The Great Wall 4-song acetate

[Al.Burnett1966]

Did anyone ever heard of this band? This was found in NY by a german friend collector.

The tracks are found in the BMI entries:
"People Of The World" written by Barry Abbott.
"The World Is Full Of Beautiful People" written by Barry Abbott.
"World Of My Mind" written by Barry Abbott and Joseph L. Asquino.
"A Great Wall" written by Elaine Choy, Martin Eng, Kit Lee and Simon Lee.

Barry Abbott is a NY producer so I think he wasn't part of the band and just wrote the tracks, but I think there's a good chance that Elaine Choy, Martin Eng, Kit Lee and Simon Lee are the actual members of the band.
Anyone knows where they could be found? It would be interesting to reissue this.

 

[Al.Burnett1966]

Barry Abbott seems to cease to be active in 1965, I doubt he's still alive. The recordings could date from around that period.
If Martin Eng was indeed in the band, BMI has a three other song listed "I'll Bring You A Rainbow" and "The Sweetest Things Turn Bitter", "What's The World Coming To" all written by Barry Abbott and Martin Eng.
In the light of this fact I'd rather say he was a regular co-writer of Barry Abbott rather than a real member but it's up for debate.

 

[abc]

I really really like these

 

[MopTopMike]

Pretty cool...thanks for posting!

 

[haigo]

rocksssssssssssssssssssssssss

 

[bosshoss]

I quite like the first 3 tracks, especially "The World Of My Mind". To engage in pure speculation, I guess these are very late 60s recordings, or even early 1970s. It seems to me that the guitar could be recorded direct, which would be unusual for a mid-60s recording, because it would take up a valuable track. Also, other "Mercury Sound Studio Reference Lacquer" items listed on the internet are from between 1969 and 1973. The Velvet Underground is one that is listed (1969), and Doug Sahm is another (1973). There is also an Allman Joys acetate LP, a Litter LP from '71, Uriah Heep, New York Dolls and Thin Lizzy 45 acetates. No mid-60s items are listed for "Mercury Sound Studio Reference Lacquer". The NY location seems very likely.

 

[Al.Burnett1966]

You're right Mark! I just found the tracks in the catalog of copyright entries of Jan-Jun 1973.
Sounds strangely garage/psych for recordings from 1973!

 

[Al.Burnett1966]

All tracks registered on Feb 12nd, 1973 except A Great Wall March 28, 1973.
Co-writer of The World Of My Mind is called Mike Asquino here instead of Joseph L. Asquino on the BMI website.

 

[Outside_Lookin_in]

Qualifies as a mid-sixties outlier!

 

[Jim]

Slightly reminiscent of The New Dawn imo. Fab!

 

[The Raven]

Wow, thanks for sharing these. But i do not hear mid-60's sounds, imo The Great Wall is firmly in the garage psych bag, primal yes, but still very psychy. Even the lyrics and organ seem influenced by The Doors, though the musicianship veers way more close to the awesome crude sound of the all-girl Shaggs or the records featured on the 'Teenage Shutdown: No Tease' comp

Anyway, genre schmenre, these 4 tunes rule, my fave being the clunky yet hypnotic instro jammer. thanks again for sharing, a reissue of this stuff would be killer