V.A. - Electric Lemonade Acid Test Vol. 1

I know a lot of people have waited for this compilation and finally here it is. On the first Volume of "The Electric Lemonade Acid Test" (Tenth Planet TP 048 / 1999) you'll find odds and sods from the vaults of the President label. If you have already the "Sometimes I Wonder" compilation from 2004 you don't need this here 'cause it contains all the tracks plus more "President" stuff.

When you think of President, it's The Equals that spring first to mind, however there was plenty more action happening on the label (and the associated Gemini and Jayboy outlets), as this compilation amply demonstrates. Hat & Tie were a duo featuring a pre-Nirvana (no, not that one) Patrick Campbell-Lyons and their "Finding It Rough" is an unusual pop piece with some cool, fuzz-spitting raga guitar; the song was later cut by the Everly Brothers, who knew a good song when they heard one. Other great psych-pop/freakbeat cuts include The Explosive's "Cities Make the Country Colder"; The Gass Company's bendy "Nightmare", and especially Rhubarb Rhubarb's chunky, upbeat "Moneylender" and "Rainmaker". The She Trinity's "Climb That Tree" is a freaky slab of girlie hard rock, but the girl group sound is better represented here bya male group, The Symbols, who do an excellent version of The Ronettes' "(The Best Part Of) Breaking Up", as well as their own "Again". Sheridan & Price's "Lightning Never Strikes" was also cut by The Move (when Rick Price was their bass player) but I confess to preferring this - faster - version, which, as the liners point out, sounds much earlier than its 1970 release date would suggest. "Universal Vagrant" guys the Chords Five are also here with their version of Graham Gouldman's "Some People", and the liner notes reveal that they were NOT, in fact, The Smoke, but another group altogether. Tenth Planet: the label that entertains and educates.
(Mike Stax (Originally published in Ugly Things #18, 2000)

Tracklist:
1. Symbols - (The Best Part Of) Breaking Up
taken from the single
(The Best Part Of) Breaking Up/Again (President PT 173) 1967
Line-up: Shaun "Sean" Corrigan (lead gtr, bs, vcls), Johnny Milton (vcls, gtr), Mick Clarke (bs, vcls), Chaz Wade (drms, vcls).
Band origin: Romford (Essex/UK)
2. Hat & Tie - Finding It Rough
taken from the single
Bread To Spend/Finding It Rough (President PT 122) 1967
Line-up incl.: Patrick Campbell-Lyons (vcls), Chris Thomas (bs).
Band origin: London
3. Explosive - Cities Make The Country Colder
taken from the single
Cities Make The Country Colder/Step Out Of Line (President PT 244) 1969
Line-up: Russ Harness (lead vcls, keyb'ds), Sid Cade (lead gtr), Bill Dale (bs), Nigel Ellis (bs), John Truelove (drms). Band origin: London
4. Chords Five - Some People
taken from the single Some People/Battersea Fair (Jay Boy BOY 6) 1969
Line-up: Terry Holmes (lead vcls, gtr), Lee Morrison (bs), Roger Stoten, Terry Bristow, Peter Ross. Band origin: London
5. Exceptions - Don't Torture Your Mind
taken from the single
Pendulum/Don't Torture Your Mind (President PT 271) 1969
Line-up: Roger Hill (lead gtr, lead vcls), Malcolm Garner (bs), Steve (sax, vcls), Bugsy Eastwood (drms, vcls).
Band origin: Birmingham (West Midlands/UK)
6. Rhubarb Rhubarb - Moneylender
taken from the single Rainmaker/Moneylender (President PT 229) 1969
Line-up: Phil Chilton (gtr, vcls), Peter Smith (gtr, vcls), Ian Sinclair (bs, vcls), Steve Smith (drms). Band origin: Berkshire
7. Cape Kennedy Construction Company - Armaggedon
taken from the single
The First Step On The Moon/Armageddon (President PT 265) 1969
Line-up: unkinown. Band origin: London
8. Rhubarb Rhubarb - Rainmaker
See Track 6
9. Symbols - Again
See Track 1
10. Explosive - (Who Planted Thorns In)
    Miss Alice's Garden
taken from the single
Who Planted Thorns In Miss Alice's Garden/I Get My Kicks From Living
(President PT 262) 1969
Line-up/Band origin: See Track 3
11. Sheridan & Price - Lightning Never Strikes Twice
taken from the single
Somtimes I Wonder/Lightning Never Strikes Twice (Gemini GMS 009) 1970
Line-up incl.: Rick Price (gtr, bs, vcls), Mike Sheridan (vcls).
Band origin: Birmingham (West Midlands/UK)
12. Gass Company - Nightmare
taken from the single
Everybody Needs Love/Nightmare (President PT 170) 1968
Line-up incl.: Bill Hurd (vcls, keyb'ds), John Richardson (drms).
Band origin: Essex
13. Cape Kennedy Construction Company -
    The First Step On The Moon
See Track 7
14. She Trinity - Climb That Tree
taken from the single Hair/Climb That Tree (President PT 283) 1970
Line-up: Inger Jonnsson (gtr, vcls), Pauline Moran (bs, vcls), Eileen Woodman (keyb'ds, vcls), Robyn Yorke (drms).
Band origin: London

Get it here (Artwork included / vinyl rip)

Listen to Chords Five - Some People

Listen to Sheridan & Price - Lightning Never Strikes