I wish I knew more about this UK group. While they only managed to record one rather rare LP, during the 1967 - 69 timeframe they generated an extensive singles catalog that's quite diverse and commercially attractive.
RCA Records was apparently the brainchild behind the group with their rather transparent aim being to come up with a Monkees-styled outfit with commercial potential. The original line-up consisted of lead guitarist Tony Atkins, keyboardist Bill Chambers, singer Colin Forsey, brother/drummer Keith Forsey and bass player Tony Judd. Starting with 1967's 'Samantha's Mine' b/w 'Saturday's Child (RCA catalog number RCA-1589), the group released a string of nine singles that sold well throughout mainland Europe, but did little in their native UK and generated even less attention in the States.
Released in 1970, "The Light Is Dark Enough" offered up a mixture of earlier singles and new studio material, essentially serving as kind of 'best of' retrospective. Interestingly, while the band's occasionally slapped with a psych label, musically most of the ten tracks reflected a distinctive pop orientation. That was certainly the case for the group's better known works including 'Headin' For A Heatwave' (# 1 in Spain), a rather rote cover of The Beatles' 'Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da' which went top-20 in Germany and 'Portobello Road'. Mind you, anyone recording in the 1967-69 timeframe was bound to have been effected to some extent by their surroundings and Spectrum was no exception to the rule. While not exactly acid soaked, tracks like 'Nodnol' (London spelled backwards), the Procol Harum-ish instrumental 'Walrus & The Horse' and 'Mandy' all showcased lite psych touches, though nothing that was a threat to their commercial orientation. Certainly part of the band's appeal lay in the fact Colin Forsey had a winning voice that occasionally reminding me of a Davy Jones bulked up on steroids (check out 'Glory' and the title track). Similarly, the rest of the band were never less than professional with guitarists Tony Atkins and John Beattie turning in several nice performances on material like the rocker 'Jacqueline'.
"The Light Is Dark Enough" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da (John Lennon - Paul McCartney) -
2.) Mr. Jenkin's Brand New Boots (Colin Forsey) -
3.) Nodnol (Colin Forsey - Peter Wood) -
4.) Walrus & The Horse (instrumental) (Peter Wood) -
5.) Glory (Richard Kerr - Maitland) -
(side 2)
1.) Portobello Road (Marsh - Veal) -
2.) Mandy (Colin Forsey - Keith Forsey) -
3.) Headin' For A Heatwave (Roberts - Kinsella) -
4.) Jacqueline (Andrews) -
5.) The Light Is Dark Enough (Richard Kerr) -
In addition to the singles and LP, the group recorded some material for a several films, including 1969's "The Reckoning" (they also has a small role in the film). They also wrote and performed the title track to the British kids television series 'Captain Scarlet & the Mysterons' (no I'm not making that up).
Keith Forsey went on to enjoy considerable success as a songwriter (you can blame him for writing part of 'Flashdance (What a Feeling)', as a producer (you can blame him for Billy Idol's "Rebel Yell" and The Psychedelic Furs "Mirror Moves") and as a film score composer. Taken from
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This super rare early '70s UK progressive psych private pressing was only recently located and raved about in Record Collector.... Long tracks with guitar, flute, percussion bass, sax etc. similar to King Crimson, Colosseum... Freak Emporium
Panama limited (no jug! ) band with their 4th and best psychedelic beefheartique folkrock from 1970. Posted by request.
I wish I knew more about this UK group. While they only managed to record one rather rare LP, during the 1967 - 69 timeframe they generated an extensive singles catalog that's quite diverse and commercially attractive.
A UK project by Giles Farnaby, instigated in 1971, that aimed to create a wonderful broth of electric folk music with strong medieval influences. The music is played with a combination of early and modern instruments (primarily made up of flutes, violins and various horns). An entirely unique sound is conjured up using the diverse instrumentation available to a band of the 1970's and tunes originally written for country dances way back in 1651. An interesting find - for those brave enough to indulge - and much like early Gryphon. Freak Emporium
Super rare 1971 mystical psych / progressive folk album originally released on Decca Records.This is a pleasant folk-rock album with psychedelic overtones and a noticible 'flower-power' influence played on flutes,keyboards and guitars with nice male/female vocals.
Now, who is Kitchen Cynics ? Many will agree he's a poetic genius. Musically every song becomes like a coloured miniature. All the guitar fingerpicking steps gently into the story's' tremblings. Surreal musical toy-like accompaniment finishes off the mood. Alan personally found some relative similar empathy with Pearls Before Swine's and Tom Rapp's kind of approach to music. But Alan's music is not from the 70's, but still, the acid folk gentleness of the gems, has survived. He is not afraid to use a rhythm box a few times, subtle and carefully enough mixed, a bit more to the back. The poetic approach is that much more inspiring to me, that each time when I hear a new couple of songs by him, no matter after how much time has elapsed, any writer's block dissolves, and I start to feel inspired to writing again. I consider the Kitchen Cynics as having created a psych folk genre on its own. It's all home-made, but well recorded. For new listeners this can work as the 'Alice in Wonderland' for the private life.
A later album with BODY which are more neo-progressive styled with think layers of keyboards, acoustic guitars etc..
Great late '70s early '80s UK space rock band has that classic free festival vibe. body combined Floyd like guitars and tight vocal harmonies with a Hillage/ Hawkwind/ Here and Now vibe and produced some excellent songs on this their only album (which is very rare on vinyl).Freak Emporium
Hookfoot was a quintet formed at the end of the '60s as a recording unit by a half-dozen session players associated with Dick James' publishing and later with his DJM Records label. They never made much of an impression on the charts, despite their work being licensed to A&M Records, through which they released four LPs in the U.S.A. Ian Duck (vocals, harmonica), Dave Glover (bass), Roger Pope (drums, vocals), and Caleb Quaye (guitar, vocals) were the original lineup, with Bob Kulick (guitar, vocals) coming in alongside Quaye, and Fred Gandy joining on bass later.
Reissue of 1974 album by UK pub/country rock band featuring Caleb Quaye (father of Finlay, ), one of the UK's most in demand session guitarists of the 70s (and an original member of the Elton John band). Freak Emporium
Originally released in 1968, this is the definitive album from Mr Frog, a.k.a. MickWeaver, described as 'Bolton's answer to BOOKER T.' Jazz-rock organ sounds from the late 60s by this UK band, now much beloved of zoot-suited Mods everywhere. Freak Emporium
Jazz-rock organ sounds from the late 60s by this UK band who were possibly the most enduring club-organ r'n'b band to come from the swinging 60's mod scene.This(mostly) instrumental powerhouse outfit delivered this their 2nd album from 1969 of original material 'Composed specifically for the Frog style of musical interpretation, ranging far in beat, tempo and mood'. Contains the brilliant "Eddie's Tune" that could have graced the Rubble series.Freak Emporium
CD re-issue of the hopelessly rare 'Sunshine Superfrog' originally only available as the Island label 12-track LP.12 top quality mod soul Hammond tracks and the LP never really lets up for a minute. A choice mixture of covers such as "Somebody Help Me","Sunshine Superman", "Hold On, I�m Coming" and "(Don�t Fight it) Feel It" and more the classic " original �"I Feel So Bad". Now here it is with one bonus track "I'm A Man".Freak Emporium
Trio from Scotland (one woman, two men) on vocals, flute, and concertina who recorded this super rare UK folk album. A pure recording with just a few re-takes, which took place one weekend in 1976. A very releaxed atmosphere. Freak Emporium
