Great Obscure U.K. 60's Sides: Mike Quinn and the Breadcrumbs

MIKE QUINN & THE BREADCRUMBS-Toothbrush Nell/Fairy Cakes (For Tea) UK Jay Boy BOY 7 1969

Released on the Jay Boy label (an interesting late 60's UK label set up by Eddie Kassner that released a variety of sounds: soul, reggae, freakbeat, psych MOR etc) this one off 45 credited to Mike Quinn and The Breadcrumbs is an interesting release. Mike Quinn was allegedly the owner of several London boutiques who in grand 60's tradition proved that if you were famous you made a record! (Sean Buckley &) The Breadcrumbs were best known for their searing Shel Talmy produced monster "Everybody Knows" from 4 years prior (first unearthed in the late 80's on the epic "Searchin' In The Wilderness" compilation album).

"Toothbrush Nell" is a slightly mediocre piece driven by a banjo and sung in an overdone accent in a lazy way not unlike Ray Davies when singing in his disinterested "posh" voice. In fact the pace reminds me a lot of a 1966 Kinks track, minus the multiple chord and tempo changes and contains far more innuendo and double entendre than R.D. would ever dare use. Presumably Mike Quinn is the "vocalist" on this track.

The real treat is of course the flip side "Fair Cakes (For Tea)", which on the subject of Ray Davies is a great little bit of social commentary about a spoiled rotten, self centered rich girl. Sung by Sean Buckley over a kitschy, cheeky musical backing it sounds more like a 1965 or 1966 track than it's 1969 release.

"Toothbrush Nell" has not been reissued but "Fairy Cakes (For Tea)" appears on Psychi Circle's 2007 CD compilation "Fairytales Can Come True Two: Fairy Cakes For Tea" where this writer was first introduced to it. Mike Quinn later cut a tongue and cheek 45 on CBS in 1969 called "Apple Pie"(previously cut by Jon Isherwood and issued on one of the early "Strange Things Are Happening" compilations) worth having a listen to (especially for it's "Give Peace A Chance" pisstake intro).

Hear "Toothbrush Nell":

https://youtu.be/jWvSqsBGdvY

Hear "Fairy Cakes (For Tea)":

https://youtu.be/dhXK0FTBA_I