The Monkees kick off the 4th instalment of the Never Ending Mixtape with their psychedelic masterpiece
Porpoise Song (Theme from Head). I remember reading about
Head as a teenager - did The Monkees really make a crazed LSD inspired film co-written by Jack Nicholson?
YES - and it is even crazier than it sounds.
Moving on from The Monkees we also have some psychedelic tunes by the likes of the Polyphonic Spree (who have performed Porpoise Song with The Monkees), Flaming Lips, Ride and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah.
You'll need to go down to the 50th song to start this section of the Never Ending Playlist embedded below, or start from the beginning! Or you can play each individual song below.
Porpoise Song - The Monkees
Wanting to feel, to know what is real
Light and Day/Reach For The Sun - The Polyphonic Spree
Seeing The Polyphonic Spree live is a little like a religious experience for me. It's not just their robes that led to some people questioning if they're a cult; it's the sense of freedom in their songs, asking questions and searching for answers, being positive, being reflective, being true to themselves and seeing how far they could take it.
Race For The Prize (remix) - The Flaming Lips
The Soft Bulletin is an incredible album. This song used to (and may still) start Flaming Lips sets. I remember seeing them at the Barrowlands and Wayne and his band were their own roadies - true punks - they saved money when touring by sorting their own equipment. They burst on to the stage with fans dressed as animals, confetti, a light that Wayne swung above his head and played this glorious song.
The Skin Of My Yellow Country Teeth - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
OOH haven't listened to this in years, what a tune, what a groove. I love everything about it, the vocals are strained and soulful.
I'll Be Around - Yo La Tengo
Just sublime, what a gorgeous riff and feel to this song.
French Disko - Stereolab
Stereolab were beloved by John Peel and that is how I discovered them. Unique punk pop with a psychedelic (disco) edge. One of those bands that can transport you away from reality to get lost in their music, grooves, imagery and imagination.
Dream Baby Dream - Suicide
Suicide were on of those bands that loads of my favourite artists would mention - Bobby Gillespie, Norman Blake, Duglas T Stewart.... among others (later on James Murphy). I first heard this on a free CD given away with Mojo/Uncut many, many moons ago and instantly fell for it.
Keep that dream burning
Dream baby dream, forever
Touch - A Certain Ratio
Not a band I am very familiar with at all but I've just finished reading Peter Hook's Substance book and I wanted to take some time to check them out. This is funky as funk. The band would regularly venture to New York and the disco/club scene had a HUGE impact on them.They play Glasgow in February.
Bizarre Love Triangle - New Order
Have to include New Order as I've been listening to them a lot recently while reading Hooky's book. This and Temptation are my real favourites.
Lips Like Sugar - Echo and the Bunnymen
The Bunnymen's Songs To Learn And Sing is a sensational (compilation) album. The belief, ambition, arrogance and audacity of the Bunnymen transpired to songs like Lips Like Sugar - incredible.
Leave The All Behind - Ride
Ride were really young when they burst on to the scene with a string of EP's that led to their debut album Nowhere. It was only with the release of second album Going Blank Again that I discovered them. This just blew me away; over 8-minutes of blissed out guitar psychedelia.
