They out-whoed The Who in 1967 and were thrown off the German tour for causing riots while Pete and Co. looked like lame ducks. Keith was impressed, and made sure that such would never happen again. After two formidable 45s for Columbia they've got the boot there for offering a follow-up called "Not The Sort Of Girl You Take To Bed". Just to get banned by BBC for a harmless line like "lift up your skirt and fly" in "Desdemona", the first 7" for Track, and the first Bolan composition they recorded. A projected and recorded album for Columbia was non grata anymore, and sent to White Whale in the USA as a tax write-off project. Incidentally called "Orgasm", it caused a lot of publicity, and the Daughters Of The American Revolution prevented the release for three further years. (They always had some strange kinds of tea parties over there...) When pressed at last in 1970, White Whale was broke and out of business, and the few surviving copies cost a fortune now. Proto-PUNKS, who drove their impressario Simon Napier-Bell outer of his mind than The Pistols did with McLaren. They didn't really need Marc Bolan to write history. And in deed, Marc was pretty scared and didn't last long with this bunch of loonies. But of course history is never fair, and nowadays they're usually remembered as a footnote and "Marc's first rock band"... In 1992 a reunited incarnation was invited to play at a Marc Bolan Memorial Festival in Darmstadt, Germany, and blew everybody else through the roof. Why only one of the numbers made it on a CD documenting this event, while a lot of superfluous Bolan impersonators (especially a rather uninspired Nikki Sudden in poor shape) get four or five, well..., I ain't got a clue. But here's an audience recording of most of the whole set, and if anything, they even sound better than in 67. The Children on that night were Andy Ellison (voc, git) and Chris Townson (drumd) with Boz Boorer on guitar and Johnny Bridgwood on bass. 
01: But She's Mine
02: Mustang Ford
03: Arthur Green
04: Come And Play With Me In The Garden (into) Daddy Rollin' Stone
05: Hippy Gumbo
06: Midsummer Night's Scene (soundboard recording)
While Chris Townson sadly passed away in 2008, John's Children have released a new studio album called "Black And White" this year. It contains recordings made over the last 12 years and is highestly recommended.
sturclub: westfauster and the lolly pope!!
2 comments:
Man is it just me or he has a Johnny Rotten - style ? or perhaps him with extra kg !
Absolut fantastic !
Bought the Marc Bolan Festival CD years ago, but this is much better than lame Nikki Sudden. Thank you, I didn´t know they were that hot still in 92.
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