Greg Fenton reviews Music Review with Middle Earth The Soundtrack of London’s Legendary Psychedelic Club 1967-1969 – Cherry Red Records
Opening in Covent Garden in August 1967 seems like aeons ago but the brilliant palette splashed across the feast of music played there still reverberates in the here and now. If it doesn’t this compilation of all and sundry is reason enough to get acquainted with the riotous rhythms, intensity of noise and psychedelia meanderings realised in full technicolour.
Representing a turning point in creativity in music the years surrounding the later part of the decade and the associated political process are defined by the wild variety of groups who played the club from the fiery jazz of Soft Machine, to the message in the music melodies of Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger & The Trinity to the raspy blues of Graham Bond to the spacey pulse generated by Third Ear Band a palace of varieties where explored.
The second cd hits you with the timeless energy of Traffic, Feeling Alright? The quick-fire Pretty Things, Balloon Burning as The Yardbirds, The Deviants plus the inimitable Captain Beefheart crystallise the earthier excitement and notoriety happening there too. You can read about the history in detail via Jon Newey’s great sleevenotes including an enlightening interview with the club’s founder and DJ, Jeff Dexter. That’s a wealth of history to savour.
The final disc is packed full of gems from The Who’s magical Magic Bus, a funkier The Byrds, the always explosive Free, Jefferson Airplane’s exhilarating Crown of Creation, Canned Heat’s hypnotic On The Road Again, while never forgetting The Fugs – Crystal Liaison. There are perennial favourites to be relived here but also many new sounds to discover from a time of cultural creativity that you won’t witness coming around again.
Release: March 21
Buy Middle Earth at Cherry Red Records here
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