Victoria – Victoria (1971)


Victoria – Victoria (1971)

Local New Jersey demo-release (200 made in 1971) from Victoria, a band and album beyond rare, fantastic, conceptual psych-beauty. Sometimes dreamy, sometimes totally wild underground-psych, this release features female vocals, titanic horns and distorted guitars. Sweet tunes turn into dark psych-power. Totally stoned. This amazing album was first released on the Seven Little Indians label (before it became Shadoks Music) eight or nine years ago as a limited-edition with a red velvet cover and golden engraved artwork. A 500-copy limited-edition CD, also in red velvet, was sold out in a few months. Besides Jungle, this album is a famous Little Indian release. If you like Moby Grape you should check this one out. The album has remained unreleased until a few years ago.TOTALLY STONED! -forcedexposure.com-
Brand new CD reissue of this very obscure (200 made, only 5-6 copies known to be in the hands of collectors) New Jersey demo recording (1969-71) from three guys and one girl intent on surfing the same kind of electronically enhanced harmony waves generated by United States Of America, C.A. Quintet, even early Velvets. Beautifully baked atmosphere here – on first listen Alex described it as almost doo-wop in its lunar/swoon quotient – that compares with early Paisley Underground moves from Opal and Rainy Day crossed with wild, testifying brass, high arcs of unison vox ala Jefferson Airplane and blats of black fuzz. Recommended. -volcanictongue.com-
Personnel incl: SHARON BARTON A MAUREEN DEIDELBAUM A GREG RUBAN A CHERYL SIMPSON A
ALBUMS: 1(A) VICTORIA (No label) 1971 R5 2(A) KINGS, QUEENS & JOKERS (No label) 197? R5
NB: (1) was a demo album issued in a plain white jacket. (2) is an alternate pressing of (1), with the title shown rubber-stamped on the front of the sleeve. (2) contains fewer tracks than (1). (1) reissued in Germany (Little Indians #7) 1997, in a red velveteen jacket with gold foil embossed print, and on CD by the same label with several previously unreleased bonus tracks.
Rare local New Jersey private press, with an “odd” sound created by this largely female group and featuring horns prominently on several tracks. Two hundred copies of the album were pressed in 1971, and Ruban distributed a quantity of them through Europe while on a motorcycle trip in the early seventies.
Victoria may be connected in some manner to Dirty Martha.
One track, Ride A Rainbow has also resurfaced on Love, Peace And Poetry, Vol. 1 (LP & CD).
(Clark Faville / Max Waller)

Victoria – Victoria (1971)

11 Responses

  1. Ol' Hank says:

    hey freaky lady, i thought the blog-o-sphere had lot a wonderful asset! but then, at long last, you pop a surprise posting! and WHAT a posting! i have never heard of VICTORIA. quite different indeed! good stuff!

  2. Anonymous says:

    Super rare US psych concept album that has a Neighbr’hood Childr’n feel. This psych beauty, sometimes dreamy sometimes totally wild has female vocals, titanic horns & distorted guitars. Sweet tunes turn into dark psych-power. Greg Ruban, the composer and front-man of victoria recorded this album just before he had to go to Vietnam. When he returned from War, obviously mentally fucked, he took his unreleased album on a 3 month trip to Europe on a motorbike to promote it, but unfortunately that did not work out at all. The album was unreleased until only a few years ago.

    unicorn

  3. Anonymous says:

    You are as always a wonder lady. Keep on the good work!

  4. ChrisGoes says:

    Really Good

    //ChrisGoesRock

  5. Anonymous says:

    a demo, a freakin’ demo! this is is wonderful stuff, god so much rare stuff is rare for a reason – not being good – but this deserves wider recognition from the musicheads.
    as usual w/ good psyche, its all over the place but there is a method to this madness. its not a brain melyer but for those who enjoy a more challenging posike brew, this is heady stuff in deed.

  6. Anonymous says:

    Greg Ruban’s website is at http://gregruban.com

  7. Bèr says:

    Great find! Reminds me somewhat of Savage Rose’s In The Plain. A big thank you is well deserved.

  8. Anonymous says:

    Barry (Greg) Ruban has passed suddenly, on January 18, 2008 at Shore Memorial Hospital, at age 61 yrs.

    This was found on his site: http://www.gregruban.com

  9. MaceMn says:

    R.I.P. Mr. Ruban… Thank you for the music.

  10. Anonymous says:

    I am so shocked that Gregg passed away. He always kept himself so healthy. I may still have one of the first demo album records that he took to Europe in the Summer of ’72. What a talented man, I am glad that he saw his album get the respect it deserved in 2006. Ruthie

  11. I am trying to find members of Victoria to interview for “It’s Psychedelic Baby” Magazine. I would appreciate any help anyone could give me in this search. I understand Greg Ruban passed away in 2008. I would greatly appreciate any other member of the band contacting me or any contact info. Thanks, Kevin Rathert rathert3@gmail.com

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