Genre: psych
Rating: *** (3 stars)
Title: Presenting Lothar and the Hand People
Company: Capitol
Catalog: ST-2297
Year: 1968
Country/State: Denver, Colorado
Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+
Comments: --
Available: 1
GEMM catalog ID: 4
Price: $35.00
Cost: $1.00
Formed in 1966 and
based in Denver, Colorado, Lothar and the Hand People (guitarists Paul Conly
and Kim King, therminist John Emlin, drummer Tom Flye and bassist Rusty
Ford), attracted a small, but loyal local following, before deciding to
relocate to New York later in the year. Playing the local club circuit, the
group attracted fleeting attention by incorporating a theremin into their
act (if like us you didn't know, a theremin is an electronic wand which
makes an odd noises when you wave your hands around it - the device was
commonly used in horror films to generate shrieks and screams).
Somehow signed by Capitol, the band released a series of three little heard
singles before getting Capital's financial support for an album. Produced by
Robert Marguleff, 1968's "Presenting Lothar
and the Hand People" was fairly diverse, including stabs
at conventional ballads ("This Is It"), martial dance-rock
("Machines"), novelties (the cult classic "Woody
Woodpecker") and sci-fi-cum-psychedelia ("It Comes On Anyhow
" and "Sex and Violence"). Curiously, having marketed the
band on the strength of the theremin, except for occasional song intros and
solos (checkout the goofy "Kids Are Little People" and their cover
of "Bye Bye Love"), the instrument simply wasn't much in evidence.
Elsewhere, "Milkweed Love" and "Paul In Love" may have
been among the first efforts to incorporate synthesizers in a lead
instrument role. Certainly the lack of a distinctive singer, let alone the
absence of strong songwriters didn't help the proceedings. Needless to say,
the album quickly vanished and can now best be termed a psychedelic relic.
"Presenting Lothar and the Hand People" track listing:
(side
1)
1.) Machines (Mort
Shuman) - 2:30
2.) This Is It (Paul Conly - John Emelin - Tom Flye - Rusty Ford - Kim King)
- 2:40
3.) This May Be Goodbye (Paul Conly - John Emelin - Tom Flye - Rusty Ford -
Kim King) - 2:20
4.) That's Another Story (Paul Conly - John Emelin - Tom Flye - Rusty Ford -
Kim King) - 2:00
5.) Kids Are Little People (Paul Conly - John Emelin - Tom Flye - Rusty Ford
- Kim King) - 2:18
6.) Ha (Ho) (Paul Conly - John Emelin - Tom Flye - Rusty Ford - Kim King) -
2:40
(side 2)
1.) Sex and
Violence (Paul Conly - John Emelin - Tom Flye - Rusty Ford - Kim King) -
2:33
2.) Bye Bye Love (Bryant - Bryant) - 2:12
3.) Milkweed Love (Paul Conly - John Emelin - Tom Flye - Rusty Ford - Kim
King) -2:48
4.) You Won't Be Lonely (Paul Conly - John Emelin - Tom Flye - Rusty Ford -
Kim King) - 2:25
5.) Woody Woodpecker (Idriss - Tibbles) - :41
6.) It Comes On Anyhow (Paul Conly - John Emelin - Tom Flye - Rusty Ford -
Kim King) - 3:10
7.) Paul, In Love (instrumental) (Paul Conly) - 2:50
In 1994 the One Way label reissued the debut set in CD format. The track
listing was augmented by the "A" and "B" sides from the
band's first three non-lp singles.
