CCS - Tap Turns On The Water (1973)

Collective Consciousness Society, shortened to the band name of CCS, were formed in 1970, and are known for their unique blend of glam rock and jazz-infused arrangements. The group was spearheaded by Alexis Korner (vocals/guitar), a notable figure in the British blues scene, along with producer Mickie Most and arranger John Cameron. Key contributors included Peter Thorup (vocals), and a rotating line-up of prominent jazz musicians such as Harry Beckett, Henry Lowther, and Kenny Wheeler on trumpets, Herbie Flowers and Spike Heatley on bass, Roger Coulam on keyboards, Barry Morgan on drums, plus Don Lusher and Bill Geldard on trombone. This eclectic ensemble was characterized by a brassy, commercial sound, and they very quickly had a hit with their big band reworking of Led Zeppelin's 'Whole Lotta Love', which is instantly familiar to a whole generation of Top Of The Tops viewers, as it was the theme song of the show for most of the seventies. Technically, the TOTP theme was not by CCS, but was recorded by the TOTP orchestra one morning before the day's rehearsals. Nevertheless, the band was conducted by John Cameron on that occasion, and many of the musicians were CCS regulars. This enabled the production to tailor the tune to the correct duration and avoided the weekly payment of royalties to the record label. There were only ever two live performances by this group, unsurprising given the number of players involved, and also the fact that CCS was primarily a studio band. The first was at Ronnie Scott's, where they reportedly blew all the fuses while playing a benefit for the family of flautist Harold McNair, and the second was at The Royal Albert Hall. Their highest-charting singles were a cover of the Donovan song 'Walking', and their own 'Tap Turns On The Water', and on their three albums they also included their idiosyncratic versions of songs such as the old blues standard 'Boom Boom', Jethro Tull's 'Living In The Past', The Rolling Stones' '(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction', The Kinks' 'Lola', and Cream's 'Sunshine Of Your Love'. However, as good as those covers were, I always preferred the band's own compositions, which I feel have been unfairly overlooked, and so I've compiled an album of Korner, Thorup and Cameron originals, which I think shows the band in a whole new light. When CCS broke up in 1973, Korner and Thorup went on to form SNAPE (Something Nasty 'Appens Practically Everyday) with Boz Burrell, Ian Wallace and Mel Collins, but for me CCS was Korner/Thorup's finest moment. 

Track listing

01 The Waiting Song
02 Running Out Of Sky (Sky Diver)
03 Hundred Highways
04 Brother
05 Sunrise
06 Misunderstood
07 The Band Played The Boogie
08 City
09 Maggie's Song
10 Tap Turns On The Water
11 Memphis
12 Salome
13 Hang It On Me