The Misunderstood
Before The Dream Faded

The story of this band begins in 1963 in Riverside, California, and initially follows a path common to an infinity of other groups in the same period and area… surf. Soon, however, a second guitar is added to the quartet, and the sound shifts violently to a more garage style but with a strong british-blues connotation in pure Yardbirds style rather than Animals.

In 1965, The Misunderstood self-produced an acetate, which in this splendid collection (rich with information in the booklet) from Cherry Red Records is found in the second part subtitled “Blue Day In Riverside.” The recordings of this section sometimes heavily suffer (see the final “Like I Do”) the toll of low-cost production and the passing years; but there are songs that alone repay the entire cost, like “I’m Not Talking”, which is Floydian (ante-litteram) in the introduction and development, supporting the explosive bluesy soul of the central and final parts, warm and sexual to the point of making the Yardbirds’ wonder trio Beck, Page, and Clapton pale, or like “I Cried My Eyes Out” where a drawn-out Doors-like keyboard softens a song in pure mod-pop-style typically British.

The turning point comes in 1966… during one of their fiery shows, in a venue in San Bernardino, they are noticed by a young English disc jockey named John Ravenscroft who convinces them to move to England and take residence in London at his mother's house. The Misunderstood spend 8 hours camped in front of the house with all their belongings without anyone opening the door until Ravenscroft manages, from the United States, to find them a makeshift shelter, and in the subsequent period, despite some members' violent dependencies on drugs and cider, the band settles into the soft euphoria of London's nights. Guitarist George Phelps is called back to the army just as Ravenscroft's brother Alan manages to secure them a contract with Fontana Records. Tony Hill (future mastermind of seminal High Tide) joins the lineup, and The Misunderstood record six tracks (which make up the first half of this CD subtitled “Colour Of Their Sound”) with producer Dick Leathy.

“Children Of The Sun” is a fiery mixture of violent and refined psych-garage while the following “My Mind” is, to use the band's words, a “trip to the center of space”. The mystic-alien version of the hit-single “Who Do You Love” I believe confused the ideas of Quicksilver Messenger Service of “Happy Trails” quite a bit while “I Unseen” was a fundamental track in the rotations of all the best mods’ clubs in the city. “Find A Hidden Door” is to garage what “Surfin' Bird” by the Trashmen is to surf, and “I Can Take You To The Sun” paves the way that will soon be taken and amplified by the Doors.

After some appearances at the Marquee Club, alongside Pink Floyd and Move, the band explodes into a network of mad shrapnel putting an end to the adventure. Vocalist Rick Brown returns home, also drafted by Uncle Sam, falls into depression, takes refuge in the abuse of LSD, and embarks on a mystical journey into Hinduism that will lead him to become an expert in precious gems in Southeast Asia… The Misunderstood in '67 fade into obscurity, just as John Ravenscroft decides to return home and adopt the acronym of John Peel.