‘Looking For A Dream’ – a lost album by Reggie King (& The Action?) to be released by Circle Records on 18th February 2013.

Many thanks to the Modculture.com site and Mark Raison of Monkey Picks for news that Peter ‘Speed’ Wild’s Circle Records will be releasing the late, great, Reggie King’s ‘Looking For A Dream’ album on 18^th February 2013.

Tracks: 1 Get Up Get Away, 2 Let Me See Some Love In Your Eyes, 3 You Gotta Believe Me, 4 All Up To Heaven, 5 So Full Of Love*, 6 Merry Go Round*,7 Suddenly, 8 Picking Up Nancy’s Grin, 9 In and Out, 10 Put Something Together, 11 Live Forever, 12 Magenta*, 13 Thinkin’ ‘Bout Getting Out, 14 They Must Be Talking ‘Bout Me, 15 You’ll Be Around    *CD only.

Mark Raison says, “This is truly the stuff of dreams. An album of unreleased Reggie King tracks, the majority backed by his old band mates from The Action. These aren’t scrappy demos of familiar songs but twelve songs never heard before with an additional three on the CD previously only available on the limited edition 10 inch EP Missing In Action.

Full recording details aren’t available but these were made after Reggie officially left the band in 1968 until the end of 1969. During this period The Action kept the name (only changing it to Mighty Baby in time for their A Jug of Love LP) and the box to the master tape containing eight of the songs which form the heart of this collection is clearly marked ‘Reggie King and The Action, Screen Gems demos, March 1969′.

To call these songs demos is to do them a disservice; they are full blown recordings and to my ears finished and of releasable quality. I don’t know how they could’ve been improved. I’m going to assume readers are fully aware of The Action and their ‘unreleased’ 1968 album Rolled Gold. That record subsequently added much to the band’s legacy, demonstrating their ability as a song writing unit no longer content or reliant on interpreting the music of others.

I know many listeners prefer their second phase and for those in particular ‘Looking For A Dream’ is essential. Albums of demos are often of such sub-standard quality it does little to enhance the reputation of the artist and is merely an item for fans to buy out of curiosity and loyalty rather than something that warrants repeated plays; none of that applies here. It is among the very best work Reggie King ever made and raises his stock even higher.”