Pacific Drift ● Feelin' Free

Pacific Drift has a song called “Plaster Casters USA,” a subtle reminder that only in 1970 could a band effectively write a song about artificially measuring a man’s, er, manhood (“who will you cast today/plaster casters USA… faster caster plaster casters are you wasting time/faster caster plaster casters who’s the next in line”). Questionable subject matter for the era’s prim and proper, of course, but a suitable tribute to the legend of this unique hobby. First released on Deram’s short-lived Nova imprint, Feelin’ Free is an impressive collection of late ‘60s psychedelia. “Just Another Girl,” “Greta the Legend” and the aforementioned “Plaster Casters USA” reveal the band’s acid rock roots, while “Tomorrow Morning Brings,” “Grain of Sand” and “Norman” demonstrate the group’s formidable mix of progressive pop and blues-flavored jazz. Sadly, not even a cover of Spirit’s “Water Woman”—a UK-only non-lp single—could salvage the quartet’s commercial fortunes. Pacific Drift split shortly after Feelin’ Free’s release, although maybe the band’s influence was more lasting than first thought; Kiss included a song called “Plaster Caster” on its 1977 album Love Gun.

Notes: The most famous “plaster caster” was Cynthia Albritton, a self-described “recovering groupie.” She first made a name for herself when she “plastered” the genitalia of Jimi Hendrix. Albritton has her own web site (http://www.cynthiaplastercaster.com/) and was the subject of a 2001 documentary called—you guessed it—Plaster Caster.