Thank you so much for this review! I was there! I used to hang out at the grateful dead‘s house before they even made their first record. A bunch of us little teenage girls would hang out until Rock Scully kicked us out. Nothing ever happened, we were just kids. Quicksilver was my absolute favorite ! I went to Avalon or Fillmore every weekend. The charlatans played at Avalon all the time. I loved them!
Pleased To Say as a Brit i was well into American West Coast Music...And as a Spotty 14 Year old Working in A Record Shop at Weekends, It Enabled Me To Obtain All Of these 25 Masterpieces...Great Video
Big Brother, Cheap Thrills ..... James Gurly had the ultimate psychedelic guitar sound of this era. I always wanted a full album of his playing. Agree with your assessment of the Band and the album.
You have captured my love of San Francisco and the music of the late 60’s. From It’s A Beautiful Day to Surrealist Pillow and everything in between. So much love! Thank you for sharing!
Just watching him show those vinyl album covers brought back so many memories of those days when, by the end of the night, there would be piles of albums on the floor as we sat around toasted and happy.
Surrealistic Pillow is fabulous, After Bathing at Baxter's is my all time favorite Airplane album. The first official date my wife and I had was seeing Country Joe and the Fish in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. We have most of those albums and some in your list we do not have...our loss. Thank you for posting, Bill and Linda 51+ years married and still groovin'!
Surrealistic Pillow is one of the greatest rock albums of all time, no doubt. The rest of their albums were more erratic in quality, though some good songs in there.
Love all the Psych albums, my favorite era of the 60's. Jefferson Airplane my favorite. Glad your in Seattle!, I loved going to the 40th Anniversary of Summer of Love on 9/2/2007 was an incredible day at Golden gate Park and 40th of woodstock Oct/2009 also at Golden Gate Park. I flew down from Seattle for both events had a blast got so high at both events and hung out around Haight Ashbury too. I Lived just a few miles from Jimi's house here. Totally dig all your vids!! WESTCOAST baby!
I was floored by the debut Quicksilver and all these years later it remains in my top five of all time personal faves. Cipollina's guitar style was instantly recognizable, original, and so super-expressive. I bought the Country Joe "electric music" back in the day and, I'll be honest, it never really grabbed me, but that's okay. I enjoyed your walk through the 25 you chose. Thanks for the tidbits and trivia, too.
Glad to have all the Airplane albums. I have seen the band live in 68 in Amsterdam. Together with the Doors. Greetings from the Netherlands. Love this video.
Brings back a lot of nostalgia. Thanks. The LA psychedelic scene had great bands too. The Byrd’s, The Doors and Love with their unforgettable album “Forever Changes”.
I'm with you there. Interesting tidbit. Children of the Future album cover opened up and viewed under a color-wheel gives the illusion of the figures flying with flapping wings. Some LSD helps the illusion, haha.
Ha ha ha on me....I'm 71 and have been deep into the music of the '60s and beyond for decades. And because I was, for whatever reason, never a big Quicksilver fan, I'd never heard "The Fool". Well, better late than never. This is now on my permanent replay list. Thanks to Norman Maslov for leading me there!
@@mazzysmusic They were the #1 band in San Francisco in 1966. My friends Ronnie Leatherman and John Ike live in Kerrville Texas. Ronnie is coming out with his first ever cd in the next few months. The Elevators started the feedback that all the other bands started copying. I love all the bands that you have shared with us. Thanks Norman and keep your tubes glowing!
@@bertwinston4068 They're a Texas band, whatever you say about being popular in SF where they made appearances as well. I was living in the Houston area when they were becoming known and playing around there. Limited songs of note, but "You're Gonna Miss Me" remains one of the the great psychedelic songs of all time.
@@bertwinston4068 I was way too young for this era & didn’t find the Elevators’ music until cds came out. But, I had no idea they were considered the #1 band in SF in 1966. Is that assessment based on radio polls, #records sold, estimated # of attendees at concerts/local gigs, the music press, or general buzz in the street, etc? I’ve heard the same said of Moby Grape (my 1st album was ‘Great Grape’) and Quicksilver.
Played with Jerry Miller in '85 at a small bar here in Tacoma. Didn't know who he was, until I read a book about Zeppelin. "Hey, Jerry. Plant mentions your name from '68". THEN it hit me. "You ARE Jerry Miller !" He said, "Yeah, that's why I hired you. You didn't know me". He then took me to meet Page and Plant a few years later. Many vids on my channel of him playing locally. youtube/TacomaPaul channel.
I love the sound, tone, natural distortion, the early fuzz pedals of electric guitars the psychedelic era. Before rock guitar became so precious and self-conscious.
I´m 63 and wasn´t lucky enough to live in San Francisco in the 60´s. I came to know these records only in the 90s but from then on they became my favorite sounds. Couldn´t agree more on Norman´s selection. Congratulations for sharing this kind of information and also for a so fantastic original records collection.
Surrealistic Pillow absolutely number one. Such range of styles and nailed every one. And glad to the The Sons got remembered. I loved their first two albums..
Right on, you hit the target in a difficult culling process. This list could change on a hourly basis, too much great stuff to choose from. Your perspective is stellar according to this 70 year old hippie who was there to witness this first hand. This is the soundtrack to our youth.
"list could change on an hourly basis, too much great stuff to choose from" amen 5 or 10 candidates that move right into the top3 every time you listen to it
Norman, I just came across your review and have to give you a standing O. I have a lot of these records and at your mention, I went back to revist " It's A Beautiful Day." I must admit when it 1st came out, I pretty much always played side 1 for " White Bird." I just flipped the album over and revisited side 2. OMG , side 2 is a masterpiece. Only 3 songs, but they seamlessly flow from one to the other. The songs build in intensity and the last song ", Time Is," brings it home. The ending has similarities to the Chamber's Brothers classic, THCT. I belive they both were released in the same time period. Thank you for reminding me and keep up your outstanding work.
Wow. Stumbled upon your video by accident. As a teenager back then, I was lucky enough to have and cherish almost every album you mention. Yes, Embryonic Journey from Surrealistic Pillow is a masterpiece. Cippolina's guitar playing from Quicksilver is majestic, etc. What a powerful time and place for music. I would have to add the Dead's Anthem of the Sun as it struck a deep transcendent chord watching them play it live up here in the northwest in 1969. Thank you for the presentation and archiving these sublime records.
Really great job, Mazzy! The only issue I feel strongly about is It’s A Beautiful Day at #25. The musicianship, vocal work, featured violin work, and over all strength of this very unique album should place it in the top 10, if not top 5. As others have commented, I would take Anthem of the Sun over Aoxomoxoa, if you had to choose. Perhaps a little less Creedence to make room for Crown of Creation. If you included The Youngbloods, you could certainly have included HP Lovecraft, a band who actually relocated to the Bay Area. In my fragile eggshell mind, I consider their 2nd album, HP Lovecraft II, to be the best psychedelic album of all time, for a lot of reasons. That’s for another discussion. 😊 Thanks for presenting this!
I got the 2-CD withy both studio albums and also the Live-album and I think it's written that their first album is "the best", but I definitely like their 2nd more, though the live version of Wayfaring Stranger gives me goosebumps.
Yawn Wiener of Rolling Stone fame never liked them. But then he's proven himself an idiot many times over. I think Don and Dewey on Marrying Maiden is Killer.
Hi .LP by Fever Tree with their track San Francisco Girls is one of my faves and in our Collection.Great interesting videos of yours.Thanks.Rog.Pacific Sunset Records( LA).
I discovered you Thursday and have been doing little else but binging! My god! Some stuff I haven't even thought of in many decades that I loved and now have to have again.
Steve Miller: Children of the Future was a whim purchase for me just because I liked the cover. Had no idea what audio treasures it contained. Far and away the best thing Steve Miller did.
Excellent selection Mazzy - thank you for reminding me what a brilliant tune Loan Me a Dime is from the Box Scaggs solo album - sublime guitar work from Duane Allman - wonderful
Agree with you but would put Moby Grape higher. I remember having surgery as a kid and when I woke my older brother sat by my bedside holding up the Moby Grape LP and John Wesley Harding by Dylan. As you can imagine I recovered quickly.
I was waiting for you to let me down, honestly. These albums are my wheelhouse. Regardless of rankings they are all my seminal influences and worthy of honor! Surrealistic? I totally agree.
You have no idea how much I loved this video. Subscribed. I'm old now, but those records, all of them, were my youth. I would have had LIve Dead as my number one, but all of those you have are classic. I still love this music. Amazing how such creativity was crammed into a short time and space. Bless it's Pointed Little Head should have made it on your list somewhere. I play guitar in old geezer band and play a lot of old Airplane, Dead and Quicksilver. Such great songs. Way more than just jam bands.
Great video. Thank you. I still love vinyl. I was only 12 years old in 1970, but loved the music of the 60s and the San Francisco scene. I go there whenever I can. Many of the albums you talk about, I have. I need to explore the several that I'm not as familiar with. The thing about JA is that every member of the band could have had their own band.
wow dude....how many re takes did you have to do?....LOT of info there...i lived in san fran from june 70 to dec 70....discovered a lot of what you listed here...i was very blown away by country joe and the fish along with it's a beautiful day....saw day along with van morrison and ten years after at winterland....one of the most beatific nights of my entire life.....day was so wild and relaxing at the same time...... while van was so melodic and hypnotic..... alvin lee caused my brain to re arrange.....you did a great job here...
Here’s an observation of mine, something I repeatedly notice but rarely mention. The sentiment in a line like “when the truth is found to be lies” typifies many of the lyrics of the 1967-era pop and psychedelic music. The themes of disillusionment and betrayal are HUGE, whether in politics or romance, in that era. By my observation, more so than in other period in American popular music.
I stumbled on this video by accident and I'm glad I did. I was in high school in Pgh PA during these years and all I wanted was to head out to San Francisco. I loved your album picks. Many of them I have and you reminded me of some that I don't own that I need to check out again. Great memories. Thanks!
""Every record here is fantastic." I couldn't agree more! I was born in 1957 and listened to all of this back in the day. Have all those LPs except The Youngbloods in my collection. Have to agree with Surrealistic Pillow as the top pick. Loved the video!
Wow I had almost all of the albums you showed. You sure took me back in the “wayback machine”. I was very pleased you had Children of the Future, Quicksilver first album and Steve Miller “Sailor”. All three of them have very special meaning for me because I had just been placed in a foster home out in the “Sunset”. In late 1968. I’m from San Jose, and being placed in the City was a major awakening for me. Was e posed to so much.... My parents thought they were punishing me by booting my butt out of the house and having the courts put me in the foster home. Ha ha, it was one of the best things that ever happened to me. Especially because I got exposed to so much music. My foster mom let me listen to her stereo with headphones for hours on end. This video brings back so many memories of living in the City. Thank you!
Yes, I believe that they did. However, with some excellent exceptions (Electric Music for the Mind and Body) much of the music they played had little of what we call "psychedelic" in it. As I said, this is true of many of the bands we call "psychedelic".
Great compilation. I owned and played the grooves off all those albums. I lived about 15 miles south of the Fillmore and Winterland. Blessed to have seen every one of those bands. Back then you could hear 3-4 bands at the Fillmore for about six bucks. Bill Graham performed a great service to San Francisco. I heard Santana at my local Recreation Department dance shortly before the first album broke and I think it cost 50¢. Those were great times, musically speaking.
I love your list and commentary! I was born in '53 and grew up in San Diego. One group nobody seems to mention much when it comes to this era is Cold Blood, they also were a San Francisco group and I believe their first album came out in 1969.
Electric Music is, perhaps, the most psychedelic record, ever. It’s very clear the Joe and band understood the psychedelic experience. I’ve always equated Barry Melton’s guitar work with the San Francisco sound.
I greatly appreciate your list however, if we’re talking Sam Charters then the acid/jazz depth of arrangements on EMFTMAB would SO be on my list as it’s imo THE most potent earliest of Psychedelic recordings as much as I completely dug the 2nd and 3rd Fish Lps they always sounded and felt like the after trip celebration of their first perfect sound bath and Barry’s guitar work on it is absolutely quintessential Honer the Incarnation as There’s no Janis without first Hearing and Appreciating Grace I saw the band twice during their second and third records the first time was the national guard armory in Las Vegas Nevada and David Cohen couldn’t be there that night because his wife was having a baby in San Francisco I really missed his Keyboard tones but the show was phenomenal nonetheless the second time I saw them was at the Las Vegas convention center with the Youngbloods it was a phenomenal double bill and a great representation of that time
CJM said that every song was written, performed, and mixed while on acid; in the hope of creating the perfect soundtrack to a psychedelic experience. I think he succeeded.
Love your comments and reviews, a real education for me in many cases. And those work of art albums covers, well done for keeping them so pristine. Keep on with it.
Excellent! Splendid! I was lucky enough to move to San Francisco in 1989 and lived there till my oldest daughter was born. I had my real musical awakening there. So much good music and you have to live there at some point to get it. Jesse Colin Young's "Ridgetop" grounded me. Got to meet Country Joe. Friday and Saturday nights at Slims. Saw Boz, Van Morrison, Rickie Lee Jones and Chris Isaak there- all impromptu. Saw Marty Balin (can't remember the bar... Sorry) Got to attend a Todd Rundgren live album concert recording at the Palace of Fine Arts. San Francisco is, still in my heart, the real music city.
Gary Duncan was so underrated. Cip's famous vibrato playing became the trademark, but Duncan's solos sadly doesn't get many mentions. Beautiful playing, like crystal blue water. His oriental flavored solos on the live versions of Mona for example, just fantastic. Very sad when he passed away.
Spot-on. Personal friend of his, still miss him. David Freiberg called him "the Driving Wheel - spot-on, as well. Great, great guitarist, best rhythm player I ever heard; but great, creative soloist too.
I've always thought his solo on "Who Do You Love" was a masterpiece. Yes, Cippolina's solo later is trippier and takes the whole thing into the stratosphere but I love Duncan's solo on that. And what's up with this guy dismissing later Quicksilver albums? No, I'm not from San Francisco, I'm from Texas but I know what I like. "Fresh Air", "What's You Gonna Do About Me", Great stuff.
@@ronnieguitar99 Fresh Air is good and a few other tunes but the overly reverb drenched vocals of Dino wrecked the band imho. They lost the psychedelic drive they had on the first two records. They got sloppy and Cip left.
@@mazzysmusic I was at Winterland the night Cip decided to quit. It was the Dead, Airplane and Quicksilver and Quicksilver was given the closing slot. You can imagine the buildup after amazing sets by the Dead and Airplane. Well, they came out with a 5 man horn section and fell flat on their faces. It was all ill-rehearsed and sloppy. The hometown audience booed them. We left before they finished, as did most people. And they were my favorite band!! It was a complete disaster. Thank you, Dino. Although, he did sell us some incredible mescaline earlier that day as we waited on line outside.
This is a wonderful list, well-considered and convincingly presented. I enjoyed the video enormously and hope it makes its way to the screens of anyone who is looking an authoritative and entertaining overview of a unique time and place.
thanks. . . those were the best music years. . my high school years. . . how can you not love the music from that era and so much of it coming from the bay area.
Saw most of these bands at Winterland. My first concert (1969) was Janis Joplin, Savoy Brown, and Aum. Possibly my favorite concert was Sons of Chaplin when they came out in pajamas. Thank you to Bill Graham for producing these concerts.
"Happy Trails" is my favorite QMS album for sure. I would pick "Crown of Creation" over "After Bathing At Baxter's". "Your Saving Grace" is my pick for best Steve Miller Band albums.
An excellent dive sir. And an excellent display of some of your music behind you. Greatly admire that. Going to have to save the video and go over it taking notes for all this music I'll be listening to. Just slightly ahead of my awareness at the time but some of it there anyways. Thanks for the project.
Ah, yes l remember putting on the headphones & getting lost in "Electric Music" of Country Joe/Fish. Wonderful debut lp. Still a favourite headphone Album. Love "Love" and just mind blowing guitar and keyboards through out. Sad and Lonely times almost sounds like a country song. Also like the stereo separation they had on this album. Cheers.
Anthem of the sun is one of the very very best psychedelic albums every made. Hands down. Extremely innovative in its recording processes. The seamless combination of live and studio sounds lend a incredible trippy and really beautiful interlude between realities. Imho it belongs at the top of any psychedelic music rankings. Dan Hicks is not psychedelic music btw. Albeit beautiful and sweet music not a psychedelic artist in his soloish albums. The charlatans yes.
@@lanerider7265 nice review based on albums I agree with yr Dan Hicks comment live with the Hot Licks was a very different matter saw them 4 times, twice dosed, & they thoroughly fit the bill
Great selections and nostalgic for me. I lived in San Francisco from 1981-87. Your list included many artists on my Pandora channel. Evidently TH-cam's algorithm reads my Pandora cookies, because I have a channel called Jefferson Airplane Psych Radio. I cast a broader net than you did, so I included some Sly & the Family Stone and Van Morrison (both had psychedelic influences), as well as East Bay powerhouses Tower of Power and Malo. Based on your countdown, I'll add Dan Hicks, Boz Scaggs, and maybe Quicksilver and Moby Grape. I'm trying to keep the vibe alive. Thanks for the great content.
Blue Cheer’s drummer was insane!! Loud and driving. I saw them once when the drummer did his solo that went on for so long he turned around and vomited - and then went right back to drumming! It was at Avalon. I’ll never forget that.
Great show...I love this era....watching The Monterey Pop movie...I wish I had been there !!! I would have gone with the same top 3..,,Surrealistic Pillow in my top 10 all time..,Electric Music For the Mind and Body...put that album on; lie back alone and revel in the feel that comes..:Cheap Thrills is a great document of why Janis was so incredible Thanks for doing this informative show; from someone who obviously knows what he’s talking about...so Groovy Man !!!
I am also a SF native, and as a young kid was deep into the whole hippie scene. our world revolved around the music, the bands were our gods. my mindset was forever changed by those years, and I still follow that mantra in my head to this day. I think of all the freedom that has been lost and all the fear that has replaced it in these current times, but for that brief period of time the light was bright.
ReturnofTheRiver, of course times are weird and difficult. We are still free in our souls. I have been watching dozens of reaction channels for a couple months. I have re discovered all of the wonderful music that formed my early years. I am 68 years old now, and I have abandoned my conservative politics. I became a right winger in the 1980’s. Now I see more clearly. Politics do not serve, but instead divide. Both parties are controlled by greedy psychopaths. I am free now. I am outside of it all. I have embraced the hippy heart I once had when I was a young man. I am free in my mind and soul.
I also own all these on vinyl. It's hard to choose the best because there's so much good stuff that came out of the Bay Area. That first Santana still melts my brain, too.
Great video, I had most of these albums as a kid in Houston, graduated high school in 1971 and moved to Austin which had a great music scene back then.
@@user-rp6tm6wq4m saying "not ragging on you" to preface my point intended to assure you I'm not offended but just for yr info not smart on my part to say it with American slang. one of SF's blessings is most folk that talk to strangers are more likely to laugh than take offense so it's not a big deal; but good to know if you go there; you won't impress anyone saying "Frisco" yr script looks Greek or Russian to my ignorant eyes. can I ask which?
@@oughtssought1198 haha, you got it! yes it's Greek. I'm from Athens, Greece. Anyway, the SF ( and generally the 60's Californian) scene happens to be one of my favourite periods of rock n roll music. The idiomatic phrase "Frisco" for Greeks means nothing but an abbreviation of San Francisco That's all. So that's me, and you? May i ask you where are you from?
@@user-rp6tm6wq4m hello again, I was searching old youtube replies in search of a specific video revisiting this conversation in that search I was surprised to see that we had this conversation and I somehow neglected to add this link which, considering the topic of this vid + your home's location was an inexcusable oversight on my part. in fact instead of a specific link I'll just recommend that you do a youtube search = "Gravenites Cippolina Athens" and take a tour of everything that turns up hope you + yours are staying healthy thru all that's been going on. enjoyed your civility here. take care.
Psychedelic is my favourite sub-genre and one thing I always like to bring up in discussions (though this goes outside San Francisco) is how psychedelic and ahead of its time that 5th Dimension by the Byrds is. The note bending on What’s Happening and Captain Soul is a precursor to later classic psych music, and was released a month or two even before Revolver which really kicked things off with a bang. And Highway 61 introduced psych, not in music, but in lyrics a year before 5th Dimension even.
IMHO: it'd be good to play a short snipet that best represents each record, so that people who don't know every album can get an idea of what it sounds like
On the Greatful Dead debut album, my favorite cut was always Morning Dew. BTW, Pigpen (Rod Kiernan) didn't just leave the band, he died. I saw most of these bands in San Francisco at the Filmore Auditorium. We used to go to see the bands and dance at the Longshoreman's Hall, but one night we couldn't get in, so we went to the Filmore. Never went back to the other place. Great times, then Uncle Sam called, party over.
The glory years - I was 20 in England and these sounds playing on the radio were magic! Straight along to the import shop to buy the latest. Got the framed Baxter's sleeve on my wall! Love 'Sailor' - that's on my wall too, along with 'Happy Trails' and 'Cheap Thrills'! Thanks for Country Joe and Grape. Had most of these albums - great selection Norman.
I would have put JA's Crown of Creation in the top 5, maybe even number 1 - I'm surprised it doesn't get a mention. To me, Crown is the album where everybody shines, it's their most accomplished album less direct and obvious than Surrealistic Pillow, but more of a band album.
I agree, and After Bathing at Baxter's shouldn't have been so far back in the list. Surrealistic Pillow, though great, isn't the best Airplane album. Songs like 3/10's of a Mile in 10 Seconds and Plastic Fantastic Lover don't quite make it until their live versions on Bless It's Pointed Little Head.
Great Job to introduce so many music, one would never look or ask for these days. In my opinion you should have mentioned, that the 'Sailor' Album of the S-M-B has two outraging Tracks, that may took Influence on Pink Floyds 'Shine on you crazy Diamond and for second the Dime-a-Dance Romance compares with Jumping Jack Flash by the Stones (and who's got the idea allready?), always nice to play both one after another on our Dance Partys. Not to forget the instrumental 'Bombay Calling' from It's A Beautiful Day, which was adapted by Deep Purple for their 'Child in Time'
Great post, Gary! I lived in California during that time, and was trying to think of a band that you might have missed, but you hit it! Especially some of those lesser know albums like CJ and Fish--putting them up there in the top two or three was right on!
Another great video Mazzy. Agree with you on those early Steve Miller Band records. Love the first two but my personal favorite is Brave New World. Btw, how about a Who ranking?
One interesting one that should be noted was the soundtrack to Revolution! It came out at approximately the same time as Quicksilver's 1st & Children of the Future and featured both bands along with Mother Earth. Your Old Lady might be Miller's most kick ass blues based jam w/several blues motifs (strut, swing, straight ahead,etc) and some of Stevie's very best riffing. And Babe, I'm Gonna Leave You by the Quckmight be one of the most perfect San Fran psychedelic folk rock grooves featuring uniquely different guitar breaks by both Duncan & Cip that highlight & showcase their differing approaches. Miller's cover of Mercury Blues was wah wah masterful and Superbyrd was a wonderful psychedelic sound collage and Quicksilver's Codeine was a powerful Cippolina showcase. And let us not forget Mother Earth who contributed the title song, a kinda jazzy swing along with the gospel of Without Love and the country blues stylings of R P St John's Stranger in my own hometown (Side note- everyone thinks of Tracy Nelson when you discuss Mother Earth- and tightly so, but RP St John's unique vision on Marvel Group and the Kingdom of Heaven us within you (as well as I, the Fly from 2nd lp) we're wonderfully San Fran unique.
What a great, thorough overview. I'm going to revisit several on your list that I have overlooked. Really happy to see Surrealistic Pillow at # 1 - that album in my opinion is the absolute best rock/psychedelic record of all time. I'm about two years younger than you, so I was right there as well in that sweet spot of '67 - '69. The Bay area had so many great bands. And, for what it's worth, I always pronounced that Dead LP as... ox-oh-mox-zo-uh. You do a fantastic job with your videos!
I know I’m so late to this video as you already have over 100 comments but I just have to say I love this list no matter the order! I just loved seeing all the great albums! I was happy that I even have over half of the records shown and a third of those were likely received as VCLT from you Haha! If it wasn’t for your constant championing of Jefferson Airplane I may not have become as big as a fan of their music as I am now Theyre now one of my favorite 60’s bands! Thanks for this amazing show and tell Mazzy Peace ☮️✌️👽🤘☮️
I was working at a record store when the Dan Hicks LP was released for the second time in the late 1970s. I think "Canned Music" was the single, but it was "I Scare Myself" that really made an impression on me.
I always thought Barry Melton's lead playing on things like Section 43 where it sounds very raga like was a direct influence of Mike Bloomfield's playing on the Butterfield Blues Band album East-West
@@mazzysmusic Bloomberg did a stint in San Francisco after he left Butterfield and stunned the PC folkies playing with Dylan at Newport. He was a bit arrogant and didn't think much of any of the bands and their guitar players. But, yes, he was the first to do the Raga Rock thing with East/West.
Pretty good selection and you brought back a lot of memories. My favourite Airplane album is After Bathing at Baxters, but for me their most perfect album is Crown of Creation. Thanks also for the shoutouts for the first Moby Grape and Quicksilver albums - both criminally under appreciated.
Ellas McDaniel was Bo Diddley, which is why most of Happy Trails' songs have the Bo Diddley beat. :-) I agree with you about Dino Valenti. Ay, he sounded like Jerry Lewis singing in an echo chamber.
damn, what an image you got Dino and Jerry both spinning in their graves with one cheap shot I'm not ragging you for it, I agree with the gist of yr judgment re: talents of the 2, more just admiring yr dexterity
@@oughtssought1198 Well, I'm not really knocking Jerry Lewis since he was using his voice for comic effect. Dino was a good songwriter but he should have left the singing to Gary Duncan who did a great job with Dino's song on their first album. It's too bad Dino didn't have a voice more like Jerry's partner, with whom he shared a name.
@@stevehoran5595 I sit corrected; re: yr opinion. Lewis's stand-up comedy, w/ or w/o Martin, never did much for me. Neither did Dino's songwriting or singing. Everything before "Fresh Air" was among my favorite electric energy music. Always seemed an ironic commentary on Corporate Radio's control+taste that that was The Big QMS hit Fortunately there were plenty of DJs in Bay Area with ear enough to play Edward the Mad Shirt Grinder. That other Dino you mention, OTOH, did have a 1st rate voice & musically well articulated delivery; & his preferred song flavors had a lot of songs so seductively captivating they'd grab me even tho' I didn't want the moods they sold, or maybe it was just that I heard so much of that genre on TV growing up that it all tasted like cliche. Lot of good writing there, music & lyrics both pre-Dino Quicksilver is still a favorite for me 50 yrs later. And I gotta give his taste total credit for the bandmates he invited since it resulted in one of my favorite bands.
There are two lesser know albums I would have loved to see on this list: the debut albums of both Cold Blood (who used a horn section) and Elvin Bishop Group. Cold Blood was the beginning of East Bay Grease and Elvin was blues and country. Hr also gave Jo Baker her start and was a major help to the Pointer Sisters.
You're very lucky to have been alive in living there at that time man! I must say this is one of the best videos you have done bro, and that says a lot cuz you've done some good ones. Much peace to you my friend stay safe
Yes! They get into a filthy groove on this. Marty's very percussive like vocals and Jorma playing along. Still gives me goosebumps. JA always did it for me. Still do.
What a fun video this is! Brought back so many memories. I used to ride my bicycle to the second hand record store in the 70’s and buy these records as a youth. I was a bit behind the 60’s scene but all these records were still readily available when I was a kid in the 70’s so I grew up listening to many of these selections on a daily basis. 25 - It’s A Beautiful Day - a very bohemian sounding band and album. White Bird was indeed an often played song on FM radio. 24 - Dan Hicks - I’m more familiar with his work with the Charlatans which were a band that never got the recognition they deserved. Their music was a mix of 19th century art nouveau mixed with psychedelia. 23 - Boz Scaggs debut album from 1969 is a classic and the vinyl is very hard to find now a days. The one in this video looks to be in great condition! And I’ve never seen the inside gatefold before! 22 - After Bathing At Baxter’s - I had this on cassette tape for years. A very obscure album indeed and not many songs that you can tap your foot too. 21 - So glad to see Sons Of Champlin included in this list! A great horn group, (similar to Blood Sweat & Tears) that also never got the recognition that they deserved. Bill Graham sure appreciated them however, as they were regulars at the Fillmore and Winterland and even included in the infamous “Closing of the Fillmore West” album from 1971. I just listened to their “Welcome To The Dance” album the other night. 20 - The Youngbloods - had many good albums that are often disregarded including this one known for that Darkness, Darkness song. The Grateful Dead would work the “Darkness, Darkness” riff into many of their extended jams during 1970. A particular stand out is from 6-6-70 at the Fillmore West. 19 - The Grateful Dead debut album is another classic and is the only GD album that almost presents them as a 60’s garage band since all of their forthcoming albums after this would be much more progressive. 18 - This Blue Cheer album was definitely one of the predecessors to heavy metal! If I remember correctly, it was playing this album at full volume that blew out the speakers on my 1975 Zenith stereo system due to the heavy feedback and overtone throughout the entire album! 17 - What more can you say about CCR! All of their albums were classics. 16 - Santana’s debut album has such a great flow to it. It is one of those albums that you’ll have on and it ends too soon! Back in the day I used to always play this album followed by Abraxas as a pair. 15 - Steve Miller Band - their first 5 albums definitely have that San Francisco sound more than his later albums. My personal favorite is their 5th album from 1970 simply titled “Number 5”. By that point they had mastered the San Francisco psychedelic sound just before becoming more commercial, as evident in the song “Jackson-Kent Blues”. 14 - Country Joe & The Fish - I have a personal bias towards this band because I met Country Joe McDonald in 1994 along with Richie Havens when they were touring together to commemorate the 25th Anniversary of Woodstock that year. I was in a band at the time and Country Joe came over and talked with us for quite awhile, encouraging us and joking around with us. But even before that I had already been a big fan having all of their albums and he signed one of them, which I still have! A neighbor of mine was a Vietnam vet and had turned me on to their music. Country Joe was very popular among the vets in the 70’s! 13 - My personal favorite CCR album is their debut with the extended psychedelic version of Suzie Q. I always felt that you could feel the band’s musical zeal and hunger more on this album than any of their others, but that is often the case for debut albums. 12 - Quicksilver Messenger Service - had another very unique twangy guitar sound that was identifiable to Quicksilver as soon as you heard it. This particular album is a mind journey. I remember seeing the album cover in the record store and thinking it was a country western band. Ha, boy was I wrong! 11 - Aoxamoxoa is a classic album cover to go along with a stepping stone in the Dead’s career. It was at this point that the band creatively began to blend traditional song writing with their experimental music that resulted in a masterpiece. 10 - SMB Children of the Future was the first SMB album I ever heard when I was in high school. To this day I still think the sound quality that this was recorded in was way ahead of it’s time! This is when Boz Scaggs was with SMB. I often wonder what they would have been like if Boz continued to stay with them. 9 - CCR, again hard to rate one CCR album above another. They are all great. 8 - Moby Grape’s debut album was an album that got me through many rainy days. I always thought the song “Fall On You” should have been a hit and was always too short. I would always play it twice! I always thought this band had potential to become a super-group but sadly they quickly disintegrated. 7 - QMS debut album! What a great start to their short career. This album is almost like a “best of” in itself, if they hadn’t gone on to make several more great albums into the early 70’s. 6 - Jefferson Airplane - Volunteers ranks along with the Country Joe & Fish type of music being it was one of the notorious protest albums. I’m sure that peanut butter sandwich gatefold help to sell many jars of peanut butter among the stoners at the time!!! 5 - Live Dead! I used to have this on cassette and we would play it on hot Saturday afternoons in the park! I believe the recordings are from February of 1969 and is probably one of the earliest progressive live recordings from that time. 4 - CCR - Willie & The Poor Boys. An inviting record that everyone can relate to at some point or another. They were definitely a blue collar band. 3 - Big Brother & Holding Co. - Cheap Thrills. This was most people’s introduction to Janis Joplin being released after the Monterey Pop Festival. It was also many people’s exposure to the artwork of Robert Crumb who was very popular among the San Francisco scene with characters like “the Do-Dah man” and “Mr. Natural”. 2 - CJ & Fish - Electric Music for Mind & Body. The name fits the music on this album! You could dance to this album or you could zone out to this album, which made is very versatile. I had this on cassette and wore it out from playing it so much! 1 - JA - Surrealistic Pillow. Amazing compositions and amazing sound! Especially for it’s time! It truly does echo the San Francisco sound of the 60’s. I spent many a night with this on the headphones as a teenager and was another album that would end too soon. I would often pick up the needle on my record player and put it back to the beginning and sit back and go on the embryonic journey all over again. What a great period of American music it was in San Francisco during the late 1960’s. The creativity that emerged in that time will never be equaled again but can be remembered and appreciated with all the great recordings that remain.
Wow Norman, this is really, really great. I listened to all of these in my formative high school years in Kansas, and a big subset of them are among my favorites as well. So fun watching this video. From another (now) Seattlite! Maybe I'll run into ya sometime. Anyway thanks a ton for posting this. And thanks for championing Moby Grape & Quicksilver!
Another SF band that deserves mention is H.P. Lovecraft. Had both of their albums back when and saw them live in SF. To me they epitomize the SF psychedelic sound, similar to the Grateful Dead during the Tom Constantin period. They didn't stay together that long, not sure what happened to them but they are worth checking out.
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Thank you so much for this review! I was there! I used to hang out at the grateful dead‘s house before they even made their first record. A bunch of us little teenage girls would hang out until Rock Scully kicked us out. Nothing ever happened, we were just kids. Quicksilver was my absolute favorite ! I went to Avalon or Fillmore every weekend. The charlatans played at Avalon all the time. I loved them!
I bet Jerry was a really nice guy.
Pleased To Say as a Brit i was well into American West Coast Music...And as a Spotty 14 Year old Working in A Record Shop at Weekends, It Enabled Me To Obtain All Of these 25 Masterpieces...Great Video
Big Brother, Cheap Thrills ..... James Gurly had the ultimate psychedelic guitar sound of this era. I always wanted a full album of his playing. Agree with your assessment of the Band and the album.
You have captured my love of San Francisco and the music of the late 60’s. From It’s A Beautiful Day to Surrealist Pillow and everything in between. So much love! Thank you for sharing!
Just watching him show those vinyl album covers brought back so many memories of those days when, by the end of the night, there would be piles of albums on the floor as we sat around toasted and happy.
Surrealistic Pillow is fabulous, After Bathing at Baxter's is my all time favorite Airplane album. The first official date my wife and I had was seeing Country Joe and the Fish in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. We have most of those albums and some in your list we do not have...our loss. Thank you for posting, Bill and Linda 51+ years married and still groovin'!
Wow congrats on 51+ ✌🏽
Surrealistic Pillow is one of the greatest rock albums of all time, no doubt. The rest of their albums were more erratic in quality, though some good songs in there.
I was around since 1963. Being 69 now. Grew up with such bands.
Love all the Psych albums, my favorite era of the 60's. Jefferson Airplane my favorite. Glad your in Seattle!, I loved going to the 40th Anniversary of Summer of Love on 9/2/2007 was an incredible day at Golden gate Park and 40th of woodstock Oct/2009 also at Golden Gate Park. I flew down from Seattle for both events had a blast got so high at both events and hung out around Haight Ashbury too. I Lived just a few miles from Jimi's house here. Totally dig all your vids!! WESTCOAST baby!
I was floored by the debut Quicksilver and all these years later it remains in my top five of all time personal faves. Cipollina's guitar style was instantly recognizable, original, and so super-expressive. I bought the Country Joe "electric music" back in the day and, I'll be honest, it never really grabbed me, but that's okay. I enjoyed your walk through the 25 you chose. Thanks for the tidbits and trivia, too.
Glad to have all the Airplane albums. I have seen the band live in 68 in Amsterdam. Together with the Doors. Greetings from the Netherlands. Love this video.
Brings back a lot of nostalgia. Thanks. The LA psychedelic scene had great bands too. The Byrd’s, The Doors and Love with their unforgettable album “Forever Changes”.
I'll drink to that. Rog. Pacific sunset records.
Can't forget Buffalo Springfield, Moby Grape's L.A. cousins.
Also Spirit, with their first four albums, and Van Dyke Parks with his first album, Song Cycle.
LA's another whole ball game
Gotta ad ...Electric Prunes "mass in F - minor" way ahead of time!
I agree with you 100% on the early vs late Steve Miller band Those first 5 albums are incredible.
I'm with you there. Interesting tidbit. Children of the Future album cover opened up and viewed under a color-wheel gives the illusion of the figures flying with flapping wings. Some LSD helps the illusion, haha.
@mikekemsley1531 Back in the day. Steve Miller Band was one of best to listen to while trippin'.
Ha ha ha on me....I'm 71 and have been deep into the music of the '60s and beyond for decades. And because I was, for whatever reason, never a big Quicksilver fan, I'd never heard "The Fool". Well, better late than never. This is now on my permanent replay list. Thanks to Norman Maslov for leading me there!
The Fool is fantastic ✌🏽
I was lucky enough to be at John's feet basically one night as he ripped that growl from his SG on The Fool.
@@richardgillen5314 Well that's cool!
August 1966, "The Psychedelic Sounds Of The 13th Floor Elevators".
Love them but they were based in Texas
@@mazzysmusic They were the #1 band in San Francisco in 1966. My friends Ronnie Leatherman and John Ike live in Kerrville Texas. Ronnie is coming out with his first ever cd in the next few months. The Elevators started the feedback that all the other bands started copying. I love all the bands that you have shared with us. Thanks Norman and keep your tubes glowing!
I was thinking the same thing!! Rorky was way ahead of his time!!
@@bertwinston4068 They're a Texas band, whatever you say about being popular in SF where they made appearances as well. I was living in the Houston area when they were becoming known and playing around there. Limited songs of note, but "You're Gonna Miss Me" remains one of the the great psychedelic songs of all time.
@@bertwinston4068 I was way too young for this era & didn’t find the Elevators’ music until cds came out. But, I had no idea they were considered the #1 band in SF in 1966. Is that assessment based on radio polls, #records sold, estimated # of attendees at concerts/local gigs, the music press, or general buzz in the street, etc? I’ve heard the same said of Moby Grape (my 1st album was ‘Great Grape’) and Quicksilver.
Love that first Moby Grape record. Flawless. Great videos Mazzy.
Played with Jerry Miller in '85 at a small bar here in Tacoma. Didn't know who he was, until I read a book about Zeppelin. "Hey, Jerry. Plant mentions your name from '68". THEN it hit me. "You ARE Jerry Miller !"
He said, "Yeah, that's why I hired you. You didn't know me". He then took me to meet Page and Plant a few years later. Many vids on my channel of him playing locally. youtube/TacomaPaul channel.
You absolutely nailed the number 1 to the cross , it still sounds fresh vital and disturbing in a good way !
Oh, and I especially dig the nautical sound effect of rope on wood from the Airplane version of "Wooden Ships".
I love the sound, tone, natural distortion, the early fuzz pedals of electric guitars the psychedelic era. Before rock guitar became so precious and self-conscious.
I´m 63 and wasn´t lucky enough to live in San Francisco in the 60´s. I came to know these records only in the 90s but from then on they became my favorite sounds. Couldn´t agree more on Norman´s selection. Congratulations for sharing this kind of information and also for a so fantastic original records collection.
Surrealistic Pillow absolutely number one. Such range of styles and nailed every one. And glad to the The Sons got remembered. I loved their first two albums..
Right on, you hit the target in a difficult culling process. This list could change on a hourly basis, too much great stuff to choose from. Your perspective is stellar according to this 70 year old hippie who was there to witness this first hand. This is the soundtrack to our youth.
"list could change on an hourly basis, too much great stuff to choose from"
amen
5 or 10 candidates that move right into the top3 every time you listen to it
Quicksilver Messenger Service was one of the very best. Pride of Man is one of the greatest songs of the last 60 years. Still sounds great on vinyl
Pride of Man is great....they didn't write it, but did a great rendition of it!
@@davidwaterman7715 I know Hamilton Camp who was on M.A.S. H.
Don't forget Gold and Silver. One of the most melodic songs ever that breaks into an acid trip.
@@richdiddens4059 The whole album is a gem
Oh man, Light Your Windows. That's the one that gets me.
Norman, I just came across your review and have to give you a standing O. I have a lot of these records and at your mention, I went back to revist " It's A Beautiful Day." I must admit when it 1st came out, I pretty much always played side 1 for " White Bird." I just flipped the album over and revisited side 2. OMG , side 2 is a masterpiece. Only 3 songs, but they seamlessly flow from one to the other. The songs build in intensity and the last song ", Time Is," brings it home. The ending has similarities to the Chamber's Brothers classic, THCT. I belive they both were released in the same time period. Thank you for reminding me and keep up your outstanding work.
Totally agree with you on QSMS first two albums , fantastic ! Went down with Dino after that. Great show mazzy
Wow. Stumbled upon your video by accident. As a teenager back then, I was lucky enough to have and cherish almost every album you mention. Yes, Embryonic Journey from Surrealistic Pillow is a masterpiece. Cippolina's guitar playing from Quicksilver is majestic, etc. What a powerful time and place for music. I would have to add the Dead's Anthem of the Sun as it struck a deep transcendent chord watching them play it live up here in the northwest in 1969. Thank you for the presentation and archiving these sublime records.
Really great job, Mazzy!
The only issue I feel strongly about is It’s A Beautiful Day at #25. The musicianship, vocal work, featured violin work, and over all strength of this very unique album should place it in the top 10, if not top 5.
As others have commented, I would take Anthem of the Sun over Aoxomoxoa, if you had to choose.
Perhaps a little less Creedence to make room for Crown of Creation.
If you included The Youngbloods, you could certainly have included HP Lovecraft, a band who actually relocated to the Bay Area. In my fragile eggshell mind, I consider their 2nd album, HP Lovecraft II, to be the best psychedelic album of all time, for a lot of reasons. That’s for another discussion. 😊
Thanks for presenting this!
I agree! Their 2nd album should definitely be at spot number 1 or 2
I got the 2-CD withy both studio albums and also the Live-album and I think it's written that their first album is "the best", but I definitely like their 2nd more, though the live version of Wayfaring Stranger gives me goosebumps.
"Mobius Trip". I too would pick "Anthem of the Sun".
Yawn Wiener of Rolling Stone fame never liked them. But then he's proven himself an idiot many times over. I think Don and Dewey on Marrying Maiden is Killer.
Hi .LP by Fever Tree with their track San Francisco Girls is one of my faves and in our Collection.Great interesting videos of yours.Thanks.Rog.Pacific Sunset Records( LA).
I discovered you Thursday and have been doing little else but binging! My god! Some stuff I haven't even thought of in many decades that I loved and now have to have again.
Steve Miller: Children of the Future was a whim purchase for me just because I liked the cover. Had no idea what audio treasures it contained. Far and away the best thing Steve Miller did.
the 'boz' years were miller's best
I liked it too, but I really dug their follow up album Sailor even more.
Excellent selection Mazzy - thank you for reminding me what a brilliant tune Loan Me a Dime is from the Box Scaggs solo album - sublime guitar work from Duane Allman - wonderful
What a walk down memory lane! Had most of these albums...and a lot of the concert posters and handbills. Thanks for sharing!
Agree with you but would put Moby Grape higher. I remember having surgery as a kid and when I woke my older brother sat by my bedside holding up the Moby Grape LP and John Wesley Harding by Dylan. As you can imagine I recovered quickly.
I was waiting for you to let me down, honestly. These albums are my wheelhouse. Regardless of rankings they are all my seminal influences and worthy of honor! Surrealistic? I totally agree.
You have no idea how much I loved this video. Subscribed. I'm old now, but those records, all of them, were my youth. I would have had LIve Dead as my number one, but all of those you have are classic. I still love this music. Amazing how such creativity was crammed into a short time and space. Bless it's Pointed Little Head should have made it on your list somewhere. I play guitar in old geezer band and play a lot of old Airplane, Dead and Quicksilver. Such great songs. Way more than just jam bands.
Great video. Thank you. I still love vinyl. I was only 12 years old in 1970, but loved the music of the 60s and the San Francisco scene. I go there whenever I can. Many of the albums you talk about, I have. I need to explore the several that I'm not as familiar with.
The thing about JA is that every member of the band could have had their own band.
wow dude....how many re takes did you have to do?....LOT of info there...i lived in san fran from june 70 to dec 70....discovered a lot of what you listed here...i was very blown away by country joe and the fish along with it's a beautiful day....saw day along with van morrison and ten years after at winterland....one of the most beatific nights of my entire life.....day was so wild and relaxing at the same time...... while van was so melodic and hypnotic..... alvin lee caused my brain to re arrange.....you did a great job here...
Here’s an observation of mine, something I repeatedly notice but rarely mention. The sentiment in a line like “when the truth is found to be lies” typifies many of the lyrics of the 1967-era pop and psychedelic music. The themes of disillusionment and betrayal are HUGE, whether in politics or romance, in that era. By my observation, more so than in other period in American popular music.
Pynchon wrote a couple of novels on that, like Vineland, Inherent Vice
@@crossraoads I read Inherent Vice. I may have failed to take note of the inherent theme.
I would have ranked “After Bathing At Baxter’s” near the top. It’s their most experimental LP and captures 1967 San Francisco in technicolor.
Yeah I get that. It’s grown in stature a lot since it came out. When it was released i recall many didn’t get it after Pillow. Also Crown of Creation.
After Bathing and Electric Music For Mind And Body are the top
Didn’t know that was live. Love Ballad of You and me and Pooneel if I spelled that right
This is my number one. I have no idea why but it is...Armadillo
Definitely also Anthem Of The Sun.
I stumbled on this video by accident and I'm glad I did. I was in high school in Pgh PA during these years and all I wanted was to head out to San Francisco. I loved your album picks. Many of them I have and you reminded me of some that I don't own that I need to check out again. Great memories. Thanks!
Thank you ✌🏼
""Every record here is fantastic." I couldn't agree more! I was born in 1957 and listened to all of this back in the day. Have all those LPs except The Youngbloods in my collection. Have to agree with Surrealistic Pillow as the top pick. Loved the video!
Wow I had almost all of the albums you showed. You sure took me back in the “wayback machine”. I was very pleased you had Children of the Future, Quicksilver first album and Steve Miller “Sailor”. All three of them have very special meaning for me because I had just been placed in a foster home out in the “Sunset”. In late 1968. I’m from San Jose, and being placed in the City was a major awakening for me. Was e posed to so much.... My parents thought they were punishing me by booting my butt out of the house and having the courts put me in the foster home. Ha ha, it was one of the best things that ever happened to me. Especially because I got exposed to so much music. My foster mom let me listen to her stereo with headphones for hours on end. This video brings back so many memories of living in the City. Thank you!
Country Joe and the fish, were the true psychedelic band. They understood.
Check out country Joe solo LP signed liner notes where he agrees with Nancy Reagan's Just say no campaign.
Yes he was !
@@philbourque5216 which solo album?
Joe McDonald was a great lyricist. Check out "Rock Coast Blues" and many others.
Yes, I believe that they did. However, with some excellent exceptions (Electric Music for the Mind and Body) much of the music they played had little of what we call "psychedelic" in it. As I said, this is true of many of the bands we call "psychedelic".
Great compilation. I owned and played the grooves off all those albums. I lived about 15 miles south of the Fillmore and Winterland. Blessed to have seen every one of those bands. Back then you could hear 3-4 bands at the Fillmore for about six bucks. Bill Graham performed a great service to San Francisco. I heard Santana at my local Recreation Department dance shortly before the first album broke and I think it cost 50¢. Those were great times, musically speaking.
I love your list and commentary! I was born in '53 and grew up in San Diego. One group nobody seems to mention much when it comes to this era is Cold Blood, they also were a San Francisco group and I believe their first album came out in 1969.
Electric Music is, perhaps, the most psychedelic record, ever. It’s very clear the Joe and band understood the psychedelic experience. I’ve always equated Barry Melton’s guitar work with the San Francisco sound.
Same here.
YES! 100%
I greatly appreciate your list however, if we’re talking Sam Charters then the acid/jazz
depth of arrangements on EMFTMAB would SO be on my list as it’s imo THE most potent earliest of Psychedelic recordings
as much as I completely dug the 2nd and 3rd Fish Lps
they always sounded and felt like the after trip celebration of their first perfect sound bath
and Barry’s guitar work on it is absolutely quintessential
Honer the Incarnation
as There’s no Janis
without first Hearing and Appreciating Grace
I saw the band twice during their second and third records
the first time was the national guard armory in Las Vegas Nevada and David Cohen couldn’t be there that night because his wife was having a baby in San Francisco I really missed his Keyboard tones
but the show was phenomenal nonetheless
the second time I saw them was at the Las Vegas convention center with the Youngbloods
it was a phenomenal double bill and a great representation of that time
CJM said that every song was written, performed, and mixed while on acid; in the hope of creating the perfect soundtrack to a psychedelic experience. I think he succeeded.
@@leckmichamarsch7259 , I agree.
Hi Norman, totally agree with you on the first five of Steve Miller. And I liked Journey to Eden.
thanks for choosing surrealistic pillow! great songs, great playing and singing!
Love your comments and reviews, a real education for me in many cases. And those work of art albums covers, well done for keeping them so pristine. Keep on with it.
You named everyone of my favorite records of the Era. Thank you!
I love the Grateful Dead's debut album. Some people see it as boring, but honestly I think they just don't 'get' it yet.
I feel that way about their first 3.
Problem is, its too blown out in a good way. A bit neanderthal but heavy
Excellent! Splendid!
I was lucky enough to move to San Francisco in 1989 and lived there till my oldest daughter was born. I had my real musical awakening there.
So much good music and you have to live there at some point to get it.
Jesse Colin Young's "Ridgetop" grounded me. Got to meet Country Joe.
Friday and Saturday nights at Slims.
Saw Boz, Van Morrison, Rickie Lee Jones and Chris Isaak there- all impromptu.
Saw Marty Balin (can't remember the bar... Sorry)
Got to attend a Todd Rundgren live album concert recording at the Palace of Fine Arts.
San Francisco is, still in my heart, the real music city.
This was SUCH an enjoyable treat to watch: thank you!❤
Gary Duncan was so underrated. Cip's famous vibrato playing became the trademark, but Duncan's solos sadly doesn't get many mentions. Beautiful playing, like crystal blue water. His oriental flavored solos on the live versions of Mona for example, just fantastic. Very sad when he passed away.
Absolutely ✌🏽✌🏽✌🏽
Spot-on.
Personal friend of his, still miss him. David Freiberg called him "the Driving Wheel - spot-on, as well.
Great, great guitarist, best rhythm player I ever heard; but great, creative soloist too.
I've always thought his solo on "Who Do You Love" was a masterpiece. Yes, Cippolina's solo later is trippier and takes the whole thing into the stratosphere but I love Duncan's solo on that. And what's up with this guy dismissing later Quicksilver albums? No, I'm not from San Francisco, I'm from Texas but I know what I like. "Fresh Air", "What's You Gonna Do About Me", Great stuff.
@@ronnieguitar99 Fresh Air is good and a few other tunes but the overly reverb drenched vocals of Dino wrecked the band imho. They lost the psychedelic drive they had on the first two records. They got sloppy and Cip left.
@@mazzysmusic I was at Winterland the night Cip decided to quit. It was the Dead, Airplane and Quicksilver and Quicksilver was given the closing slot. You can imagine the buildup after amazing sets by the Dead and Airplane. Well, they came out with a 5 man horn section and fell flat on their faces. It was all ill-rehearsed and sloppy. The hometown audience booed them. We left before they finished, as did most people. And they were my favorite band!! It was a complete disaster. Thank you, Dino. Although, he did sell us some incredible mescaline earlier that day as we waited on line outside.
This is a wonderful list, well-considered and convincingly presented. I enjoyed the video enormously and hope it makes its way to the screens of anyone who is looking an authoritative and entertaining overview of a unique time and place.
thanks. . . those were the best music years. . my high school years. . . how can you not love the music from that era and so much of it coming from the bay area.
Saw most of these bands at Winterland. My first concert (1969) was Janis Joplin, Savoy Brown, and Aum. Possibly my favorite concert was Sons of Chaplin when they came out in pajamas. Thank you to Bill Graham for producing these concerts.
My 1st concert was Arlo Guthrie & Pete Seeger.
"Happy Trails" is my favorite QMS album for sure. I would pick "Crown of Creation" over "After Bathing At Baxter's". "Your Saving Grace" is my pick for best Steve Miller Band albums.
Damn dude you saw alot of these bands at 14/15? How friggin' cool is that?!! Nice list!
An excellent dive sir. And an excellent display of some of your music behind you. Greatly admire that. Going to have to save the video and go over it taking notes for all this music I'll be listening to. Just slightly ahead of my awareness at the time but some of it there anyways. Thanks for the project.
Ah, yes l remember putting on the headphones & getting lost in "Electric Music" of Country Joe/Fish. Wonderful debut lp.
Still a favourite headphone Album. Love "Love" and just mind blowing guitar and keyboards through out. Sad and Lonely times almost sounds like a country song. Also like the stereo separation they had on this album. Cheers.
Hey, Lets talk about the GD's "Anthem of the Sun"!!
Nah
it's been gradually accumulating #1 votes elsewhere on this page
Anthem of the sun is one of the very very best psychedelic albums every made. Hands down. Extremely innovative in its recording processes. The seamless combination of live and studio sounds lend a incredible trippy and really beautiful interlude between realities. Imho it belongs at the top of any psychedelic music rankings. Dan Hicks is not psychedelic music btw. Albeit beautiful and sweet music not a psychedelic artist in his soloish albums. The charlatans yes.
@@lanerider7265 nice review
based on albums I agree with yr Dan Hicks comment
live with the Hot Licks was a very different matter
saw them 4 times, twice dosed, & they thoroughly fit the bill
🏆
Nice video, I have 16 out of 25 from your list.
Cheers from Serbia!!!
Great selections and nostalgic for me. I lived in San Francisco from 1981-87. Your list included many artists on my Pandora channel. Evidently TH-cam's algorithm reads my Pandora cookies, because I have a channel called Jefferson Airplane Psych Radio. I cast a broader net than you did, so I included some Sly & the Family Stone and Van Morrison (both had psychedelic influences), as well as East Bay powerhouses Tower of Power and Malo. Based on your countdown, I'll add Dan Hicks, Boz Scaggs, and maybe Quicksilver and Moby Grape. I'm trying to keep the vibe alive. Thanks for the great content.
Surrealistic Pillow is an incredible album ... had a feeling that it would be #1. My favorite from the disk is "Today". Great 👍 video, Norm !!!
Thanks Norman 😊
I agree with your every word here, Kankakee
Blue Cheer’s drummer was insane!! Loud and driving. I saw them once when the drummer did his solo that went on for so long he turned around and vomited - and then went right back to drumming! It was at Avalon. I’ll never forget that.
Great show...I love this era....watching The Monterey Pop movie...I wish I had been there !!!
I would have gone with the same top 3..,,Surrealistic Pillow in my top 10 all time..,Electric Music For the Mind and Body...put that album on; lie back alone and revel in the feel that comes..:Cheap Thrills is a great document of why Janis was so incredible
Thanks for doing this informative show; from someone who obviously knows what he’s talking about...so Groovy Man !!!
Impossible job super well implemented, Norm! Thanks much! Kudos! Much to dig into (or back into) even for those of us who were there at the time.
I am also a SF native, and as a young kid was deep into the whole hippie scene. our world revolved around the music, the bands were our gods. my mindset was forever changed by those years, and I still follow that mantra in my head to this day. I think of all the freedom that has been lost and all the fear that has replaced it in these current times, but for that brief period of time the light was bright.
"For like two weeks in the middle of '67 summer... it was perfect." - Paul Kantner
ReturnofTheRiver, of course times are weird and difficult. We are still free in our souls. I have been watching dozens of reaction channels for a couple months. I have re discovered all of the wonderful music that formed my early years. I am 68 years old now, and I have abandoned my conservative politics. I became a right winger in the 1980’s. Now I see more clearly. Politics do not serve, but instead divide. Both parties are controlled by greedy psychopaths. I am free now. I am outside of it all. I have embraced the hippy heart I once had when I was a young man. I am free in my mind and soul.
@@tomcartwright7134 You are the lucky one
Excellent!
@@tomcartwright7134 Beautiful!
I also own all these on vinyl. It's hard to choose the best because there's so much good stuff that came out of the Bay Area. That first Santana still melts my brain, too.
The amount of new bands i just learned about leaves me humbled and very excited to explore. Thanks Norm.
Great video, I had most of these albums as a kid in Houston, graduated high school in 1971 and moved to Austin which had a great music scene back then.
Great video! The Frisco 60's scene is simply amazing!!
not ragging you about this, but just for your info, in case you ever visit there
San Francisco locals hate to hear it called "Frisco"
@@oughtssought1198 Sorry, if i have offended you.Really, i didn't know that, it's just for brevity's sake.Anyway, thanks
for your advice
@@user-rp6tm6wq4m
saying "not ragging on you" to preface my point intended to assure you I'm not offended but just for yr info
not smart on my part to say it with American slang.
one of SF's blessings is most folk that talk to strangers are more likely to laugh than take offense
so it's not a big deal; but good to know if you go there; you won't impress anyone saying "Frisco"
yr script looks Greek or Russian to my ignorant eyes. can I ask which?
@@oughtssought1198 haha, you got it! yes it's Greek. I'm from Athens, Greece. Anyway, the SF ( and generally the 60's Californian) scene happens to be one of my favourite periods of rock n roll music. The idiomatic phrase "Frisco" for Greeks means nothing but an
abbreviation of San Francisco
That's all. So that's me, and you? May i ask you where are you from?
@@user-rp6tm6wq4m hello again,
I was searching old youtube replies in search of a specific video
revisiting this conversation in that search I was surprised to see that we had this conversation and
I somehow neglected to add this link which, considering the topic of this vid + your home's location
was an inexcusable oversight on my part. in fact instead of a specific link I'll just recommend that
you do a youtube search = "Gravenites Cippolina Athens" and take a tour of everything that turns up
hope you + yours are staying healthy thru all that's been going on. enjoyed your civility here. take care.
Psychedelic is my favourite sub-genre and one thing I always like to bring up in discussions (though this goes outside San Francisco) is how psychedelic and ahead of its time that 5th Dimension by the Byrds is. The note bending on What’s Happening and Captain Soul is a precursor to later classic psych music, and was released a month or two even before Revolver which really kicked things off with a bang. And Highway 61 introduced psych, not in music, but in lyrics a year before 5th Dimension even.
Thanks for taking the time out to make this list. It is obvious you have a great passion for this era. I will be checking out a lot of these.
Great Video Mazzy, I have all but a couple of those picks. 60's was a great time to be a teenager
IMHO: it'd be good to play a short snipet that best represents each record, so that people who don't know every album can get an idea of what it sounds like
If Skip Spence’s ‘ Oar ‘ qualifies then I would put that near the top of the list.
On the Greatful Dead debut album, my favorite cut was always Morning Dew. BTW, Pigpen (Rod Kiernan) didn't just leave the band, he died. I saw most of these bands in San Francisco at the Filmore Auditorium. We used to go to see the bands and dance at the Longshoreman's Hall, but one night we couldn't get in, so we went to the Filmore. Never went back to the other place. Great times, then Uncle Sam called, party over.
The glory years - I was 20 in England and these sounds playing on the radio were magic! Straight along to the import shop to buy the latest. Got the framed Baxter's sleeve on my wall! Love 'Sailor' - that's on my wall too, along with 'Happy Trails' and 'Cheap Thrills'! Thanks for Country Joe and Grape. Had most of these albums - great selection Norman.
I would have put JA's Crown of Creation in the top 5, maybe even number 1 - I'm surprised it doesn't get a mention. To me, Crown is the album where everybody shines, it's their most accomplished album less direct and obvious than Surrealistic Pillow, but more of a band album.
I agree and why so much Creedance??? 4 albums?
Yes! Right below Baxter's. Volunteers would not be on my list.
Lather was 30 years old today! How much more psychedelic do you need man? How could this album not be mentioned, no clue, brother, no clue?
I agree, and After Bathing at Baxter's shouldn't have been so far back in the list. Surrealistic Pillow, though great, isn't the best Airplane album. Songs like 3/10's of a Mile in 10 Seconds and Plastic Fantastic Lover don't quite make it until their live versions on Bless It's Pointed Little Head.
Blue Cheer, oh yes! I agree about including Vincebus Eruptum but OutsideInside should be in there too.
Feathers from your tree
Great Job to introduce so many music, one would never look or ask for these days.
In my opinion you should have mentioned, that the 'Sailor' Album of the S-M-B has two outraging Tracks, that may took Influence on Pink Floyds 'Shine on you crazy Diamond and for second the Dime-a-Dance Romance compares with Jumping Jack Flash by the Stones (and who's got the idea allready?), always nice to play both one after another on our Dance Partys.
Not to forget the instrumental 'Bombay Calling' from It's A Beautiful Day, which was adapted by Deep Purple for their 'Child in Time'
Great post, Gary! I lived in California during that time, and was trying to think of a band that you might have missed, but you hit it! Especially some of those lesser know albums like CJ and Fish--putting them up there in the top two or three was right on!
Another great video Mazzy. Agree with you on those early Steve Miller Band records. Love the first two but my personal favorite is Brave New World. Btw, how about a Who ranking?
One interesting one that should be noted was the soundtrack to Revolution! It came out at approximately the same time as Quicksilver's 1st & Children of the Future and featured both bands along with Mother Earth. Your Old Lady might be Miller's most kick ass blues based jam w/several blues motifs (strut, swing, straight ahead,etc) and some of Stevie's very best riffing. And Babe, I'm Gonna Leave You by the Quckmight be one of the most perfect San Fran psychedelic folk rock grooves featuring uniquely different guitar breaks by both Duncan & Cip that highlight & showcase their differing approaches. Miller's cover of Mercury Blues was wah wah masterful and Superbyrd was a wonderful psychedelic sound collage and Quicksilver's Codeine was a powerful Cippolina showcase. And let us not forget Mother Earth who contributed the title song, a kinda jazzy swing along with the gospel of Without Love and the country blues stylings of R P St John's Stranger in my own hometown (Side note- everyone thinks of Tracy Nelson when you discuss Mother Earth- and tightly so, but RP St John's unique vision on Marvel Group and the Kingdom of Heaven us within you (as well as I, the Fly from 2nd lp) we're wonderfully San Fran unique.
I think I recently featured it in one of my It’s the Music Stupid videos in the last couple of months. Yeah cool album. ✌🏼
Living with the animals. Took me a while to figure out who the animals actually were. Haha.
What a great, thorough overview. I'm going to revisit several on your list that I have overlooked. Really happy to see Surrealistic Pillow at # 1 - that album in my opinion is the absolute best rock/psychedelic record of all time. I'm about two years younger than you, so I was right there as well in that sweet spot of '67 - '69. The Bay area had so many great bands. And, for what it's worth, I always pronounced that Dead LP as... ox-oh-mox-zo-uh. You do a fantastic job with your videos!
I know I’m so late to this video as you already have over 100 comments but I just have to say I love this list no matter the order! I just loved seeing all the great albums! I was happy that I even have over half of the records shown and a third of those were likely received as VCLT from you Haha! If it wasn’t for your constant championing of Jefferson Airplane I may not have become as big as a fan of their music as I am now Theyre now one of my favorite 60’s bands! Thanks for this amazing show and tell Mazzy Peace ☮️✌️👽🤘☮️
I was working at a record store when the Dan Hicks LP was released for the second time in the late 1970s. I think "Canned Music" was the single, but it was "I Scare Myself" that really made an impression on me.
I met Dan Hicks down in Miami back in 1972 I think it was
I always thought Barry Melton's lead playing on things like Section 43 where it sounds very raga like was a direct influence of Mike Bloomfield's playing on the Butterfield Blues Band album East-West
Oh yeah ✌🏽
@@mazzysmusic Bloomberg did a stint in San Francisco after he left Butterfield and stunned the PC folkies playing with Dylan at Newport. He was a bit arrogant and didn't think much of any of the bands and their guitar players. But, yes, he was the first to do the Raga Rock thing with East/West.
East West came out in '66 though.
Butterfield Band blew everyone's mind in SF. The East West album was really the progenitor of the San Francisco sound.
East-West is another fabulous album (but is more Chicago blues & East Coast in origin). I played the grooves off it.
Well done, man. Your take on the San Fran psych sound is excellent. Great records, ALL!
Pretty good selection and you brought back a lot of memories. My favourite Airplane album is After Bathing at Baxters, but for me their most perfect album is Crown of Creation. Thanks also for the shoutouts for the first Moby Grape and Quicksilver albums - both criminally under appreciated.
Ellas McDaniel was Bo Diddley, which is why most of Happy Trails' songs have the Bo Diddley beat. :-)
I agree with you about Dino Valenti. Ay, he sounded like Jerry Lewis singing in an echo chamber.
damn, what an image
you got Dino and Jerry both spinning in their graves with one cheap shot
I'm not ragging you for it, I agree with the gist of yr judgment re: talents of the 2, more just admiring yr dexterity
@@oughtssought1198 Well, I'm not really knocking Jerry Lewis since he was using his voice for comic effect. Dino was a good songwriter but he should have left the singing to Gary Duncan who did a great job with Dino's song on their first album. It's too bad Dino didn't have a voice more like Jerry's partner, with whom he shared a name.
@@stevehoran5595
I sit corrected; re: yr opinion. Lewis's stand-up comedy, w/ or w/o Martin, never did much for me.
Neither did Dino's songwriting or singing. Everything before "Fresh Air" was among my favorite electric energy music.
Always seemed an ironic commentary on Corporate Radio's control+taste that that was The Big QMS hit
Fortunately there were plenty of DJs in Bay Area with ear enough to play Edward the Mad Shirt Grinder.
That other Dino you mention, OTOH, did have a 1st rate voice & musically well articulated delivery; & his preferred song flavors had a lot of songs so seductively captivating they'd grab me even tho' I didn't want the moods they sold, or maybe it was just that I heard so much of that genre on TV growing up that it all tasted like cliche. Lot of good writing there, music & lyrics both
pre-Dino Quicksilver is still a favorite for me 50 yrs later.
And I gotta give his taste total credit for the bandmates he invited since it resulted in one of my favorite bands.
There are two lesser know albums I would have loved to see on this list: the debut albums of both Cold Blood (who used a horn section) and Elvin Bishop Group. Cold Blood was the beginning of East Bay Grease and Elvin was blues and country. Hr also gave Jo Baker her start and was a major help to the Pointer Sisters.
Elvin Bishop was later I think. He was Pigboy Crabshaw of Paul Butterfield fame and one hell of a guitar player. Reddog!
Wow....not only a great trip back to the San Francisco psychedelic era, but a real treat and a fun listen. Peace
You're very lucky to have been alive in living there at that time man! I must say this is one of the best videos you have done bro, and that says a lot cuz you've done some good ones. Much peace to you my friend stay safe
My favourite Steve Miller album is Brave New World, so I would have squeezed this in somehow..
I agree...luv the first 2, but bnw doesn't have a single clunker... amazing from start to finish!
Jorma's guitar and Marty's vocal on live version Plastic Fantastic Lover on Bless Pointed Head is as good as it gets.
Yes! They get into a filthy groove on this. Marty's very percussive like vocals and Jorma playing along. Still gives me goosebumps. JA always did it for me. Still do.
"The Other Side of This Life"!!!
What a fun video this is! Brought back so many memories. I used to ride my bicycle to the second hand record store in the 70’s and buy these records as a youth. I was a bit behind the 60’s scene but all these records were still readily available when I was a kid in the 70’s so I grew up listening to many of these selections on a daily basis.
25 - It’s A Beautiful Day - a very bohemian sounding band and album. White Bird was indeed an often played song on FM radio.
24 - Dan Hicks - I’m more familiar with his work with the Charlatans which were a band that never got the recognition they deserved. Their music was a mix of 19th century art nouveau mixed with psychedelia.
23 - Boz Scaggs debut album from 1969 is a classic and the vinyl is very hard to find now a days. The one in this video looks to be in great condition! And I’ve never seen the inside gatefold before!
22 - After Bathing At Baxter’s - I had this on cassette tape for years. A very obscure album indeed and not many songs that you can tap your foot too.
21 - So glad to see Sons Of Champlin included in this list! A great horn group, (similar to Blood Sweat & Tears) that also never got the recognition that they deserved. Bill Graham sure appreciated them however, as they were regulars at the Fillmore and Winterland and even included in the infamous “Closing of the Fillmore West” album from 1971. I just listened to their “Welcome To The Dance” album the other night.
20 - The Youngbloods - had many good albums that are often disregarded including this one known for that Darkness, Darkness song. The Grateful Dead would work the “Darkness, Darkness” riff into many of their extended jams during 1970. A particular stand out is from 6-6-70 at the Fillmore West.
19 - The Grateful Dead debut album is another classic and is the only GD album that almost presents them as a 60’s garage band since all of their forthcoming albums after this would be much more progressive.
18 - This Blue Cheer album was definitely one of the predecessors to heavy metal! If I remember correctly, it was playing this album at full volume that blew out the speakers on my 1975 Zenith stereo system due to the heavy feedback and overtone throughout the entire album!
17 - What more can you say about CCR! All of their albums were classics.
16 - Santana’s debut album has such a great flow to it. It is one of those albums that you’ll have on and it ends too soon! Back in the day I used to always play this album followed by Abraxas as a pair.
15 - Steve Miller Band - their first 5 albums definitely have that San Francisco sound more than his later albums. My personal favorite is their 5th album from 1970 simply titled “Number 5”. By that point they had mastered the San Francisco psychedelic sound just before becoming more commercial, as evident in the song “Jackson-Kent Blues”.
14 - Country Joe & The Fish - I have a personal bias towards this band because I met Country Joe McDonald in 1994 along with Richie Havens when they were touring together to commemorate the 25th Anniversary of Woodstock that year. I was in a band at the time and Country Joe came over and talked with us for quite awhile, encouraging us and joking around with us. But even before that I had already been a big fan having all of their albums and he signed one of them, which I still have! A neighbor of mine was a Vietnam vet and had turned me on to their music. Country Joe was very popular among the vets in the 70’s!
13 - My personal favorite CCR album is their debut with the extended psychedelic version of Suzie Q. I always felt that you could feel the band’s musical zeal and hunger more on this album than any of their others, but that is often the case for debut albums.
12 - Quicksilver Messenger Service - had another very unique twangy guitar sound that was identifiable to Quicksilver as soon as you heard it. This particular album is a mind journey. I remember seeing the album cover in the record store and thinking it was a country western band. Ha, boy was I wrong!
11 - Aoxamoxoa is a classic album cover to go along with a stepping stone in the Dead’s career. It was at this point that the band creatively began to blend traditional song writing with their experimental music that resulted in a masterpiece.
10 - SMB Children of the Future was the first SMB album I ever heard when I was in high school. To this day I still think the sound quality that this was recorded in was way ahead of it’s time! This is when Boz Scaggs was with SMB. I often wonder what they would have been like if Boz continued to stay with them.
9 - CCR, again hard to rate one CCR album above another. They are all great.
8 - Moby Grape’s debut album was an album that got me through many rainy days. I always thought the song “Fall On You” should have been a hit and was always too short. I would always play it twice! I always thought this band had potential to become a super-group but sadly they quickly disintegrated.
7 - QMS debut album! What a great start to their short career. This album is almost like a “best of” in itself, if they hadn’t gone on to make several more great albums into the early 70’s.
6 - Jefferson Airplane - Volunteers ranks along with the Country Joe & Fish type of music being it was one of the notorious protest albums. I’m sure that peanut butter sandwich gatefold help to sell many jars of peanut butter among the stoners at the time!!!
5 - Live Dead! I used to have this on cassette and we would play it on hot Saturday afternoons in the park! I believe the recordings are from February of 1969 and is probably one of the earliest progressive live recordings from that time.
4 - CCR - Willie & The Poor Boys. An inviting record that everyone can relate to at some point or another. They were definitely a blue collar band.
3 - Big Brother & Holding Co. - Cheap Thrills. This was most people’s introduction to Janis Joplin being released after the Monterey Pop Festival. It was also many people’s exposure to the artwork of Robert Crumb who was very popular among the San Francisco scene with characters like “the Do-Dah man” and “Mr. Natural”.
2 - CJ & Fish - Electric Music for Mind & Body. The name fits the music on this album! You could dance to this album or you could zone out to this album, which made is very versatile. I had this on cassette and wore it out from playing it so much!
1 - JA - Surrealistic Pillow. Amazing compositions and amazing sound! Especially for it’s time! It truly does echo the San Francisco sound of the 60’s. I spent many a night with this on the headphones as a teenager and was another album that would end too soon. I would often pick up the needle on my record player and put it back to the beginning and sit back and go on the embryonic journey all over again.
What a great period of American music it was in San Francisco during the late 1960’s. The creativity that emerged in that time will never be equaled again but can be remembered and appreciated with all the great recordings that remain.
Great descriptive list. I would totally agree with everything you wrote ✌🏽
Wow Norman, this is really, really great. I listened to all of these in my formative high school years in Kansas, and a big subset of them are among my favorites as well. So fun watching this video. From another (now) Seattlite! Maybe I'll run into ya sometime. Anyway thanks a ton for posting this. And thanks for championing Moby Grape & Quicksilver!
Another SF band that deserves mention is H.P. Lovecraft. Had both of their albums back when and saw them live in SF. To me they epitomize the SF psychedelic sound, similar to the Grateful Dead during the Tom Constantin period. They didn't stay together that long, not sure what happened to them but they are worth checking out.
I have their first album and enjoy it but even though they moved to SF after that album I always saw them as a Chicago band. . ✌🏼
@@mazzysmusic Along with the Flock and Rotary Connection?