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Ghosts of Jam Bands Past
Have You Ever Heard the Sound of Colours?
by Sister Mary Carmen
Although these last few months have been absolutely crazy, I have found the time to write up the column this month. For those of you out there who are fans of this section (I am hoping that there is at least one of you out there), and have been wondering why I have not written a piece in a while, let me assure you that I have some good excuses. Since May I have managed to graduate from SUNY Stony Brook, have surgery, search for an apartment in Philadelphia, get all of my stuff straightened out for graduate school, buy furniture, get student loans, find a new job, and move into my new apartment (btw, of there are any people out there who would like to fill me in on Philadelphia and what there is to do around here, drop me a line).
With all that being said, I would like to welcome everyone back to the ramblings and musings of my mind and musical tastes. This month's piece kicks off a two part excursion into an area of the world that I have rarely seen covered by mainstream music press. For all of you music lovers out there who have been wondering where the progressive and psychedelic music of the 1960's and 1970's has gone, let me reassure you that it is all alive and well in the countries of Sweeden and Norway. The psychedelic music scene of these two countries focuses mainly around two record labels: the Colours Label (Norway) and the Xotic Minds Productions (Sweeden).
The Colours Label
Colours is a privately owned record company that specializes in progressive rock rooted in the early seventies. All those who own and operate the label are lovers of progressive rock and help support bands that are influenced by and perform progressive music. Once the label has agreed to a deal with a specific band or artist, the musician(s) have total control over the music, lyrics, production, and artwork. As they write on the inside booklet of one of the bands they produce: "Although we not always agree or believe the lyrics, we feel the music is THE important thing in this world." I LOVE the sound of that.
The Colours Label has 20 listed releases, but have only actually released 19. Each album comes with its own booklet and information on the band, by the band about lyrics and song and album meanings. These are all of the Colours albums listed in order of release:
- Utopian Fields: self titled: their first album released in 1989, a relatively new band, that is still recording. A very keyboard dominated band, featuring a flute player.
- Thule: "Natt": another new band, still recording. This is a very heavy atmospheric album. It is a concept album about when daylight turns into darkness. It is a very dark album and it does not seem to have a happy ending. A heavily guitar based band, with a keyboardist, the music and lyrics create a very omninous atmosphere. Very Black Sabbath-esque.
- Utopian Fields: "White Pigeon You Clean": recorded in 1990, same lineup as the first, more keyboard, 70's progressive rock.
- Release number four starts a series called Colours Time Machine. The first album in this series and the fourth release on the label is called "Hello Friend" by the band St. Helena. Recorded in 1974, the whole concept behind the Time Machine series is to find tapes from earlier progressive bands that should have been released and then reissue them. Apparently St. Helena was a very popular band in Norway during the seventies. This three song album was the first album that has sold out on the label.
- Time Machine #2: Universe: self-titled. Universe was an English band who went to Norway. Some way along their travels their van broke down in front of a music freak's house. The guy took the band in, fed them, and gave them shelter for the night. The band recorded a jam session as a private pressing for this guy. Colours found it and reissued the recording. Bery obscure sounding music.
- Disciples of Love: self-titled: another new band, recorded in 1991. This band is comprised of a bunch of Deep Purple freaks. The band does a pretty good cover of "Lazy." In the booklet that accompanies the album, the band is asked who their biggest musicial influence is and the answer is an overwhelming Deep Purple. They think Deep Purple is the greatest thing since sliced bread. If you are a fan of Deep Purple circa the "In Rock" era, then this album is definitely for you.
- Time Machine series #3: a mini album by the band Hades. Recorded in 1974, a very limited edition of a pressing of a Jethro Tull-esque band. The album consists of two very long songs. The band stayed together until 1975 when they broke up.
- Time Machine series #4: "The Legendary Prudence Tapes Volume I". Music from the band Prudence recored between 1969 and 1971. Lots of different guys play on this album. The album features the band early in their career from when they went from being a cover band, to creating their own original music. One side is all covers featuring an interesting version of "Travelling Band" by John Fogerty, and a Peter Green song. The other side is all original music.
- Fafner: "Jak Spelor Dik Matt": I have no idea what the title means; if anyone speaks Norwegian let me know. The only thing I can say about this album (it is my least favorite) is that it is very Captain Beefheart inspired. Each song is different and has nothing to do with any other, no continuity, or at least not any pleasant continuity.
- Landbark: "Riktigt Axta": I can not find a copy of this album on vinyl.
- Tangle Edge: "Entangled Scorpio Entrance": This is the first three record set of the label. This is one of the more popular bands on the label. This record was put out as an "official bootleg" (how is that for an oxymoron) to discourage bootlegging of the band's concerts. The three record set is comprised of secen songs. There is a 28 minute song, a 21 minute song, a couple of nine and 14 minute songs. If you like long songs, this is for you. This album was released first and then a studio album was released containing many of the songs on this set, however this "bootleg" contains music you can not find anywhere else.
- Release number 12 was supposed to be an album by the group Random Factory, but the album was never released.
- Anglagard: "Hybris": all I can say is that this band is inspired very much by early Genesis (another of my least favorites).
- Time Machine series #5: Fantasy: "Beyond the Beyond": an English band who released one progressive rock album in the 70's. This is their second album.
- Time Machine Series #6: Universe: "The Wheel" plus a seven inch: this is a studio record from 1971-72. Side B is all live and the seven inch is an acetate of two songs off the album.
- A double album by the band Kers Pink: "A Journey Inside": a concept album that is best explained by the musicians themselves in the booklet. Very proggy.
- Anekdoten: self-titled: still recording, the main instrument is a melotrone surrounded by cellos and percussion.
- Smell of Incense: "All Mimsy Where the Borogroves": comparable to the Incredible String Band, if you need a reference point. They do a great cover of Pink Floyd's "Interstellar Overdrive", They have another album on the September Gurls label out of Germany.
- Release number 19 was supposed to be another triple album by Tangle Edge, entitled, "Avyayah", but it never came out.
- Thull: "Frost Brent": their second album. I don't own it.
The Colours Label is now defunct, but if you would like to try and get copies of the albums, Michael Piper, owner of The Wild Places, is a good place to try and get them. He can be reached at:
PO Box 150293
Brooklyn, NY 11215
718-786-4227
fax: 718-768-4229
email: ACEofDICS@aol.comAll the music featured this month is phenomenal. If you are a lover of psychedelic and progressive music and are looking for something new, I encourage you to seek out these albums. If you are a lover of psychedelic and progressive music and are looking for something new, I encourage you to seek out these albums. If you love vinyl, you'll be happy to know that all the albums are packaged beautifully and come with booklets written by the band describing the music.
Be sure to check in next month when we finish off this jaunt with part two of the Scandinavian psychedelia, focusing on the Xotic Minds label of Sweden.
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