The Deep was a short-lived American rock and roll band formed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, during the mid-1960s. Their style of rock and roll can be characterized as protopunk at times, while at others, their music delves into more psychedelic sounds. In fact, their biggest claim to fame is probably that the title of their sole album, The Psychedelic Moods of The Deep, is most likely the first time the word "psychedelic" was used in an album title.
Information on the band is sparse at best, and the identity of only one member is known for sure: that of lead guitarist, singer, and songwriter Rusty Evans. Evans had performed as a Greenwich Village folk musician in the late 1950s and early 1960s, recording three albums under his own name, and was later a member of the folk group The New Christy Minstrels. Musician David Bromberg is also known to have played on The Deep's one and only album, although it is unknown on which tracks he played.
The Psychedelic Moods album was recorded in August 1966 for the Cameo-Parkway label, which was also home to fellow protopunkers ? and the Mysterians. While the exact release date of the album has yet to be definitively established, the record most likely had been shipped to stores by late October 1966, based on the known release dates and catalogue numbers of other Cameo-Parkway albums. This would make it the first album to include the word "psychedelic" in its title, beating out the Blues Magoos' "Psychedelic Lollipop", released as early as November 1, 1966, and the 13th Floor Elevators' "The Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators", released around the last week of November 1966.
The Deep's Psychedelic Moods did not sell well, and the group did not tour to support it. They seem to have existed as a studio-only band, and, aside from sessions for their album, produced no other recordings under that name. Whatever the case, Rusty Evans left Cameo-Parkway to record a new album for the Columbia Records label in 1967. Ditching the name The Deep, this second album was credited to the band Freak Scene and entitled Psychedelic Psoul. The sound of this album is very similar to that of The Deep's album, and should be considered a follow-up in all but name. As its title suggests, Psychedelic Psoul is comprised of psychedelic rock songs, and is very much a product of its times. Unfortunately, Freak Scene was doomed to the same fate as The Deep. They did not tour, and their album did not chart. The album has been rereleased by Sony BMG through Columbia Records on vinyl.
After this venture, Rusty Evans gave up psychedelic rock and roll for good, returning to his folk roots. He recorded under his birthname Marcus for a self-titled album in 1969, which is often lauded as an early example of psych-folk music. He did not record another album until 1979, when he released "Life's Railway Heaven", another folk effort. Evans has recorded sporadically since then, usually in the style of folk or rockabilly music.
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