VA - The Rock Machine Turns You On [1968] + The CBS Rock Machine Turns You On [1968] (South African version) (2 x CDs)

CBS

VA - The Rock Machine Turns You On [1968] + The CBS Rock Machine Turns You On [1968] (South African version) (2 x CDs)

The Rock Machine Turns You On [1968] wasn’t just a compilation it was a revolution in how music was marketed and discovered. Released in the UK by CBS Records, this budget-priced sampler LP was part of a bold campaign to introduce listeners to CBS’s expanding roster of rock and folk artists. Priced at just 14 shillings and 11 pence (£0.75), less than half the cost of a standard LP, it made “underground” music accessible to the average teenager. The tracklist reads like a who’s who of late-'60s innovators: Bob Dylan - “I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight”, Moby Grape, Spirit, and The United States of America brought psychedelic flair, Leonard Cohen - “Sisters of Mercy”, Simon & Garfunkel, The Byrds, Taj Mahal, and Blood, Sweat & Tears added folk, blues, and jazz-rock textures. The Electric Flag’s “Killing Floor” is a standout, with Mike Bloomfield’s blistering guitar work. The sleeve featured a minimalist design with the now-iconic “Rock Machine” logo by Milton Glaser, and the album’s success led to follow-ups like Rock Machine I Love You and the double LP Fill Your Head With Rock.

What makes this sampler historically vital is its role in democratizing access to “underground” musi, shaping the sampler album format. It wasn’t just a label showcase, it was a curated experience, offering listeners a gateway into progressive and experimental sounds. CBS used this release to introduce British audiences to American artists who were largely unknown in the UK. It sold. It helped launch careers, broaden musical horizons, and laid the groundwork for future compilations like Warner/Reprise’s Loss Leaders.

This set is about the moment it captured: when rock turned a corner, and the machine really did turn us on. (B)

The CBS Rock Machine Turns You On (South African version, 1969) is a regional rarity that reimagines the UK’s groundbreaking 1968 sampler with a punchier, more soulful groove. Released by CBS South Africa), this compilation ditched the UK tracklist and delivered a lineup tailored to local tastes, with heavy doses of blues rock, soul, and psychedelia. Standout tracks include: Janis Joplin with Big Brother & The Holding Company’s fiery “Piece of My Heart”, Leonard Cohen’s poetic “Suzanne”, An edited version of The Chambers Brothers’ “Time Has Come Today”, Bob Dylan turning up the heat on “Highway 61 Revisited”. Appearances by Blood, Sweat & Tears, Spirit, Moby Grape, and Electric Flag

This version came pressed on a stunning orange multicolour splatter vinyl, instantly upping its collector value. The sleeve design added flair with a die-cut “Rock Machine” motif on a bold yellow background, visually miles away from the UK’s minimalist approach.

Culturally, it’s a snapshot of CBS’s global strategy: one catalog, many interpretations. South Africa’s edition leans into raw emotion and gritty instrumentation, perhaps echoing the nation’s complex atmosphere in the late '60s. This version deserves a glowing spotlight. It’s a vibrant example of how records traveled, and transformed. (B)

==========================================================

ALL 

OR

ALL 

===========================================================

Track lists

VA - The Rock Machine Turns You On [1968] 

01 Bob Dylan - I'll Be Your Baby Tonight 2:39

02 Moby Grape - Can't Be So Bad 3:26

03 Spirit - Fresh Garbage 3:14

04 United States of America - I Won't Leave My Wooden Wife for You, Sugar 3:56

05 Zombies - Time of The Season 3:32

06 Peanut Butter Conspiracy - Turn on A Friend 2:21

07 Leonard Cohen - Sisters of Mercy 3:34

08 Blood, Sweat & Tears - My Days Are Numbered 3:20

09 Byrds - Dolphin's Smile 2:00

10 Simon and Garfunkel - Scarborough Fair-Canticle 3:14

11 Taj Mahal - Statesboro Blues 2:58

12 Electric Flag - Killing Floor 4:11

13 Roy Harper - Nobody's Got Any Money in The Summer 2:27

14 Tim Rose - Come Away, Melinda 3:38

15 Elmer Gantry's Velvet Opera - Flames 3:11

VA - The CBS Rock Machine Turns You On [1968] South African version

01 Electric Flag - Killing Floor 4:12

02 Spirit - Mechanical World 5:15

03 Chambers Brothers, The - Time Has Come Today 3:52

04 Leonard Cohen - Suzanne 3:48

05 Moby Grape - Can't Be So Bad 3:41

06 Janis Joplin - Piece of My Heart 4:15

07 United States of America - Hard Coming Love 4:41

08 Blood, Swear & Tears - My Days Are Numbered 3:19

09 Bob Dylan - Highway 61 Revisited 3:18

10 Mike Bloomfield, Al Kooper, Steve Stills - You Don't Love Me 4:09

=============================================================

=============================================================

Music weaves itself into the fabric of our emotions, dances through the corridors of memory, and whispers to the soul of who we are. Sharing these stories deepens the connection, turning the experience into something timeless and profound.

=============================================================

=============================================================