Brainticket was formed by Joel Vandroogenbroeck, Ron Bryer, and Wolfgang Paap. Their first album, Cottonwoodhill, was released in 1971. The album was known for its psychedelic sound and the message on the cover encouraging listeners to take LSD while listening. The band's lineup included Joel Vandroogenbroeck on organ and flute, Ron Bryer on guitar, Werni Fröhlich on bass guitar, Cosimo Lampis on drums, Wolfgang Paap on tablar, and Dawn Muir on vocals. The album's artwork was done by Elso Schiavo and the cover photo was taken by Heinz Walti. The album was produced by Hellmuth Kolbe and Bischof, with Kolbe also handling the potentiometers, generators, and sound effects.