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Re: the 2004 "Who Would Have Thought"3 cd bix set,what bloody happened??

Hi Stuart,

Thanks for remembering Dream Weavers, the track list is at the bottom of this post. I am quite surprisd who turned up on it looking at it now! This was nearly 20 years ago and it was a novel idea at the time to look at some of the pre-Beatles people who had survived the changes and come out the other end of the 60s with attempts to stay contemporary. Some of these may seem obvious now but at the time, there was a lot less official reissues of some of this stuff and Bill Ramsay for intance still has never been reissued as far as I know (an American who took West German citizenship and later on hosted a long-running TV show there I think).

I think I still have the cover art for Dream Weavrs saved somewhere but it is rudimentary, pretty much the design you remeber Stuart. I imagne these days it would be easy enough to make a Spotify playlist of most of this stuff. When I compiled it, it was still definitely a matter of burning a CDR and physically sending it to interested readers which I did, all over the world. Can't imagine doing that these days with a large letter stamp for within the UK only about to cost £1! It was not a commercial enterprise, purely an early attempt to point out how interesting some of the attempted career trajectories went.

The omnishambles that was the 'Who Would Have Thought It' set I am to this day convinced was inspired (the right word?) by Dream Weavers. It appeared as Stewart says, within a short time of Dream Weavers so I guess someone reading RZ thought they might do a commercial collection (or scattering) of similar stuff, although it isn't really. Note that there is also a volume in the 35 CD series on Psychic Circle of otherwise various psych and garage etc music called 'What Ever Were They Thinking?'which collects together such unlistenable overground novelties as the octogenarian Arthur Mullard and Hilda Baker covering 'You're The One That I Want' from Grease (don't look the video of it up on Youtube, you'll never get to sleep!) so maybe I inadvertedly started something that went the same way disco did after its initial enjoyable hip underground status got hijacked by Tinpan alley.

There was only ever one volume of Dream Weavers which then begat Pop Cycles then Rainbow Chasers. I would like to take this opportunity to thank again all those who helped design the lovely artwork for these and mastered the sound for CDR (you know who you are), it really made the finished product look and sound excellent (I think so anyway). About 8/10ths of the tracks on them were from original 45s I collected and which at the point of compilation were not by and large compiled anywhere else officially though many will have been by now. They were really intended to share music of mutual interest for free that had not found a commercial reissue outlet at that point.

Other people followed with their own compilations in different genres including you Stuart, still got yours tucked away in a draw. I shall have to get them all out again. I think it is one of the RZ community's proud achievements in sharing the music when it was only available on the original vinyl which was often elusive and highly priced on the secondary market. I am also sure this sharing also led to decisions to commercially release many albums which were getting good comments as needle drop CDRs beforehand.

PM:blush:



Dream Weavers (c.2004)
1. Tommy Roe – Leave Her (1967)
2. Rick Nelson – Dream Weaver (1967)
3. Bill Ramsay – Confusion (1966)
4. Billy Fury- In My Room (unissued)
5. Roy Orbison – Southbound Jericho Parkway (1969)
6. Del Shannon – I Think I Love You (1967)
7. Lou Christy Saco – Waco (1971)
8. The Everly Brothers – The Collector (1966)
9. Gene Vincent – Born To Be A Rolling Stone 91967)
10. The Ventures – Endless Dream (inst) (1967)
11. Bobby Darrin – Long Line Rider (1968)
12. Brian Hyland- Lorrayne (1970)
13. Marvin & Farrar – So hard To Live With (1973)
14. Hank Marvin – Boogitoo (inst) (1970)
15. The Shadows – A Better Man Than I (1967)
16. The Everley Brothers – Like Everytime Before (1966)
17. Bobby Darrin – Jingle Jangle Jingle (1967)
18. Bobby Vee – Objects of Gold (1967)
19. The Four Seasons – Mrs Stately’s Garden (1967)
20. Cliff (Richard) and Hank (Marvin) – The Joy Of Living (1970)
21. Brian Hyland – Maria / Somewhere (1970)
22. Billy Fury – Easy Living (unissued)
23. Bill Ramsay – An Unknown Quantity (1966)
24. Rick Nelson – Marshmallow Skies (1967)
25. Cliff (Richard) and Hank (Marvin) – Throw Down A Line (1970)
26. Tommy Roe – Moon Talk (1967)

Re: the 2004 "Who Would Have Thought"3 cd bix set,what bloody happened??

Here's a great video covering this subject:



It's actually a great channel to explore, have a look

Re: the 2004 "Who Would Have Thought"3 cd bix set,what bloody happened??

Nice one Perkins, great to watch that under the Dream Weavers track list, it's like it was demonstrating it! I'm sure there are others waiting to be outed as well.

Cheers

Paul:smiley:

Re: the 2004 "Who Would Have Thought"3 cd bix set,what bloody happened??

I forgot to add that even now some of these albums are hard to find on CD for instance. Bobby Darrin's 'Born Robert Cassotto' was last reissued on CD in 2007 paired with...'Sings Doctor Doolittle'!!!! The follow up to 'Born...' was 'Commitment' another album in a similar vein. Also reissued last in 2007 on CD and paired with some earlier 'rarities'. Both CDs are being offered at £30 and up each now. They deserve to be independantly reissued in their own right I think.

PM:wink:

Re: the 2004 "Who Would Have Thought"3 cd bix set,what bloody happened??

Thank you Paul,for such a thoughtful and thorough reply,and providing the tracklist to Dream Weavers,the only one i've not heard of is both the Bill Ramsay songs,fortunately i do have all the other songs included.I was surprised at the choice of The Everly Brothers songs,i was expecting something later than 66 for some reason,but the song"The Collector"is a brilliant song,absolutely fabulous.

You mentioned Bobby Darin,yes both albums you mention are terrific,i was lucky to buy both twofer cds at the time off their issue,and i have saw that both cds are getting very expensive,plus their was a vinyl only release of this era of Bobby Darin a couple of years ago though.I recommend both those albums,to anyone whenever i get the chance too,as they will get the surprise off their lives,the same with Chubby Checker "Chequered" album,some people won't believe what they are hearing,very much like Del Shannons"Further Adventures of Charles Westover",albums that are all good and original works,from very unexpected acts,for those individuals to release a song or two of experimental sounds,i imagine would've been expected at the time......but whole albums of material that are mainly self written and utterly different from their usual fare,for me gives them extra kudos,and NOT bandwagon jumpers,that have been aimed at them.

I watched the small video ,it's based on the original Mojo article from near 20 years ago,as its the same artistes and albums mentioned in the video,the featured on that original Mojo magazine article.There is so much more.......it's a part off the psych era and after,that is very interesting,that mainstream acts ,got the time and chance to experiment and try something different,it's a part of music from this era,thats hardly been touched upon ,and everyone i've heard ,has at least been interesting,and in many cases excellent.Cilla Black did 2,fabulous songs Abyssinian Secret and a cover of Skip Bifferty number Follow The Path of The stars,both songs are so different from her usual material,but are excellent,having George Martin producing couldn't have been a hindrance.

Or Shirley Bassey with her"Something"album ,or Eartha Kitt"Sentimental Eartha"album which are both albums were both singers updated their sound,mainly their version off popular songs from the psych era,Basseys version off"Spinning Wheel"is ultra funky and groovy,and Earthas versions of Donovan songs are good and recorded and performed in her own way........i love albums like this.

Even a few years later,a teen group like The Osmonds,released the album"Crazy Horses",THAT album is very good,it's a good rock album,there is some fabulous guitar on this album,and mainly self written.They even did a sorta concept album titled "The Plan",which as you can imagine is rather mixed in its success.It shows me if a mainstream,chart friendly act is given the chance to do their own thing in a differnt sound,THEY can come up with some marvellous results,songs and sounds.

Some did get the chance,but for one or two songs,look at Roy Orbison B side track"Southbound Jericho Parkway",thats like 3 songs in one song,it's a fabulous creation,and he deserves kudos for such an experimental but successful creation.

One off songs from the likes of Mat Monroe with a sitar laden track,and Billy Fury recorded some marvellous songs,while with Parlophone,unfortunately ,many never got released,but since then,many have become available,he really could have put together a fine and different sounding album for that time.

Of course you have the likes of Demis Roussos,who did become a big household name,but his past with Aphrodites Child and his first solo album "The Greek Side off My Mind",sounds like a total LSD ridden hippie,instead of a housewives favourite wearing xxlarge kaftans.

It's just for me a fascinating,and very interesting subject,groups and singers,even orchestra leaders like James Last,doing "different"things with their music.In fact many orchestra leaders DID do different things in library recordings and soundtracks......some great music was recorded,with hammond,fuzzed guitars,and even sitar laced numbers.......the Italian library recordings from this time,some are absolutely brilliant,and for me as a whole,library recordings and soundtrack music,is a massively mostly untapped resource for psychedelia enthusiasts,companies like KPM and DeWolfe,but there where many throughout europe in the 60s and 70s who recorded marvellous groovy sounds,which where not meant for public release,but fortunately someone thought many were good enough to be made available for public consumption,and some are brilliant!!

Apologies i've prattled on Paul,but i'm enthusiastic about this little niche in my musical interests,mainstream goes odd........there are many ,many examples....only the tip off the iceberg has been chipped at!!!!