Trip On Me -Soft Psych & Sunshine (1966-1969)

Having heard literally hundreds of '60s soft pop compilations (e.g., Lost Jukebox, Spiritual Obscurities, Fading Yellow, Soft Sounds for Gentle People) over the last 20 years, the initial streaming of Trip On Me was pleasant, but seemed to slip by and get lost in the year-end 2022 shuffle. Revisiting this in summer 2023 has been an entirely different experience. This music was obviously made to be heard flowing through stereo speakers and not streaming through a phone or computer. Bringing it back to the stereo reveals the full dimensions of these recordings created during this transitional era of studio technology. The sound is presented in crystalline clarity since all these selections were sourced from the original master tapes, Returning to Trip On Me has provided additional exposure to a refined collection of California-made ‘60s sunshine pop. The collection spans the coast from Bay Area production houses (Trident) and its basement studio (Columbus Recorders) to the enterprising & adventurous Los Angeles independent record labels like Mira, Era and World Pacific. 

Curt Boettcher’s star glows brighter and brighter with each passing year. The years have also revealed how prolific he was at the time as his angelic voice continues to surface on stacks and stacks of demos and recordings. The previously unissued “Meadows and Flowers” appears with the full-on Boettcher’s majestical touches and embellishments even though it was produced by Gary S. Paxton. Besides being the Peter Pan and Peter Max of sunshine pop, Boettcher was also its maestro who could sonically stun Brian Wilson. 

An early exemplifier and standout track is “A Thousand Faces” by the Thousand Faces, who combine the Association’s “bah, bah, bahs” with the horns of the American Breed and the catchiness of a ‘60s airline jingle to lift off into sunburst skies. 

As just mentioned, there were the countless groups who wanted to sound like the Association, while others who wished to emulate the good-timey phase of the Turtles and then there were the totally idiosyncratic and unclassifiable acts like the Candy Company. A song titled “Sugar Stone” by a group named Candy Company might lead one to expect a saccharine group that has a residency at a Farrell's Ice Cream Parlour. However, the Garden Grove quartet actually offers a bit of edge to their sound. They achieve this 1966 toughness through layers of vibes and chanted co-ed vocals propelled a Bo Diddley beat by way of the Strangeloves. Production was handled by the one and only Curt Boettcher.

 

One of the few songs I was previously familiar with was “P.S. Call Me Lulu” by the Primose Circus, which appeared on Rhino’s Nuggets Vol 05 : Pop Part III.  I recall playing this cassette in my dorm room and a visiting mother from across the hall applauded my music.  According to the detailed liner notes, the group formed at the top-tier Rice University in Houston.

The Third Wave

The initial draw of Trip On Me for myself was the hype sticker proclamation of previously unissued recordings from the Third Wave. The Third Wave sure was an apt name for a musical outfit comprised of five Third Generation Filapinas from Stockton, CA. They offer a rippling and corner-turning medley of Donovan’s “Three Kingfishers-Ferris Wheel.” This George Duke-arranged number would also go over well with the Wendy & Bonnie listeners who appreciate a strong jazz foundation placed under soaring harmonies swirling in an overall air of mystery. 

“Going to San Diego” by the Pretty People is a new one to me and comes across as an  amalgamation of the Beatles, the Beach Boys, Sergio Mendes and Mark Eric. The perirenal yearn/consideration to leave Los Angeles was just as present then as it is now.  They state their intention to flee “soutless L.A. before the bitter end.”  The Pretty People also released an entire album of jazzy harmony pop in 1969 that was produced by Dot Records’ founder and commander Randall Wood. Their “Song Rider” appears later on and includes the striking opening image: “Barreling down the highway/Donut & coffee…a truckstop” as it rides a bubbling organ and surging bass to make it to and in L.A. town. Big and bursting Buckinghams-like horns send this song over the top and down into the valley of dreams and despair.  

During the most musically wonderful of decades, the Golden Coast was teeming with producers, engineers, arrangers, labels and musicians who acted as conduits for the abundant California creative energy. They utilized the studio as an instrument and sent the sound in different and unpredictable directions. Overall, it's the alluring and vibrant sound on the verge of making it by groups who quickly appeared & vanished before and during the great unraveling. While none of these recordings landed in the national Top 40 or even bubbled under in the Top 200 and some never released, they all continue to shine over a half-century later as they resurface and come to light. 

Further explorations:

Book A Trip - The Psych Pop Sounds Of Capitol Records

Book A Trip 2: More Psych Pop Sounds Of Capitol Records

Curt Boettcher & Friends-Looking For The Sun