

Before he became Patti Smith’s lead guitarist, Lenny Kaye compiled the 2 album set, Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era. Released in 1972, the two-LP set covered American garage rock and psychedelia from the years from 1965-1968, and was a major influence on punk rock. Rhino Records reissued an expanded version of the set in 1998, with 118 tracks in total. I’m profiling and rating each of these 118 tracks, working backwards.
Track 106: Mr. Pharmacist by The Other Half
Release Date: 1966
From: San Francisco, California
Aphoristical Rating: 9/10
MR. PHARMACIST – The Other Half [2:30]
(Jeff Nowlen)
Personnel/JEFF NOWLEN: vocals, harmonica * RANDY HOLDEN: lead guitar * JEFF WESTEN: guitar * LARRY BROWN: bass * DANIEL WOOD: drums
Produced by RICHARD DELVY
Recorded in Los Angeles, CA
GNP Crescendo single #GNP-378 (9/66)
The Other Half were formed in Los Angeles in 1965; some of the members met in the MGM mailroom. They played covers of The Kinks, The Yardbirds, The Animals, and The Rolling Stones, and their first gig was opening for The Doors. Amazingly none of the original members were still in the band when they recorded ‘Mr. Pharmacist’ in 1966 – early guitarist Tommy Lennon was drafted, while keyboardist John Branca was fired because he was too young to play in 18+ venues. Composed by singer Jeff Nowlen, ‘Mr. Pharmacist’ was released in November 1966 but wasn’t a big seller – perhaps its barely veiled drug references were too daring for the time.
‘Mr. Pharmacist’ is similar to Count Five’s ‘Psychotic Reaction’, released a few months earlier, in but it stands on its own as a great pop tune. Many younger listeners may have heard The Fall’s 1986 cover before the original. The Fall’s version is tougher sounding but Jeff Nowlen’s vocal is surprisingly similar to The Fall’s acerbic Mark E. Smith. Nowlen often adds an “uh” to the end of each sentence, just like Smith.
The Other Half released their only studio album in 1968 – it didn’t include ‘Mr. Pharmacist. Lead guitarist Randy Holden left the band shortly after, and they broke up after they were unable to find a suitable replacement. Rhythm guitarist Geoff Westen continued his music career but also worked as a graphic designer, creating the sleeve for Steely Dan’s Aja. Lead guitarist Randy Holden joined Blue Cheer for their 1969 album New! Improved!, while bassist Larry Brown found work in TV and film composing.
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Nuggets: Why Pick On Me by The Standells

Nuggets II: No Presents For Me by The Pandamonium

Nuggets II: Here Come the Nice by The Small Faces

Nuggets: You Ain’t Tuff by The Uniques

Nuggets: Follow Me by Lyme & Cybelle

Nuggets: Double Shot (Of My Baby’s Love) by The Swingin’ Medallions

Nuggets II: Dance Around the Maypole by Acid Gallery

Nuggets: Bad Girl by The Zakary Thaks

Nuggets: Strychnine by The Sonics

Nuggets: I Wonder by The Gants

Nuggets: Liar, Liar by The Castaways

Nuggets: Live by The Merry-Go-Round

Nuggets: Tobacco Road by Blues Magoos

Nuggets: Love's Gone Bad by The Underdogs

Nuggets: Journey To The Center Of The Mind by The Amboy Dukes

Nuggets: Who Do You Love by The Woolies

Nuggets: Little Girl by Syndicate of Sound

Nuggets: I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night) by The Electric Prunes

Nuggets: Let It Out (Let It All Hang Out) by The Hombres

Nuggets: Primitive by The Groupies

Nuggets II: You Can Be My Baby by The Red Squares

Nuggets: It’s A-Happening by The Magic Mushrooms

Nuggets II: Get Yourself Home by The Fairies

Nuggets: Blackout of Gretely by GONN

Nuggets: Diddy Wah Diddy by Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band

Nuggets: Going All the Way by The Squires

Nuggets: I Need You by The Rationals

Nuggets: I Live in the Springtime by The Lemon Drops

Nuggets: Mindrocker by Fenwyck

Nuggets II: Sad by The (Australian) Playboys

Nuggets: You’re Gonna Miss Me by The 13th Floor Elevators

Nuggets: Wooly Bully by Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs

Nuggets: Fight Fire by The Golliwogs

Nuggets: Shape of Things to Come by Max Frost & The Troopers

Nuggets: Blue's Theme by Davie Allan & the Arrows

Nuggets: Night Time by The Strangeloves

Nuggets: Beg, Borrow, And Steal by The Rare Breed

Nuggets: Are You A Boy Or Are You A Girl by The Barbarians

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Nuggets: A Question of Temperature by The Balloon Farm

Nuggets: The Trip by Kim Fowley

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Nuggets: Run, Run, Run by The Gestures

Nuggets: Mirror Of Your Mind by We The People

Nuggets: Put the Clock Back on the Wall by The E-Types

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Nuggets: Knock, Knock by The Humane Society

Nuggets: Bad Little Woman by The Shadows of Knight

Nuggets II: Come On by The Atlantics

Nuggets: Pushin’ Too Hard by The Seeds

Nuggets II: Rosalyn by The Pretty Things

Nuggets II: I’m Your Witchdoctor by Chants R&B

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Nuggets: My World Fell Down by Sagittarius

Nuggets: Too Many People by The Leaves

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Nuggets II: Vacuum Cleaner by Tintern Abbey

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Nuggets: Get Me to the World on Time by The Electric Prunes

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Nuggets II: When The Alarm Clock Rings by the Blossom Toes

Nuggets: Psychotic Reaction by Count Five

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Nuggets: Why Do I Cry by The Remains

Nuggets: Spazz by The Elastik Band

Nuggets: A Public Execution by Mouse

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Nuggets: Outside Chance by The Turtles

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Nuggets: What Am I Going to Do? by The Dovers

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Nuggets: No Friend of Mine by The Sparkles

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Nuggets: Just Like Me by Paul Revere & the Raiders

Nuggets: Sometimes Good Guys Don’t Wear White by The Standells

Nuggets: Are You Gonna Be There (At The Love In) by The Chocolate Watchband

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‘Mr. Pharmacist’ is a cool tune! Based on what you’ve highlighted so far, I find there are lots of great tracks on that compilation.
Yup, quality level is pretty high. This was easy for me to warm to as I already knew The Fall’s version.
Oh Mr Pharmacist, can you help
And send me on that magic trip
I like the crunch and catchiness of it. The blues harp and guitar…I like the interplay between them.
Great band name and greater song name.
Did you know it already?
No…I didn’t. I never heard the Fall’s version…I just really liked it and had to find the lyrics.
This is like one of the neither here nor there ones. It’s neither great or terrible.
So many of those young Los Angeles garage rockers were unfortunately not meant for their time as they fractured and reassembled countless times – the level of influence would be up to the next generation…
Apparently there were a few Hollywood brats in The Other Half – possibly a bit unmotivated.
As a fan of albums with excessive punctuation, I’m now quite curious about New! Improved! !
Are you into Godspeed You! Black Emperor? They have:
‘Allelujah! Don’t Bend! Ascend!
F♯ A♯ ∞
I am so glad you chose GSY!BE and not Shania Twain. 😉
It was weird she named an album Up when R.E.M. and Peter Gabriel had both recently done so.
There was a movie too… I wonder which came first. I mean, I don’t care enough to go find out, but idle thoughts are a specialty lol. I’d take Gabriel and REM’s music over hers every day of the week, though, given druthers.
Gabriel started his first, but it didn’t come out until a few years after R.E.M.’s. Twain’s came out a couple of months after Gabriel’s, but she did add an exclamation mark. Movie was almost a decade behind everything else.
You know what’s UP!
That sounds right up my street!
I am so glad you chose GSY!BE and not Shania Twain. 😉
sorry Geoff I replied in wrong spot!
Yes yes yes!
I assumed you’d like it!
Oh heck yeah. That Nuggets boxed set is gold.
More good stuff.
Take me down where the good stuff grows
Love you nice, tickle your nose
That made me grin.
Do you know the song?
No i didnt.
B52s, c1992
I was on Planet Claire at the time.