Notes from the Underground

Berkeley, CA, psychedelic clothing Records in the Underground formed in 1965, originally made up of vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Fred Sokolow, guitarist Tag Mandell, bassist Mike O’Connor, keyboardist John Miller, and drummer Joe Luke. Among the initial Bay Area rock and roll rings of any true difference, the group performed at the initial Longshoreman’s Hall concert provided with the now-legendary Family members Pup collective — in addition they regularly headlined the neighborhood membership the Jabberwock once the home band, their key rivals Nation Joe & the Seafood, were going for a evening off. Using the exits of Miller and Luke, Records in the Underground recruited keyboardist Jim Function and drummer Peter Ostwald; immediately after, fledgling manufacturer and folklorist Chris Strachwitz suggested helming the Records’ first documenting program, which yielded a self-titled EP released in 1966 over the Adjustments label. The attendant promotion without doubt prompted an give to serve because the home music group at Berkeley’s New Orleans Home, accompanied by a agreement with Vanguard Information — after swapping Work with jazz-trained keyboardist Skip Rose, the Records traveled to NEW YORK to cut their lone LP (also self-titled), an expansive, eclectic affair highlighted with the one “Down within the Cellar.” Nevertheless, both O’Connor and Ostwald resigned immediately after the periods covered, and Vanguard — questioning the band’s continuing life — opted to cut its loss, spending no cash on advertising and voiding their agreement. Sokolow and Mandell even so forged forward, assembling a patchwork lineup that included prodigal bandmate Miller in addition to bassist Bing Nathan and drummer Furry Grasso. Relocating from Berkeley to Taos, NM, do little to push away the inevitable, nevertheless, and Records through the Underground dissolved in 1969. Sokolow and Mandell after that came back to Berkeley and shaped a new task, Prince Bakaradi; in 1977, the previous also documented a single bluegrass effort entitled Bluegrass Banjo Innovations.