I bought a large collection of LPs. Really large. Like, thousands and thousands. With the help of some friends, we made this happen over the weekend. I only had an inkling of what I was getting, as the collection was purchased from an old friend who I trust. There was no list of titles with detailed descriptions of condition. It was more like, "You know what I like. I've been collecting for years. You won't be sorry." Yes, that was good enough for me.
The last 2-3 days has been quite overwhelming, in the best possible way of course. Not knowing where to begin, I've been randomnly opening up boxes and discovering everything from the obvious--CSN&Y, solo Beatles---to some true gems, like...BLOSSOM TOES.
Here's what I knew about Blossom Toes before yesterday. My friend and bassist extraordinaire Sal Maida thinks they're the greatest thing since the shoehorn. I heard something 20 years ago when they first appeared on compact disc, and I remembered nothing. Yesterday, I opened a box of "B" and pulled out a mono copy of the debut and let the needle drop. Sal Maida was right. I've a new obsession.
This is from the always reliable Wikipedia:
Blossom Toes were an English psychedelic pop band active between 1967 and 1969. Initially known as The Ingoes,[1] they were renamed and signed to manager Giorgio Gomelsky's Marmalade label. The original line-up comprised Brian Godding (born 19 August 1945, Monmouth, South Wales) (guitar, vocals, keyboards), Jim Cregan (born James Cregan, 9 March 1946, Yeovil, Somerset) (guitar, vocals), Brian Belshaw (born 25 February 1944, Wigan, Lancashire) (bass, vocals), and Kevin Westlake (born Kevin Patrick Westlake, 5 March 1947, Dublin, Co Dublin, Ireland — 30 September 2004) (drums). [1]
The band's debut album, We Are Ever So Clean is a classic example of quintessentially English psychedelia. On release, it was presented in the UK music magazine Melody Maker as "Giorgio Gomelsky's Lonely Hearts Club Band". Although not a major commercial success, tracks such as "What On Earth" or "Look At Me, I'm You" have helped give the album something of a cult period status as it is unearthed by successive generations of 1960s retro fans. It was included in Record Collector's list of the "100 Greatest Psychedelic Records"
They are The Who, but insane. They are The Beatles, but like...insane. They are psychedelic, sunshine pop, but...like...insane.
11 comments:
Wow, what an adventure you're on with all those lp's! This is great stuff.
Yeah, Buzz. It's hard to wrap my head around it. Very exciting. Now, I must start selling some.
Like my dad says, "You feel like a 2 year-old in a 10 acre lot."
Great discovery, Sal! I suspect they taught Bowie all he knows.
So...I hesitate to ask this...was there one in there?
Lucky you. OK, I was really prepared to not dig this selection, based on the name, but... wow - pretty cool, really!
If I'm not mistaken, Jim Cregan went on to play lead guitar for solo Rod Stewart in the mid/late 70s, writing the music for some of his bigger hits (like "I Was Only Joking").
Blossom Toes were a regular on the UK University circuit. Booked them twice myself! Ah happy days.
Jim Cregan (in the Blossom Toes lineup) looks familiar... was he in Family??
yes cregan is the family guy...poli palmer who also joined family was in a later short lived line up of the toes that recorded one single Postcards which is a gem...for the following second album the band dropped the psychedelia and turned heavy rock and then there is the live album recorded in sweden which shows a band now obsessed with captain beefhart
These guys have been in my "Lord knows I've tried" bin since I first heard about them via a MOJO sampler.
They seem designed with my mind in mind, but for whatever reason I just don't get it.
@simels.
It took me a long time. But there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
(I don't really know what that means, but I am loving this record.)
Post a Comment