Them - Them Again (1965) {feat. Van Morrison}
Description
Them - Them Again (1965) {feat. Van Morrison}
1. "Could You Would You" (Van Morrison) – 3:15
2. "Something You Got" (Chris Kenner) – 2:36
3. "Call My Name" (Tommy Scott) – 2:23
4. "Turn On Your Love Light" (Deadric Malone, Joseph Wade Scott) – 2:18
5. "I Put a Spell on You" (Screamin' Jay Hawkins) – 2:40
6. "I Can Only Give You Everything" (Mike Coulter, Tommy Scott) – 2:43
7. "My Lonely Sad Eyes" (Van Morrison) – 2:27
8. "I Got a Woman" (Ray Charles, Renald Richard) – 3:16
9. "Out of Sight" (James Brown, Ted Wright) – 2:26
10. "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue" (Bob Dylan) – 3:52
11. "Bad Or Good" (Van Morrison) – 2:09
12. "How Long Baby" (M.Gillon) – 3:41
13. "Hello Josephine" (Dave Bartholomew, Fats Domino) – 2:06
14. "Don't You Know" (Tommy Scott) – 2:26
15. "Hey Girl" (Van Morrison) – 2:59
16. "Bring 'Em On In" (Van Morrison) – 3:46
Quote:
Original liner notes:
This is another album by "THEM"
It's quality lies not only in the rendering of the numbers on these tracks - but in Them's efforts to break away from the popular image of long haired marraccas-shaking pop groups. On this album, Them have introduced vibes, sax and flute. They are not content to stand still musically and rest on the laurels of three big hit records, and are now moving towards a "sound" very close to the jazz idiom. This is an album to enjoy! To dance to! But is also an album for connoisseurs.
Van Morrison, the lead singer with Them sometime throws his advisors into a frenzy of hair tearing despair...moody, unpredictable, perverse, often downright wilful- but always, creative. On sessions when asked to alter the phrasing of a number or increase the tempo, he will say with quiet rebellion: "No! I always sing this way...the way I feel." and he is invariably right.
As we said before: "This is another album by "THEM". A stormy, tempest riven album for those looking for an 'experience'. And in every phrase, every note, a supremely great album! We hope you will agree! "COULD YOU, WOULD YOU" is an original number by Them's brilliant lead singer, Van Morrison. This song is reminiscent of Them's second major hit disc: "Here Comes The Night". It is a startling, dramatic opening number and sets the tone of the entire album.
"SOMETHING YOU GOT" was written by C. Kenner and recorded by the one and only Chuck Jackson. Van is an admirer of the famous American singer, and recorded this title in the form of an acknowledgment.
It is easy to sense the suppressed excitement in the backing to "CALL MY NAME". The boys were "balling around" during the recording of this number and by the time they arrived at the stomp chorus-things were really swinging! This number was written by talented young composer/producer Tommy Scott who, at the boys request, wrote a few of the numbers on this album.
"I CAN ONLY GIVE YOU EVERYTHING" was composed one stormy midnight... this is an aggressive, stomping number written with Van's raw, savage voice in mind.
Composed by the usually tempestuous Van, "MY LONELY SAD EYES" is the most poetic of all the songs in the album. This track, perhaps more than any of the others, shows Van Morrison's great flair, versatility and inspirational genius.
"OUT OF SIGHT" is one of the numbers that Them always use on 'live' performances. For those who like their music pulsatingly wild, "Out of Sight" is the track for them!
"IT'S ALL OVER NOW BABY BLUE" surely needs no real introduction; written by Bob Dylan, Van's own interpretation of this man's genius is one of the highlights of this album.
"BAD OR GOOD" another Van Morrison original which he renders in shouting, Gospel style.
If there is such a thing as "contemporary blues", "HOW LONG BABY" is it. This track beautifully illustrates Morrison's rapport between himself and the song.
"DON'T YOU KNOW" is a jazz-based number featuring the flute. For even a progressive group like Them, to introduce the flute is somewhat unusual.
"BRING 'EM ON HOME" is the final track on the album. On this fast moving track Van mentions districts and place names of London...Queensway in particular is very like New York's Greenwich Village. One could almost say that Van really "goes to town" on this track. Although Van and Them are Irish lads from Belfast and have a love for the "Ould Country" they are now based in London, "Where," says Van, "It all happens...!"
Quote:
Them
Personnel:
BILLY HARRISON gtr A B C
ALAN HENDERSON bs A B C D E F G
RONNIE MELLINGS drms A
VAN MORRISON vcls, hrmnca, sax A B C D E
ERIC WRIXEN piano A
JACKIE McAULEY piano B
PAT McAULEY drms B C
PETE BARDENS piano C D
JOE BONI gtr D
TERRY NOON drms D
JIM ARMSTRONG gtr E F G
RAY ELLIOT piano, sax E F
JOHN WILSON drms E
DAVE HARVEY drms F G
KENNY McDOWELL vcls F G
ALBUMS:
1(B) (THE ANGRY YOUNG) THEM (Decca LK 4700) 1965 R1
2(E) THEM AGAIN (Decca LK 4751) 1966 R1
3(-) THE WORLD OF THEM (Compilation) (Decca (S)PA 86) 1970
4(-) THEM FEATURING VAN MORRISON LEAD SINGER (Compilation) (Deram DPA 3001) 1973
5(-) ROCK ROOTS (Decca ROOTS 3) 1976
NB: They also had several US-only albums:- Them (Parrot 71005) 1965, Now And Them (Tower ST 5104) 1968, Time Out Time In For Them (Tower ST 5116) 1968, Them (Happy Tiger HT 1004) 1970 and Them In Reality (Happy Tiger HT 1012) 1971. (2) was issued on Parrot in the US. More recent UK repackages have included Rock Roots: Them (Decca ROOTS 3) 1976, Them Featuring Van Morrison (Decca TAB 45) 1982, The Them Collection (dbl) (Castle CCSCP 131) 1986 and Them (See For Miles SEE 31) 1987. There's also a 13 track CD, Them Featuring Van Morrison (London 810 165-2) 1988. Their US-only albums, Now And Them and Time Out! Time In For Them were reissued on Zap! (ZAP 6 and 7 respectively) in 1988. (1) is available on CD (London 820 563-2) 1988, as is (2) (Deram 820 564-2) 1990. 1992 saw the emergence of The Collection (Castle CCSCD 131), which compiled their material with Van Morrison. Their US albums on Happy Tiger, Them and In Reality have been reissued on one CD (Synton 1610973) 1997.
EP:
1(B) THEM (Decca DFE 8612) 1965 R2
NB: (1) was also issued in an alternative export sleeve. The export version is more valuable.
45s:
1 Don't Start Crying Now/One Two Brown Eyes (Decca F 11973) 1964 -
2 Baby Please Don't Go/Gloria (Decca F 12018) 1964 10
3 Here Comes The Night/All For Myself (Decca F 12094) 1965 2
4 One More Time/How Long Baby? (Decca F 12175) 1965 -
5 (It Won't Hurt) Half As Much/I'm Gonna Dress In Black (Decca F 12215) 1965 -
6 Mystic Eyes/If You And I Could Be As Two (Decca F 12281) 1965 -
7 Call My Name/Bring 'Em On In (Decca F 12355) 1966 -
8 Richard Cory/Don't You Know? (Decca F 12403) 1966 -
9 Gloria/Friday's Child (Major Minor MM 509) 1967 -
10 The Story Of Them Parts 1 2 (Major Minor MM 513) 1967 -
Reissue 45s:
11 Gloria/Here Comes The Night (Decca F 12875) 1969 -
12 Baby Please Don't Go/Gloria (Deram DM 394) 1973 -
13 Here Comes The Night/All For Myself (Deram DM 400) 1973 -
14 Gloria/Baby Please Don't Go (Decca F 13923) 1982 -
15 Baby Please Don't Go/Gloria (Old Gold OG 9341) 1983 -
16 Here Comes The Night/All For Myself (Old Gold OG 9342) 1983 -
17 Baby Please Don't Go/Gloria (London 292) 1991 65
NB: (17) also available as 12" and CD single with the addition of Mystic Eyes.
This band originally came together in Belfast in 1963. They started a regular blues club at Belfast's Maritime Hotel and their mission was to convert the city to the blues to which vocalist Van Morrison added a soulful tinge. Morrison had previously played in an outfit called Georgie and The Monarchs, who had a 45, Boo-Zooh (Hully Gully)/Twingy Baby (CBS 1307), which was only released in Germany and Holland. Them soon established a good live reputation locally with a 15 minute version of Bobby Bland's Turn On Your Lovelight, their tour de force. A demo tape was also made of this.
In July 1964 Wrixen departed to join The Wheels and Mellings also left to become a milkman. Decca's Dick Rowe, having seen them perform at the Maritime, arranged a recording audition in London and to find a debut single. Seven songs were recorded - Groovin', You Can't Judge A Book, a shortened version of Turn On Your Lovelight, Gloria, One Two Brown Eyes, Philosophy and Don't Start Crying Now. This last frenetic number was chosen for their first 45. It failed to break through nationally but sold well in Belfast. It's now their most valuable and sought-after 45.
For their second single they covered the American blues classic, Baby Please Don't Go. With the stunning garage-punk standard, Gloria, on the flip, this was arguably one of the finest R&B 45s of the sixties. Both tracks featured fine vocal performances from Morrison but the remaining band members contributed little with Rowe utilising experienced sessionmen like Jimmy Page, who was responsible for the singles' fine guitar moments. Gloria was developed into a 20 minute jam in their live act and rapidly emerged as an anthem of America's garage-band phenomenon. It was covered by several American bands, most notably The Shadows of Knight. In the UK Baby Please Don't Go made the Top Ten.
American producer Bert Berns (whose earlier credits included Hang On Sloopy, Twist And Shout and Under The Boardwalk) wrote and produced their next 45, Here Comes The Night, which had been recorded by Lulu the previous year without much commercial success. This near-ballad featured another stunning vocal performance by Morrison and rose to No 2, becoming their biggest but last UK hit. Very poppy and mellow, it was uncharacteristic of their usual style.
In April 1965 the first in a series of line-up changes took place, which culminated in the death of the band. Jackie McAuley left, totally disillusioned by the continual involvement of sessionmen on the band's recordings. He was replaced by Pete Bardens. In July 1965, Jackie's brother Pat left (to be replaced by Terry Noon) and Billy Harrison was replaced by Joe Boni. In September 1965, Morrison and Henderson sacked Bardens, Boni and Noon and headed back to Belfast to look for new personnel. The McAuley brothers then formed Belfast Gypsies.
They continued to record 45s which were never likely to break through commercially, although Mystic Eyes was musically very interesting. Their EP, released in February 1965 consisted of both sides of their first 45, alongside Baby Please Don't Go and Philosophy. A debut album, Them (sometimes referred to as Angry Young Them because that description appears on the back cover), came out in June 1965. Most of the backing was done by sessionmen although ostensibly it was recorded in the time span of line-up B. The opening cut, Mystic Eyes, was awesome and full of passion and excitement. The album also contained a few Morrison originals and a good re-work of John Lee Hooker's Don't Look Back.
In September 1965 Morrison and Henderson returned with line-up (E) who are credited with recording the Them Again album, which mixed R&B standards with some Morrison originals. However, the album was apparently made with the assistance of other session players. It sold badly.
Them finally split in June 1966 but later re-grouped in Los Angeles with Belfast vocalist Ken McDowell in Morrison's place. This line-up cut two albums on Tower and continued, based in the US, into the seventies. The Now And Them album was a curious mixture of blues-rock and psychedelia. Most notable in the latter category was Square Room, a 10-minute Eastern-sounding group composition. This album is now highly collectable. Prior to the follow-up Roy Elliot departed and the band became a quartet.
By the time of their second Tower album, Them were a fully fledged psychedelic rock band. Like its predecessor it's recommended to fans of the psychedelic genre. Sadly, it marked the end of this line-up who split in 1968, disillusioned by their financial situation. Armstrong and McDowell formed Sk'boo back in Belfast, but Henderson recorded another album, Them, on Happy Tiger with Jerry Cole, a respected LA sessionman on guitar and vocals and an unnamed drummer. The album ranged from rock'n'roll through country to soul and Ry Cooder and Jack Nitzsche played on some tracks uncredited. However, the album was less interesting than what had preceded it and also failed to chart. Henderson's final effort, In Reality, is now their rarest album but was probably Them's worst.
Van Morrison, of course, launched a successful solo career. What of the rest? Well, when the American-based line-up split, Henderson recorded a grandoise double Jesus-rock opera project with Ray Ruff (who'd produced all of Them's US-only albums), entitled Truth Of Truths on Oak Records. It was a total disaster! He then spent several years on a Connecticut farm, but reformed Them with original members Eric Wixen and Billy Hamilton in the late seventies. They travelled to Hamburg (some of Them's singles had successfully been reissued in Germany) to record Shut Your Mouth, a competent blues-rock album. After this reformation collapsed, Billy Harrison made a solo album, Billy Who? (Vagabond VRLPS 80001) 1980. After his time in the Belfast Gypsies, Pat McAuley withdrew from the music business and sadly drowned in Donegal in 1984. Jackie McAuley was later in Cult (who did not record), Trader Horne and also made a solo album in 1971. In the late seventies, Armstrong formed Light, whose 1978 album featured much of his fine guitar playing. John Wilson was later involved in Taste and Stud and Peter Bardens, who'd previously been in Peter B's and Shotgun Express, recorded three solo albums during the seventies as well as playing for Camel.
There have been several compilations of Them's material. See For Miles combined the 'A' and 'B' sides of all their Decca and Major Minor 45s and a very good EP track, Philosophy, which wasn't included on any of their albums. They also have two cuts, I Can Only Give You Everything (from the Them Again album) and the much rarer Little Girl (which had previously only appeared on the Lord's Taverner's Charity album, Fourteen, Lord Taverners (LP)) on R&B Scene, Vol. 2 (LP) and British R'n'B Explosion, Vol. 1 (CD); Other compilation appearances have included: I Can Only Give You Everything on Mod Scene, Vol. 2 (CD); Gloria and Baby Please Don't Go on Made In England, Vol. 1 (CD); Baby Please Don't Go on Sixties Lost And Found, Vol. 2 (LP) and Sixties Explosion, Vol. 1 (CD); Baby Please Don't Go and Little Girl on Weekend Starts Here (LP); Don't Start Crying Now and Philosophy on Belfast Beat Maritime Blues (CD); Black Widow Spider on Electric Psychedelic Sitar Headswirlers, Vol. 3 (CD); The Story Of Them Pts 1 and 2 on Hard-Up Heroes (Dble LP); Here Comes The Night on World Of Hits, Vol. 2; Endless Journey, Phase Three includes superb re-recordings of Baby Please Don't Go and Gloria, from the In Reality album.
Their move to America in 1966 has meant that many of their later recordings have resurfaced on American compilation albums and these are all well worth getting to hear. Compilation coverage has so far included: Dirty Old Man/But It's Alright on Texas Punk From The Sixties; Dirty Old Man on Boulders Punk (EP) Box, Vol. 2; Lonely Week on Mayhem And Psychosis, Vol. 2 and the excellent dope inspired Walking In The Queen's Garden on Marijuana Unknowns, Vol. 1.
Them are likely to be best remembered as a launching pad for Van Morrison but their early line-up was also notable for some of the best Irish R&B recordings of the sixties and the later US-based line-up recorded some fine psychedelic artefacts.
(The Tapestry Of Delights)
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