Absolutely ESSENTIAL series, possibly my all time fave series of obscure/vintage biritsh rock comps. Freakrock is a perfect description for all this stuff. All 6 volumes kill with very little filler (and even some of the filler is great in a so-bad-its-funny bonehead/Spinal Tap kinda way).
FFO the Satan's Party, euro/UK Bonehead Crunchers, Glitterbest comps
And yes Spunky Spider are TOPS, one of the best, most garagey, and weirdest records comped here. Probly also the best thing ever released on the oft great Phoenix label.
A quick capsulae rundown here:
Vol.'s 1 & 2 are heavy on the obscure/DIY psych, proto-prog, psych folk, and prog . 60's psych obsessives will wana start with these
vol. 3 is the glammiest vol., but glammy as in Roxy Music-damaged/synthy bubble-glam/early electronica stuff, etc., no Bowie/T. Rex/early Queen rip offs
vol. 4 - VERY similar to the UK volume of Bonehead Crunchers, several tracks/bands from this are also on that one. Some glam moves here too with plenty o' Sweet/Slade/NY Dolls/Pink Fairies/MC5-worship
vol. 5 - kinda like a cross between vol.'s 3 and 4, great mix of total weirdo art rocky madness and hard heavy riffs. "Yeah" by The Jets (on Cube) alone is worth the price of admission, a total insane electro-protopunk monster!
vol. 6 is yet another even mix of crunchers and art school rejects, with a handful proto-pub rockers and even some creepy folk prog haunters for all you heathenous pagan lovers of Comus. Best opening track of the whole series is here with ultimate glam stompin version of "Honey Bee" by The Pioneers (produced by Eddy Grant), a rare attemtpt by a Jamaican reggae vocal group to cross over into the glam market
Special mentions: the Psychic Circle label comp Blitzing The Ballroom could practically be a 7th volume of the Electric Asylum series. And Psychic Circle's Blow Your Cool vol. 2 also has lotsa crucial freakrock discs and awesome cover art that's similar to that of the E.A. series
music.youtube.com
