Monday, April 3, 2017

More U.K. Tracks On U.S. Labels: The Scaffold

THE SCAFFOLD-Thank U Very Much/Id B The First US Bell 701 1968



















The Scaffold will always best best known as the band that featured Paul McCartney's younger brother Mike (under the alias of "Mike McGear").  They also featured poet Roger McGough OBE and John Gorman.   "Thank You Very Much" was the band's debut American release (issued in January 1968, it was previously issued in the U.K. in November of '67 as Parlophone R 5643 where it reached #4 in the charts). It was also the favorite of the Queen Mum!

"Thank You Very Much" is a catchy, cheeky chappie type number penned by Mike McCartney.  It's all round jollity and sing along style is not too far from "Yellow Submarine" or the Small Faces "Lazy Sunday". That said it's English to it's very core and there's something incredibly addictive to it's main chorus.

Messrs McGough, McGear and Gorman: The Scaffold















"Ide B The First" follows it's A side's whimsical nature with it's delivery but there's some very Bonzo Dog Ban-esque bits about it too with it's satirical lyrics and general musical tomfoolery backed by some regal brass. Not their strongest track by a mile, but still worth a listen.

"Thank U Very Much" failed to replicate it's U.K. chart success in the States but that didn't deter Bell records from issuing an LP in 1968 titled after the non-hit (Bell 6018).

Strangely though "Thank U Very Much" appears on two now out of print Scaffold CD compilations ("Scaffold At Abbey Road 1966-1971" and "Thank U Very Much: The Very Best Of Scaffold") "Id B The First" does not seem to have been compiled anywhere on CD.

Hear "Thank U Very Much":

https://youtu.be/vKDmSVY6l58

Hear "Id B The First":

https://youtu.be/UVtQfy7jTMY

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