Here's a piece of genuine psychedelic rock ephemera, and a rare one at that.
A record very much with sentiments of the 60's but slightly out of it's time and luck when it came to greater recognition. The band 'Plant and See' released only one LP in 1969. It was also the first recording by their lead singer, songwriter and guitarist Willie French Lowery (1944-2012), a fascinating character (see more here) who was a native American Indian, member of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina, he later went on to publish over 500 songs of various styles (gospel, rock, country, R&B), performed with The Allman Brothers, and Clyde McPhatter.
But here in 1969 and more in a post psychedelic period of rock 'Pant and See' were possibly one of the first multiracial groups in rock, with African American drummer Forris Fulford, Latino bassist Ron Seiger, and Scottish-Irish backup vocalist Carol Fitzgerald joining Lowery on these recordings originally released by White Whale records.
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"White Whale, already on the brink of dissolution, lacked the resources to effectively promote the album, which contravened the standard race, place, and genre-based markets of the day.
Shortly after its release, the band regrouped as Lumbee, Lumbee’s 1970 album 'Overdose' is, like 'Plant and See', a rare and highly collectable psychedelic classic; it attracted the attention of the Allman Brothers, whom Lumbee joined on tour in the early 1970s."
lightintheattic.net
The self titled 'Plant and See' LP more recently had a lavish re-release in quality vinyl and original artwork by the Paradise Of Bachelors label but even that has now disappeared from stock.
Here's the track "Poor Rich Man" from the album, with it's "The Pusher" type opening guitar riff and some neat vocal arrangements. It's lyrics encompassing much of the bands multicultural stance and the plight of the underdog.
"Got a find us a place, a place where we belong".
Let's hope some other label has the good sense to find a place where this little gem belongs.
