?Mono WEST COAST 1st GRASS ROOTS JANGLE GARAGE Byrds

$

69

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  RARE MONO 1966 BYRDS JANGLE WEST COAST ROCK GEM       

         The GRASS ROOTS

     Where Were You When I Needed You

                      ...USA - Dunhill Records - D 50011 - MONO

Collector books value this (rare) MONO pressing at $150 in mint....

TOP RARE....Original 1966 first pressing in stunning MONO... the mono copy has a high $ value and much more rare than the stereo issue...here's a nice clean '66 first printing ...the mono mix provides different song mixes from the stereo issue and also contains the bold punchy production that well suits this type of sixties sound...

These are completely DIFFERENT, entirely different GRASS ROOTS than the band that made the early 70's pop hits...These Grassroots were a cool respected Hollywood Sunset Strip jangle guitar folkrock band with a sound somewhere in the Byrds / the Leaves direction -- composing very memorable self written material. The early Grassroots had a strong local hit with the title track (Where Weere You When I Needed You") which still stands as tall as the rest of the album. A cool timeless sound, and a joy to listen to, especially with repeat plays....

Released in 1966, the first GRASS ROOTS album contains the original classic hit single "Where Were When I Needed You" and the blinding garage punk reworking of Dylan's "Ballad Of A Thin Man".

All of the original material was composed and produced by the band and this album is 100% prime US Folk-Rock Garage jangle with gorgeous vocal arrangements. The obscurity to which this album was condemned is criminal, as the Grassroots blends of California folk garage rock with catchy pop sensibilites are a superb combination of The Byrds and Beau Brummels, mixed with sunshine elements of bands like the first Turtles. Their compositions and cover selections are true ear candy, and the singers who put their voices to them strike the perfect balance between folk harmonies and garage grit, as on a wonderfully snotty cover of Dylan's "Ballad of a Thin Man." The band was equally adept at the sort of melodic rock that Byrds cut so convincingly but with a rawer edge... Highlights include: "Only When You're Lonely", "Lollipop Train(You Never Had It So Good", the title track, "Mr. Jones" and more....

The name "Grass Roots" originated in 1965 as the name of a band project by the Los Angeles, California songwriter and producer duo of P.F. Sloan and Steve Barri. Sloan and Barri had written several songs in an attempt by their record company, Dunhill Records to cash in on the budding California folk rock movement. One of these songs was "Where Were You When I Needed You," which was recorded by Sloan and Barri and a now forgotten line-up of studio musicians. Sloan provided the lead vocals and played guitar. The song was released under "The Grass Roots" name and sent, as a demo, to several radio stations of the San Francisco Bay area.

When moderate interest in this new band arose, Sloan and Barri went to look for a group that could incorporate The Grass Roots name. They found one in a San Francisco group named "The Bedouins" and cut a new version with that band's lead vocalist, Willie Fulton. In 1965, the Grass Roots got their first official airplay on Southern California radio stations, such as KGB (AM) in San Diego and KHJ in Los Angeles with a version of the Bob Dylan song, "Mr. Jones (Ballad Of A Thin Man)". For some months, The Bedouins were the first "real" Grass Roots — as played on this, their only album -- but the partnership with Sloan and Barri broke up when the band demanded more space for their own more blues rock-oriented material (which their producers were not willing to give them). Willie Fulton, Denny Ellis, and David Stensen went back to San Francisco, with drummer Joel Larson the only one who remained (he was to become a member of a later Grass Roots line-up, as well). In the meantime, the second version of "Where Were You When I Needed You" peaked in the top 40 in mid-1966; and this album of the same name sold poorly, probably because there were no Grass Roots anymore to promote it at the time of its release. A couple years later another line up of Grass Roots were formed and they're the ones who made all the radio pop hits.  

Only When You're Lonely

Look Out Girl

Ain't That Loving You Baby

I've Got No More To Say

I Am A Rock

Lollipop Train (You Never Had It So Good)

B:

Where Were YOu When I Needed You

YOu Didn't Have To Be So Nice

Tell me (Rolling Stones cover)

You Baby (The Turtles cover)

This Is What I WAs Made For

Mr Jones (Ballad Of A Thin Man)

CONDITION: The cover: very solid all over..."EX" (excellent)  no split seams, no bends, no writing....All in all, Looks like it was carefully handled over the years...nice collectible

The vinyl is all shiny on both sides, VG++ having no more than minor top surface hair scuffs and played very enjoyable clean here without audio distractions... 

keeper!

     A  GREAT ADDITION TO ANYONE'S COLLECTION !

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

EFFICIENT/CAREFUL GRADING

All imperfections are noted both cover & record