- Jerald Kolbrak (aka Billy Baker, Billy Boyd, Don Daily, 

  Jerry Cole) (RIP 2008) -- guitar

- 101 Strings (Jerry Cole)

- Mike Adams and the Red Jackets (Jerry Cole)

- The Animated Egg (Jerry Cole and Don Dexter)

- BIlly Baker (Jerry Cole)

- The Bandits (Jerry Cole)

- Bebe Bardon and 101 Strings (Jerry Cole)

- The Black Diamonds (Jerry Cole)

- The Blasters (Jerry Cole)

- BIlly Boyd (Jerry Cole)

- California Earthquake (Don Dexter)

- The Champs (Jerry Cole)

- Jerry Cole (solo efforts)

- Jerry Cole and the Country Boys (Jerry Cole)

- Jerry Cole and the Robert Evans Chorus (Jerry Cole)

- Jerry Cole & the Stingers (Jerry Cole)

- Jerry Cole and His Spacemen (Jerry Cole)

- The Detours (Jerry Cole)

- Mr. Gasser & the Weirdos (Jerry Cole)

- The Cee-Gees (Jerry Cole)

- Don and Eddie (Jerry Cole)

- The Deuce Coups (Jerry Cole)

- The Haircuts and the Impossibles (Jerry Cole)

- The Hornets (Jerry Cole)

- The Hot Rodders (Jerry Cole)

- The Id (Jerry Cole and Don Dexter)

- The Kickstands (Jerry Cole)

- The Knights (Jerry Cole)

- Jerry Kole and the Strokers (Jerry Cole)

- The Mustang (Jerry Cole)

- The Projection Company (Jerry Cole and Don Dexter)

- Johnny Rivers and Jerry Cole

- The Scramblers (Jerry Cole)

- The Stone Canyon Rock Group (Jerry Cole and Don Dexter)

- The Super Stocks (Jerry Cole)

- T. Swift and the Electric Bag (Jerry Cole and Don Dexter)

- Them (Jerry Cole)

- Billy J. Tyler and Palomino Boys (Jerry Cole)

- The Underground Electrics (Jerry Cole)

- Eddie Wayne (Jerry Cole)

- The Winners (Jerry Cole)

Genre: psych

Rating: *** (3 stars)

Title:  Are You Experienced

Company: Custom

Catalog: CS 1115

Year: 1968

Country/State: US

Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+

Comments: still in shrink wrap (opened)

Available: 1

Catalog ID: not yet listed

Price: $75.00

As you can probably tell from poking around the BadCatRecords site, I'll readily admit that I have a thing for exploito psych.  There's something fascinating in many of these quickie collections that were simply meant to part consumers from their hard earned dollar.  Music as a commodity rather than art ...

Speculation on my part, but give it was released on the small L.A. based Custom label (which released a string of budget albums), I'm guessing it was one of the albums in the late Jerry Kolbrak's long running and eclectic musical career. Better known as Jerry Cole, even though I own quite a bit of his work, the guy's largely a mystery to me. His discography is like some sort of virus, seemingly extending into every dark corner of the music industry.  By my incomplete count, he released material under at least forty different names and bands - the vast majority on fly-by-night budget labels like Crown and Custom.  In many cases Cole doesn't even seem to have known some of his work had been sold and released without his concurrence.  Trying to fully document everything he's touched would be a nightmare for anyone brave enough to give it a shot.   Anyhow, assuming it is a Jerry Cole release, this was the sole album under the T. Swift nameplate.  In typical exploito fashion, 1968's "Are You Experienced" contained no writing credits, no performance credits and no production credits (although the back panel carried a ton of technical data on the way the record was cut). That said, the result was a surprisingly enjoyable slice of period psychedelia ... Clearly a throwaway collection, the set offered up a mixture of  impressive originals and popular covers such as the Hendrix title track and a cover of the The Box Tops' 'The Letter' (re-titled as 'A Jet').  Elsewhere the musicians lock, stock and barrel appropriated The Classic IV's 'Spooky', re-titling it 'Take It Easy Baby'.  My favorite performances were the most psych oriented numbers - the title track, the raga-flavored 'Free From In 6' and the albus's most experimental number 'Expo In Sound'.   Nah, it won't appeal to everyone, but for those of you into this weird subgenre, it's an one of the genre's best set !  Fun album to listen to.

"Are You Experienced" track listing:

(side 1)
1.) Are You Experienced (instrumental) (Jimi Hendrix) - 4:37 rating: **** stars

I'm certainly most folks have heard far worse versions of this Hendrix classic.  And while this one doesn't stray far from the original arrangement, the performance was energetic; particularly when the lead guitarist gets going and the vocals quite acid soaked.  Imagine a stripped-down, lo-fi version of the Hendrix classic. My first choice would still be listening to the Hendrix original, but this wasn't a half-bad second choice.
2.) As I Grow Into a Man - 2:46 rating: **** stars

'As I Grow Into a Man' was a surprisingly sweet and commercial pop tune.  Kind of a mid-'60s Neil Diamond heartache vibe going on this one.  It would have made a nice AM single.
3.) Red Eyes (Instrumental) - 2:56 rating: **** stars

The slashing Telecaster sound that powered the bouncy instrumental 'Red Eyes' has always reminded me of an early Roy Buchanan performance.  I'm a big Buchanan fan so that was a good thing in my book.
4.) A Jet (instrumental) (Wayne Carson)- 2:28 rating: ** stars

I guess to avoid paying the royalty fees the instrumental cover of The Box Tops' 'The Letter' was simply re-titled 'A Jet'.   The album's first disappointment, the performance wasn't bad, but why not just listen to Alex Chilton and company's classic version?
5.) Take It Easy Baby - 3:05 rating: ** stars

It didn't take a lot of effort to figure out this was simply The Classic IV's 'Spooky' fitted with a new set of lyrics (not nearly as good as the originals).  Again, just go listen to the original version.

(side 2)
1.) What's Your Bag (instrumental) - 2:09 rating: *** stars

The jangle-rock instrumental 'What's Your Bag' has always reminded me of something The T-Bones might have recorded - there was kind of a 'What Matter What Shape Your Stomach's In' flavor to it.  Always loved the Farfisa organ sounds on this one.
2.) Free From In 6 (instrumental) - 2:07 rating: **** stars

With a distinctive raga flavor the instrumental 'Free From In 6' was one of the abum's more psychedelic offerings. Loved the big, thudding bass line on this one.  Which this one had been longer.
3.) The Stinger (instrumental) - 2:36 rating: *** stars

Perhaps just coincidence but Jerry Cole recorded a couple of surf-rock flavored albums that were credited to The Stingers and Jerry Cole and the Stingers.  This one could easily have fit on one of those mid-'60s releases - plenty of stinging Telecaster ...
4.) The Strut (instrumental) - 2:25 rating: ** stars

A bluesy vamp, 'The Strut' wasn't much to get excited about.  Sounded like an in-studio jam session woth Booker T. on Hammond B-3.
5.) Expo In Sound (instrumental) - 4:34 rating: **** stars

'Expo In Sound' was a fascinating tune that stood as the album's most experimental performance.  The opening sounded like an oscillator on it's last moments and from their the band moved into slinky discoteque territory.  Tres chic !!!