Vanilla Fudge - S/T Self-Titled - 12" Vinyl LP Album

- Psychedelic rock anthems slowed into thunderous symphonies that shook late sixties vinyl culture

VANILLA FUDGE - S/T Self-Titled 12" Vinyl LP Album front cover https://vinyl-records.nl

The 1967 debut of Vanilla Fudge turned familiar pop hits into heavy, psychedelic soundscapes. Instead of chasing radio-friendly singles, the band slowed down songs like You Keep Me Hanging On and Eleanor Rigby, stretching them into dramatic, organ-driven epics. By dragging tempos and layering harmonies, they transformed catchy tunes into dark symphonies of rock, letting every note breathe. This radical approach became their trademark, shocking audiences with both recognition and reinvention, and paving the way for heavier rock styles to follow.

Vanilla Fudge (Self-Titled) Album Description:

In the rich tapestry of rock music history, certain albums stand as monuments to artistic exploration and sonic innovation. Vanilla Fudge's self-titled 1968 release, commonly referred to as their debut album, is a shining example of a band pushing the boundaries of rock music. This 12" vinyl LP album, released in Canada on the record label ATCO SD 33-224, is a captivating journey into the realm of psychedelic rock.

Vanilla Fudge emerged during the vibrant era of the late 1960s, known for its experimentation and cultural shifts. Comprising Mark Stein on keyboards and vocals, Vince Martell on guitar, Tim Bogert on bass, and Carmine Appice on drums, Vanilla Fudge took the rock music landscape by storm. The band's distinctive style blended elements of psychedelia, progressive rock, and heavy blues, creating a sound that was both ethereal and powerful.

The self-titled album by Vanilla Fudge offers an immersive listening experience that defies conventional expectations. The band's unique reinterpretations of popular songs are a defining characteristic of their sound. O

The self-titled album showcases the immense talent and technical prowess of Vanilla Fudge. The band's instrumental skills are on full display throughout the record, with intricate solos, intricate time signatures, and mesmerizing improvisations. The standout track, "Ticket to Ride," exemplifies their ability to reimagine songs in unexpected ways. The extended intro, driven by Mark Stein's ethereal organ work, leads into a breathtaking interpretation that veers away from the original, transforming it into a captivating and immersive experience.

Vanilla Fudge's self-titled album represents a significant contribution to the evolution of psychedelic rock. The band's willingness to experiment with song structures, extended improvisations, and unconventional time signatures set them apart from their contemporaries. Tracks like "Bang Bang" and "Take Me for a Little While" showcase the band's ability to create intricate layers of sound, incorporating elements of blues, soul, and psychedelia. Vanilla Fudge's groundbreaking approach laid the foundation for future progressive rock acts and left an indelible mark on the genre.

Despite initially polarizing critics and some listeners, Vanilla Fudge's self-titled album has gained recognition as a groundbreaking work. Its influence can be heard in the music of subsequent generations of artists, including the likes of Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, and King Crimson. The album's innovative sound, experimental approach, and musical prowess continue to inspire and captivate listeners to this day.

Production & Recording Information:

Music Genre:

American Psychedelic Acid Rock

Label & Catalognr:

White ATCO SD 33-224

Media Format:

12" Vinyl LP Gramophone Record
Album weight: 210 gram

Year & Country:

1968 – Made in Canada

Producers:
  • Shadow Morton – Producer & Director
Sound & Recording Engineers:
  • Joe Veneti – Recording Engineer
  • Bill Stahl – Recording Engineer
Album Cover Design & Artwork:
  • Haig Adishian – Album Design
Photography:
  • Richard Stevens – Cover Photos
  • Bruce Laurance – Back Liner Photos
Album Dedication:

This album is dedicated to Mrs. Lucy Monaco

Collector Notes:

The self-titled debut album by Vanilla Fudge (1967, ATCO SD 33-224) is unique for being almost entirely composed of cover versions. This was not due to a lack of original material, but a deliberate artistic choice.

The band’s concept was to take familiar pop songs—like You Keep Me Hanging On, Ticket to Ride, and Eleanor Rigby—and transform them into slow, dramatic, psychedelic pieces. By stretching the songs into long, heavy arrangements, Vanilla Fudge created a sound that highlighted Mark Stein’s Hammond organ, Vince Martell’s fuzz guitar, Tim Bogert’s bass, and Carmine Appice’s thunderous drums.

This strategy gave audiences instant recognition while shocking them with radical reinterpretations. Producer Shadow Morton and ATCO Records also saw covers as a safer commercial bet, ensuring radio DJs would spin the tracks. The result was an album that stood apart in the late 1960s psychedelic scene: familiar melodies wrapped in dark, symphonic intensity.

These reimagined covers became the band’s signature, earning Vanilla Fudge a reputation as pioneers of heavy, symphonic psychedelia. Their influence stretched into the emerging hard rock and heavy metal genres of the 1970s.

Band Members / Musicians:

Band Line-up:
  • Mark Stein – Lead Vocals, Keyboards.
    Mark Stein was the soulful voice and Hammond organ master of Vanilla Fudge. His dramatic vocals and swirling keyboard textures defined the band’s sound, blending psychedelia with gospel-like intensity. Stein’s vision of slowing pop hits into symphonic rock epics became the group’s trademark.
  • Vince Martell – Guitar, Vocals.
    Vince Martell brought searing guitar work and gritty vocals to Vanilla Fudge. His fuzz-drenched tone and improvisational flair gave the band its psychedelic edge, while his harmonies added depth to the group’s dramatic arrangements. Martell’s guitar anchored the band’s heaviest moments. .
  • Tim Bogert – Bass, Vocals.
    Vince Martell brought searing guitar work and gritty vocals to Vanilla Fudge. His fuzz-drenched tone and improvisational flair gave the band its psychedelic edge, while his harmonies added depth to the group’s dramatic arrangements. Martell’s guitar anchored the band’s heaviest moments.
  • Carmine Appice – Drums, Vocals
    Carmine Appice is a groundbreaking American rock drummer known for his thunderous style and technical brilliance. From Vanilla Fudge to Rod Stewart, Beck, Bogert & Appice to King Kobra, his influence spans genres and generations. Read full biography .

Complete Track-listing:

Tracklisting Side One:
  1. Ticket to Ride – 5:40
    (John Lennon, Paul McCartney)
  2. People Get Ready – 6:30
    (Curtis Mayfield)
  3. She's Not There – 4:55
    (Rod Argent)
  4. Bang Bang – 5:20
    (Sonny Bono)
Video: Vanilla Fudge "Keep Me Hangin' On" on The Ed Sullivan Show
Tracklisting Side Two:
  1. Illusions of My Childhood – Part One – 0:20
  2. You Keep Me Hanging On – 7:20
    (Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, Eddie Holland)
  3. Illusions of My Childhood – Part Two – 0:23
  4. Take Me For A Little While – 3:27
    (Trade Martin)
  5. Illusions of My Childhood – Part Three – 0:22
  6. Eleanor Rigby – 8:24
    (John Lennon, Paul McCartney)
    The album Vanilla Fudge – Self-Titled (1968) features a dramatic reinterpretation of The Beatles’ classic "Eleanor Rigby". Originally released on Revolver (1966), the Beatles’ version was a stark, string-driven ballad. Vanilla Fudge transformed it into a heavy, psychedelic epic with slowed-down tempos and organ-drenched arrangements. For more on the Beatles’ original recording, visit the Beatles – Revolver Album page.
Video: Vanilla Fudge - Eleanor Rigby
Album Front Cover Photo
Front cover of the Vanilla Fudge self-titled 12-inch vinyl LP album released by ATCO Records in 1967. The artwork combines bold psychedelic elements: the top half features a deep red-orange background with large white bubble letters spelling 'Vanilla Fudge' in heavy shadowed type. On the right, a blue panel contains a stylized line drawing of a contemplative human profile, outlined in black. Below, a bright yellow field dominates the lower portion, showcasing an abstract, flame-like silhouette of a reclining nude female figure rendered in warm red and brown tones. The ATCO Records logo, a circular form in red, blue, and yellow, appears in the left margin. At the very top, the word 'Stereo' and the catalog number 'SD33-224' are framed in a small colorful banner. The entire composition embodies late 1960s psychedelic design aesthetics.

The front cover of the Vanilla Fudge self-titled debut album radiates the essence of late 1960s psychedelia. At the top, bold white bubble letters spelling Vanilla Fudge rest against a vivid red-orange background, their dark shadows giving them depth and weight.

To the right, a striking blue panel features a line-drawn human profile in black, suggesting an introspective or meditative figure, adding a surreal, almost dreamlike quality. Below, the design bursts into bright yellow, where an abstract silhouette of a reclining nude woman emerges. Her figure appears outlined in fiery reds and browns, giving the impression of flames or heat, merging sensuality with hallucinatory imagery.

The ATCO Records logo sits prominently on the left, its concentric colored circles adding a pop-art touch. Above, a small banner reads Stereo alongside the catalog number SD33-224, completing the period-authentic packaging. The entire artwork captures both the psychedelic visual language and the radical spirit of the era in which the album was released.

Album Back Cover Photo
Back cover of the Vanilla Fudge self-titled 12-inch vinyl LP album released by ATCO Records in 1967. The layout is divided into two sections: the top portion features the album title 'Vanilla Fudge' in bold bubble lettering across a gray banner, flanked by the ATCO stereo logo and catalog number SD 33-224 on the right. Beneath the title, the complete track listing for both Side 1 and Side 2 is printed, including song titles, songwriter credits, and track durations. Production credits are displayed on the right, naming Shadow Morton as producer and director, along with engineers, photographers, and designers, and noting the dedication to Mrs. Lucy Monaco. The lower half of the cover consists of black-and-white band photographs: individual portraits of each member, including close-ups and casual poses outdoors, alongside a central group photo where all four musicians stand and sit in a natural setting. The layout captures both the professional and personal identities of the band in a crisp, documentary style.

The back cover of the Vanilla Fudge self-titled debut album is both informative and visually rich. Across the top, the album name appears in bold bubble letters, with the ATCO stereo logo and catalog number SD 33-224 to the right.

The track listing for Side 1 and Side 2 is clearly printed, including songwriter credits and exact durations. On the right, production details acknowledge recording engineers Joe Veneti and Bill Stahl, designer Haig Adishian, photographers Richard Stevens and Bruce Laurance, and producer/director Shadow Morton. A special dedication to Mrs. Lucy Monaco is also included.

The lower section displays black-and-white photographs of the band: individual portraits of Tim Bogert, Vince Martell, Mark Stein, and Carmine Appice, along with a central group shot capturing the quartet in stylish late-1960s attire, posed outdoors. This combination of text and imagery gives a full picture of the album’s identity.

Close up of Side One record’s label
Close-up of Side One label from the Vanilla Fudge self-titled 12-inch vinyl LP album, released by ATCO Records in 1967. The label has a white background with a repeating lavender ATCO logo pattern circling the upper half, creating a bold psychedelic effect. The album title 'Vanilla Fudge' is centered at the top. Below, the track listing for Side One is printed in black text, including 'Ticket to Ride' (John Lennon & Paul McCartney) 5:40, 'People Get Ready' (Curtis Mayfield) 6:30, 'She's Not There' (Rod Argent) 4:55, and 'Bang Bang' (Sonny Bono) 5:20. Catalog number SD 33-224 is clearly noted. The bottom text credits recording engineers Joe Veneri and Bill Stahl, producer and director Shadow Morton, and the 1967 copyright of Atlantic Recording Corporation. The edge of the disc, spindle hole, and vinyl grooves are visible, emphasizing the authenticity of the pressing.

This close-up of Side One’s record label from the Vanilla Fudge self-titled album highlights ATCO’s distinctive white label with a repeating lavender ATCO logo design across the top half, giving it a psychedelic flair.

The label text lists the tracks for Side One: Ticket to Ride, People Get Ready, She’s Not There, and Bang Bang, alongside songwriter credits and durations. The catalog number SD 33-224 appears prominently.

Additional credits at the bottom note recording engineers Joe Veneri and Bill Stahl, with production by Shadow Morton. The label bears the © 1967 Atlantic Recording Corporation copyright line, manufactured and distributed in Canada by WEA Music of Canada, Ltd.