#14 Peter Hammill-A Black Box (S-Type Records UK) 1980

Peter Hammill-A Black Box

(S Type Records-PHS-1)

Released in the UK in 1980

Side 1: 1. Golden Promises 2. Losing Faith In Words 3. The Jargon King 4. Fogwalking 5. The Spirit 6. In Slow Time 7. The Wipe

Side 2: 1. Flight (Flying Blind, The White Cane Fandango, Control, Cockpit, Silk Worm Wings, Nothing Is Nothing, A Black Box)

Personnel: Peter Hammill-vocals, guitar, keyboards, David Jackson-saxophone, flute, David Ferguson-synthesizer, percussion)

Produced by Peter Hammill

'A Black Box' was the ninth UK solo album by Van Der Graaf Generator lead singer Peter Hammill and it was also one of his best. Side one features short, claustrophobic numbers such as 'Golden Promises', 'Losing Faith In Words' and 'The Spirit.' Musically, the overall sound is stripped down to the bone and sort of resembles post-punk acts such as Bauhaus and Magazine. 

Side Two is filled with the ambitious, side long epic 'Flight', which was a multi-part excursion into regions unknown and was more in step with Hammill's work with Van Der Graaf. It's a riveting album that has lost none of it's power over the years.

'The Spirit' from 'A Black Box'

Family-The Weaver's Answer (Live at the Isle Of Wight Festival 1970)

Family tearing it up at 1970 Isle Of Wight Festival!

#13 Family-Family Entertainment (Reprise 1969)

Family-Family Entertainment

(Reprise Records-K-44069)

Released in the UK in 1969

UK Chart Peak #6

Side One: 1. The Weaver's Answer 2. Observations From A Hill 3. Hung Up Down 4. Summer '67 5. How-Hi-The-Li

Side Two: 1. Second Generation Woman 2. From Past Archives 3. Dim 4. Processions 5. Face In The Cloud 5. Emotions

Personnel: Roger Chapman-vocals, John Whitney-lead guitar, Rick Grech-bass guitar, violin, vocals, Jim King-saxophone, piano, harmonica, Rob Townsend-drums

Produced by Glyn Johns & John Gilbert

Family were one of the most talented and innovative that Britain produced in the late 1960's. Family Entertainment was their second album and their masterpiece. It was gut busting fusion of rock, psychedelia and gypsy music. For the those who are new to the group, try to imagine a more eccentric version of Traffic (the two groups were actually good friends.)

There wasn't a bum track to be found on Family Entertainment and the album did quite well in the UK (peaking at #6 on the album charts.) Sadly, it was to be the final album with their original lineup as Rick Grech left after the record was completed to join the heavily hyped Blind Faith, saxophonist Jim King also left (they were replaced by Poli Palmer and former Animals guitarist/bassist/violinist John Weider.)

Key Tracks: The Weaver's Answer, Hung Up Down, How-Hi-The-Li, Face In The Cloud, Emotions.

13th Floor Elevators-Easter Everywhere (IA Records 1967)

Full album plus bonus tracks!

The Pop Group-Y (Radar 1979)

Full mind blowing album!

#12 The 13th Floor Elevators-Easter Everywhere (International Artists 1967)

13th Floor Elevators-Easter Everywhere 

International Artists Records (IA-LP 5)

Released in the USA on October 27, 1967

Side One: Slip Inside This House, The Slide Machine, She Lives (In A Time Of Her Own), Nobody To Love, Baby Blue

Side Two: Earthquake, Dust, Levitation, I Had To Tell You, Postures (Leave Your Body Behind)

Personnel:

Roky Erickson-vocal, Stacy Sutherland-lead guitar, vocals, Tommy Hall-jug, vocals, Dan Galindo-bass guitar, Danny Thomas-drums

Produced by Lelan Rogers

#11 The Pop Group-Y (Radar Records UK 1979)

The Pop Group-Y

Radar Records (RAD-20)

Released in the UK on April 20, 1979

Personnel: Mark Stewart-vocals, Gareth Sager-guitar, Simon Underwood-guitar, John Waddington-bass guitar, Bruce Smith-drums

Side One-Thief Of Girl, Snow Girl, Blood Money, The Savage Sea, We Are Time

Side Two-Words Disobey Me, Don't Call Me Pain, The Boys From Brazil,  Don't Sell Your Dreams

Y was one of the most innovative albums to be released in the wake of punk rock in the UK. It was a crazed mix of punk, funk, free-jazz, dub and Beefheart style guitar chaos. Absolutely essential!

David Furgess (April 27, 2015)