That would be the June 2010 issue. The one with a photo of Keith Richards at the height of his powers on the cover.

Along with an extensive feature on the making of The Rolling Stones’ Exile on Main Street (Not, as most would have you believe, their best album ever), there’s also a three and a half page article on Zoot Money’s psychedelic troupe, Dantalian’s Chariot, written by, of all people, yours truly.

Yes, the short-lived acid-rock/pop quartet and underground regulars come in for the HFoS treatment, courtesy of myself, with a little help from Zoot and Dantalian’s drummer Colin Allen, who both kindly agreed to be interviewed for the feature.

So if that’s your bag, make sure you get a copy.

Hereby ends today’s lesson in shameless self-promotion.

Record Collector website

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Dantalian’s Chariot Article in Record Collector

Illness has struck at HFoS Towers, rendering the principle scribe bereft of what little faculties he had remaining.

The good news -- or bad, dependent upon your point of view -- is that efforts have been made to ensure things get back to normal next week. Several strong drinks and a damn good talking to, should sort it.

Therefore, as promised TWO weeks ago, we will be publishing the first part of the interview with Fruits de Mer Records NEXT WEEK, on pain of death.

Anybody who has contacted us regarding reviews, interviews etc. please bare with us. Things should be back on track next week.

In the meantime, have some Roy Wood and Wizzard, with all nine minutes of ‘Wear A Fast Gun’, from 1973′s excellent Wizzard Brew. Always good in times of a crisis (imagined, or otherwise).

www.youtube.com/watch?v=yy6oBMpzdH8

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A Few Words on Behalf of the Management

‘Losing You’ is a psychedelic-edged track from little known rock act Blue Beard, who are so arcane, in fact, that their album never got beyond test pressings.

It’s taken from the recently released compilation Looking Towards the Sky, which collects together the psychedelic, prog and folk rock output of the UK’s indie label, Ember Records, between 1969 and 1972. Needless to say it’s obscurity heaven with acts so deep underground, you’ll need Steve Austin implants to hear them.

Exciting stuff! Featured acts include prog folk group 9.30 Fly, acoustic hippies Knocker Jungle, and the psych-popsters providing the title track Davey Payne & The Medium Wave. And no, I’ve not heard of any of them either.

Anyways, ‘Losing You’ by Blue Beard has a pleasingly jangly US garage-psych sound to it, give it a listen:

Plundering the Ember vaults are Fantastic Voyage, the label dedicated to releasing pop, soul, blues, jazz and rock’n'roll from the 1920s(!) to the1970s.

There’ll be a review of Looking Towards the Sky up at HFoS, just as soon as my copy arrives. In  the meantime, you can get a hold of the album yourself from Amazon.co.uk

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Blue Beard – Losing You

Jeff Lynne and the Idle Race boys react to the news HFoS is one year old

365 days may have passed since the first proper posting here, but as I promised at the start of the year, we shan’t be doing anything to celebrate.

If the desire takes you though, feel free to sport your trilby at a jauntier angle than per usual.

In the absence of a cake or balloons, try a bit of Birmingham’s own Idle Race instead. From their 1968 debut The Birthday Party, the aptly titled ‘Birthday’.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOKFpEl_EPU

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Head Full of Snow, One Year Old Today

Yes, the good people at Esoteric have given the one and only album by this iconic, psycho-delic rock band the royal treatment, delivering a remastered version of the original album and a host of extras, such as alternate mixes, a BBC session from 1968 and rare single tracks, including the wonderfully anarchic piss-take of the peace and love movement, ‘Give Him a Flower’ – “Don’t ‘it ‘im wiv a bottle, Give him a flower”

Of course, the original firestarter, Arthur Brown, would go on to record multiple solo albums and as part of psychedelic prog-rockers Kingdom Come, but nothing could quite touch this demented shard of late 60s Amicus-inspired mayhem, produced by The Who’s Pete Townshend.

Also promised is some lavish packaging and an extensively illustrated booklet, which one can only hope is a lickable as it sounds.

While on the subject of both the psychedelic and the certifiable, the same day also sees the reissue of Glass Top Coffin by Ramases.

The second album by the self-professed reincarnation of the Egyptian Pharaoh Ramases, and his wife Selket, came out in 1975, a follow-up to 1971′s Space Hymns, which featured a reworking of their 1968 psych classic ‘Crazy One’.

A progressive rock concept album of an intergalactic bent – featuring the Royal Philharmonic and London Symphony Orchestras – this will be the first time the album has appeared on remastered CD. Ramases (Michael Raphael) committed suicide three years after Glass Top Coffin was completed.

The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown and Glass Top Coffin by Ramases are both available for pre-order from Amazon.

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The Crazy World of Arthur Brown set for 2-disc Deluxe Edition

Jethro Tull look forward to another year of HFoS

2010 marks the official first birthday of Head Full of Snow, February 8^th last year being the hallowed date when all this started with a wee profile of lost psychedelic popsters and brief Beatles’ protégés, Focal Point.

To celebrate this momentous occasion we’ll be doing absolutely nothing. Should you wish to wear a sparkly hat or release a party-popper into the wild on said date, you’re more than welcome.

Which brings me to the intentions for Head Full of Snow into 2010.

Intentions being what they are – well mine, anyways – they’ll probably have bore sour, shrivelled fruit, come the revolution, but right here, right now, this is what I’m thinking.

I’m looking to diversify the content at Head Full of Snow, as at present the site seems to be weighted in favour of album reviews (occasional exceptions granted). The reviews will continue, of course, hopefully at the current rate of at least one a week, but more features wouldn’t go amiss. Whether these constitute profiles, interviews or whatever, remains to be seen.

Speaking of which, I should be getting around to interviewing -valis of excellent psychedelic website Trip Inside this House, before time is called on January. I promised him late last year, but things being what they are, I never got around to it. As is fitting, it will take the form of -valis’s own 10 Questions slot, which has become a Friday fixture at Trip Inside This House.

Elsewhere, I hesitate in saying we’ll be broadening the remit to cover more new bands, for fear of alienating those who, like me, have their heads stuck in the late sixties and seventies. But there’s every chance, so long as they’re of a psychedelic, prog or acid/wyrd-folk leaning. So if you’re one such artist or a group, looking for a spot of promotion via interview, etc. feel free to get in touch via the email address or contact form.

Likewise. if, in any way, you desire to write for Head Full of Snow, send me your thoughts via the same channels. I’m afraid I’ll only be able to offer a byline and a sincere thank you for your efforts though.

Also, making a return in 2010 will be such gems as Who is/are: and Cover of the Week, as well as more news, vids etc.

As already stated, these are mere intentions and time being of the premium, may fall flat on their collective faces before the ink has dried on this post.

If that be the case, feel free to remind me of this a year from now, when we’re staring down the barrel of a second HFoS birthday.

Happy New Year, and all that malarkey.

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Head Full of Snow into the New Year

Image courtesy Capitol/EMI Archive

The damaged film stock, on 1 inch, reel to reel tape, was discovered in a private collection and has been restored to a state where it can once again be viewed.

The lost footage features two performances of the band’s second single ‘See Emily Play’, filmed on the 6th and 27th July 1967, and is of particular interest as there is so little film of Syd Barrett, the erstwhile singer, knocking around. The recordings of these two Top of the Pops Floyd performances had, until now, been presumed destroyed, as was much of the BBC’s output from the 1960s due to storage space.

The Pink Floyd footage will be shown at the BFI’s ‘Missing Presumed Wiped’ event on 9th July 2010.

Enjoy the original promo vid (minus an MIA Syd Barrett) for ‘See Emily Play’:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=F94vHO7okZQ

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See Emily Play (for the first time in 42 years) -- Rare Pink Floyd Footage Discovered

So as the leaves brown, the air gets colder and the door slowly creaks shut on 2009, what’s crackling away in the Esoteric fireplace, lined up for a November release?

Pete Sinfield – Still (1973)  A 2CD reissue of the King Crimson lyricist’s one and only solo venture. A large number of alternative mixes and outtakes are promised.

Flash – Flash (1972)  The debut album by prog rocker’s Flash, the band formed by ex-Yes guitarist Peter Banks in the wake of his unceremonious replacement by Steve Howe in 1971.

Peter Banks – Both Side of Peter Banks (1973)  With little information at the time of publishing, one has to imagine that this is either a typo or a renamed reissue of the deposed Yes guitarist’s 1973 album Two Sides of Peter Banks. Featuring Genesis’s Steve Hackett and Phil Collins (don’t let the mention of Phil Collins put you off) and King Crimson’s John Wetton, the album was written and recorded with Jon Akkerman of barmy Dutch progsters Focus.

Supersister – Spiral Staircase aka as Sweet Ok Supersister (1974)  Just as Dutch and equally as barmy as Focus is the fifth and final classic-era release for Supersister.

Daryll Way – Concerto for Electric Violin (1978)  Solo album from the founder member of Curved Air, who, in the same year, also recorded with Gong and Jethro Tull (on the title track of Heavy Horses).

Made in Sweden – Made in England (1970)  The fourth album from the progressive jazz-rock trio.

Robert Calvert – Captain Lockheed and the Starfighters (1974)  Debut concept album from Hawkwind associate,  poet and rock-nutter Robert Calvert. Billed as no different to the 2007 Eclectic release, simply made re-available.

Esoteric Recordings website

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Esoteric Recordings November Releases

Whereas, generally, ‘Happiness is a Warm Gun’ , true happiness can only be achieved by ‘Something’ such as this book/display case combo – the type which makes you want to scream in its general direction, “I’ve ‘Got to Get You into My Life’”…

… But crap punning aside, this really looks to be one for the collector, boasting three components that will leave a Beatles enthusiast foaming at the mouth.

Book 1 – The Album Artwork Book is a 200 page, LP-sized lexicon of all The Beatles’ album covers (both UK and US), back covers, gatefolds, inserts and complete booklets, presented in new restored art prints. One for the completist to get more than a little moist under the collar over.

Book 2 – “The Catalography” is a full colour Beatles discography, bursting with photos, text and track-listings for all the UK and US releases.

Book 3 – The Box of Vision storage book is designed to organise and display the complete Beatles backcatalog in the style of lush oppulence they surely deserve. Tailored to store the recent digi-pack reissues, those who own the previous releases can still bung the CDs and booklets in, dispensing with the jewel cases or putting them to better use (ideas in the comments below, please).

“It’s the ultimate fan piece,” says designer, Jonathon Polk, and it would certainly add a spring to the step of those of The Beatles persuasion.

Available from selected outlets or mail order, it only remains for me to say, ‘Mailman, Bring Me No More Blues’, bring me one of these badboys.

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The Beatles ‘Box of Vision’ Book for UK Release

Kicking off tomorrow, Head Full of Snow is dedicating itself to the innovative progressive rock act that will, unfairly or otherwise, forever be associated with one song, ‘A Whiter Shade of Pale’.

Between 1967 and 1977 Procol Harum released ten albums, yet never managed to repeat nor shake the success of their breakthrough single, officially the UK’s most played record of all time*.

Head Full of Snow loves Procol Harum’s symphonic rock/ prog excess, and following on from the underwhelming success of The Dukes of Stratosphere weekend, we give ourselves over to the band that’s spanned 23 different line-ups and is still playing today (with main man, Gary Brooker still at the helm).

Stay tuned this week for more.

*According to Phonographic Performance Ltd.

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Procol Harum Week at Head Full of Snow

Gong formed in 1968 during the Paris student riots, giving birth to a wealth of weird and wonderful albums, overflowing with psychedelic and progressive flavours, most notably the Radio Gnome Trilogy, of which the new album 2032 is to be the next installment.

This year sees the 40th anniversary of the band as a touring act. Here’s a few pics of Gong as they are today, as well as the dates for their UK tour. A review of Gong’s forthcoming new album, 2032, will be up at HFoS very soon.

GONG NOVEMBER 2009 UK TOUR:

Bristol O2 Academy                           Thursday 19 November
Exeter, The Lemon Grove               Friday 20 November
Manchester Acedemy 2                   Saturday 21 November
Edinburgh, HMV Picturehouse     Sunday 22 November
Sheffield Leadmill                               Monday 23 November
Leamington Spa Assembly             Wednesday 25 November
Cambridge Corn Exchange             Thursday 26 November
London HMV Forum                         Friday 27 November
Oxxford Regal Theatre                     Saturday 28 November
Brighton Corn Exchange                 Sunday 29 November

Ticket Hotline: 08700 603 777

For further info about Gong’s full UK tour dates, visit www.planetgong.co.uk

See also:

Gong – 2032 Review

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Gong UK Tour Dates and Live Shots

To me, just from the scant information at my fingertips, it looks to be a dead cert for the Christmas list.

As I said, details at the moment are sketchy aside from the promise of five hours worth of audio and visual delights, but if last year’s Salvo/Fly The Move Anthology is anything to go by then we should be in for an absolute treat. That particular four-disc release was a feast of rarities, outtakes, alternative takes and live versions. One should also expect a definitive booklet on the band’s history that wouldn’t look out of place on a discerning vicar’s shelf and some lickably attractive packaging, the like of which hasn’t been seen outside of God’s own harem.

There’s no release date of yet, just a tantalising “Coming Soon”. Roll on soon, that’s what we say!

More info on the Procol Harum compendium, All This and More, as it becomes available.

UPDATE: A review of All This and More can  be found here.

See also:

More Procol Harum

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Procol Harum 4-disc Anthology on the way

First up is the reissue of Genesis keyboard-noodler, Tony Banks’ 1979 debut solo album A Curious Feeling. Released at a time when the rot that was Phil Collins had truly set in, this solo outing retains a feel for the early progressive sound of that once proud band. Further details of A Curious Feeling can be found here.

Next up is a new three CD retrospective of Oldham’s finest progsters, Barclay James Harvest, entitled Sea of Tranquility – The Polydor Years 1974 – 1997. No details of a track listing yet, but hopefully it’ll be more ’74 than ’97, if you know what I mean.

Then there’s the continuation of the Camel reissues, all remastered and repackaged, with I Can See Your House from Here, Nude and a two CD expanded edition of Pressure Points – Camel in Concert.

Occasional member of Hawkwind, Steve Swindells also gets the reissue treatment with his 1974  album Messages – a two CD set promising a previously unreleased album.

And finally for October there are two albums from heavy blues-rock crunchers Stray Dog. 1973′s Stray Dog and 1974′s While You’re Down There are remastered and mark the first of Esoterics reissues from Emerson, Lake and Palmer’s Manticore Records label.

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Esoteric Recordings October Releases

2032 is released on 21st September (2009) and sees Steve Hillage back in the recording studio with Daevid Allen for the first time since creative differences saw them part company following 1974′s You.

The new Gong album coincides with an autumn tour. The track listing is as follows:

1. City of Self Fascination
2. Digital Girl
3. How To Stay Alive
4. Escape Control Delete
5. Yoni Poem
6. Dance With The Pixies
7. Wacky Baccy Banker
8. The Year 2032
9. Robo-Warriors
10. Guitar Zero
11. The Gris Gris Girl
12. Wave And A Particle
13. Pinkle Ponkle
14. Portal

More info can be found at the Gong website

2032 can be pre-ordered from Amazon.co.uk

See also:

Gong – 2032 Review

Gong UK Tour Dates and Live Photos

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New Gong Album Released September 21st

Following the last issue, for which your humble host here at HFoS towers contributed a feature article on Chicago psychedelic band H.P. Lovecraft, the latest edition maintains the usual standard for lovers of psych, prog, garage and the just plain weird.

The lovely Julie Driscoll graces the cover with a long overdue retrospect on her time with Brian Auger & The Trinity. There’s also features on Wimple Winch; current folk-psych band Circulus; the man who invented every musical style going, Kim Fowley; stack-heeled tartan Glam noisemakers, Iron Virgin; and a look at the recording career of L.A. psychedelic behemoths Spirit.

There’s also a new extensive reviews section, a cover-mounted CD of new psych/garagey stuff, plus lots more. Copies of Shindig issue 12 can be found in outlets of Borders, certain WH Smiths stores and various record shops, or do what I do and subscribe.

It’s still Hip! It’s still Happening! It’s still Shindig!

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Shindig Magazine – September-October 2009 Issue

HFoS spreads its wings over at LateMag, once again waxing lyrical about Spaghetti Westerns with a review of Cjamango.

Take a peek if you think it might float one’s boat:

Cjamango review

See also:

Spaghetti Western Article at LateMag.com

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HFoS reviews ‘Cjamango’ at LateMag.com

Esoteric really has some good stuff on its books, some of which hasn’t seen the light of day since the late sixties and seventies – the heyday of progressive rock.

Just a peek at some of the acts whose albums Esoteric Recordings have reissued thus far reads like a who’s who of the spaced out, progressive underground from those glory days of the multicoloured musical meandering. Acts such as Barclay James Harvest; The Deviants; Egg; Fire; Giles, Giles and Fripp; Hatfield and the North; Mick Farren; Quintessence; Rare Bird; Spooky Tooth; Supersister and Web amongst others, as well as setting up the Atomhenge label to reissue the multitude of second phase Hawkwind recordings.

All good stuff! As for what’s out this month:

• Thunderclap Newman – Hollywood Dreams (1969 sole release from the Pete Townshend produced group)
• Alquin – Marks (1972 debut album from Dutch Floydesque prog rockers)
• Alquin – Mountain Queen (1973)
• Earth and Fire – Earth and Fire (More prog from the Netherlands – the 1969 debut)
• Earth and Fire – Song of the Marching Children (1971)
• Earth and Fire – Atlantis (1973)

September’s schedule is as follows:

• Hawkwind – Levitation (1980 – 3CD deluxe boxset from Atomhenge)
• Camel – Breathless (1978 album from the UK prog rock stalwarts)
• Camel – The Single Factor (1982)
• Camel – Stationary Traveller (1984)
• Armageddon – Armageddon (Unsure whether this is a 1969 album or a 1975 album from the shortlived supergroup of the same name)
• Stomu Yamashta – Go Too (1977 avante gardery)
• Morgan – Nova Solis (1972 prog rock debut from the band with an ELP sound)

Esoteric Recordings website

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Esoteric Recordings August/September Releases

1971′s Broken Barricades carries on the tradition started on Home with a harder rock sound, Robin Trower’s guitar taking the lead in the absence of departed Matthew Fisher’s Hammond organ.

Recorded in August of 1971, Procol Harum: Live in Concert with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra was released in 1972 and saw the band accompanied by a full orchestral and choral contingent, belting out some of their earlier symphonic songs – A Salty Dog, Whaling Stories, In Held ‘Twas in I – in the perfect environment.

Grand Hotel, released in 1973, saw a return to the grandeur that Procol Harum had previously made their own, with the title track described by NME as “a masterpiece of musical perfection and lyricism”.

As with the Fly/Salvo reissues, all three are enhanced by additional bonus tracks. Reviews to follow.

Broken Barricades, Live in Concert with Edmonton Symph. Orch. and Grand Hotel are available from Amazon UK.

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Procol Harum Reissues Continue on Salvo

• We haven’t been snatched away into interstellar overdrive on a UFO captained by George Clinton and crewed by the 1972 line-up of Yes.
• We haven’t joined the likes of Brian Jones, Jimi Hendrix, Janice Joplin or Jim Morrison in the 27 Club. We have neither the talent nor the requisite age. Nor are we dead.
• We’ve not overdosed on a cocktail of Love Hearts, strawberry bootlaces and Tizer.
• We’ve not been arrested for crimes against taste and the English language.

However, due to certain circumstances, Head Full of Snow will return to normal service in a week or so. In the meantime, and in honour of a Roy Wood article I’m currently struggling to find time to finish, cop a bit of Wizzard and 1973′s ‘See my Baby Jive’.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8PdHg84zUE

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Normal HFoS Service will be Resumed!

Anyway, beg, borrow or steal a copy if you’re interested and thumb through to the piece on late ’60s psychedelic rock group H.P. Lovecraft, entitled “Whirling, Twirling, Swirling”. That be the beast, right there.

Elsewhere in the latest Shindig there’s features on pop-psychsters Kippington Lodge & Brinsley Schwarz; Scotland’s “number one” group, The Poets; low rent hippie literature; off its tits TV show, The Prisoner; the usual reviews and much more.

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HFoS in Shindig! Magazine