Vanilla Fudge  by Vanilla Fudge

The eponymous album of Vanilla Fudge was released in August 1967. It is considered one of the most influential debuts in the history of rock music, as it laid the groundwork for heavy metal and progressive rock. The album is characterized by a unique blend of psychedelic rock, acid rock, and proto-prog. The band became known for their dramatic, slow, and "heavy" covers of well-known pop hits, transforming them into extensive psychedelic "anthems".

Vanilla Fudge was recorded in 1967 in New York City, produced by the legendary Shadow Morton. The record consists almost entirely of covers, except for three short instrumental bridges ("Illusions of My Childhood"). Among the songs, we find two Beatles songs (Ticket To Ride and Eleanor Rigby) and of course the most famous song of the album, the cover of You Keep Me Hanging On by the Supremes, whose single reached No.10 on the Billboard chart.

The value of this particular album lies in the influence it exerted on giants like Led Zeppelin (who opened their concerts on their first US tour), Deep Purple, and Yes. It showed how a simple pop song can be deconstructed and reassembled into an intense, almost symphonic experience.