1966 MONO LOVE 1st Arthur Lee Garage FUZZ Punk psych

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134

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1966 original first pressing VINYL on the GOLD Elektra label!        

                LOVE

                                              ...USA - GOLD Elektra EK 74001 - MONO

Original 1966 MONO first pressing of the very first LOVE album ... then a leading force on the Sunset Strip, they were 'thee' band to catch in concert back then even unknown Jim Morrisons and his Doors were fans and could only hope to be as good ...they didn't know of course what the future held ...

The MONO release offers different song mixes from the stereo release and contains a terrific loud punch in the production, noticably different from the stereo issue...

Love's 1966 debut album was an excellent sign of things to come. Arthur Lee and company were always an inspired bunch, and it was clear from the get-go that they would be more than just another band from L.A. Most of their first album consisted of uptempo rock 'n roll gaage with punk sneer numbers inspired by blues of The Rolling Stones and the vibrant, chiming guitars of The Byrds. However, Love had some tricks up their own sleeves. While these would be more fully realized on their second and third albums, they were sufficient at the start to make their debut an interesting - if not classic - album of the late sixties.

The Love album does show some signs of youthful unoriginality. "Can't Explain" is obviously a re-working of The Stones' "What A Shame", with seemingly only the faster tempo to distinguish it from the original. (Of course, the Stones would return the favor by borrowing a lyric from Arthur Lee's "She Comes In Colors" for the song "She's A Rainbow".) The cover of "Hey Joe" is a tour-de-force barn-burner, straight from the garage with a  nice vocal by guitarist Bryan MacLean and superb bass work by Ken Forssi, who shines throughout the record. It is interesting to speculate that they may have inspired Jimi Hendrix to do this song, as they were in contact with him just prior to his going to England and returning as a "guitar hero". They also promoted another band--THE DOORS--that was just starting to get a reputation in LA. In addition, they were reputed to have had connections with yet another fantastic band--THE BUFFALO SPRINGFIELD--that had also come together in L.A. at that time. Further rock trivia includes the fact that their engineer, Bruce Botnick, also worked on albums by both "The Doors" and the "Buffalo Springfield".

The opening track and their first single and fortunately, and very much to their credit, they transformed "My Little Red Book" into a sturdy, staccato rocker, and arguably an early punk song.  Love's uniqueness shines through most clearly on the album's several emotive ballads that drip with serene crystal psychedelized grooves: "A Message To Pretty", "Mushroom Clouds", which gives a hint of Lee's political mindset, and especially "Signed D.C.", presumably a tribute to Love's first drummer Don Conka, whose drug addiction prevented him from ever appearing on record. (He is also mentioned by last name on "You I'll Be Following".) "My Flash On You" is a riviting garage fuzz ripper...also has an anti-drug message, which is more tragic than ironic considering the struggle with substances that Lee himself would face throughout his life. Bryan MacLean's contribution is the elegant "Softly To Me", which reveals a personal songwriting style that would culminate in what is perhaps Love's greatest song: "Alone Again Or", from Forever Changes. Lead guitarist Johnny Echols, for his part, offers "Emotions", a spooky mid-album instrumental. So onward this album shines...no bad cuts anywhere, so then how can it not be considered a classic of the L.A. Sunset Strip garage scene of 1966...?

MY LITTLE RED BOOK

CAN'T EXPLAIN

A MESSAGE TO PRETTY

MY FLASH ON YOU

SOFTLY TO ME

NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO

EMOTIONS

SIDE 2

YOU I'LL BE FOLLOWING

GAZING

HEY JOE

SIGNED D. C.

COLORED BALLS FALLING

MUSHROOM CLOUDS

AND MORE

CONDITION: The cover is stiff and solid, only has small light (very minor) shelf wear, still in collectible shape, nothing alarming, having no seam splits, no bends, no writing, VG++ overall

The vinyl on the gold Elektra label has glossy surfaces on both sides, very minor superficial hairline (soft scuffs only!), visible, VG++  play graded most excellently, both sides were free from disturbing surface noise, no obtrusive clicks or pops, play graded throughout smooth & excellent ...enjoyable listen.

      A cool addition to anyone's music library!

SEE: SELLERS OTher items for similar cool sounds for "head" people...

EFFICIENT/CAREFUL GRADING

All imperfections are noted both cover & record