10 Questions

Hail Voyagers! For the dedicated readers of this blog, (and all of the friends I'm in constant contact with), today's guest will come as no surprise as I've been fervently spreading the news about this band for quite some time. It's Justin Angelo Morey of the Black Hollies!



He's dapper. He's dandy. And he's a damned-fine lyricist, too! The only way I can describe the Black Hollies sound is by saying: picture a massive pile of the most fashionable clothes from the Swingin' London/Carnaby Street 60s.....now picture a man with all kinds of sharp objects-, scissors, razors, scalpels.....said man takes his various implements and from these various whole cloths creates an entire new wardrobe. We get facets of the originals but no exact copies. This is something brand new and just as exciting. This is the Black Hollies, to these ears.
They give appreciative nods to the bands they love and admire but there's no wholesale theft of the ideas. No, Justin Angelo Morey has ideas aplenty in that well-coiffed head of his. (And, there may be debate as to which he works longer on: his hair or creating a new song. Either way, we win.)

Let's get inside that head and see what he thinks of psychedelia, shall we?



1. In ten words-or less, define "psychedelic music."

Surrealistic Images, Manic Break-Beats, Reverberation, Soulful Bass, Fuzz Box.

2. What is the most psychedelic instrument, why?

Mellotron. There's something so incredibly interesting about this primitive sampler. The sounds projected are so far off the mark of the original instruments they were trying to accurately produce. This particular flaw enables this instrument to entirely have an original voice of it's own.


3. Favorite psychedelic album of all time?

Piper At The Gates Of Dawn by The Pink Floyd



4. If you could be a member of any band in history, what band would it be and what would you play?

It would be rather interesting to have been the bass player on Motown songs recorded from 1965-1967.

5. You can time-travel and sit in on one album's recording session, which band making what album do you choose? Why?

It's probably a tie between Revolver by the Beatles or any later era recording sessions with the Yardbirds. My reasons are based upon reading stories related to these particular sessions. Not to mention visions of dolly birds wandering about in their micro-mini skirts.



6. What psychedelic album do you wish more people knew about?
Odgens Nut Gone Flake by the Small Faces.



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

8. What album would you most like to cover in its entirety, why?

Soul Sounds by Chris Clark. Wait a minute, I take that back. I wouldn't want to be held responsible for butchering another artist's work of art.

9. Top Ten Psychedelic Songs?

1. Real Crazy Apartment- Winston's Fumbs
2. Save My Soul- Wimple Winch
3. Walking Through My Dreams- The Pretty Things
4. Love Hate Revenge- Episode Six
5. Garden Of My Mind- The Mickey Finn
6. Children Of The Sun- The Misunderstood
7. Red Sky At Night- The Accent
8. Happenings Ten Years Time Ago- The Yardbirds
9. Up The Wooden Hills To Bedforshire- The Small Faces
10. When The Night Falls- The Eyes



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

Justin Angelo: How would you rate my answers on a scale of 1-2?
-valis: I'm going with the Zeno's Paradox response here, Justin Angelo.

A couple of things to let you know about readers:
1. The Black Hollies new album, Casting Shadows, is out on Ernest Jenning Records and should be widely available at fine music purveyors everywhere. (Otherwise they're not "fine purveyors.")

2. To fathom the full immersive experience that is a live Black Hollies show their set at the Hi-Tone in Memphis is still available here.

Thank you Justin Angelo!