The Peddlers formed in Manchester in April 1964, as a trio consisting of drummer Trevor Morais, who had previously played with Faron's Flamingos and Rory Storm and the Hurricanes, after Ringo Starr left to join the Beatles, bassist Tab Martin, and Roy Phillips on vocals and keyboards, ex of The Saints, The Tornados, and The Soundtracks. The group named themselves The Song Peddlers, and after signing to Phillips Records they released their first single 'Rose Marie'/'I'm Not Afraid' in 1964. The group then changed its name to The Peddlers, and had some minor success with their debut single, 'Let The Sun Shine In', which was written by Teddy Randazzo, and which featuring a considerably different sound to their debut. In 1966 the group began a residency at Annies Room, and also played at The Scotch Of St James and The Pickwick, where they recorded their first album 'Live At The Pickwick' with an introduction by Pete Murray. Following the release of their debut album the group released six singles and an EP on the Philips record label, often featuring studio versions of tracks from the live record, before joining CBS in 1967. The first single for the new label was their version of 'What'll I Do' backed with 'Delicious Lady', which they promoted with appearances on a number of TV and radio shows, including Saturday Club, Dee Time, Pop North and The Joe Loss Show. In April they embarked on a tour with Nina Simone and Dick Gregory, before heading to the United States for a six-week engagement at the Flamingo Club in Las Vegas, followed by two weeks in Miami, Florida. In 1968 they released the album 'Freewheelers', consisting of standards arranged by Keith Mansfield, and the follow-up, 1968's 'Three In A Cell', included a version of 'On A Clear Day You Can See Forever', from the 1965 musical of the same name, which was later sampled for its bass and Hammond organ riff. The third and final CBS album, 'Birthday', was released in 1969, and brought the band two UK Top 40 singles in 'Girlie', and 'Birth', which reached No. 17. Following 'Birthday', The Peddlers returned to Philips, where they released the albums 'Three For All' in 1970, and 'Suite London' in 1972. Morais left the group during an Australian tour in 1972, and was replaced on drums by New Zealander Paul Johnston, and after one more live album in 1974, The Peddlers disbanded in 1976. As their first album didn't appear until 1967 then their early singles were not included on it, and so they and their b-sides are ripe for anthologising, and if you add in the studio versions of tracks from their 1967 live album, then we have a two-disc collection of music from this iconic UK jazz/soul trio.
Track listing
Disc I - 1964-1967
01 Let The Sun Shine In (single 1964)
02 True Girl (b-side of 'Let The Sun Shine In')
03 Whatever Happened To The Good Times (single 1965)
04 Song For The Blues (b-side of 'Whatever Happened To The Good Times')
05 Over The Rainbow (single 1965)
06 You Must Be Having Me On (b-side of 'Over The Rainbow')
07 If You Live (from the 'Swinging Scene' EP 1966)
08 I Love Paris (from the 'Swinging Scene' EP 1966)
09 Little Ole Me (from the 'Swinging Scene' EP 1966)
10 Georgia On My Mind (from the 'Swinging Scene' EP 1966)
11 Adam's Apple (single 1966)
12 Anybody's Fool (b-side of 'Adam's Apple')
13 I've Got To Hold On (single 1966)
14 Gassin' (b-side of 'I've Got To Hold On')
15 What'll I Do (single 1967)
16 Delicious Lady (b-side of 'What'll I Do')
17 Irresistable You (single 1967)
18 Murray's Mood (b-side of 'Irresistable You')
19 Nine Miles High (b-side of 'You're The Reason I'm Living' 1967)
Disc II - 1968-1974
01 Handel With Care (single 1968)
02 Horse's Collar (b-side of 'Handel With Care')
03 That's Life (single 1969)
04 Wasting My Time (b-side of 'That's Life')
05 Steel Mill (b-side of 'Birth' 1969)
06 Rainy Day In London (b-side of 'Tell The World We're Not In' 1970)
07 Let Me Be Turned To Stone (single 1971)
08 Hello Sophie (b-side of 'Let Me Be Turned To Stone')
09 Have You Ever Been To Georgia (single 1971)
10 Manah (b-side of 'Have You Ever Been To Georgia')
11 Back-Alley Jane (single 1972)
12 Nothing Sacred (b-side of 'Back-AlleyJane')
13 Sing Me An Old Song (single 1973)
14 It's So Easy (b-side of 'Sing Me An Old Song')
15 Is There Anyone Out There (single 1974)
16 Just A Thought Ago (b-side of 'Is There Anyone Out There')
Thank you very, very much.
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