Arzachel [Import]

Product Description
An excellent album from this British progressive group recorded in 1969 by a band of mysterious pseudonyms. In fact, this was a formation of some of the biggest names in UK progressive rock including Simeon Sasparella & Njerogi Gategaka (aka Steve Hillage from Gong). The other 3 members Dave Stewart, Clive Brooks and Mont Campbell formed Egg. Originally released on Evolution this heavy, spacey keyboarddriven album is often compared to Pink Floyd's Saucer Full of Secrets. For fans of Egg, Gong, National Health and Caravan. Deluxe gatefold mini LP sleeve. 2002.

Arzachel,Arzachel,Akarma,Rock,Rock/Pop

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Arzachel [Import]

Average customer rating: And I Was Lying In The Grass...By A River The music that really sounds blue. Not instrumental Late 60's Prog/Psych Album - Excellent A simple smooth instrumental masterpiece

Arzachel Arzachel Manufacturer: Drop Out Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Rock | Styles | Music Progressive Rock | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music Psychedelic Rock | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music ASIN: B000000B4B Release Date: 1996-01-12

Tracks:

1. Garden Of Earthly Delights
2. Azathoth
3. Queen St. Gang
4. Leg
5. Clean Innocent Fun
6. Metempsychosis

Album Details

Arzachel Were: Steve Hillage,dave Stewart,clive Brooks &mont Campbell.a Legendary Psychedelicrarity & the Only UK Album on the Us Roulette Label.

Customer Reviews:

And I Was Lying In The Grass...By A River.......2004-12-11

I'm still waiting to get an original 1970 US pressing on Roulette Records. I believe the original UK version was released by Decca Records in 69' and goes for thousands of $$$ (if you can find a copy)! I purchased the import CD reissue on the UK Drop Out label in the mid 90's and the sound quality was excellent (considering the source tapes). Everything is drenched in reverb! I love Mont's distinct British vocals, kinda Arthur Brown-ish. I get the chills when I hear the first few notes of "Clean Innocent Fun" and then the organ begins, even though it was played through a guitar amp and not a leslie, but the album contains some inventive Hammond organ work from Dave Stewart (not The Eurythmics). "Garden Of Earthly Delights" is a great tune that could fit right in with the psychedelic sounds of 67'. Steve Hillage's guitar solo at the end of this tune alone is worth the price of admission. "Metempsychosis" is a long spacey jam that reminds me of The Pink Floyd just a year earlier. I wish the drums were recorded in one channel on this album giving it that wonderful stereo separation we all know and love. Five stars for Uriel's project here! The EGG LP which was released in 1970 (post-Arzachel) is also highly recommended! Excellent raw British prog/psych.

The music that really sounds blue........2004-02-16

I've known this album for about a year, I'd say. I have this friend who has knowledge on, it seems, every band of the world. One day I heard "Clean Innocent Fun" and I immediately borrowed the cd. I don't know how I managed to do it, but I eventually found it in stores and now can enjoy it anytime I want. Enough with the touching story now.

I consider this album to be a pretty good one, especially considering it was made in one day after Arzachel had won a contest (or so I read). It is original and creative and you can feel the pleasure the musicians are having (or so it seems).
There are two deceiving points. First, it is clear that they were not virtuosi at the time (guitar solos could be more fluid in order to naturally come out of the songs, instead of being forced out), but it is also clear that they're trying real hard to play at the best of their skills. It also lacks of a certain musical unity. What I mean is that sometimes, you feel like the keyboardist is doing is things separately from the guitarist and vice versa (like in the long solo in Clean Innocent Fun, for instance).
However, it remains an excellent debut and a good effort at breaking through conventions to create a unique sound (that somehow sounds blue like the cover!). In addition to that, you get to read fake biographies

John Hea's best songs : Queen St. Gang, Clean Innocent Fun.

Not instrumental.......2003-10-21

Errrr, uhhh... ok, please click on the sample for Azathoth and listen. Now, tell me this is an instrumental album again please..... ok.

I dont know why these old fans never heard the lyrics all over this album hehe. And if you click on the sample for Leg (#4 sample) you can here a few moments of the song leading up to the point where our friend Steve starts to sing. It's there, I own this cd.

Anyway. Pretty interesting. I havent listened to it enough times to really know if its the "ultimate rare out of print 60's psychedelia garage band" album or not yet. Of course, Steve Hillage is on it, so it probably is. I think I'll go to sleep to it and see what happens 8 )

Five stars for it's history and for it being in print and on CD (and for more Hillage).

Enjoy

Late 60's Prog/Psych Album - Excellent.......2002-01-18

If you like psychaedelic and progressive rock, then this is a must have album. I picked it up because it had Steve Hillage and Dave Stewart on it. The all instrumental album, while at times can wander, is generally good throughout. There are tasty treats and wonderful jams across the board. Mostly the album focuses on use of the guitar, but there are some really nice Hammond sections. If you like trippy, acid-laced music, where the guitar can really make the juices broil in your head, and long extended jams that drive forward and have the wurm drilling into your brain, then this is a must have. Unfortunately, it's out of print at this point, but if you can find it, you'll love it.

A simple smooth instrumental masterpiece.......1999-12-03

I have had the vinyl of this album since high school (1969). I've treasured it all my life. I couldn't believe it when I saw it in CD form! Only in my adult years do I see that this vinyl album has attained a collector's status and specimens go for $50+. This is NOT an album to play all the way through, but the one 'masterpiece' is Queen St. Gang - it starts off nice, it ends nice and is juicy in the middle. There are about two other songs I like on this album, but that's all. The CD album liner contains a revelation concerning this relatively obscure group. It EXPOSES the members of Arzachel (not like the vinyl jacket where the names they used were ficticious - and over all these years I had come to know and love those 'strange' names only to find out *now* that it was a disguise). Why 5 stars? Listen to Queen St. Gang, then you'll know . . . and don't turn the bass all the way up ;-)

Average customer rating: Obscure Masterpiece Strange and fascinating psychodelia! Arzachel - 4 and 1/2 stars great psychedelia "There were four of us then, the group was Uriel..."

Arzachel Arzachel Manufacturer: Akarma ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Rock | Styles | Music Psychedelic Rock | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Rock | Imports | Stores | Music Similar Items: Space Shanty Egg Polite Force This Is Gracious Definitive Collection ASIN: B00005YVY5 Release Date: 2004-08-09

Tracks:

1. Garden of Earthly Delights
2. Azathoth
3. Queen St. Gang
4. Leg
5. Clean Innocent Fun
6. Metempsychosis

Album Description

An excellent album from this British progressive group recorded in 1969 by a band of mysterious pseudonyms. In fact, this was a formation of some of the biggest names in UK progressive rock including Simeon Sasparella & Njerogi Gategaka (aka Steve Hillage from Gong). The other 3 members Dave Stewart, Clive Brooks and Mont Campbell formed Egg. Originally released on Evolution this heavy, spacey keyboarddriven album is often compared to Pink Floyd's Saucer Full of Secrets. For fans of Egg, Gong, National Health and Caravan. Deluxe gatefold mini LP sleeve. 2002.

Customer Reviews:

Obscure Masterpiece.......2006-12-01

On a small label, this album was "lost" among psychedelic wonders . . . I hope that the CD is mixed more delicately than the album, which seemed on overdrive, which created some harshness in the sound where there is actually none in the instrumentation. I think that I'm dreaming to see this amazing recording on CD! My first access was a reel to reel tape that a Roulette promo person made for me! The organ work and bass guitar are dominant sounds . . . it's oh so strange & great w/a lava lamp!

Strange and fascinating psychodelia!.......2006-03-26

It is unbelievable that none of the musicians on this album had reached twenty years old when they made this record in the late sixties!

These are the musicians that later formed or were members of groups like Egg, Khan, Gong, Hatfield and the North, National Health, that is, the cream of the so called Canterbury brand of prog rock.

This record, in spite of the musicians's youth, stands as an underated masterpiece of progressive and psychodelic rock, containing some of the most brilliant trippy and instrumental passages of that style of rock music. Better than anything that Hawkwind would make ever.

Arzachel - 4 and 1/2 stars .......2005-08-15

shocking to believe this searing psychedelic rock classic was actually recorded by teenagers - however they were the leading lights of the then developing canterbury progressive rock scene; a very young steve hillage and dave stewart got their start in this band(which was actually called Uriel) performing cover versions of jimi hendrix, cream, the nice, etc.. Legal obligations forced the band to record under this pseudonym, and this intense mind-bender is the result. Full of screaming guitar and over the top keyboards, the album plays more as a spontaneous and live in studio performance. Interesting to compare to hillage's and stewart's later performances together in khan and steve hillage 'fish ring' which were much more composed and complicated pieces. However, this their sole album is brain frying acid rock and must be considered one of the ,if not the very first example of space rock. This album at one time incredibly rare now on cd is an essential purchase. This band truly could have been huge with talent to match yes or hawkwind.

great psychedelia.......2005-07-08

Pre-gong, pre-egg and pre-khan members team up to do this 1969 release cd. The sound & style is basically Egg with Steve Hillage on guitar. It does sound a little dated and unrehearsed, but not bad at all. I love Stewart & Hillages playing on this cd. It's very stretched out and spacey for it's time. Something like Floyd's Sauceful of Secrets. I think they should reform this group and start releasing new material. Highly recommend this cd if you are into psychedelia, or the Canterbury scene. Issued by Akarma in heavy cardboard sleeve and high quality artwork.

"There were four of us then, the group was Uriel...".......2004-10-17

Before Egg, Dave Stewart, Mont Campbell and Clive Brooks played a half a zillion low-paid gigs as a 4-piece with guitarist Steve Hillage. When Steve, seeking a brighter future, quit to go to university, the trio changed their name from Uriel to Egg and soldiered on against their all of their accountant's advice.

Several months later, after Egg had already landed a contract with fledgling Decca Records, they unexpectedly got an opportunity to record the original quartet. In one long afternoon in the studio, with no prepared material and under assumed names for legal reasons, Arzachel was born... and died the same night, like a mayfly. Nevertheless, with musicians of this calibre and familiarity with each other, they managed to pull off a minor classic in the late '60s/early psychedelia genre.

Unfortunately the record stiffed. It wasn't until decades later that anybody deciphered the true personnel (and the guilty confessed to their youthful indiscretions). So this pre-Khan lost Canterbury classic, which had been trading hands among cognoscenti for absurd prices, finally saw re-release with all of the confessions and recriminations printed inside a tiny CD booklet in a text size which guaranteed the musicians couldn't read it without their glasses.

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