One
of the most exciting finds of the recent years is this previously
unreleased album from 1967 by this obscure US psychedelic band, recorded
around the same time of their ultra-rare ‘Common Attitude’ 45, (famous
for appearing on the “Alien, Psychos & Wild Things” comp).
Leaded by the great Richard Orange, Thomas Edisun played Beatlesque, psychedelic-pop / proto power-pop of the highest order with amazing songs and incredible harmony vocals.
In 1967, just after ‘Sgt. Pepper’ had came out, the band decided to register their own psychedelic masterpiece, so they entered a rudimentary studio and recorded a whole album during a weekend, under the influence of “smoking” and “mind altering” substances . The album was never released, the tapes were stored in attics and basements and the band broke up with some of their members forming cult power-pop band Zuider Zee.
“The Red Day Album” ranges from pure Emitt Rhodes-Macca pop to Forever Amber / Lazy Smoke styled lo-fi pop-sike and almost early Caravan keyboard freak-outs.
:
01. I'm Here (Intro) (0:43)
02. Red Day (3:36)
03. Have You Been To The Light (3:43)
04. Common Attitude (2:55)
05. Hope (6:43)
06. No One's Been Here For Weeks (2:28)
07. Walk Out With Your Heart (3:54)
08. Champion (2:32)
09. I'm Right Here (2:53)
10. I'll Join The Army (2:34)
11. Merlin (4:14)
12. Breathe (2:00)
13. Alexander Graham Bell (3:26)
14. Concord World (2:10)
15. Marigold (2:19)
16. Send Me Your Picture (2:35)
17. Dream Me Up Snotty (Outro) (0:43)
Leaded by the great Richard Orange, Thomas Edisun played Beatlesque, psychedelic-pop / proto power-pop of the highest order with amazing songs and incredible harmony vocals.
In 1967, just after ‘Sgt. Pepper’ had came out, the band decided to register their own psychedelic masterpiece, so they entered a rudimentary studio and recorded a whole album during a weekend, under the influence of “smoking” and “mind altering” substances . The album was never released, the tapes were stored in attics and basements and the band broke up with some of their members forming cult power-pop band Zuider Zee.
“The Red Day Album” ranges from pure Emitt Rhodes-Macca pop to Forever Amber / Lazy Smoke styled lo-fi pop-sike and almost early Caravan keyboard freak-outs.
: 01. I'm Here (Intro) (0:43)
02. Red Day (3:36)
03. Have You Been To The Light (3:43)
04. Common Attitude (2:55)
05. Hope (6:43)
06. No One's Been Here For Weeks (2:28)
07. Walk Out With Your Heart (3:54)
08. Champion (2:32)
09. I'm Right Here (2:53)
10. I'll Join The Army (2:34)
11. Merlin (4:14)
12. Breathe (2:00)
13. Alexander Graham Bell (3:26)
14. Concord World (2:10)
15. Marigold (2:19)
16. Send Me Your Picture (2:35)
17. Dream Me Up Snotty (Outro) (0:43)
Great find ! Thanks for sharing !
ReplyDeleteThe band, "Thomas Edison's Electric Light Bulb Band" would carry on with, 3 of the 4 original members, to form the CBS (Columbia Records) act, "ZUIDER ZEE"with a new bass player John Bonar.
DeleteTho' CBS dropped the ball by never releasing a single (a death blow in the 70's with radio protocol) they would last until 1977. The bands songwriter and lead guitarist/singer would rebuild the band with the drummer and keyboardist to tour the North East and Great lakes areas as, "Richard Orange & The Zee."
After running out of momentum, "Orange" would move to England were he eventually landed a solo release for Dick James Records Ltd.( See the Orange Vinyl release of, "Long Distance Love"/ "Supernatural")
Missing the camaraderie of a band Richard Orange formed his 4th installment since, "Thomas Edisun's" with the punk/power/pop quartet, "ZEE". Zee worked out of Memphis playing original and power-pop standards until reaching California via the road.
A 3 month booking in San Diego led to a move to Huntington Beach California. Whilst, performing 6 nights a week for nearly 6 months the band was courted by record companies but got no commitment until the appearance of an odd pursuer, manager/producer and head of M.A.M. Enterprises, millionaire, Welshman, Gordon Mills. He signed the band to a 2 year production deal during which time the band recorded more than 30 titles in Mill's Hollywood Studio, Brittania. That album was never released and remains silent somewhere in the vaults of Gordon Mills. Mills passed away in the mid 80's not long after losing an extensive publishing lawsuit with another of his discoveries, "Gilbert O'Sullivan"("Alone Again Naturally", "Claire"). Gordon Mills had also been the manager and producer of, legend singer, "Tom Jones", another fellow Welshman, and also recorded legendary British rocker, "Dave Edmunds", ("Rockpile").
Richard would in the mid 80's become known for his songwriting and wrote for the Beatles and Elton John's first publisher, Dick James Music Publishing of London. During his time with, "DJM", Richard Orange scored big with a cover of his International hit song, "Hole In my Heart" (All The Way To China) as recorded by Cyndi Lauper which was also featured in the Columbia Pictures release in 1988, "VIBES": a psychic comedy which although receiving mix reviews featured some great chemistry between, Cyndi Lauper, Jeff Goldblum & Peter Falk. "China" as Orange calls it was also used in Sapporo Beer adverts in Asia and Japan.
The song appears on the Japanese version of, "12 Deadly Cyns", and other Cyndi Lauper compilation albums. After, returning to the U.S after living in the U.K. for some years Richard Orange struck a deal with Legendary Sun Studio in Memphis and recorded, "Richard Orange and The Eggmen", an incredible, "Beatlesque affair" which would later be remastered and renamed "Big Orange Sun", by Richard Orange.
Orange would garner more song covers after signing a two year contract with Barry Gordy's, Jobete/Motown. "Other Peoples Houses" by Brasilian Pop Star, Deborah Blando and "Paper Heart"
by Jane Weidlen (The Go-Gos). Richard continues to perform and write and is preparing for the release of another album's worth of never before heard songs recorded during and before the 1975 sessions for "ZUIDER ZEE". This release is expected to drop in 2017 on, "Light In The Attic" records, of Seattle.
-MARS RUSSELL, (freelance music journalist)