ARZACHEL

Funeral psych be-in from Stewart, Hillage, Brown and Campbell in '69 just before the first Egg album sessions but having to avoid a dispute with Decca, down to using silly pseudonyms on the back cover. Steve Hillage was available on guitar and Stewart being no fool, grabbed him. With a whopping 250 pounds, they recorded a now highly prized LP for the tiny Zel label. It is a bedraggled but interesting moment, a meeting of dirty, sometimes freeform psych and early prog rock. The first half has some good bits such as 'Azathoth', 'Queen St. Gang' is warped and lethargic, and 'Leg' is led by Stewart's pipe organ. Hillage has good moments too, showing an ear for the heavy riff-blues that was swirling around the English scene. The second half is essentially a long acid freakout and sounds a bit like the band was in an airplane hangar, and though flashes of greatness can be seen sporadically, it is not frequent.

Short-lived outfit that recorded this mediocre but significant link in the psych/prog relationship and though new listeners should steer clear, it may be of interest to history buffs.