Although vintage British Psychedelia is viewed by many these days as an Alice In Wonderland-style enchanted garden full of beatific flower children innocently gathering flowers or chasing butterflies, there was always a more visceral element to the scene. Pointedly free of such fripperies as scarlet tunic-wearing gnomes, phenomenal cats and talismanic bicycles, the power trio format that was popularised by the likes of Cream and the Jimi Hendrix Experience spawned a host of imitators. As the 60s drew to a close and Pop evolved slowly but inexorably into Rock, Psychedelia gave way to a sound that was harder, leaner, heavier, louder.
Across three discs and four hours of music, “I’m A Freak, Baby: A Journey Through The British Heavy Psych And Hard Rock Underground Scene 1968-72” investigates that largely under-documented period, incorporating everything from some of the biggest names in the burgeoning Hard Rock/proto-Metal firmament (Deep Purple, Uriah Heep) all the way down to a significant number of provincial semi-pro bands who gigged extensively but were unable to land a recording contract during their lifetime.
We feature some of British Rock’s pioneering acts (The Yardbirds, The Move), a handful of bands who travelled far beyond their blues boom roots (Fleetwood Mac, Chicken Shack, The Groundhogs), the infamous Ladbroke Grove scene (The Deviants, The Pink Fairies, Hawkwind, The Edgar Broughton Band), a smattering of inspired, where-the-hell-did-that- come-from one-shots like The Velvet Frogs and the mighty Egor, and a clutch of previously- unreleased recordings (The Kult, Hellmet, The Phoenix) that have even eluded the specialist reissue companies and bootleggers…
Housed in a clamshell box featuring a lavishly illustrated and annotated 36-page booklet, “I’m A Freak, Baby” is the most comprehensive and wide-ranging anthology to appear thus far of an underground scene that, in addition to being responsible for some magnificent music, also acted as a signpost to the subsequent emergence of British Punk and Heavy Metal.
Purchase here: https://www.cherryred.co.uk/im-a-freak-baby-a-journey-through-the-british-heavy-psych-amp-hard-rock-underground-scene-196872
DISC ONE
01. Stray – All In Your Mind
02. The Open Mind – Cast A Spell
03. The Mooche – Hot Smoke And Sassafras
04. Crfushed Butler – My Son’s Alive
05. Chicken Shack – Going Down
06. Cycle – Father Of Time
07. The Deviants – I’m Coming Home
08. The Pink Fairies – Do It
09. Factory – Time Machine
10. The Groundhogs – Cherry Red
11. Wicked Lady – I’m A Freak
12. Charge – Rock My Soul
13. Hawkwind Zoo – Sweet Mistress Of Pain
14. Stonehouse – Nightmare
15. The Iron Maiden – Falling
16. Barnabus – Apocalypse
DISC TWO
01. Writing On The Wall – Bogeyman
02. Deep Purple – Fireball
03. Jerusalem – Primitive Man
04. Edgar Broughton Band – Love In The Rain
05. Hellmet – Trust
06. Second Hand – Rhubarb!
07. Little Free Rock – Dream
08. Iron Claw – Skullcrusher
09. Dark – Zero Time
10. Ther Velvet Frogs – Jehovah
11. The Move – Brontosaurus
12. Stack Waddy – Bring It To Jerome
13. Samuel Prody – Mr Make Believe
14. Bare Sole – Flash
15. The Phoenix – Street Walking Woman
16. Skid Row – Go, I’m Never Gonna Let You
DISC THREE
01. The Gun – Race With The Devil
02. Blonde On Blonde – Heart Without A Home
03. Third World War – Ascension Day
04. Egor – Street
05. Sam Gopal – Escalator
06. Uriah Heep – Gypsy
07. The Mickey Finn – Garden Of My Mind
08. The Yardbirds – Think About It
09. Morning After – Trying To Find My Way Back Home
10. Velvett Fogg – Yellow Cave Woman
11. Andromeda – Too Old
12. Fleetwood Mac – The Green Manalishi (With The Two Prong Crown)
13. Sweet Slag – Twisted Trip Woman
14. The Kult – Occult
15. The Taste – Born On The Wrong Side Of Time
16. Fusion Farm – Hollis Brown
