SANTA DOG (1972)

This is the record that started it all. A self-financed four track single, comprising of the tracks "Fire", "Lightning", "Explosion" and "Aircraft Damage". Strange titles, until you realise that the whole thing is designed to look like a gift/greeting card from an insurance company. President Nixon refused his copy—confirmation of his basically evil nature, if it was needed.

Though there were few takers for this little gem at the time, you would need to a sizeable loan to get your mitts on one today. Despite the primitive mono recording, there's a lot of inventiveness going on, and you can see the way it was all going to go. "Fire", the original "Santa Dog", still swings. The record ends with a rousing chorus of "kick a cat today!" The Summer of Love ended here.