If you liked 2022's release Heroes and Villains: the Sound of Los Angeles 1965-68, you'll also enjoy 2009's Where The Action Is! (Los Angeles Nuggets 1965-68) [spotify, amazon]. It's another giant collection of 101 tracks of the best (and worst!) of early rock recordings from SoCal. Plenty of Garage Rock, Psychedelic Rock, Classic Rock, Folk and Pop Rock.
Like, hey man, dig the lyrics of the wigged–out waltz "Marshmallow Skies" from Rick Nelson ("…the room starts movin', my mind starts groovin'…to marshmallow skies…") with electric sitar/guitar and English horns. Wow. (Reviews: The Guardian, Pitchfork)
Sure, you'll trip out with the Byrds, Buffalo Springfield, Sonny & Cher, The Knack, the Doors, and The Peanut Butter Conspiracy, but also to notable unknowns like Phillip Gary Schlein (aka P F Sloan who wrote "Secret Agent Man" and "Eve of Destruction") and Danny Hutton (later one of three lead singers in Three Dog Night). And don't miss the rockin' "Hippie Elevator Operator" by Redondo Beach's W.C. Fields Memorial Electric String Band.
If you don't want to shell out $99 for the 4 CD box set on Amazon, do what I did and stream it all for free via hoopla–thanks to your public library!
