Description
Reissue: 10-02-2023 (C 1967)
Sopwith Camel’s first album (and only album recording during the 1960s), the eponymous Sopwith Camel, was released in 1967 on the Kama Sutra Records label. The single “Hello, Hello” became the first hit to emerge from the San Francisco rock scene and reached No. 26 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart in January 1967 and No. 9 on the Canadian RPM magazine chart in February. A second hit, “Postcard from Jamaica”, peaked at No. 88 on the Billboard Hot 100 in April 1967. Some songs on the band’s first album, the vaudevillian “Hello, Hello” in particular, were more reminiscent of earlier songs by The Lovin’ Spoonful than of most other San Francisco psychedelic rock of the time; producer Erik Jacobsen produced for both Sopwith Camel and The Lovin’ Spoonful. On the other hand, “Frantic Desolation” was chosen by Jon Savage as one of “The Psychedelic 100”, an annotated list first published as a booklet by Mojo Magazine and reprinted in the book I Want to Take You Higher: The Psychedelic Era 1965–1969 (an accompaniment to an exhibit of the same name), published by The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum (Chronicle Books, 1997). The band was unable to follow up the success of their first album and hit single and disbanded later in 1967. Sopwith Camel’s debut album has been re-released twice: as Frantic Desolation in 1986, and as Hello Hello Again in 1990.
The band was defunct by the end of 1967. Beard and Mayell continued for a period in music, as session musicians under the direction of Eric Jacobsen. Both appeared on Norman Greenbaum‘s hit album Spirit in the Sky (1969). Mayell later joined Blue Cheer, replacing Paul Whaley as drummer.
Tracklist:
- 01. Fazon
- 02. Coke, Suede, and Waterbeds
- 03. Dancin’ Wizard
- 04. Sleazy Street
- 05. Orange Peel
- 06. Oriental Fantasy
- 07. Sneaky Smith
- 08. Monkeys On the Moon
- 09. Astronaut Food
- 10. Brief Synthophonia
