The
Action - Rolled Gold
 
The first REACTION RECORDS release is an album entitled 'Rolled Gold' by amazing
sixties English pop group, The Action. Although equal in talent to their contemporaries,
The Action somehow managed to slip under the commercial radar, even with music
industry wizards like George Martin backing the band! What's certain is that
'Rolled Gold' transcends time and space and exists on its own terms as a masterpiece
of melodic, guitar- driven rock'n'roll. Now fully restored and re- mastered,
'Rolled Gold' sounds more explosive than ever. And with artists like Velvet Crush,
Matthew Sweet, Robert Pollard and Beachwood Sparks singing their praises, the
Action seem destined to turn on a whole new
generation of listeners...
Matthew Sweet: "Their music is melodic mayhem. Reminiscent of the
early Who or the Creation, but fueled by an emerging psychedelia, it has all
of my favorite elements -- great songs and playing and singing that is approached
with a spirit of abandon sadly missing from 99. 9% of today's music."
Paul Weller: "Reg King stands as one of the best white soul
singers… The Action had it in their soul."
Brent Rademaker of Beachwood Sparks: "When Tartarex of the Summer
Hits first played me 'Brain' in the early 90's I was immediately stoned by the
sound The Action had hit on, and the pleading delivery of Reg King's vocals.
I was blown away by how the music, though psychedelic in nature and obviously
rooted in soul and R& B, was able to transcend those tags as well as the
geography of where the music was created."
Phil Collins: "My all time favourite band… the band that had
the most effect on me."
Andrew Sandoval: "The Who had passion, The Small Faces had style,
but The Action were the real thing. A mod band made up of genuine mods… A
progression without being progressive, these recordings point to what might have
been and what really was. The Action were talented, creative and totally of the
times. They can be of your times too if you just listen."
The Action first came to prominence in the mid- 60's as one of London's most
popular live acts. Their sound, style and attitude reflected a love for Tamala-
Motown Soul, finely- tailored clothing, and speed- induced lunacy, and very quickly
they became supremely important to a large contingency of club- going Mods who
shared similar passions and appetites. Perhaps their most important fan was famed
record producer George Martin, who was so impressed by their tight harmonies
and supercharged versions of R& B classics that he signed the band immediately
to his newly- formed Air production company, and in turn Parlophone Records.
Unfortunately, none of the five singles he produced received much attention on
the charts, and after only a few years the band was released from their contract.
This is where the story of 'Rolled Gold' begins. By the summer of 1967 the sound
of pop music began to change, and so did The Action. Admittedly, the band began
ingesting different drugs, and certainly this helped facilitate more expansive
musical horizons, but it was the addition of several key new members that really
allowed for broader musical vistas. Quickly, they began recording demos to impress
prospective new labels. What was accomplished sounded staggering. Cascading guitars,
spectral harmonies, and even celestial flutes contributed to a new 'psychedelic'
approach. But as pleased as the band were with the results, for reasons no one
seems to remember, nothing ever came of the recordings, and soon lead singer
Reg King left to make a solo album and the remaining members changed their name
to Mighty Baby and went on to pursue even more esoteric aural terrain. And in
the vaults languished the demos. For 30 years! Fortunately for the world, in
1998 an obscure English psychedelic/ freakbeat reissue label called Dig The Fuzz
convinced the former members of The Action these rarely heard demos really did
need to be released. Finally, 'Rolled Gold' was to become a reality. The reviewers
were unanimous in their praise. Unfortunately, the limited edition pressing and/
or hefty import price tag stopped all but the most diehard American music freak
from purchasing copies, and for this reason Reaction Musik has made it their
mission to convince The Action yet again to release 'Rolled Gold' to a whole
new audience of prospective fans, and at a reasonable price. What is most remarkable
about the 'Rolled Gold' recordings is their timeless quality, and this is why
we believe we're bringing you more than just another reissue. For the uninitiated
these recordings will seem like manna from heaven, and for those of you in the
know the remastered sound and newly designed graphics will shed new light on
some of the finest music to come from Britian's psychedelic 60's pop explosion.
In the future we'll try to bring you more music of this high quality. For now,
look, listen, and vibrate with The Action! (Mr.
Ric Menck) |
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