10 Questions

Hail Voyagers! Welcome back for yet another entry in the "10 Questions" series. This time our participants, (yes, we've multiple answerers,) come from the land of the volcano and other cool things: Iceland!

We have Axel Björnsson & Alex Nehru of The Dandelion Seeds! Their EP, Good Times With.., gets consistent play in this house. (We're gonna' need more gentlemen!)



Anna Margrét Björnsson of The Reykjavik Grapevine waxed thusly on a show of theirs last Fall:
" When the five fresh faced youngsters came on stage something quite
magical happened. These British invasion styled feedback rockers created
an amazing and all-encompassing wall of noise with sixties
psych-patterned videos overlaid on sixties soft porn and go go dancing
projecting in the background. The gallery space turned out to be a
magnificent venue, with plenty of space for the musicians and plenty of
walls for the sound to resonate from. If you mix up the British blues
invasion, the psych of UFO and Middle Earth with the eighties feedback
world of Spacemen 3 and Loop, and stir in a hefty dose of darkwave,
you’ll get The Dandelion Seeds. How's that for a wicked recipe? The
Dandelion Seeds do seem to live in their own little world of sixties
psychedelia but at least they're doing something completely different
from anyone else playing Airwaves this year. They managed to create a
stunning show and a sonic explosion that will be hard to forget."

So, let's see what they're thinking:

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

Psychedelic music is the externalization of our own innermost perspectives.

2. What is the most psychedelic instrument, why?
Alex Nehru:

If we look up the word 'Psyche' in Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, one of the results we get is: "2. The soul; the vital principle; the mind."

Why, isn't it obvious? The most psychedelic instrument is the human mind for it is the essence of our creativity. The existence of every instrument, musical or otherwise, is but the result of this same creative spark and if it wasn't for human thought there would be no instruments in this world.

Furthermore, we may express only what we perceive in space. What we think is molded by what we perceive and what we express is molded by what we think. Without thought, without perception there would be no expression.

3. Favorite psychedelic album of all time?
July (1968) by July




4. What song or album that wouldn't fall into the classic "psych" definition is, nevertheless, psychedelic to you?
Axel Björnsson:

Fly like an Eagle - Steve Millers Band



Alex Nehru:

"Brian Jones Presents the Pipes of Pan at Joujouka" by the Master Musicians of Joujouka could be described as "psychedelic", although "Sufi-trance" would be a better term. It's a great album nevertheless.



5. What was the first song or album you remember listening to in an 'altered' state? (*"altered" does not imply illegal.)
A mix CD of songs by the Strawberry Alarm Clock.



6. Who are some of your favorite bands working within the "psychedelic" genre right now?
Axel Björnsson:

Thee Oh Sees, Dead Meadow, Om. Brian Jonestown Massacre, Caribou (before last record) Darker My Love

7. Name your 5 'Desert Island Albums':

Axel Björnsson:

The Mamas and the Papas - If You Can Believe Your Eyes And Ears, Black Sabbath- Black Sabbath, Gene Clark - Echoes, and the rest would be some pebbles, nuggets and back from the grave compilations.



Alex Nehru:

The Beatles - Rubber Soul, Love - Forever Changes, Pink Floyd - A Saucerful of Secrets, The Rolling Stones - Their Satanic Majesties Request, Psychic TV - Dreams Less Sweet


8. Was there a song or album which made the decision to play this type of music a creative goal of yours?
Alex Nehru:

The Crazy World of Arthur Brown was my earliest and greatest inspiration for entering the world of psychedelic music. I've been listening to that one since I was ten.



9. Top Ten Psychedelic Songs?
Axel Björnsson:

The Byrds - Eight Miles High,
Syd Barrett - No Good Tryin,
July - The Way,
Rolling Stones - 2000 Light Years From Home,
Eric Burdon & The Animals - When I was Young,
The Byrds - I Wasn’t Born To Follow,
The Beatles - Tomorrow Never Knows,
The Strawberry Alarm Clock - The Curse Of The Witches,
Hawkwind - Silver Machine,
House of Nimrod - Slightly-Delic


Alex Nehru:

The Rolling Stones - Sing This All Together,
The Beatles - Tomorrow Never Knows,
The Strawberry Alarm Clock - The World's On Fire,
July - The Way,
The Moon - I Should Be Dreaming
The Association - Pandora's Golden Heebie Jeebies,
Purple Canteen - Brains In My Feet,
House of Nimrod - Slightly-Delic,
Pink Floyd - Let There Be More Light,
Aphrodite's Child - The Four Horsemen


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

What do you like more? Pink Floyd before or after Syd Barrett and why?
-valis: While I like both, I listen to post-Syd PF far more. Larger body of work for one thing, and for me they were extending the original vision without Syd. Wish You Were Here & Dark Side of the Moon are favorites.

Alex Nehru:

What is the answer to life, the universe and everything?
-valis 23

Thanks Axel & Alex! Best wishes to The Dandelion Seeds in all your endeavors!