Rapid Eye Movement - Paradoxical Sleep (1980)

Rapid Eye Movement was put together in 1980 by Jakko Jakszyk, Dave Stewart, Rick Biddulph, and Pip Pyle, following the demise of Jakszyk's previous band 64 Spoons. Jakszyk had been in various groups since around 1975, at which time he was leading an eccentric jazz-rock band called Soon After. His self-confessed "dictatorial tendencies" reduced a bigger line-up to a trio of "two screaming lead guitars and a trumpet", but despite this the band reached the finals of the 1975 Melody Maker National Rock/Folk competition, finishing third. When Soon After split up, Jakszyk toured with "a strange little band" which supported Camel, Stackridge, and Judas Priest, then briefly joined a Tring-based group called Synthesis which played progressive rock in the Canterbury-scene vein. His first significant band was the afore-mentioned 64 Spoons, which he joined as guitarist and lead singer in 1976, co-writing much of the band's material. Between 1976 and 1980, 64 Spoons wrote and performed a blend of pop, progressive rock, jazz, and comedy, typified by their single 'Ladies Don't Have Willies', and boosted by an exuberant and funny live show, they proved popular with audiences. However, despite this acclaim from the public, they failed to gain an effective record deal or media breakthrough, and they split up in 1980, with their only album, 'Landing On A Rat Column', eventually being released in 1992, many years after it was recorded. 64 Spoons' work did, however, lead to friendships with several of the musicians who had inspired the band, notably keyboard player Dave Stewart, and following the split of 64 Spoons, Jakszyk joined Stewart, Rick Biddulph, and Pip Pyle in the band Rapid Eye Movement, with Jakszyk contributing several songs to the band's repertoire, as well as co-writing material with Stewart. Between August 1980 and June 1981 Rapid Eye Movement toured Spain, France, and the UK and recorded some material, but they split up due to Stewart's desire to concentrate on studio work, most notably his successful collaborations with Colin Blunstone and Barbara Gaskin. Although Rapid Eye Movement never released a studio album during their short lifetime, some of their gigs were recorded, and so we do have a record of the original material composed by Jakszyk and Stewart. The live recordings are very good audio quality, and so I've taken the best tracks from their French concert from October 1980, removed the crowd noise and boosted the vocals where they were too low in the mix, kept the running order fairly true to the gig, and added a cover. We now have a debut "studio" album from this obscure Canterbury-influenced band, performing original material that has otherwise yet to see the light of day. 

Track listing

01 One More Time
02 Hat Of Truth
03 Seven Sisters

04 Foetal Fandango
05 Matching Green
06 Dear Clare
07 Bismark City
08 One More Time (Reprise)

Many thanks yo geofmcm for bringing this band to my attention, and also for supplying the live recordings that make up this album.