VARIOUS ARTISTS - OCCULT PSYCHEDELIA

Thee Temple Ov Psychick Youth Scandinavia TOPYSCAN C 005
Private press cassette only release (1990)

01. Strawberry Alarm Clock - Curse of the Witches
02. Circus 2000 - I am the Witch
03. Southwest F.O.B. - Smell of Incense
04. Jason Crest - Black Mass
05. Macabre - Be Forewarned
06. Mystic Siva - Supernatural Mind
07. Things To Come - Speak of the Devil
08. Beautiful Daze - City Jungle Part 1
09. Music Emporium - Prelude
10. Black Widow - Come to the Sabbath
11. Bill Wendry & The Boss Tweeds - A Wristwatch Band
12. Bonniwell Music Machine - Astrologically Incompatible
13. Twink - 10,000 Words in a Cardboard Box
14. Strawberry Alarm Clock - Black Butter (Present)
15. Friday’s Keeper - Take me for a Ride
16. Gin Gillette - Train to Satanville
17. Rings And Things - Strange Things are Happening
18. Bermuda Jam - Good Trip Lollipop
19.Lea Riders Group - Dom Kallar Oss Kods
20. Bob Trimble - Armour of Shrouds
21. C.O.B. - Serpent’s Kiss
22. Marcus - The Life Game
23. The Dovers - Third Eye
24. David Santo - Rising of Scorpio
25. Kalacakra - Nearby Shiras


Ace compilation of psychedelic music with a common theme of the occult.

Thee Temple Ov Psychick Youth (or TOPY) was a fellowship founded in 1981 by members of Psychic TV, Coil, Current 93 and a number of other individuals. The network was a loosely federated group of people operating as a blend of artistic collective and practitioners of magic.

In 1990, the group privately released this strictly limited cassette, which was compiled by member Carl Abrahamsson.

This version was recently recompiled from better quality audio sources by Fearlono at Cottage of Electric Hell!

ALEX SANDERS - A WITCH IS BORN

A & M Records 1970

01. Initiation
02. The Legend Of The Goddess
03. The Great Rite


"Only a witch can make a witch."

During the sixties and seventies, Alex and Maxine Sanders were the most recognisable faces in Wicca. They appeared in many magazines, on television shows and, in 1970, they made their own record.

'A Witch is Born' is an audio recording of the initiation of Janet Owen.

This is not an album that you play will play repeatedly. However, it is of interest to those who like historical audio documents and its subject matter earns it a place in this Halloween special.

Advertisement in Rolling Stone magazine.

THE MANSON FAMILY - THE FAMILY JAMS

Transparency Records & Aurora Records (1997)

Disc 1 :

01. Ra-Hide Away!
02. Love's Death
03. Die to Be One
04. No Wrong-Come Along
05. Get on Home
06. Is There No One in Your World But You?
07. First They Made Me Sleep in the Closet
08. Give Your Love (To Be Free)
09. I'll Never Say Never to Always
10. Look at Your Love
11. If I Had a Million Dollars
12. Goin' to the Church House

Disc 2 :

01. You Must Be Born Again
02. Ra-Hide Away!
03. Die to Be One
04. The Fires Are Burning
05. Give Your Love (To Be Free)
06. The Young Will Overcome
07. Going to the Church House
08. Love's Death
09. I'll Never Say Never to Always
10. Die to Be One
11. Look at Your Love
12. I Can't Remember When
13. Going to the Church House
14. I Can't Remember When (Alternate)
15. Give Your Love to Be Free
16. London Bridge Is Falling Down

This album of Charles Manson songs was recorded by The Manson Family as the 1970 murder trial was ongoing. Recorded in the Spahn Ranch saloon, some songs contain references to the unfolding events in the trial. “Get On home” contains a direct reference to the defendants carving an ‘X’ onto their foreheads :

"When you see the children with x's on their head, if you dare to look at them, soon you will be dead."

Originally a private press release as “Manson Family Sings the Songs of Charles Manson" on vinyl and limited to 999 copies.

This reissue from 1997 was released simultaneously on Transparency Records and Aurora Records and has the original album remastered on disc 1 and outtakes and alternate versions on disc 2.

Not too dissimilar from a lot of commune folk around at the time, this music contains an undeniable spook. The lo-fi recording quality, the back story and Manson’s lyrics make this an unsettling, stoned listen.

ROBBIE BASHO - THE FALCONER'S ARM I

Let’s make this month a Robbie Basho special.

In 1967, Basho released two albums on the Takoma label. The music within both The Falconer’s Arm I & II is Basho at his most visionary, spiritual, emotional best. The playing is straight from consciousness and on into the ether, the listening experience otherworldly. This is true psychedelic music, spiritual transcendence by strength of strings.

The vocals are kept to a minimum on these two albums, lengthy ragas making up most of the running time. Basho’s philosophy of “soul first - technique later” was probably never truer than here.

In a previous Basho post, I have mentioned the need for his music to be reissued. It is simply criminal that these two albums remain original issue vinyl only. In 2001, John Fahey conceived a Robbie Basho sampler entitled ‘Bashovia’. It contained tracks from both Falconer’s Arm L.P.’s, but they should reissued as originally released, retaining the original concept.

I should make it clear that these vinyl rips are not of the greatest quality (but hell, they‘re better than nothing). If anyone knows of better versions, please let me know.

The selections are followed by Basho’s own notes.

The Falconer’s Arm I

Takoma 1967

01. The Falconer’s Arm
02. Tassajara - Zen Shinji
03. Lost Lagoon Suite
      a) Walking Into The Forest
      b) Prelude
      c) Blue Wolf
      d) Sky Medicine
      e) Finale
      f) Walking Out Of The Forest
04. Pavan Hindustan
05. Babs

The Falconer's Arm - A rough-hewn piece from my personal forest of recollection. It could be an ancient Scotch Crusader's wail for overcoming ignoble establishments. There’s one thing the Blues is afraid of and that's the pipes.

Tassajara - Zen Shinji - A dedication sung to Tassajara - site of an old hot springs resort now the first Zen Monastery in the U.S., situated in the California Mountains southeast of Carmel. The piece itself is a duet for Guitar and Flute. The fine musicianship of Susan Graubard made it.

Lost Lagoon Suite - Vancouver, Canada - Theoretically a four movement symphony for a 12 string.

Pavan Hindustani - A miniature raga encapsuled in Western Guitar form, utilising the Running Himalayan Rondo.

ROBBIE BASHO - THE FALCONER'S ARM II

The Falconer’s Arm II

Takoma 1967

01. Variations On “Shakespeare Wallah”
02. Song Of The Snowy Ranges
03. Pasha
04. Song Of God


Variations on "Shakespeare Wallah" (Sunyat Raye) - Recorded live at the "Rainbow Concert" at Santa Cruz. Fine recording of guitar by placing the recording mikes in the audience between the two speakers. Lord love a Nagra ( a miniature Swiss tape recorder).

Song of the Snowy Ranges - Definition of a bummer - too much too soon. Definition of acid - Karmic Cosmetics. Bringum-back-alive-Basho's contribution to the ant-acid campaign. Better to wait 3 years for a good thing than to push it and get "jammed". From beneath icy pinecones, the breath of peace.

Pasha - A song of Persian Autumn - raga and flamenco techniques. Sing a song of Scorpio. A Pocket full of Pasha.

Song of God -12 string. This piece opens with what I call the Crest of Richard The Lion Hearted (Tantric Heraldry), adapted from a composition by Billie Roberts called Folk Fugue. Then into the Song of God proper, which is my attempt to render a feeling for the manifestation of : Krishna, Manjurs, Rama, God and
Meher Baba.

VARIOUS ARTISTS - CONTEMPORARY GUITAR SPRING '67

Contemporary Guitar - Spring ‘67

Takoma 1967

01. Max Ochs - Raga
02. John Fahey - Sampler
03. Bukka White - Old Man Walking Blues
04. Max Ochs - Raga
05. Harry Taussig - Water Verses
06. Harry Taussig - Children’s Dance
07. Robbie Basho - The Thousand Incarnations Of The Rose


The same year, Takoma released a sampler of the artists on their roster. This sampler, so far, has not been part of the Takoma reissue series. A shame, it contains an exclusive Fahey track but the real treasure here is the 14 minute ‘The Thousand Incarnations of the Rose’ by Robbie Basho. A breathtaking  tour-de-force unavailable elsewhere.

JOHN FAHEY - THE VOICE OF THE TURTLE (ORANGE LABEL VERSION)

Takoma 1968

01. Bottleneck Blues
02. Bean Vine Blues
03. A Raga Called Pat, Part III
04. A Raga Called Pat, Part IV
05. The Little Train That Couldn't
06. Kuolema
07. Leaving Home
08. Lo How a Rose
09. Texas and Pacific Blues
10. The Bastrop Waltz


Fahey’s greatest joke?

Released in 1968, “The Voice of the Turtle” has perplexed Fahey fans ever since. Half truths, in jokes, self mythologizing and some plain old lies.

Some of the tracks are credited to Fahey and the ficticious blues guitarist, Blind Joe Death. Most fans were aware that BJD was an alter ego of Fahey but those tracks were actually other artists old 78’s. Fahey plays over the top of some, others he doesn’t even appear on.

The Fahey originals are stranger still. “A Raga Called Pat, Part IV” features gongs, slide and chanting monks.

Fahey, ever keen to puzzle his fans, goes further in the liner notes. The first sentence is 561 words long and the photos and captions seem to be completely made up. Fahey later stated that “The whole record was a hoax”.

However, there's more...

There are two versions of this album.

Fans only became aware when listening to other copies of the L.P. There are some completely different tracks across the two versions. There are no clues in the notes and there seems to be no explanation available.

The two versions have different coloured labels. One black, one orange. The Takoma cd reissue is a remasterd version of the black label.

I do not have the time, space or mind to go further into this joke within a joke. If you wish to read further I suggest you visit http://www.johnfahey.com/ and read their excellent article on the matter.

But for now, enjoy the alternative punchline...