10 Questions

Week's end greetings to all & sundry! After yesterday's special post we resume some sense of what passes for normalcy 'round here with the "10 Questions" survey.

Our guest today is a multi-talented, multi-instrumentalist who's been a part of some of the most enjoyable music we've ("the 'Royal We', dude...") ever had piped into our earholes. Ever.

Recording with Lars Pedersen in The Last James on their self-titled album in 1993, as well as 1996's Kindergarten, he then contributed to the Tables 2003 release Nevermynd the Hillocks (Treble Without a Cause), and rejoined old friend Lars on his (great!-imho) When release from 2007, Trippy Happy.

In the midst of all that he released his own What Is To Come? album under the moniker of Sir Haakon & the Popular Musicians, in 2002, and two solo albums: Minstrel, (2001), and Bounty, (2005).

Music fans, I present-proudly, Norway's own Haakon Ellingsen!






On with the questions!

1. In ten words-or less, define "psychedelic music".
Magical, a dip into the subconscious, tingling... (Alice in W?), spirituality, open-minded, crossing borders, experimental (at its best).

2. What is the most psychedelic instrument, why?
I am very found of the harpsichord myself... but the sound I often think about when I think about psychedelia is the sound of a tape loop going backwards, or anything played backwards...

3. Favorite psychedelic album of all time?
I think it must be: The Byrds "The Notorious Byrd Brothers". In fact I thought about it yesterday evening...: that I wanted to listen to it today...


4. If you could be a "fly on the wall" at one recording session in history, what band recording what album would you most like to witness?
I think it must be the Sgt. Pepper album: would certainly be a thrill... Or the Notorious B Brothers sessions without the quarrels between Crosby, Hillman and McGuinn... Or maybe that is called to be creative...

5. What psychedelic album do you wish more people knew about?

Michele "Saturn Rings". I think it was produced by Curt Boettcher of The Millenium. Very nice at it best though it gets a little bit too "spiritual" sometimes.
And if I could mention one more thing... : a compilation I bought last week: "Dutch Rare Folk: Lost Classics From The Golden Age Of Nederfolk":
a treasure... : folk, but often with a touch of psychedelia. Music from The Netherlands in the ‘70s!...



6. What band, active today, most defines "psychedelic" to you?

Caribou.

7. What Scandinavian band, according to you, is the most psychedelic?

I may be allowed to mention my ex-collaborator Lars Pedersen and his playful and highly creative project: WHEN...


8. Can you tell us something we didn't know about The Last James recording process?
Though "Kindergarten" may be a psychedelic recording and you are expected not to be very boring when it comes to stimuli we were just drinking tea... and I mean tea (not like in that Rutles movie… ).


9. What are your Top Ten Psychedelic Songs?

The Hollies: "Butterfly"
Donovan: "Wear Your Love Like Heaven"
The Byrds "Goin Back"
The Byrds "Everybody’s Been Burned"
Billy Nicholls "Life Is Short"
The Millenium "Another Time"
Margo Guryan "Think Of Rain"
Beach Boys "God Only Knows"
The Beau Brummels "Magic Hollow"
Mama Cass Elliot "The Good Times Are Coming"



Well, I could go on forever.. : These are just a few of my favourite things... and they may not be in the right order... 1 could mean 2 and 3 could have been nr 8 etc.

10. Turn the tables, if you'd like, and ask me a question.

Haakon:If I turn the table: Recordings that you would like to recommend to me...? Now that you know my taste...
valis: Well Haakon, here are a few of my recommendations:

- The Majority One - Rainbow Rocking Chair

-Beauregard Ajax - Deaf Priscilla

-Picadilly Line - The Huge World Of Emily Small

-Rainbow Ffolly - Sallies Forth

-Various Artists: - Tea & Symphony (The English Baroque Sound 1967-1974

-Various Artists: - Get Ready To Fly (Pop-Psych from the Norman Petty Vaults

That should keep you busy for a few evenings! Thank you Haakon! Have a great Summer!

(Also, THANK YOU readers, for indulging me on yesterday's post.)