Vinyl Relics

EPYSODE 69: Fields, by Fields.

Guest: Richard Fortune (aka Richard Fortunato).

Additional commentary by Uncle Herff.

This week we drop the needle on the criminally overlooked, self-titled debut album from California psych-rock band Fields. Blending fuzz-drenched guitars with a West Coast vibe, Fields (1969) remains a rare and coveted LP among collectors, yet few know the story behind its creation.

Join us as we explore the band’s origins and why Fields has earned a cult following among psychedelic rock aficionados. Whether you’re a crate-digging vinyl hunter or a fan of late '60s rock obscurities, this epysode is your gateway into one of the era’s best hidden treasures.

I hope you dig Fields as much as I do.

- Farmer John

===CONNECT & SUPPORT===

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Email me @ [email protected]

 

===THE MUSIC===

Songs used in this Epysode, in order of appearance. Here's a link to a Spotify playlist for all the tracks featured.

*denotes track is not available on Spotify.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/69upfBS0flXVPdXwqvG1xs?si=bb2c64766f584d28

MELLOW CANDLE "Dan The Wing"

THE ROLLING STONES “She Said Yeah”

WILLIAM CLARK GREEN “She Likes The Beatles”

THE PREACHERS “Who Do You Love”

THE YARDBIRDS “Happenings Ten Years Time Ago”

THE VEJTABLES “I Still Love You”

*THE W.C. FIELDS MEMORIAL ELECTRIC STRING BAND “I’m Not Your Stepping Stone”

THE W.C. FIELDS MEMORIAL ELECTRIC STRING BAND “Hippy Elevator Operator”

THE MERRY-GO-ROUND “You’re A Very Lovely Woman”

FIELDS "Elysian Fields"

FIELDS "Bide My Time"

FIELDS "Take You Home"

FIELDS "Jump On You"

FIELDS "Sun Would Set"

FIELDS "Love Is The Word"

THE PARASITES OF THE WESTERN WORLD “A Rare Case Of The Blues”

FORTUNE “Thrill Of It All”

FORTUNE “Level Ground"

??MYSTERY ARTIST?? Tune in next week to find out...

NEWPORT ELECTRIC "Seemed Like A Good Idea At The Time"

^^ That's my band, this is shameless self-promotion!!

Here's a Spotify link to our music:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/5y6kGmYnS4SWvqAfijhDdp?si=7zRH2mG6SPmkdC4ysT7oOw
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

EPYSODE 68: Swaddling Songs, by Mellow Candle.

Guest: Mellow Candle's Alison O'Donnell.

Additional commentary by my twin brother Maurice.

This week we drop the needle on a true cult classic. Released in 1972 and largely overlooked in its time, this singular album has since become a holy grail of progressive folk-rock, revered for its mysticism and haunting beauty.

Led by the spellbinding voices of Clodagh Simonds and Alison Williams (now Alison O'Donnell), Mellow Candle fused pastoral folk with progressive rock flourishes, baroque arrangements, and flashes of jazz and classical influence. Tracks like “Sheep Season” and “Dan the Wing” unfold with dramatic, almost otherworldly crescendos.

With Alison's help, we explore the story behind the band, the circumstances that shaped Swaddling Songs, and why it vanished so quickly after its release, only to be rediscovered decades later by collectors and crate diggers.

Light a candle, settle in, and join us as Vinyl Relics revisits one of the most enchanting lost records of the early ’70s.

I hope you dig Swaddling Songs as much as I do.

-Farmer John

===CONNECT & SUPPORT===

Transport yourself into the realm of grooviness by supporting us on Patreon using this link -->

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Use this link to follow us on Facebook --> https://www.facebook.com/farmerjohnmusic/

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And find us on X @VinylRelicsPod

Email me @ [email protected]

===LINKS===

Check out all of Alison's music here:

https://alisonodonnell.bandcamp.com

 

===THE MUSIC===

Songs used in this Epysode, in order of appearance. Here's a link to a Spotify playlist for all the tracks featured:https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0jtVg6Mft71ZW9Niixuma1?si=f05d853ad16b44cb

*denotes track is not available on Spotify.

BILLY NICHOLLS "London Social Degree"

OTIS REDDING “(Sittin’ On The) Dock Of The Bay”

THE SUPREMES “Reflections”

*LOVE “She Comes In Colours”

JONI MITCHELL “Blue”

*MELLOW CANDLE “Feeling High”

*MELLOW CANDLE “Tea With The Sun” 

JETHRO TULL “Teacher”

MELLOW CANDLE "Heaven Heath"

MELLOW CANDLE "Sheep Season"

MELLOW CANDLE "Silver Song"

MELLOW CANDLE "The Poet And The Witch"

MELLOW CANDLE "Messenger Birds"

MELLOW CANDLE "Dan The Wing"

MELLOW CANDLE "Reverend Sisters"

MELLOW CANDLE "Break Your Token"

MELLOW CANDLE "Buy Or Beware"

MELLOW CANDLE "Vile Excesses"

MELLOW CANDLE "Lonely Man"

MELLOW CANDLE "Boulders On My Grave"

*FOVEA HEX “A Hymn To Sulphur”

*FLIBBERTIGIBBET “Episodes”

UNITED BIBLE STUDIES “Circles & Chambers”

UNITED BIBLE STUDIES “Hoist The Drawbridge”

*MELLOW CANDLE “The Virgin Prophet”

??MYSTERY ARTIST?? Tune in next week to find out...

NEWPORT ELECTRIC "Now It's All This"

^^ That's my band. This is shameless self-promotion! Here's a Spotify link to hear all our music:

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

EPYSODE 67: "Would You Believe", by Billy Nicholls.

Guest: Billy Nicholls.

Additional commentary by Uncle Herff.

This week we present one of the most beautiful and bittersweet stories in 1960s British pop: Billy Nicholls’ legendary 1968 album Would You Believe. Hailed by critics, this shimmering psych-pop masterpiece was shelved before its proper release and went on to become one of the rarest and most sought-after records in the collector world.

We explore the album’s lush orchestration, studio craftsmanship, and the influence of the Immediate Records scene, including the key roles played by producer Andrew Loog Oldham and some of Billy's famous musician friends. We discuss the label troubles and twists of fate that kept this stunning record in the shadows for decades. Plus a great story of how a Beatle helped kickstart Billy's career!

Whether you’re a long-time admirer of this wonderful album or discovering it for the first time, this epysode unpacks the music, the myth, and the enduring magic that transformed a once-lost LP into a psych-pop holy grail.

I hope you dig Would You Believe as much as I do.

- Farmer John

===CONNECT & SUPPORT===

Transport yourself into the realm of grooviness by supporting us on Patreon using this link -->

patreon.com/FarmerJohnMusic

Use this link to follow us on Facebook --> https://www.facebook.com/farmerjohnmusic/

Use this link to follow us on Instagram --> https://www.instagram.com/vinylrelics/

Use this link to follow us on TikTok --> https://www.tiktok.com/@vinylrelicspodcast

Use this link to follow us on BlueSky --> https://bsky.app/profile/farmerjohnmusic.bsky.social

And find us on X @VinylRelicsPod

Email me @ [email protected]

===LINKS===

Check out Billy's albums and other merchandise here:

https://www.billynicholls.com

 

===THE MUSIC===

Songs used in this Epysode, in order of appearance. Here's a link to a Spotify playlist for all the tracks featured:

*denotes track is not available on Spotify.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1WPmas1G4PACpC7Jy8VdEm?si=4a4261f398e545e3

*RELATIVELY CLEAN RIVERS "The Persian Caravan"

THE SQUADRONAIRES “Cement Mixer”

JOE BROWN “See You In My Dreams”

EDDIE COCHRAN “Summertime Blues”

THE EVERLY BROTHERS “When Will I Be Loved”

BUDDY HOLLY “Crying, Waiting, Hoping”

*BILLY NICHOLLS “Cut And Come Again” (demo)

DEL SHANNON “Cut And Come Again”

BILLY NICHOLLS “Would You Believe”

BILLY NICHOLLS "Come Again"

BILLY NICHOLLS "Life Is Short"

BILLY NICHOLLS "Feeling Easy"

BILLY NICHOLLS "Daytime Girl"

BILLY NICHOLLS "Daytime Girl (Coda)"

BILLY NICHOLLS "London Social Degree"

BILLY NICHOLLS "Portobello Road"

BILLY NICHOLLS "Question Mark"

BILLY NICHOLLS "Being Happy"

BILLY NICHOLLS "Girl From New York"

BILLY NICHOLLS "It Brings Me Down"

BILLY NICHOLLS “Kew”

BILLY NICHOLLS “White Lightning”

WHITE HORSE “Give It Up”

WHITE HORSE “Can’t Stop Loving You”

PETE TOWNSHEND “Forever’s No Time At All”

BILLY NICHOLLS “Under One Banner”

MORGAN “Flying High”

??MYSTERY ARTIST?? Tune in next week to find out...

NEWPORT ELECTRIC "Written In The Cards"

^^That's my band. Shameless self-promotion!!

Here's a Spotify link to our music:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/5y6kGmYnS4SWvqAfijhDdp?si=7zRH2mG6SPmkdC4ysT7oOw
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Epysode 66: Relatively Clean Rivers, by Relatively Clean Rivers.

Additional commentary by Uncle Herff.

This week we drop the needle on one of the most elusive albums in psych-folk/rock history: the self-titled 1976 release by Relatively Clean Rivers. Join us as we explore the origins of this enigmatic project, the visionary mind of Phil Pearlman, and the winding path that turned this quietly released LP into a collector’s holy grail.

We break down the album’s dreamy acoustic textures and the unique blend of folk, country, and West Coast psychedelia that has kept crate diggers searching for original pressings for decades. Whether you're discovering it for the first time or revisiting a beloved classic, this epysode uncovers the legacy that make this record a true vinyl treasure.

I hope you dig Relatively Clean Rivers as much as I do.

- Farmer John

===CONNECT & SUPPORT===

Transport yourself into the realm of grooviness by supporting us on Patreon using this link -->

patreon.com/FarmerJohnMusic

Use this link to follow us on Facebook --> https://www.facebook.com/farmerjohnmusic/

Use this link to follow us on Instagram --> https://www.instagram.com/vinylrelics/

Use this link to follow us on TikTok --> https://www.tiktok.com/@vinylrelicspodcast

Use this link to follow us on BlueSky --> https://bsky.app/profile/farmerjohnmusic.bsky.social

And find us on X @VinylRelicsPod

Email me @ [email protected]

===LINKS===

Karen Darby of The Beat of the Earth full interview:

https://members.tripod.com/lysergia_2/LamaWorkshop/Bote/lamaBeatOfTheEarth.htm

Here's a link to an article I wrote about this album for Psychedelic Scene:

https://psychedelicscene.com/2026/01/19/vinyl-relics-relatively-clean-rivers/

 

===THE MUSIC===

Songs used in this Epysode, in order of appearance. There is no playlist for this epysode as the album is not available on Spotify.

TÍR NA NÓG "Dance Of Years"

PHIL & THE FLAKES “Chrome Reversed Rails”

BEAT OF THE EARTH “The Beat Of The Earth Side One”

THE ELECTRONIC HOLE “The Golden Hill”

THE ELECTRONIC HOLE “Love Will Find A Way”

RELATIVELY CLEAN RIVERS "Easy Ride"

RELATIVELY CLEAN RIVERS "Journey Through The Valley Of O"

RELATIVELY CLEAN RIVERS "Babylon"

RELATIVELY CLEAN RIVERS "Last Flight To Eden"

RELATIVELY CLEAN RIVERS "Prelude"

RELATIVELY CLEAN RIVERS "Hello Sunshine"

RELATIVELY CLEAN RIVERS "They Knew What To Say"

RELATIVELY CLEAN RIVERS "The Persian Caravan"

RELATIVELY CLEAN RIVERS "A Thousand Years"

??MYSTERY ARTIST?? Tune in next week to find out...

NEWPORT ELECTRIC "Nobody Sings The Blues Anymore"

^^ That's my band, this is shameless self-promotion!!

Here's a Spotify link to our music:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/5y6kGmYnS4SWvqAfijhDdp?si=7zRH2mG6SPmkdC4ysT7oOw

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SPECIAL EPYSODE: The 2025 "In Memoriam" Fantasy Band Discussion.

GUESTS: Uncle Herff and Christian Swain.

In this special epysode, we honour the artists who left us in 2025 by building the ultimate “In Memoriam” Fantasy Band. Through reflection and a deep appreciation for their musical legacies, we imagine what it would sound like if these departed legends shared the same stage.

We discuss their standout contributions, the impact they made on their genres, and why their absence leaves such a lasting void. It’s part tribute, part creative celebration, and all heart. Whether you love fantasy band drafts, year-end music retrospectives, or simply want to remember the voices that shaped the soundtrack of our lives, this epysode offers a heartfelt and thoughtful sendoff.

The great gig in the sky added some incredible talent this year.

From all of us here, and on behalf of all the fans throughout the world, we say thank you for the incredible music you leave behind. RIP.

===CONNECT & SUPPORT===

Transport yourself into the realm of grooviness by supporting us on Patreon for as little as $2/month using this link -->

patreon.com/FarmerJohnMusic

Use this link to follow us on Facebook --> https://www.facebook.com/farmerjohnmusic/

Use this link to follow us on Instagram --> https://www.instagram.com/vinylrelics/

Use this link to follow us on TikTok --> https://www.tiktok.com/@vinylrelicspodcast

Use this link to follow us on BlueSky --> https://bsky.app/profile/farmerjohnmusic.bsky.social

And find us on X @VinylRelicsPod

Email me @ [email protected]

 

===THE MUSIC===

Songs used in this Epysode, in order of appearance. Here's a link to a Spotify playlist for all the tracks featured.

*denotes track is not available on Spotify.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0qpwMQ1gWbDiVAu7VwoEEH?si=1cf3a9b654974061

SLY & THE FAMILY STONE "Thank You"

JANIS JOPLIN "Kozmic Blues"

BLONDIE "Heart Of Glass"

THE PRETTY THINGS "Don't Bring Me Down"

THE BEACH BOYS "God Only Knows"

CHAKA KHAN "Move Me No Mountain"

JOHN MARTYN "Solid Air"

BOOKER T. & THE MG'S "Green Onions"

*WATCHPOCKET "Four Walls"

OTIS REDDING "Try A Little Tenderness"

TOM LEHRER "The Folk Song Army"

THE BAND "Ophelia"

THE BAND "Chest Fever"

THE BAND "Whispering Pines"

TERRY REID "Superlungs My Supergirl"

TERRY REID "To Be Treated Rite"

SLY & THE FAMILY STONE "Everyday People"

SLY & THE FAMILY STONE "I Wanna Take You Higher" (live)

CHRIS REA "The Road To Hell Part 2"

JOE ELY "The Road Goes On Forever"

THE YOUNGBLOODS "Get Together"

KISS "Shock Me"

ROBERTA FLACK "Killing Me Softly With His Song"

THE ALARM "Rain In The Summertime"

BADFINGER "I Can't Take It"

MARIANNE FAITHFULL "Broken English"

OZZY OSBOURNE "Crazy Train"
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