Where the Action Is

The Action were one of the best truly Mod bands of the '60s - not a contrived image here. The soulful singing of Reg King propelled them to a level above mere Tamala-Motown copyists into a whole other league, perhaps equal to that of the Small Faces, but without the corresponding record sales, unfortunately. Although a great deal of their singles were covers, the Action added their own style and sound to the tracks - high energy, excellent musicianship and tight vocal harmonies as well. The term "underrated" is often overused; however, I find it very appropriate here.

Formed in the Kentish Town section of London in 1963, The Action were first known as The Boyfriends (and later The Boys), serving as a backing band for a female vocalist Sandra Barry. The line up consisted of Reg King (vocals), Alan "Bam" King (rhythm guitar, backing vocals), Mike Evans (bass), Roger Powell (drums) and later Pete Watson (lead guitar). When Barry began a solo career, The Boys carried on, releasing one single on Pye records comprised of two Reg King originals, "It Ain't Fair/"I Want You."

In 1965, The Boys became The Action, a name very much in line with the pop art monikers of the time, such as The Who and The Creation. As their reputation began to grow, The Action began filling the Marquee and Scene Club, treating audiences to their dynamic stage show. Eventually they came to the attention of Beatles producer George Martin, who signed them to his AIR (London) Production company, which led to a Parlophone contract. Their first single contained Chris Kenner and Martha & the Vandella's covers - "The Land of 1000 Dances" and "In My Lonely Room." Their next A-Side, a brilliant interpretation of The Marvellettes' "I'll Keep Holding On," should have been a smashing success, as it is probably the best British blue-eyed soul cover of a Motown hit. Another of their best singles was their final one for Parlophone, "Shadows and Reflections," released in June of 1967. Around this time The Action began recording demos for album of original songs with a psychedelic edge, which was originally entitled Brain. The album did not see the light of day until 1999, retitled Rolled Gold. An amazing collection as it stands; one could only imagine how it would have been if the songs had been fully realized in the studio.

With the disappointment of Brain being shelved, Reg King departed for a solo career, and the other members (with additions of Ian Whiteman and Martin Stone) continued as Mighty Baby, recording two albums of West Coast influenced psychedelic jams, which were extremely spiritual in tone. All the members of Mighty Baby (save one) converted to the Sufi sect of Islam, and soon found playing "amid a sea of beer and dope," as Martin Stone put it, to be incongruous with their beliefs.

For an introduction to the Action, I recommend the compilation Action Packed! on Edsel. From there, pick up the lost album, Rolled Gold. For completists, Circle Records released a 2 CD set of BBC appearances and a reunion concert from 1998, entitled Uptight and Outasight (which includes the Action's audacious cover of John Coltrane's "India"- how could one not love a band that would cover Coltrane?). From there, you may want to check out Mighty Baby's eponymous debut and Reg King's solo album, with guests Mighty Baby, BB Blunder and Mick Taylor (of the Stones).

(References: NME Originals: MOD, The liner notes to Action Packed by Alan Robinson, and the Mojo Special Edition: Psychedelic!)

Number Nine, Number Nine...

I would be remiss if I failed to acknowledge the forthcoming 09.09.09 extravaganza--something of great importance to British Invasion aficionados: The Beatles' 2009 remasters, both the stereo and mono mixes, will be officially released on CD. The mono mixes will only be sold in a boxed set format; the stereo counterparts will be available either individually or in a boxed set. (And then there's that Rock Band thing, too. We'll be getting the multitracks in that!)

Most exciting is the fact that the mono mixes of Revolver, Sgt. Pepper, and The Beatles (a.k.a. The White Album) will appear on official CD for the first time ever. Personally, I prefer the mono Pepper, so I'm glad it will be more accessible for those who haven't heard it before. Based on reviews I've read so far, the digital transfers have remained virtually untouched on the mono CDs, whereas the stereo mastering has been tinkered with slightly. I have heard a few of the stereo remasters, and I have been impressed with the results. I must admit - I was afraid we'd have an abomination on our hands, but thankfully, that is not the case. That said, for the stereo mixes, I'll return to my vinyl for my favorite "Beatles in Stereo" experience.

Here is a selection of Fab Four Fotos for your viewing pleasure. Long Live The Beatles!

"He's a Session Man"

Time to pay tribute to the man whom many deem the greatest session man in the history of rock'n'roll--pianist Nicky Hopkins (1944-1994). Virtually unknown to the many U.S. fans of British bands at the time, Hopkins brilliantly accented the works of the Kinks, the Rolling Stones, the Who, Dusty Springfield, the Move, Tom Jones, even the Beatles--and almost every major British act of the era. The Stones and the Who so valued his talent and input that both bands sought to add him to their ranks. Ray Davies of the Kinks composed the song "Session Man," on which Nicky also plays, in his honor.

Hopkins became interested in playing the piano at the age of six. His parents noticed his talent and asked him if he would like to take lessons, to which he agreed. When he was 12, Hopkins was accepted into the Royal Academy of Music and studied there until age sixteen. Although he was classically trained, Nicky was drawn more to the world of pop and rock'n'roll. He began his rock career performing with Screaming Lord Sutch, soon moving on to work with Cliff Bennett, and finally joining the Cyril Davis band. During this time, Hopkins had to be hospitalized for a year and half, subjected to 14 different stomach-related surgeries to treat Chron's disease. (Unfortunately, it would be complications from a similar surgery that would claim his life later at the age of 50.) Hopkins' health issues made it imperative for him to cease touring and focus on becoming a session performer.

Almost immediately, Hopkins' reputation garnered him an offer to participate in a fateful session where he met famed producer Glyn Johns. Johns introduced him to Shel Talmy, who in turn booked him to play for Kinks and Who sessions, including the My Generation album and "Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere" single. About 4 years later, he worked with the Who again on their classic Who's Next album, adding his emotive touches to the gorgeous "Song is Over" and also "Gettin' in Tune." Nicky's piano enhanced several of the Kinks' greatest works, including the Kink Kontroversy, Face to Face, and Village Green Preservation Society albums. It's also Nicky one hears on some of the Stones' most revered LPs: Between the Buttons, Beggars Banquet, Let It Bleed, Sticky Fingers, Exile on Main St., Goats Head Soup, etc. In fact, the entire Their Satanic Majesty's Request album seems to center on Nicky's playing (and contrary to popular opinion, I find it to be one of their absolute best albums). Hopkins also toured with the Stones in 1971, the same year he also guested on John Lennon's Imagine album, adding electric piano to the "Imagine" title track and playing piano on "Jealous Guy" and many other tracks. Hopkins' Beatles association began when he played piano on "Revolution," the B-side to "Hey Jude" in 1968.

Hopkins joined the Jeff Beck Group with Beck, Rod Stewart, Ron Wood, and Tom Newman for a short time, and also later joined Quicksilver Messenger Service when he moved to California for health reasons.

It is almost impossible to list all the contributions that Nicky Hopkins made to popular music. Some of my favorite of his works are those that are not as popular, such as tracks he made with the Easybeats, the Tages, and the Bill Wyman-produced band the End, who managed to craft one of the era's psychedelic masterpieces with the Introspection album. If you are interested in discovering more of Nicky's work, please follow this link: http://rocksoff.org/nicky-sessions.htm

A trip to Alison's Wonderland would be incomplete without a nod to those often behind the scenes who made the magic happen. Thank you, Nicky--you are missed.

Special thank you to my friend Jeff for the wealth of information supplied!

(References: "Nicky Hopkins - 'Session Man'" by Paul Nelson. Rolling Stone, May 17, 1969; "Have Piano, Will Travel" by Michael Watts, "Sixth Stone" by Chris Charlesworth, Dec. 1971; Various clips and articles.)

Time Traveling to Swinging London

Presented here are scans from an Uncut special edition containing original reviews, interviews, and photos from the archives of the New Musical Express (NME), a popular UK music magazine that has been published weekly since March of 1952. In the 1960s, NME championed the British music scene and hosted four Poll Winners Concerts, featuring such notable acts as the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, the Hollies, the Kinks, the Animals, the Who and the Yardbirds. NME was also the first British music publication to develop a UK singles chart.

Among these scans are vintage ads for concerts, tours and the latest Mod gear, as well as a personal guide to the happening London club scene. Seeing the yellowed newspaper print and torn edges creates the illusion of looking through a '60s teenager's scrapbook.

Uncut has published several themed special issues that are gleaned from NME's extensive archives, each of which are valuable, entertaining, and informative, including issues specifically devoted the the Beatles, the Stones, the Mod Scene, the Clash, Radiohead, and Oasis.

The Collector's Guide to Rare British Birds

Continuing in Wonderland this week, we're tracing the career of the multi-talented Ronnie Wood. This entry focuses on Ron's first band, the Birds (not the California band with a 'y', although they do figure into the British Birds' story).

The Birds were a hard-working, highly respected R&B outfit based in West London and were comprised of Ron on lead guitar, lead vocalist Ali MacKenzie, rhythm guitarist Tony Munroe, bassist Kim Gardner (who later joined the Creation with Ron) and drummer Pete McDaniel. By August of 1964, their reputation as a top live act with a devoted local following garnered them a spot on the BBC variety show, ABC of Britain, where they performed a Wood original, "You're on My Mind." Due to the success of this performance, the Birds secured a residency at London's 100 Club, which in turn lead to a recording contract with Decca Records. "You're on My Mind" served as the A-side of their first single, backed by Bo Diddley's "You Don't Love Me." Other singles followed, including a cover of the Holland-Dozier-Holland classic "Leaving Here."

All appeared to be going well for the British Birds until it came to their attention that several Birds fans were being sold singles by an American group called the "Byrds" instead. Their manager, Leo de Clark, sought legal action but was unsuccessful in forcing the popular American group to change their band's name. By 1965, the Birds had left Decca for Reaction Records, but delays in single releases took a toll on the group's morale. In 1966, the Birds performed "That's All I Need," a Wood/Monroe original, in the B-movie The Deadly Bees, which is featured in the clip presented here. (I cribbed this clip from "garageman" on YouTube--credit where it is due!)

The Birds were truly a dynamic R&B group, on par with the Pretty Things and the Rolling Stones in terms of having an exciting, raw sound. Their singles certainly stand up today, and they deserved far greater success than they obtained at the time. For a comprehensive collection of all their recorded output, including demos and previously unissued tracks, please seek out The Collector's Guide to Rare British Birds CD compilation from 1999 on the Deram/Decca label. The scans above come from my copy of a rare French CD EP.

(Reference: The liner notes to The Collector's Guide to Rare British Birds, written by Terry Rawlings.)

"Our Music is Red - with Purple Flashes." - Eddie Phillips, 1966

One of the true cult bands of the Sixties, the Creation epitomized Mod in terms of image and music. Their Pop Art-influenced sound perfectly crystallized the progression from British beat to psychedelia in a form of music now termed "freakbeat." As evidenced in the clip above, the Creation's sound was explosive and original; their stage shows were as well, as their goal was to pioneer a "total sound culture." (In fact, during live performances, lead singer Kenny Pickett painted canvases and bikini-clad girls on stage.) Although the Creation recorded one album and a handful of singles, they have had an immense influence on subsequent musicians, especially uberfan Alan McGee who named his successful record label "Creation Records" (which in turn became home to Britpop legends Oasis).

The most popular line up of the Creation consisted of vocalist Kenny Pickett, bassist Bob Garner, drummer Jack Jones and innovative guitarist Eddie Phillips. Phillips utilized feedback and a violin bow on his guitar before Jimmy Page did the same with the Yardbirds and Led Zeppelin, yet he rarely receives the credit he is due. Shel Talmy, producer of both the Kinks and the Who, helped develop the Creation's sound in the studio after signing them to his own Planet label. "Making Time," their first single (and the song in the clip above), became widely known with its inclusion in the 1998 Wes Anderson film, Rushmore.

Tensions within the band led to many personnel changes, including the departures of Pickett and Phillips and the addition of Ronnie Wood. It was Wood's departure to join the Jeff Beck Group that proved fatal for the band. The classic Creation line up reunited for several London shows in the mid '90s, effectively healing past wounds. Sadly, Kenny Pickett passed away suddenly, cutting short the Creation's triumphant return.

Dedicated To Hugh But You Weren't Listening

This week the world lost one of it's most innovative composers and bassists; therefore, I feel compelled to honor his memory on this humble blog about British music. Hugh Hopper became a full-fledged member of the Soft Machine, having previously been their roadie (and the writer of one song on their debut LP), at the end of 1968. Kevin Ayers, the band's previous bassist and principal songwriter, had retreated to the hippie haven of Ibiza after a particularly difficult tour. Unable to contact Ayers, drummer and vocalist Robert Wyatt and keyboardist Mike Ratledge recruited Hopper to fill the vacant position. With the addition of Hopper, the Soft's sound evolved. His phenomenal fuzz-bass sound and composing skills enhanced their avant garde propensities, evident on their second album, Volume Two. Hopper passed away June 7th, a victim of leukemia.

The Soft Machine, named after the William S. Burroughs novel, was one of the most important bands of the British psychedelic movement of the 1960s. Along with Syd Barrett's Pink Floyd, the Softs performed at the now legendary 14 Hour Technicolor Dream and Christmas on Earth festivals. Unlike Floyd, however, the Softs moved in a more non-commercial direction as the years passed, progressing to an art rock/jazz fusion (with the additon of saxophonist Elton Dean) that was truly unique and wholly satisfying. The Soft Machine made "music for the mind (which) floats you gently downstream, through pleasurable twists and turns, ups and downs, rapids and calm waters" as the liner notes to Volume Two explain. Other wonderful elements of the Softs are Robert Wyatt's emotive vocals, always touching and evocative, and their Dadaist grasp of the absurd.

As an introduction to Soft Machine, I recommend the Big Beat label's CD issue of Volumes One and Two together on one CD, and once you've gotten into that, move on to Third. Robert Wyatt is not on the album 5, having moved on to Matching Mole (a pun on the French for "Soft Machine" - "Machine Molle"). The clip above is a 1971 performance of "Out-Bloody-Rageous" from Third, which I found on YouTube.

(Reference: David Wells' article in the Jan. 2000 issue of Record Collector)