Thursday 14 May 2015

                              
                                  THE MAGIC BUS   

     
Released through Universal Music on 8th June 2015, ‘Magic Bus’ is a massive 3CD collection of 57 tracks that sound-tracked the journeys taken along the ‘hippie trail’ by thousands in the late ’60s, early ’70s.  Rolling on from London to Amsterdam, then to Istanbul and finally to Kathmandu in Nepal, the epic voyage, and indeed the mode of transport itself has entered the cultural vernacular.  A garishly painted bus still evokes, for us all, the open road and the setting sun.  ‘Magic Bus’ speaks of the impact upon the world’s young people of the nascent counterculture; bringing freedom, hedonism and spirituality.

With tracks from the likes of The Mamas & The Papas, Scott McKenzie, The Byrds, The Who, Bob Dylan and many more, ‘Magic Bus’ opens a window that allows the aromatic atmosphere of a cherished era to filter back to us. These are intoxicating memories.  This music encompasses the collective positivity of the times that underlined a generational shift; but most importantly this is about far more than just basking in nostalgia, this is some of the greatest music ever recorded.

Jefferson Airplane, Buffalo Springfield, Joan Baez, Canned Heat and many, many more all join us on the way.  This music and this journey was truly an immersive experience for those who hit the ‘hippie trail’.  Sunlight refracted through a cracked windscreen and roiling clouds of fragrant smoke.  Sudden moments of transcendental clarity and focus.  The hum of the engine and a largely unjustifiable belief that the road being followed would lead to where the occupants of the Magic Bus truly wanted to be.  But it didn’t matter.  The journey is, after all, the destination and this is a trip about far more than sightseeing.

As Timothy Leary put it so succinctly, “Turn on, tune in, drop out” 
TRACKLISTING

CD1 – Turn On

  1. The Who - Magic Bus
  2. The Byrds - Mr. Tambourine Man
  3. Scott McKenzie - San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)
  4. Barry McGuire - Eve Of Destruction
  5. Matthews' Southern Comfort
  6. Buffalo Springfield - For What It's Worth
  7. The Band - The Weight
  8. The Mamas & The Papas - California Dreamin'
  9. The Lovin' Spoonful - Summer in the City
  10. Simon & Garfunkel - A Hazy Shade Of Winter
  11. Love - Alone Again Or
  12. The Fifth Dimension - Aquarius / Let the Sunshine In (The Flesh Failures)
  13. The Lemon Pipers - Green Tambourine
  14. The Cowsills - The Rain, The Park & Other Things
  15. Harpers Bizarre - 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)
  16. The Association - Cherish
  17. The Hollies - King Midas In Reverse
  18. The Box Tops - Neon Rainbow

CD2 - Tune In
  1. Bob Dylan - Subterranean Homesick Blues
  2. Joan Baez - The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down
  3. Cat Stevens - Katmandu
  4. Donovan - Sunshine Superman
  5. Melanie - Ruby Tuesday
  6. Tim Hardin - If I Were A Carpenter
  7. Peter Paul & Mary - Where Have All The Flowers Gone?
  8. Judy Collins - Both Sides Now
  9. Janis Joplin - Me and Bobby McGee
  10. Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger & The Trinity - This Wheel's On Fire
  11. Lynyrd Skynyrd - Sweet Home Alabama
  12. Grateful Dead - Truckin'
  13. The Allman Brothers Band - Whipping Post
  14. Deep Purple - Hush
  15. Canned Heat - On The Road Again
  16. The Beach Boys - Good Vibrations
  17. Sonny & Cher - I Got You Babe
  18. Traffic - Hole In My Shoe
  19. The Move - Flowers In The Rain

CD3 – Drop Out
  1. Cream - Sunshine Of Your Love
  2. Steppenwolf - Born To Be Wild
  3. The Gun - Race with the Devil
  4. Iron Butterfly - In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida
  5. Frank Zappa - Peaches En Regalia
  6. Strawberry Alarm Clock - Incense and Peppers
  7. Ten Years After - I’d Love To Change The World
  8. Jefferson Airplane - White Rabbit
  9. Santana - Black Magic Woman
  10. The Yardbirds - For Your Love
  11. Jethro Tull - Living In The Past
  12. Rare Bird - Sympathy
  13. Simon Dupree & The Big Sound - Kites
  14. Procol Harum - A Whiter Shade of Pale
  15. The Moody Blues, The London Festival Orchestra, Peter Knight - Nights In White Satin
  16. Elton John - Tiny Dancer
  17. Thunderclap Newman - Something In The Air
  18. Zager & Evans - In the Year 2525
  19. Crazy World Of Arthur Brown - Fire
  20. The Troggs - Love Is All Around

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