OK, 1966, I was 16, I'd just bought a pair of flared pants covered in various sizes of polka-dots and I had a jacket and shirt that came with a health warning. I'd never heard of The Blues Magoos, but when I saw the title of the album, I had to have it. Turns out - not that bad !!
I'm guessing I wasn't the only one who bought it based on the album name. It was one of the first records to have the word psychedelic in the title. This is their debut album - they went on to do four more between '67 and '70.
Of the 10 songs, 4 were originals written by the group members and the others were composed by an eclectic mix of songwriters. From things like 'I'll Go Crazy' written by James Brown and Big Maceo's 'Worried Life Blues' to songs by people who wrote for the likes of Petula Clark, Gene Pitney, Englebert Humperdinck. Hardly the world's most 'psychedelic' artists .. but the songs all seemed to work.
The two stand out tracks are '(We Ain't Got) Nothin' Yet' written by three of the band, and the classic 'Tobacco Road' by John D. Loudermilk.
'(We Ain't Got) Nothin' Yet' is pure 60's. One description states .. "The Vox Continental organ riff was closely based on guitarist James Burton's riff to Ricky Nelson's 1962 rock recording of the old George Gershwin standard 'Summertime'". So, no major influences there then !!!
Their take on Loudermilk's 'Tobacco Road' is typical of the experimental music being played at the time. The basic song structure is there to begin and end the track, but between 1:00 and 3:45 you get the instrumental equivalent of an epileptic fit. I don't mind it, as I've said about a number of albums and tracks, it is of it's time, and for that I can enjoy it. If you listen with today's musical ear though, it can be self-indulgent and rather silly, but back then it was new and rebellious and exciting.
A couple of other tracks worth mentioning. 'Queen of My Nights' is a ballad-y number, I'm sure put in there to let us know that there was real talent in the group, they could hold a note and show emotion.
'One By One' another band member composition reminds me of the mid-60's Hollies. That's a personal thing though, to others it may come across totally differently, but it sort of makes me like it more.
So, Blues Magoos. Back in July when I did the Status Quo review I did say I'd be doing these guys sometime soon. Sometime is today.
Grab your bell-bottoms and your paisley shirts and your tie-dye undies and take a trip back to the 'take a trip' days. Peace man !!
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