Nuggets From The Golden State (VA) · The Berkeley EPs 66-68


click on image5.0 out of 5 stars Essential for 60's music collectors! December 9, 2004

By Jack B. Nimble

Format:Audio CD


A BIG thank you to Big Beat UK for releasing this compilation of 4 very rare EP's from San Fran's psychedelic underground, otherwise known as the "San Francisco Sound". If you were lucky enough to find and purchase VG+ to near mint original pressings of these EP's, God Bless You and because you have spent over $4,500 easy. Big Beat UK have done a fine job remastering these gems on CD as the sound quality is superb considering the sources. The Frumious Bandersnatch was taken from the master tapes and every song on their EP is a gem.
"Hearts To Cry" is an incredible song and features some of the finest 2-way acid guitar attack to come out of the west coast during 68'. It's a crying shame this band never signed to a major label and released a full length LP. The Mad River EP is a psych masterpiece, although it was dubbed from acetate. "A Gazelle" should be played at maximum volume with the speakers facing out of the house windows! Notes from the Underground released 2 LP's after the EP and is decent late 60's rock. Country Joe and the Fish's EP is a must have. These guys basically started it all. The EP versions are a bit faster and looser than the LP versions, but nonetheless are performed with conviction and assurance that a "change is gonna come". Overall, all 4 EP's are ESSENTIAL listening for 60's music collectors and lovers alike!


1 Country Joe & The Fish · Bass Strings 04:01
2 Country Joe & The Fish · Thing Called Love 02:36
3 Country Joe & The Fish · Section 43 06:45

Country Joe & The Fish
Joe McDonald 
Barry Melton 
David Cohen 
Bruce Barthol 
Gary "Chicken" Hirsh 

4 Frumious Bandersnatch · Hearts To Cry 05:06
5 Frumious Bandersnatch · Misty Cloudy 01:58
6 Frumious Bandersnatch · Chesire 07:05

 David Denny - Guitar
Jack King - Drums
George Tickner - Guitar
Ross Valory - Bass
Bobby Winkelman - Rhythm Guitar, Bass


7 Mad River · A Gazelle 02:43
8 Mad River · Orange Fire 03:39
9 Mad River · Windchimes 06:58

Mad River
David Robinson - guitar
Rick Bockner - guitar
Lawrence Hammond - bass
Tom Manning - bass (Nov.1966 - Dec. 1968)
Greg Dewey - drums
Greg Duian - guitar (Mar. - Sept. 1966)


10 Notes From The Underground · Where Does Love Go 02:44
11 Notes From The Underground · Down In The Basement 02:31
12 Notes From The Underground · What Am I Doing Here 02:19
13 Notes From The Underground · Got To Get Out Of This Dream 03:18
14 Notes From The Underground · You Don't Love Me 02:53
15 Notes From The Underground · Let Yourself Fly 03:13
16 Notes From The Underground · Where I'm At Today 03:43

Notes From The Underground
Fred Sokolow - guitar, banjo, mandolin, tambourine, vocals
Mark Mandell - guitar, vocals
Skip Rose - piano, electric piano, organ, harpsichord
Mike O'Connor - bass, vocals
Peter Oswald - drums

time:01:01:23



See also;Frumious Bandersnatch - A Young Man's Song 1968

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Thanx a lot!