Today's selection "Journey to the Sun" is cherry-picked from The Chapta's first album - amid a set of otherwise fairly straightforward pop-rock, someone decided to cut a freaky psych tune (my money says it was the Two Ronnies looking dude on the lower left).
Having listened carefully to the lyrics of this song I can confirm that in true psychedelic fashion, they are a bunch of nonsense - my guess is that the boys were stoned one day and decided that it was "about time someone gave the Sun some props". The change in the chorus where "Apollo" is exhorted to "shine [his] light" is a bit over the top but otherwise there's little to fault with this tune, the rise and fall of the synth at the start has me foaming at the mouth in particular. I'm unreliably informed that in 1971 the only synthesizer in New Zealand was held in an acoustics research lab at Victoria University so I guess the lads must have signed it out for the afternoon.
"Journey to the Sun" was not released as an album or B-side and was perhaps considered filler at the time - in retrospect it is the stand-out tune of the album. It should be noted that this is available alongside a number of excellent cuts on the compilation "A Day in My Mind's Mind" (the Salvation and 40 Watt Banana tracks on there are some SERIOUS HEAT).
The Chapta - Journey to the Sun
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Anyone calling their band "The Chapta" these days would have to be a hardcore rap crew from Detroit, wear black hoodies and lots of gold chains, with at least one convicted murderer in their lineup. Otherwise people would take the piss.
ReplyDeleteThe dude mentioned is Ledley Cleland a great Hammond player now passed away
ReplyDeleteRIP Ledley!
ReplyDeleteI think this was a Dave Kennedy idea - the guiyar riff is certainly his ... go DK!
ReplyDeleteDave Kennedy went on toe form Link - another great band.
ReplyDelete