“Rollin’ Machine”
by The Seeds
1966 song
If you’re looking for conspicuous references to drugs on The Seeds’ 1966 LP A Web Of Sound you’ll find them everywhere, intentional or not: the pot cultivator of "Mr. Farmer", the LSD chemist of "Tripmaker", the endless fractal visions of "Pictures And Designs"… and the joint-making device of "Rollin' Machine". In the last case, at least, you’re not dreaming: "Rollin' Machine" is indeed a free-wheeling homage to a device that rolled marijuana into perfectly cylindrical, Marlboro-like cigarettes.
“Ride my rollin’ machine!” cackles Sky Saxon atop the lurching 1-2 groove of "Rollin' Machine", a song that begins in garage rock land but frequently erupts into far stranger and more sinister excursions. Because of its subject matter, its uncanny musical structure, and the unsettling nature of its sounds, "Rollin' Machine" is a nugget that often crops up on Seeds compilations, and rightly so. It’s the guys at the top of their game.
Fourteen takes of "Rollin' Machine" were put down on July 11, 1966, the last of which made it to the LP after overdubs later on the same date plus a lead vocal overdub session ten days later. Take 3 was issued as a bonus on the double vinyl 2017 reissue of A Web Of Sound.
