Second Hand
Death May Be Your Santa Claus
If there were a hall of fame for underground weirdo freak bands, Second Hand would be among the first nominees. Their second album, released on April 1st 1971 through Vic Keary's Mushroom Records, is no joke - it's one of the most unhinged, inventive and genuinely strange records to emerge from the British progressive underground.
Second Hand began life as The Next Collection in South London in 1965, with teenage school-friends Ken Elliott (keyboards, mellotron, harmonica) and Kieran O'Connor (d…
Reality
Obscure prog rockers Second Hand began as the Next Collection, formed at a south London secondary school; engineer/manager Vic Keary scored them a contract with Polydor as the Moving Finger, but their legendary debut LP was credited to Second Hand, due to a rival Moving Finger. Channelling psych and spacey acid hues, there is blues-rock underpinning Bob Gibbons’ guitar and keyboardist Ken Elliott helps aim the sound towards deep space; this edition features rare tracks ‘James in the Basement’ an…
Reality
An acknowledged landmark of progressive acid rock, this 1968 classic combines top-notch songwriting with vicious guitar, swathes of mellotron and dense arrangements, to unique and unsettling effect. Sunbeam's long-awaited official reissue includes comprehensive liner notes, rare photographs and two bonus tracks, making it a must-have for lovers of true British psychedelia.