TOPS 1970 UK ORIG AUDIENCE FRIENDS Prog Van der Graaf PINK SCROLL CHARISMA
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RARE & SOUGHT 1970 UK FULL BLOWN PROGRESSIVE GEM!
Pink Scroll Charisma
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AUDIENCE
Friends, Friends, Friends
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UK - (pink scroll) Famous CHARISMA Label - CAS 1012
FINAL COLLECTION COPY =
TOP COPY! Original 1970 U.K. first pressing....
RARE and sought after second (and arguably best) Audience album... 1970 first UK pressing on the PINK scroll Charisma label...housed in an interesting artwork graphics gatefold cover ...
And SO...the second AUDIENCE album with its stupendous psych artwork gatefold sleeve was really a small masterpiece that is sadly and criminally under-rated and shadowed by its equally excellent successor House On The Hill. Audience was never a full-blown progressive rock group in the strict sense of whatever definition everyone tries to find, but almost everything they did write is adventurous enough to guarantee that progheads will love and adopt them, and certainly this album. The three characteristic that define their sound is that they are without a keyboard player, the have a very talented front man playing many wind instrument (including saxes, flutes, oboes etc.) and a lead vocalist/guitarist with a very uncommon voice. This might be the key factor for you to enjoy the band because Werth's voice is an acquired taste, but if you love Colin Goldring (Gnidrolog), Roger Chapman (Family) or Peter Hammill (Van Der Graaf Geberator and the voice-sax combination will remind you of them often), you will have absolutely no problem getting used to it, and even love enough to want more by this gifted band.
From superb and charming It Brings A Tear to the very energetic (but still partly acoustic) Right On Their Side to the frightening and poignant Raid (and its almost 9 minutes of blood curdling sinister but fascinating ambiances) to the demented Priestess, every one of these songs fit each other except one. The gifted but totally out-of-context Ebony Variations is a showcase for Gemmel's superb talents but is filled with complex rhythms and folk feels, quite enjoyable track in itself but unfortunately not suited for this album. But this is the only "flaw" (if you can call this superb digression a flaw) in the continuity of the album. Appealing most to proggressive fans will be the two longer tracks "Raid" and "Priestess", the title track (Werth has even a bit of early Van Morrison intonations in his voice) and the finale Nothing You Do (with its infectious bass line) are of high calibre.
As mentioned above, this absolute gem is completely over-shadowed by its successor The House On The Hill but by no means is "Friends Friends Friends" any inferior to their third album. One might even consider this album more even and constant (in spite of Ebony Variation) the its more famous follow-up. Sadly after those two superb albums, they set about to write what was supposed to become their magnum opus concept album called "Lunch" with an expanded line-up but things went quite wrong and the band broke-up soon after its release and nothing outside a contract-filling compilation was heard of them.
The early 70's were a great time for young and adventurous musicians and the era was favourable for the record industry (and the small subsidiary labels) to allow so many groups to releases obscure albums, so numerous in those years that it was simply impossible to promote every group. Then will come the first oil crisis, which will modify Europe's living habits and kill many groups that had not yet broken through! But at least, it leaves the joy to progressive fans to discover real hidden, buried and forgotten gems such as this one!
Nothing You Do (4:38)
Belladonna Moonshine (2:40)
It Brings a Tear (2:55)
Raid (8:44)
Rigth on Their Side (5:24)
Ebony Variations (5:29)
Priestess (6:14)
Friends, Friends, Friend (3:28)
The Big Spell (3:03)
CONDITION: The Cover: the gatefold is solid all over, rated: "EX" (excellent) with bright colors and clean inside outside having no split seams, no bends, no writing. Collectible keeper
The Vinyl: is all glossy clean, rated: M- ...looks and plays outstanding, all clean... the pink scroll Charisma labels are clean
A cool addition to anyone's music library!
SEE: SELLERS OTher items for similar cool sounds for "head" people..
EFFICIENT/CAREFUL GRADING
All imperfections are noted both cover & record
NOTE: All Items backed by money back guarantee! IF you have a problem PLEASE let us solve for you BEFORE leaving ANY negative feedback. Thanks! GRADING SCALE: M, M-, EX, VG++,VG+, VG, VG- M Completely clean, no marks M- Carefully used, looks clean, plays clean, shiny gloss, no marks EX Faint scuff or superficial mark, near M-, high gloss, plays clean VG++ Glossy with minimal scuffing or light mark playing very nice, clean VG+ a bit more scuff or markls still plays well with very minimal surface at worse VG more marks/scratches only minor, nothing deep, no loud clicks or pops this grade is abused by many, VG here does not mean "trashed" VG- surface noise present, will not have skips or jumps ALL PAYMENTS SHOULD BE MADE WITHIN 5 DAYS Of AUCTIONS END BIDDERS PLEASE = Do Not Bid If You Are Not Serious About Following Through The Transaction! ALL ITEMS GUARANTEED FOR WINNING BID - LESS SHIPPING!price rating
