The Misunderstood - Before The Dream Faded

Too little-known in their time to qualify as forgotten, the Misunderstood were, in all but riches and renown, the American Yardbirds: a panzer-garage quintet from Riverside, California, combining electric-blues lust with rave-up dementia and tight, flammable songwriting. After an early-’66 line-up change, the band boasted, in the country-raga invention and greased lightning of steel guitar prodigy Glenn Ross Campbell, its own Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page rolled into one.

Something of an anachronism, in that they originated in California but recorded in London, The Misunderstood have two claims to fame: they were managed for a while by John Peel and recorded two of the best singles of the psychedelic era:- I Can Take You To The Sun and Children Of The Sun. Both contain some excellent guitar riffs and are sought-after by collectors. Both were recorded at the same time but the second was issued belatedly. The group started out in Riverside, California, when Treadway, Moe and Phelps (lead gtr) formed their own surfing group, The Blue Notes, changing their name to The Misunderstood in 1965 by which time Brown and Whiting had been added to their line-up. Then, having recruited Campbell from another surfing band, The Goldstones, as a replacement for Phelps, who left the band, they had cut two blues tracks, Jimmy Reed's You Don't Have To Go and Howlin' Wolf's Who's Been Talkin' as a single. These can now be heard on Before The Dream Faded, Cherry Red's 1982 release of the group's earlier material. After seeing them play a gig at the opening of a shopping centre in Riverside, John Peel (then known as Ravenscroft) realised their potential and acted as their manager. The band soon developed a mind-blowing stage act. Treadway was soon called home to be drafted and was replaced by Tony Hill, but when Moe, too, was drafted the band began to fall apart.

However, the six songs they recorded here in England (now contained on side one of Before The Dream Faded) captured the band at their creative zenith. Musically they predated Pink Floyd by several months and had the whole band not been eventually deported back to the States, they could well have attained similar status.
Campbell reformed the band in 1969 with an entirely different line-up which recorded two Rhythm and Blues influenced singles, You're Tuff Enough and Never Had A Girl (Like You Before). These were not as good as the first two singles although they do now fetch similar prices. When they collapsed, Campbell formed Juicy Lucy, with other members of this group, who reached No 14 in the UK Charts in March 1970 with Bo Diddley's Who Do You Love?. Tony Hill later joined High Tide.
However, the indications of a psychedelic revival in 1981 saw Cherry Red records reissue an EP of the band's finest songs and Rick Brown and Glenn Campbell form an Eastern-influenced hard rock outfit called The Influence. In 1982 they recorded a one-sided flexidisc, You're My Girl (Bucketfull Of Brains BOB 2), which appeared with the excellent 'Bucketfull Of Brains' magazine.
The Golden Glass EP contains material by the second line-up on the 'A' side. By then the band had veered towards blues-based progressive music. On the flip are two tracks by the earlier 1966 line-up:- Shake Your Money Maker and I'm Not Talkin', recorded at the legendary Gold Star studios. Other material recorded at these sessions was thought to have been lost, however in 1998, The Legendary Goldstar Album appeared, which combined the later Golden Glass album with these earlier 1966 cuts. Of these, I'm Not Talkin remains the highlight, with a splendid feedback freakout section.

The Golden Glass album contains material by line-up (B), including both sides of their two singles, You're Tuff Enough and Never Had A Girl Like You Before. The remaining four tracks were a cover of the Spencer Davis Group hit Keep On Running, Freedom, I'm Cruising and the Little Richard Okeh track I Don't Want To Discuss It, which is ladened with feedback. This isn't for psych heads but many appeal to progressive fans who are into long, bluesy guitar solos.
We've also recently heard that Cherry Red have released a CD of post-Misunderstood recordings, from the 1980s, which includes the re-working of many of their classic tracks.
Compilation coverage has included:- Children Of The Sun on Chocolate Soup For Diabetics, Vol. 1 (LP); Golden Glass on Rubble Vol. 4: 49 Minute Technicolour Dream; Never Had A Girl Like You Before (45 version) on Rubble Vol. 1: The Psychedelic Snarl (LP) and Rubble Vol. 1 (CD). In addition a live track recorded by Line-up 'B' Bad Hat, has also resurfaced on Turds On A Bum Ride, Vol. 4 (CD).

Tracks:

Side 1
1 Children of the Sun Hill 2:51
2 My Mind 2:34
3 Who Do You Love? 2:26
4 I Unseen Hill 2:01
5 Find a Hidden Door 2:16
6 I Can Take You to the Sun Brown 3:38

Side 1
1 I'm Not Talking 2:25
2 Who's Been Talking? Burnett 2:57
3 I Need Your Love 3:20
4 You Don't Have to Go Out Reed 4:43
5 I Cried My Eyes Out 2:39
6 Like I Do 2:51
7 You've Got Me Crying Over Love 2:22

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If there is anyone in my mind
Would they please take themselves away
Cause all time to stop
Cause all light to fade

There is no sense in this dimension
If I could leave there’d be no question
Of what I’d find...
Peace of mind

To be subjected to this world
Just as it stands is is so unkind
And the only transport out
Is oh so hard to find

There is no sense in this dimension
If I could leave there’d be no question
Of what I’d find...
Peace of mind.