SINGLES

ALMOND MARZIPAN-Open Up Your Heart/ Summer Love (Trend)
ALAN AVON AND THE TOYSHOP-These Are The Reasons/ A Night To Remember (Concord)
GINGER BAKER'S AIRFORCE- Man Of Constant Sorrow/ Doin' It (Polydor)
BEE GEES-I.O.I.O./ Sweetheart (Polydor) #49
BLACK SABBATH- Evil Woman/ Wicked World (Vertigo)
DAVID BOWIE-The Prettiest Star/ Conversation Piece (Mercury)
CUPID’S INSPIRATION-Are You Growing Tired Of My Love/ Sunshine (CBS)
DREAM POLICE-I’ll Be Home (In A Day Or So)/ Living Is easy (Decca)
FLYING MACHINE-Hanging On The Edge Of Sadness/ Flying Machine (Pye)
HONEYBUS-Story/ Right To Choose (Deram)
JULIAN’S TREATMENT-Phantom City/ Aida, Dark Lady Of The Outer Worlds (Youngblood)
KING CRIMSON-Cat Food/ Groon (Island)
THE LOCOMOTIVE-Movin’ Down The Line/ Roll Over Mary (Parlophone)
LOVE STREET-Venus/ Rock & Roll Woman (Pye)
THE MOVE-Brontosaurus/ Lightnin’ Never Strikes Twice (Regal Zonophone) #7
PETER AND THE WOLVES-Something In The Way She Moves/ The Lady And Me (UPC)
SLADE-Shape Of Things To Come/ C’mon, C’mon (Fontana)
STATUS QUO- Down The Dustpipe/ Face Without a Soul (Pye) #12
AL STEWART-Electric Los Angeles Sunset/ My Enemies Have Sweet Voices (CBS)
TIMON-And Now She Says She’s Young/ I’m Just a Travelling Man (Threshold)
THE WHO-The Seeker/ Here For More (Track) #19
YELLOW-Roll It Down The Hill/ Living A Lie (CBS)

ALBUMS

ARGENT-Argent (CBS)
GINGER BAKER'S AIRFORCE- AIRFORCE 1 (Polydor) #37
BLACK SABBATH- Black Sabbath (Vertigo) #8
BLACK WIDOW- Sacrifice (CBS) #32
PETE BROWN & PIBLOKTO!- Things May Come & Things May Go But The Art School Dance Goes On Forever (Harvest)
MICHAEL CHAPMAN-Fully Qualified Survivor (Harvest) #45
FACES- First Step (Warner Bros) #45
HONEYBUS-Story (Deram)
JETHRO TULL-Benefit (Island) #3
MARSUPILAMI- Marsupilami (Transatlantic)
SKIN ALLEY- Skin Alley (CBS)
STEAMHAMMER- Mk 2 (CBS)
TRADER HORNE-Morning Way (Dawn)
V/A (Including Pink Floyd)-Zabriskie Point (Polydor)

HAPPENING!

• Fotheringay, the new band formed by Sandy Denny, makes its live debut in London.

• David Bowie performs with a new backing group, The Hype, which includes ex-Rats guitarist Mick Ronson.

• Van Der Graaf Generator and Fairfield Parlour are reported to be writing the incidental music for the movie “Eye Witness”.

• Family return to the U.S for a tour, but their jinx strikes again when Roger Chapman’s passport is stolen. The band play dates in Canada without him.

• King Crimson appear on Top Of The Pops with an ad hoc line up including pianist Keith Tippett, performing their single “Cat Food”.

• Jethro Tull turn down an offer of £10,000 to top the bill at a Hampden Park, Glasgow pop festival. Jethro’s manager, Terry Ellis says that the stadium’s 120,000 capacity would mean that the group couldn’t hope to get itself over to a crowd of that size (though by August the group are playing to half-a-million at the IOW!)

• John Lennon begins a six-month course of “Primal Scream” therapy.

• The Nice split-up after completing a final UK tour and a couple of shows in Germany. Their last concert is The Peace Festival in Berlin, where they are supported by Deep Purple (30th). Keith Emerson goes onto form ELP, Lee Jackson teams up with some old mates from his home town of Newcastle in Jackson Heights, while drummer Brian Davison puts together an avant-garde/jazz influenced outfit, Every Which Way, which features ex-Skip Bifferty singer Graham Bell.

• It’s reported that another Ex-Nice member, guitarist Davy O’List, has formed a ‘progressive supergroup’ named Cody’s Glider. Other members include sax-player Lol Coxhill, ex-East of Eden drummer Brian Appleyard and Bob Weston (ex-Graham Bond and future Fleetwood Mac member)

• Kevin Ayers returns from an extended break in the Mediterranean and forms a new backing band The Whole World, which includes teenage guitar whiz Mike Oldfield (ex-Sallyangie). Ayers subsequently embarks upon an erratic solo career, conducted at his own languid pace, that still continues today!

• John (Du) Cann, ex-Attack/ Andromeda guitarist joins Atomic Rooster, replacing bassist Nick Graham.

• Black Widow are warned by Alex Saunders, so-called ‘King’ of England’s witches, to curtail their dabbling into the Black Arts on their records and on-stage. “Even if they do not mean it, they could conjure up something terrible by accident” explained Saunders. The group had been featuring mock sacrifices and occult symbolism in their stage-act.

• The Kinks announce that they are to sue Granada TV. The group claim that Granada broke an agreement by failing to produce a TV show of the their “Arthur” album.

• The movie “If It’s Tuesday It Must Be Belgium” goes on release. This comedy vehicle for Ian ‘Lovejoy’ McShane features theme music by Donovan, who also makes an appearance in the film and sings a song.

• BBC2 TV “Disco 2”-Fleetwood Mac, The Tremeloes (7th), The Faces, Toefat (14th), Keef Hartley, Slade (21st), The Move, Yes (28th)

• German TV “Beat Club”-Mott the Hoople, Edgar Broughton Band

• BBC SESSIONS-Alan Bown (2nd-6th, Jimmy Young), Almond Marzipan (2nd-6th, Dave Cash-9th-13th, Terry Wogan), Badfinger (2nd-6th, Dave Cash-8th, Stevie Merike), Syd Barrett (14th, Top Gear), Colosseum (8th, John Peel’s Sunday Concert), Consortium (7th, Saturday People), Cupids Inspiration (15th, Stevie Merike), Flying Machine (2nd-6th, Jimmy Young), Forest (1st, John Peel’s Sunday Concert), Greatest Show On Earth (22nd, Dave Lee Travis-28th, Saturday People), Honeybus (8th, Stevie Merike-9th-13th, Dave Cash-16th-20th, Jimmy Young-22nd, Stevie Merike), Kansas Hook (16th-20th, Dave Cash), The Move (29th, Dave Lee Travis), Onyx (9th-13th, Jimmy Young), Orange Bicycle (9th-13th, Jimmy Young-30th-3rd Apr, Jimmy Young), Simon Dupree & The Big Sound (Anne Nightingale (1st), Slade (16th-20th, Jimmy Young-23rd-27th, Dave Cash), Viv Stanshall (21st, Top Gear), Status Quo (9th-13th, Jimmy Young), The Sweet (2nd-6th, Terry Wogan-9th-13th, Dave Cash-16th-20th, Jimmy Young), Tangerine Peel (16th-20th, Jimmy Young), Timebox (2nd-6th, Dave Cash-16th-20th, Dave Cash-29th, Stevi Merike), Trapeze (8th, Stevie Merike-9th-13th, Terry Wogan-23rd-27th, Dave Cash-29th, Stevi Merike), Trifle (2nd-6th, Terry Wogan), Troggs (8th, DLT--23rd-27th, Jimmy Young), Yes (15th, John Peel’s Sunday Concert)

• * Ex-Herd member Gary Taylor landed a job as Radio 1 presenter, hosting ‘What’s New’ commencing March 23rd.

• Download Dave Cash Show 27th March HERE and HERE

WATCHING

• Marquee- Julian’s Treatment (2nd, 9th, 23rd), Caravan (5th), Griffin (5th), Nucleus (6th, 14th, 21st), Consortium (7th), Liverpool Scene (10th), Writing On The Wall (12th, 26th), Groundhogs (13th), Black Sabbath (16th), Grisby Dyke (16th), Colosseum (17th), Rare Bird (19th), Patto (19th), Hard Meat (24th), Hardin-York (24th), Grail (26th), Arthur Brown (27th), Slade (27th), Matthews Southern Comfort (28th), Atomic Rooster (31st)

• Roundhouse-Dr Strangely Strange, Chris Spedding etc (7th), Black Sabbath, Audience, Quintessence, Gypsy, David Bowie, Genesis, Brian Auger, Graham Bond, Hawkwind, Arthur Brown, Clark-Hutchinson, Graham Bond, Mighty Baby, Heavy Jelly etc (9th-15th-“Atomic Sunrise Festival”), Kevin Ayers, Third Ear Band, Jody Grind, Gracious (22nd), Manfred Mann Chapter III, White Trash (23rd), Spirit Of John Morgan, Kripple Vision, Little Free Rock, Freedom, James Litherland’s Brotherhood, Quatermass, Curved Air etc (29th-YCND Benefit)

• Festival Hall, London-The Nice (6th), David Bowie & Hype (12th)

• 100 Club-Egg (5th), Trader Horne (31st)

• London Lyceum-Faces (1st), Crazy World Of Arthur Brown, Keef Hartley, East Of Eden, Free, Mandrake (6th), Spencer Davis Group, Principal Edwards Magic Theatre, Sam Apple Pie, Room (8th), Greatest Show On Earth, Warm Dust (11th), Ginger Baker’s Air Force (29th)

• Temple Club-Daddy Longlegs, Freedom, Stray (6th), Trader Horne (7th), Quintessence (20th), Atomic Rooster (21st), Rare Bird, Trapeze (27th), Black Sabbath, Gypsy (28th)

• Acton, Brunel University-East Of Eden (6th)

• Friars, Aylesbury-Writing On The Wall (2nd), Mott the Hoople (4th), Arthur Brown (9th), Hawkwind (13th), Edgar Broughton Band (16th)

• Barking College-Colosseum, Juicy Lucy (7th), Liverpool Scene (11th), Al Stewart , The Strawbs (13th), Writing On The Wall, Creepy John Thomas (14th)

• Barnet College-Stray (20th)

• Magic Circus, Barnstaple-Spooky Tooth (28th), Yes (30th)

• Beckenham Three Tuns-David Bowie & Hype (19th)

• Belfast Usher Hall-The Nice (2nd)

• The Factory, Birmingham-Mott the Hoople (6th)

• Mothers, Birmingham- Colosseum (1st), Medicine Head (6th), Humble Pie (7th), Pink Floyd (8th), Black Sabbath (11th, 25th), Edgar Broughton Band, Terry Reid (15th), Tea & Symphony (18th), Forest (20th), Faces, Clark-Hutchinson (21st), Matthews Southern Comfort, Strawbs, Magna Carta (22nd), Yes, May Blitz (29th)

• Birmingham Town Hall-Colosseum (10th, supporting Love)

• Bishops Stortford College-Hawkwind (14th)

• Blackpool Winter Gardens-Deep Purple, Free, Grisby Dyke (13th)

• Bletchley Youth Centre-Black Sabbath, Writing On The Wall (8th), Groundhogs (22nd)

• Colston Hall, Bristol-Pink Floyd (7th)

• Burslem, George Hotel-Mighty Baby (29th)

• Bury St Edmunds-The Move (28th)

• Carshalton College-East Of Eden (7th)

• Chatham Central Hall-Blodwyn Pig (28th)

• Chelsea College-Hawkwind (15th)

• Chelsea Pheasantry-Eureka Stockade (6th, 21st, 26th), Bronco (7th, 16th), Trader Horne (20th), If (24th)

• Chesham Co Op Hall-Fire (6th)

• Cleethorpes Winter Gardens-Liverpool Scene, Quintessence (23rd)

• Coventry Lanchester College-Mighty Baby, Spirit Of John Morgan (6th)

• Fairfield Hall, Croydon- Manfred Mann Chapter 3, Egg (8th), The Nice (22nd-their last UK gig)

• Greyhound, Croydon-Liverpool Scene (1st), Comus (8th), Free (22nd)

• Star Hotel, Croydon-Writing On The Wall (9th), Trader Horne, May Blitz (16th), Caravan (23rd), David Bowie’s Hype (30th)

• Dagenham Robin Hood-Hawkwind (1st), Jan Dukes De Grey (15th)

• Dagenham Village Roundhouse-Blodwyn Pig (21st), Deep Purple (28th)

• Devizes Poperama-Juicy Lucy (28th)

• Dublin Stadium-The Nice (3rd)

• Caird Hall, Dundee-The Nice (12th), Deep Purple (21st)

• Civic Hall, Dunstable-Juicy Lucy (9th), The Nice, Jan Dukes De Grey (16th)

• Ealing Town Hall-Black August, Opal Butterfly (6th)

• Edinburgh Odeon-Deep Purple (20th)

• Usher Hall, Edinburgh-The Nice (11th)

• Edmonton Cooks Ferry Inn-Alan Bown (9th), Greatest Show On Earth (23rd)

• Epping Wake Arms-Greatest Show On Earth (8th), Deep Purple (15th), Spirit Of John Morgan (22nd), Sam Apple Pie (29th)

• Ewell Tech College-Strawbs, Greatest Show On Earth (7th)

• Glasgow Electric Garden-Deep Purple (24th)

• Playhouse, Glasgow-The Nice (13th)

• Gloucester Guild Hall-Yes (13th)

• Gravesend School For Boys-Jody Grind (21st)

• Guildford Surrey University-David Bowie & Hype (14th)

• Hamilton Town Hall-Deep Purple (25th)

• Hammersmith Hospital-Julian’s Treatment (6th)

• Hampstead Country Club-Gypsy (6th), Edgar Broughton Band (13th), Heavy Jelly, Curved Air (20th), Fairport Convention, Aquila (27th)

• Hanley, The Place-Alan Bown (15th), Caravan (17th, 24th, 31st)

• Hanley Victoria Hall-Ginger Baker’s Air Force (20th)

• Hatfield Polytechnic-Manfred Mann Chapter III (6th)

• Hereford Flamingo-Rare Bird (13th)

• Nag’s Head, High Wycombe-Hawkwind (6th), Van Der Graaf Generator (13th), Audience (20th), May Blitz (27th)  

• High Wycombe Town Hall-Procol Harum, Mick Softley etc (28th)

• Hornsey Town Hall-High Tide, Skin Alley, Trader Horne (25th)

• Hull University-David Bowie & Hype (6th)

• Islington Pied Bull-Mandrake (22nd)

• Kenilworth Chesford Grange-Rare Bird (11th)

• Kennington Surrey Rooms-Free (16th), Blodwyn Pig (23rd)

• Kensington Town Hall-Atomic Rooster, Jigsaw (11th)

• Kingston Hotel-Graham Bond, Comus (8th)

• Leeds Queen’s Hall-Marmalade (27th), Colosseum, Liverpool Scene, Principal Edwards Magic Theatre (30th)

• Leeds University-Yes (7th), Ginger Baker’s Air Force (21st)

• Leeford, Mabern Club-Jody Grind (20th)

• Leicester De Montfort Hall-Colosseum, Taste (9th)

• Leicester University-Faces (14th)

• Little Bardfield Barn Club-Eire Apparent (7th), Freedom (14th), Caravan (21st), Sam Apple Pie (28th)

• Liverpool Grafton Rooms-Edgar Broughton Band (10th)

• Liverpool Top Rank-Terry Reid, Quintessence, Elastic Band (25th)

• London ICA-Trader Horne, Mike Cooper (11th)

• Imperial College, London-Pink Floyd, Juicy Lucy (6th), Mott the Hoople, Gypsy (7th), Liverpool Scene, Jody Grind (14th)

• London Central Polytechnic-David Bowie, Bridget St John (7th)

• London, City Polytechnic-Greatest Show On Earth (19th)

• London, North West Polytechnic-Magna Carta (19th)

• London Queen Elizabeth Hall-Yes (21st)

• London St Pancras Hall-Quintessence (3rd)

• London University College-Quintessence, Grail (7th)

• London, Upstairs at Ronnie Scott’s-Gass (20th, 21st), Genesis (24th, 31st)

• London, Westfield College-Strawbs, High Tide, Cochise (13th)

• Loughborough University-Bonzo Dog Band (14th)

• Loughton College-Free, Eire Apparent (20th)

• Luton Tech College-Principal Edwards Magic Theatre, Clouds (7th)

• Manchester Electric Circus-Jan Dukes De Grey (29th)

• Manchester, Mr Smith’s-Mott the Hoople (8th), Jody Grind (15th), Skin Alley (22nd)

• Manchester University-Van Der Graaf Generator (5th), Colosseum (14th)

• Margate Dreamland-Rare Bird (21st)

• Newcastle City Hall-Manfred Mann Chapter III (15th), Deep Purple (25th)

• Mayfair, Newcastle-Juicy Lucy, Free (19th)

• Norwich Gala Ballroom-Rare Bird (14th)

• Oldhill Plaza-Rare Bird (20th)

• Oxford Town Hall-Colosseum (11th)

• Peterborough Cloud Nine-Orange Seaweed (8th), Trader Horne (15th), Crazy World Of Arthur Brown (22nd), Titus Groan (29th)

• Plymouth Van Dikes-Atomic Rooster (6th), Medicine Head, Hawkwind (7th), Rare Bird (26th), Forever More, Little Free Rock (28th), Spooky Tooth (30th)

• Potters Bar Farx-Genesis, Mott the Hoople (1st), Spencer Davis Group (7th), Arthur Brown (14th), Edgar Broughton Band (21st), Stray (28th)

• Public Hall, Preston-The Nice (14th)

• Putney, Half Moon-Strawbs (9th)

• Reading University-Bonzo Dog Band, Atomic Rooster, Arthur Brown (7th)

• Romford Kings Head-Faces (9th), High Tide (23rd)

• Romford, Rush Green College-Quintessence (21st)

• Salford University-James Litherland’s Brotherhood (6th), Yes (20th)

• Salisbury, Alex Disco-Egg (7th), Juicy Lucy (21st), Yes (28th)

• Salisbury Tech College-Uriah Heap! (sic)-formally “Spice” (20th)

• Sheffield City Hall-Pink Floyd (9th)

• Sheffield University-Pretty Things (14th)

• Southall Farx-Daddy Longlegs (8th), Keef Hartley, Gracious (15th), Genesis (22nd), My Cake (29th)

• Guild Hall, Southampton-The Nice (18th)

• Stevenage, Bowes Lyon House-Stray (23rd)

• Stratford, Railway Tavern-Stray (22nd)

• Locarno, Sunderland-Edgar Broughton Band (6th), Third Ear Band, Genesis (9th), David Bowie & The Hype, Principal Edwards Magic Theatre, Circus, Man (13th), Blodwyn Pig, Writing On The Wall (20th), Ginger Baker’s Airforce (26th), Clouds (30th)

• Sutton Coldfield Belfry-Faces (7th), Moody Blues (9th)

• The Castle Club, Tooting-Writing On The Wall, Trapeze (18th), Principal Edwards Magic Theatre (25th)

• Twickenham Eel Pie Island-May Blitz (7th), Stray (21st), Toe Fat (27th)

• Twickenham Maria Grey College-Fire (5th)

• Twickenham St Mary’s College-Julian’s Treatment (7th), Juicy Lucy, Sam Apple Pie (14th)

• Chestnut Tree, Walthamstow-Van Der Graaf Generator (6th), Steamhammer (20th), Trader Horne (27th)

• Warwick University-Forest (8th)

• Watford Tech College-Atomic Rooster, Genesis (14th)

• West Ham College-Eire Apparent, Mandrake (6th)

• Weybridge, Brooklands Tech College-Skin Alley (6th), Greatest Show On Earth (20th)

• Weymouth Pavilion-Colosseum (13th)

• Wolverhampton Catacombs-Heavy Jelly (2nd)

REVIEWS

Almond Marzipan

Open Up Your Heart: A catchy rhythmic ballad, noteworthy for some very attractive harmonies

Argent

Argent (LP): Rod Argent, former leader of the ahead-of-their-time Zombies, has formed an extremely accomplished new band. Their music has a mind of its own but has taken a good part of the Zombies penchant for expressive harmonies against structured backings. Most of the songs would be strong enough to stand up outside of an album. All told an exceptional first album.

Cupid's inspiration

Are You Growing Tired Of My Love: A glossy and highly polished production, a driving beat and a vibrant performance add up to what I can only describe as a competent and commercial pop disc. Terry Rice-Milton's stirring powerhouse voice is encased in a lush backing, with tambourine accentuating the rhythm. It could make its mark if it gets sufficient exposure.

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