Sir Psych

Those who know me, and to those who have followed me through the psychedelic cosmos, know my love for psychedelic music. Twice a month I host the show Recollections where I share music from my collection. You will definitely hear the pops and hisses in this show which runs a little over an hour. I have had two episodes posted so far and I wrapping up my third this week.

What you hear in this program are songs that hold a special place in my heart, a touch of the weird or odd, and exposure to upcoming artists I feel are dear and true in the psychedelic music scene. Along with records found in the deepest part of the crates in my collection. I go on in full detail describing various stories on the releases I play. Words on where and when I picked it up, the first time I heard it, and so forth.

Episode 3 will focus on psychedelic 45’s from my collections. As I type these words you are reading I am listening to the show in the background, and it is setting the scene perfectly for a thorough listen. So if you an hour of time to gaze into nothing and daze into something, Recollections is a good place to start.

Mixcloud: Recollections
Facebook: Sir Psych
Twitter: @Sir_Psych
Website: http://sirpsych.com/
Email: [email protected]

It seems like for the past year I’ve been caught listening, waiting for, and buying music from the same circle of record labels. Although that’s a good thing, I would love to see some of these other indie and major labels step up their game, and release something that has some staying power. As the circle continues it’s cycle, it stops again at another upcoming Burger Records release.

The Resonars have released some of the most catchy garage pop tunes that has surfaced in the past decade. Every couple of years, Matt Rendon emerges from an oasis in the Arizona desert, and releases some heat in the form of sound. I lived in Tucson from 1990-1999, from age 13 to 23. I would say I grew from a boy to a man, and took in most elements, experiments, and experience from that “Crummy Desert”. I can only say I miss a few things about Tucson.

1.PDQ Records: A long closed record store where I would be digging 5 days a week.
2.Mexican Food: I can’t name them all, but some of the best Sonoran style cooking north of the border.
3.Mexico: Being able to jump to Nogales for a day, party, and come back home lead to many great memories. Even in high school.

Besides that the music scene always seemed out of touch, except in certain circuits, and you really had to look hard or travel to see a good band. The Resonars are a band I wish was around back then with a bigger word of mouth that could debate my opinion. Roots of The Resonars goes back to the early 90’s, with other reincarnations of members throughout the 90’s. With a cassette only release in 1995, and other home recordings seeing some light, it wasn’t till 1997 when The Resonars, now a one man Rendon, recorded and released his first LP only self titled release on Star Time Records. A year later, still with no band, released Bright and Dark on Get Hip Records, then retired The Resonars all together.

He returned in 2002 with another release, Lunar Kit, and again in 2007 with Nonetheless Blue,both on Get Hip Records. It wasn’t till 2008, when Burger Records emerged, and wanted to release one of their favorite bands music from their trips to Tucson as Thee Makeout Party!. That’s what lead to 2008’s That Evil Drone, released on Burger Records. The Resonars past releases were also reissued by Burger to expose these great songs to a wider and new audience. Like most limited releases from Burger, these have long since sold out.

Which leads us to 2012, and the next release “Crummy Desert Sound” is about to emerge to pick up where That Evil Drone left off 3 years ago. A few months back, Trouble in Mind Records released a 4 song EP of recordings that still keeps the same format of The Hollies meet The Who recording style. The inside information that I have received on this new record are quoted as being perhaps “the best Burger release to date.” I can’t argue with that being that That Evil Drone is one of my favorite Burger releases. We shall see soon enough in the next coming months of waiting for the crummy desert to heat us up this winter.

Sir Psych

Check out The Resonars social media sites.

Facebook: The Resonars
Myspace: The Resonars Myspace
Trouble in Mind: T.I.M
Burger: Discography

It just seems like yesterday, that I was told from by buddy Dr. Frederick Phases, from the She Comes in Colours radio show, that I needed to head to Fullerton to check out this new record store that just opened up. He said I needed to head out there fast because they had a fresh stock of psychedelic records for the taking. The following week I made sure that I paid a visit to this store, for I love finding a fresh new place to do some digging.

I remember walking into a large open rectangular room with a fresh coat of fluorescent green paint on the wall. It was mid day and I was the only person in the store, which gave me a sense of finding a fresh new place to explore. When I walk into a record store for the first time, I usually head to the first rack I see and start browsing. As soon as I walked in I headed to the first row of record racks placed in the front of the store, which was luckily the “A” section in rock/pop. With my fingertips meandering through the vinyl, the sense of browsing left me, and I started pulling out records and creating an impressive stack.

Still with nobody seen in the store, not even someone that worked there, I kept making my way through the rock/pop section. About 10 minutes into my dig a young man came out from the white door in the back of the store. He came up to and welcomed me to the store, and introduced himself to me as Sean, co-owner of Burger Records. I then congratulated him on the opening of his new store, and showed him some choice cuts I had found to add to the collection. I told him that my friend told me I needed to get down here, for he had an impressive psychedelic collection. That’s when he lead me to a section devoted to only psychedelic records. Needless to say, it lead to adding more records to the already over grown stack I built.

We kept a steady conversation, talking about records, music, and the change from being a journalist to record store owner. The more we talked the more I noticed the familiar looking grin on his face, which led to him asking if I was Sir Psych. “Why yes I am!” I told him. The acknowledgement of being noticed is a compliment itself, but he proceeded in thanking me for the numerous volumes that he has downloaded from me throughout the years. Even telling me that he has used my compilations as references in buying vinyl.

The conversation then went from talking about records to talking about cassette tapes. He then told me that Burger Records is also a record label, and that they released both cassette and vinyl releases. He then gave me the first 3 Burger Records tapes that I still own today.

1.Devon Williams: Carefree
2.King Tuff: Is dead
3.The Go: Howl on the Haunted Beat you Ride

I have to admit that I hadn’t heard of any of those bands, but now they are known thoroughly all around the world. Sean told me that King Tuff’s “Sun Medallion” has my name written all over it. Not just the song was good, but the whole album was fresh and full of great tunes. The Go blew my mind, and since then I have picked up all of their other related projects.

Through the past three years of visiting Burger Records, I have watched them grow from a record store selling new and used vinyl to an ever growing independent record label, releasing 100’s of limited released cassettes, and original vinyl releases. What other label out there would release the music of an unknown garage band or a bedroom recorded project, and sell out of the cassette in doing so? That’s what makes Burger Records an original one of a kind label. They took a dying form of music duplication, in a digital world, and created a strong following or Burger Record die hards. Of all the newly released records the past few years that I purchased, I would say that a majority of records are Burger releases.

A few of my favorites I own are Conspiracy of Owls: S/T, which is also a fan favorite of my daughters. The Resonars: That Evil Drone, which I believe is one of their first vinyl releases. Also MMOSS: “i”, an album that I wrote about a few posts back.

I can’t say that I don’t believe that three years have passed since the Burger Records store has opened. We witnessed numerous releases made available, tons of vinyl enter and leave the store, and don’t see it stopping anytime soon. I wish nothing but the best for Sean, Brian, and Lee. For what they’ve created was something very special.

Happy Birthday Burger Records!

Sir Psych

Follow Burger Records on their social media sites:

Facebook: Burger Records
Twitter: @BURGERRECORDS
Website: http://www.burgerrecords.org/

I’m still digesting the popsike delicacies of Beaulieu Porch’s self titled digital release from earlier this year. Since it’s May release on Out of the Box Records, it has since been released in physical form compact disc, and is soon to be released on limited edition vinyl. While the buzz is still building from this strong debut, the next chapter of Beaulieu Porch is set to drop in a few weeks.

“In touch with the Infinite” is the title of the sophomore release from the talented Simon Berry, who is the one man, multi instrumentalist that makes up Beaulieu Porch. Simon Barry writes, records, and composes some of the most magnificent sounding popsike songs that has surfaces in recent years. His music is draped in vintage 60’s British fashion, tapered in an orchestral setting, wrapped up within intertwining guitar leads, driving bass lines, and a voice that melts magically over the already impressive score of music.

The first song released was an acoustic version of “Laminations are loaded” which was the opening track from his debut release. It was only available exclusively through Beaulieu Porch’s website. You can still join his mailing list to receive the free download, which also includes “Navy Blue the first”, which will not be available on the new album. Equally impressive as his other works, “Navy blue the first” is a slow 6 minute ballad, and like most of Simon Berry’s material, builds up with increasing sounds to complete it’s evolution. He has since released 5 songs from the new album in video form, which are available on his website here.

I don’t want to sell this one short ladies and gentlemen. His past work should illustrate to you, the listener, that Beaulieu Porch’s music is more than just a song, or just an album. It’s a journey through a lysergic sound-scape with a scene set by one man. One man who is named Simon Berry, but is heard as Beaulieu Porch.

Sir Psych

TRACK LISTING:

IN TOUCH WITH THE INFINITE (2012)
1.Anno Domini
2.Amen
3.Number 73 to Knowhere
4.Virgil Part One (Hello, World!)
5.Scene One, Raspberry Babies
6.Laminations are Loaded (Acoustic)
7.Devolution
8.It’s good to be bad
9.Virgil Part Two (Goodbye, World!)
10.Jerusalem
11.Excerpt from “The Ornamental Cage”


All songs Written, Produced, and Recorded by:
Simon Berry ©2012

Check out Beaulieu Porch at their social media sites:

Facebook: Beaulieu Proch
Website: http://beaulieuporch.com
Youtube: Video’s

A few years back I was given a CD-R copy of an album that was being passed around in small places. There are very few albums in life that I have listened to where I never used the forward button. After the first listen of MMOSS: “i” (2010) album, I found one more album to add to the list of albums I don’t have to forward through to find a great song. This CD-R copy I had was originally released as a “name your price” download on Bandcamp, which eventually found a tape and LP release on Burger Records. I am proud to be an owner of both versions.

I was intrigued by the sense of psychedelia that they were writing and recording, and I searched through youtube, like most people do, to see some footage of them. At that time there were perhaps only 6 or 8 live performances that gave me a look into the structure of their band set up. The first visuals I saw were that of flutist and keeper of the keys, Rachel Neveu, center stage, playing the keys with one hand, and wailing on the flute with the other. Such colourful sounds appeared over a droning back beat, intertwined with the deafening feedback of Doug Tuttle’s swirling guitar sounds. My eye’s and ears were defeated over this brief, yet candid, amateur handy cam footage. Since then, MMOSS has found a musical place in my heart and mind.

With the end of the year coming soon, there is an open window of time left for the last releases of the year to wake upon us. The ever growing Chicago label, Trouble in Mind Records, is releasing their sophomore effort “Only Children” (TIM043) later this year, and MMOSS should be picking up where they last left off. They released a 5 and a half minute teaser in April this year called “Spoiled Sun”, which is still available on their bandcamp page. I’m not sure if that track is going to be on their LP, but if it is, we will be in for a psychedelic treat of excellence. So as I check off the last days to the end of the year, or Earth (?), I also check off the days till NOVEMBER 13TH, when this long player will be circling on my 1200’s. Until then, here’s a taste of the first release from “Only Children.

Take a journey for 60 plus minutes through the psychedelic records in Sir Psych’s record collection. Contains not only music, but commentary on the music that was found while digging for many years through dust to find these gems. True psychedelic fans will not be disappointed.

http://www.mixcloud.com/Sirpsych/sir-psych-presents-recollections-episode-one/

Coming straight out of Chicago, Psychedelic Prissy Pie created her site to show her appreciation for psychedelic music. The Smoking Trees have a piece written by her on her site you should check out. Keep posted with her site to be updated with news on other bands, music, art, or just anything hip straight from her.

Dubbed the High Priestess of Psychedelia by James Lowe, lead singer of The Electric Prunes, and discovered by Joe Montanaro of Chicago, Illinois… The Psychedelic Prissy Pie is a former Psy/Go-Go dancer turned Proper DJ, Artist Representative and Music Reviewer.

http://thepsychedelicprissypie.blogspot.com/search/label/The%20Smoking%20Trees

“Expert in psychedelic music, curator of its heydays and dedicated actor of its present, Martin Nunez is what one would call a fanatic. Better known as Sir Psych, the LA-based scholar/composer will be releasing in January 2013 his first full-length solo album, ‘The Popsike World of Sir Psych’. In this record, which you can listen to here, Nunez adopts a critical, contemporary approach to psychedelic aesthetics by integrating to his work an eclectic mix of sounds. Folk, hip-hop, dub, circus music and radio recordings… these are only some of the twists found along a colourful course of nineteen tracks which define as many experimental variations on the one theme central to his career. If you fancy exploring further the depths of Sir Psych’s musical universe, check out his many compilations of late 60s standards and obscure findings, Sir Psych Presents, as well as his recent garage-infused collaborations with punk musician Al Rivera as The Smoking Trees.”

- Tracy Mamoun

The Deli Los Angeles

http://la.thedelimagazine.com/10606/sir-psych-release-solo-album

This is a compilation of various upcoming and past releases from Colour Tree Records. Colour Tree Records was started by Sir Psych in June 2012 as an outlet for creating and releasing psychedelic music without the assistance of a label. There is a good and bad reasons for doing this, but being so, we will try to concentrate on the good.

There are a few releases slated to be released by the end of 2012. They will be released in 7’, 12’, CD, and Digital media. The first release is a 7" single, slated for September 2012 release date. Digital media will be available in different availability methods online. Most notably bandcamp, but also selective releases through soundcloud and www.sirpsych.com

I hope that this sampler gives you a good understanding of the sounds that are slated to be released in the up and coming year and so on. W will be adding addition tracks as we desire, so please revisit this page often for exclusive releases and downloads.

If there are any comments you wish to make, or if you are interested in contacting Colour Tree Records for future business or music making relations, we can be contacted at:

[email protected]

We look forward to supplying your ears and mind with colourful sounds.

Sir Psych

Get this free release from Sir Psych, exclusively through Bandcamp. These two songs are tracks from Sir Psych’s latest albm in the works, “Hello Echo”, which will be available later this year. This should keep your eas on echo till The Smoking Trees “Acetates” is available later this year.

Sir Psych: “Two for You” (2012)

I have had this album out and available for only 3 months. In that span, I have sold out twice of 400 limited edition CD runs, have had over 1,000 downloads, and have heard nothing but good words, and reviews on this release, which was not really meant to be released to the public.

The Popsike World of Sir Psych was written & recorded in 12 days between a recording break with The Smoking Trees. Some how it garnered a bit of attention and the word of mouth caught on. It got the attention of several labels to be officially re-released, but I didn’t want this album it to be my first official release on a record label other than mine. At least for this one. This is kind of my baby in ways. I want to watch it mature and have it develop myself into a better musician and song writer.

I am recording several new releases to be released this year and next year. Apocalypse pending. The next will be the debut album of my band, The Smoking Trees “Acetates”. We have been recording music for over 10 years now and have a vault of recorded pieces, with only a handful of old recordings released to this day. We will be releasing a delayed project that incorporates several of these old recordings later this year. Acetates will be an incorporated project between L.A.AL and Sir Psych. These songs include several songs written and performed by myself and collaborated efforts with Al with mixtures of music incorporating Psych, Pop, Garage, Hip Hop, and Folk, all interweaving the structure & foundation of the psychedelic sounds of The Smoking Trees. All songs produced by Sir Psych.

Also being recorded at the moment is my next solo release titled Hello Echo. It incorporates reverb and echo to the extreme and blended with harmony and psychedelia to an invisioned project I started two months back. So far the project is set for a release later this year.

With love,

Sir Psych

Here’s another review of The Popsike World of Sir Psych. Kind words from Active Listener.

http://active-listener.blogspot.com/2012/05/sir-psych-popsike-world-of-sir-psych.html

Moody 60’s popsike tunes in the palm of your hand.

http://sirpsych.bandcamp.com

Words from the great Paul Ellis
It’s midnight and a softly glowing light brings you to the surface of a deep sleep… opening your eyes you realize there’s an astral radio floating near your head and so of course you slowly reach up to switch it on and find out what’s playing… there’s a voice echoing down the corridor of time and it’s beckoning you to float away into a world of colorful sounds.

Sir Psych is Martin Nunez, one of the great curators of psychedelic music with an impressive collection of rare and unheard music from the 60’s. What seperates him from many people doing psychedelic music these days is that this music lives very much in this century with a fresh modern gleam but it also exists in a space that clearly has that kind of encyclopaedic knowledge of the dusty origins of the music. This is real 21st century psychedelic music.

Vinyl found sound oddities live alongside dreamy grooves… That ghostly etheral voice floating over an infectious groove is the one constant here ….it’s a process that works really well and never gets old to my ears. Elements of catchy shoegaze haziness welded seamlessly to 60’s melodies. Loads of Electric Piano, Bass and Drums combinations and these songs are my favorite of the bunch. Though this album continues to go through different phases like an endless toybox of surprises. Sitars also come in an open window with chopped glitchy vocals stuttering by briefly making an appearance and then fly out another window. Birds chirp while a child counts away into launching a rocket.. This is a large Peter Max canvas of events parading by in bright swirling primary colors. This is Syd Barrett playing Cocteau Twins songs produced by Toro Y Moi. Sir Psych is someone who listens to everything as a liberated sound.

There is the strangely lovely and tonally wandering melody of Loneliness Can Find You… with its brittle harpsichord and shakers… it is a minimalist wonder. Sir Psych has a real way with getting a hook embedded in a song.

The Popsike World of Sir Psych is one of my favorite albums of 2012 so far.
Recommended.

http://sirpsych.bandcamp.com/

By: Paul Ellis

Good Day Freakbeatsters,

I have received several emails and questions on several of my compilations links expiring. I am well aware of that. I have been using rapidshare since as long as I can remember, and might be making a switch. I am in the process of re-uploading these compilations again, and possibly switching over to another user. I know everyone has their ten cents on which one to use, but naturally I will be be using the one that is easiest for me, being I am the one that will be transferring them all. So in the meantime, grab them while you can. Volume 50 will be available in early May.

Next up:

The Popsike World of Sir Psych will be available this month. It is a collection of lo-fi Pop songs written, produced, and performed by Sir Psych.

More info to follow.

The Sir

I wish a Happy New Year to everyone. I have a ton of things planned this year, from stuff that I did the past year. Get ready, and have your ears and eyes ready to focus and tune in.

Still getting submissions for the Sir Psych Trivia contest, and still there is no winner. People are getting the same 3 answers correct, but seem to be having a problem answering questions #3 and #5. Here is an addition clue for question #3 and #5.

Question # 3 (Additional Clue)

*The song in the late 90’s that this person was sued for was because of the String arrangements he over sampled for the Urban Hymn album.

Who am I?

Question #5 (Additional Clue)

The rockabilly legend that co-produced this song was Scotty MacKay, who also released a lone 45 for this small Texas.

What 45/7’’ am I?

These clues should claim a winner from the 300 plus submissions that I received. I was up late last night going through all the emails in full detail. First correct submission wins.

The Sir