WEIRD HERALD: Saratoga James / Just Yesterday 7″
LIMITED TO 315 NUMBERED COPIES! First ever reissue of this rare 45 by West Coast psychedelic folk-rock legends Weird Herald, originally released in 1968 as a promo only edition. Hailing from Los Gatos (California) with roots in the 60s San Jose / Saratoga folk / coffeehouse scene , Weird Herald featured two talented guitar players, Billy Dean Andrus and Paul Ziegler, who were deeply connected to musicians like Skip Spence (Moby Grape) and Jorma Kaukonen ( Jefferson Airplane / Hot Tuna) among many others. During 1968 and early 1969 Weird Herald recorded a full album that was shelved but two of the tracks were actually released as a promotional 45 to coincide with a series of shows the band was scheduled to perform with Brazilian musician Bola Sete. So, those two songs offered the gentler, folkier side of Weird Herald, as opposed to their electric edge. Here you’ll find beautiful acoustic and finger-picking guitars, lovely vocal harmonies…”Saratoga James” was written by Billy Dean Andrus about his friend Jim Fletcher from Saratoga, who was forced to receive brutal electro shock therapy after his family discovered he was using psychedelic drugs. It’s a brilliant track much in the vein of early Donovan. The fragile “Just Yesterday” was written by Paul Ziegler and it’s reminiscent of the Byrds with a cool laidback country-rock and timeless vibe. This reissue comes with a vintage styled picture sleeve and includes a little insert with liner notes by Cam Cobb (author of “Weighted Down”, Skip Spence’s biography).