Count Five - Psychotic Reaction: The Very Best of Count Five

some good songs hidden amongst discardable pop

Most of the songs on this cd sound like generic pop songs, however there are some songs like the recognised masterpiece Psycotic Reaction that make this cd worth checking into. The songs near the end tend to be better than the rest. August 21, 2007

What you really want is"Psychotic Revelation: The Ultimate Count Five"or you may have a "Psychotic Reaction"

As the author of the Jefferson Airplane book "Take Me To A Circus Tent" and a former radio disc-jockey, I am often asked to write and or discuss various music supplies and recordings from the 60's and 70's.

If you are deciding to have lunch with the Count, make sure you don't get cheated. The July, 2003 CD release on Big Beat ("Psychotic Revelation: The Ultimate Count Five") supersedes all previous versions of "Psychotic Reaction: The Very Best of Count Five."

The tracks increase from 18 to 24 with mono and stereo mixes of certain tunes. Although the running order is not exactly the same, the additional material outweighs any minor inconvenience. You still are able to possess the original LP in good quality.

Excluding the timeless "Psychotic Reaction", San Jose's- Count Five were never applauded with the same accolades as many of the other mid-sixties garage bands. The track wasn't the standard three minute rock and roll number. The fuzz tone of the guitar and the catchy beat held listeners clamoring for more. What they got was some darn good sounds and covers but the inability to stay on the psychotic and psychedelic plateaus.

They dared to take on two Who tracks (Pete Townshend) "My Generation" and "Out In The Streets" with respectable results. The versions were rough and raw and in your face. "Peace Of Mind" a tune the band did pen is the most underrated composition on the recording. The groups career could have taken a different turn with one or two more originals the strength of "Psychotic Reaction" and "Peace Of Mind."

A curious cover was the terrific Curtis Mayfield tune "You Must Believe Me." The Count Five wanted to take two directions during the song and it would have been better to follow one path. They attempted to cross the rhythm and blues style of Mayfield with a bit of Psychotic Rock but the end result doesn't deliver with the same gusto as the two Who covers.

This is an easy listen if you have enjoyed the garage rock sound previously. The first time around you'll be able to pick your favorites quickly and nothing will turn you off. An average Count Five song will still intrigue you enough to stay the course.






Enjoy the music and be well,
Craig Fenton
Author of the Jefferson Airplane book "Take Me To A Circus Tent"

July 25, 2007

Count Five - 'The Very Best Of.....' (Collectables)

What is with this MISLEADING title?The 'best of'?Count Five had JUST one album out,PEOPLE!Get it right.Nonetheless,this most complete(there's an import pressing of this title out with fourteen tracks)as this U.S. release has a total of eighteen is a pretty nice reissue,I thought.I've spoken with a few fans of '60's psych and those who had bought a copy of the original vinyl(years ago)before CD's came along mentioned that "Psychotic Reaction" was the only good song on the entire lp.NOT TRUE!I really enjoyed getting my own copy of this short lived(1965 - 67)garage/psych San Jose's five piece sole effort.Most of the tunes here are well written and produced,like the title track,the previously mentioned "Psychotic Reaction","Double-Decker Bus",The Who cover "My Generation", "They're Gonna Get You", "Can't Get Your Lovin'", "Out In The Street" Curtis Mayfield's "You Must Believe Me" and "Merry Go Round".Includes an informative six-page fold-out front insert,packed with liner notes.Very nice.Recommended. June 19, 2006

BEFORE THE STOOGES !

...BEFORE THE STOOGES AND THE VELVET UNDERGROUND AND NICO AND BEFORE THE DOORS AND SABBATH, THERE WAS AN ANGRY GARAGE BAND CALLED THE COUNT FIVE.......THIS BAND WAS SO IN THE KNOW THAT THEY DID A COVER OF THE WHO'S MY GENERATION AND ITS ALMOST AS GOOD AS THE WHO'S ! NOT QUITE !...THIS IS REALLY THE BAND THAT MADE ME WANNA ROCK...IN 1983, I HAD THEIR ALBUM AND I LOVED IT...WAY BETTER THAN STRAWBERRY ALARMCLOCK ..AS GOOD AS THE CHOCOLATE WATCHBAND...ANGRIER THAN THE WHO ; IT AIN'T ALL PERFECT HERE..AND IT EVEN HAS SOME R N B GARAGE JUNK YOU MIGHT DO WITHOUT...OR MAYBE NOT ..BUY IT NOW !!!!!!!!!! August 14, 2005

Seminal garage band hit and the career behind it

This San Jose, CA band could be the poster act for "one hit wonders," given that anything beyond their seminal single, "Psychotic Reaction," is probably unknown beyond garage/psych aficionados and those who knew the band from live appearances. But like so many acts whose art only intersects popular acclaim for an instant, there was a great deal more to their catalog than one chart hit.

The Count Five were spawned by the same South Bay scene that produced The Syndicate of Sound, and, eventually, The Chocolate Watchband. They were a bona fide band of high school and college students who'd been gigging steadily by the time they landed a record contract with Double Shot. Even more importantly, the original song that would become their defining three minutes had been their calling card for countless label auditions; by the time they laid down the version that sparked national acclaim, the song had been allowed to marinate in numerous improvements. Even after they laid it down it was tweaked for AM radio with a razor blade laid to recording tape.

This 17-track collection from the Collectables label is bettered by Big Beat's 24-track compilation of 2003 (titled "Psychotic Revelation"). The latter pulls together the entire history of the band, from the original, unedited version of "Psychotic Reaction" and its reworked hit-single, through hastily recorded album tracks, and post-LP singles. Big Beat's Alec Palao provides extensive liner notes that include generous interviews with original band members and their management/production team. Of particular interest are the details of how regional radio play was parlayed (station-by-station!) into the critical mass of national chart success; a fascinating peek into the pre-consultant world of locally-controlled AM radio.

What comes through on both versions of this disc is that the Count Five was an excellent garage band whose emphasis on Yardbirds' styled rock could spark up covers of British Invasion material (or, in the case of "You Must Believe Me," British interpretations of American soul songs) and fine originals. It's no wonder they were a favorite at area teen clubs, high school dances and mall openings!

Collectables: 4-stars. Big Beat: 5-stars. July 12, 2005

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