PRE-ORDER: This item will be shipped with the aim to deliver on release day.
Release Date: 16 May 2025
Label: Lion Productions
Packaging Type: Cassette Case
No of Units: 1
Barcode: 778578910235
Genres: Rock Psychedelic Rock
Description
A fully licensed, analogue reissue -- sure, on cassette and not on vinyl, that's a long story -- of the first Index LP, originally released in 1967. The "Black Album" is one of the all-time holy grails of psychedelia, with originals going for more than $4,000. It is an album "with a really druggie sound, full of feedback and fuzzy guitars. The vocals, when present, are not easily heard. The cover of 'Eight Miles High' is very good, probably one of the best cover versions I have ever heard. The original songs all follow a similar pattern as the covers, with hazy guitar riffs and loud rhythms. The last track is particularly noisy and unstructured. Hidden in amongst the echoing canyons of sound there's some really snotty punk attitude wrapped up in trippy velvet fuzz."
This record is magnificent--bizarre, atmospheric, amateurish (in the best of all possible ways). It has a wonderful bleak sound, both droning and murky... the atonal sound of 1960's rock that would leave the most lasting impression on what would become future punk, post-punk and indie rock artists.
"Much has been written about this incredible band. Much of it isn't true. Index was formed in the early spring of 1967 in Grosse Pointe, Michigan. I was 18 years old when I met a chain-smoking 16-year-old named Gary Francis. Our conversation soon got around to rock and roll. He told me that he and his friend, John Ford, were forming a band. I told him that I played drums and we arranged a jam session at John's home on Lakeshore Drive. Our first meeting was incredible. Our sound was full and powerful. John's lead guitar techniques were fresh and innovative. After our first sessions we knew we had something special. Index was born. Soon we hit the local 'sock hop' circuit, playing at high schools and teen clubs in the area. We poured our unique sound out at The Hideout, Undercroft and G.P. War Memorial every weekend. One afternoon John pulled out a new album he had been listening to. It was a new band with a mind-shattering sound called 'The Jimi Hendrix Experience.' John played some songs he had written inspired by this 'psychedelic' sound. Over the next few days, 'Fire Eyes,' 'Shock Wave' and 'Feedback' were written. This album was recorded in December of 1967 at the Ford estate. It is recorded in mono with literally one microphone and with all instruments and vocals recorded at the same time. The cover photo is of founders of a singing group John joined at Yale. The stiff, board-like figures seem to characterize the exact opposite of this musical collection. This reissue is taken from the original recordings. Nothing has been added and all songs are in their original length. Over the years various bootleg copies of this album have surfaced but this is the original work." --Jim Valice
Tracklisting
Peter Howell & John Ferdinando
Sinn Sisamouth
The Plastic Cloud
Peter Howell and John Fernando
Ithaca (Peter Howell and John Ferdinando)
Index
Infinity
Bulldog Breed
Gong
Ozric Tentacles
Various Artists
Dando Shaft
Altin Gun
Ozric Tentacles
Ed Wynne (Ozric Tentacles)
Buddy Miles Express
