The Final Solution - Misty Mind (1966)

Earth Mother And The Final Solution, later shortened to The Final Solution, were formed in 1965, and featured Ernie Fosselius on lead guitar, John Yager on lead vocals and rhythm guitar, John Chance on drums, and Bob Knickerbocker on bass guitar. Regarding the group's potentially offensive name, which have been taken as a reference to Nazo Germany's genocide of the Jews in World War Two, the band insisted it referred to the phrase "There is no final solution", a cryptic but otherwise meaningless statement, and music historian Alec Palao later explained "With their solidly middle-class backgrounds, none of the group had any idea of the slogan's implications". Stylistically, the band bore the closest similarity to the Great Society, with raga rock influences and minor-keyed melodies, although in other aspects they made a concerted effort to remain apart from their San Franciscan contemporaries, performing downbeat material penned by Fosselius and Knickerbocker, and dressing in a way that did not exhibit the hippie vibe of the city. They opened for several bands in San Francisco, in venues such as the Matrix and the Fillmore Auditorium ,throughout 1965 and 1966, completing approximately 50 live performances during their existence, and they were also the house band at the Red Dog Saloon for a month in 1966. 

Despite never recording during their existence, The Final Solution have gained the attention of fans of psychedelic rock after a bootleg circulated of a 1966 gig at The Matrix, which was later officially released by High Moon Records. This performance was almost not recorded as the group was a last-minute replacement for The Great Society, who had been forced to cancel the gig, and Peter Abram was running his tape deck that night and so captured a dynamic set that shows the band's diversity and musical chops. Rehearsal tapes have also surfaced of some of their songs, but despite recording demos for Mainstream Records in San Francisco, the band never managed to secure a recording contract, despite their live set showing that they were the equal of many other SF bands of the time. Had they managed to get a label interested, and laid down some of their songs in 1966, then their debut album could have sounded very much like this mix of live and rehearsal takes of some of their songs. As the guitar was buried so far in the mix at the rehearsals (and on 'Blacklist') that you could hardly hear it, I've brought it to the front so that we can clearly hear the acid-fried guitar solos.  

Track listing

01 If You Want
02 Tell Me Again
03 Just Like Gold
04 So Long Goodbye
05 The Time Is Here And Now
06 Bleeding Roses
07 You Say That You Love Me
08 Misty Mind
09 Nothing To Fear
10 Backlash