" In the history of korean rock music, or even in that of popular music, who can be considered as
'Psychedelic' artists?
Many say this about 'San Ul Rim' who released their first album in 1977. On their early albums between 1977-1979(1st~3rd),we can surely recognize the Psychedelic sounds especially in the long songs like"A-Ni Beol-Seo (It's already!)","A-Ma Neut-Eun Yo-Reum-I-Eot-Eul-Ggeo-Ya (Maybe it was a late summer),"Nae Ma-Eum-E Joo-Dan-Eul Ggal-go (The carpet on my mind), Geu-Dae-Neun I-Mi Na(You are already me).
Like many people said already of the San Ul Rim, they seem to be "fallen from the sky". They had no great relations to the general genealogy of Korean rock music. But in the early days of so-called "Group sound Era", there existed some substances that we could call "Psychedelic".
An example. Shin Joong-Hyun had released some albums which subtitled as "Psychedelic sound" and -no matter what they were titled officially-had shown psychedelic sound.
So, Korean psychedelic scene had Shin Joong-Hyun, who had a so called Korean Rock god-father family tree like the San Ul Rim family and Key boys family, Key brothers (Kim Hong-Tak and Yoon Hang-Gi).
There are also a number of great psychedelic bands in Early 80's in Korea. These bands are Little Giant, Magma, Mu-Dang. Especially you can hear strong fuzz guitar sounds in Little Giant's second album and the only Magma album. I think that Mu-Dang is a Koreanized rock music.
Within the Korean folk scene, it's good to check out the records from Kim Doo Soo, Han Dae-Soo, Yang Hee-Eun.
Han Dae Soo is a called the Korean Bob Dylan, I think that his first and second album is a great folk music. Kim Doo Soo is a great Korean acid folk artist and his all records (1st~4th) are best Korean acid folk music, this acid folk means to only mental meaning and no marijuana!!
Yang Hee-Eun is a called the Korean Joan Baez, especially her second album is a lovely female voice and pastoral folk music with a little Jazz approach. I personally think that the record is a best of best korean female folk music in 1970th Korea."
"Korean psychedelic rock and folk encyclopedia"
This list contains only collector's Items of about one hundred records (with a basis on musicality and rarity), devided in 9 sections. With Psychedelic Rock : the Shin Joong Hyun tree,the Key boys tree, the Sunulim tree and the others, and Korean folk music sections are Kim Min-Gi tree,Singer song writers,Lee Jeong-Sun family,big folk musician three in 1980th and the others.
1. Shin Jung-Hyeon
Short Biography.
Shin Jung-Hyeon is the Godfather of Korean pop/rock. He started his musical career in 1955. In those days, immediately after the Korean War, so there is few musicians. At 1957 he can play at the US army in Korea. His psychedelic play fascinated US soldiers, some records company said him to make LP. His 1st band Add 4 constructed in 1962. Add 4 is the first rock band in Korea. After the time he started to make hit songs. KimJeongMi, ParkInSu, PearlSisters, KimChuJa, ImAYeong, JangHyeon and other singers debuted with the support of ShinJungHyeon. They debuted with his hit songs and he became the biggest power in GaYo scene.
* Shin Jung-Hyun and his "family" collector's records Part 1.
Early Shing Jung-Hyun and Korean first psychedelic group Donkeys and professional rock group Questions and Singer debuted with support of him.
Here are only some of his most important records. He has many records and bootleg records so it is impossible to deal with his all records. Record price stand for mint condition or Excellent condition!
ShinJung-Hyeon 1959 HiKi Shin Guitar Melody Compilation :
His 1st recording in 1959 was cover play of traditional music. This record normal price is a over 400$.
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1964 AddFour Add 4 First album :
ADD4 Members are : Bass: Han young hyun ; Guitar: Shin jung-hyun ; vocal: Seo jung-gil ; drums: Kwan sun-kwan. It's his first group and Korean first rock group record!! Mostly songs are a little garage songs and especially Shin's guitar sounds are multi styled (even though he played also a Jazz and blues and Latin style approach). The reason is that he had to play at the USA army. Some songs have female chorus as he play a Package show with women dancers at these days.
This isl his first instrumental record. He has many instrumental records. The record company released many of his instrumental records without his agreement.
All songs are Ventures styled instrumental songs, as you know ventures are very popular instrumental group in 1960's worldwide. mostly Guitar sounds lead songs and sprightly rhythmical songs.
He played Korean traditional popular songs into instrumentals. Musical things are common style but it is a interesting record if you are shin jung hyun fan. This record normal price is a over 300$
He made his first original sound track album whhere he directed all things. This is a musical movie and he gave his songs to some popular singers. so mostly songs style are basically pop and ballad style. This record normal price is a over 300$.
Donkeys 1969 :
Donkeys 1Jip
1. (with female singer Lee Jung-Hwa) ; (First pressing) : This record normal price is a over 800$.
2. (Second pressing) This record normal price is a over 700$
Donkeys Members are Bass: Lee tae hyun ; Lead Guitar: Shin jung-hyun ; Rhythm guitar: On duk gi ; Keyboard: Kim min rang ; drums: Kim ho sik.
Great Korean psyche jam! This group leader is Shin Jung Hyun who was a Korean rock godfather!! He played guitar at American 8 army show for long time before he organized this group. And he was influenced by Psychedelic music of Jimi hendrix, Jim Morrison etc.
These records are available as a recently reissued box set (2LPs). First pressing plus second pressing, but these records are different recordings and play style. First pressing is a psychedelical and improvisation style song based, more rocky band styled, but the second pressing is a psychedelical with some popular string arrangements additions.
PS. Another incredible looking reissue, and a steal considering it comes straight from the source: Seoul, Korea. This one features 2 separate LPs from loungey vocalist Lee Jung Hwa. She's backed up by legendary guitar man Shin Jung Hyun on all tracks. Frame-worthy poster and exquisite liners (all in Korean, but the pictures speak for themselves). Housed in a classy, yet understated, plain brown box. A definite staff pick. Highly recommendable record!!
Kim Sang-Hee 1969 :
This record normal price is a over 600$. Kim sang-Hee is a famous female popular singer. Her mostly records are Korean pop styled but this particular record is a psychedelic style thanks to the Support of Shin Jung-Hyun. Shin Jung-Hyun wrote all songs and arrangement. and Musical performance by Donkeys of Shin Jung-Hyun. The album title song "How am I?(A Ta Ke Ha?)" was big hit!! I think that this record style similar to Jefferson Airplane. (lately 1960th-early 1970th San Francisco psychedelic scene).
Kim Sang-Hee Recital Show (Live) 1970 ; This record normal price is a over 600$.
Well this record is a her live recording. Side A recordings are pop styled, but Side B recordings are psychedelic styled. Especially Side B 3 "How am I?" is a great Korean psychedelic live recording.
Shin jung-hyun thought to herself that she could also sing in Jefferson Airplane moods. So I think that this song was similar to White Rabbit of Japerson airplane!! Musical performance by Questions of Shin Jung-Hyun. I think that this record is a her best recording and one of Korean psychedelic best live recordings!! Highly recommendable record!!
Kim Chu-Ja/Shin Jung-Hyun songs collection 1969 ; This record normal price is a over 250$ (original record is a gatefold sleeve single cover is a second pressing and normal price is a 150$).
Kim Chu-Ja is a another korean pop star and debuted with support of Shin Jung-hyun. This record is a her debut album. Musical performance by Donkeys of Shin Jung-Hyun. I think that this record Donkeys play style similar to early Japerson airplane. Especially side B 2 song is a unique koreanized psychedelic song!! Side A songs are a little pop style but Side B songs are very good psychedelic style!! Recommendable !!
This record received full attention in 4th radioshow. See additional comments there.
Pearl sisters Shin Jung-Hyun directed all songs and music 1968 ; This record normal price is a over 200$(original record is a gatefold sleeve single cover is a second pressing and normal price is a 150$) Also Pearl sisters is a Korean popstar and debuted by Shin Jung-Hyun. Especially this record is one of the best records of them. Side A are garage style plus arrange and all Shin Jung-Hyun's songs but Side B are all cover songs of American pop songs. Song lyrics were influenced by Hippie ideology. I think that this record was influenced (composition form, cord progress, voice style, arrangement) by Jefferson Airplane, but feeling is a different, as this record also influenced by other music genres (soul and Korean traditional music etc.). Musical performance by Donkeys of Shin Jung-Hyun. Recommendable !!
This record received full attention in 4th radioshow. See additional comments, links, pictures there.
1968 : Side A are same to Cover 11 album(Pearl sisters Shin Jung-Hyun directed all songs and music) but side B are all instrument songs of garage pop style. This record normal price is a over 100$. Musical performance by Donkeys of Shin Jung-Hyun.
Second cover : This record is the same to first cover, only differently coloured cover.
Pearl sisters-Soulful pearl sisters hit album 1969 ; All songs are cover songs of American popsongs but this record has very good musical performance. Recommendable !! This record normal price is a over 250$
For CD reissue, more pictures of Pear Sisters see radioshow 4
Questions/Same 1970 : This record normal price is a over 500$. Questions Members are Bass: Lee tae hyun ; Lead Guitar:Shin jung-hyun ; Keyboard:Kim min rang ; Drum:Kim dae hwan ; Guest singers are Lim sung-hyun(SideB1,4,6),Park in su(Side A1-3),Lim hee suk(Side A4-5),Song man su(SideB2,3,5). Shin jung-hyun disbanded his group Donkeys after Kim Chu-Ja debut album recording. and he organized his new band Questions in 1970 year, so this record is a debut album of his new band questions. This record music style are band musical performance plus guest singers format. Especially question musical performance are live sounds feeling. So I think that this album is a popular psychedelic album (popular singers voice plus musical performance of psychedelic band). Recommendable !!
This record received full attention in 3rd radioshow. See additional comments there.
Questions-Go Go Gala party (Live) : This record normal price is a over 850$. This record is a bootleg record, this record released with no agreement of shin jung-hyun. so very very rare!! Shin jung hyun played his band questions with guest singers(Kim Chu-Ja,Song Man-Su,Park In-Su) at this live show. Recommendable songs are Side A4 and Side B1. Side A5 Funky Broadway is a cover song of Wilson Picket and great psychedelic improvisation!! and Side B has a only one song. The song is a cover song In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida of Iron Butterfly. This cover play of In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida of Iron Butterfly is a legend, till now. I think that this live song is a best of best Korean psychedelic live Jam!! and great and very very nice noise feast. Highly recommendable record!!
This record received full attention in 3rd radioshow. See additional comments there.
Kim Chu-Ja/Shin jung-hyun music directed other album. 1970. This record is a firstly question recording and export recod! they contracted with UK Decca label so remastering by UK and also Jacket working made by UK. but because of it,this record is a very rare. I have not seen this record that dealed it. I guess that this record normal price is a over 500$. Especially SideA 2,4 are great psychedelic soft instrument songs!! Recommendable !!Korean info here
Lim A-Young : 1970. This record normal price is a over 550$. This record is a Female singer Lim a young's debut album. she debuted with supports of shin jung hyun,too. Side A are Lim A Young voice and Side B songs are same to Questions debut album (see 3 items back). Her voice is really lovely voice and I love it!! So Side A songs have a soft pop and rock sound with string arrangements and the SideB songs are in psychedelic rock style. The side B songs ? are included in Questions debut album. Recommended !!
This record received full attention in 4th radioshow. See additional comments there.
