fine bass player, but who also contributed a distinctive vocal style along with George Edwards and Dave Michaels) thrived in their new location, and the Lovecraft became frequent attractions in nearby San Francisco, playing alongside some of the top Bay Area psych bands of the time. Moving south to L.A. later that year, the band recorded their second eponymous album that contained some fine moments of pure artistry. The sleepiness of tracks like "Spin, Spin, Spin," "Mobius Trip" and "Electrallentando" was reminiscent of It's A Beautiful Day's first album, and their fine version of "High Flying Bird" and "At The Mountains Of Madness" captured the band's outstanding vocal style, very much the hallmark of their first album, to perfection. H.P. Lovecraft II was reputedly the first major label album (both records were originally released on the Philips label) where all those involved in the recording were actually high on acid! The band effectively dissolved after this superb effort, and although various former band members tried to regroup on several occasions, it is by H.P. Lovecraft II and its predecessor, H.P. Lovecraft, that the band will be remembered. Housed in a numbered, limited edition of 1000 copies in a unique card wallet.

Artist:	FAR EAST FAMILY BAND
Title:	Nipponjin
Label:	PHOENIX RECORDS (UK)
Format:	CD
Price:	$17.00
Catalog #:	ASH 3009CD

Regarded by many as the first Japanese progressive rock group, the Far East Family Band featured the keyboardist and future new age composer, Kitaro. A keyboard-dominated space rock band, the Far East Family Band played extended compositions that brought comparisons to Tangerine Dream and early Pink Floyd. Nipponjin (1975), the band's second album under their new name (the trio changed their name from Far Out to Far East Family Band following the release of Nihonjin which appeared on the Denon label in 1973), featured re-recorded material from the previous The Cave Down To Earth (1974) as well as Nihonjin and was produced by Tangerine Dream's Klaus Schulze. The band's synthesizer-drenched sound had much to do with Kitaro and Schultz meeting during a trip to Europe. One of Japan's earliest prog bands, Far East Family Band became hugely popular in Japan and also achieved considerable attention in Europe. The group went on to release two further albums, Parallel World (1976) and Tenkujin (1977), but it is Kitaro who enjoyed lasting fame for his legendary Silk Road albums. Digitally remastered, numbered limited edition of 1,000 copies only in a unique card wallet.

Artist:	FAR EAST FAMILY BAND
Title:	Nipponjin
Label:	PHOENIX RECORDS (UK)
Format:	LP
Price:	$22.00
Catalog #:	ASH 3009LP

CD version previously-released on Phoenix Records, now available in a vinyl version. Regarded by many as the first Japanese progressive rock group, the Far East Family Band featured the keyboardist and future new age composer, Kitaro. A keyboard-dominated space rock band, the Far East Family Band played extended compositions that brought comparisons to Tangerine Dream and early Pink Floyd. Nipponjin (1975), the band's second album under their new name (after their Far Out moniker), featured re-recorded material from the previous The Cave Down To Earth (1974) as well as Nihonjin and was produced by Tangerine Dream's Klaus Schulze. One of Japan's earliest prog bands, Far East Family Band became hugely popular in Japan and also achieved considerable attention in Europe. Digitally remastered, numbered limited edition of 1,000 copies only.

Artist:	WIZARDS FROM KANSAS, THE
Title:	The Wizards From Kansas
Label:	PHOENIX RECORDS (UK)
Format:	CD
Price:	$17.00
Catalog #:	ASH 3010CD

Actually hailing from Kansas, The Wizards From Kansas were an obscure country-influenced outfit whose debut album featured some fine versions of classics from the period, including Buffy St. Marie's "Cod'ine," as well as some excellent originals such as "Misty Mountainside," "Country Dawn" and "She Rides With Witches." The original five-piece band enjoyed considerable local success, eventually finding themselves playing the Fillmore East, a gig which led to a number of offers of record deals which the group turned down. However, towards the end of 1969, Mercury Records finally wore them down, and the band signed to the label, with their eponymous first (and only album) appearing in the summer of 1970. During the album's recording, several of the band members decided they preferred playing jazz and duly departed to pursue their interests, leaving Mercury with a new album, but no band to promote it. Predictably, the label lost interest and the record sunk without trace. There is a lot of fine stuff on this album, which is both extremely collectable and highly recommended. This numbered, limited edition CD is housed in a unique card wallet.

Artist:	FOREST
Title:	Forest
Label:	PHOENIX RECORDS (UK)
Format:	CD
Price:	$17.00
Catalog #:	ASH 3011CD

The classic debut album by the UK's Forest, originally released in 1969 by Harvest. As the 1960s progressed, almost every musical genre was affected by the psychedelic boom -- and folk was no exception. Artists such as Bert Jansch, Davy Graham and Donovan had introduced elements of world music into their repertoires by 1965, and in 1966, The Incredible String Band's debut kicked the door wide open for a generation of young musicians to follow. Forest, whose two Harvest albums have long elated listeners and eluded collectors, featured prominently among them, and have become synonymous with so-called "acid folk," inspiring -- alongside Vashti Bunyan, COB and a handful of others -- the current wave of successful underground folk acts. Originally called The Foresters Of Walesby, the band abbreviated their name to Forest and were fortunate enough to meet John Peel at a local gig and he encouraged them to play in London. After a triumphant performance in Notting Hill's All Saints Hall in 1968, Forest were offered a management deal with Blackhill Enterprises, home to amongst others, Pink Floyd and Roy Harper. It wasn't long before offers of record contracts came their way and the band eventually signed to EMI's nascent Harvest label. Their debut album was recorded at Abbey Road early in 1969 and featured completely original material, with their strangely-sculptured melodies and partially improvised accompaniment. The playing is often inspired and the album's recording quality excellent. An essential folk classic and highly recommended. Housed in a numbered, limited edition of 1000 copies in a unique card wallet.

Artist:	INSECT TRUST, THE
Title:	The Insect Trust
Label:	PHOENIX RECORDS (UK)
Format:	CD
Price:	$17.00
Catalog #:	ASH 3012CD

Combining elements of rock, jazz, bluegrass, soul, Dixieland, folk, ragga, blues and practically every genre there is, The Insect Trust's classic debut (recorded in 1968) reveals one major difference between them and almost all other U.S. psych bands of the time -- while the majority were in thrall to Eastern sounds, they sound resolutely homegrown. Despite featuring banjos, fiddles and bottleneck guitars, the band still sounded absolutely contemporary, with superb tunes, gorgeous vocals and some mindblowing freakout passages. Tuneful, intelligent and highly musical, they truly forged something new out of the past, and this is one of the most beguilingly strange and original rock albums ever recorded. Housed in a unique gatefold card-wallet format in a numbered edition of 1000.

Artist:	MORGEN
Title:	Morgen
Label:	PHOENIX RECORDS (UK)
Format:	CD
Price:	$17.00
Catalog #:	ASH 3014CD

Singer/guitarist Steve Morgen and company (bassist Rennie Genossa, drummer Bob Maiman and rhythm guitarist Barry Stock) originally hailed from Long Island, New York. Signed by ABC's short-lived Probe subsidiary, their 1969 debut Morgen teamed them with producer Murray Shiffrin (Steve Morgen is given the co-production credit). After this superb debut, the entire band quite simply disappeared. If you're into heavy psych guitar, then this is for you. While Morgen had a competent, if limited voice, he was a truly amazing guitarist with the likes of Nick Saloman of The Bevis Frond becoming a staunch advocate of Morgen's status as a "psychedelic guitar hero." Tracks such as "Eternity In Between," "Welcome To the Void," "Of Dreams" and "Beggin' Your Pardon (Miss Joan)" were simply drenched with fuzz and feedback guitar. Underpinned by Maiman's powerhouse drumming (easily compared with Led Zeppelin's John Bonham) and suitably trippy lyrics, you're looking at a pseudo-classic slice of psychedelia that largely explains the huge asking price of an original copy. This numbered, limited edition CD is housed in a unique gatefold card wallet.

Artist:	MUSHROOM
Title:	Early One Morning....
Label:	PHOENIX RECORDS (UK)
Format:	CD
Price:	$17.00
Catalog #:	ASH 3015CD

Original copies of this incredible album by Mushroom, the Dublin duo consisting of Pat Collins (violin) and Joe O'Donnell (everything else), fetch hundreds of pounds on the rare occasions that they actually come up for sale. Musically, Early One Morning...., originally released in 1973 on the Hawk label, is a real one-off, combining brilliant, heavy progressive rock and psychedelic Irish folk with blazing guitar leads battling with fiddle attacks. The results are awesome, fully justifying the hefty price tag of an original. A monster of an album! This numbered, limited edition CD is housed in a unique gatefold card wallet.

Artist:	FIFTY FOOT HOSE
Title:	Cauldron
Label:	PHOENIX RECORDS (UK)
Format:	CD
Price:	$17.00
Catalog #:	ASH 3016CD

Cauldron was Fifty Foot Hose's first and most famous recorded work, released on Limelight Records in 1968. Founded by Cork Marcheschi, the band played continuously around the Bay area of northern California throughout the mid-'60s. Marcheschi, who had developed a taste for R&B and the avant-garde music of composers such as Edgard Var�se, started out as the band's bass player, but his interest in experimental music prompted him to develop his own musical instrument, similar in function to the hybrid developed by Simeon Cox, and which was the underpinning of the Silver Apples' sound. The band played a lot of gigs, but the experimental nature of their music tended to perplex audiences unused to such sounds. However, a four-track demo led to the band signing on the experimental Mercury subsidiary, Limelight Records, and under the eye of producer, Dan Healey (later to work extensively with the Grateful Dead), Cauldron appeared in 1969. As the album didn't fit into any particular mold, it largely went un-noticed at the time, but to the modern listener, this is an album that has stood the test of time particularly as Marcheschi used just about every electronic device known to man, including audio generators, echodette, squeaky box, siren, ring oscillator circuits and two Theremins. Given Cauldron's lack of success, the band disintegrated, although several members were to quickly resurface in the musical Hair. However, by the late '70s and early '80s, interest in the band's singular sound was rekindled, with the likes of Pere Ubu, Throbbing Gristle and Chrome all deriving inspiration from its music. An important and influential album. Housed in a numbered, limited edition, unique card wallet.

Artist:	FIFTY FOOT HOSE
Title:	Cauldron
Label:	PHOENIX RECORDS (UK)
Format:	LP
Price:	$22.00
Catalog #:	ASH 3016LP

Repressed! Deluxe LP format only; 180 gram pressing. Cauldron was Fifty Foot Hose's first and most famous recorded work, released on Limelight Records in 1968. Founded by Cork Marcheschi, the band played continuously around the Bay area of northern California throughout the mid-'60s. Marcheschi, who had developed a taste for R&B and the avant-garde music of composers such as Edgard Var�se, started out as the band's bass player, but his interest in experimental music prompted him to develop his own musical instrument, similar in function to the hybrid developed by Simeon Cox, and which was the underpinning of the Silver Apples' sound. The band played a lot of gigs, but the experimental nature of their music tended to perplex audiences unused to such sounds. However, a four-track demo led to the band signing on the experimental Mercury subsidiary, Limelight Records, and under the eye of producer, Dan Healey (later to work extensively with the Grateful Dead), Cauldron appeared in 1969. As the album didn't fit into any particular mold, it largely went un-noticed at the time, but to the modern listener, this is an album that has stood the test of time particularly as Marcheschi used just about every electronic device known to man, including audio generators, echodette, squeaky box, siren, ring oscillator circuits and two Theremins. Given Cauldron's lack of success, the band disintegrated, although several members were to quickly resurface in the musical Hair. However, by the late '70s and early '80s, interest in the band's singular sound was rekindled, with the likes of Pere Ubu, Throbbing Gristle and Chrome all deriving inspiration from its music. An important and influential album.

Artist:	FRACTION
Title:	Moon Blood
Label:	PHOENIX RECORDS (UK)
Format:	LP
Price:	$27.50
Catalog #:	ASH 3017LP

Los Angeles-based Fraction's heavy psych classic Moon Blood was originally released on the Angelus record label in 1971. Only 200 copies were pressed, so originals are currently worth a small fortune. Fraction, with vocalist Jim Beach, bearing an uncanny vocal resemblance to Jim Morrison (although he was singing on Sunset Strip long before Morrison took to the stage), were often compared favorably with The Doors, although their quasi-religious message would probably not have found favor with the recently-departed Morrison. Indeed, this rather fine record was once famously described as the album The Doors probably wished they'd made! Underpinned by guitarist Don Swanson's superb Ritchie Blackmore-style guitar work, this is an album full of beautiful psychedelia, acid and hard rock, at once emblematic of the era, but not dated by its association. The five original compositions are consistently of the highest quality and the contribution of Beach's now legendary vocals places a stamp of originality on the recording that endures from beginning to end. Monstrously heavy, howling, epic psych that is basically a must-own. A truly excellent album. Featuring the original die-cut cover with colored cellophane, and pressed on 180 gram vinyl.

Artist:	HENSKE & JERRY YESTER, JUDY
Title:	Farewell Aldebaran
Label:	PHOENIX RECORDS (UK)
Format:	CD
Price:	$17.00
Catalog #:	ASH 3018CD

Timely reissue of this late '60s folk/psych classic from husband and wife team Jerry Yester and Judy Henske. Yester had previously enjoyed an element of fame courtesy of his stint with The Loving Spoonful, but following the band's demise in 1969, he set about producing this little gem with acclaimed folk singer Henske and a bunch of pals which were said to have included Ry Cooder and David Lindley. Farewell Aldebaran, which is often heralded as one of the most proficient and creative albums of its genre, with Henske's incredible range of vocal styles (during her short solo career she had effortlessly made the transition from comedian to folk singer and then onto an accomplished rock singer) elevating the album to a higher plane. Her mind-blowing vocals on the opening track, the hard-fuzz "Snowblind," gives an early clue to Henske's talent and range, and although this particular vocal style only features on the one song, the sheer diversity of her singing makes every track on this highly original and experimental album a unique experience. Yester and Henske attempted to scale the same artistic heights with their next collaboration, Rosebud, but sadly, it was not to be, and Yester, fearing that he had already peaked as a musician, turned his attention to production, working with other Californian bands and singers of the time including The Association, The Turtles, Tim Buckley and Tom Waits. Housed in a numbered, limited edition unique card wallet.

Artist:	GROWING CONCERN, THE
Title:	The Growing Concern
Label:	PHOENIX RECORDS (UK)
Format:	LP
Price:	$22.00
Catalog #:	ASH 3020LP

On 180 gram vinyl. This self-titled album by The Growing Concern curiously first saw the light of day in 1969 on Bob Shad's Mainstream label, an imprint more familiar to jazz and blues fans than devotees of psych/pop. Shad, who had worked as an A&R man for Mercury, Savoy and Emarcy in the '50s, working with the likes of Sarah Vaughan, Blue Mitchell and Curtis Fuller, had the fortune to sign the then-unknown Big Brother And The Holding Company, whose contract, along with that of the band's vocalist Janis Joplin, Shad wisely sold for a not-insignificant sum to Columbia. Perhaps Shad thought he was going to repeat his commercial triumph with The Growing Concern. However, the band was a different proposition altogether with its emphasis on beautiful vocal harmonies and fantastic guitar and organ work rather than the Joplin-dominated R&B of Big Brother. Consequently, Shad only allowed the group into the studio on a single occasion, dropping them from the label after this, their eponymous debut. All in all, this is a fine album. The support of vocalists Bonnie MacDonald and Mary Garstki are an intrinsic part of the band's distinctive sound, and the songs contributed by organist Dan Passaglia, bassist John Pedley and guitarist Ralph Toms are more than equal to the offerings from more illustrious contemporaries such as Mike Hugg ("Mister You're A Better Man Than I") or Stephen Stills ("Sit Down I Think I Love You"). The album, which is brilliantly recorded, is of a consistently high musical quality and the band surely deserved a better fate than the obscurity that Shad's indifference consigned them to.

Artist:	KARUNA KHYAL
Title:	Alomoni 1985
Label:	PHOENIX RECORDS (UK)
Format:	CD
Price:	$17.00
Catalog #:	ASH 3024CD

Karuna Khyal's album Alomoni 1985, originally released on Voice Records around 1976, is widely acknowledged as years ahead of its time, preceding other Japanese underground experimental outfits such as Fushitsusha and White Heaven by almost 20 years. The band's musical influences are, if anything, more Germanic than Japanese, with long, hypnotic free-form rock passages, a heavy use of tape loops, electronics, environmental sounds, distortion and backwards tapes underpinning some manic harmonica-playing on some gut-wrenching blues dirges. Can, Faust and Guru Guru clearly had an influence on the band, as did Captain Beefheart and Pere Ubu. Not much is known about the band's line-up, although it is widely thought there was some crossover in personnel with Brast Burn, another significant outfit of the same era which exerted such influence over newer participants in the Japanese psych scene as well as Nurse With Wound. At No.19 in Julian Cope's Japrocksampler publication, this is a true hidden treasure buried deep in time -- unearthed and digitally-remastered by Phoenix Records. Package includes a replica of the original full-color insert in a numbered limited edition of 1,000 copies only, housed in a unique card wallet.

Artist:	SPEED, GLUE & SHINKI
Title:	Eve
Label:	PHOENIX RECORDS (UK)
Format:	LP
Price:	$22.00
Catalog #:	ASH 3026LP

Phoenix Records presents the first 180 gram virgin vinyl release of Speed, Glue & Shinki's 1971 debut album, Eve. Ex-Food Brain guitarist Shinki Chen, bass player Masayoshi Kabe (also known as M Glue) and Filipino Vietnam war veteran Joey "Pepe" Smith, who doubled as both the trio's drummer and vocalist, released two legendary albums in the early '70s. Eve, the earlier of the band's two efforts, was probably the band's only "real" recording, as the self-titled second release in 1972 was put together by Smith from studio outtakes of Chen's guitar playing and tracks omitted from Eve. This is a bluesy, psychedelic album, with Chen's Hendrix-style guitar playing firmly underpinned by Smith's insistent percussion style modeled on the style and technique of his idol, Ginger Baker. The band dissolved immediately after the release of Eve, as the other two members found Smith's drug-fuelled lifestyle decidedly unappealing (he was a huge fan of amphetamines and diligently applied himself to establishing a prodigious habit). Chen decided he didn't want to record again, and became a successful live artist, Joey went back to the Philippines and started the immensely successful power trio Juan de la Cruz Band, and Masayoshi Kabe would win fame with the band Pink Cloud. In spite of their short-lived activity, Speed, Glue & Shinki were important first and foremost as pioneers of the Japanese psychedelic rock scene. Gatefold sleeve.

Artist:	PEOPLE
Title:	Ceremony -- Buddha Meet Rock
Label:	PHOENIX RECORDS (UK)
Format:	CD
Price:	$17.00
Catalog #:	ASH 3027CD

Phoenix Records reissues a digitally remastered edition of People's sole album, the legendary Ceremony -- Buddha Meet Rock, originally released in 1971 in Japan. Nobody's sure if the musicians on this recording ever performed as a group or whether Ceremony was simply a studio super-project. Certainly, guitarist Kimio Mizutani had already enjoyed a certain amount of critical exposure following stints with Love Live Life + One and Masahiko Satoh's Sound Brakers, and it is Satoh's jazzy fuzz guitar licks that help to lift this album to a higher level. Unfortunately, this was the ensemble's only output, but this conceptual album is an absolute classic. As the title suggests, this recording was an attempt to fuse a Buddhist-influenced spiritual vibe into an innovative form of hypnotic, psychedelic prog rock. All in all, a rather weird record, but the sound is mindblowing -- experimental and trippy, but never too free or over the top, and at times a more traditional Japanese style of music lurks in the background. A monumental album that's never going to go out of style. Numbered limited edition of 1,000 copies only, housed in a unique LP-replica card wallet.

Artist:	PEOPLE
Title:	Ceremony -- Buddha Meet Rock
Label:	PHOENIX RECORDS (UK)
Format:	LP
Price:	$22.00
Catalog #:	ASH 3027LP

LP version. Previously released by Phoenix Records on CD, now available on digitally remastered 180 gram virgin vinyl, this is People's sole album, the legendary Ceremony -- Buddha Meet Rock, originally released in 1971 in Japan. Nobody's sure if the musicians on this recording ever performed as a group or whether Ceremony was simply a studio super-project. Certainly, guitarist Kimio Mizutani had already enjoyed a certain amount of critical exposure following stints with Love Live Life + One and Masahiko Satoh's Sound Brakers, and it is Satoh's jazzy fuzz guitar licks that help to lift this album to a higher level. Unfortunately, this was the ensemble's only output, but this conceptual album is an absolute classic of hypnotic, psychedelic prog rock.

Artist:	FAR OUT
Title:	Nihonjin
Label:	PHOENIX RECORDS (UK)
Format:	CD
Price:	$17.00
Catalog #:	ASH 3029CD

Prior to metamorphosing into Far East Family Band, Japan's Far Out released this sole, space-y, guitar-drenched psychedelic prog album in 1971. Although the Floyd influences are highly apparent, the band produces an original sound which defines its own unique identity rather than being a reflection of the British and American bands that were dominating the genre. Although there is a keyboard-dominated opening, synthesizers are relegated to a supporting role, and their sparse presence is restricted to occasional sound effects. The psychedelic ambiance comes largely from the guitars, electric sitars and intelligent percussion. The original album contained just two single-sided tracks, and the intense guitar soloing, fantastic sound effects, including gongs and howling wind drones, combine to create an album of sparse beauty which effortlessly merges exotic Asian instrumentals with a psych sound occasionally reminiscent of Saucerful Of Secrets. Numbered limited edition of 1,000 copies only, housed in a unique LP-replica card wallet.

Artist:	SILVER APPLES
Title:	Silver Apples
Label:	PHOENIX RECORDS (UK)
Format:	CD
Price:	$17.00
Catalog #:	ASH 3303CD

New, more deluxe version, with special metallic silver foil sleeve (in reference to the original Kapp label pressing, as well as the recent Phoenix LP version), including a replica of original insert in gatefold; this replaces the previous Phoenix CD edition (ASH 3003CD). This is a reissue of the self-titled first album by '60s electronic legends Silver Apples, originally released by Kapp Records in 1968. Fresh off their stint as The Overland Stage Electric Band, Simeon and Dan Taylor formed their own extravagant, two-man electronic space-odyssey, Silver Apples, to pretty remarkable critical acclaim. Their debut enjoyed a 10-week stay in Billboard's Top 100 list, and the album's first track, "Oscillations," made the Top 10 list in numerous cities around the U.S. The music critics loved them. "What's so amazing is that they make absolutely mind-shattering music with all this junky equipment" commented one reviewer, quite possibly astounded over the then-mindbending concept of build-it-yourself electronics combined with rock drums. The debut album features lyrics by poet Stanley Warren who met the duo at the Third Annual Avant Garde Arts Festival in 1968, organized by topless cellist Charlotte Moorman. An absolutely essential piece of musical history from electronic/psychedelic/rock music's ground-breaking legends.

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