Love Is Alive & Well - Romantic Gifts for Couples, Valentine's Day Presents & Anniversary Ideas - Perfect for Date Nights, Weddings & Relationship Milestones

Kim Fowley, best know for his hit single “The Trip,” along with his work with The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band, was something of an enigma within an enigma, easily being described as a pseudo psychedelic huckster, grasping at straws, churning out cheesy freakish contemporary counter culture novelty records to keep him in the limelight.Most of his music is best viewed from the standpoint of bubblegum, lacking in originality, a mere fabrication of the Summer of Love, taking opportunistic advantage of the Flower Power movement and the chart toppers of the day. Sincerely “Flower City” is an blasphemous appropriation of “Ode To Joy,” with a groovy beat, while “This Planet Love” succeeds in totally ripping off “Who Do You Love” by Bo Diddly, and then there’s his adaption of The Seeds’ song “Pushin’ Too Hard,” which he remakes into “Reincarnation.” I could effortlessly go on from there, but you get the point … the album isn’t good, matter of fact it was delivered to record stores rather randomly, with many purchase done as a pay in advance order with no refunds accepted.As a psych pop rocker he brings nothing new to the table, though in the same breath, and despite all I’ve said, there is an underlying charm to this release that can not be denied … though from a historical perspective, this 21 minute bit of wasted wax seems rather foolish today, and certainly shows how the influence of music can structure the culture, creating an world within a world that did not exist in 1967, anywhere other than in the head of Kim Fowley.Please keep in mind that during the year 1967, The Beatles released both Sgt. Pepper and Magical Mystery Tour, The Doors dropped both The Doors and Strange Days on us, The Jefferson Airplane took us flying with Surrealistic Pillow, The Rolling Stones delivered Between The Buttons and Their Satanic Majesties Request, Jimi Hendrix wasted us with Are You Experienced and Axis: Bold As Love, not to mention The Velvet Underground with The Velvet Underground & Nico. All of this sincerely causes me to wonder what anyone in their right mind was thinking [though they probably weren’t] when Kim Fowley co-opted the buzzword of the day ‘love,” and claimed that it was alive and well.Review by Jenell Kesler