Rare Amber - Malfunction Of The Engine/ Blind Love

Sixties blues rock ensemble with their solitary 45

Label: Polydor

Year of Release: 1969

The late sixties and early seventies blues-rock explosion probably gave the impression that every single group with trouble and Screaming Jay Hawkins on their minds shifted tons of gig tickets and records. In reality, there were very few arena-filling acts and a lot of bands who instead had to satisfy themselves with the bar-room and university circuit.

The short-lived London act Rare Amber were one such example who barely made it into the seventies. "Malfunction of the Engine" was their only 45 and it's a strangely minimal, haunted sounding record with subtle effects, twangy guitars and a stripped back rhythm section. It's certainly not an impersonation of delta blues, but a cavernous, troubled and fragile effort which Joe Meek might not have been ashamed of. It couldn't sound less like a hit single if it tried, but its nonetheless a strange and unique fish in the middle of a genre which was could be tediously predictable.

On the B-side is a straightforward cover of BB King's "Blind Love" which might have been closer to the average blues-lover's taste. 

They released a full LP in the same year which sold equally poorly and is now a much sought-after collector's item. Following that, they seem to have taken the logical decision to break up in the wake of public disinterest.

Guitarist Del Watkins and bass player John Dover went on to swiftly form Julian's Treatment who signed to Young Blood and issued the LP "A Time Before This" in 1970, while keyboard and harmonica player Gwyn Mathias somewhat unexpectedly became a producer for the likes of Eater and Kenny. Similarly, drummer Keith Whiting eventually perched himself on the producer's stool over in Canada for a number of Canuck artists. Vocalist Roger Cairns, on the other hand, appears not to have moved on to other projects following this.

"Malfunction of the Engine" is available on both YouTube and Spotify (the YouTube video is below). If the preview for "Blind Love" isn't working properly, please go right to the file source.