Robert Pollard's Guide To The Late 60s

Before his band Guided By Voices set off on their 2001 tour, lead singer Robert Pollard recorded all his favourite 1960s records onto 62 C90 cassettes. On our podcast we listen to, rate and review every one of them.

046 Misty Mirage (Curt Boettcher) / Begin (The Millennium)

It seemed a cert that Curt would hit paydirt with his elaborate Californian chamber pop. He & his band The Millennium were given access to Columbia’s new 8 track recording facilities and begun making Begin, one of the most expensively made albums of the millennium up to that point. To say it didn’t recoup costs would be something of an understatement but it has gone on to become a cult favourite. On his tape, Robert Pollard paired it with an album of mostly unreleased material Curt & his pals recorded before and after The Millennium.

08-13
41:07

045 Boy Child: The Best of 1967–1970 (Scott Walker)

Robert Pollard made it easy on himself by just taping one album by Scott. It's a compilation of songs from the first 5 solo albums with lyrics covering diverse subjects such as Ingmar Bergman films, the loneliness of the long-serving sex worker, the 1968 Czechoslovakian uprising against the Soviet Union and fat men that belch a lot.

04-12
47:12

044 Harry / Nilsson Sings Newman (Harry Nilsson)

A touch more Schmilsson on the podcast as we examine his next 2 albums. And who would think this album pair would be well accepted everywhere? It’s quite amazing how fair people can be.

03-24
45:37

043 Pandemonium Shadow Show / Aerial Ballet (Harry Nilsson)

Before these albums, Harry Nilsson was doing hard day’s nightshifts at the bank as a computer operator. Then he became the man everybody’s talkin’ about with a little Help! from his friends John, Paul, George & Ringo who started dropping his name Here There and Everywhere.

11-16
34:50

042 The Further Adventures Of Charles Westover (Del Shannon) / Another Side Of Rick (Rick Nelson)

This tape pairs 2 stars from an earlier era struggling to find an audience in a market now overcrowded with beat groups dabbling in psychedelia. Join us to find out if the hippy kids were right to take a dim view of Rick’s other side and turn down the invitation to Runaway with Del on his further adventures.

10-24
40:01

041 Desertshore (Nico) / In The Court Of The Crimson King (King Crimson)

Your hosts the 21st century schizoid men invite you to meet them on the desert shore to hear what they make of Christa Paffgen’s difficult third album and the King Crimson record that may well be to blame for inventing prog rock. Do they have time for such Fripp-ery?

09-24
40:20

040 Dion / Wonder Where I’m Bound (Dion)

They call him The Wanderer and he’s certainly wandering around around around around around on these 2 albums, covering a range of musical styles and contemporary songwriters of the day including Joni, Bob and Leonard.

07-26
41:52

039 Thank Christ For The Bomb (The Groundhogs)

No less a figure than The Damned’s Captain Sensible described this as “just the most amazing album I’ve ever heard.” It’s Groundhog Day and life is for living, right now before you die.

05-16
29:02

038 Trout Mask Replica (Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band)

Now here comes our latest podcast, walking, looking like a zoo. Listen in to find out what the 2 old farts at play have to say about it. Will the verdict be sweet sweet bulbs growing in my ladies garden or does it sound more like a squid eating dough in a polyethylene bag?

05-07
42:02

037 Safe As Milk / Strictly Personal (Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band)

The capricious Californian Captain captured on 2 albums. Captivating!

04-08
34:30

036 The Psychedelic Sound Of / Easter Everywhere (The 13th Floor Elevators)

Here’s one for all the jug addicts. Trip inside this house with us as we absorb these 2 albums like a drop of rye fungus on blotting paper.

02-22
40:57

035 Flamingo (The Flamin’ Groovies) / Teenage Head (The Flamin’ Groovies)

Listen to us flamin’ go as we discuss the only rockin’ band on Robert Pollard’s list with an apostrophe in their name.

11-20
35:36

034 Hey Little One (Glen Campbell) / Petula (Petula Clark)

This episode puts Glen and Petula together for a pair of albums that include many songs originally made famous by other singers and cover a wide range of popular music styles.

11-06
32:36

033 The Twain Shall Meet (Eric Burdon & The Animals) / Funhouse (The Stooges)

The twain does meet on tape 33 as Robert Pollard pairs up 2 albums that seem to have nothing whatsoever in common. Eric has traded the “Toon” for California Dreaming while Iggy & pals are having no fun in the Funhouse. Download this episode & stick it deep inside (your ears)

09-25
45:09

032 Plastic Ono Band (John Lennon) / Paranoid (Black Sabbath)

Here are 2 very different albums released at the end of 1970. John Lennon is coming to terms with no longer being one of the four lads who shook the world while four other lads are starting to shake it themselves with their big Brummie riffs.

08-09
45:35

Bonus episode: Half time

With 31 of Robert Pollard’s 62 tapes now covered, we have reached the halfway point of our podcast. Take a listen to this special bonus episode for all the stats you could possibly need on the albums we’ve covered so far.

08-02
12:30

031 Waiting For The Sun / The Soft Parade (The Doors)

Is everybody in? The podcast is about to begin. Join us as we approach the doors of perception & break on through to the other side in the company of the third & fourth albums by Mr Mojo Risin & pals.

07-16
40:27

030 The Complete Recordings (The Attack) / Seven Lonely Street (Andromeda)

Join us on episode 30 as we unpack tracks by The Attack and then zoom off into the Andromeda galaxy.

05-21
33:38

029 Deja Vu (Crosby Stills Nash & Young) / After The Gold Rush (Neil Young)

Peace & love in Laurel Canyon didn’t always apply to CS&N. If only they could’ve been as harmonious in person as they were on record! For their second album they decided to add Neil Young into an already volatile mix. Get yourself back to the garden while listening to our musings on the album they made together, as well as Neil’s solo record that followed in its wake.

03-20
54:37

028 Tales From The Sinking Ship (Wimple Winch) / Excerpts From... Groups & Sessions (Keith West)

Grocer Jack Grocer Jack get off your back and listen to our latest episode. We review a pair of compilations by British beat groups as they move into more psychedelic realms & occasional unjustified complaints about the Gas Board.

03-11
39:06

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