The Mystic Zephyrs 4
Oh. . .My Hands
Two:Dot HRH 1171
1971
The Mystic Zephyrs 4 (aka The MacLeods) "one of Ventura county's Yougest Combos" were as follows:
Lynne Louise MacLeod, Jared Keith MacLeod, Gayle Yvonne MacLeod and Joyce MacLeod. Age, at the time of release of this single, ranged from 15 to 9.
The Mystic Zephyrs 4 in 1974
from the cover of "Maybe" (LP Two: Dot Records HRH-6873)
Four squeaky-clean teenage siblings from Ventura? What's wrong with that?
from the cover of "Maybe" (LP Two: Dot Records HRH-6873)
Recorded at the Two:Dot Recording Studio located in Ojai, California and owned by Dean Thompson. According to Raymond Dumont, a ’60s psychedelia collector :
Three factors drove the collectors’ fascination with Two:Dot. First, scarcity. Two:Dot generally printed albums in tiny lots: 50 copies, 100 copies, perhaps 200 copies. Four decades later, how many could possibly be left?
Second, sound quality. For a tiny studio out in the boondocks, Two:Dot maintained very high technical standards. And Two:Dot of course used analog equipment, which later was rendered obsolete by the digital revolution. Many audiophiles nowadays revile the sound of digital recordings and thrill to the sound of a well-made analog album, including those cut at Two:Dot.
Third, the cultural context. If a record gives off the right vibe, redolent of the late ’60s, then it will be cherished as an endearing artifact of that tie-dyed, paisley-patterned period that began with “Sgt. Pepper.”“The late ’60s, early ’70s psych stuff is very interesting to collectors,” Dumont says. “Especially when it was released locally.”
The problem for collectors is that most Two:Dot albums were not in fact very psychedelic. Many a psych-folk aficionado has ponied up for a rare Two:Dot title by the likes of the Guys and Dolls or Mountain Glory, only to find himself in possession of a mediocre country-rock album, or one with a Christian theme. Even more problematic is “Maybe,” a very rare Two:Dot album by the groovy-sounding Mystic Zephyrs 4. Collectors who shell out hundreds of dollars for a copy may be disappointed to learn that the Zephyrs in question were four squeaky-clean teenage siblings from Ventura, whose album is rather less trippy than advertised. Back it goes on the online auction market with a new and somewhat desperate sales pitch, such as this one (actual ad):
“Incredibly strange and rare original private press from 1974! Incompetent teen-age family band with sincere pop songs and positive vibes. The drummer is only 12! May be your only chance to grab this highly sought after and mega-rare artifact!”
Above is from an article relating the story of the Two:Dot Studios found here
Four squeaky-clean teenage siblings from Ventura? What's wrong with that?
