H.P. Lovecraft (band)

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BettyLouSpence
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H.P. Lovecraft (band)

Post by BettyLouSpence »

H.P. Lovecraft was(were?) an psychedelic rock band that was around from 1967 to 1969. They only lasted two years, but during that all too brief time they gave us some wonderful music. Their studio songs were great, but I prefer them live.

Wayfaring Stranger (from their eponymous debut album, 1967)

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=GsfPkfHKwxE


Wayfaring Stranger (live at the Fillmore West, Feb 11 1968)

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5pNC2OnuYhk


Bonus: cover of Fred Neil's That's The Bag I'm In (from debut album)

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=S7XyDjgdKpA
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donnie
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Re: H.P. Lovecraft (band)

Post by donnie »

Those are good sounds! I don't think I was even aware this band existed. I wonder why they didn't hang around longer...

Wayfaring Stranger is an old Appalachian folk song I'm very familiar with, but I never heard it done like that! :D But I like their version. The first studio one seems to have some horns in it, but I don't hear any in the rest. That's the Bag I'm In is a good one, also.

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BettyLouSpence
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Re: H.P. Lovecraft (band)

Post by BettyLouSpence »

donnie wrote:
Wed Jul 08, 2020 8:43 pm
Those are good sounds! I don't think I was even aware this band existed. I wonder why they didn't hang around longer...
The bands co-founder, Dave Michaels, left in late 1968 after the release of the second album to return to his studies at university. This led to the bands breakup in early 1969. One member joined another band called Tengor Flying Circus... and then he and another former H.P. Lovecraft member formed the band Lovecraft/Love Craft, which was a sort of successor to the original. That new band performed on and off until 1980. Whew!
"If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need."
~ Cicero, Letters to Friends, Book IX Letter IV

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donnie
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Re: H.P. Lovecraft (band)

Post by donnie »

Interesting history! Thanks for the info. I wonder why they named the original band after the writer.

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BettyLouSpence
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Re: H.P. Lovecraft (band)

Post by BettyLouSpence »

donnie wrote:
Thu Jul 09, 2020 9:27 pm
I wonder why they named the original band after the writer.
From Wikipedia:
"Anyway That You Want Me" was coupled with "It's All Over for You", a George Edwards solo outtake from the previous year, and released as a single under the moniker of H. P. Lovecraft in early 1967 by the Mercury Records' subsidiary Philips.[3][6] The decision to release the single as H. P. Lovecraft, rather than as a George Edwards solo release, was made by Dunwich founders Bill Traut and George Badonsky, who were both fans of the literary works of horror writer H. P. Lovecraft and had, in fact, named Dunwich Records after Lovecraft's short story "The Dunwich Horror".[8] Edwards and Michaels were both enthusiastic about the band name and after permission from Lovecraft's estate was secured, the duo set about recruiting other musicians to form a permanent line-up of the band.[8]
"If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need."
~ Cicero, Letters to Friends, Book IX Letter IV

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donnie
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Re: H.P. Lovecraft (band)

Post by donnie »

I see. Thanks!

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