SOUTHWEST F.O.B.:Smell of Incense / US Psych orig.LP EX

	£		72
	$		95

SOUTHWEST F.O.B.: Smell Of Incense ((HIP #HIS 7001 USA 1968)
Rare US original LP

This Dallas outfit was originally called Theze Few and included England Dan and John Ford Coley, who went on to achieve considerable success as a duo.
In 1967 they played a gig in Dallas with visiting L.A outfit, the West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band. Impressed by the latter's tune, Smell Of Incense,
they decided to record it, shortening it for AM radio consumption and adding superbly-executed five-part harmonies. The result was a hit single which
reached No. 56 in the Billboard chart.

Their pleasant soft rock album was recorded at Robin Hood Brians studios in Tyler, Texas on October 25/27th, 1968, and has some psychedelic influences
as well as a risque (for 1968) cover shot of four naked women enclosed in a plexiglass box (calling Dr. Freud!).
"And Another Thing" is an interesting extended track, much in the In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida mould, with echoing drums rolling back and forth across the stereo mix over a bass ostinato. There are also good versions of Buffalo Springfield's "Rock 'N' Roll Woman" and Chuck Berry's "Nadine" as well as a few harbingers of England Dan and John Ford Coley's somewhat bland future sound.

Southwest F.O.B were apparently a killer live act to the extent that they reportedly blew Led Zeppelin off stage in August, 1969 (a gig which culminated in Zeke setting his cymbals on fire and throwing his drumkit all over the stage). They generally opened with a set of soul covers then, after a costume change, did a set of Cream-like hard rock and finished with a set of original material. They were also known for their attire (powder blue double-breasted suits with high collars) which were designed by their guitarist, Ovid.

After Woolbridge and Bates left the band, ennui set in and sessions for a proposed second album were aborted (in Coley's words, "Everyone was pretty disorganized; people were drunk and passed out." Soon after, Seals and Coley left and the remaining quartet settled into playing a Southern blues styled music but the group fell apart a year later when Zeke got married and pulled out of a tour.

On the Big Beat release And Another Thing was edited down to just over two minutes. This release also substitutes the weaker album cuts with the singles and three otherwise unreleased tracks You're Looking So Fine, Monday's World, and I'm Coming. These seem to date from late in the group's career. Curiously the Sundazed CD omits these three tracks but includes all the rest of their output including Mercy, Mercy, Mercy from the Soul Explosion album, and both sides of the Theze Few single.

The Smell Of Incense has also resurfaced on Psychedelic Microdots Of The Sixties, Vol. 1 (CD). The non-album flip, Green Skies, has resurfaced on, Psychedelic Microdots Of The Sixties Vol. 2 (CD).

The "F.O.B." apparently stood for "Freight On Board". RECORD EX 

GRADINGS:  

Records are graded first,then covers

S/S = still sealed
M = mint , new or unplayed condition…cover is nice and new looking with no ring wear.
M- = near perfect copy, played only a few times.
EX = only slight signs of wear; very clean, only light surface marks which will not distract
        significantly from the sound…sleeve also has only slight wear, and is still in nice
        collectible.
VG++ = played often with moderate surface wear and some moderate noise, still plays well…
        sleeve may have medium overall wear or some ring wear.
VG+ = overall wear, but no skips of serious defects, more noisy sound during quiet passages…
        sleeve is well worn, usually with considerable ring wear.
VG = plays a lot, heavy wear on record and cover…guarantee does not apply to vg- or worse
        condition records.

A FEW ABBREVIATIONS: 

CC=cut corner    COH=cut out hole     WOC=writing on cover     SOC     (sticker on cover)    

WOBC=writing on back cover     TOC=tear on cover     TOBC=tear on back cover    

NWOFC=name written on front cover     NWOBC=name written on back cover    

NWOL=name written on label     WLP=white label promo     SRW=slight ringwear    

SEW=slight edge warp     CW=cover wear     S/S=still sealed     SPLS=split seams    

SIS=still in shrink     TOS=tape on seams     FOC=fold out cover     BC=band corner    

SCW=slight cover wear     SOC=sticker on cover     WOL=writing on label    

SOBC=sticker on back cover     PRS=promo stamp or promo sticker     RW=ringwear    

OIS=original innersleeve     WD=water damages     FAQ=frequently asked questions    

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