Comments on: VA “The Rock Machine Turns You On”

By: Huub Lammers

Huub Lammers — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 18:34:41 +0000

Thanks Len for your interesting story about this fantastic sampler. I’ve got it myself as well as
Fill Your Head With Rock . But I’ve got another sampler from the CBS lable called: “Rock machine I love you. 1968 CBS SPR 26. Here is a listing of the tracks:
Blood,Sweat & Tears (more and more), Laura Nyro (Stoned soul picnic), Mike Bloomfiled & Al Kooper (Stop) , The Byrds (you ain’t goin’ nowhere), Grace Slick and the Great Society (somebody to love), Brandenburg Concerto from the LP “Switched on Bach” , Leonard Cohen (thats no way to say goodbye”) , Simon and Garfunkel ( America), John Simon (my name is Jack), The Electric Flag ( see to your neighbour), Don Ellis and his orchestra (excerpt from “The TIhai”) , Big Brother and the holding company ( turtle blues), Dino Valente (time) and Taj Mahal (a lot of love)

Hubse

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 17:55:22 +0000

Allegedly selling for £165 GBP on Amazon, Gerard. I’d stash it away somewhere very safe if I were you!

By: Gerard

Gerard — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 14:25:50 +0000

I’ve got a cd called The best of The rock machine turns you on. No S&G, Dylan or Dolphin’s smile but also some tracks from the Rock machine I love you sampler. 1989 Caste Communications CCSCD224

By: Len Liechti

Len Liechti — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 10:15:25 +0000

Indeed it was, Christopher, though still top value when you consider the track listing. It was almost like a sampler for the very best of contemporary US psych/prog, in that it contained well known stuff like Hendrix and The Byrds, but also some wonderful leftfield stuff, eg. “Don’t Bogart Me” by the Fraternity Of Man, “If You Want To Be A Bird” by the Holy Modal Rounders and “Kyrie Eleison” by the Electric Prunes. And the two brilliant Steppenwolf tracks turned me on to that particular, then largely unknown in the UK, outfit. I guess Dennis Hopper chose the tracks? A great album and a great movie which still stands up today. The idea of selected rock soundtracks for movies has become a cliche, of course, but in good hands, eg. Quentin Tarantino’s, still an incisive weapon.

By: Christopher Fast

Christopher Fast — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 06:02:30 +0000

Thanks Len.
Although I wasn’t born when these samplers came out I did buy a fair few when I started discovering records including both the ‘Rock Machine’ ones, I remember the United States of America track making a big impression. These records were always cheap in the 2nd hand stores of Edinburgh- as you say they were considered disposable- and a great way (if not the only way) for a cash strapped kid to hear things like Nirvana’s ‘Rainbow Chaser’ (on Island’s ‘You Can All Join In’) and the MC5 (‘Age Of Atlantic’ – great plasticine sleeve) in pre CD reissue days.
Although not a sampler as such, another similar record was the Easy Rider soundtrack, which was always in the cheap 2nd hand racks with the samplers, though maybe that was a full price record back when it came out?

By: Len Liechti

Len Liechti — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 21:27:49 +0000

My mistake, TRMTYO was indeed released in 1968, not 1969. Just to complete the record, “Killing Floor” was from A Long Time Comin’, “I Won’t Leave My Wooden Wife” was from The United States Of America and “Scarborough Fair / Canticle” was from Parsely, Sage, Rosemary & Thyme.

By: Len Liechti

Len Liechti — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 21:17:41 +0000

It was only after dispatching this post to Brendan that I found out this album was only released in the UK and a handful of other European countries – it didn’t see the light of day in North America. For my US and Canadian friends, here is a listing of the other tracks:
- Bob Dylan: “I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight” from John Wesley Harding
- Moby Grape: “Can’t Be So Bad” from Wow
- Spirit: “Fresh Garbage” from Spirit
- The Zombies: “Time Of The Season” from Odessey & Oracle
- The Peanut Butter Conspiracy: “Turn On A Friend” from The Great Conspiracy
- Leonard Cohen: “Sisters Of Mercy” from The Songs Of Leonard Cohen
- BST: “My Days Are Numbered” from Child Is Father To The Bride
- The Byrds: “Dolphin’s Smile” from The Notorious Byrd Brothers
- Taj Mahal: “Statesboro Blues” from Taj Mahal
- Roy Harper: “Nobody’s Got Any Money In The Summer” from Come Out Fighting Genghis Smith
- Tim Rose: “Come Away Melinda” from Tim Rose
- Elmer Gantry’s Velvet Opera: “Flames” from Elmer Gantry’s Velvet Opera
Were samplers really just a European phenomenon during the prog rock years? Did any see release in the States?