Label: President
Year of Release: 1971
If Old Gold (the band mentioned here, that is, not the disgustingly beige and brown hued reissues label) are remembered for anything these days, it's probably the B-side to their 1970 debut single "It's Goodbye". "Teacher of Electricity" is a track overloaded with twanging guitars, heavy reverb and a creepy if catchy melody. It's impossible to say if the group were Joe Meek fans, but the sound of the record definitely felt in thrall to Holloway's finest producer.
Following the failure of "It's Goodbye" to catch commercial fire, the group jumped from the tiny Trend label to the bigger indie President, who pushed this one out to the public, informing the press that they "have a considerable following around the clubs, and their own fan club of one thousand members". Sadly, it took more than a thousand dedicated fans to launch a record into the Top 40 back in 1971, and without the necessarily airplay "Makin' Georgia" also sank.
It's got a strong commercial sound, though, snuggling close stylistically to the joyous march of "Yellow River" from the same period. Fans of "Teacher of Electricity" won't experience the same cavernous oddness on this 45, but it's bouncy seventies pop which might have succeeded with a slightly better production. There's a rushed sparseness to the arrangement here which is even more pronounced on the group-penned flipside - it's possible it could have done with a bit more of a sprinkling of fairy dust, as Reg Presley once said.
Following the failure of this single they managed a third release on Ariola in the same year, though it seems to have only slipped out in Germany - but "Henry Ford" gives the group the production treatment they deserve.
The group consisted of brothers Tony McEvoy on lead guitar and vocals, Maurice McEvoy on bass guitar and vocals and Seamus McEvoy on drums and vocals. I'm not sure what became of them after 1971, but it seems safe to assume they carried on touring the clubs for awhile and making the most of their live following. If anyone knows more, please do get in touch.
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1 comment:
Not sure if you're aware, but this is a pun playing off of Macon, Georgia. Mildly amusing, not a bad song. Thanks for all of the work on the blog!
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