The Creation

29 novembre 2008 6 29 /11 /novembre /2008 21:40

The Creation were an English freakbeat band, formed in 1966. The most popular Creation song was "Painter Man", which made the Top 40 in the UK Singles Chart in late 1966, and reached #8 in the German chart in April 1967. It was later covered by Boney M in 1979, and reached the #10 position in the UK charts. Their song "Makin' Time" was used in the movie Rushmore. Guitarist Eddie Phillips described their sound as "Our music is red - with purple flashes."

Pickett, Phillips, Thompson and Jones had previously been in The Mark Four, accompanied by John Dalton who had left to join The Kinks. Garner had previously been in the Tony Sheridan Band. Their style was originally loud pop-art, similar to The Kinks and The Who, but developed into a more typically mid 1960s psychedelic rock sound. Their song "Painter Man" featured Phillips playing his electric guitar with a violin bow. He was reputedly the first guitarist to pioneer this technique, although Jimmy Page later did it to greater acclaim.[1] They took their pop art experimentation slightly further when singer Kenny Pickett would spray paint a canvas during their concerts, before a member of the road crew would set light to artwork on stage.[2]

Although most of their singles were issued in the UK, after "Making Time" and "Painter Man", there were no further hits. Four singles were issued in the United States ("Making Time" b/w "Try And Stop Me" and "Painter Man" b/w 'Biff Bang Pow" on US Planet, "If I Stay Too Long" b/w "Nightmares", and "How Does It Feel To Feel" b/w "Life Is Just Beginning" on US Decca) without commercial success, although the band remained popular in Germany, Sweden, Denmark and Norway.

In late 1966, Garner left and was replaced by Kim Gardner. In March 1968 Pickett left and was replaced by Ronnie Wood (both of these new members had been in The Birds). Pickett soon returned, replacing both Phillips and Gardner. Shortly afterwards The Creation disbanded. Pickett continued as songwriter for their American producer, Shel Talmy, and also became the guitar technician for Jimmy Page. Ronnie Wood joined the Jeff Beck Group. Gardner co-formed Ashton, Gardner & Dyke and was later a member of Badger. Jones became a cabaret singer. Pickett and Phillips later wrote the hit single "Teacher Teacher" for Rockpile.

The Creation re-formed in the mid 1980s with Phillips, Pickett, Dalton, and Mick Avory (drums, ex-Kinks), releasing a single on Jet Records and recording an album in a more contemporary rock style. The reformed band continued to tour, with various line-up changes, capitalising on their cult notoriety with the underground mod and garage rock audiences. They performed in the United States for the first time in 2001.

Source : Wikipedia