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]
Rock; Christianity; guitars; church... in the 21st century these words don't seem odd together. But, in 1961 rock meant "devil music" and church meant "boring". The Pilgrims changed all that. Raise among the world-war bombsites of southeast London, the five "Pilgrims" were part of the first generation to be called "teenagers". The swinging sixties had started and it was not cool to be Christian. These full-blooded teenagers with a love for rock music became christians but opted not to conform. They put faith and rock together and changed christian music for good. The Pilgrims were the first wholly electric Christian rock group and shocked the churches of their day. Later bands broke through into mainstream recording, radio and TV, but The Pilgrims were breaking traditions and taboos. After playing at a church service attended by Princess Margaret the group were condemned on national radio by a Countess (no less!). But The Pilgrims didn't want upper class approval; they spoke to their own generation in a language they understood. The group played in churches, to be sure, but their favourite audiences were in beat clubs and dives where nobody was pretending to be holy. When you listen to The Pilgrims you can sense the rawness and enthusiasm of a newfound faith; nut the music is polished and professional. They put heart and soul into their playing and wanted to be the best. At a 1966 concert in a 2,500-seat auditorium opposite Westminster Abbey they were feted as "not only the best, but also the LOUDEST Christian group". [..] taken from the liner notes
The Pilgrims have all my sympathy. Except for the lyrics you would'nt believe that they came from the Christian environment. The music leans towards early UK R&B/Beat but with a sound that is closer to american garage bands. Not every track on this CD (LRL 001 / 2004) is a winner but songs like "Hey You", "Thank You Lord" or "There's Something In Your Life" will satisfy every garage-head and lovers of raw and wild Beat. On this occasion I would like to recommend you the highly enjoyable UK Xian Beat compilation on the excellentRoots And Traces: Spurensicherungblogspot.
Tracklist: - Hey You! - Thank You Lord - Heaven's The Place For Me • Version 2 - There's Someone In Your Life - I Didn't Care - Think It Over • Version 2 - Wait And See - Do You Believe In God? - Heard It All Before - Any Time Of The Day - Who's Your Lord? - I Know I'm Going To Heaven - He Wants You - I Don't Need You - What Are You Doing With Your Life? - Think Of God's Love - I Praise The Lord - Don't You Think It's Time - Heaven's The Place For Me • Version 1 - I Found A Special Friend - Think It Over • Version 1 Personnel: Derrick Phillips (rhythm gtr, vcls) [ABC] Don Sanders (lead gtr, bs) [ABCD] Ian Wilkie (drms, vcls) [ABCD] John Hubbard (bs, vcls) [AB] Chris King (vcls) [A] Tony Goodman (vcls, lead gtr, hrmnca) [BCD] Band origin: London
Discographie: 45's: 1. Heaven's The Place For Me/Think Of God's Love (Herald 2416) 1964
An influential band from Canterbury/Kent that underwent a fluctuate line-up and served as a stepping stone for most of the members to the better known Soft Machine and Caravan. The Wilde Flowers never made an official release up to 1994 as Voiceprint put out a collection of demos from 1965-69 (Voiceprint VP 123 CD). The majority of the tracks were recorded 65/66 and although the instrumentation is in the typical Beatsound, Robert Wyatt's and Kevin Ayers' vocal treatments had already that special Canterbury-style (it's up to you if you like it or not). I must admit that this release is more an artefact and rather of historical interest. There are a few notable songs, though: "Those Words They Say" and "Time After Time" get the full Beat treatment, "Impotence" has all the indications for the later Soft Machine adventures while the best and one of their earliest songs "He's Bad For You" is a haunting R&B ballad that would had fitted perfectly on a Captain Beefheart setlist.
Tracklist: - Impotence (1969) - Those Words They Say (1966) - Memories (1966) - Don't Try To Change Me (1965) - Parchman Farm (1965) - Almost Grown (1965) - She's Gone (1965) - Slow Walkin' Talk (1965) - He's Bad For You (1965) - It's What I Feel [A Certain Kind] (1965) - Memories [Instrumental] (1965) - Never Leave Me (1966) - Time After Time (1966) - Just Where I Want (1966) - No Game When You Lose (1966) - Impotence (1966) - Why Do You Care (1968) - The Pieman Cometh (1968) - Summer Spirit (1968) - She Love To Hurt (1969) - The Big Show (1969) - Memories (1969) Personnel: Graham Flight (vcls) [A] Brian Hopper (gtr, sax) [ABCDE] Hugh Hopper (bs) [ABCD] Richard Sinclair (gtr) [AB] Robert Wyatt (drms) [ABC] Kevin Ayers (vcls) [B] Richard Coughlan (drms) [CDE] Pye Hastings (gtr, sax) [CDE] Dave Lawrence (bs, vcls) [CDE] Dave Sinclair (keyb'ds) [E] Band origin: Canterbury (Kent/UK)
Peter 'Moon' Gosling was the vocalist, keyboardist and mastermind behind Moon's Train and wrote most of the songs with Stones bassist Billy Wyman, who managed and produced this Beckenham/London group. Their only official release for MGM in 1967, the 45 "Deed I Do/It's In Her Mind" went nowhere. The band had enough material for an intended album but after Gosling and Wyman had drifted apart it remained in the can. In 1998 Tenth Planet released a 16 song album (Tenth Planet TP037) with the proposed tracks from an acetate (except "Marriage Is For Old Folks"). The music is typical soulish Mod, pretty much in the Alan Bown Set mould although I prefer the songs that take the same line as the Small Faces, the powerful "Wait For Me" and especially the anthem-like "My Town". Also included are the Gosling/Wyman compositions "Shades Of Orange" and "Loving, Sacred Loving" as instrumentals, later picked up by The End for their "Introspection" album.
Tracklist: - The Life I Lead
- Wait For Me
- You Got Me
- Say What I Mean
- Loving, Sacred Loving
- Bakerman
- Telephone Talker
- My Town
- I'm Not The Marrying Kind
- I Get Excited
- My Love For You
- Shades Of Orange
- Home And Dry
- Nervous
- Moanin'
- Memories Of You
Personnel: Caroline Attard (vcls) [A]
Jernima Smith (vcls) [A]
Lewis Rich (vcls) [A]
Peter 'Moon' Gosling (keyb'ds, vcls) [AB]
Ken Leamon (sax, flute) [AB]
Peter 'Face' Lynton (gtr, bs) [A]
Tony Chapman (drms) [A]
Ian Dibbon (gtr) [B]
Peter Atwood (bs) [B]
Alec Brown (trumpet) [B]
Malcolm Penn (drms) [B] Band origin: London
I assume that you all know The Action. The Mods and Beat fans love them for their 65-67 recordings respectively the retrospective "Ultimate Action" album, the Psychedelic entusiasts prefer the "Brain" aka "Rolled Gold" releases. "Action Speaks Louder Than..." contains five studio demos from '68 shortly before they became Mighty Baby and was released 1985 on the Castle label (Castle DOJOLP 3). Although it's already the Mighty Baby line-up the sound is better comparable with the "Brain" recordings and highly recommended for every Psychedelic connoisseur. All the tracks were written by Ian Whiteman and presumably recorded as they've picked up the name Azoth for a short while. "The Tapestry of Delights" described it as "a soft, West Coast psychedelic feel with very pleasant harmonies". The tracks also appeared on Big Beats CD re-issue of the first "Mighty Baby" album and if you have this release you don't need necessarily "Action Speaks Louder Than...". If you haven't you should grab these songs for your complete Action discography!
Tracklist: - Only Dreaming - Dustbin Full Of Rubbish - An Understanding Love - My Favourite Day - A Saying For Today Personnel: Reggie King (vcls) [ABCD] Peter Watson (lead gtr, vcls) [A] Alan 'Bam' King (gtr, vcls) [ABCDE] Mike Evans (bass, gtr) [ABCDE] Roger Powell (drums, gtr) [ABCDE] Ian Whiteman (keyb'ds, sax, oboe, clarinet) [CE] Martin Stone (lead gtr) [DE] Band origin: London
Discographie: Albums: 1. (A/B) The Ultimate Action (Edsel ED 101) 1980 2. (E) Action Speaks Louder Than (Castle DOJOLP 3) 1985 3. ( ) Rolled Gold (Dig The Fuzz Records DIG 025) 1998
45's: 1. (A) Land Of A Thousand Dances/In My Lonely Room (Parlophone R 5354) 1965 2. (A) I'll Keep On Holding On/Hey Sha-Lo-Ney (Parlophone R 5410) 1966 3. (A) Baby You've Got It/ Since I Lost My Baby (Parlophone R 5474) 1966 4. (B) Never Ever/Twenty Fourth Hour (Parlophone R 5572) 1967 5. (B) Shadows And Reflections/Something Has Hit Me (Parlophone R 5610) 1967 6. (B) Harlem Shuffle/Wasn't It You (Hansa 14321 AT) 1968
There was no real connection between the two bands except that they shared the same label (Ember Records) in their early days. After the Dave Clark Five started to hit the charts high Ember Records used them as a lure to promote the Wahington DC's and released the "Dave Clark Five with The Washington DC's" album. It contains only two songs of the DC5 but eight tracks of The Wahington DC's, who had prior to this release a number 1 hit in Turkey with "Kisses Sweeter Than Wine", but failed to make the charts in England. The LP didn't make any impact too and very little was heard of the group over the next two years. They then got a record deal with CBS and reappear on the scene in '66 with the excellent "32nd Floor" 7-inch, followed by the even superior "Seek And Find" single. Again success eluded them and as a consequence the band headed to the continent where they were seemingly better recognized than in their homeland. The end of '68 saw the release of their final 45, the cool Mod/Freakbeat "I've Done It All Wrong/Anytime". Not long after the group finally split.
The CD-only release on Repertoire (Repertoire REP 4314-WY / 1993) contains the first three DC5 singles, white-bread early '60s Pop if you ask me. More interesting is the tracklist of the Washington DC's (17 tracks in total) that contains their whole output plus 2 unreleased songs.
Tracklist: [Dave Clark Five] - Chaquita - In Your Heart - First Love - I Walk The Line - That's What I Said - I Knew It All The Time
[Washington DC's] - Seek And Find - I Love Gerald Chevin The Great - 32nd Floor - Whole Lot More - Any Time - I've Done It All Wrong - Kisses Sweeter Than Wine - Where Did You Go - Shimmy Shimmy - Sweet Little Rock'n'roller - Yakety Yak - Little One - Is It Me - Have You Seen My Baby - Carol - Return To Me - Have You Seen My Baby [alt. take] Personnel [Washington DC's]: Pat Curley (lead gtr) [AB] Barry Fitzgerald (gtr) [ABCD] Roger Creed (bs) [AB] Baz (drms) [A] Glen Duke (drms) [BC] Roger Saunders (vcls, lead gtr, keyb'ds) [CD] Berbie Trott (bs) [C] Gary Lee Illingworth (keyb'ds) [C] Walt Monaghan (bs, gtr, keyb'ds) [D] Brian Hillman (drms) [D] Band origin: London
Discographie: Albums: 1. (C) The Dave Clark Five With The Washington DC's (Ember FA 2003) 1965
45's: 1. (B) Kisses Sweeter Than Wine/Where Did You Go (Ember EMB S 190) 1964 2. (C) 32nd Floor/Whole Lot More (CBS 202226) 1966 3. (C) Seek And Find/I Love Gerald Chevin The Great (CBS 202464) 1967 4. (D) I've Done It All Wrong/Anytime (Domain D 9) 1968
I think we all agree that Apple was responsible for one of the great albums of the UK '60s era. Their lone longplayer and the two 45's for Page One (both included on "An Apple A Day") are still at top of my list for British Psychedelic music. Prior to their releases on Larry Page's label they had a US/Holland only single on Smash/Philips. "Thank U Very Much/Your Heart Is Free Just Like The Wind" never made it onto the recent re-issues or any compilation and I've always wondering if this 7-inch is something special. A while ago I purchased the Smash release for an acceptable price and I can tell you that I was rather disappointed. "Thank U Very Much" is a Roger McGee composition and if you like the Scaffold, well, than you will go along with this version too. "Your Heart Is Free Just Like The Wind" was a small hit for Vicki Carr and the Apple cover is even greasier than the soppy original. Both songs are in comparison with their later material nondescript and for completists only.
Tracklist: - Thank U Very Much - Your Heart Is Free Just Like The Wind Personnel: Dennis Regan (vcls) Rob Ingram (gtr) Jeffrey Harrod (bs) Charlie Barber (piano) David Brassington (drms) Band origin: London
Discographie: Albums: 1. An Apple A Day... (Page One POLS 016) 1969
45's: 1. Thank U Very Much/Your Heart Is Free Just Like The Wind (Smash S-2143) 1968 2. Let's Take A Trip Down The Rhine/Buffalo Billycan (Page One POF 101) 1968 3. Doctor Rock/The Otherside (Page One POF 110) 1968
[1. US release / also released in Holland "Philips 320269 BF"]
Pete Miller is yet another fascinating figure from the underexpiored recesses of the British '60s beat under-world. He released two tremendous, utterly twisted singles: "Baby I Got News For You" (as Miller) in 1965, and "Cold Turkey" as (Big Boy Pete) in 1968. Prior to this, he had been lead guitarist for Peter Jay & the Jaywalkers, whose output included several singles produced by Joe Meek. Judging by some of the quirky, inventive and just plain WEIRD sounds on this collection, Miller had been watching Meek closely during his Jaywalkers days, (though he'd have to have been doing so furtively as Joe was secretive to the point of paranoia about his sound techniques). In his home studio in Norwich -"sur-rounded by lava lamps and Hindi visuals" - Miller and his musician friends spent most of 1966-69 conjur-ing up bizarre feats of pop and psychedelia, utilizing some of the echo and compression techniques he'd observed at Meek's studio along with many of his own electronic innovations. Fourteen of these songs make their first public showing on Homage To Catatonia, amply displayed in a magnificent gatefold sleeve complete with lyrics and all-telling liner notes. Combine a razor-sharp studio instinct, simple but superior '60s recording technology, madcap psycho-pop songsmithing ala (maybe) Roy Wood/Jeff Lynne with p'raps a little Edward Lear-esque nonsensical wordplay thrown in, and you may - just may - have same idea what you'll find on songs like "Knit Me A Kiss" or "A Dog Called Doug"-but it still won't begin to explain the impossible-to-pigeonhole (and amazing) "I Am Seldom 21", "Chinaman" or 'The Procession." Miller's tapes truly are a very unique secret horde of English psychedelia, and, incredibly, several of these recordings pre-date even the Beatles "Revolver", let alone the subsequent psychedelic stampede. Perhaps the strangest but most strangely satisfying set since I Hear A New World. A grower. I recommended. (Mike Stax in "Ugly Things")
This album was released on the Tenth Planet label (Tenth Planet TP 026 / 1996). There's nothing much to say against his pop-psych tunes but he polished his old tapes a bit too much. So I've got the feeling that it sounds more like the '90s than the '60s. But I'm nagging and nagging and nagging... In fact it's a good album with some great songs like "Knit Me A Kiss", "Paranoia" or "The Procession". More info about his music on his website
Tracklist: - Sheer Lunacy - Crocogators - I Am Seldom Twenty One - Knit Me A Kiss - 1,500,000 Volts - Captain Of My Toy Balloon - John Celery - Paranoia - Chinaman - Music Created By Dust - A Dog Called Doug - The Procession - The Candleman - The Treacle Dance Personnel incl.: Peter Miller (gtr, bs, sitar, vcls) Origin: Norwich (Norfolk/UK)
Discographie: 45's: 1. Cold Turkey/My Love Is Like A Spaceship (Camp 602005) 1968
Duncan Browne's self-titled second album plays like a direct sequel to his debut long-player, Give Me Take You; he uses the same acoustic guitar and writes in a similar idiom, especially on tracks like "Country Song" and "The Martlet." Indeed, apart from the fact that it's generally better recorded, most of Duncan Browne could easily have slotted into the earlier album; the only exceptions are the more elaborately produced songs, such as "Ragged Rain Life," with its electric guitar sound, the keyboard-embellished "Babe Rainbow," and the bluesier, Dylan-esque "Journey," which was a substantial hit in England. Browne's style elsewhere on the record is unique unto himself, built around hauntingly beautiful melodies, mostly in a folk idiom, with some choice results, including the exquisite "Over the Reef" and "My Old Friends." He saved the best for last, a valedictory number entitled "Last Time Around," featuring extensive and impressive acoustic guitar ornamentation that gives way to some surprisingly tasteful progressive rock electronic sounds on the choruses. The RAK album was reissued on CD by EMI (EMI 724353562328) in 2002 with four bonus tracks, comprised of odd single sides and a pair of outtakes that extended the record's stylistic range considerably, into a more purely electric rock, more standard (though still enjoyable and attractive) singer/songwriter mode - although the last of the bonus tracks, the previously unissued "Mignon," is easily the prettiest song that Browne ever recorded and is thoroughly in the style of his first LP. Even overlooking its own intrinsic merits, Duncan Browne is worth owning as a more mature and developed, if slightly less spontaneous, expression of the sensibilities that forged Give Me Take You. (Bruce Eder in "allmusic Guide")
You can also find his wonderful first album on theTime Has Told Meblogspot.
Tracklist: - Ragged Rain Life - Country Song - The Martlet - My Only Son - Baby Rainbow - Journey - Cast No Shadow - Over The Reef - My Old Friends - Last Time Around - In A Mist (bonus) - Send Me The Bill For Your Friendship (bonus) - Guitar Piece (bonus) - Mignon (bonus) Personnel: Duncan Browne (vcls) Band origin: London
Discographie: Albums: 1. Give Me Take You (Immediate IMSP 018) 1968 2. Duncan Browne (Rak SRKA 6754) 1973
45's: 1. On The Bombsite/Alfred Bell (Immediate IM 70) 1968 2. Resurrection Joe/Final Asylum (Bell BLL 1119) 1970 3. Journey/In A Mist (Rak RAK 135) 1972 4. Send Me The Bill/My Only Son (Rak RAK 162) 1973
Mandrake Paddlesteamer made one, now legendary, psychedelic 45 which inevitably interests collectors. The original release of Strange Walking Man is now very expensive to purchase but aside from the disc's reissue by Bam-Caruso in 1988, the 'A' side, Strange Walking Man has also been heavily compiled. It's unusual for a tempo change towards the end where the vocal parts end and the song culminates with an instrumental passage. The track also features some great understated guitar work, and superb trippy lyrics. The flip side, Steam, is a pretty decent keyboard-driven instrumental. Their second 45, Sunlight Glide/Len (Parlophone SD 6072) 1969, was only released in Sweden, though no-one seems to know quite how this came about. It was written by Clae Fellbom and Calvin Floyd, two film producers responsible for a minor Swedish film called 'Skottet', which the songs were included in. Sunlight Glide is a melancholic, slow number, quite unlike this first 45. The flip side, Len, is a fuzzy instrumental. (taken from "Tapestry Of Delights")
This collection (Scaner Jots Records BD 20002 / 199?) contains acetates and recordings from John Peel's Top Gear show from '69. A pretty rough sound indeed but you can hear their pontential on songs like "Overspill", "Cooger And Dark" or "Ivory Castle Of Solitaire Husk". They did never reach the heights of "Strange Walking Man" again though. I've added "Strange Walking Man" and their sole swedish single where they've shortened their name to Mandrake as bonus cuts. There's also anofficial websitewhere you can find more information about the band.
Tracklist: - Overspill - Carmen - Cooger And Dark - Steam - Slo Blo - Senlac Lament - Cooger And Dark - Janus Suite - Ivory Castle Of Solitaire Husk - East Wing - Strange Walking Man (bonus) - Sunlight Glide (bonus) - Len (bonus) Personnel: Brian Engel (vcls) [A] Martin Briley (lead gtr, vcls) [AB] Paul Riordan (bs) [ABC] Martin Hooker (keyb'ds) [ABC] Barry Nightingale (drms) [AB] David Hooker (drms) [C] Band origin: London
Not my rip, but this album seems hard to get. The Young Idea were Tony Cox and Douglas MacCrae-Brown. They charted with the Beatles cover "With A Little Help From My Friends" and after five singles for Columbia an album (Music For Pleasure MFP 1225 / 1968) with twelve tracks was finally released. Most of the material was taken from the aforementioned 45s and it's a shame that their best song "Colours Of Darkness" remained as a b-side of their top-ten hit. All in all this is a very good Pop album ("Just Look At The Rain", "Room With A View" or "Mister Lovin' Luggage Man" are great pop-psych tunes). The four "LP-only tracks" are more or less fillers, only "In Bond Street" reaches the standard of the other songs.
Tracklist: - With A Little Help From My Friends - Games Men Play - World's Been Good To Me Tonight - On The King's Road - Mister Lovin' Luggage Man - Just Look At The Rain - Peculiar Situation - In Bond Street - Just To Love Her - Gotta Get Out The Mess I'm In - Room With A View - Tar And Cement Personnel: Tony Cox (piano, gtr, vcls) Douglas MacCrae-Brown (gtr, vcls) Band origin: London
Discographie: Albums: 1. With A Little Help From My Friends (Music For Pleasure MFP 1225) 1968
45's: 1. The World's Been Good To Me/It Can't Be (Columbia DB 7961) 1966 2. Gotta Get Out Of The Mess I'm In/Games Men Play (Columbia DB 8067) 1966 3. Peculiar Situation/Just Look At The Rain (Columbia DB 8132) 1967 4. With A Little Help From My Friends/Colours Of Darkness (Columbia DB 8205) 1967 5. Mister Lovin' Luggage Man/Room With A View (Columbia DB 8284) 1967
The first release on Whaam! records (a label headed by the Television Personalities' Dan Treacy), Pop Goes Art! is basically a Television Personalities album with Treacy and his longtime cohort Ed Ball trading roles: Ball is the singer and songwriter, and Treacy just plays guitar and bass. The amateurish cover (the original LP cover was a simple white jacket with a design silkscreened on the front and a small piece of paper glued on the back listing the song titles) and no-budget production can't hide the wit and inventiveness of Ball's take on Carnaby Street-era pop. Besides two immediate classics, "Miss London" and the brilliant "I Helped Patrick McGoohan Escape" (a song Ball would record several more times in the '80s), the album includes the B-side of Times' first single, "Biff! Bang! Pow!" - not the song by Ball's freakbeat heroes the Creation, but an homage to that band using the same title - and the eight-minute psychedelic closer "This Is Tomorrow," featuring the sort of droning plane-crash guitar that would figure into the next couple of Television Personalities records. Pop Goes Art! is a completely ingenuous record with no agenda, other than the re-creation of one of Ball's favorite musical eras. (Stewart Mason / allmusic guide)
Tracklist: - Picture Gallery - Biff! Bang! Pow! - It's Time! - If Now Is the Answer - A New Arrangement - Looking at the World Through Dark Shades - I Helped Patrick McGoohan Escape - Pop Goes Art! (Melody in Mono) - Miss London - The Sun Never Sets - Easy As Pie - This Is Tomorrow... Personnel: Edward Ball (vcls, gtr, bs, keyb'ds) [ABCDEFGHI] Daniel Treacy (gtr) [B] John East (bs, vcls) [ABCD] Paul Damien (drms, vcls) [ABCD] Ray Kent (organ) [C] Keith Allen (drms, vcls) [D] Paul Mulreany (drms, gtr, vcls) [EHI] Jowe Head (bs) [E] Richard Green (gtr) [E] Paul Heeren (gtr, vcls) [FHI] The Shed (bs) [H] Jan Stevens (vcls) [HI] Nick Heyward (bs) [I] Band origin: London
Discographie: Albums: 1. (B) Pop Goes Art! (Whaam! LP 01) 1982 2. (C) This Is London (ArtPop ART 19) 1983 3. ( ) Hello Europe (ArtPop ART 17) 1984 4. (A) Go! With The Times (ArtPop ART 21) 1985 5. (D) Enjoy (ArtPop ART 15) 1986 6. ( ) Up Against It (ArtPop ART 16) 1986 7. (E) Beat Torture (Creation CRELP 038) 1988 8. (F) E for Edward (Creation CRELP 053) 1989 9. (F) Et Dieu créa la femme (Creation CRELP 070) 1990 10. (G) Pure (Creation CRELP 091) 1991 11. (H) At the Astradome Lunaville (Creation CRELP 123) 1992 12. (I) Alternative Commercial Crossover (Creation CRELP 137) 1993 13. ( ) Sad But True (Rev-Ola CREV055CD) 1997 14. ( ) Pirate Playlist '66 (Creation CRECD 222) 1999
[13. 1987 recordings]
45's: 1. Red With Purple Flashes/Biff! Bang! Pow! (Whaam! 002) 1981 2. Here Comes The Holidays (Voici Les Vacances)/ Three Cheers For The Sun (Artpop POP 50) 1982 3. I Helped Patrick McGoohan Escape/ The Theme From "Dangerman" (ArtPop POP 49) 1982 4. Blue Fire/Where the Blue Begins (ArtPop POP 45) 1984 5. Boys Brigade/Power Is Forever (ArtPop POP 46) 1984 6. London Boys/(Where to Go) When the Sun Goes Down (Unicorn PHZ-1) 1986 7. Manchester/Love and Truth (Creation CRE 71) 1990
[2. A-side as Joni Dee feat. The Times]
E.P.'s: 1. I Helped Patrick McGoohan Escape [+ 5] (ArtPop No. 1) 1983 2. Blue Period [+ 4] (ArtPop No. 2) 1985 3. Boys About Town [+ 3] (ArtPop POP 43DOZ) 1985 4. Times TV [+ 4] (Fire BLAZE 16T) 1986) 5. Manchester [+ 2] (Creation CRE 71T) 1990 6. Lundi Bleu [+ 7] (Creation CRE 114T) 1992 7. Finnegans Break [+ 3] (Creation CRE 158T) 1993
Link removed. A re-issue is available
Listen to Looking at the World Through Dark Shades
Pebbles Vol. 6 (BFD-5023 / 1980) offered the listener cool R&B sounds from the UK between 1963 and 1966. Some of you might be familiar with the tracklisting because most of the songs (except the great Wheels and Betterdays tracks) were later on English Freakbeat Vol. 6 and on the occasion of this release Mike Stax wrote: "Most of you will probably already have all of this - if not, yours must be an empty and shallow existence."
Tracklist: 1. Fairies - Get Yourself Home taken from the single Get Yourself Home/I'll Dance (HMV POP 1404) 1965 Line-up: Keith 'Nick' Wymer (vcls), John Acutt (rhythm gtr), John 'Freddy' Gandy (bs, gtr), Mick Weaver [aka Wynder K. Frog] (keyb'ds, bs), John 'Twink' Alder (drms, gtr, vcls). Band origin: Colchester (Essex) 2. Junco Partners - Take This Hammer taken from the single As Long As I Have You/Take This Hammer (Columbia DB 7665) 1965 Line-up: Ronnie Barker (vcls, hrmnca), John Anders (vcls), Charlie Harcourt (gtr, bs), Dave Sproat (bs), Peter Wallace (keyb'ds), John Woods (drms). Band origin: Newcastle (Tyne and Wear) 3. Fairies - I'll Dance See Track 1 4. Cheynes - Respectable taken from the single Respectable/It's Gonna Happen To You (Columbia DB 7153) 1963 Line-up: Eddie Lynch (lead gtr, vcls), Peter Hollis (bs), Peter Bardens (organ, vcls), Mick Fleetwood (drms). Band origin: London 5. First Gear - Leave My Kitten Alone taken from the single A Certain Girl/Leave My Kitten Alone (Pye 7N 15703) 1964 Line-up: Dave Walton (vcls, hrmnca), Raymond Wafer (lead gtr, piano), Phil Berkenshaw (gtr, vcls), Michael Ryal (bs, vcls), Ian Colling (drms). Band origin: Doncaster/Barnsley (Yorkshire) 6. Betterdays - Here 'Tis taken from the single Don't Want That/Here 'Tis (Polydor BM 56024) 1965 Line-up: Mike 'Shane' Hayne (vcls), Richard Broczek (lead gtr), Mike Weston (bs), Bob Pitcher (gtr, piano, hrmnca), Frank Tyler (drms). Band origin: Plymouth (Devonshire) 7. Wild Ones - Bowie Man taken from the single Bowie Man/Purple Pill Eater (Fontana TF 468) 1964 Line-up: Johnny Shadow (vcls), Danny Gavan (vcls). Band origin: London 8. David John & The Mood - Bring It To Jerome taken from the single I Love To See You Strut/Bring It To Jerome (Parlophone R 5255) 1965 Line-up: David John (vcls), Peter Illingworth (lead gtr, vcls), Peter Atkinson (gtr), John Brierly (bs), Fred Isherwood (drms). Band origin: Preston (Lancashire) 9. Wheels - Road Block taken from the single Bad Little Woman/Road Block (Columbia DB 7827) 1966 Line-up: Brian Rossi (vcls), Herbie Armstrong (lead gtr, vcls), Rod Demick (gtr, bs, vcls), Tito Tinsley (bs, organ), Victor Catling (drms). Band origin: Belfast (Northern Ireland) 10. Fairies - Anytime At All taken from the single Don't Think Twice It's Alright/Anytime At All (Decca F 11943) 1964 Line-up: Dane Stephens [real name Douglas Robert Ord] (vcls), John Acutt (rhythm gtr), John 'Freddy' Gandy (bs, gtr), Mick Weaver [aka Wynder K. Frog] (keyb'ds, bs), John 'Twink' Alder (drms, gtr, vcls). Band origin: Colchester (Essex) 11. Rhythm & Blues Inc. - Honey Don't taken from the single Louie Louie/Honey Don't (Fontana TF 524) 1965 Line-up: Tim Kirby (vcls), Barry Womersley (lead gtr), Mike McKay (gtr), John McCaffrey (bs), Alan Menzies (drms). Band origin: Southport (Merseyside) 12. Erkey Grant & The Eerwigs - I'm A Hog For You Baby taken from the single I Can't Get Enough Of You/I'm A Hog For You (Pye 7N 15521) 1963 Line-up incl.: Erkey Grant [real name Eric Grant] (vcls). Band origin: London 13. David John & The Mood - I Love To See You Strut See Track 8 14. Bill & Will - Goin' To The River taken from the single Goin' To The River/Let Me Tell You Baby (Checker 1070) 1964 Line-up incl.: William 'Bill' Sasser Jr., Jerry Leon Willis. Band origin: Nashville (Tennessee/US) 15. Blues By Five - Boom, Boom taken from the single Boom Boom/I Cried (Decca F 12029) 1964 Line-up: Len Ashley (vcls), Ron McQueen (lead gtr), Mick Wright (bs), John Blisset (piano, keyb'ds), Noel Chartres McManus (sax), Dick Brice (drms). Band origin: London 16. Steve Aldo & The Challengers - Baby What You Want Me To Do taken from the single Can I Get A Witness/Baby What You Want Me To Do (Decca F 12041) 1964 Line-up incl.: Steve Aldo (vcls). Band origin: Liverpool (Merseyside) 17. Rats - Spoonful taken from the single Spoonful/I've Got My Eyes On You Baby (Columbia DB 7483) 1965 Line-up: Benny Marshall (vcls), Frank Ince (lead gtr), Brian Buttle (bs), Robin Lecore (keyb'ds), Jim Simpson (drms). Band origin: Hull (Yorkshire) 18. Jason Eddie & The Centremen - Singing The Blues taken from the single Singing The Blues/True To You (Parlophone R 5473) 1966 Line-up: Jason Eddie [real name Albert Wycherley] (vcls), John Kirk (lead gtr), Terry Barrett (rhythm gtr), Charlie Richmond (bs), Bill Conroy (drms). Band origin: Liverpool (Merseyside) 19. Bo and Peep - Young Love taken from the single Young Love/The Rise Of The Brighton Surf (Decca F 11968) 1964 Line-up incl.: Jimmy Page (gtr), John Paul Jones (vcls). Band origin: London
Not surprisingly, the debut solo album by the major creative force behind the group Orange Bicycle is similar in nature to the latter group's music. Almost self-consciously pretty in a manner closer to art-rock (or theater music) than psychedelia (despite its richly hued multi-colored cover), the overall feel of the album, between Wilson Malone's introspective vocals and the reed- and horn- dominated accompaniments with low-volume guitar, is somewhere midway between Baroque pop and singer/songwriter-style reflection. It's all rather dark and brooding but also very beautiful in its execution, and filled with haunting melodies and rich timbres, all of this despite the narrow range and limited expressiveness of Malone's voice, which - even with all of the help he seems to get from the studio in this setting - seems to reach only about half-an-octave. You might find yourself thinking of Wil Malone as a British equivalent to David Ackles' American Gothic, which it predated by two years, but that's not a bad benchmark to have hit, even if it didn't bring Malone much success in 1970. (Bruce Eder, All Music Guide)
Wil Malone was also part of "Motherlight" who created the wonderful "Bobak, Jones and Malone" (I'm still not sure what's the album title and what's the group name). An original copy of his rare solo album sold lately at ebay for £ 1.950 (crazy). Even for a CD re-issue from Japan you have to pay on Amazon 54 Euro upwards. I've got this fine record at Soulseek and hope you enjoy it like I do (although I can't offer you the artwork).
Tracklist: - Catherine Wheel - I Could Write A Book - February Face - Love In The Afternoon - Winter In Boston - Caravan - Down Maundies - Suzy - Tale To Tell - One More Flight To Parker - At The Silver Slipper - How About Then Personnel: Wilson Malone (all instruments, vcls) Origin: London
Rare, original and hard to get music is the demand of that blog here. If a record is still available through mailorders I won't post it (but I make exceptions if I get the feeling the dealers force up the prices). Enjoy the music and... ...leave comments (or leave me alone).
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.
