Peephole in my Brain - The British Progressive Pop Sounds of 1971

1971 stands as an odd, rather surreal year in British pop history: while American soft-rockers and singer-songwriters were dominating the album charts, the year in which the country ch-ch-changed over to decimal currency saw the homegrown pop/rock scene becoming increasingly eccentric.

Peephole In My Brain documents the progressive-pop sounds of the year as the underground rock scene crossed over to the mainstream. The 71 tracks from ’71 include major hits for the likes of Curved Air, Atomic Rooster, and John Kongos as well as a selection of key album cuts from Procol Harum, ELP, Magna Carta, Barclay James Harvest, Cressida, Help Yourself, Legend, and many others.

There's bona fide classic 45s from Kevin Ayers, Medicine Head, Wishful Thinking, and The Move along with the song that Bowie wrote for his old friend Dana Gillespie, a clutch of righteously obscure but fascinating singles, a handful of essential singer/songwriter cuts, and a raft of unissued-at-the-time nuggets from bands who existed outside of the major label pop bubble.

Featuring a 40-page booklet crammed with rare illustrations and the stories behind the songs, Peephole In My Brain is an essential addition to Grapefruit’s acclaimed year-by-year series of late Sixties / early Seventies British rock and pop.

Disc One
"Andy Warhol (Original 1971 Demo Album Version) – Dana Gillespie"
"Stranger In Blue Suede Shoes – Kevin Ayers"
"Hey Willy – The Hollies" ... (and so on)

Disc Two
"Sugar Sugar – Sakkarin"
"Backstreet Luv – Curved Air"
"Memorial Drive – Procol Harum" ... (and so on)

Disc Three
"Mean Girl (Early Mix) – Status Quo"
"Devil’s Answer (Single Version) – Atomic Rooster" ... (and so on)