1. DAVID BOWIE AND THE LOWER THIRD-"Can't Help Thinking About Me" Pye 7N.17020 1966
This January 1966 single was the first to reflect the former David Jone's new moniker. It starts out with some cool acoustic guitar and one of Bowie's best vocal performances where he croons confidently. It's probably also the only pop song to utilize the phrase "recreation ground". Lyrically it's also one of his finest, perfectly encapsulating teenage anxiety: "remember when we used to go to church on Sundays, I lay awake at night terrified of school on Mondays...". Powerful stuff with the Lower Third (Denis "Tea Cup" Talyor-lead guitar, Graham Rivens-bass and Phil Lancaster-drums) giving it some solid backing. Sadly, tired of being ripped off by management by the time it came out The Lower Third were no more and Bowie promoted it on "Ready Steady Go" with his brand new backing group, The Buzz.
https://youtu.be/m9upuHPKKJI?si=3Nr0-mQPFHj-KArO
2. THE BOYS-"It Ain't Fair" Pye 7N.15726 1964
Before they became mod heroes The Action this quintet cut this solitary single as the Boys. Produced by singer Kenny Lynch (see also #7 below) and penned by lead singer Reggie King, one of the most soulful voices the United Kingdom, "It Ain't Fair" bridges the tail end of the band's beat group phase and the blossoming into full on blue eye soul connoisseurs. Check out Reg's rapid fire vocal delivery on the bridge and the band's soulful backing vocals, two trademarks that would be key selling points in their incarnation as The Action.
3. CHRIS CURTIS-"Aggravation" Pye 7N.17132 1966
Ex-Searcher's drummer and musical tastemaker Chris Curtis made his sole solo single shortly after leaving the band in June of '66. Chris was long known for his ability to choose a hit for his former band and had over the previous year got onto the other side of the glass in the recording studio and began producing records. On "Aggravation" Curtis had the assistance of Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones and no doubt female vocal group The Breakaways. It's a rather swinging number in sort of a Tom Jone's "discotheque" way with it's horns, female backing vocals and driving beat and is carried quite well by Curtis' strong voice. It blew me away the first time I heard it on a PRT records 10" E.P. called "It Happened Then" in the mid 80's. Sadly it was his last release as a performer.
https://youtu.be/68UmUzk11EA?si=H-pxT8Xj-By2O3jK
4. WEST COAST CONSORTIUM-"Some Other Sunday" Pye 7N.17352 1967
Before releasing the cringe worthy "All The Love In The World" as the shortened Consortium the band launched their debut as the West Coast Consortium with this intricate harmony pop number drenched in Mellotron/chimes/xylophone etc and incredible layers of airy vocals. "Some Other Sunday" carries on the British vocal tradition of the likes of the Ivy League but with updated musical trappings.
https://youtu.be/1dHPoc2qTT0?si=XZR3VTdgBPUzjhpK
5. ROY BUDD-"Birth Of Budd" Pye 7N.15807 1965
Best known for being the man behind the "Get Carter" soundtrack Roy's debut came in March 1965 with a jazzy little instrumental piece written by Budd and famous U.K. jazz bandleader Harry South titled "The Birth Of Budd". Lead by Budd's boozy bar room piano it builds adding guitar, subtle organ, horns and is jazzy yet has a distinct poppy swing to it that reminds me of The Zombies "Conversation Off Floral Street" from many years later. There's a nifty little bluesy guitar towards the end as it all slowly fades away that makes it easily mistaken as a mid 60's U.K. r&b 45.
https://youtu.be/LIYw1zdpxZk?si=K48we0zlygeENovI
6. PADDY, KLAUS & GIBSON-"Rejected" Pye 7N.17060 1966
Before Cream, there was the power trio that was Paddy (Chambers), Klaus (Voorman) and Gibson (Kemp). Paddy was an old Merseybeat hand from a variety of Liverpool group's (Faron's Flamingo's and later The Escorts) as was Gibson (Rory Storm and The Hurricanes, King Size Taylor and The Dominos) while Klaus of course was a Hamburg lad brought into rock n' roll thanks to the Liverpool boys. "Rejected" (not to be confused with the amazing single by The Fenmen of the same name) is a catchy, rhythmic little number with some laid back Georgie Fame-ish style vocals, stride piano, a jazzy beat and is imminently danceable. The lyrics are pretty amusing, concerning a guy who takes two jobs to please a materialistic woman who leaves him for another man because he's never home. Sadly it was their last single with Klaus heading to a lucrative career with Manfred Mann and Paddy stepping into The Escorts to replace Terry Sylvester.
https://youtu.be/e9_5dKWbQyE?si=z3vJAm_G7YrDMtAY
7. THE GAME-"Gotta Keep On Moving Baby" Pye 7N.15889 1965
9. TAMMY ST. JOHN-"Dark Shadows And Empty Hallways" Pye 7N.15948 1965
F*ck this is the stuff! Powerful. Hands down the best "loss of love" tune EVER written. Tammy St. John's got pipes! And the arrangement (by Johnny Harris) and lyrics will make the hairs on your neck stand on end, especially when it all slows down Spectoresque style with just bass drums and piano and she croons "and if you see my baby just tell him there ain't no rainbows for me, and if you talk to my baby just tell him I'm as blue as can I be. How can I make tomorrow when I can't bear to live through today....". Woah, and dig this, she was only 14 when she cut this monster!
https://youtu.be/7nCMfoefQBY?si=7K21Dnz6hF31JlV2
10. THE MONTANAS-"That's When Happiness Began" Pye 7N.17183 1966
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