Psychedelicatessen

FLAKE     An Aussie Psych-Pop band from Sydney with an album that's as tasty as the crumbliest, flakiest chocolate you've ever tasted before. Sadly, Flake's bass player was forced to drop out before their first gig due to the fact that his father died, his house burned down, he split up with his girlfriend and he was called up for national service in the Army - all in the space of one week - which surely rivals Unlucky Alf for being the unluckiest man on the planet. "Oh B*****!" 

THE FIVE DAY WEEK STRAW PEOPLE      Although you may not be familiar with the bizarrely-named Five Day Week Straw People. this obscure one-off album project was conceived by none other than John Du Cann - the powerhouse behind such bands as Andromeda, The Attack and Atomic Rooster - whose chickens have come home to roost! No, I've no idea what that peculiar turn-of-phrase means either. 

 

 

FIRE (U.K.)      From Croatian Fire to U.K. Fire, it's a psychedelic concept album for fans of the Strawbs,   featuring Dave Cousins, Paul Brett & Dave Lambert. The Magic Shoemaker (who probably hails from Northampton) was notable for being produced by Tony Clarke - the sixth Moody Blue. Fire didn't exactly set the world alight, but it's an album for collectors, so it  should appeal to Imelda Marcos. 

FILET OF SOUL       Sweet soulful psych from Wisconsin. By all accounts, Filet of Soul's Freedom is a rare album, but how much is it worth to a serious collector of obscure psych? Well, that's like asking how much a piece of paper is worth, although the denizens of Dragons Den appear to have the answer. 

FEVER TREE     Not a popular brand of tonic mixers, but a popular band of sonic hicksters from Houston, Texas who had a thing for San Francisco Girls. 

FEAR ITSELF     A short-lived band from Atlanta, Georgia, led by psychedelic hippie blues goddess Ellen McIlwaine. President Franklin D. Roosevelt said in his inaugural address back in 1933, "The only thing we have to fear is Fear Itself", which could just as easily apply to the weird and crazy year of 2020, when sanity took an extended vacation. 

FAT WATER      Yes, there really is a beauty product called Fat Water which is meant to tone the skin and not make you look fat. Alternatively, Fat Water are a Psychedelic Rock band from Chicago, Illinois. 

FAR OUT      An all-time favourite Japanese psych album from Far Out, the forerunners of the Far East Family Band. Nihonjin fits like a Hand in Glove amongst classic Psychedelic Rock albums. You don't have to take my word for it though. Just ask O.J. Simpson, where, if the glove fits, wear it, as the saying goes.