1970: Paths that unleash and finish

Dandelions having their day

The charming Keith Noble, 1970.

Between 1969 and 1970, it felt like a school reunion for Pink Floyd. The tour with Syd Barrett and Tailboard was something far from their routine as a proper band, which was the usual routine for Tailboard themselves. But the new promising band seemed a bit apart from what they were in a few months back, mostly disinterest coming from part of the members.

"There was times that the entire group didn't came to the sessions, like, what the hell? They are supposed to be here, record new stuff for the album, but none of them came!"

 -Roger Waters

In fact, the ones that were committed on finish the album were Keith Noble, the lead vocalist, and Bob Klose, former 'modern-era' Pink Floyd member and guitarist. Willie Wilson was sometimes absent as he was negotiating his entry to the country rock band Cochise, and Clive Metcalfe was nowhere to be found. Still, Andrew King gave a ultimatum to the group to release their album and fulfil their contract, if needed.

Thus, this was the case of Tailboard. The band finished the recording sessions of Mr. Compromise in April 1970, and just sorta entered into a hiatus until it effectively announced their break-up. Some of the members still pursued career as session musicians, while some others retired, becoming professors. That was the case of Keith Noble and Clive Metcalfe. And that's how we reach the end of Tailboard, folks. But not before I show their album, of course.

The album was named Mr. Compromise, an ironically fitting name to the sessions. It was promoted by Blackhill and it was promoted by the folk-oriented Ashes and Silver. The single failed to chart in the United States and reached number 28 in UK Singles Charts before falling out quickly. The group did a short tour as part of their contractual obligations before entering into a hiatus and breaking up.

"It was relatively a good period. It was nice to meet with the guys for a last time before we've parted on our own ways. I still gave a few shots as a songwriter, but nothing too radical, and I thank the Pink Floyd and Syd a lot by helping us during that time, but it was too much business that I preferred to stick around being a professor, haha!"

-Keith Noble

Tailboard – Mr. Compromise

Tailboard - Mr. Compromise (1970)

Genre: Folk rock, psychedelic folk

Total: 43:03

All lyrics written by Keith Noble.

Side A - 20:01

1. "Mr. Compromise" - 3:28

2. "Narcissus" - 3:53

3. "Secretary Jane" - 4:07

4. "Red-Current Tide" - 1:57

5. "Up and Down Way (of It All)" - 3:43

6. "Only When I Laugh" - 2:53

Side B - 23:02

7. "Dandelions Have Their Day" - 4:52

8. "Weather" - 7:01

9. "King of the Icemen" - 5:40

10. "Ashes and Silver" - 5:29

Mr. Compromise is the debut and only studio album by British folk group Tailboard. Tailboard was a group active between 1969 and 1971, with one-off reunions in 1979, 1991, and 2003. The group was mostly formed by former members of pre-Pink Floyd, except for Willie Wilson. Mr. Compromise was released in 29 May 1970 by Blackhill Records in the United Kingdom only, being released in the US in 1992.

The album was recorded between 1969 and 1970 with the assistance from the members of Pink Floyd. Tailboard was promoted by Blackhill as a new hot folk group, backing Syd Barrett in the tours throughout Europe and the United States. The setlist was composed by the album's catalogue, plus the hit song "A Summer's Song", composed by Keith Noble.

Although it was promoted by the label, Mr. Compromise only reached number 43 in the UK Album Charts., passing unnoticed by the general public, despite being well-received by the critics and attracting a fraction of fans and Pink Floyd fanatics. Currently, the record is quite overlooked by Pink Floyd completionists, while the publishing rights were bought by Pink Floyd Records, being re-issued in 2020. The cover was drawn by fellow singer-songwriter and friend Syd Barrett.

Locking doors and switching lights (Atomic Rooster)

Vincent Crane and his kitties.

As it was told before, the first line-up from the Atomic Rooster wasn't going to last too long. Carl Palmer would leave to form Emerson, Lake and Palmer, while Nick Graham would become an organiser to the Glastonbury Festival. To fill up the roles, John Du Cann picked the bass while Martin Steer picked the drums, beginning the second incarnation of Atomic Rooster in less than a year.

As a few remaining songs from the previous album were lying unreleased and not recorded, Atomic Rooster started to record their second album. The sessions of this album would prove to be very useful to the band, particularly to Du Cann, who was seen as a skilled songwriter, as Brown was mostly missing in action throughout the sessions.

The lead singer of  the group finally appeared consistently in the final stages of the album, and it was his idea to merge several unreleased songs from the past sessions into Creepy Monsters. Brown also suggested to re-record What's Happening, the B-side of Nightmare, a single from the Crazy World of Arthur Brown era. The idea was accepted due to Arthur Brown being seen as the frontman of the group by the label and because the length would increase.

By early September, Death Walks Behind You would be announced and the fans of the new band would be caught by surprise, as the album would be released late that month. At the same time, Atomic Rooster was rising as one of the main hard/progressive rock-driven bands at the time, along with Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath and Deep Purple. The group would perform later that year at Top of the Pops to promote the album.

Atomic Rooster – Death Walks Behind You

Atomic Rooster - Death Walks Behind You (1970)

Genre: Progressive rock, hard rock

Total: 46:54

Side A - 22:35

1. "Death Walks Behind You" (John Du Cann, Vincent Crane) - 7:28

2. "What's Happening" (Arthur Brown, Crane) - 3:56

3. "I Can't Take No More" (Du Cann) - 3:33

4. "Gypsy Escape" (Brown, Crane, Du Cann) - 7:38

Side B - 24:19

5. "Tomorrow Night" (Crane) - 3:56

6. "Creepy Monsters" (Brown, Crane, Dalby, Du Cann) - 5:57

a. "Creep"

b. "Metal Monster"

c. "Night of the Pigs"

d. "Trouble"

7. "Gershatzer" (Crane) - 7:58

8. "No Time" (Brown, Du Cann) - 6:28

Death Walks Behind You is the second studio album by the British band Atomic Rooster, released on 21 September 1970. It was the first album with bass player John Du Cann, who co-wrote and sang in a lot of the songs. The album was produced by the band themselves and released by Blackhill Records, and features the William Blake monotype Nebuchadnezzar.

The album spawned one of the band's most successful singles, Tomorrow Night, which reached number 11 in the UK Singles Charts. The sessions of Death Walks Behind You lasted a month, while the new line-up of the band was formed in June of the same year, less than a month after the release of the more successful Galactic Zoo Dossier. Some songs were previously recorded and written by Arthur Brown, such as the medley of Creepy Monsters and What's Happening? (previously recorded as the Crazy World of Arthur Brown).

Atomic Rooster's new album was considered a bit underwhelming by the critics, while the fans considered a great effort. Throughout the years, Death Walks Behind You became re-evaluated and considered one of Atomic Rooster's classic records. It reached number 90 in the US Billboard 200 and number 12 in the UK Album Charts.

A dilemma over needs and desires

Soft Machine (except Kevin Ayers) in 1970 (Robert Wyatt, Mike Ratledge, Hugh Hopper and Daevid Allen).

Oh boy, and here we are with the Soft Machine again! After Woodstock, the group would gather at the Pye Studios and begin to record the sketches of what would become their third album. During the sessions, the rift between keyboard player Mike Ratledge and Daevid Allen would enlarge, as both were divergent in the direction that the band should take in the next few years. While Mike wanted the group to pursue a jazz-rock direction, Allen wanted the band to go further on the experimentation done in the last album.

The sessions of the new album were quite turbulent, with the rift between the two members: "We were kind of a powerful band on our own, I believe. But problems were caused by the ambitiousness of some members. Kevin was the good-looking boy of the group, I was the fun spirit, Rob was the typical drummer, Hugh was the quiet one, and Mike was the one who gave the texture to the music.", Daevid Allen.

At the time, Soft Machine was backed by the recently-formed backing band The Whole World, which assembled David Bedford on additional keyboards, Elton Dean on alto saxophone, Lol Coxhill on saxophone and zoblophone, a young Mike Oldfield on bass, guitar and backing vocals, and Bridget St. John on backing vocals. The group helped to increment the arrangements of the album and providing help in later tours.

During the same sessions, the band also recorded the unreleased album The Garden of Love, a fairly more avant-garde and jazz-rock project widely associated with David Bedford. The project was shelved due to objections of the management of Blackhill Enterprises, recalling the same fate as the Crazy World of Arthur Brown had. However, Facelift and Out-Bloody-Rageous, two of the songs which emerged from these sessions, were performed live by the Soft Machine after the departure of Daevid Allen, and released in the debut of Mike Ratledge's Pigling Band. The Dillema also originated from the same sessions.

"Magick Brother was the main reason to why we didn't make another double album. We like to experiment, we like jazz, but we most liked free-time. A lot of our songs are about living in peace and tranquillity and that's what we've always managed to do. And the sessions of that album were the opposite. I'd rather spend the rest of my life in Deià than touring."

 -Kevin Ayers, 1993

Blackhill Records announced Magick Brother as the third album of the Soft Machine. Lunatics Lament was released as the promotional single, reaching number 3 in the UK Singles Charts, number 37 in the Billboard Hot 100, and number 14 in the Billboard Hot Rock Songs. The album was widely promoted, focusing in the ambitiousness of the band as their newest peak in music. Pretty Miss Titty, released as Pretty Miss Diddy, also made a minor success in Europe.

"That record [Magick Brother] was a quite nice record. We put a lot of useless effort into it and that other failed project [The Garden of Love], but thankfully we were recompensed as we deserved."

 -Robert Wyatt, 2005

Soft Machine and the Whole World – Magick Brother

Soft Machine and The Whole World - Magick Brother (1970)

Genre: Canterbury scene, progressive rock, art jazz, experimental rock

Total: 91:14

Disc One (Early Morning) - 43:53

Side A - 19:33

1. "Chainstore Chant/May I?" (Daevid Allen, Kevin Ayers) - 4:52

2. "Pretty Miss Titty" (Allen) - 4:05

3. "Town Feeling" (Ayers) - 4:54

4. "Clarence in Wonderland" (Ayers) - 2:06

5. "Rational Anthem" (Allen) - 3:43

Side B - 24:20

6. "Mystic Sister & Magick Brother" (Allen) - 5:55

7. "We Know What You Mean" (Ayers) - 3:23

8. "Stop This Train (Again Doing It)" (Ayers) - 6:05

9. "Rivmic Melodies" (Ratledge, Wyatt, Hugh Hopper) - 8:57

a. "Hulloder"

b. "Dada Was Here"

c. "Thank You Pierrot Lunaire"

d. "Have You Ever Bean Green?"

e. "Out of Tunes"

Disc Two (Late Night) - 47:21

Side C - 25:22

10. "Lunatics Lament" (Ayers, Allen) - 4:53

11. "Ego" (Allen) - 3:57

12. "The Dilemma" (Robert Wyatt) - 6:14

13. "Princess Dreaming" (Allen) - 2:56

14. "Girl on a Swing" (Ayers) - 2:49

15. "Fredfish/Hope You Feel Okay" (Allen) - 4:33

Side D - 21:59

16. "Esther's Nose Job" (Mike Ratledge, Wyatt, H. Hopper) - 11:13

a. "Fire Engine Passing with Bells Clanging"

b. "Pig"

c. "Orange Skin Food"

d. "A Door Opens and Closes"

e. "10:30 Returns to the Bedroom"

17. "'Cos You Got Green Hair" (Allen) - 5:05

18. "Rheinhardt & Geraldine/Colores Para Dolores" (Ayers) - 5:41

Magick Brother is the third studio album by the Canterbury scene band Soft Machine (entitled Soft Machine and the Whole World). The album was co-produced by the Soft Machine and Peter Jenner and released in 14 October 1970 by Blackhill Records in the United Kingdom and Europe, and by CBS Records in the rest of the world. Magick Brother was recorded in a year period, right after the previous album, in late 1969 to August 1970. It is the last album featuring lead guitarist Daevid Allen, who left the band to form Gong.

As the previous album was defined by its jazz tones, the experimentation of Magick Brother is considered wider and far more complex, and the key element of the album, alternating between structured the suites of Rivmic Melodies and Esther's Nose Job, and the more fast-forward and mainstream Lunatics Lament and Clarice in Wonderland, with surrealistic lyricism mostly charged by Kevin Ayers and Daevid Allen, influenced by comedy, philosophy, and love.

The record was considered the Soft Machine's breakthrough in the United Kingdom by leading the UK Album Charts for three weeks, and number 39 in the US Billboard 200, being certified Gold. Lunatics Lament was the first single to be released, followed by Pretty Miss Titty. We Know What You Mean was the last song released as single, backed by The Dilemma.

Rolling Stone defines the album as 'the perfect crossroads between experimental, pure jazz, and mainstream music', ranking it in number 167 in the 500 Greatest Albums of All-Time. The concept of the album is refined by the songs set 'in the early morning and the late night of a Saturday'. It was regarded very influential by its contemporaries, such as Brian Eno, and later recognised by David Byrne as a key record to the composition of Talking Heads' Remain in Light.

Too lovely to understand

Daevid Allen with Gong, ca. 1970s.

With the release and the success of Magick Brother, the Soft Machine begun to prepare themselves and rehearsal for the next tour. Daevid Allen was the one that was actually amused with the success and the subsequent tour, while Mike Ratledge and Hugh Hopper were indifferent, and Kevin Ayers and Robert Wyatt were far more worried.

"I'm not a man of performances. Knowing that we did great with the album, I panicked for the rest of the week, considered going to Deià to distress, but Jimi Hendrix called me a day and he calmed me down. He wasn't used to call people, but specifically that day he wanted to talk with us about the album and other stuff. That encouraged me to go on tours."

-Kevin Ayers

"That was the time that I drank the most, apart from certain tours. I was actually feeling anxious all the time, it certainly wasn't going to be a few tours here and there like with Exiled from Canterbury, it was going to be a longer tour that we were used to."

-Robert Wyatt

However, in the middle of the tour, in Marseille, the tensions between Daevid and Mike finally broke out. The fight led to Allen promptly quit the band in the middle of the tour, leading the band to rearrange themselves to the next gigs. Daevid's songs were taken off the setlist, except for Pretty Miss Titty being sung by Kevin, but most of the setlist was replaced by improvisations, previous songs, and unreleased songs from The Garden of Love.

The Magick Brother tour lasted from November 1970 to July 1971, and Daevid split off the band in February 1971. He went and formed Gong, while the group passed through various incarnations, such as Pierre Moerlen's Gong. As of Soft Machine, but mostly Kevin Ayers, who was already exhausted, he was the one that felt Daevid's departure more than anyone, while the company tried to ease such a casualty.

"If I learned something with his [Daevid Allen] departure, surely it was about building confidence enough, and overcome the fear to be the frontman. Probably the first exercise was The Hat Song. It was a singalong between the audience and the band, trying to give some good vibrations to the audience. It was very helpful, really, in a few months I was doing far better than in the previous tours altogether."

-Kevin Ayers

Author's comment:

In this chapter, we've seen a lot of new changes and ends for some bands. Tailboard was a special band that I wanted to do something with it, but only Keith Noble had an album so we are seeing them departing from this timeline sooner. Initially was planned to do a Soft Machine entirely with Daevid Allen, but in some point there the albums were just not as good as I thought. In Magick Brother, the only different track there is The Dilemma, which is a heavily edited version of Moon in June.

Oh, and by the way, sorry about the sudden absence! I'm having final exams in college, and I'm transferring to another one! So I'll be a little bit absent in the next two weeks, but I'll try to release a new chapter as soon as possible, then return to the regular schedule. Anyway, thank you for you patience, and to enjoy A Crazy Gift of Time! :)

Sources:

• Tailboard - Mr. Compromise
• Keith Noble and Bob Klose - Mr. Compromise
• Atomic Rooster - Death Walks Behind You
• Atomic Rooster - Death Walks Behind You
• Arthur Brown's Kingdom Come - Galactic Zoo Dossier
• The Crazy World of Arthur Brown - Nightmare/What's Happening?
• Soft Machine - Magick Brother
• Gong - Magick Brother
• Kevin Ayers - Joy of a Toy
• Kevin Ayers and the Whole World - Shooting at the Moon
• Soft Machine - Volume Two
• Soft Machine - Third

1969/1970: A brief recapitulation...

Author's note: From this post, A Crazy Gift of Time will be posted once a week/two weeks. I have a couple more posts already written, and this will give me time to concentrate in college and to write more stuff. Anyway, I hope you enjoy your stay in this crazy gift of time, thank you for reading this timeline! :)

To where you once belonged

The Beatles, ca. 1969.

As 1969 progressed, the tensions between the band were high at the point that in every session the band wasn't entirely present. Consistently, there were Ringo and George, sometimes Paul, sometimes John, and sometimes the reverse. For Brian Epstein, the situation in the management was almost the same too, as a rift between him and Allan Klein became very apparent.

"For a time, it was just me who was very wary with Klein. Then, Brian [Epstein] said to me some stuff that he was discontent with his work there, he wanted to replace Klein, but wanted the band to secure his action. I immediately stood up for him. Then, Ringo joined us, then John and George."

 -Paul McCartney, 1988

At the time, Epstein's visits to the studios became less and less frequent, as he had to deal with Apple Records. And with this, the situation in the studios became more and more chaotic, with the presence of their families, mostly Yoko and Linda, and sometimes their kids too. For the first time, the band had other producer than George Martin to the Get Back project, Phil Spector, to finish the overdubs.

Apart from production, John Lennon briefly left the Beatles between 19 to 26 September 1969, a fact that was known a year later when Klein was fired from Apple. John would still return because of Epstein, who talked to him during meantime. As for the others, with the end of the sessions, Paul would begin to record his debut solo album, entitled McCartney, in secrecy, as did the other Beatles. Ringo still would participate in sessions with Spector.

"John wanted to scrap the film, but Paul and Brian vehemently rejected the idea. 'Doing all of that work for nothing?', they asked. And they were quite right, we are human beings, and that would be the sign that in the studios, the things were a lot different than publicly."

-Ringo Starr

In February 1970, dissatisfied with the turn that the label was going, John and George, the remaining members, were convinced by Brian Epstein to dismiss Klein. "He thought a lot about that, and we knew that he wasn't wrong. The Apple venture was something that we weren't prepared for, and Klein was a weight on his back.", George Harrison. Officially, Klein was dismissed in March 1970, two months before the release of Get Back and the premiere from the movie.

After the release of the album, Lee Eastman was appointed officially to replace Klein in the management. As for the Beatles, the band decided to enter in a hiatus for a year, deciding to record the album in a two-year period. However, the EMI label demanded a last album after Get Back before the management company signed a new contract with them. And at last, Lennon and McCartney decided to dissolve their partnership. Finally, The Beatles were renovated, a new band diving into the 1970s along with other bands altogether.

Get Back was finally announced, alongside the documentary with the same name in April 1970. At the time, rumours said that The Beatles were about to break-up since the dismiss of Klein from Apple, and as the movie was released, it would only confirm those claims to their public. As some tracks were released as singles mostly in the previous year, I've Got a Feeling and The Long and Winding Road were released as a double A-side single, topping the UK Singles Chart and reaching number 3 in the Billboard Hot 100.

The Beatles – Get Back

The Beatles - Get Back (1970)

Genre: Rock, pop, blues rock, film soundtrack

Total: 84:22

Disc One - 41:56

Side A - 21:27

1. "The Palace of the King of the Birds" (George Harrison, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Richard Starkley) - 5:04

2. "Get Back" (Lennon-McCartney) - 3:09

3. "Dig a Pony" (Lennon-McCartney) - 3:54

4. "Two of Us" (Lennon-McCartney) - 3:33

5. "I Me Mine" (Harrison) - 2:26

6. "Old Brown Shoe" (Harrison) - 3:21

Side B - 20:29

7. "Come Together" (Lennon-McCartney) - 4:20

8. "Don't Let Me Down" (Lennon-McCartney) - 3:35

9. "Sour Milk Sea" (Harrison) - 3:50

10. "(You Know) It Ain't Easy" (Lennon-McCartney) - 2:59¹

11. "Octopus's Garden" (Starkley) - 2:51

12. "One After 909" (Lennon-McCartney) - 2:54

Disc Two - 42:26

Side C - 21:01

13. "Medley I: Sun King/Mean Mr. Mustard/Polythene Pam/She Came in Through the Bathroom Window" (Lennon-McCartney) - 6:41

14. "For You Blue" (Harrison) - 2:32

15. "Watching Rainbows" (Lennon-McCartney) - 4:08

16. "I've Got a Feeling" (Lennon-McCartney) - 3:37

17. "Let It Be" (Lennon-McCartney) - 4:03

Side D - 21:25

18. "You Never Give Me Your Money" (Lennon-McCartney) - 4:02

19. "Across the Universe" (Lennon-McCartney) - 3:48

20. "Isn't It a Pity?" (Harrison) - 4:45²

21. "The Long and Winding Road" (Lennon-McCartney) - 3:38

22. "Medley II: Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight/The End" (Lennon-McCartney) - 5:12

Get Back is the thirteenth album by the British rock band The Beatles. It was produced by George Martin, Glyn Johns and Phil Spector and released in 8 May 1970 by Apple Records and distributed by EMI. Part-studio album, part-live album, and part-film soundtrack, the double album contains the material recorded during the sessions of the documentary with the same name, Get Back, plus more songs that didn't appear in film.

The album was recorded in a difficult time for The Beatles, as the band needed to resolve the management issues in Apple Records with manager Brian Epstein and Allan Klein. Paul McCartney gave the idea for a documentary showing how the albums were done, and also a back-to-basics routine for the band. Throughout the year of 1969, the tensions between the members of the group remained high, prompting to John Lennon's brief departure from the band in late September.

With the release, the album was met with universal acclaim by music critics and by fans, topping the charts in both sides of the Atlantic, Billboard 200 for almost 30 weeks and the UK Album Charts for 21 weeks. Get Back is considered another album that blew up expectations by the band, with journalists claiming that "even after eight years, The Beatles never cease to impress us". The album is considered among the Beatles' best, alongside Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, A Doll's House, and Band on the Run.

Beatles' Get Back is considered among musicologists a landmark on music's history, and on the band's history itself. The album cover mirrored the band's debut album, Please Please Me, and also became  one of the most imitated in popular music. In 2020, it was ranked fifth in Rolling Stone's list of the greatest albums of all time. The album has also been ranked as one of the Beatles' best-selling, including a multi-platinum certification by the RIAA.

Still, Get Back wasn't free from criticism of the Beatles themselves. Paul McCartney considered Phil Spector's embelishments unnecessary in most of the songs, while John Lennon felt that the album lacked authenticity. The record also is the last record with the iconic partnership between John Lennon and Paul McCartney, which after that, both members would be credited individually for their songs.

Shagrat the Vagrant

Steve Peregrin Took, somewhere in the 70s.

As 1969 was passing, Steve Took — former member from Rubber Band and now the former drummer from Syd's touring band as he was backed by Tailboard — started to connect with more members from the now-crumbling British Underground, forming the 'Pink Fairies Rock'n'Roll Club'. Some of the members included the Deviants (such as Mick Farren), former members from The Pretty Things, and sometimes even Syd himself, who was mostly absent because of touring.

Throughout the year, Took collaborated with two songs on drummer Twink's debut solo album Think Pink, "Three Little Piggies" and "The Sparrow is a Sign", and also collaborated with former The Deviants Mick Farren's solo record Mona – The Carnivorous Circus. And that is where he could find his future band.

"So, after breaking up with Rubber Band, after leaving Syd's band, I was quite lost in my way. I wanted to be in a group so bad, I had written a couple songs to do something, but I was missing my opportunity to shine. And that's why I am thankful to Mick helping me by meeting with Shagrat."

 -Steve Took, 1976

During the sessions for Mona, Took met bass player John Gustafson and keyboardist Pete Robinson. Gustafson was a member of Episode Six as Roger Glover left to join Deep Purple, together with Mick Underwood, who didn't participate in the sessions. However, asked if he wanted to join a group John was forming, Steve gladly accepted, suggesting Shagrat as the name for the group, accepted by them. However, this time, Steve filled up the role for guitarist, and eventually, a frontman for his new group alongside Gustafson.

All the people having dinner inside

Os Mutantes, ca. 1970.

The group Os Mutantes was a band heavily linked to the Tropicália movement back in Brazil, and the country's greatest revelation for rock music at the time. The band pioneered the use of electric guitar in traditional Brazilian music, seen as 'blasphemous' to the more conservative and puritan elements of music. (And when I say 'conservative elements', they even did a march against the electric guitar, I mean, what were they thinking?) Anyway, back to the story...

Os Mutantes were formed in 1966 by the high-class friends Rita Lee and brothers Arnaldo Baptista and Sérgio Dias. They were a part from a larger musical group called Six Sided Rockets, which was reduced to the trio in a year. And since 1967, the group released three albums: Os Mutantes (1968), Mutantes (1969) and A Divina Comédia ou Ando Meio Desligado (1970, recorded in 1969).

Between 1969 and 1970, Os Mutantes would go touring in the psychedelic melting pot of France, and invited by Carl Holmes, the band started to record an album, at the Des Dames Studios, to attract an international audience to the band. At the time, the band was signed with Polydor Records. The album would be released as Technicolor, and released for international markey only, reaching Brazil under a reissue in the 1980s.

Still, winds of change affected the Brazilian music scenario as the military dictatorship was getting harder and harsher against the opposition, resulting in the exile from famous musicians at the time, such as Chico Buarque, Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil, the last two, the main figures of Tropicália alongside Os Mutantes. One of the effects of the persecution was the bittersweet ending of the Tropicália movement, as their main figures distanced themselves from the 'tropical, psychedelic-esque' sounds, moving towards the typical Brazilian Pop Music (MPB, for short).

However, for Os Mutantes, they would remain for a while with a foot on Tropicália territory, but as time progressed, the group would be more influenced by the growing progressive rock scene and by hippie ideals that came (quite late) to Brazil, eventually moving to a hippie settlement throughout the 1970s. For many artists, including them, that period was considered the post-Tropicália era, fuelled by a bitter sentiment against the military regime and by previous influences, quite like a transitionary stage.

"Since we were one of those major figures in Brazilian music at the time, the military government was keeping an eye on us constantly. It was the most common thing at the time to a musician to have a song prohibited by the censorship offices. That happened to us, and to everybody, to Taiguara, to Milton [Nascimento, Caetano [Veloso]... It was awful."

-Rita Lee, 1992

Year of the rooster

Carl Palmer, also somewhere in the 1970s.

At last, there is Atomic Rooster. A new, democratic, incarnation from the Crazy World of Arthur Brown, the band was initially composed by Arthur Brown (vocals), Andy Dalby (lead guitar), Nick Graham (bass guitar and vocals), Vincent Crane (keyboards), Carl Palmer (drums), and one of the most promising acts with their newest material infusing heavy psychedelia, progressive, and experimental rock music.

The group would start to perform around London, headlining at the London Lyceum in August 1969, with the opening act by Deep Purple. Atomic Rooster signed with Blackhill Records, replacing the former incarnation of the group. Andy Dalby officially joined the group as he was found by Arthur Brown when he was looking for a touring band. The band would start to record their debut album in December 1969.

In January 1970, the non-album single Friday the 13th, written by Vincent Crane, was released, with Gypsy Escape as the backing single. The single reached number 14 in the UK Singles Charts and didn't chart in the United States, and despite being considered an average song by the critics, the song passed unnoticed by the public. "That's when we knew that we needed the help from Blackhill.", Nick Graham.

The album was announced as Galactic Zoo Dossier by Blackhill, featuring a lot of promotion by the label as the new incarnation of the 'successful' Crazy World of Arthur Brown. From the hit single "Fire", not the album "Strangelands". One of the acts was to put the group as a headliner at the upcoming Blackhill's Hyde Park Festival in July 1970.

"Not gonna lie, I was quite nervous with the album, after what happened with Strangelands. And that was the first album without some considerable leadership, even if I was the frontman for the group, haha."

 -Arthur Brown, 1981

Atomic Rooster – Galactic Zoo Dossier

Atomic Rooster - Galactic Zoo Dossier (1970)

Genre: Progressive rock, space rock, hard rock

Total: 43:58

Side A - 21:31

1. "Internal Messenger" (Arthur Brown) - 5:08

2. "Space Plucks" (Brown, Crane) - 3:21

3. "Galactic Zoo" (Brown) - 2:32

4. "Broken Wings" (John Mayall) - 5:47

5. "Devil's Answer" (Crane) - 4:43

Side B - 22:27

6. "Banstead" (Crane, Nick Graham, Carl Palmer) - 3:30

7. "Medley (Galactic Zoo/Space Plucks/Galactic Zoo)" (Brown, Crane) - 3:18

8. "Decline and Fall" (Crane, Graham, Palmer) - 5:45

9. "Simple Plan" (Brown) - 3:03

10. "Sunrise" (Brown, Crane) - 6:51

Galactic Zoo Dossier is the debut album by the British band Atomic Rooster, and the first album of most members after the failure of Strangelands. The album was released in 23 February 1970 in the United Kingdom and 5 March 1970 in the United States and the rest of the world. Galactic Zoo Dossier is one of the first conceptual albums of the first wave of Progressive rock, and considered a primal example of space rock.

The album was recorded after the American tour as the Crazy World of Arthur Brown, and after the release and the critical reception of Strangelands, the group reformed into Atomic Rooster. The band started to tour around London and the United Kingdom before gathering and recording Galactic Zoo Dossier plus a few more tracks which were released a few years later in reissues.

Atomic Rooster's Galactic Zoo Dossier would be released to a great appraisal by the critics and well-received by the public in general. The album would peak in number 3 in Britain while it would reach number 86 in Billboard 200. Devil's Answer would be released as a promotional single, reaching number 8 in the UK Single Charts and number 10 in Billboard Hot Rock Charts, backed by Space Plucks. Galactic Zoo Dossier would be considered a 'redemption album' after the disastrous Strangelands.

It is the only album to feature drummer Carl Palmer and bassist Nick Graham. Palmer would later leave Atomic Rooster to form the supergroup Emerson, Lake and Palmer with Keith Emerson and Greg Lake, while Nick Graham moved to Skin Alley, replacing Thomas Crimble. The remaining members would form the main core of Atomic Rooster for the rest of the first era. The album would receive a lot of appraise by its contemporaries.

"Galactic Zoo Dossier was the shit at the time, probably Blackhill's greatest venture at the time. Vincent [Crane] and [Arthur] Brown did a great job with that album. That would be one of the things that I would stop everything I was doing and listen to while high."

 -Syd Barrett, 2013

"That stuff was... mind-blowing when I first listened. It's hard to tell how Galactic Zoo Dossier was influential for me in several aspects. Probably there wouldn't be a Ziggy Stardust without that record."

 -David Bowie, 1999

Author's comment:

And here we are in the 1970s! At least with a foot on it, welp. And we have the introduction of a new band, Os Mutantes! A Brazilian band, very successful at the time, and they have quite an interesting scenario to work with. As for Arthur Brown, finally here it is a new reintroduction to Atomic Rooster and their debut album, Galactic Zoo Dossier, based on the OTL album with the same title, from Arthur Brown's Kingdom Come.

Sources

The Beatles - Get Back:

• The Beatles - Abbey Road
• The Beatles - Let It Be
• The Beatles - Past Masters
• George Harrison - All Things Must Pass

1. '(You Know) It Ain't Easy' is 'The Ballad of John and Yoko'.
2. 'It Isn't a Pity' is the second version in the All Things Must Pass album.

Atomic Rooster - Galactic Zoo Dossier:

• Atomic Rooster - Atomic Roooster
• Arthur Brown's Kingdom Come - Galactic Zoo Dossier

1969: Such a Crazy World

Most unfortunate

Syd and Iggy the Eskimo, 1969.

After a return from the North American leg of the tour, Syd returned to the studios in April 1969 under the supervision of Peter Jenner. Syd continued with Willie Wilson, but since Vincent Crane continued with Arthur Brown and Rick Wills started to work as a session musician for Jackie Lomax, he was with no options but to ask for his old friends to help him to record the successor of Rooftop in a Thunderstorm.

"I knew that the folks of  Pink Floyd did an amazing album [Are Going Insane!], and I looked for some help besides of Jenner who... couldn't do anything but produce. So technically I was kind of inclined to ask for help to the people I dismissed a few years earlier. Yeah, I was seeing the roles being reversed in that moment."

-Syd Barrett, 1984

As Pink Floyd was touring and performing throughout the United Kingdom, it was easy for Syd to approach the band in one of their gigs. "At first my reaction was something like 'Why did you travel from London to Birmingham just to ask us to help you in your album?' But, yeah, he was Syd, he could do whatever he wanted.", David Gilmour. In the same meeting between the band and the artist, Roger and Syd retreated and apologized to each other. In the end, the members agreed to help Syd on his record.

Back at the studios, Syd decided to dismiss Jenner while the band took control of the production. In most of the week, Syd recorded acoustic tracks such as Terrapin, (She's a) Dolly Rocker, Wouldn't You Miss Me? and Golden Hair under the supervision of Gilmour, who played the bass guitar along with Willie Wilson. Although the situation seemed comfortable to the crew, Peter Jenner and Andrew King established a deadline for three weeks.

"Yeah, that was one of the fucking problems that made me quit the music industry a few years later. Peter [Jenner] was becoming an asshole up to me, Andrew [King] was sometimes nice, but never changed his opinions, and Steve [O'Rourke] was virtually the only one in the management who understood me."

-Syd Barrett, 1986

In the next studios, Soft Machine [at the time, Robert Wyatt, Hugh Hopper (who provisionally replaced Kevin Ayers), and Mike Ratledge] were recording their second album, Exiled from Canterbury. Since both bands (including Syd) were friends since the UFO Club times, they would often visit each studio to see what both bands were doing. During a visit, Syd decided to invite Soft Machine to play along some of the songs that remained unrecorded.

On the same day, Soft Machine and Syd rehearsed and jammed, recording four songs in sequence, No Man's Land, No Good Trying, Clowns and Jugglers I, and Love You. "Syd's idea to bring Soft Machine and record some tracks with them was amazing, it spared us a lot of time.", Nick Mason. Most of the songs recorded with Soft Machine received little or no overdubs, except for "Love You" which included a piano performed by Richard Wright.

With a similar idea, Pink Floyd also rehearsed and performed the remaining tracks of Syd, including another version of Clowns and Jugglers that would become Clowns and Jugglers II and the single version. "To be honest, I think that Soft Machine's take on Clowns and Jugglers was bloody awful. Sometimes noisy, sometimes irregular, but Syd liked after all, even if I was saying to keep it out of the album.", Roger Waters.

Syd managed to finish his album, sparing two weeks until the deadline, leaving the album to his former bandmates to mix. "Hmm, yeah, most of the mixing portion was under my supervision, since I liked to do this more than the guys. Syd also liked the result of the final product, so everyone reached an agreement.", Nick Mason.

The album was entitled Clowns and Jugglers, after the two versions recorded for the album. Clowns and Jugglers II was released as single as Octopus, backed by Double O Bo. The single was quite successful in Britain and France but failed to reach the charts in the US. Syd decided to also release Silas Lang, Here I Go and Late Night as singles, with the last two being successful in Britain and throughout Europe. In the United States, Late Night received certain attention in the West Coast.

Syd Barrett – Clowns and Jugglers

Syd Barrett - Clowns and Jugglers (1969)
Genre: Psychedelic folk, acid rock
Total: 43:54
All tracks written by Syd Barrett, except when noted.

Side A - 21:34
1. "Butterfly" - 3:00
2. "Silas Lang (Swan Lee)" - 3:13
3. "No Man's Land" - 3:03
4. "No Good Trying" - 3:26
5. "Clowns and Jugglers I (The Madcap Laughs)" - 3:27

6. "Double 'O Bo" - 2:57
7. "Love You" - 2:30

Side B - 22:20
8. "Clowns and Jugglers II (Octopus)" - 3:47
9. "Here I Go" - 3:11

10. "Terrapin" - 5:04
11. "(She's a) Dolly Rocker" - 3:02
12. "Wouldn't You Miss Me?" - 2:02
13. "Golden Hair" (Syd Barrett, James Joyce) - 1:59
14. "Late Night" - 3:10

Clowns and Jugglers is the second studio album from English singer-songwriter Syd Barrett. The album was released on 16 September 1969 in the United Kingdom by Blackhill Records and on 24 September 1969, being distributed by Capitol Records in the United States. The album was produced by Pink Floyd under the pseudonym of Arnold Layne and is the last one featuring Willie Wilson.

In later years, Peter Jenner would sue Syd, earning the role as producer along with the Pink Floyd. The album was recorded in two weeks, most compromising of Syd's acoustic songs in a week, and another week with sessions featuring Pink Floyd and Soft Machine. The lyrical themes of Clowns and Jugglers include surrealism, personal feelings, and romantic songs in general.

The album is characterized by less experimentalism from the previous album (seen mostly in the first track) and more folk and rock-oriented tracks. The suggestion was given by Andrew King, who looked for songs similar to the ones found in Rubber Band records. At the time, the record became more popular than the predecessor, as the youth identified with some of Syd's lyrics.

After the release, the press reacted negatively first, but then the album received mixed-to-positive reviews in general. Syd released four songs as singles, Clowns and Jugglers II (released as Octopus), Silas Lang, Here I Go and Late Night. The public reaction was positive after all, with the album reaching number 5 in Britain while it reached number 99 in Billboard Top LPs. After Clowns and Jugglers, Syd wouldn't release an album until 1971, focusing on touring and the start of his career on acting.

A little swap

Marc Bolan and Mickey Finn, members of T. Rex, 1969.

After Beyond the Rising Sun or the Beginning of Doves, Marc Bolan and T. Rex would record and release three more albums in a year span: the folk-oriented My People Were Fair and Had Sky in Their Hair... But Now They're Content to Wear Stars on Their Brows (July 1968); Prophets, Seers & Sages: The Angels of the Ages (October 1968), and the more rock-oriented Unicorn (May 1969).

 

The second, third, and fourth albums by Tyrannosaurus Rex.

However, as time passed by, it was more than a fact that Marc Bolan was the frontman and the mind behind Tyrannosaurus Rex, while Rick Wills and Willie Wilson were becoming rather... side members. This being said, Bolan recruited Mickey Finn to be a part of the band, playing percussion instruments, except for the drums, still played by Willie, even though that line-up wouldn't stay for more than a few days, given the fact that Willie Wilson would leave the band for Tailboard.

As for Rick Wills, the bass player would still stay in Tyrannosaurus Rex until 1971, being replaced by Steve Currie. After his departure, Wills would move to Peter Frampton's backing band, then the Small Faces, before finally settling in Foreigner for 14 years. And with that, Tyrannosaurus Rex, now known as T. Rex, would follow the same path as OTL for a few years until we jump back into it.

But all of it's going to burn

Arthur Brown during a performance.

The Crazy World of Arthur Brown, led by no other than the God of Hellfire himself, Arthur Brown, was another rising band under the Blackhill Records, and the first one outside the Rubber Band-Pink Floyd faction to make a hit song with Fire, ironically, becoming Blackhill's best-selling single for a while, reaching number 2 on Billboard Hot 100 and topping the UK Singles Charts.

However, his band often associated with singer-songwriter Syd Barrett due to Vincent Crane, the keyboardist for both, sometimes even performing or touring together. Drummer Drachen Theaker was replaced by Carl Palmer due to his aviophobia. Following the successful eponymous debut record, the band recorded their second album, Strangelands.

Crazy World of Arthur Brown's Strangelands. Certainly an album that no one will forget.

Arthur Brown's second album Strangelands was panned by critics at the time. In an article titled "Strangelands or How To Not Ruin Your Band's Rising Career", music critic XX harshly describes the album as 'dissonant', 'nonsensical', 'painfully experimental', and outside from everything that people expected from their last album. Strangelands was released only in 1971 and didn't chart in the United States, while in Britain the album reached number 19, before falling.

Personally, the band entered into a risky situation with the label that even the God of Hellfire himself was surprised, after temporarily retiring to a commune. The band itself avoided to talk about the record, and behind the scenes, requested to Brown more participation in the band's business and records, and the label wanted a change from style.

"Well, the high management wanted us to change our style. The thing is that we were already searching for a specific new style, even though things went wrong with Strangelands. I didn't want to stick with the same style we've used on The Crazy World [of Arthur Brown]."

 -Arthur Brown, 1973.

For Blackhill, Strangelands became their first failure, ironically, coming from the ones who gave them their best-selling hit. With the expensive Pink Floyd/Syd Barrett/Tailboard tour in September, the management started to be more cautious in a lot of ways, by avoiding 'too much experimental/nonsense' records and simply not doing such an ambitious tour.

For the Crazy World of Arthur Brown, a few things were reformed. The band itself, was dissolved, becoming Atomic Rooster. Arthur Brown, Vincent Crane, and Carl Palmer stayed in the group, being joined by guitarist Andy Dalby and bass player Desmond Fisher. From then, the band would take a progressive turn, sometimes flirting with the experimental and hard rock scenes.

As years passed, critics would reevaluate the record, being more moderate, and even considering it innovative in several aspects, developing a cult following around the album. Groups such as Animal Collective drawn a few inspirations from aspects of the album's ambiency.

Come on and enjoy us

Willy Prairie and Joe Prairie... perhaps; 1969.

As the band released the successful A Doll's House, John Lennon, influenced by his wife, wanted the group to release a full experimental record with the outtakes and tracks of the sessions, similarly to the then-unreleased Revolution 9.

"Well, John was deeply into Yoko's influence, and persuaded us to make something... similar to Revolution 9. Actually we wanted to do something different, and we had those jams recorded in 1968, but we didn't want to go under that avant-garde rubbishness, so we moved to do a 'novelty record'. And thus, teaming up with Billy Preston, The Prairie Wallflowers were born!"

-Paul McCartney, 2013 

"Well, Paul had his idea to that documentary about 'how does Beatles produce their albums', and I hooked with them to help to record it. And one day John came to me wondering if I would like to join them to record a few more stuff to an 'untitled alternate project' to Get Back, and then told me to choose a new name."

-Billy Preston, 1995

The idea for Joe Prairie & The Prairie Wallflowers popped up after a reunion of the Beatles in George's Kinfauns, after a listening of the unreleased tapes of the 1968 sessions. The name for the group came from the song Los Paranoias. The concept of a Beatles' record under an alias seemed interesting and was approved by the manager Brian Epstein, who booked sessions for them in secrecy at the Trident Studios.

Paul picked the frontman's name, Joe Prairie, while John named himself as Stu Prairie as a tribute to his late friend and early member of The Beatles, Stuart Sutcliffe, Billy Preston chose Willy, George used Nelson and Ringo chose Leon.

The album was recorded over three days, then mixed by George Martin, packed to release with a shot of The Beatles' rooftop concert. Joe Prairie's name was first mentioned in an interview with Paul McCartney and John Lennon on BBC, announcing the new, non-Beatle album, with the premiere release of the single 'Come and Get It' two days later. Next, Brian clarified that the album was made with recordings dating since the sessions of 1968.

Joe Prairie & The Prairie Wallflowers – Back in Your Safely Beds

Joe Prairie & The Prairie Wallflowers - Back in Your Safely Beds (1969)

Genre: Jam band, rock and roll, psychedelic folk, experimental

Total: 41:32

Side A - 20:51

1. "Can You Take Me Back? (There You Are, Eddie)" (Joe Prairie) - 4:05

2. "Dig It" (Joe Prairie, Stu Prairie, Tom Prairie, Nelson Prairie, Leon Prairie) - 0:50

3. "Suzy Parker" (J. Prairie, S. Prairie, T. Prairie, N. Prairie, L. Prairie) - 2:00

4. "Wild Honey Pie" (J. Prairie) - 0:54

5. "What's The New Mary Jane" (S. Prairie) - 6:12

6. "(You're So Square) Baby I Don’t Care" (Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller) - 0:42

7. "Maggie Mae" (traditional, arr. The Prairie Wallflowers) - 0:40

8. "St. Louis Blues/Heart of the Black Country" (J. Prairie/W. C. Handy) - 1:10

9. "You Know My Name (Look Up The Number)" (S. Prairie) - 4:21

Side B - 20:41

10. "Blue Moon/I Will" (Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart/J. Prairie) - 2:57

11. "Come and Get It" (J. Prairie) - 2:30

12. "Apple Jam" (J. Prairie, S. Prairie, T. Prairie, N. Prairie, L. Prairie) - 2:20

13. "Medley: Rip It Up/Shake, Rattle And Roll/Blue Suede Shoes" (Robert Blackwell, John Marascalco/Charles Calhoun/Carl Perkins) - 3:18

14. "Step Inside Love" (J. Prairie) - 1:34

15. "Los Paranoias" (J. Prairie) - 3:58

16. "Ain't She Sweet" (Jack Yellen, Milton Ager) - 2:08

17. "Mailman, Bring Me No More Blues" (Bill Katz, Ruth Roberts, Stanley Clayton) - 1:56

Back in Your Safely Beds is a studio album, parallel to the Get Back project, released by The Beatles plus Billy Preston under the pseudonym of Joe Prairie & The Prairie Wallflowers. The album is filled with studio jams and remaining content spanning from the sessions back from Umbrella, A Doll's House, and the upcoming Abbey Road and Get Back albums. The album was recorded by the band in secrecy, then mixed and produced by George Martin.

The album is comprised of several cover versions of rock and roll numbers, studio jams, and experimental compositions of the group. The album was revealed when Paul McCartney and John Lennon were interviewed, while a few days later, Apple/NEMS issued Come and Get It as the lead single for the album. Back in Your Safely Beds was received with a big interest and generally positive reviews by music critics, citing it as an impressive way to reuse discarded songs into a new work. The album peaked in number 3 in UK Albums Charts and reached number 7 in Billboard Top LP's.

Musicologist and author Ian MacDonald said that the pseudonym strategy to release more experimental music was very helpful, since if the band released the album under their own name it was going to be a critical failure similar to Magical Mystery Tour.

Beach Boy Carl Wilson mentioned Back in Your Safely Beds as a heavy influence on Beach Boys' Carl and the Passions. The same concept was revived on George Harrison's supergroup, The Traveling Wilburys, with Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison, Tom Petty, and Jeff Lynne. Forgotten for a while, the record was later re-evaluated by the fans and received a cult following status. John Lennon later referred to the album as one of his favorite records during The Beatles. The band would later revive the concept in 1976 as their last work before the hiatus, but shelved the album.


Author's comments:
The idea for Joe Prairie & The Prairie Wallflowers was loosely inspired by the Beatles' experimental albums in Strawberry Peppers and Something Creative, but I didn't want to... make another version of those albums (which are amazing, by the way). Then, the idea for the band emerged as a way to reutilize some of the unused material, like the cover numbers from The Beatles that were recorded during that period.

And, as I said, no more New Yardbirds, or any plot related to Led Zeppelin. Instead, however, there will be an alternative version of Atomic Rooster with the inclusion/fusion of Arthur Brown's Kingdom Come. The main issue is that Led Zeppelin and Renaissance had two very different styles to work with.

Sources:
Syd Barrett - Clowns and Jugglers:

• Syd Barrett - The Madcap Laughs
• Syd Barrett - Opel
• Pink Floyd - The Early Years

Joe Prairie & the Prairie Wallflowers - Back in Your Safely Beds:

• The Beatles - White Album (Deluxe Edition)
• The Beatles - Let It Be
• The Beatles - Anthology 2
• The Beatles - The Black Album [bootleg]