Review of Psychedelia: The Ultimate Anthology

Introduction

This is yet another `Ultimate` anthology from Ragnarock, who have been responsible for a number of these themed releases over the last 6 months. `Ultimate` in this context should read `ultimately available footage loosely associated with the genre` and as such this particular anthology makes the grade - sort of. As usual with this pot-pourri approach to compiling, it`s difficult to imagine who would find this collection anything other than wildly variable and fragmented, and ultimately unsatisfying. However, there are some rare and unusual performances here and my guess is that these individual gems may be satisfaction enough for fans of each particular band.

`Psychedelia` was a term generally associated with the acid-fuelled love and peace music (Jefferson Airplane, Grateful dead et al) generated from the west coast in the late 1960`s. When the Brits (and other Europeans) took a hold of the mantle it became a different beast entirely. Taking the dark edge, the bad trip, the descent into madness as it`s inspiration (rather than the ecstatic feelings of love which inspired it`s trans-Atlantic predecessor), the Brits angle on psychedelia was either pretty scary or plain childish, and often both. Syd Barrett`s Pink Floyd, Soft Machine and the brooding madness of `The Nice` all took psychedelia into new and dark places. Eventually it was a music that took itself so seriously that it became `Progressive Rock`. But that`s another story. This particular compilation says more about the `in-between period` than it does about the initial creative outburst, featuring principally bands on the cusp of this change of emphasis and drive.

So what do you get? Well, like previous Ragnarock releases, not necessarily exactly what`s listed on the wrap.

The DVD kicks off with a track from the early 1970`s by `Atomic Rooster`, a band that straddled the bridge between psychedelia and swampy blues, much in the vein of `The Doors` only with less charisma and few good songs. Their principal claim to fame was being the start point for ELP`s Carl Palmer. And if there had been any `Ugliest band in Britain` contests at the time (the counter-point to Pop-Idol) they would have done extremely well indeed. The singer casually finishes a sandwich before dropping into a moody tune about black snakes. What a showman!

Next up is some black and white footage of the Bonzo`s with Neil Innes doing a laudable Ray Davies meets Paul McCartney impression. Whimsical maybe, psychedelic it is not!

Curved Air are next with some first class footage from the early 1970`s. This was the very cusp of prog and the earnest expression on the face of the violinist was about to become de rigueur amongst his prog contemporaries. This is very dull indeed. And again - not very psychedelic. No sign of that Sonia Cristina either…

Just as I steeled myself for the truly awful `Family` (as listed on the wrap) I got a delightful surprise, and one of the finest inclusions on the
Disc. Amon Duul II in an early 1970`s kraut rock meltdown of the most psychedelic proportions. Now this was the ingredient that had been sadly lacking thus far and made me feel better about the disc after all. This is priceless footage from the period and the sound is magnificent as the eternal riff builds and builds across a sea of colour visuals. Psychedelia at it`s finest!

But just as I thought I`d got away with the trade of the decade, `Family` appear anyway with the shrill vibrato of the singer reminding me of Fergal Sharkey, who wouldn`t appear for another decade - and by then this pompous prog-rock nonsense would be well and truly dead. Truly awful.

But not quite as bad as what came next. The magnificent `Gong` reduced to a bunch of clowning middle-aged men in a contemporary concert where they parody their former glories (without guitarist Steve Hillage) dressed as clowns and jugglers. Ouch! Most distasteful.

Next come a contemporary Hawkwind, bearing little relation to the powerhouse band of the early 1970`s who`s `Space Ritual` double live set is a classic of thundering and hypnotic mastery. This Lemmy-less, punk-rock version of the band is limp and bland. And the bloody jugglers have stayed on the stage too making me wonder if this travesty wasn`t committed at the same time as Gongs. All a bit sad really.

Next up are obscure German rockers, Lucifer`s Friend in an archive piece from the early 1970`s. This one rocks like an early Deep Purple, and the visuals are as psychedelic as the first colour broadcasts of Top of the Pops in 1971. Nice.

Nektar are next up. A curious British band who enjoyed much more success in Germany than the UK, who started out with psychedelic classics like `A Tab in the Ocean` and `Journey to the Centre of the Eye` before creating their meisterwerk, `Remember the Future`. They declined into mid-1970`s accomplished blandness. Here is the evidence that the blandness continued into the nineties. Disappointing - though some enjoyable guitar work.

Renaissance turned `Psychedelia` into `Psychedelia Smith` with their unique combination of dull ham-fisted guitar strumming and weak soprano vocals. Not nice and not psychedelic.

Soft Machine are next up in all their period glory. The footage here is poor, with significant video tape damage, though the sound is fine and it`s a sterling performance from this peculiarly gifted gaggle of musicians. Check out that guitar playing! Wow! A bit busy for some but very impressive.

The penultimate track is an insult to the genre. UFO doing a track called `Boogie` which is exactly that. The visuals are psychedelic certainly - but this is just some very mediocre 12 bar boogie. Dull.

And finally - the best is last. Hardly psychedelic, and most definitely `progressive`. Peter Hammil`s Van Der Graaf Generator at their creative height. Hammil`s deep, dark and dramatic voice has always been horribly under-rated, and viewing this clip it`s difficult to understand why this band weren`t bigger in their time. Perhaps too dark, too depressing, too deep. But it`s great stuff. (If anyone from Ragnarock is reading, a VDGG compilation would be a wonderful idea!)

And that`s it. Game over.

Video

Wildly variable - but what do you expect? Exclusively 4:3.

Audio

Given the nature of some of this material, the audio throughout is surprisingly good and there`s a choice of Dolby Surround or DTS too.

Features

None - unless you count the wonderful and un-announced Amon Duul II track.

Conclusion

This `Ultimate Anthology` is a mixed bag, ranging from the faintly ridiculous (Bonzo`s), to the plain annoying (Renaissance, Family), to the wildly wonderful (Amon Duul II and Van Der Graaf Generator).
Visual and audio content are wildly variable, but there are some rare and little-seen moments that may well be cherished by die-hard fans.
Whatever the case, and whatever your tastes, it provides a diverting and entertaining collection - perhaps worth the outlay if you`re particularly fond of any of the bands on offer. Probably not for the unconverted though.