POST NO. 21: BEANTOWN BUST

The LSD-fueled counter-culture movement in Haight-Ashbury had record executives scrambling to find new source material in the late-'60s. Once it was apparent that the San Fran and L.A. scenes were tapped, the industry turned its eye to the East Coast. MGM's bright idea was to sell a nation of eager buyers on a new hippie music scene -- the "Bosstown" scene -- in Boston. Problem was, Boston didn't really have a counter-culture music scene at the time -- at least not one of note. But that didn't stop the record label from taking out ads in mags around the country to push the "Bosstown Sound". Meanwhile, Bostonians themselves scratched their heads. The rest of the record-buying public had the same reaction, and the MGM-fronted Bosstown Sound -- which included the bands Beacon Street Union, Orpheus, Tangerine Zoo, Phluph, Earth Opera, and Ultimate Spinach (I'm not making this up!) -- was a total failure.

Today's subject is Beacon Street Union, who were signed to MGM in 1967 by Wes Farrell, he of Partridge Family fame. Their debut, The Eyes of the Beacon Street Union, was released in March of 1968 and was promptly ripped in just about every music publication in the country. It was the first of many pin pricks that would soon pop the Bosstown bubble.

I can see why the press ripped it; the album is confused, disjointed, and full of a lot of cut-rate psych-rock that does little (if anything) to differentiate itself from West coast bands of the day. And Beacon Street Union was obviously suffering from a bit of heavy-handed production courtesy of Farrell. Case in point, their cover of Chuck Berry's "Beautiful Delilah," which is a complete rip off of The Kinks' 1964 version, right down to Ray Davies' nasally whine. And that's not the only mind-boggling cover selection: the band also tackles Sonnie Terry and Brownie McGhee's blues standard "Sportin' Life" in a straightforward, lounge-y fashion. Hearing those two songs back-to-back, smack in the middle of standard fare psych rock is a bit disorienting.

However, I'm glad I stumbled upon this record at my friend's garage sale for a few reasons. "Sadie Said No" is a Remains-influenced garage rock number that wins despite some weak production. And "Speed Kills" -- originally released as the B-side to the group's debut single -- is a pretty cool, Kinks-inspired pop song. But the most important reason that I'm glad to have found this record: I didn't know squat about the Bosstown Sound experiment prior to researching Beacon Street Union -- and knowing is half the battle.

Beacon Street Union - "Sadie Said No"

Beacon Street Union - "Speed Kills"

For more on these dudes, see this. And for more on the Bosstown Sound, go here.