THE HUMAN BEINZ/NOBODY BUT ME ST-2906 (-67) US STEREO

Those were the days when about any aspiring rockband with enough skill and contemorary agenda could sign a contract for a major label. Often unvalued by executives, instead coupled with understanding producers who did their best to get the band's intentions on track. This is an exemple of that and a good one too. Ohio cover combo starting as The Premiers 1964, but soon changed their name to The Human Beingz to better fit the zeitgeist. The dropped g into Beinz was apparently a label mishap they decided to go with. After a good start reaching #8 on Billboard with a cover of Isley Brothers "Nobody But Me" - spiced with a fine guitar solo and a borderline psych feeling - that was it and they're now considered a one-hit-wonder. Though with continuing success in Japan and a couple of other countries the American dream was soon over and they broke up 1969. This debute album has a mix of covers and self-penned with four tracks written by producer Lex De Azevedo. Side one is mainly up-tempo while side two consists of much calmer stuff. All of it well sung, well played and well produced with fine audio. Maybe not breathtaking, but as whole a worthy exemple of American sixties rock. A little too neat to be called garage, but naked enough. Favorite tracks - the rockers "Nobody But Me", "The Shaman" and "Turn On Your Love Light" plus the much slower "Black Is The Color Of My True Love's Hair" because of its weird orchestral psych part. Stereo mix is partly quite panned but ok anyway. Would love to find an original mono eventually and when (if?) I do you'll be the first to know. Sixties releases in US, Canada, Japan and parts of South America. UK 1991 CD on See For Miles Records (SEE CD 327). Premiere US had label as shown here and glossy cover. (YZÄ*)