Puff — Go With You

from Puff (1969)

This is what happened when the Rockin’ Ramrods tuned in, turned on, and dropped out: Puff (as in the Magic Dragon). Beautiful Acid-Test-worthy psych-pop balladry.

I’m gonna go out on a limb here and say this track has the best organ sounds ever. (Sorry, Ray Manzarek) First, a chunky, gritty garage organ, then halfway through, hallelujah-worthy church pipes that’ll have you as blissed out as Jim Morrison riding the snake…

Kaleidoscope — P.S. Come Back

from Kaleidoscope (1969)

What could be more psychedelic than a kaleidoscope? Right. Not even a rainbow. That’s why every band in the 60s wanted to name themselves after a children’s toy—like LA’s psychedelic string band Kaleidoscope, or the London Kaleidoscope.

But here we have a lesser-known exemplar of that multicolored genre, and the one with the hardest-hitting rock’n’roll: the Mexican Kaleidoscope. To my ears, they’re the most timeless of the three, almost proto-punk at times, with a swagger in the vocals that sounds more Joey Ramone than flower child. It’s only the fuzzbox guitars and garage organs that key you in to the fact that these guys were hanging around Mexico City’s El Salvation Club, not CBGBs.

There’s a reason the vocals have that American-sounding jeer—because even though Kaleidoscope gigged a lot in Mexico City (and later Cuernavaca), none of them were actually from Mexico. That’s Frank Tirado, of Puerto Rico, on vocals. His countrymate Orly Vázquez covered bass, while Spanish transplant Pedrín García commanded electric guitar, and Rafael Cruz and Julio Arturo Fernández of the Dominican Republic handled drums and organ. They recorded the album in 1967 at Fabiola Studios in the Dominican Republic, before moving to Mexico together. The album wasn’t released until two years later by the Mexican label Orfeón, in a pressing of just 200 records. Thank god Germany’s Shadoks has reissued it—because you really need to give this Kaleidoscope a twist.

Lots of great interviews with the band (in Spanish) at Encontrando A The Kaleidoscope.

Los Strwck — La Doctoriza

from La Doctoriza (1970)

Another incredible left-field pick from Mining the Audio Motherlode. This time, it’s the sounds of Guadalajara in the 60s — psychedelic cumbia beat with garage organ and a wicked fuzz guitar that kind of explodes out of nowhere on this innocent sounding tune. It will hit you upside the head. Here’s the great writeup from Waxidermy, too funny:

For the last 15 years I have been trying to find out what Los Strwck translates to in English to no avail. I suspect it loosely means “Mariachi Fuzz Box”. I found this LP in East L.A. in the early 90s and it’s dropped many a jaw over the last 15 years. The tunes start innocently enough, sounding like a band that might walk in to the local Mexican Restaurant on any given Friday night, hoping for tips from half drunk patrons. But the guitarist has a surprise in store. He is ELECTRIFIED……and he has a fuzz box, and you can bet he’s gonna use it Amigo. I’d pay big bucks to have seen the faces on those unsuspecting diners as chainsaw sounds lurched out and strangled them mid-enchilada. This band has other LP’s….lots of other LP’s….but none of them sound like this. Grab some chips and the hottest of hot sauces and enjoy.

The fuzz master in question, Carlos Robles, was 20 years old at the time of these electric wailings, and he actually posted to Waxidermy, saying he’s glad people are still digging his tunes today. Grab a vinyl rip at Sangrepesada: Rescatando el Rock Mexicano.