dave-bixby

psych-folk legend Dave Bixby making NY debut TONIGHT

by Andrew Sacher

Dave Bixby in the ’70s (via)
Dave Bixby

In 1969 you released your absolutely amazing album called ‘Ode to Quetzalcoatl’. I would like if you could share the whole story about it.

Winter of 1968 I was not doing so well. Too many acid trips without enough time in between to decompress and normalize. It left me fragmented and I quietly freaked out. I was in hell with no way to communicate it to anyone.

Some months later my lead guitar buddy Brian MacInness introduced me to Don Degraff I ended up in a prayer circle. Prayers went up on my behalf. Nothing really happened and we all went home. That night I did my own praying, fell asleep and a new spirit was born in me. I fasted three days then began to reach out to other people. I seemed to be ok, I felt better emotionally. I saw people’s pain and fear, it was just like mine. I knew what to say to give comfort. Songs began to flood in to me, writing them down I sang them everywhere DeGraff had the first Group meeting at his house with about ten to twelve people and the numbers grew every week eventually needing a bigger building; then we out grew that building. [It’s Psychedelic Baby]

The legendary Dave Bixby is one of many in the list of folk singers (Nick Drake, Vashti Bunyan, Linda Perhacs, etc) who went under-appreciated during their initial run but have gained the recognition they deserve years later. His only album, 1969’s Ode to Quetzalcoatl, is up there with the best of its era — opener “Drug Song” is one of the most stark, depressing folk songs of the late ’60s and the following eleven tracks are close to its intensity.

In all his years, Dave has never played a New York show, but that will change TONIGHT (2/15), when he makes his NY debut at Issue Project Room. Tickets for tonight’s show are available. Fans of psych-folk won’t want to miss this rare opportunity.

Stream Ode to Quetzalcoatl in full, below…

Dave Bixby – Ode to Quetzalcoatl