One of the Holy Grails of the first psychedelic era, the first edition of the Tripsichord album on the San Francisco Sound label was released in 1970 in minuscule quantities and has eluded collectors for decades. Here’s the first ever reissue with faithful reproduction of the original homemade sleeve with pasted on stickers, fabulous remastered sound, insert with detailed liner notes & photos / memorabilia plus download card.
“…one of the best albums out of the late ‘60s westcoast scene… - Patrick Lundborg (Acid Archives)
“We had a unique sound – different from the typical other late 60s San Francisco bands.” - Bill Carr (Tripsichord)
Tripsichord Music Box emerged from the San Francisco’s ’60s psychedelic scene. Formed around Frank Straight, Dave Zandonatti and Randy Gordon, the group later expanded with singer-guitarist/songwriter Bill Carr, whose arrival helped shape the band’s fuller vocal and instrumental sound. Tripsichord’s music stood apart from the typical San Francisco acid-rock formula. Their songs explored mystery, mortality and altered states, combining psychedelic textures with strong vocal harmonies and unexpected jazz influences. Tracks such as “Fly Baby,” “Black Door,” “We Have Passed Away” and “On The Last Ride” capture the band’s atmospheric and experimental character. The band became closely associated with manager / producer Matthew Katz and the legendary Straight Theater on Haight Street, a key meeting point for San Francisco musicians. Tripsichord quickly established a reputation as a live act, performing throughout the West Coast. Their circle intersected with some of the most important musicians and events of the era, including the San Francisco psychedelic scene surrounding Jefferson Airplane, Moby Grape and the Grateful Dead.
With the addition of Oliver McKinney on organ and piano, Tripsichord recorded their sole LP in San Francisco, at a studio owned by Francis Ford Coppola. The sessions allowed the musicians to experiment with guitar effects, arrangements and psychedelic textures.
The album was initially released in 1970 as a promotional “homemade” edition on Katz’s San Francisco Sound label, housed in a white blank sleeve with dayglo stickers on front and back. This was very limited (aprox 100 copies) and it’s now one the holy grails of the first psychedelic era. It was later issued by Janus Records in a new cover design, credited simply to Tripsichord.
Today, the record is regarded as a fascinating document of West Coast / Acid-Rock psychedelia.
Faithful reproduction of the first edition sleeve with dayglo stickers. Newly remastered sound by Ezra Lesser. 8-page insert with liner notes by Austin Matthews and photos. Download card.