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LP
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GUESS 291LP
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$33.00
PREORDER
RELEASE DATE: 8/28/2026
Released as a private pressing in 1968, Song Of A Gypsy has grown from an obscure self-released album into one of the most coveted psychedelic records ever made. Revered by collectors as the "Holy Grail" of psych, original copies now command thousands of dollars -- but its legendary status rests not on rarity alone. The music remains as captivating today as it was over half a century ago. A singular blend of psychedelic rock, Eastern influences and mystical songwriting, Song Of A Gypsy weaves floating Arabic melodies, finger cymbals, hand percussion, shimmering fuzz guitar and Damon's unmistakable, haunting vocals into a deeply spiritual listening experience. Its songs explore love, loss and the search for meaning with a sincerity that continues to amaze. Behind the music was David del Conte, better known as Damon The Gypsy. After performing around Southern California in the early 1960s, personal struggles led him to abandon the club circuit in search of a different path. Settling in Big Sur, his life took an unexpected turn when an impromptu encounter and jam session with George Harrison and Ravi Shankar inspired the distinctive five-string guitar tuning and Eastern-tinged sound that became the foundation of Song Of A Gypsy. Recorded with guitarist Charlie Carey and a small circle of friends, the album was privately issued on Damon's own Ankh label in an edition believed to total of a few hundred copies across two sleeve variations (single white cover and black gatefold leather textured). With virtually no promotion or distribution, most copies were simply given to friends and family. Decades later, the record was rediscovered by legendary collectors Veronica Breth and Paul Major, sparking a worldwide cult following. Its growing reputation eventually led to acclaimed reissues by Shadoks in 1998, Guerssen Records in 2005 and Now-Again in 2010. Damon himself remained humbled by the album's remarkable journey, calling its success "a mystery" after years of obscurity. Damon passed away in 2016, but Song Of A Gypsy endures as a timeless masterpiece, one of the most extraordinary and original recordings of the psychedelic era. Featuring original artwork (single white cover variant) and remastered sound with pitch corrected. Includes insert with liner notes and photos.
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CD
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XENOS 001CD
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2021 warehouse find, last copies. "Damon. This is the artistic name of David Del Conte, a genius American gypsy musician who is responsible for probably the rarest and most sought-after psychedelic music album of all time. We're talking about his debut album, Song Of A Gypsy, which was originally released in 1969. This album has a totally unique sound, with the 'crooner-like' voice of Damon, the omnipresent melodic fuzz guitar of Charlie Carey and truly atmospheric melodies. Vernon Joynson, on his latest Fuzz Acid & Flowers book, says about this album: 'If there really is such a thing as psychedelic music, this is surely it. The Damon album is an essential purchase.' This is a new CD version of the album. Reproduction of the original first pressing, in textured carton and golden graved lettering, gatefold cover with brief liners in the inside."
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CD
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DAMON
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Late 1990's reissue of this US private pressing monster from the late '60s -- available again. This has been booted twice before (UK's Afterglow and on LP via the "fuck you" Fanny label out of Belgium), but this is the first legit issue, from original masters, via the resurfaced hands of Damon himself. Originally recorded in 1969 and released in some micro-quantity of non-distributed LPs, the album documents Damon's travelling-gypsy-psych concoction and will either blow you into the stratosphere with its precise period-evocations, or have you in a rage of tears. Personally, I find the exotic percussion, the lovely zap-fuzz psych guitar and the invigoratingly heart-stopping hippie-era insight of Mr. Damon's lyrical genius one of life's more rewarding small pleasures. The final track, "The Road of Life," a metaphysical battle where "some wear suits, some wear beads," caps off one of the finest philosophical acid-comedy records of all time. This record is also in Paul Major's "Top Five of Weird Underground Psych/Folk", as revealed in Vice magazine.
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