Kreskin Speaks!

 A while back I featured an unusual "board game" that really isn't a game at all. It's the 1967 game, Kreskins's ESP, by Milton Bradley. The game is actually a series of tests you can do to test your ESP abilities. As such, it's an interesting look at culture in the late 1960s.

While doing research on it, I discovered that there was an LP record released at the same time as the game (or very soon after). Apparently the game was such a hit, Kreskin decided he could cash in a bit more, so he recorded it as an add on of sorts to the board game. You didn't need one to use the other, but it seems like they were meant to be enjoyed together.

The game is fairly easy to find but the record isn't.  However, I put a search on eBay and just last week I got a hit! A sealed unused copy was up for grabs! Here it is!

As you can see, it features the same artwork as the Milton Bradley game. Here's the back...

That "yes/no" chart is more than just decoration, as you can use the album cover in your own "experiments."

Here are sides one and two. Yes, I opened it.

And here it is with the "game!" 

I tried to find as much info as I could on it, and I stumbled across this review from Billboard - January 20, 1968: 

"SSS International tries to capture the success of Kreskin's "ESP" party game on the recorded disk. There are 10 tests here, along with an introduction and instruction band. Depending on the amount of exposure on radio and television and transcendental waves messages emitted, this album could catch many people's fancy."

...and that's it. 

As it turns out, the idea of the record is probably more interesting than the record itself. The record features Kreskin droning on in his sleep inducing voice about quasi-scientific theories and simple "tests" to release the powers of your mind. Most involve the pendulum. The weirdest one doesn't, however. It's the seance "table tipping" grand finale. Since nothing really happens on the record (he's just telling you what to do) it's fairly dull.

But why take my word for it? I found the whole album on you tube so you can listen for yourself!

Kreskin's ESP

An interesting thing about this album is that although it's fairly rare, it's really not worth much. I paid a little over twenty bucks for my mint copy, shipping included, and that was a full retail price. Why is it so cheap? Well, first of all, just listen to it. Secondly, the only person that would really want it would be some weird collector guy who wanted it to go with his Milton Bradley game.  

In other words, I'm happy!

Until next time, keep searching for treasure!