CHOCOLATE TUNNEL Ostrich People 1967 PRIVATE LABEL FUZZ GARAGE PSYCH 45 LISTEN

$

40

THE CHOCOLATE TUNNEL "Ostrich People" b/w "The Highly Successful Young Rupert White"

Original 1967 45 on the US ERA label

Writing on one side of label

Vinyl:  Plays VG+

Original and oh so RARE 1967 single by the Chocolate Tunnel, “Ostrich People” b/w “The Highly Successful Young Rupert White” on the ERA label.  In an era where new bands seemingly picked names from a worn copy of Roget’s – in standard adjective/noun format, as in the Electric Prunes, the Chocolate Watchband, and the Strawberry Alarm Clock – the more nonsensical the better – these particularly cheeky Los Angelenos pulled off the ultimate coup – their name actually DOES kinda mean something.  Although any images a “chocolate tunnel” may conjure up in my head aren’t exactly ones I want in there.  How the Chocolate Tunnel boys slipped this past the censors is an amazing feat, and I wouldn’t put it past them if their live shows included “Backdoor Man” and a cover of the Doors “The End.”  It would only be fitting really. 

Now this little single could have easily become the butt of many jokes had it been poor, or even average.  But it’s not – in fact, It may be one of the finest tiny label pure psychedelic singles of 1967.  And I’m not just pulling compliments out of my…Chocolate Tunnel starts the A-side “Ostrich People” with some trippy backwards guitars and breathy vocals that sound like they were recorded in an empty airplane hangar.  The Strawberry Alarm Clock comparison made earlier is actually very fitting, especially when the xylophone and vibes kick in and start this thing off on a groovy but moody minor-key jazzy lounge shuffle.  The backing vocals echo the lead vocal, only they’re whispered, a nifty headphone trick the early Pink Floyd used to pull off (c.f. Mathilda Mother), and the whole song goes down like a glass of lemonade on a summer’s day.  Until the final chorus, when a low grumbling big hornets nest of FUZZ guitar kicks in to drive it home, along with still more trippy backwards FX. 

By now, you’re probably thinking this is either one of the most AMAZING psychedelic garage singles to grace the musical world, or it’s just a big steaming pile of…well, the Chocolate Tunnel have some words for those who refuse to listen, and it goes like this:  “Ostrich people stand around, with their heads stuck in the ground.  Thinking if they hide their heads, they never will be found.”  While the backing vocals gently whisper “Ost-rich Pee-ple!”  “Telescope people just can’t see what’s right before their nose.  The future looks so good that they can’t see when danger’s close.”  Hard to believe this amazing little psychedelic nugget’s been comped only once, and on the hard to find “All Cops in Delirium” vinyl only compilation from way, WAY back in 1980. 

Equally good is the backside…er, I mean FLIPside…”The Highly Successful Young Rupert White”, comped more recently on Fading Yellow 6 (and rightfully so) – it’s an even more moody, breathy ethereal popsike tripper, a minor-key masterpiece with more echo-chamber vocals and trancelike harmonies.  File this one alongside the Electric Prunes “Underground”, the Mandrake Memorial’s 1st album and the Collectors LPs.   So don’t be put off by the name – the Chocolate Tunnel isn’t something you wanna simply wipe off and flush away.  These kids deliver a groovy little platter of maximum lysergia.  You could say the Chocolate Tunnel plumb the very bowels of psychedelia, but be warned – do not eat THEIR brown acid. 

HEAR IT!

UPDATE: SORRY, I NO LONGER SHIP TO ITALY DUE TO A CORRUPT POSTAL SYSTEM (THERE, NOT HERE).

(THE LESS EXCITING STUFF...)

First class shipping is $4.00 in the US, with each additional record only $1 additional shipping.  Delivery confirmation included in the shipping costs.  Air mail shipping to Canada starts at $6 US, each additional record $2 shipping.  Air mail shipping everywhere else in the world starts at $8 US, with each additional record only $3 shipping.  

I try to grade as best as I can, and I list as many blemishes/imperfections I can find (writing, ringwear, scuff marks, etc.) – Also, please note that I DO listen to these albums – I may not listen to every track, but my grades are based on LISTENING, not just looking at it, since chances are you’ll be listening to the record you buy, not just looking at it.  Most of the albums I sell are the ones I’ve enjoyed for years – and I treat my records with kid gloves.  But sounds speak louder than words, so check out the sound clips below – they’re from the actual record you’re bidding on. 

SHIPPING AND PACKAGING

Listen, I buy a bunch of records too (when I’m not getting outbid at the last second, which is more often than not) – and I know what it’s like to get a rare, one-of-a-kind album packaged dangerously in a flimsy bubblewrap package.  I hate that too.  So rest assured, I ALWAYS package albums with stiff cardboard reinforcements, same for 45s.  And yes, the records are removed from the sleeves (for albums).  I ship out once a week, every Friday, because I have a regular day job.  But I’d be willing to give that up if you’d all be so kind as to bid my items up to stupidly high amounts. 

NOW IT’S YOUR TURN…

I will always leave positive feedback for successful transactions, and would appreciate the same in return.  All I ask of you is the following – please pay for your items within 14 days of the close of auction.  Compared to other sellers, that’s a generous amount of time, so if you don’t pay within 2 weeks, then I have to assume something’s wrong.  You’ll get an Ebay payment reminder at that point, and possibly a decapitated horse head in your bed.  If, after 30 days, you still haven’t forked up the cash, I’ll relist the item and yell at you if I ever see you in town.