The Misunderstood

Late in his life, legendary BBC DJ John Peel would often be asked during interviews about the greatest shows he'd ever seen. One band always made the list: The Misunderstood. Peel discovered the band before his BBC days as he was working radio in San Bernadino, CA. Hailing from nearby Riverside, The Misunderstood so impressed Peel that he offered to personally manage them. He then convinced the group to move to London and take on guitarist Tony Hill. It was here that the band's all-too-brief career came to full fruition.

Driven by the deep vocals of Rick Brown and the distorted steel guitar of Glenn Ross Campbell, the band proceeded to kick London's ass. Their music and stage show (which included a rather elaborate lighting display) would influence the nascent London psychedelic scene, which included admirers such as Pink Floyd's Syd Barrett. The band released its first single, "I Can Take You to the Sun" in December of 1966 to great critical acclaim. To this day, it is considered one of the finest psychedelic pop singles of all time.

Unfortunately, at the height of its popularity, the band was fractured by circumstance as Rick Brown was drafted for Vietnam. The Misunderstood left under thirty minutes of recorded material from their London period, all of which sounds ahead of its time. Who knows what would have been if the band had remained intact during the height of London's psychedelic era?


Today, I'm posting two tracks: "I Can Take You to the Sun," their classic single, and "Find a Hidden Door," my personal favorite. The latter is notable for its frequent stopping and starting on a dime, as well as the layered vocals during some of those breaks.

I Can Take You to the Sun

Find a Hidden Door