John's Children - ‘A Strange Affair - The Recordings 1965-1970 (2CD)’

Released: 25th November 2013

John’s Children were the quintessential cult 60s Mod/Psych band, controversial, sharply dressed and subsequently the stuff of legend. The band were fronted by Andy Ellison (later with Jet and Radio Stars) and boasted Marc Bolan within their ranks during their short life. A STRANGE AFFAIR – for the first time – boasts the entire John’s Children output between 1966 and1970. The package includes:* Two singles for EMI’s Columbia label: ‘The Love I Thought I’d Found’ and ‘Just What You Want –Just What You Get’.* Four singles for The Who’s label Track Records: ‘Desdemona’, the legendarily withdrawn ‘Midsummer Night's Scene’, ‘Come And Play With Me In The Garden’ and ‘Go-Go Girl’.* Their mock-live album Orgasm! which was belatedly issued on US label White Whale in 1970.* Andy Ellison’s subsequent solo singles ‘It's Been A Long Time’ (Track), ‘Fool From Upper Eden’ (CBS) and ‘You Can't Do That’ (SNB).* Three tracks by pre-John’s Children band The Silence.* A raft of rare and previously unissued alternative versions and mixes. The 2-CD set has been compiled with help from Andy Ellison. Their manager Simon Napier-Bell will also be contributing to the detailed sleeve-notes, which are based around excerpts from Ellison’s yet-to-be-published autobiography. Fronted by Ellison, the current line-up of John’s Children will be playing a tie-in London show in January.

SINGLES & RARITIES

1. THE LOVE I THOUGHT I'D FOUND

2. STRANGE AFFAIR

3. JUST WHAT YOU WANT - JUST WHAT YOU’LL GET

4. BUT SHE'S MINE

5. DESDEMONA

6. REMEMBER THOMAS À BECKETT

7. MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S SCENE

8. SARA, CRAZY CHILD

9. COME AND PLAY WITH ME IN THE GARDEN

10. GO-GO GIRL

11. JAGGED TIME LAPSE

12. ARTHUR GREEN (credited to Andy Ellison)

13. IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME (Andy Ellison solo)

14. FOOL FROM UPPER EDEN (Andy Ellison)

15. ANOTHER LUCKY LIE (Andy Ellison solo)

16. YOU CAN’T DO THAT (Andy Ellison solo)

17. CORNFLAKE ZOO (Andy Ellison solo)

18. HELP (Andy Ellison solo)

19. CASBAH CANDY (Andy Ellison solo)

20. HIPPY GUMBO (Andy Ellison solo)

21. DOWN DOWN (by The Silence)

22. COLD ON ME (by The Silence)

23. FORGIVE ME IF I’M WRONG (The Silence)

24. MUSTANG FORD

25. NOT THE SORT OF GIRL YOU TAKE TO BED

26. SALLY WAS AN ANGEL (Vocal)

27. THE PERFUMED GARDEN OF GULLIVER SMITH (Vocal)

ORGASM!

1. KILLER BEN

2. JAGGED TIME LAPSE

3. SMASHED! BLOCKED!

4. YOU'RE A NOTHING

5. NOT THE SORT OF GIRL

6. COLD ON ME

7. LEAVE ME ALONE

8. LET ME KNOW

9. JUST WHAT YOU WANT - JUST WHAT YOU GET

10. WHY DO YOU LIE

11. STRANGE AFFAIR

12. BUT SHE’S MINE

BONUS TRACKS

13. THE LOVE I THOUGHT I'D FOUND (First Vsn)

14. DESDEMONA (“Why do you have to lie” Vsn)

15. REMEMBER THOMAS A'BECKETT (Alt. Version)

16. MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S SCENE (Alt. Version)

17. SARA, CRAZY CHILD (German Single Version)

18. JAGGED TIME LAPSE (Alternative Version)

19. IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME (Stereo Mix)

20. YOU CAN’T DO THAT (Acetate Version)

21. HIPPY GUMBO (Marc Bolan Vocal)

22. NOT THE SORT OF GIRL YOU TAKE TO BED (Alternative Version)

23. SALLY WAS AN ANGEL (Instrumental)

24. COME AND PLAY WITH ME IN THE GARDEN (Instrumental)

25. THE PERFUMED GARDEN OF GULLIVER SMITH (Instrumental)

26. MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S SCENE (Alternative Mix)