Conceived by legendary (and controversial) producer Matthew Katz, Fifth Pipe Dream – Volume I is a groundbreaking psychedelic album from 1968 that blurs the line between compilation and concept record. Featuring a rotating cast of Katz’s San Francisco Sound artists, it encapsulates the creativity and experimental spirit of the Bay Area at its lysergic peak. Rather than a traditional various-artists compilation, Fifth Pipe Dream was designed as a unified listening experience—multiple bands contributing to a single, flowing psychedelic journey. At a time when this format was virtually unheard of, Katz assembled a genre-defying release that still feels ahead of its time.
The album brings together key underground acts from the late ’60s psychedelic scene from San Francisco, including Tripsichord Music Box (with some extended, mind-expanding psychedelic jams); West Coast Natural Gas - miscredited as Indian Puddin’ & Pipe - with some killer psychedelic garage & folk-rock; It’s A Beautiful Day (with essential early material) and the obscure psych band Black Swan.
The album moves seamlessly across styles while maintaining a cohesive, trippy atmosphere. Released in November 1968 under Katz’s San Francisco Sound imprint, the album reflects both the creative explosion—and the business controversies—of the era. Katz famously controlled band names and recordings, leading to miscredited tracks and ongoing legal disputes with artists like Moby Grape and Jefferson Airplane.
Despite (or because of) this, Fifth Pipe Dream stands as a fascinating snapshot of a scene in flux—where artistic ambition, experimentation, and industry tensions collided. The iconic gatefold cover—illustrated by poster artist Donna Wallace-Cohen—exists in two variants: an original greyscale version and a later, more vivid color edition (which was colorized without the original artist’s involvement).
Though no follow-up volume ever appeared, Fifth Pipe Dream remains a cult cornerstone of the original San Francisco psychedelic era. Its unique concept, rare recordings, and mysterious history continues to intrigue collectors and historians alike. For this, the first ever official reissue, we’ve opted for the original grey scale cover as per original designer Donna Wallace-Cohen’s request but it features for the first time ever the right band name of West Coast Natural Gas instead of Indian Puddin’ And Pipe.
