Question #5

[Agustin123]

A question. Jonathan Donahue really participated in the production of The Private Psychedelic Reel?

[Champiness]

Serious answer: he gave them advice on the arrangement and, most notably, suggested then-Mercury Rev member Mark Marinoff play the clarinet solo that ended up being the centerpiece of the track.
The idea for "The Private Psychedelic Reel" came from the Chems witnessing a wild jam session at the end of a Mercury Rev show and wanting to do something similar as a dance track, so they pulled in the man himself partway through the sessions for help.

[orangewedge99]

I always wondered what 'private psychedelic reel' actually means and what it stands for? Does anyone know the story behind the title? 

[Wolkenkrabber]

I always wondered what 'private psychedelic reel' actually means and what it stands for? Does anyone know the story behind the title? 

This has been discussed before, possibly on the previous incarnation of this forum. As I was a beneficiary of the discussion last time, perhaps I should pass it on this time.

It was a tape reel that The Beatles allegedly had of their more psychedelic moments which they kept for private usage, possibly to drop acid to (...or not). There's actually a listing on Discogs for it though it's just a bootleg and probably not worth getting. Clearly the psychedlelic period of the Beatles influenced Chems tracks like Setting Sun (those harsh noises probably influenced by the backward loops on Tomorrow Never Knows), so I guess TPPR was a Chemical nod to The Fab Fours' influence. Perhaps even suggesting that this was a psychedlic track for a new, rave generation to trip out on.

[orangewedge99]

This has been discussed before, possibly on the previous incarnation of this forum. As I was a beneficiary of the discussion last time, perhaps I should pass it on this time.

It was a tape reel that The Beatles allegedly had of their more psychedelic moments which they kept for private usage, possibly to drop acid to (...or not). There's actually a listing on Discogs for it though it's just a bootleg and probably not worth getting. Clearly the psychedlelic period of the Beatles influenced Chems tracks like Setting Sun (those harsh noises probably influenced by the backward loops on Tomorrow Never Knows), so I guess TPPR was a Chemical nod to The Fab Fours' influence. Perhaps even suggesting that this was a psychedlic track for a new, rave generation to trip out on.

Oh wow, now it all makes sense, what a fantastic way to approach a track, never thought about it that way! Thanks Skyscraper!! This background story alone shows how much of a genius Tom and Ed are, what a wonderful inspiration!!! 

[Agustin123]

I was looking at google and saw that in the credits of the song in Discogs, said that Jonathan Donahue played a kind of synthesizer called "Tettix wave" created by a musician of Mercury Rev called "Grasshopper". Mark Marinoff only played the clarinet in the song (I do not know if all this is true, it's a hypothesis).