A harmony-pop outfit from London, they started as The West Coast Consortium. With their high-pitched falsetto vocals they are nothing for the hard-psych connoisseur. Their first single didn't make any impression and for some reason they changed their name for the second 45 to Robbie (maybe to establish their lead singer Robbie Fair as a solo act). Again success eluded them, although it was quite good. The follow-up "Colour Sergeant Lilywhite" was perhaps their most psychedelic and one of their best outings. Soon after they added organist Bill Mangham to their line-up and shortened their name to Consortium. The first record they did under the new moniker was "All The Love In The World". It was their only hit, reaching #22 in the UK charts. Not a bad song, but the backings are totally annoying. They released five more singles, all in the same style. Particularly "Day The Train Never Came", "I Don't Want Her Any More" and "The House Upon The Hill" are well worth hearing. They finally split around 1975 after RCA cancelled a record deal for an LP. At this time only Robbie Fair, now Robbie Legat, was the only remaining original member. The recordings were finally released as "Rebirth" on Angel Air in 2006 and more or less in the Pop-Rock vein. In 2003 Castle (Castle Music CMRCD 786) released "Looking Back", a 27 track CD, including all the singles (except the last) plus 11 unreleased tracks. There's another CD on Wooden Hill called "Mr. Umbrella Man" with more unreleased stuff.Tracklist:
- Some Other Someday
- Looking Back
- Indigo Spring
- Listen To The Man
- Colour Sergeant Lillywhite
- Lady From Baltimore
- All The Love In The World
- Spending My Life Saying Goodbye
- When The Day Breaks
- The Day The Train Never Came
- Beggar Man
- Cynthia Serenity
- I Don't Want Her Anymore
- The House Upon The Hill
- Melanie Cries Alone
- Copper Coloured Years
- To Please Louise
- Amanda Jane
- Cindy In Love
- Willow Wood
- I'll Always Love You
- Soldiers In The Rain
- Live And Let Live
- Once Upon A Time
- What Are They All Singing About
- Scarlet River
- One Day The Train Never Came
Personnel:
Robbie Fair [aka Robbie Leggat] (vcls) [ABC]
Brian Bronson (gtr) [AB]
Geoffrey Simpson (organ, lead gtr, vcls) [AB]
John Barker (bs, trombone) [AB]
John Podbury (drms) [AB]
Bill Mangham (organ) [B]
Brian Parker (vcls, gtr) [C]
Mick Ware (vcls, gtr) [C]
Ken Brown (bs) [C]
John Parker (drms) [C]
Band origin:
London
Discographie:
Albums:
1. (C) Rebirth (Angel Air SJPCD 216) 2006
[1. racorded 1975]
45's:
1. (A) Some Other Someday/Looking Back (Pye 7N 17352) 1967
2. (A) Indigo Spring/Listen To The Man (Pye 7N 17370) 1967
3. (A) Colour Sergeant Lillywhite/Lady From Baltimore
(Pye 7N 17482) 1968
4. (B) All The Love In The World/
Spending My Life Saying Goodbye (Pye 7N 17635) 1968
5. (B) When The Day Breaks/Day The Train Never Came
(Pye 7N 17725) 1969
6. (B) Beggar Man/Cynthia Serenity (Pye 7N 17797) 1969
7. (B) I Don't Want Her Any More/The House Upon The Hill
(Pye 7N 17841) 1969
8. (B) Melanie Cries Alone/Copper Coloured Years
(Trend TNT 52) 1970
9. (B) Annabella/Tell Me My Friend (Trend 6099 004) 1971
[1. + 3. as West Coast Consortium]
[2. as Robbie]
[4. - 9. as Consortium]
Get it here
Listen to The House Upon The Hill
