V.A. - "The Freakbeat Scene" 2 x Vinyl, LP, Compilation, 2019 (Decca)

I'm a firm believer in book publishers as well as record labels.  If the label has some history or vision, I will buy that record.  Decca, which is enormous, always been of some interest to me.  Especially anything released in the 1960s and British.   Decca this year and the previous 12 months have been releasing these compilations focusing on the Mod and Psychedelic British 45 rpm singles, that if one tries to trace down would be very expensive and time-consuming.  So, the Decca compilations are very good and overall excellent for the pocketbook.  "The Freakbeat Scene is 25 songs by various bands, that mostly failed in getting that hit.  This is a collection of songs that didn't even get close to getting airplay in the UK, or on the charts.

Still, genius is in the details, and there is a lot of brilliant series of moments on this double-album.  Some are so-so, but that only adds to the excitement when you hear an incredible song.  Freakbeat by definition is the crazy part of The Who when their guitar goes all feedback, Keith Moon is slashing at the drum cymbals, and distorted bass.  On the other hand, The Who is not on this compilation, but we do have The Small Faces, who are always magnificent.  Beyond that, everyone here is very obscure.   Which is not to say that their recording deserves a wider (and wilder) audience, but fate is sometimes someone asleep at the wheel or the entrance to success.

The genius track here is by a band called The Fairytale, and it's "Run & Hide."  A very ugly song lyric about a girl who is 'bad' and the male singer sounds psychotic, still a remarkable record.  I have their other three songs in other collections and formats since they only released two 45 rpm singles.  Then they disappeared.   In fact, most of the bands here disappeared, but there were some successes in later life, for instance, Chris Squire and Peter Banks who were members of Yes, but here they're The Syn.  And although there is no clue to the future sound of Yes, still an excellent record. Even a young Marc Bolan has a song here, but one would not recognize the Bolan vocal, until the chorus where you can hear that vibrato in his voice.

The mystery track here is by Shel Naylor, which one suspects is Dave Davies of the Kinks, with Jimmy Page on guitar.  Naylor himself is a phantom.  In fact, this album is full of ghosts and spirits.  "Come on Back" by Paul & Ritchie & The Cryin' Shames is a Joe Meek production.  So that's always good.   It's excellent that Decca, such a mega-label, still had the nerve to release somewhat weird records.