The Godz’ debut album in September 1966 extended dope-rock free-form jamming

Evidence

Discussing “dope rock” in The Aesthetics of Rock, R. Meltzer calls “Rainy Day Women” “the ‘How Dry I Am’ of grass.” The brass-band party suggests an undisciplined imitation of Sun Ra. On the other hand, the crazy free-form sound anticipates ESP-Disk’s second rock band the Godz, whose first album was released in late September. Stollman commissioned a promotional film from Jud Yalkut. Set mostly in their East Village pad, the band engages in a toneless jam while watching football on TV. A party, possibly at Stollman’s uptown apartment, provides the occasion for more clowning and discordant caterwauling. — J. Hoberman, Everything Is Now, 1958