I ´m late to the Sir Psych world , but I like to think that I´m made up for lost time with this post..
Martin nunez dropped me an email near a year ago with some info regarding his work, and because I’m a very incompetent mail reader , I haven’t written up a post about any of his music yet.
On that time, Dallas , Texas born Martin Nuñez , aka Sir Psych with LA based , delivered his first proper full length, a wildly addictive concoction of influences, entitled The Popsike World of Sir Psych.
Had been left behind the days of breakdancer/ hip hop from younger years .
There, Sir Psych has cleverly take a few tabs of 60′ vinyls stylish swagger and psychedelic hearted-planted by his mother , crushed it up with a heavy dose of baroque pop, experimental sounds and minimal garage, and ground it up into a fine golden powder psych haziness , he calls The Popsike World of Sir Psych.
Well, but don´t was until last week when arrived The Smoking Trees “Acetates” to my mail box via Martin , and which is basically the most awesome thing that I’ve ever heard on this last time, when finally I knew about Sir Psych´s efforts.
The Smoking Trees is the project where Martin Nunez aka Sir Psych joins Al Rivera, aka L.A AL as a follow up to the Sir Psych debut released , The Popsike World of Sir Psych, to make one of the most diverse, and wildly varied psych records of the year. They effortlessly blaze through a ton of styles, and it’s a virtually flawless mess. A conglomeration of blatant garage-psych , pop, and instrumentals exeriment taken from the past three decades or so, and it somehow sounds , weird, fresh and completely of their own. This record is filled to the brim with everything and nothing I’ve heard before.
Well mates, at seem he is not into with file sharing links on blogs and   file sharing his   works is not what he  support. So I´ll delete links and you´ll have to check out the   albums on bandcamp.  You’re gonna have to shell out five bucks if you wanna own them , but you can stream them as many times as you want to decide if you dig them  or not. 

And don´t forget visit all his earlier  efforts  on his blog  page, it´s  absolutely  bonkers.

Hats off to you, Sir Psych .

 

The Popsike World of Sir Psych

 Sir Psych – The Popsike World of Sir Psych

Tracklist

1.Hold on to the strings of the balloons 01:33

2.In a Popsike World 02:53

3.In L.A 01:34

4.Only for you 02:48

5.Banister Boon Dog 01:13

6.Tumble Down 02:02

7.Lazy Daisy 00:56

8.Yesterday’s Smile 02:01

9.Again 00:50

10.Something for Nothing 00:57

11.View from a Wave 02:37

12.Slender Penny 02:21

13.Loneliness can find you 01:52

14.Good Love 02:46

15.Set me free 01:48

16.Sigh Goodbye 01:11

17.Every Colour I know 01:46

18.Time 03:16

19.Merry go Maggie 04:01

20.BONUS TRACK: Tumble Down (Take 1) 02:02

21.BONUS TRACK: She sleeps with her eyes open (Segment 1) 02:37

22.BONUS TRACK: Only for you (Alternate Version Take 5) 02:48

23.BONUS TRACK: And now she’s gone (Unreleased) 01:49

24.BONUS TRACK: Every colour I know (Alternate Version) 01:46

25.BONUS TRACK: Yesterday’s Smile (Take 1) 02:05

26.BONUS TRACK: Good Love (Alternate Version) 02:21

27.BONUS TRACK: A Sermon (Unreleased) 00:49

28.BONUS TRACK: Time (Alternate Version) 02:38

29.BONUS TRACK: Sigh Goodbye (Alternate Version) 01:11

30.BONUS TRACK: In a Popsike World (Alternate Version) 02:51

31.BONUS TRACK: Slender Penny (Alternate Version) 02:14

32.BONUS TRACK: Took a shot (Unreleased) 00:45

33.BONUS TRACK: View from a Wave (Alternate Version) 02:15

34.BONUS TRACK: Merry Go Maggie (First Version Acoustic) 02:26

Sir Psych – A Peek Through my Window (Outtakes)

self-released

released 2011

Tracklist

 01   Greenfields

 02    Sidewalk Symphony

03    Hippie

 04   The Many Colours

 05    A Public Service Announcement

 06   CruxiFICTION

07   Something Sighs

  

Sir Psych – Two for you

Self-released

Released 2012

Tracklist

 01   The Same

02   Things are getting better everyday

  

It was the summer of 2003, when they recorded a song in Sir Psych’s studio apartment bathroom in El Monte, Ca. They knew that they recorded a song that was the beginning of what was to come. During these sessions in El Monte, they recorded several songs including “Morning Music from Yesterday”,  “Hot Bread”, and “Like a Phoenix”. Still nameless, they had names such as Velvet Tuesday & The Good Smells. It was a trip to Six Flags Magic Mountain that the name The Smoking Trees came about. During the 45 minute trip from L.A to Valencia, Southern California was being burned from these wildfires that are here every summer. This particular year in 2003 it was very bad. Smoke was everywhere. Al said that he had a cool name for a band, The Burning Trees. Sir Psych retorted with “how about The Smoking Trees, because there was more smoke than fire.” They laughed and the name has stuck with them ever since. 

During their years of home demo’s, they knew they had something special with their sound. Al’s band drifted away, and he even thought of just giving up music all together. But Sir Psych wouldn’t let him. 

Since then, they have started families, and had little time to dedicate to their music. It was January 2011, that that all changed. Sir Psych resigned from his full time job and concentrated on recording music full time. That sparked something in Al and the songs started to come out again. Sir Psych already played the drums and keys, but self taught himself the guitar and bass and started to come out with some tasty originals. For someone that didn’t know how to play a note, but played by sound, Al was impressed with what was coming out of the speakers. After that, the songs came out easily which leads us to today.

Acetates is the long overdue debut album which is due out in the tail end of 2012. This album combined all elements of psychedelia and is definitely different from what is out currently in the psychedelic field. Sir Psych and L.A.AL are The Smoking Trees and have something special for the people of this Earth.

 The Smoking Trees – Acetates

Tracklist

1.Entrance 04:41

2.See 03:01

3.Merry Go Maggie 02:45

4.Close your Eyes 03:03

5.Changes in Perception 03:22

6.Return to the Morning 02:41

7.Real 01:45

8.Calling 01:58

9.In Another Land 02:54

10.The Things that you don’t See 02:34

11.Eyes Closed 04:27

12.On an Afternoon 03:20

13.Go 03:15

14.Every Little Thing 01:05

15.Nowhere Land 02:15

16.Persuaded Rendezvous 04:01

17.Stay for the Night 02:27

18.Here She Comes 01:02

19.To the End 02:56

20.Fly without Wings 03:18

21.Acetates 09:53

LINKS DELETE BY ARTIST REQUEST

Contact Colour Tree Records:
Email Contact: colourtreerecords@gmail.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ColourTreeRecords

Band Contacts:
Email: colourtreerecords@gmail.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheSmokingTrees

Sir Psych Contacts:
Email: info@sirpsych.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheOfficialSirPsych
Website: www.sirpsych.com
Twitter: twitter.com/Sir_Psych
Blog: www.sirpsych.blogspot.com

L.A AL Contacts:
Email: colourtreerecords@gmail.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/al.rivers.16?fref=ts

WHO IS SIR PSYCH?

Born in Dallas,Texas at the tail end of 1975. Mother…Nurse…Father…Musician. The lethal combination that created Sir Psych. Born into a musical household, growing up with distant memories of acoustic guitars playing boleros on the daily. But when your father is a traveling musician, that means your father will travel along with the music. That basically separated myself from my father at an early age, but I did still feel the need for the music. This lead to the study of my first instrument. At age 3, I was being classically trained on the violin by Suzuki, which is a well respected classical trained method of play. I studied under Suzuki for years, which then lead me to study other methods of the string instrument, such as the viola, bass, and cello.

 

 

As the years change, so does the music. Although my father’s music was Latin based and rooted, my mother raised me well to 60’s classic and obscurities. From The Beatles to Dylan and everything in between, I grew up as a kid with great depth and knowledge ,of not just 60’s music, but music in general. For my first recollection of 60’s obscurities came from my mother’s record collection. The Hair: Original Broadway Production’s album cover just itself was enticing, but when I listened to the music, I was mesmerized. Imagine being 8 years old and listening to “Sodomy”, “Colored Spade”, and “Walking in Space”. The music was written and performed by the great Galt MacDermot, with lyrics by James Rado and Gerome Ragni. I took this album to heart, which turned my musical taste into different direction.

 

 

In the early to mid 80’s I was a break dancing rapping fool. I have tapes of recording of myself with others rapping over Casio keyboard beats. RUN DMC, LL Cool J, Doug E. Fresh, Beastie Boys were the soundtracks to my youth. Memorized every word, rapped them in the mirror, and made my own raps over their beats. I definitely related more to the hip hop movement more than the 80’s New Wave sound that was in constant airplay.

 

 

Between 85’-89’, those were the years that molded the hip hop hold over me. When your introduced to Eric B. and Rakim, N.W.A, Public Enemy, Gangstarr, EPMD, and De La Soul, in the span of 4 years, there will be a change in your life. It must have been Paul’s Boutique by the Beastie Boys that lead me to the exploration of sampling. I did recognize a lot of originals from these hip hop releases, but the one’s I didn’t recognize intrigued me more. I started collecting originals, starting with the James Brown Box set Startime. When I heard Hair soundtrack sampled from K.M.D to RUN DMC, I thought to myself, “Hey I made those beats in my head already.” Since then I slated that I would learn to produce music.

 

 

My High School years were spent between 1990-1994, which I still consider the best years of hip hop. Producers like, DJ Premier, Pete Rock, RZA, Da Beatminerz, Buckwild, DJ Muggs to name a few, were on top of their game. Studying those producers and their different techniques leads you to create your own techniques. Since our music is sample based, you need to create your own sound off of these records. When you hear a DJ Premier beat, you know your hearing a DJ Premier beat. I started sampling with my mail order kit I got from an add in The Source in 1993. You know the kit that came with two Gemini turntables, a mixer, a cheap mic, and a 5 second sampler. Before the sampler I was doing the pause/record method on the tape deck. Well I mastered that 5 second sampler and still have it to this day. I recorded my songs on Tascam and Fostex 4 tracks straight out of the bedroom. While a lot of samples were coming from jazz, I was digging deeper in 60’s music to sample. I was sampling West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band, The Hollies, and The Velvet Underground back in 1994.

 

The further I was digging into 60’s music, the more the word “psychedelic” came up. One day at PDQ Records in Tuscon, Arizona, a record store that I owe credit to the foundation of my record collection. I was told by PDQ worker, Arnie, “Hey kid, your really into this psychedelic music?” Arnie introduced me to many psychedelic releases at PDQ Records after that, and helped me take collecting to the next level. I stopped collecting hip hop 12”, at that time, and got rid of all my hip hop 12”s to start collecting strictly psych LP’s. The day of the DJ was dying, and the growth of the producer had awoken.This was 1995.

 

 

Now between 1990-1999, I was involved in several hip hop groups. From 1990-1993, I was writing and recording music with several groups and projects in the Tuscon, Arizona area. Produced records for KW, Mini Fro, and T, which were local MC’s at the time. KW and myself released 3 limited cassette releases from 1991-19993, under the name The Hench. Lynched by the Hench (1991), Putcha Hoods on (1992) The Shhh (1993). KW also put out a limited release all produced by Sir Psych called The Hanan Chronnicle (1993).

 

I also put out some limited cassette releases, not as Sir Psych at the time, but as Shorts. I never thought as myself as a good rapper, but I definitely had the word play and the writes to fill up 120 minute cassette tapes with no problem. From 1991-1993, I recorded 2 limited cassette releases. The Jenny Files(1992) and The Soul Experience (1993).

 

In 1994, I then shifted gears in a new direction and moved on from working with the artists I was working with. Looking for a fresh start I started working with new artists. I started producing songs for a group of artists that had no name, but were definitely hungry over my beats. The artists were Joelo the Cholo, Two Tone, Lucky, Ryan H, and Manny Mack. We started writing songs together spring of 1994. From 1994-1999, including myself, that was the core of artists that became the group The Homegrown Crew. We recorded several songs but never released our full length release. I have the masters for the full length Homegrown release, but that will probably never see the light of day though, due to bad audio and unfinished songs. There was an MC from Bad News Virginia, that I started working with named Kasino. We were working on his debut album Life is a Gamble, that was left unfinished, due to the relocation on the behalf of Kasino. I never heard from him again, but the dude was as raw as Rakim. Throughout the 6 years as The Homegrown Crew, I felt that we were not productive enough.

 

I recorded 2 albums between 1996-1998. Psychedelia (1997) and Evolution (1999). Most of the work was carried out and produced by myself with help fromLucky. Lucky was the only guest MC appearance I ever had on any of my solo recordings to this day. I felt over worked and over burdened with holding down most of the work, and I felt it was time for me to move on. This time I went all the way west to Los Angeles.

 

 

My fresh start in Los Angeles landed me right in the heart of the underground hip hop movement. I started out with one project of mine called The Los Angeles Sessions that I recorded in 2000, and released in CD format in 2001 along with Anthology (2001). I started working on another unfinished project with a couple of artist in Los Angeles in a group called Forensics with Status and DJ Despot. I handled the production on the album and Status and myself handled the writes. This project I hope to complete one day.

 

After Forensics failed to get off the ground I worked with members of The Missing Page Crew on a project before bowing out of the hip hop scene to work full time with my band I formed with Al Rivera, The Smoking Trees.

 

 

So what has been going on from 2001 till present? I have been known for my many compilations that I have made through out the years. Back in the 90’s I was making these mixes on cassettes and passing them out to friends, so they can peep my new 45’s I came up on. Well on through the millenium and with the means of new technology, ways of sharing these compilations has been made easy through blogs, rar files of LP’s, youtube, etc. I had a blog up where I posted these psychedelic compilations. People were downloading them like crazy. Even to this day, all volumes are being downloaded on the daily.

 

Well through the early days and height of myspace, I received a friend request from a Dr. Frederick Phases aka Jeff Moore, with a message saying he liked my taste of music. After a few messages he told me he did a psychedelic radio show on a local college radio station on the L.M.U campus in Marina Del Rey. He told me that his co host, The Minister Alvin X, aka DJ Nobody, would be missing some up and coming shows because he was going to Japan on tour, and if I would like to fill in for him. So I filled in and I filled in on numerous occasions. All three of us have hosted, we brought in Christmas and New Years together, and just spin records and party together. I spun records on She Comes in Colours till the show ended in 2008. I was a guest on the very last show.

 

Since the show, my compilations spread and found an even bigger audience. People from all over the world was flocking to my blog asking me questions, sending me emails for requests, past bands that I have compiled thanked me for keeping their music alive. I put these compilations together not for a profit or recognition for myself. I never made a penny off of these songs. I made these compilations to recognize the artists. I hope that I did my part, and I will keep making these compilations, if not for everyone, then for myself.

 

 

Now in the present, I am writing, recording, and producing my best work. Gears have shifted since I released my last album. Psychedelia is what I create. No matter what form of music I am creating, there will be the presence of full on psychedelia in my music. I consider it a gift which I share with chosen ears, who share my love for music. All my respect and thanks goes to the musicians and artists from the past who created what they created, so we can learn from and keep creating. I treasure music for the emotional value that it brings into my life.

 

-Sir Psych (2011)