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Before the formation of cult psychedelic group The Wizards From Kansas, guitarists John Paul Coffin and Hal Pierce played together in the short-lived Kansas band In Black And White. These two previously unreleased recordings preserve the group at the point where melodic American folk rock was beginning to develop into a heavier and more experimental psychedelic sound.
Both tracks were recorded in 1967 at Audio Lab in Prairie Village, Kansas, by a young Stephen Barncard. Barncard would later become a respected producer and recording engineer, working with artists including David Crosby, the Grateful Dead and New Riders of the Purple Sage.
The A-side, “Nowhere This Time,” is a moody psychedelic garage number built around sharp fuzz guitar, echoing vocals and a tense, increasingly forceful arrangement. Its raw guitar tone and emotional atmosphere reveal an early version of the exploratory sound that Coffin and Pierce would later pursue with The Wizards From Kansas.
“How Can I Make It” offers a contrasting side of the group. Its chiming guitars, vocal harmonies and reflective songwriting place it closer to the melodic folk-rock sound of The Byrds, while subtle psychedelic touches prevent it from becoming a conventional mid-1960s pop recording.
The original master tapes were preserved by Stephen Barncard, who transferred and remastered the recordings in 2025. Issued as part of Guerssen’s 30th-anniversary series, this hand-numbered 45 finally gives these two lost 1967 performances their first physical release.
Personnel:
John Paul Coffin – lead guitar and backing vocals
Hal Pierce – rhythm guitar and lead vocals
Tim Hamilton – Fender Precision bass
Bob May – drums
Track listing:
Side A
Nowhere This Time – 3:31
Side B
How Can I Make It – 4:59
