Between 1968 and 1970, some of the finest, most obscure British psychedelic pop singles of the era escaped on the Spark label, the newly-inaugurated recording arm of long-established publishers Southern Music. Recorded in the basement studio of the companys Denmark Street premises, these tracks often featured the same cabal of musicians and songwriters, leading to a homogenous in-house style that perfectly encapsulates the late 1960s British pop-psych studio sound. The best of Sparks impressive roster is now collected on CD for the first time on Hello Everyone: Popsike Sparks from Denmark Street 1968-70, which assembles highly-prized, highly-priced 45s from pre-Rare Bird band Fruit Machine, Gene Latter, post-Sorrows outfit the Eggy, the New Generation (subsequently to become the Sutherland Brothers), the Dennis Wheatley-inspired Icarus and both sides of the magnificent and astonishingly rare single by Sir Ching I (only one stock copy known to exist). Also included are exquisite Brit popsike singles from Timothy Blue, Just William, both sides of the superb John Carter/Russ Alquist collaboration The Laughing Man/Midsummer Dreaming and two sensational offerings from Eartha Kitt during her brief and unlikely immersion in late Sixties hippy chick chic.

Never knew The Eggy were post Sorrows.

Essentially then a CD selection from the 4 x 10th Planet Spark label LP comps by the sound of it. Not a bad thing to have, but I'm guessing there must be other Spark 45s that haven't been comped yet? The Sir Ching I single sounds very interesting and not on the 10th Planet series as far as I can recall. Nice to have a Spark anthology on CD at least. RPM were going to do something similar with the Beacon label years ago, which never came off, although I remember the proposed track listing for that on being mostly soul records. I'll buy this anyway.

PM

In fact, I have several good 45s on Spark from the 1972-74 period, this comp stops at 1970, so presumably is just re-using the 10th Planet sides. Still good to have on a CD especially with a nicely anotated and illustrated booklet as I am sure it will have. I would still like to see the label anthologised across its full chronology though to 1977-8. There's some interesting looking titles on the 7TTs website here:

http://www.7tt77.co.uk/SPARK.html

PM

You're right Andy, my mistake, the 4 x LP set is the Electric Lemonade Acid Test, Vols 3 & 4 of which document the Spark label.

P

Sadly no 'Willow tree' ( fruit machine 'the wall' flip )
I think the only place I've ever seen it was on those ELAT comps Paul mentioned.
So it would have been welcome here. Some of these tracks have been comped umpteen times.

The Wall/Willow Tree was only ever released in the U.S.I think, which seems strange.

I really like the Fruit Machine 45s but i could do without their version of Cuddly Toy.

I think it's only the Sir Ching I 45 that's new to me. Still be good to have a handy "best of" those ace Tenth Planet sets though, and the new liner notes are jam-packed with detail.

I have those Electric Lemonade records. Definitely beats tracking down the singles. One of them ( I don't think the Sparks) has Hat & Tie's "Finding it Rough. Maybe the President one?
The last Velvet Opera single was on Spark, but isn't on the Lemonade comp. I like both sides of that one.

Amazon.uk now has this available for pre-order for £9.99.
Got mine in...

Joe have you heard The Everly Brothers version of Hat and Ties "Finding it Rough",its surprisingly very good!!!I dont why im saying Surprisingly as i must admit to loving The Everlys mid to late 60s albums!!!
I also have pre-ordered this comp along with the double cds of UNIT 4+2& CRISPIAN ST PETERS COMPLETE RECORDINGS 65-74,also THE SEEDS RAW & ALIVE DBL CD,looking forward to getting those in February and March.

Hi Stuart, I just recently heard "Two Yanks In England" and their version of "Finding it a Rough" ( not on that album but the one either before it or after it). The singing is great of course, but I wish the guitar was as fuzzed up as the Hat&Tie version. Still, it's good to hear. I was actually going through a heavy Everly Brothers phase before Phil died. I had just been down in Nashville and visited RCA studios where they recorded, and over the last few months I've been slowly investigating beyond the "hits" packages, so I was bummed to just be getting to know their music when Phil Everly checked out.
I will say, it seems to me that "It's Everly Time!" Is a kind of masterpiece. Like "Pet Sounds," it didn't become the source of a lot of hits, but it's a fantastic album. I was surprised that Mojo goes for a greatest hits and one of their 70's reunion albums in their "Mojo Greatest Collection" book, and doesn't include any of their albums from their prime. "It's Everly Time!" Seems to me as iconic as "Aftermath", "Rubber Soul" or the aforementioned "Pet Sounds" to my ears. Yet, like a lot of people, I've been weened on Everly's hits packages without the "deep cuts". Perhaps just a little behind "It's Everly Time!" comes their Cadence album "The Fabulous Style of the Everly Brothers" on Cadence, and "A Date With the Everly Brothers" on Warner Brothers. These three albums are pretty solid from start to finish.
Of course a Greatest hits is nice for a band that covered so much ground, but I do think some of their actual albums get overlooked a bit because of the Greatest Hits syndrome.
I know, not really a psych discussion, but it started as one!

Totally agree with all you said there Joe.
Was just listening to In Our Image last night.
Strangely enough, finding albums of theirs outside the greatest hits is sometimes not so easy.I have a few on collectors choice but they can be hard to find. Odd for such a popular act. Maybe now Phil has passed there will be a big push to reissue.

Ive been lucky as i managed to get "2 Yanks","In our Image" and "Sing" on cd rather cheaply,also picked up the 5 cd set thats available which has the 68 album "Roots"as one of the cds,the other albums on this set are 2 Yanks,Rock'n'soul,Its Everly Time & A date with the everly Brothers and as i mentioned Roots!!Its the cheapest way to get 2 Yanks as i think the collectors Choice cd is pretty expensive now!!I know what you mean about the fuzz guitar on hat & ties "Finding it Rough",but i enjoy The Everlys version and when i first heard it i couldn't believe it was The Everlys recording such an obscure number,but The Everlys version does have a bit of fuzz but way down in the mix if i remember right.Highly enjoyable.Another cd i like is the "65 album Beat'n'Soul,exactly what it says on the sleeve,beat music as recorded by The Everlys,covering tracks like Money,Hi Heal Sneakers,CC Rider,Walking THe Dog,and The Girl Cant Help It,trying to move with the times,how successful they were from 65 onwards i don't really know.Cool stuff.

Hi Stuart, yes I've got that 5 CD 'Original Album Series' box that you mentioned and it's excellent. All great albums and a steal at the price.
Sing and In Our Image need a reissue tho..

I know to two people who own a stock copy of the Sir Ching I single. It's mega rare. I have mp3's of it but been searching for the 45 for decades. It was written by Ken Lewis and Russ Alquist and recorded on a whim one night when they ha some spare time. It's very good :-)

Sounds intriguing. The Carter / Alquist catalogue is one of the most interesting bcause fo all thr asumed names they recorded under. A rock fasmily tree of everything would be useful. I have the 'Tell It To The Laughing Man' 45 on Spark and the 'White Collar Worker 45 on Decca which I play a lot.

PM

I put some scans of the 45 up on 45cat. Sent to me by one of the owners in the US. I'll dig out the e-mail He sent me tellin me the story of the single :-)

Hello everyone indeed!!
Not posted much on here for a while as I've been super busy with life's unexpected twists and turns....
I have some ideas for stuff I wanna chat about with you lot but they'll have to wait till theres time.

Just had to rattle off a few quick words of praise for this utterly brilliant comp that I received yesterday...
Since I don't have the aforementioned 10th planet vinyl comps, about half the stuff on this CD is new to me and really good it is too.
The first track, Sir Ching I, a Ken Lewis & Russ Alquist job really reminds of the Flowerpots in their heavier mode
Had to crank up the volume for Fruit Machine's The Wall and play it twice! Not heard it in a while and still gives me chills. The volume increase had me really paying attention for the rest of the disc and I must say I'm thinking this is the best PopPsych comp I've heard in a while.
Sure to delight Rubble aficionados everywhere.
Mr Reed & Mr Wells should be given an award!
Smashing groovy designs by the Pepperbox man, Andy Morten
If you don't have the ELAT vinyl, you need this!!
See ya soon.

"Hello Everyone" is a great little song with cool mellotron.

Here's a preview for anyone who is waiting for their CD:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaLmQ2gLmOo

The B-side is also nice.

PS check out my YouTube channel. I'm posting up stuff that I don't think is on YouTube. Some fun stuff there with more to come

Hi Painterman,just got this comp and played it for the first time.......one word.....excellent!!Im the same at least half of this i have never heard before,and wow some lovely lysergic pop,i must say i really enjoyed all the New Generation(The baby,which they called themselves too)),i had never heard to my knowledge of those tracks,and they are yummy but for some a bit sweet maybe!!!I also MUST mention the 2 tracks by Eartha Kitt,2 brill covers of 2 Donovan tracks,brilliantly arranged,has anyone heard the album "Sentimental Eartha"?any good??I also really enjoyed The Fruit Machine,The Eggy,..........in fact i enjoyed it all!!Could be the best comp of UK pop/psych for a long time,this ones going to be hard to beat.Yeh cheers to Dave Wells and John Read(who was behind a lot of the Castle Records releases that would interest us here)for putting this together.

Yes, it is good to have all those Spark singles in one long-play place (almost 80 full minutes worth)and I love the Sir-Ching-I tracks. I have the 'Sentimental Ertha' LP. It's Ok, not one thing or another though. There are a few other worthwhile tracks on it but there's also a number of more MOR things as well, like she's trying to please two audiences. I guess this was aimed at what was referred to at the time as an 'adult contemporary' audience. That is, the more liberal parents of the 'love generation' who wanted an 'in' to their kids world but which still retained some semblance of musical conservatism. It is certainly worth hearing though. I've got a German picture sleeve copy on Spark of Ertha's Donovan covers single which pictures her in typical supper club stage pose, no beads or headbands!

PM