THE SERPENT POWER ORIGINAL 1967 SAN FRANCISCO FOLK ROCK PSYCHEDELIC LTD VINYL LP
$
66
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Description
THE SERPENT POWER
ORIGINAL 1967
SAN FRANCISCO
FOLK ROCK / PSYCHEDELIC
LIMITED EDITION VINYL LP
VANGUARD RECORDS #VSD-79252
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CONDITION
Vinyl: EX ...original clean shiny surface with a light mark on side one, otherwise near mint.
Jacket: EX ...slight edge, corner wear and small tear to the back cover along the edge.
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The Serpent Power: David Meltzer, guitar, harmonica and vocals; Tina Meltzer, vocals; Danny Ellis, rhythm guitar; David Stenson, bass; John Payne, organ; Clark Coolidge, drums.
Songs: Side One: Don't You Listen To Her; Gently, Gently; Open House; Flying Away; Nobody Blues; Up and Down; Side Two: Sky Baby; Forget; Dope Again; Endless Tunnel.
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This release suffered from limited distribution and they never managed to break out of their immediate San Francisco area, leading to the group breaking up in 1968, leaving us with a major 'what might have been' question.
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Fronted by San Franciscan poet David Meltzer, the Serpent Power was a San Francisco-based folk-rock group, whose songs were musical translations of Meltzer's poetry. They were first noticed by Ed Denton, manager of Country Joe and the Fish, when he saw them perform at their first-ever gig, a benefit for the Telegraph Neighborhood Center. This was in November of 1966 -- Denton recommended them to Vanguard Records (Country Joe's label) and by 1967 the band was signed and had released this, their first and only album.
The Serpent Power was formed by Meltzer and his wife Tina (who sang both lead and harmony vocals), and also included Denny Ellis and David Stenson on lead guitar and bass, respectively, both of whom had gotten their start with San Francisco folksters the Grass Roots. The band became a full rock outfit with the inclusion of John Payne on organ and Clark Coolidge on drums.
The album, also entitled The Serpent Power, received a somewhat limited pressing and, despite featuring some excellent examples of folk-rock, the band never got that big, known mostly within the San Francisco area. The album's last track was a raga-rock epic which included electric banjo player JP Pickens, who stayed on as a permanent member as the band entered its second incarnation. Ellis, Stenson, and Payne left shortly after The Serpent Power was recorded.
![JAMES BROWN / I GOT YOU [KING] original press](https://www.popsike.info/php/thumbnail.php?url=https://www.popsike.pics/pix/20180121/391966006013.jpg)
