High in Mid Sixties

Highs In The Mid Sixties #3The first three volumes of this series take us on a trip through Southern California from 1965-'67, exploring all the sounds of the long-haired, tanned, boot-clad youngsters. This is a well-packaged series, with good Pebbles-style liner notes and lots of pictures.Volume One, '65: "Teenage Rebellion," traces the teen bands to the beginning of folk-rock and punk, and opens with the Avengers' "Be A Caveman" and the Colony's "All I Want," raving lunacy! (Repeats from Moxie Records is the major flaw in this particular volume - M.S.). Also featured are early cuts from the Starfires, Limey & the Yanks, the Spats, and the Standells.Volume Two, '66: "Riot On Sunset Strip" gives us a heavy dose of protest - the Strip riots and folk-rock dominate this volume, with Terry Randall's "S.O.S" and Sonny Bono's "Sunset Symphony." Then there's boss tracks from the Satans, the Bees and the Grim Reepers, to name just three. This is a well-rounded, action-packed album, the best of the series. If you only get one, get this one.Volume Three, '67: "Mondo Hollywood A Go-Go" is the least interesting for my money - the few great tracks (The Lyrics, Research 1-6-12, Somebody's Chyldren) hardly make up for Kim Fowley's Canyon People "grooving with nature and each other." Skip this one, and get the first two.by Ray Brandes