H. P. Lovecraft - Wayfaring Stranger (US 1967)

H.P. Lovecraft was an American psychedelic rock group in the 1960s, later resurrected with a revised line-up as Lovecraft in the 1970s. The band was named for the famous horror writer. Originally formed in Chicago, Illinois in 1967, they relocated to San Francisco, California the following year.

History:

H. P. Lovecraft fashioned a hybrid of acid-folk-rock and oddly striking vocal harmonies from two contrasting sources. Band founder George Edwards had been a folk troubadour in Chicago, California, and Florida, and whose repertoire included covers of The Beatles Norwegian Wood and Bob Dylans Quit Your Low Down Ways, as well as early songs by Fred Neil and Terry Callier, with both of whom he played in clubs. Vocalist/keyboard player Dave Michaels, who had previously played in jazz groups with David Sanborn, boasted a classical training and a four-octave range.

After covering Chip Taylors Any Way That You Want Me with members of Chicago band The Rovin Kind , Edwards and Michaels became the creative force behind the group. After getting clearance from the executors of the science fiction writer H.P. Lovecraft, they recruited Tony Cavallari (lead guitar), Mike Tegza (drums) and Jerry McGeorge (bass) (who had previously seen the group perform at The Cellar, a dance club in the northwestern suburbs of Chicago [3] ). A debut album for Philips, H. P. Lovecraft, soon followed.

Featuring a nine-piece orchestra, it juxtaposed covers such as Dino Valentes hippie anthem Get Together and the early Randy Newman ballad Ive Been Wrong Before, with band-written songs including the jazzy That's How Much I Love You (More Or Less) and vaudeville psychedelia in The Time Machine. A musical tribute to their novelist namesake, based on his short story The White Ship, was drenched in hallucinatory harmonies, droning feedback, baroque harpsichord passages and the chiming of a genuine 1811 ships bell.

Edwards and Michaels duel lead vocals distinguished the band's sound — influenced by Fred Neil's earlier work with Vince Martin—the intricate organ and harpsichord work of Michaels, and the propulsive drumming of Tegza. Several of their songs attempted to communicate the eerie atmosphere of the writings of their namesake. Their power and imagination as a live group can be heard on Live at the Fillmore: May 11, 1968, recorded after McGeorge had been replaced by Jeffrey Boyan, and issued in the 1990s.

A second studio album, H. P. Lovecraft II, followed. Although recorded with the band in some disarray, it successfully developed their musical approach and stands as an exemplar of acid rock of the period. Many of the psychedelic effects were apparently created by engineer Chris Huston, previously of Merseybeat band The Undertakers. The album included another song based on a Lovecraft short story, At the Mountains of Madness, as well as a contribution from voice artist Ken Nordine on the track "Nothing's Boy", and songs by Terry Callier and others.

In late 1968, Michaels decided to leave the band to return to university, and H. P. Lovecraft effectively collapsed. A spin-off group, Lovecraft, reformed in the 1970s with Edwards and Tegza from the original line-up, but Edwards departed from the group very soon after. The group released two more poorly-regarded albums, but had little connection to the first incarnation of the band.

Edwards has subsequently played in folk clubs as Ethan Kenning, occasionally reuniting with Michaels who also performs as David Miotke.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• HP
• Lovecraft
• Wayfaring
• Stranger
• 60s
• 1967
• Psychedelic
• Acid
• Folk
• Rock

[Cthulhu123]

Pink Floyd + Beatles + Cowbell? Just sayin'...

[simonsbuddy]

This is a classic 60's version of a traditional folk song from one of the best (but unknown and underappreciated) psychedelic bands of the 60's...I love the harmonies, arrangement, presenation...but I need MORE COWBELL!

HPL has a number of memorable songs, some of which are not on youtube yet, like I've been wrong before. There's a double CD available for not too much money, of their first album and a live set at Fillmore which is essential for any serious 60's music collection.

[blecamp]

needs more cowbell

[Maetel22]

I played this in my car when I went down to Innsmouth for a family reunion

[DJSteveMakropoulos]

Great Song. We played it in the rock band "DARVELLS II" back in 1970-71, at Kennedy H.S.Chicago Ill, with Sal Farnella,(rhythm guitar) Al Cardelli,(Lead Guitar) Rich Lisak(Drums),Dave Dancer(Hamon B3) Steve Makropoulos(Bass) 

[THEWIKANMAN]

I got a fever . . . . . MORE COWBELL

[gottselig2004]

@Cthulhu123 no...not even close

[cdxww]

Some say the second album was a drug casualty... but I say it was a carefully crafted drug masterpiece..so creep up and subliminal..the final words have three translations possible: "It's all over now" or "It's all over the house" or the best yet: "It's all opening out!" -Jim at CD EXCHANGE of Walla Walla, WA

[TheOneartist]

@DoktorFranken Woah, that's crazy, because I'm from the Chicago suburbs as well, but I'm 18. Farfisa's are kickass. I know someone that goes to Glenbard West, but I was in neither of those.

[DoktorFranken]

My band back in the late sixties from Glenbard East HS, Hot Fudge, used to play this tune. It was one of our better songs. I was playing Farfisa organ and singing the high part in our band for this number.

Many Chicago area kids knew this band well since the bass player came from The Shadows of Knight (Gloria).

[TheOneartist]

And you've got the wrong album cover. This is the cover from their second album, but the song is from their first.

[TheOneartist]

Hope there's a good mono version of this I can find. I like this song, but the stereo mix makes it sound weak. Most albums back then had weak stereo mixes.