Saturday, March 29, 2008

July – July (1968)




Δείγμα Βρετανικής ψυχεδέλιας για σήμερα με τον ένα και μοναδικό δίσκο των July που κυκλοφόρησε επανατυπωμένος στην Ελλάδα από την Essex σε πολύ καλή έκδοση. Πολύ καλή από την άποψη ότι πρόλαβα αυτή τη φορά και δεν μου «φάγανε» το σιγκλάκι από μέσα που βλέπεται στην φωτό.

Κλασικότατο δείγμα Βρετανικής ψυχεδέλιας που σε διάφορα σημεία θυμίζουν Pink Floyd. Καλύτερες στιγμές κατά την άποψή μου τα My Clown, The Way, Jolly Mary αλλά και το «ανατολίτικο» The Way την διαφορετική εκτέλεση του οποίου επίσης ανέβασα.

Personnel:
TONY DUHIG gtr A
JOHN FIELD flute, keyb'ds A
CHRIS JACKSON drms A
ALAN JAMES bs A
TOM NEWMAN vcls A

ALBUM:
1(A) JULY (Major Minor MMLP/SMLP 29) 1968 R4
NB: (1) also issued in USA/Canada on Epic (BN-26416) and in Brazil (Musidisc Hi Fi 2.177). (1) Reissued on CD in original sleeve (Aftermath AFT 1004) 199? and by Acme on vinyl in the original sleeve, with the 45 cuts as a freebie bonus 45. Also of interest is Dandelion Seeds (Bam-Caruso KIRI 097) 1987, a reissue of their album; and The Second Of July (Essex 1015) 1996 (LP) / (Essex 1008CD) 1995 (CD), which consists of all their previously unissued recordings from 1967.

45s:
1 My Clown/Dandelion Seeds (Major Minor MM 568) 1968
2 Hello, Who's There/The Way (Major Minor MM 580) 1968

They started out as a skiffle act from Ealing, called The Playboys and then became a R&B combo The Tomcats. John (Speedy) Keen was in them for a while. In 1966, The Tomcats went to Spain with a new line-up (the future July one). As Los Tomcats, they got in the Charts with four EPs, one of which was all in Spanish! They returned to the UK in 1968, still basing themselves in Ealing.

July recorded what has become one of the most sought-after British psychedelic sixties albums. Twenty-five years on time has not been kind to all the tracks (e.g. Jolly Mary) but overall it's well worth purchasing for its eerie brand of psychedelia (on Dandelion Seeds and My Clown) and some fine psychedelic guitar work (Crying Is For Writers). More accessible are the Bam-Caruso reissue, which was put out in a different sleeve, and the Aftermath CD reissue. Both also include the second 45, which wasn't on the first album. Duhig and Field went on to be in Jade Warrior and Tom Newman later released solo albums on Virgin and Decca. He also set up Branson's Manor Studios and engineered Tubular Bells I and II. Duhig was also later in Assagai. Alan James went on to play for Cat Stevens, Duffy Power, Neil Innes and Kevin Coyne. They were managed by Spencer Davis.

Compilation appearances have included: Friendly Man and My Clown on Psychedelic Dream; Friendly Man and I See on British Psychedelic Trip, Vol. 2 (LP) and Great British Psychedelic Trip, Vol. 3 (CD); My Clown on It's Only A Passing Phase (LP); The Way on Electric Psychedelic Sitar Headswirlers, Vol. 1 (CD).
(Vernon Joynson / Anuj Goyal/Marcelo Lilienheim)

Tracks:

01. My Clown
02. Dandelion Seeds
03. Jolly Mary
04. Hallo To Me
05. You Missed It All
06. The Way
07. To Be Free
08. Move On Sweet Flower
09. Crying Is For Writers
10. I See
11. Friendly Man
12. A Bird Lived
13. The Way (single version)
14. Hello Who's There

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

One of my favourite album.Greatness of UK end of sixties music.

M said...

"Dandelion seeds" is one of the best UK psych songs ever! In class with Floyd and Forever Amber!

Very Good posting!

Anonymous said...

Really top ten psych UK. I recommended. Merci.

Nishit said...

Hey Psych Spaniolos, I've found a load of of difficult to find stuff on your blog,a couple of the links(which seem to be from vinyl sources) can't be found anywhere else. Some of the links are unforunately dead. I live in India and have no facilities to buy any of these old vinyl records. Could you possibly re-upload them? Starting with this one? It would be a huge favor. Cheers.