This Is Me--2024 A to Z Theme

My A to Z Themes in the past have covered a range of topics and for 2024 the theme is a personal retrospective that I call "I Coulda Been" which is in reference to my job and career arc over my lifetime. I'll be looking at all sorts of occupations that I have done or could have done. Maybe you've done some of these too!

Friday, November 1, 2024

Psychedelic Songs from Lee's Basement ( #BOTB )

        As we head into another winter season, my thoughts go back to younger days of high school and college.  Not that cold weather drove me to the retreat of the basement of my parents' house, but it was a great anytime place to go when I wanted to listen to my records. Sometimes I'd listen alone and sometimes I was joined by friends. For a while, Lee's Basement was the place to be.  We had some great times and listened to some interesting music.  Today I present a couple of my favorites...


Battle of the Bands


        Battle of the Bands is the blogging event started by Far Away Series and now hosted by StMcC Presents Battle of the Bands.   This event happens each month on the 15th and on some there is also a Battle on the 1st of the month.  My blog is one of those with a second Battle excepting over these summer months.   The premise is simple:  Listen to the songs presented below and then in the comments vote for your favorite and tell us why you liked it.  Then visit the links listed near the bottom of this post for more Battle action.

Psychedelic Sounds from the Basement

      During the late sixties and early seventies, when I was still living in my parents' home and going to high school and university, my favorite retreat when I was home was our basement.  During this time it was mostly my domain.  I had a decent portable stereo down there along with my ever-growing record collection which was becoming heavily influenced by psychedelic music as well as classical and an array of music that was not on the normal listening lists of most of my friends.  But they listened anyway if they were in Lee's Basement.

       It's not like I was aurally torturing them, but I was just giving a different musical diet beyond the Allman Brothers or whatever the favorite of the week was. They could get the popular stuff anywhere.  And I'll admit that sometimes we were a bit mind-altered if you know what I'm saying and that weird stuff that I would play just seemed to be pretty durn appropriate.

         So, digging back into the memories, let me dust off a couple of cuts from two among my favorites of that era.  I don't know if having your mind-altered a bit helps, but these songs still sound pretty good to me.  Maybe you had to have been there.  Or maybe just have weird eclectic tastes like I have.  Hope you can find something interesting or fun about these.  Open your mind.   Feel the groove.  Listen and sit in judgement and then tell us which you like best and why.    


Autosalvage   "Land of Their Dreams"  (1968)

       When I first read about this group in Lillian Roxon's Rock Encyclopedia I started my search for the album.  I actually don't remember the when or where, but I did find it without too much trouble in some cut-out bin somewhere.  I got most of my music from the cheap record section.  Times were spare.  I was a student.  I was living in the land of my dreams so this song connected with me.





Wichita Fall  "Playground"  (1968) 

      I haven't found much about this album or group other than they started out as a band in the style of Buffalo Springfield, went into the studio with members of the L.A. Philharmonic and ended up with a record that is more like the Moody Blues or The Association.  The album is reviled by some, loved by others, and unknown by most.  I especially used to enjoy this one after everyone had left my basement and I was unwinding in the wee hours.  The album is one that has been described as "popedelia" but I still think of it as kind of psychedelic.  Take a listen and let us know what you think...
  
           



Time to Vote!

           Hallucinogens are not needed to enjoy these songs.  It's music for any occasion. 
  Either way you might or might not like them.  Hopefully you have an opinion of some kind.  You don't have to know about music to have an opinion since it all comes down to your own personal taste.

        Please vote on your favorite by letting us know your choice in the comment section and tell us why you prefer the version you chose. Then after you've finished here, please visit the other blogs listed below who may or may not be participating this time around. And if you've put up your own BOTB contest let us know that as well so we can vote on yours. I don't know if anyone else will be doing a Battle this time around, but you can still check out these sites.


Here are some other places where you might find BOTB posts:

 StMcC Presents Battle of the Bands

  'MIKE'S RAMBLINGS'

'Curious as a Cathy'

Sound of One Hand Typing

Jingle, Jangle, Jungle 






Next Battle on November 15
    
       There will also be another posting for the Insecure Writer's Support Group coming next Wednesday.   And don't forget to come back for the results of the above Battle.  Those will show up on Friday November 8.









24 comments:

  1. Might've picked the second one, but the first had more personality. And was trippier.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Alex, kicking things off with a vote for...

      Autosalvage.

      Lee

      Delete
  2. I love psychedelic rock and getting high on the music (as opposed to substances). Both songs were unknown to me and I found them appealing. Land of Dreams was groovier, though. ☺

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Debbie D, some substances can be fun and enhance music listening, but good music stands on its own.

      Another vote for Autosalvage.

      Lee

      Delete
  3. While I do like the wispy feel of Moody Bluesy-types, in this case - and on second thought, I am more drawn to the animated buoyancy of Autosalvage so they get my vote ;-)
    P.S. "The Psychedelic Band that vanished," ?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Diedre, not sure what the vanished reference is but I guess that seems psychedelic in itself.

      A vote for Autosalvage.

      Lee

      Delete
  4. I liked the sound of Wichita Fall better than that of Autosalvage, so I'll go with them.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. John H, breaking the shutout!

      A vote for Wichita Fall.

      Lee

      Delete
  5. R. LEE BOID ~

    Wow! John Lennon and William Shakespeare were both in Autosalvage?! I had no idear!

    https://www.historyextra.com/period/elizabethan/william-shakespeare-kenneth-branagh-facts-life-plays-playwright-writer-bard/

    Between these two recordings, I most definitely preferred 'PLAYGROUND' by Wichita Fall, even if they didn't have Lennon & The Bard in their band.

    ~ D-FensDogG

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. HAHA. Those guys DO look like Lennon and The Immortal Bard!

      Sixgun

      Delete
    2. STMcC, a lot of those hippy guys looked alike back then. Couldn't tell if they were boys or girls. Now things are a lot different. Really different.

      Is the voting taking a turn?

      Another one for Wichita Fall.

      Lee

      Delete
    3. BOIDMAN ~
      Is you boycotting Steely or Dan? Or, perhaps it's Pina Coladas or Rum & Coke that you're boycotting? I sure hope it ain't me who is the object of your boycott. ;^)

      https://stmccpresentsbattleofthebands.blogspot.com/2024/11/botbs-botb-nov-1-2024-or-steely-dans.html

      ~ D-FensDogG

      POSTSCRIPT: Is this feeling like a Christmas morning to you?

      Delete
    4. Today is a good day. Then tomorrow it's back to the same old shit I suppose. Not for me, but for other people that can't be happy.

      But I'm glad today.

      Lee

      Delete
  6. I had not heard of either of these bands. I was surprised that I kinda liked both of them. Usually I found that cut-out-bin-bands are there for a reason, though occasionally I found a nugget.

    Autosalvage definitely has a feel of 1968 for me. The cover art reminds me of middle school years and mod belts and bell bottoms. The drummer reminds me of Mitch Mitchell's style, though definitely not as good. And finally, I discovered after looking them up that Rick Turner of Turner guitars was in the band. I do not play guitar, but ten years ago seriously thought about buying a Turner Model 1 and learning to play because I love the sound of them. He designed that guitar for Lindsey Buckingham to have "the warmth of a Les Paul with the clarity and precision of a Fender Stratocaster." Buckingham has that unique finger picking style of his for some very delicate phrasing, but sometimes needs a roar. You can tell when someone is playing a Model 1 in a song right away. So: Turner connection, time machine to 1968, hints of Mitch Mitchell earns Autosalvage the vote.

    Sixgun McItchyfinger

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. 6-Gun, I've found a lot of music in cut-outs that I really liked, but I have some weird tastes as you might know. I don't think they're weird, but some people do.

      I seem to recall reading about Rick Turner years ago, but I had forgotten that bit of info. The band did have some interesting people involved which is what drew me to them after reading about them.

      Autosalvage it is for you.

      Lee

      Delete
  7. Land of my Dreams gets my vote because I feel the groove while the 2nd was just too perky

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Birgit, "Playground" certainly is rather perky I guess but it's what the song is about I guess.

      Another one for Autosalvage.

      Lee

      Delete
  8. VOTE = LAND OF THEIR DREAMS

    Although I kind of liked the whimsical nature of Playground, Land of Their Dreams was more psychedelic in my view, and I liked it. Playground seemed like it could have been Cowsills or Partridges trying to be psychie. At the risk of sounding a little creepy, your basement sounds like a fun place to be! ~Ed.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ed, the Wichita Fall album taken as a whole is a more psychedelic experience that this one song. But your comparison is a fair one.

      We had some great times in the basement with a lot of really good music both on record and sometimes live jams.

      A vote for Autosalvage.

      Lee

      Delete
  9. This isn't my forte but I tried to sit through these two songs the best I could. I didn't do too well with the first track before I squirmed away to try the second one which almost instantly caught my ear. I can't say I like it enough to own a copy but I will give my vote to PLAYGROUND in this round. Interesting battle! Have a bantastic day, Lee!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cathy, it's all a matter of taste I guess. Or maybe mood when you listened? I love the sounds of both of these.

      A vote for Wichita Fall.

      Lee

      Delete
    2. I agree the mood definitely influences the mind how music moves me. I don't pay too much attention to the lyrics since I can't understand them very well, so I usually rely on how the melody makes me feel.

      Delete
    3. Same here. I guess that's why it's so easy for me to listen to foreign language music if the music and presentation is interesting.

      Lee

      Delete
  10. Here at last! Results!

    https://tossingitout.blogspot.com/2024/11/time-for-dreams-botb-results.html

    ReplyDelete

Go ahead and say something. Don't be afraid to speak your mind.
I normally try to respond to all comments in the comment section so please remember to check the "Email follow-up comments" box if you want to participate in the comment conversation.

For Battle of the Bands voting the "Anonymous" commenting option has been made available though this version is the least preferred. If voting using "anonymous" please include in your comment your name (first only is okay) and city you are voting from and the reason you chose the artist you did.

If you know me and want to comment but don't want to do it here, then you can send me an email @ jacksonlee51 at aol dot com.

Lee