Altered States of America (Destination Insanity track)

[StephenM]

Psychedelic fest. 
Mike did the amazing guitar work on here .... I played the bass with the wah pedal and distortion.  I did the keyboard stabs and drums.... crazeeeee vocals
added craziness and wrote a story that goes with this.

Altered States:  I pledge allegiance to the flag of the altered states of america.  And to the republican for whom will pay, one world under mind chemical control.  With liberty from conscience for all.
Find your happy pill.
Find your lovely thrill.
Find your rabbit hole.
Get someone else to pay the bill.
She came in through  the mirror in the bathroom.  She had a pseudo diamond in Lucy's sky.  I saw Tim Leary's ghost.  He was riding my dead horse Fred.

link to story if interested    https://songcrafters.org/forum/index.php?topic=32223.msg383818#msg383818

[Pete C]

Craziness indeed !

Pete

[Zoltan]

From the onset of the marching drums and off-kilter keyboard stabs, it's clear that we're heading waist deep into the land of looney tunes. The maestro behind the madness is a person hiding behind the mysterious pseudonym of StephenM. Equally perplexing is this far-fetched sounding nom de plume Mike. Who do they think they are fooling?

This recording is clearly taken from the failed (only because the cops arrived) musical experiment that happened after the Grateful Dead gig in Buford, Wyoming in 1966.
13.12.1966 to be precise (give or take a day... or year). It's been said that the day was otherwise perfect, except for the constant rain and lack of crowd. It was only after the introduction of the last performer of the day: The Pulsating Bosoms that things really took off. It's been said that this was the gig Jerry Garcia has no memory of.
That's not really news to anyone, but also the band has very little memories of this event ever taking place.

Anyhow... This was about the band that was supposed to play AFTER the Pulsating Bosoms. These guys formerly known as the Lads of Thunder (The name Lords of Blunder had been taken. By me. Safely residing in a ball sack). had changed their musical style just before the show and suddenly noticed that they were missing the drummer. Actually they were missing a lot more, but that's an another story. This was supposed to be their comeback gig, but not having played even the first one they just thought to give it quits. One of the reasons behind such sudden decision might have been a unfortunately arrivance of ruts brought by bad mescaline...

It was the year of horse and manure. With these in mind and hearts filled with stubborn determination for all things between the notes... These two braven soldiers embarked on a journey to bring forth their musical manifesto. A song that would stand the test of time, or at least be recorded and hopefully enjoyed by family members (The cousin known as Earless Ike was especially supportive of their musical output).

With a bog roll in one hand they conjured THIS! The only remaining song from those sessions (They had other things to do, and they didn't want to spend the whole day inside with the 2-track recorder that smelled "funny", kinda like cats pee).

The song is perhaps a bit esoteric and the message is easier to understand in an enchanced mood, or while wearing a leotard, but it's also a testament of how well these multi-instrumental mofo's(* are able to handle their craft!

(* A word that was not part of 60's vocabulary, but used for artistic liberty instead of the more common 60's expressions like: "Keep on Truckin'", or "Butt-uggly neanderthal teabagging the sandman".

An enjoyable musical ride that makes the listeners to wax poetic, foam at the mouth, or run for the exit! Bravo!

[AndyR]

Oh my goodness

This SO works!
It shouldn't (for me).
But it does.

[Greeny]

'I saw Tim Leary's ghost.  He was riding my dead horse Fred' was worth the price of admission on its own. This is completely, utterly batshit mental. Which is why I like it. There's vibes on the guitar that have 'Anthem of the Sun' era Grateful Dead fingerprints all over them.

Strangely (very strangely!) compelling.

[BerryPatch]

Absolutely hilarious... this just tickles my funny bone totally (in a REALLY good way). The lyrics are what holds this all together, I love the batshit beat poetry of it all! Mike's guitar work is also a lovely addition, hints of a really stoned Jerry Garcia or Dean Ween are certainly there. Pyscho psychedelica!

[StephenM]

reading your commentary Z made me glad that we came up with this.... interesting as all get out

[StephenM]

ha!  I start laughing every time I hear this... the ridiculous backing vocals at that one spot reminds me of something like "My Beautiful Balloon".... emphasis on loon...but anyway... I must have something a bit different in me...look at the color I am painting our old camper....

[ODH]

The chimes at the end are like my alarm going off, rousing me from a weird unsettling dream.  Mum, I had a bad dream.

[godinqc]

Really liked the psychedelic vibe of it .. the crazy vocals works good in this context .
Really good track ..