Caravan - Caravan (68)

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1 Place of My Own [Mono Version]
2 Ride [Mono Version]
3 Policeman [Mono Version]
4 Love Song With Flute [Mono Version]
5 Cecil Rons [Mono Version]
6 Magic Man [Mono Version]
7 Grandma's Lawn [Mono Version]
8 Where but for Caravan Would I? [Mono Version]
9 Place of My Own [Stereo]
10 Ride [Stereo]
11 Policeman [Stereo]
12 Love Song With Flute [Stereo]
13 Cecil Rons [Stereo]
14 Magic Man [Stereo]
15 Grandma's Lawn [Stereo]
16 Where but for Caravan Would I? [Stereo]
17 Hello Hello [*]

This disc features Caravan's self-titled debut LP.

Ironically, this particular release is also the final entry in the band's massive tape vault excavation and reissue project.

For their first album, Caravan is surprisingly strong. While steeped in the same British psychedelia that informed bands such as Love Children, Pink Floyd, and Tomorrow, Caravan relates a freedom of spirit and mischief along the lines of Giles, Giles & Fripp or Gong.

The band's roots can be traced to a British blue-eyed soul combo called the Wilde Flowers.

Among the luminaries to have passed through this Caravan precursor were Robert Wyatt, Kevin Ayers, and Hugh Hopper and Brian Hopper, pre-Soft Machine, naturally.

By the spring of 1968, Caravan had settled nicely into a quartet consisting of Pye Hastings (guitar/bass/vocals), Richard Coughlan (drums), David Sinclair (organ/vocals), and Richard Sinclair (bass/guitar/vocals).

Inspired by the notoriety and acclaim that Soft Machine encountered during the burgeoning days of London's underground scene, Caravan began a residency at the Middle Earth club.

Additionally, the band was shopping a homemade demo tape around to local record companies.

Before long, entrepreneur Tony Cox worked out a deal for them to record on the newly founded U.K. division of the Verve label.