JohnTem82387976

5 January 2012

The Household - 21st Summer/ Winter's Coming On


Label: United Artists
Year of Release: 1968


Another one of those records dealers everywhere are prone to telling fibs about. Oft labelled as a "psychedelic rarity", this actually sits more in folk/ sunshine pop territory, straddling the divide between the Mamas and the Papas and rather more rootsy music.

"21st Summer" is a cute, rustic little tune which has been enjoyed by a few sixties aficionados over the years, but doesn't sound like a hit single at all, which would go a long way towards explaining why it wasn't one. The B-side "Winter's Coming On", on the other hand, is a lot busier and sprightlier and also more appropriate to the present time of year (unless you're reading this in the Southern hemisphere). It has the same combination of pleasingly tight vocal harmonies and kick and bounce of a lot of the best folk-rock of the period, and deserves a bit more attention than it's actually had.

As for The Household, they're something of an enigma - there's very little information available about them, although apparently they were one of the first acts United Artists picked for their new release schedule as a fully fledged "proper" label in Britain (rather than a subsidiary) so clearly somebody in the organisation had high hopes for them. Does anyone out there have any background information?

3 comments:

fairydust said...

O.K.. here's a few more information
I've found in Vernon Joynson's 'Tapestry Of Delights' bible:
Personnel: AVRIL,BARRY,TERRY & WAYNE JUMEL
'An obscure late sixties harmony pop outfit from Coventry. Three brothers and their sister.'
And my other main source the
excellent cd-rom 'Another taste of forbidden fruit' says: 'from Black-
pool, Lancashire, formerly known
as 'Friday's Mind' - appeared on
'Opportunity knocks'...

fairydust said...

and a bit more facts courtesy from 45cat about their first from two
Singles: The Coventry groups' cover of the 5th Dimensions 'Guess I'll learn how to fly'... a favorite of Tony Blackburn.
'

23 Daves said...

I never did get around to thanking you for this information! Thank you very much for filling in the blanks.