SINGLES

ALMOND LETTUCE-Magic Circle/ 20 Weary Miles (Philips)
MIKE BATT-Your Mother Should Know/ Suddenly (Liberty)
THE BEATLES-Get Back/ Don’t Let Me Down (Apple) #1
BLOSSOM TOES-Peace Loving Man/ Up Above My Hobby-Horse’s Head (Marmalade)
JIMMY CAMPBELL-On a Monday/ Dear Marge (Fontana)
THE CASUALS-Fool’s Paradise/ 7x7 (Decca)
CAT’S EYES-Where Is She Now?/ Tom Drum (Deram)
THE EXPLOSIVE-Cities Make The Country Colder/ Step Out Of Line (President)
FACTOTUMS-Mr And Mrs Regards/ Driftwood (CBS)
FLEETWOOD MAC-Man Of The World/ Somebody’s Gonna Get Their Head Kicked In Tonight (Immediate) #2
FLYING MACHINE-Smile A Little Smile/ Maybe We’re Loving Too Long (Pye)
FRUIT MACHINE-I’m Alone Today/ Sunshine Of Your Love (Spark)
GLASS MENAGERIE-Have You Forgotten Who You Are/ Do You Ever Think? (Polydor)
THE GLOBE SHOW-Yes Or No/ Getting’ On Back (Page One)
JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE-Crosstown Traffic/ Gypsy Eyes (Track) #37
THE HIGH-Long Live the High/ Beggar Man Dan (CBS)
HOMER’S KNODS-All She said Was Goodbye/ Mr Rainbow (Pye)
IPSISSIMUS-Hold On/ Lazy Woman (Parlophone)
KATE-Shout It/ Sweet Little Thing (CBS)
LACE-I’m A Gambler/ Go Away (Page One)
LEVIATHAN-Remember The Times/ Second Production (Elektra)
LEVIATHAN-The War Machine/ Time (Elektra)
MANFRED MANN-Ragamuffin Man/ A ‘B’ Side (Fontana) #8
MONTANAS-Ciao Baby/ Someday (You’ll Be Breaking My Heart Again) (Pye)
MOODY BLUES-Never Comes The Day/ So Deep Within You (Deram)
THE NOW-Marcia/ Hands On My Clock Stand Still (Nems)
STATUS QUO-Are You Growing Tired Of My Love/ So Ends Another Life (Pye) #46
TONY AND TANDY (& FLEUR-DE-LYS)-Two Can Make It Together/ The Bitter And The Sweet (Atlantic)
TOYSHOP-Say Goodbye To Yesterday/ Send My Love To Lucy (Polydor)
VAMP-Green Pea/ Wake Up And Tell Me (Atlantic Unissued)

ALBUMS

AMBROSE SLADE-Beginnings (Fontana)
BRIAN AUGER AND THE TRINITY-Definitely What! (Marmalade)
JIMMY CAMPBELL-Son Of Anastasia (Fontana)
CARTOONE-Cartoone (Atlantic)
THE CASUALS-Hour World (Decca)
EIRE APPARENT-Sun Rise (Buddah)
GRAPEFRUIT-Around Grapefruit (Stateside)
KALEIDOSCOPE-Faintly Blowing (Fontana)
MOODY BLUES-On The Threshold Of A Dream (Deram) #1
BARRY RYAN-Sings Paul Ryan (MGM)
WORLD OF OZ-World of Oz (Deram)

HAPPENING!

• Steve Marriott and Peter Frampton announce the formation of Humbie Pie. The Melody Maker headlines “Pop Giants Supergroup”. The other group members are Greg Ridley, who had quit Spooky Tooth, on bass and former Apostolic Intervention drummer Jerry Shirley.

• Pete Quaife leaves The Kinks again, and this time it’s permanent. John Dalton, who stood in during Quaife’s enforced absence in 1966, replaces him.

• Henry Spinetti replaces Andrew Steele as drummer with The Herd.

• Rick Grech quits Family on the eve of a U.S tour to join ‘supergroup’ Blind Faith. Ex-New Animals bassist John Weider replaces him. Family’s tour proves disastrous and is cancelled after a few dates when singer Roger Chapman has his visa revoked.

• Tales Of Justine split up.

• BBC1 TV "Basil Brush Show"-Simon Dupree & The Big Sound (4th), Manfred Mann (25th)

• BBC1 TV "Simon Dee Show"-The Kinks (5th)

• BBC2 TV “Colour Me Pop”-Free (12th), Jimmy Campbell (19th), The Elastic Band (26th)

• Granada ITV “Discotheque”-Locomotive (2nd), Tangerine Peel (16th)

• Grampian ITV "Pop Scotch"-Tremeloes, Marmalade (29th)

• ITV “This Is Tom Jones”-The Who (13th), Donovan (20th)

• German TV “Beat Club”-Manfred Mann, David McWilliams, Grisby Dyke (26th)

• BBC SESSIONS-Alan Bown (21st-25th, Jimmy Young), Almond Marzipan (14th-18th, Jimmy Young), Bonzo Dog Band (11th, Radio 1 Club--13th, Top Gear), Cat’s Eyes (28th-2nd May, Dave Cash), Consortium (7th, Keith Skues), Cupid's Inspiration (7th-11th, Dave Cash), Cymbaline (7th, Keith Skues--21st-25th, Tony Brandon), Eclection (27th, Top Gear), Eire Apparent (20th, Top Gear), Elastic Band (21st-25th, Dave Cash), Elmer Gantry’s Velvet Opera (14th-18th, Tony Brandon), Episode Six (5th, Pete's Saturday People--28th-2nd May, Tony Brandon), Fairport Convention (6th, Top Gear), Fleur de Lys (26th, Johnnie Walker), Flowerpot Men (14th-18th, Dave Cash), Ron Geesin (9th, Night Ride), Gentle Influence (7th-11th, Tony Brandon), The Gods (28th-2nd May, Tony Brandon), Grapefruit (14th-18th, Dave Cash-28th-2nd May, Tony Brandon), Happy Magazine (14th-18th, Tony Brandon-28th-2nd May, Tony Brandon), Iveys (14th-18th, Dave Cash-28th-2nd May, Jimmy Young), Kaleidoscope (15th, Radio 1 Club), Katch 22 (21st-25th, Jimmy Young), Led Zeppelin (14th, WS R&B), Mandrake Paddle Steamer (6th, Top Gear), Manfred Mann (21st-25th, Tony Brandon), Marmalade (13th, Symonds On Sunday-14th-18th, Dave Cash), Montanas (14th-18th, Tony Brandon), Moody Blues (14th-18th, Tony Brandon-28th-2nd May, Tony Brandon), The Nerve (28th-2nd May, Dave Cash), New Formula (28th-2nd May, Dave Cash), The Nice (20th, Top Gear), Onyx (14th-18th, Dave Cash-28th-2nd May, Tony Brandon), Orange Bicycle (7th-11th, Jimmy Young--21st-25th, Dave Cash), Sight and Sound (14th-18th, Tony Brandon), Simon Dupree & The Big Sound (7th-11th, Jimmy Young--14th-18th, Dave Cash), Spooky Tooth (14th-18th, Jimmy Young-26th, Johnnie Walker), Status Quo (21st-25th, Tony Brandon--28th-2nd May, Dave Cash), Tangerine Peel (21st-25th, Tony Brandon), Timebox (5th, Phil Jay-- 7th-11th, Dave Cash--20th, Pete's Sunday People--21st-25th, Tony Brandon--28th-2nd May, Jimmy Young), Toby Twirl (28th-2nd May, Tony Brandon), Tremeloes (21st-25th, Jimmy Young), Troggs (14th-18th, Dave Cash)
  

WATCHING!

• The Who perform the live premiere of “Tommy” songs in Glasgow (25th). Radio 1 DJ Tony Blackburn describes the album as “sick”. Keith Moon gets his revenge by throwing drumsticks at Blackburn when he introduces the group on Top Of The Pops (24th).

• King Crimson play their debut gig at London’s Speakeasy club (9th). This is followed by a residency at The Marquee.

• Marquee- Love Sculpture (1st), Pegasus (1st, 19th, 25th), Yes (2nd, 9th), Harsh Reality (2nd), Terry Reid (3rd, 15th), Hard Meat (3rd, 24th), Steamhammer (4th, 22nd), Procession (5th, 12th), House Of Lords (6th), Harmony Grass (8th), The Cymbaline (8th), Elastic Band (9th, 29th), Elmer Gantry’s Velvet Opera (10th, 24th), Village (10th, 17th), Eyes Of Blue (11th, 19th, 30th), Octopus (12th), Rainbows (16th, 23rd), Entire Sioux Nation (16th), Blodwyn Pig (18th, 29th), Circus (18th), Colosseum (22nd), Clouds (23rd), Trash (25th), My Dear Watson (26th), The Turnstile (26th), Jason Crest (27th), Van Der Graaf Generator (30th)

• Klooks Kleek-Led Zeppelin, The End, Pale Green Limousine (1st), Liverpool Scene, Hard Meat (8th), Blossom Toes (15th), Amboy Dukes (17th), Van Der Graaf Generator, Spice, Pale Green Limousine (22nd), Terry Reid, Junco Partners (29th)

• Roundhouse-YCND Benefit with Roy Harper, Egg, Pete Brown, Clark-Hutchinson, Stray, Deviants, Screw, Gary Farr, Bridget St John (6th), Dwarf Benefit with White Trash, Third Ear Band, High Tide etc (27th)

• Speakeasy-King Crimson (9th), Smile (19th)

• Whisky A' Go Go- The Explosive (3rd), Mr Mo's Messengers (5th)

• Acton Town Hall-Andromeda, Sellophane (25th)

• Community Centre, Auchinleck-The Who (26th)

• Barnet Resurrection Club-Turnstyle (7th), Hard Meat (21st)

• Mothers, Birmingham- Spooky Tooth (5th), Fairport Convention, Eclection (6th), Soft Machine (12th), Fleetwood Mac (13th), Liverpool Scene (18th), Colosseum (19th), Blodwyn Pig (20th), Eclection (25rd), Moody Blues (26th), Pink Floyd (27th-recorded for the “Ummagumma” album)

• Railway Hotel, Bishop’s Stortford-Edgar Broughton Band (21st)

• Rhodes Centre, Bishop’s Stortford-Marmalade (5th)

• Casino Club, Bolton-The Who (22nd)

• Boston Starlight Room-Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band (5th)

• Pavilion, Bournemouth-The Who, Third Ear Band (2nd)

• Brentwood, St Theresa's Hall- Episode (10th)

• Bridgend Kee Club-Roy Harper (12th), Mighty Baby (19th), Pretty Things (26th)

• Bromley Tech College-Pink Floyd, East Of Eden (26th)

• Chesterfield St James Hall-Fairport Convention (19th), Village (26th)

• Crawley, Thomas Bennett School-Van Der Graaf Generator (3rd)

• Fairfield Hall, Croydon-Pentangle (25th)

• The Village Roundhouse, Dagenham-Led Zeppelin, Reflection (5th), Spooky Tooth (26th)

• Kinema, Dunfermline-Love Affair (6th), Tremeloes (19th), Gun (26th), The Who (27th)

• Edinburgh Arts Lab-Third Ear Band (16th)

• Edmonton Cooks Ferry Inn-Procession (28th)

• Ewell Tech College, Epsom-King Crimson, Sharon Tandy (26th)

• Glasgow Arts Lab-Pete Brown & Battered Ornaments, Third Ear Band (17th)

• Strathclyde University, Glasgow-The Who (25th)

• Gravesend, Woodville Halls-Clouds (2nd)

• Hampstead Country Club-Pretty Things, Deviants (3rd), Van Der Graaf Generator, Freedom’s Children (6th), Soft Machine, Hard Meat (13th), Edgar Broughton Band (17th), Eire Apparent (20th), East Of Eden (24th), Fairport Convention (27th)

• High Wycombe Nag’s Head-Black Cat Bones (4th), Pegasus (11th), Blodwyn Pig (23rd), Steamhammer (25th)

• Ilford, El Grotto- Village (6th)

• Kingston-Upon-Thames, Kingston Hotel- Reflection (6th)

• Kingston Tech College-Episode Six (26th)

• Lancaster University-Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation, Third Ear Band (25th)

• London, 100 Club- Tuesday's Children (8th)

• London, Bedford College-Eyes Of Blue (25th)

• City Of London College-Fairport Convention (24th)

• London ICA- Emanon (26th, Manfred Mann in disguise)

• London, Sadler’s Wells-Moody Blues, Pentangle, East Of Eden (27th)

• Royal Festival Hall-Pink Floyd (“introducing The Azimuth Co-ordinator”) (14th).

• London Lyceum-Tyrannosaurus Rex, King Crimson (11th), Jeff Beck Group, Caravan, Writing On The Wall, Al Stewart, Edgar Broughton Band (25th)

• London, Northern Polytechnic-Elmer Gantry (25th)

• London Polytechnic- Fairport Convention, Spooky Tooth, Liverpool Scene (19th)

• London Royal Albert Hall-Yes (21st-supporting Janis Joplin)

• London School Of Economics-Terry Reid, Circus (26th)

• London, St Pancras Town Hall-Liverpool Scene (26th)

• London, Tottenham Court Road, The Roebuck-East Of Eden (8th, 15th, 22nd, 29th), Jody Grind (28th)

• London, University College-Locomotive (26th)

• London, Wembley Empire Pool-Daily Express Record Star Show-Joe Cocker, Simon Dupree & The Big Sound, The Herd, Status Quo, Casuals etc etc

• Nottingham Boat Club- Juniors Eyes (11th), Spooky Tooth (13th)

• Van Dykes, Plymouth-Eclection (3rd), Forest (5th), Davy Graham, Steamhammer (7th), Fairport Convention (11th), Liverpool Scene (12th)

• Orchid Ballroom, Purley-Amboy Dukes (21st)

• Romford, King's Hall- Terry Reid (7th)

• Southall Farx -Juniors Eyes, The Exception (6th), Steamhammer, Egg (13th), Juniors Eyes (24th), Liverpool Scene (27th)

• The Asgard, Railway Tavern, Stratford, London-Jody Grind (18th), Mandrake Paddle Steamer (25th)

• Silver Blades, Streatham-The Herd (21st)

• Bay Hotel, Sunderland-Plastic Penny (11th), Terry Reid (14th), Hard Meat (19th), Liverpool Scene (21st), Eyes Of Blue (26th), The Who (28th)

• Sunderland Tech College-Fairport Convention (25th)

• Langland Hotel, Swansea-Man (26th, 27th)

• Toby Jug, Tolworth-Killing Floor (5th), Led Zeppelin (12th)

• Tottenham, Mecca-Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band (4th)

• Twickenham, Crown- Steve Miller's Delivery (5th)

• Uxbridge, Burton's- Timebox (5th)

• Cherry Tree, Welwyn Garden City-Taste (1st), Led Zeppelin (8th), Spooky Tooth (29th)

• Resurrection Club, The Black Bull, Whetstone-Van Der Graaf Generator (28th)

• Wolverhampton Lafayette Club-Trapeze (1st)

• Fishmonger’s Arms, Woodgreen-Stray, Egg (4th),Junior's Eyes (18th), Spooky Tooth (25th)

REVIEWS

Blossom Toes

Peace Loving Man: Ah ha--the romantic mysteries of the East! A sitar wails plaintively in the introduction followed by freaking out of unparalleled proportions, filled with whisperings and growling, rather like Captain Beefheart meets the Mayor of Arkville. It does go on a bit.

Fruit Machine

I'm Alone Today: They hail from Music City, Britain, or Twickenham as it is known. They sing "la la la la" several times, and the guitarist plays his guitar, a bit out of tune, but with much enthusiasm.

Leviathan

Remember The Times : Once known as the Span, this revamped group presents us with two singles as examples of their work. This is most readily commercial of four sides. Although I committed myself to dismissing it as a total flop on my TV Spectacular due for screening in Oct on BBC2 ("Bring that screening date nearer!" yells Wendy Potts), after several plays, I now realise the error of my ways and suggest it could well lurch chart high.

Barry Ryan

Sings Paul Ryan (LP) : Brother Paul has written some fine songs in the pure pop idiom for Barry to feature on his first solo album. This is orchestral pop of the type also favoured by The Bee Gees and Scott Walker, which generally has more feminine than masculine appeal.

Status Quo

Are You Growing Tired Of My Love: If I had heard this disc without first seeing the label, I would have never suspected it was Status Quo. It's a complete change of style for this group, and is totally removed from the distinctive sound it created in "Matchstick Men" All the same, it's an excellent record - in my opinion, the best that Quo has ever made. Opens quietly, with the air of moodiness heightened by clanking pianos and deep throated cellos. Then it breaks into the melodic chorus - a beautiful melody that's still in my ears. The stringy backing is imaginative, the boys harmonies are colourful, and the beat is solid enough for dancing - particularly when it intensifies in the latter stages. Very good indeed - with, I thought, a hint of the Bee Gees about it.

BACK TO MONTHLY INDEX