Curated by Acid Jazz Records and Modcast founder Eddie Piller, “British Mod Sounds of The 1960s Volume 2: The Freakbeat & Psych Years” is the follow up to the hugely successful “British Mod Sounds of The 1960s”, featuring 95 original tracks across a 4CD set - a deep dive into the post-Mod scene in '60s Britain. Featuring a selection of classic and rare tracks, tracing the scene from early '65 to the dawn of a new decade.
Even before Demon's well received 2022 box set 'British Mod Sounds of The 1960s' was released conversations were being had around a follow-up, though rather than just offering a straight if slightly diluted second volume, compiler Eddie Piller decided to put together a collection exploring "What the Mods did next". Once again, long conversations (and the occasional heated debate) were had to ensure the quality of music and attention to detail were second to none. Anything less just wouldn't be the Mod way.
The British Mod bands that had made the first half of the decade so exciting were still around but inevitably their influences had changed. No longer content with re-hashing American R&B, the scene split in multiple directions, not all of it forward looking - some hardened their up-tempo sound and gradually evolved into what we would come to know as Freakbeat. Others bought in psychedelic, esoteric or Eastern influences. A third strand explored a more pastoral or Folk based route. Simply put, songs and hair got longer.
Before the decade was out the choices for the discerning listener included Jazz-Rock, Proto-Prog, Whimsy, Heavy Rock, and Psychedelic Soul - even sounds derived from Cockney music-hall made an appearance.
'Volume 2: The Freakbeat & Psych Years' tracks the development of the original Mod mainstays (the Small Faces, The Who, The Action, The Kinks), with a generous selection of future superstars (David Bowie, Marc Bolan, Fleetwood Mac, Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin and Steve Howe of Yes are all represented here), alongside a few artists so obscure, so rare, that they never got to release a record in the '60s, but Eddie has tracked down the tapes nonetheless.
Stylishly packaged (of course) and including a new sleeve note by Richard Norris, author, musician, producer and DJ, who worked at pioneering psychedelic reissue label Bam Caruso in the '80s, produced Joe Strummer's Mescaleros, but is perhaps best known as one half of Techno duo The Grid and the critically acclaimed group Beyond The Wizard's Sleeve.
Track Listings
Disc: 1
1 The Fairies - Get Yourself Home
2 The Birds - No Good Without You Baby
3 The Poets - Call Again
4 The Sorrows - You've Got What I Want
5 The Eyes - When the Night Falls
6 The New Breed - Unto Us
7 The Riot Squad - I Take It We're Through
8 Jan Panter - Scratch My Back
9 Wimple Winch - Save My Soul
10 Loose Ends - Taxman
11 The Ivy League - My World Fell Down
12 Yardbirds - Happenings Ten Years Time Ago
13 Fleur de Lys - Mud in Your Eye
14 The Truth - Hey Gyp (Dig the Slowness)
15 Scots of St James - Tic Toc
16 The Flies - I'm Not Your Stepping Stone
17 The Move - Disturbance
18 The Craig - I Must Be Mad
19 The Drag Set - Day and Night
20 Apostolic Intervention - Tell Me (Have You Ever Seen Me)
21 David Bowie - the Gospel According to Tony Day
22 Tomorrow - My White Bicycle
23 John's Children - Midsummer Night's Scene
24 Caleb - Baby Your Phrasing Is Bad
25 The Attack - Created By Clive
26 The Gods - Come on Down to My Boat Baby
27 Alex Harvey - the Sunday Song
28 Keith West - Excerpt from a Teenage Opera
Disc: 2
1 Our Plastic Dream - Encapsulated Marigold
2 The Action - in My Dream
3 Dantalian's Chariot - Madman Running Through the Fields
4 Kaleidoscope - Flight from Ashiya
5 Sands - Listen to the Sky
6 Scott Walker - Montagu Terrace (In Blue)*
7 The 23rd Turnoff - Michael Angelo
8 The Fairytale - Listen to Mary Cry
9 Felius Andromeda - Meditations
10 Ice - Anniversary of Love
11 Rupert's People - Dream on My Mind
12 The Accent - Red Sky at Night
13 The Creation - Life Is Just Beginning
14 The Who - I Can See for Miles
15 Fleetwood Mac - Rambling Pony
16 The Cymbaline - Matrimonial Fears
17 Tintern Abbey - Vacuum Cleaner
18 Traffic - Coloured Rain
19 Andy Ellison - It's Been a Long Time
20 The Micky Finn - Garden of My Mind
21 Warm Sounds - Nite Is a Comin'
22 Mike Stuart Span - Children of Tomorrow
23 Nirvana - Rainbow Chaser
24 Mark Wirtz - (He's Our Dear Old) Weatherman
Disc: 3
1 Spencer Davis Group - Moonshine
2 The End - Shades of Orange
3 The Fire - Father's Name Is Dad
4 Turquoise - Tales of Flossie Fillett
5 Billy Nicholls - London Social Degree
6 Aquarian Age - 10,000 Words in a Cardboard Box
7 Status Quo - Pictures of Matchstick Men
8 The Idle Race - the Morning Sunshine
9 The Montanas - a Step in the Right Direction
10 July - Dandelion Seeds
11 Family - See Through Windows
12 Icarus - the Devil Rides Out
13 Plastic Penny - Your Way to Tell Me Go
14 The Elastic Band - 8 1/2 Hours of Paradise
15 Vamp - Floatin'
16 Paul West & Compass - Hey You
17 Sam Gopal - Escalator
18 Sound Barrier - Groovin' Slow
19 Apple - Buffalo Billycan
20 Timebox - Gone Is the Sad Man
21 Locomotive - Mr Armageddon
22 Ossie Layne Show - Rock My Plimsoul
23 The Californians - the Cooks of Cake and Kindness
Disc: 4
1 The Koobas - Barricades
2 The Troggs - Evil Woman
3 Graham Bond - Love Is the Law
4 The Misunderstood - Children of the Sun
5 Small Faces - Me, You and Us Too
6 The Fruit Machine - I'm Alone Today
7 Brian Auger Feat. Julie Driscoll - Flesh Failures (Let the Sunshine in)
8 Terry Reid - Superlungs My Supergirl
9 Jason Crest - Black Mass
10 The Open Mind - Magic Potion
11 Quiet Melon - Diamond Joe
12 Humble Pie - Wrist Job
13 Mighty Baby - Same Way from the Sun
14 Colosseum - Elegy
15 Blonde on Blonde - Castles in the Sky*
16 Peter Wyngarde - Neville Thumbcatch*
17 The Kinks - This Time Tomorrow
18 Satisfaction - My Fixation (Edit)
19 Nucleus - Song for the Bearded Lady
20 Graham Dee - Car Chase
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