Thursday, January 24, 2013

Omnium-Gatherum: Far Out! Groovy Man!

The shopping carts in my local Wal-Mart are driving me nuts!
No matter which cart I pick, 
it races right over and comes to a complete stop 
in front of the $5.00 CDs bin.

EVERY time!

And it refuses to budge 
until I have spent at least 10 minutes
sifting though the stacks of CDs in the $5.00 bin!

I am so grateful to that balky cart!
I can't believe what I found!

Only the first album to achieve platinum status when 
the Recording Industry Association of America 
began awarding that level!


Only a 4Xs platinum album 
with more than 30 million copies sold!



Only Atlantic Records' second greatest selling album ever!



Only the # 25 best selling album of all time
according to Wikipedia's criteria:
*Sales figures published by a reliable source
*Sales of at least 20 million copies worldwide
*Any type of album: 
   studio, greatest hits, compilations, 
   various artists, soundtracks and remixes.



Far Out!
Groovy Man!



Only the one and only, incomparable
In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida!

I could not have bought this for $5.00 in 1968!

My original album has vanished into the mists of time,
but not my memories of this iconic psychedelic rock album.

Of course it hopped right into my shopping cart
and nestled among the apples and socks and boxes of cereal.




This Flower Child of the 1960s
raced home,
cranked up her stereo to FULL BLAST,
and took a trip back in time
to when she first heard Iron Butterfly
playing its seventeen minute long song 
In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida
from its album of the same name.

At a party,
where the stereo speakers were on opposite sides of the room,
and one of the first drum solos on a rock album ever,
and one of the most famous,
rolled from one side of the room to the other,
primal and amazing!
Not to mention mind-blowing guitars and organ!


Psychedelic rock was a style of music 
that tried to reproduce the mind-altering experiences
of hallucinogenic drugs such as LSD.
It incorporated new recording techniques, improvisation, extended solos, and exotic instrumentation with electric guitars and a strong keyboard presence.

I know from extensive personal experience
that you didn't have to get high, to feel high
when listening to this!

Although, 
there are some guitar effects
in In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida 
that make me think of 
a bull elephant on a bad trip.



Iron Butterfly's In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida 
is important in rock history
because it pinpoints a time when
psychedelic music was morphing
into heavy metal.
Music by Blue Cheer,
Jimi Hendrix, and Steppenwolf
was also part of this transformation.



Throughout its history as a band,
Iron Butterfly had many different musicians
as band members. 
The members of Iron Butterfly 
who recordedIn-A-Gadda-Da-Vida 
on May 27, 1968 were 
Doug Ingle (organ and vocals), 
Lee Dorman (bass guitar), 
Ron Bushy (drums), and 
Erik Brann - just 17! (guitar).

Time has moved on for this Flower Child
as well as for Iron Butterfly.
No more love beads, headbands, 
US Army jackets, or tight blue jeans;
but she can still rock out to
In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida,
even if she does it folding piles of laundry!


If you care to sample:  WARNING 17 minutes!
Here it is!

For a trippy effect while you're listening, 
put your cursor 
on the last psychedelic picture Dizzy Thorns
and move it up and down quickly!
Far Out!  Groovy Man!



14 comments:

  1. You ARE such a 60's child!! Louise, I loved this! Good post and well documented history!
    Oh, I SO remember, I really do honestly, this song. Those were such mind-blowing times on so many levels. The world was in upheaval and things were about to take an abrupt turn to the left! I was happy to be under 30 at that time for sure!! I think most parents were saying their prayers in double time for their kids (except for Ron's Mom, he was a good boy) and the world.

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    Replies
    1. Hi Jim!
      My parents were definitely saying their prayers in double time. I was perceived as a "good girl," but when I look back on some of the things I did! OMG! And let's just say people were always wanting to see what would happen if they spiked Louise's drink or put some hash in her spaghetti! I often think I'm lucky to be alive and not in jail!
      By the way, just like Clinton, I never inhaled!
      There was something so special about coming of age in the 60s. It really was a phenomenal time! I'll post about some of my memories in the future!
      My husband just looked over my shoulder and said, "If you remember, you weren't there!" I must have been there because I don't remember everything!
      I'm looking forward to catching up on everyone's posts tomorrow. I have been up in the mountains in Black Hawk visiting with friends from California and playing black jack in the legendary Central City Bonanza casino. What does it mean when the Thai dealer nicknamed "The Black Widow" or "Tsunami" recognizes Terry and me? That we're having FUN!
      Have a good weekend, Jim!

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    2. It was all fun times but I am glad I grew up! It was so hectic at times, looking back!
      Just like Clinton, eh? Yeah,right!

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  2. Gees....LOUISE!!What are you doing to me girl....I remember being at a party (off campus) on Chestnut Ave.....oh man....I think I remember being there!?

    Jim thinks I'm lying...I wasn't a "HEAD" like he was....lol.

    Don't be listening to him at all Louise, LSD corrupts the brain waves....I know this for a fact...lol!

    Now, get out of those Pro Boots and get some barefoot dancing done!!!

    Ron

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    Replies
    1. Hi Ron!
      I remember being at a party at L.'s! Not to mention a few other times with her! Not to mention - well, not to mention!!!! I remember watching for the cops so the stash could be flushed! Not my stash - the stash that belonged to those who shall not be named - because I was there and can't remember!

      I'm going to write a post called "The Scrape of Shovels" that has to do with LSD. Remember P.C. and his band the LDSs! But I can't remember what the name of the band was - just the initials. I remember just about the first day he got his guitar and was playing in his garage. Who knew he would turn into such an amazing musician?! I went to his piano recital the spring I graduated from Acadia.
      Mary Jane is now legal in Colorado - and I voted for legalization. Terry voted against it, so we cancelled each other out! My first husband was a paraplegic, and sometimes he would burn with pain like he was on fire. MJ was the one thing that would tamp down the pain. At that time doctors weren't so knowledgeable about treating chronic pain. When he was first paralyzed, the doctors didn't think he would live so they shot him up with morphine. Then when he did live, they had to break his addiction. I will never forget, and that's one of the reasons why I voted for the legalization of MJ.
      But in years past, legal or not, all you had to do was go to a Moody Blues or Carlos Santana concert and breathe in!
      I did love the 60s!
      I am dancing barefoot!
      Have a good weekend!

      Delete
    2. L's....? Oh, duh Ron, get your act together...not surprised you were at L's...her story must be quite interesting from what I gathered at the 1993 Reunion....From that point forward she was a major eye-opener for my Mom's friends/relatives. Maybe I should gmail you about all that.

      P.C. just communicated on FB to everyone connected re:1956 class photo...he's really very funny. We are trying to figure out who's who and why the picture was actually taken...we seniors(almost) have nothing better to do now I guess. The picture is on my timeline within the passed month so if you feel like taking a gander..you'll see P.C. in the front row with the bowtie.
      Now re:his band~~~I came across a FB page regarding this band and the '60's guys that chummed around back then but I can't locate the picture now. Someone must have removed it. The band name was mentioned because, guess what, I can't remember. Oh yes, the notorious band practices in his garage behind the house! I was there one day and Mrs.C came out and freaked, really freaked. Probably was needed though, really! Mr. C had passed and Mrs C was dealing with that.
      Re: piano recital? I had no idea he played the piano. I thought it was just guitar.
      I see you have had 1st hand experience with MJ re: your 1st husband. I can't even imagine how you managed, let alone him. Terry must be a special person that was waiting for you and to help. We have all gone through what we have gone through for a reason.... perhaps yours is to find Terry! Hope this makes some kind of sense.
      I trust your life is much more fulfilled now, since I began reading your posts I've noticed a JOY and that your feeling good about yourself.

      Regards
      Ron

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    3. Hey Ron! Yes I am feeling joyful! Life is way better! I do think I went through what I went through to get to Terry and to be in a place where I would get what a great guy he is! I'm getting my LDSs and LSDs mixed up - quite a difference. P.C.'s parents and mine hung out together when they were in college. Absolutely piano! P. quit engineering or whatever science he was studying, learned piano somewhere in upper Canada (if I'm remembering correctly), and for whatever reason did a recital in the new music building. He was major good at it too. He was the first person I knew into transcendental meditation.
      And now to catch up on all the posts I've missed! Have a good one!

      Delete
  3. Hello Fundy!
    Thanks for your comments especially the one about the dragonfly emergences!
    I have just given a conference yesterday and many people came asking very interesting questions.
    They were fascinated by the bio-engeneering of the insect (eyes and wings) as well as the larva's life cycle! nice to discover many more people that I thought would show and manifest a sincere interest!
    Cheers and keep well!

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    Replies
    1. Hi Noushka!
      When I read your post about the dragonfly emergences and the conference, I wished I could be there to hear you!
      Those photos were amazing! I keep trying to catch dragonflies with my little Canon, but I don't come close to the amazing photos you get! I'm glad that people appreciated your work at the conference!
      Have a good evening!

      Delete
  4. How did I miss this groovy, hippie-ish post? I love all the psychedelic images here. Makes me want to put flowers in my hair and sing Kumbaya...:) That hippie era speaks to me!

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    1. Hi Martha! I did so love the groovy, hippie-ish days! I had great fun finding the psychedelic images, and I'm so glad you enjoyed them! Have a good evening!

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  5. Hi Louise, It's Barb ...well, well, well and here I thought Donnie was the wild one of the family! Peace & LOVE Barb

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    1. Peace & Love, Barb! We five all had our moments, and don't you know it! I sort of think of Donnie as the most circumspect of the bunch! Not much over a month until I see you! :)

      Delete

Thank you for your comments! I appreciate them very much.