A bit of a departure from what I should be doing, but…really desirous for a bit of a break from routine, last night found me listening to The Misunderstood’s “Children of the Sun” on repeat play, and at appropriate volume (i.e. very loud!!!), and accidentally reinterpreting a photo of the band from 1966.
This morning finds me exceedingly excited that this image is now on display in the band’s blog and can be viewed here - and, of course, if one clicks back to the profile, one can hear “Children of the Sun”, the equally awesome “I Can Take You to the Sun”, plus four other tracks.
Massive thanks to Rick and the guys for digging this!!!
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Rock Music critic Jade Hubertz wrote in a 1998 review, "When it comes to the Misunderstood, I have no shame and offer no apologies. "Children of the Sun" is the GREATEST psychedelic track of all time and it's CRIMINAL that the band was taken down in its prime."
In his "Peelenium" (Greatest Songs of the 20th Century) John Peel lists The Misunderstood for 1966, as follows, PEELENIUM 1966: 1. Leonard Cohen - The Sisters of Mercy, 2. The Beatles - And Your Bird Can Sing, 3. The Misunderstood - I Can Take You To The Sun, 4. Jimi Hendrix - Red House, 5. Otis Redding - Try a Little Tenderness.
John Peel also told Index Magazine in 2003, "If I had to list the ten greatest performances I've seen in my life, one would be The Misunderstood at Pandora's Box, Hollywood, 1966. It was the only time I've seen an audience reduced to impotent silence".
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Certainly, in my opinion, “Children of the Sun” and “I Can Take You to the Sun” stand alongside The Who’s “My Generation” and “I Can See For Miles”, The Byrds’ “Eight Miles High”, and The Beatles’ “Tomorrow Never Knows”, Cream’s “I Feel Free”, Hendrix’s “Hey Joe”, The Creation’s “How Does It Feel to Feel”, Pink Floyd’s “See Emily Play”, The Pretty Things’ “Talking About The Good Times”, as not only tracks which stand out as crucial in the development of music – but tracks which sound as absolutely electrifying now, as they did then.
More info about the band can be found at www.themisunderstood.com
The incredible story of the early life of Rick Brown is told in “Like, Misunderstood” – available from Amazon here
