The Seeds: psychedelic artistic statements The Seeds (1966), Web of Sound (1966), Future (1967), A Spoonful of Seedy Blues (Sky Saxon Blues Band) (1967) Raw & Alive in Concert at Merlin’s Music Box (1968), Rare Seeds (1966-67). I remember The Seeds first & only big hit ‘Pushin’ Too Hard’ with it’s garage band, pre-punk anger that captured teen-angst that few other songs did at the time. The sound quality was perfect for transistor radios. Who could resist a song about too much homework & parental expectations.
There was nothing slick about the sound, the music or the pellmell rush off the guitar & lyrics. All I had was the memory. Several years ago, as I set out to reclaim my music memories I found these thanks to iTunes & couldn’t resist adding them to my collection. Web includes their ‘long song’ Up In Her Room in which they start to mellow out. Future is one of the sweetest flower power, sitar stoked lps you’ll ever hear.
Another 60s one-hit wonder is Blue Cheer. A power trio that some consider the first heavymetal band. their first lp Vincebus Eruptum (1968) included the hit Summertime Blues, an excellent cover of Parchment Farm & solid originals. Their next Outsideinside (1968) (with hideous cover art) was more of the same, a bit more polished & trippy. I lost interest in them plus the local record store was mainly focused on top 20 lps so their next ones never made it to the east coast.
I found New Improved! (1969) & Blue Cheer thanks to iTunes. Personnel changes also changed their sound which was still metal but not as heavy. By Blue Cheer (1969) they ran out of lp titles 🙂 & were also a quartet. By this lp they had lost their initially angry momentum & also, I think, they suffered from improved production. It was the raw energy & sound of the first lps that gave them ‘personality’ by this lp they were a band with groupie complaints, which I didn’t find very compelling.
There are hits compilations by both bands that are fun & if you are a fan of that late 60’s rock both are worth adding to any collection.
Do you have any favorite one-hit wonders from that era?
TOpoet 
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