Strange Things Are Happening

It was 1966 - and music was becoming richer, subtler, more experimental and far more interesting than before. The music industry got into gear - and a myriad of one-off records came tumbling out. Some were plain tongue-in-cheek joke psychedelia, but others were well-intentioned attempts at creating something magnificent. A good example would be 'Excerpt From A Teenage Opera' by Mark Wirtz, who must go down as the godfather of pop-sike. His albums were filled with Carnaby Street colour, and brimmed with effects galore.

OK, so now we're off and running let's start naming names : Rhubarb Rhubarb. Who can remember seeing them way back then? No-one? Did they really exist? What about The Green Scarab whose 'Psychedelic Wilderness' skirts fuzz-box dementia and virtual top-ten catchiness - where are they now?

Mini-skirts go with pop-sike. So do Chelsea pensioner uniforms, PVC macs and other trappings of commercial psychedelia. Some films caught the spirit: "Bedazzled", "Smashing Time", "Here We Go Round The Mulberry Bush" and "Un Beau Monste" all contain great pop-sike themes.

The real gems, however, come from unearthing the one-offs. Recorded in a swathe of bouncy, all-you-need-is Pop-pirate good humour - and a floppy hat innocence. The flood of summer-fun, go-go goodies lasted until the early 70's. Indeed, while the 'real' groups became ever more laid back (some almost horizontal), pop-sike flourished.

Investigate what's on offer. We present material from a variety of sources - including original acetates and reference disks.

Circus Days vol. 1 & 2

Pop-Sike Obscurities, vol.1 1966-70 (STZ 5001)
Pop-Sike Obscurities, vol.2 1967-70 (STZ 5002)

Originally released in : 1990
Circus Days 1 & 2 CD (STCD 10001)
Reissued : Voiceprint (BAMVP 1001)

Track Listings...Clover - Ice Cream Man / Los Brincos - Nobody Wants You Now / Rhubarb Rhubarb - Moneylender / Peter Cook & Dudley Moore - Bedazzled / Lomax All Stars - Honey Machine / Stars - Auntie Annie's Place / Head West - Someday / Waterloo - Why May I Not Know / Johnny Burton - Polevault Man / Tandem - Shapes & Shadows / The Penny Peeps - I See The Morning / Jon Plum - Alice / Nick Garrie - Wheel Of Fortune / Dry Ice - Running To The Convent / Arzachel - Garden Of Earthly Delights / Vashti - I'd Like To Walk Around In Your Mind / Mystery Track / The Green Scarab - Psychedelic Wilderness / The Fruit Machine - Follow Me / Orange Peel - I Got No Time / Smoke - Dreams Of Dreams / Nimrod - The Bird / The Fingers - Circus With A Female Clown / Blonde On Blonde - Castles In The Sky / The Wire Machine - The Doves / The Eggy - You're Still Mine / Blonde On Blonde - Circles

Circus Days vol. 3

UK Psychedelic Obscurities, vol.3 1966-70 (STZ 5006)

Originally released in : 1991
Circus Days 3 CD (STCD 10004)
Reissued : Voiceprint (BAMVP 1002)

Track Listings...The Fruit Machine - I'm Alone Today / The Green Scarab - Asariah's Dance / Circus - Amsterdam / Tamara Koran & Perception - Veils Of Mourning Lace / Rhubarb Rhubarb - Rainmaker / The Wire Machine - Mind Fascination / Mystery Track / Hat And Tie - Finding It Rough / The Actress - Good Jobs With Prospects / Shy Limbs - Reputation / The Churchills - Too Much In Love To Hear / The Lovin' - Do It Again / The Summer Set - It's A Dream / Thane Russal - Drop Everything And Run / The Mirage - Tomorrow Never Knows / Mystery Track (Ron Grainer - The Prisoner) / Shy Limbs - Love / Earth - Resurrection City / Druid Chase - Take Me In Your Garden / The Mirage - And Life Goes On / The Mariane - You Had Better Change Your Evil Ways / The Fenmen - Rejected / The Living Daylights - Jane / The Mirage - My Door / The Medium - Edward Never Lies / Cats Pyjamas - Virginia Water / Jerusalem - Kamakazi Moth / Kate - Shout It

Circus Days vol. 4 & 5

UK Psychedelic Obscurities, vol.4 1967-72 (STZ 5008)
More Obscure Pop-Sike, vol.5 1966-70 (STZ 5011)

Originally released in : 1991
Circus Days 4 & 5 CD (STCD 10006)
Reissued : Voiceprint (BAMVP 1003)

Track Listings...Opus - Baby Come On / Andromeda - Go Your Way / Bent Frame - Fairylights / The Answers - Tawny Wood / Juan and Junior - To Girls / Cardboard Orchestra - Yes I Heard A Little Bird / Broken Toys - Broken Toys / Shubert - Until The Rain Comes / Temple Row - King & Queen / Jon Isherwood - Apple Pie / Peter & The Wolves - Little Girl Lost, Little Girl Found / Peter James - Go Home Vila / The Cortinas - Phoebes Flower Shop / Tuesdays Children - She / Mystery Track / Tomorrow's Thoughts - Night Is Like Day / Rainbows - Rainbows / The Worrying Kind - Sand & Water / Clover - Ice Cream Man (psych version) / The Secrets - I Think I Need The Cash / Threshold Of Pleasure - Rain, Rain, Rain / David Copperfield Style - I've Been Wrong, I've Been Right / Jason Crest - Juliano The Bull / Blue Yogurt - Lydia

Circus Days vol. 6

Psychedelic Obscurities, vol.6 1966-72 (STZ 50??)

Originally released in : 1991
Circus Days 6 CD (STCD 10007)
Reissued : Voiceprint (BAMVP 1004)

Track Listings...Clover - Dream, Dream / The Sweetshop - Barefoot & Tiptoe / Dave Justin - You Outside / Cecil McCartney - Liquid Blue / Pattern People - Take A Walk In The Sun / Juice - The Elastic Band / Mystry Track / The Scot of St. James - Eiderdown Clown / Together - Memories of Melinda / Price & Sheridan - Tracy Smith / The Cymbeline - Fire / The Timothy Grass - Second Chance / Queen Flora's Recollections - Red Brick House / Motivation - Little Man / Leze Majesty - Regency Gardens / Sparrow - Dream Song / The Idle Hands - Remember / The Amelia Smile - Fathers Good's Space Flight / John Pantry - Red Chalk Hill (demo) / The Essence - Call Me A Friend / Peter & The Wolves - Smokey Wood / The Majamood - 200 Million Red Ants

Artwork information :

For the CD format volumes 1 & 2 used the artwork from the first volume whilst volumes 4 & 5 used the artwork from the fifth. The artwork for Circus Days volume 4 can be seen left.

This record was given away free with 'Strange Things' magazine number seven. Cat No. STFREE 3001

Track Listings :

1. Clover - Ice Cream Man (Clover) COPYRIGHT CONTOL
2. Johnny Burton - Polevault Man (Nicholson / Hornby) CHAPPELL & CO. LTD

- From the album 'Circus Days Volume One' -

3. The Eggy - You're Still Mine (Lomas) SOUTHERN MUSIC PUB. CO
4. Rhubarb Rhubarb - Rainmaker (Smith / Chalton) ROBERT MELLIN LTD.

- From the album 'Circus Days Volume Two' -

Free record given away with magazine number seven

Track Listings...The Leather Boy - On The Go / Corporate Image - Not Fade Away / The Third Booth - I Need Love / Jokers Wild - All I See Is You / The Wanted - Here To Stay / The Grim Reepers - Two Souls / The Plastic Blues Band - Gone / Gasoline Powered Clock - Forest Fire On Main Street / The Leather Boy - Soulin’ / Peabody - Days of Rest / The Beckett Quintet - No Correspondence / The Spiders - Don’t Blow Your Mind / The Peppermint Trolley Company - 9 o clock Business Man / The Gentrys - You Make Me Feel Good / Fountain Of Youth - Don’t Blame Me (For Tryin) / The Nazz - Lay Down and Die, Goodbye / It’s A Mystery / The Sunliners - Land of Nod / Era of Sound - Girl in the Mini Skirt / The Wanted - Midnight Hour / The New Yorkers - Mr Kirby / The Cincinnati Music Co. - Let’s Do The Thing / The Household Sponge - Second Best / Vinnie Basile and the Staccatos - Gypsy Girl / The Shades - Ballot Bachs / The Household Sponge - Scars / The Onion Rings - She’s Gonna Cry / The Grim Reepers - Joanne / The Wylde Maniacs - Why (Ain’t Love Fair?) / 5 Americans - Don’t Blame Me / The Shy Guys - We Gotta Go

Track Listings...Painted Faces - Anxious Colour / Velvet Illusions - Velvet Illusion / Painted Ship - Frustration / White Light - William / Stereo Shoestrings - On The Road South / Power - Children Ask / Polistyrene Jass Band - Circus Highlights / Polistyrene Jass Band - Drano In Your Veins / The New Life - Ha Lese (Le Di Khana) / The Jefferson Handkerchief - I'm Allergic To Flowers / The Cascades - Flying On The Ground / C. A. Quintet - Dr. Of Philosophy / The Barracuda - The Dance At St. Francis / Cyrus Erie - Sparrow / Beacon Street Union - Four-O-Five / Iron Butterfly - Evil Temptation / The Accents - You Don't Love Me / Sid Herring & The Gants - Another Chance / Sid Herring & The Gants - What's Your Name / Peter Fonda - November Nights / Randy Fuller - Revelation / The Epic Spleandor - It Could Be Wonderful / Steve Davis - She Said Yeah / Yellow Hand - Down To The Wire / Gene Vincent - Bird Doggin' / The Vita-Men - Frogs Legs / The Unclaimed - Memories Of Green Eyes / Noony Rickett - This Is The Time

Contents : The Kinks; Horror At The Party Beach; The James Taylor Quartet; Krazy Kat; Syd Barrett; Robyn Hitchcock; Greenwich Village; Psychic TV; Los Angeles & The Dukes Of Stratosphear

Contents : Iggy Pop & The Stooges; Giant Sand; Richard Brautigan; Alan Moore; Wire; Man In A Suitcase; The Creation Label; Krazy Kat; American Country Rock; The Shamen; Smoke & The Silver Surfer

Contents : Little Feat; Sgt. Bilko; Nirvana; Country Rock - Part two; International Artists; Barbarella; Krazy Kat; The Insect Trust; Tiny Tim; Bruce Lee; Autosalvage & Kathy Acker

Contents : The Man From U.N.C.L.E.; Fierce Recordings; Van Morrison and Them; Syd Barrett : The Making of 'Opel'; Deutsch Nepal; Sid Griffin's Guide To Los Angeles; Green On Red; The Go-Betweens; Krazy Kat; Merrell Fankhauser & John Fahey

Contents : Frank Zappa and The Mothers Invesigation/ Straight Records; Clive Barker; Track Records; Josefus; Merrell Fankhauser; Krazy Kat; Crosstown Traffic; Paula Paradaema; E.C. Comix & Roy Orbison

Dr. Who & The Daleks; The Soft Machine; The Daevid Allen Interview; Q65; Terry Riley; Harvest Records; Bevis Frond Plucks; Just William; Krazy Kat & The Grateful Dead

Contents : Nick Drake; The Carousel; Bleecker & MacDougal; Kenneth Patchen; L.A. Rock Guide; Moondog; Krazy Kat; Kaleidoscope/ Fairfield Parlour; Heyday Records & Detective Fiction

Free 7" single given away with issue seven contained the following tracks : Clover - Ice Cream Man; Johhny Burton - Polevault Man; The Eggy - You're Still Mine & Rhubarb Rhubarb - Rainmaker