by The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band (1966)
Part One by The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band began and it was like putting on a long time favorite album that I had never heard before.
While the Zappa cover Help I’m a Rock grates me in the same way Syd Barrett’s ode to bikes and Donovan’s to his shirt do, incredibly lovely songs like the first two tracks Shifting Sands and I Won’t Hurt You took hold of me completely. I am in love with this album.
I’ll bet money that within a year you will be hearing this in those hip bars. It’s just so lovable, cool, odd, and best of all (in many peoples opinions) a bit of a secret.
But wait! That’s not all. Not only are you getting the scoop on a highly listenable album that rivals (my favorite band of the era) The Animals but you get one hell of a back story.
See, The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band was a pet project of one Bob Markley, a trust fund jerk (according to band mates) who wanted to be a rock star and had the money to kind of make that happen.
After minimal success he then went on to play the part of a beach dwelling bohemian, landing in hot water with young girls, then even hotter water with some lady in Detroit and ended Howard Hughes style nuts sitting on tons of inheritance in an insane asylum. Read all about it here.
But what do you think?