Song:Mr. Pharmacist
Album:Nuggets: Original Artyfacts From The First Psychedelic Era 1965-1968
Here is another psychedelic obscurity from the 60s that has been kept alive by Rhino's 4CD Nuggets comp. Also, Mr. Pharmacist was covered by the British punk band The Fall. The Other Half only recorded one album and Mr. Pharmacist is probably the only song that will interest anyone. The Other Half featured guitarist Randy Holden, one of the great cult figures of psychedelic music. He's best known for his short stint with the late 60s band Blue Cheer. He seemed to bounce around a lot of bands. He started out with a surf music band called Fender IV. They released two singles and changed their name to Sons Of Adam. They were more of a British Invasion influenced band. They only released one single but they opened for The Rolling Stones in Long Beach. Word about Holden reached Keith Relf and he asked Holden to replace Jeff Beck in The Yardbirds. But instead Holden joined The Other Half. Jeff Nolan was lead singer along with Geoff Westen on guitar, Larry Brown on bass and Danny Woody on drums. They moved to San Francisco and recorded a few singles including Mr. Pharmacist. But Holden was unhappy and left after they recorded their only album in 1968. The album is available on CD but Mr. Pharmacist is on the Nuggets box set. Mr. Pharmacist was covered by the British punk band The Fall. Holden replaced Leigh Stephens in Blue Cheer but left after appearing on their 1969 album New! Improved! Blue Cheer. He then attempted to start his own band Population II but the album was never released. Holden declared bankruptcy and quit the music business. He returned in the 90s and currently records on his own label. Here's a video for Mr. Pharmacist by The Other Half.
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