ROBB KUNKEL "Abyss" LP Tumbleweed RARE PSYCH LISTEN

$

51

e © AP6.0

Here's a super rare Psych Rock LP: ROBB KUNKEL "Abyss" on TUMBLEWEED RECORDS. The cover art alone is a good enough reason to buy this record. This is a very hard to find LP, only 500 copies were pressed up. Read below for the story behind this record and the TUMBLEWEED RECORDS label.  For tracklisting, please see pictures below. Email me if you have any questions.

excerpts taken from:  http://www.lysergia.com/LamaWorkshop/Tumbleweed/lamaTumbleweed.htm

As the excitement of the 1960s psychedelic explosion faded away and the once-magic streets of SF and LA were crowded with crazies and hard drugs, many westcoast heads felt an urge to retreat into quieter surroundings. This rural exodus led to Sierra Nevada communes, artist colonies in Marin County, expensive hideaways in Laurel Canyon, primitive farms out in the California desert, and, in several cases, to the high mountain air of distant Colorado. For a few years Denver and the nearby jet-set ski resorts attracted hippie musicians from all across the USA. A significant nexus in this early 1970s scene was the newly founded record label TUMBLEWEED. Despite having a few chart hits, a number of high quality LP releases, and providing a springboard for 1970s star Michael Stanley, Tumbleweed's name has remained obscure.

The Label

Tumbleweed was formed in 1971 by a couple of music business pros from Los Angeles, soon-to-be-famous Eagles producer Bill Szymczyk among them. The venture was typical of the "back to the country" trend of the time, and concern over a potential Big Earthquake in LA provided additional impetus. 

ROBB KUNKEL: "Tumbleweed was the brainchild of Larry Ray and producer Bill Szymczyk. Larry Ray was head of promotion for ABC-Dunhill, while Bill had produced the James Gang, BB King and others at ABC. In 1970 Larry and Bill flew to Denver and pitched the idea of Tumbleweed records. I came in at the ground floor as I was the ABC-Dunhill promotion man in Denver. We all drank root beer with magic mushrooms and drove up to the mountains to see Judy Roderick and the band Sixty Million Buffalo. These guys were terrified of the earthquake situation in LA and wanted to do the label in Denver."

ROBB KUNKEL - "Abyss" 1973 (Tumbleweed 111)

Pressed in a small run as the operation was already running on fumes, it is by far the rarest thing the label released, and to many perhaps also the best.

ROBB: "I am glad to hear some folks enjoy Abyss. It was a blast to be 21 at the Village Recorder, high as a kite, doing it in Quadraphonic. 'You were the morning' was written by Thomas Stockwell and I learned the song near Chicago in 1964. When session guitar master Howard Roberts was doing the banjo part at the end of 'You were the morning' he had done many lines and glasses of Remy Martin and had to keep doing re-takes. He looked up at the window to the control room and said, 'I will get this right if it takes all the money Tumbleweed has got'. 'Whispermuse' was based on the writing of Baudelaire who I was reading at the time. My upstairs 4 rooms had leaded glass round windows which I put in the lyrics: 'times magic sunlight dances through a round window'. I think 500 copies of 'Abyss' were pressed but it could be more. The company went under just at the time of it's release."

to hear a soundclip of this record CLICK HERE (please note that this is a low bit-rate clip)

VINYL CONDITION: M- (vinyl is very glossy and unmarked; flawless condition / LIKE NEW; see pictures to see for yourself; check soundclip for play quality)

SLEEVE CONDITION: VG/VG+ (barely any edge or spine wear; signigificant ring wear; bit of creasing; hole punch in upper left corner; SEE PICTURES FOR DETAILS)

To see my grading scale please CLICK HERE

SHIPPING: please go to bottom of page for shipping calculations. If you are unable to get your shipping quote below, then please send me a question using the link at the top of the page. Record comes in plastic sleeve and will be profesionally packed in an LP mailer box with cardboard inserts and bubblewrap padding.

ATTENTION: FIRST CLASS MAIL will not be offered to FRANCE, ITALY, or HUNGARY. Buyers from these countries must get PRIORITY MAIL with tracking. Sorry, but I have had packages lost in these countries. Also, any purchases made over $30 must be sent via PRIORITY MAIL INTERNATIONAL so it has tracking and INSURANCE. This is to cover both, myself the seller, and the buyer.