Week of April 6, 2003
Personnel:
Stan Aldous - bass
Frank Clark - drums
Steve Milliner - keyboards, recorder, vibraphone
Dave Skillin - vocals
Album:
Aardvark (Deram Nova SDN 17) 1970 (also released in mono (DN 17))
A Midlands-based band, whose sole album presents us with the perennial problem of rock without guitars. As little instrumental interplay is possible, vocals, lyrics, compositions and, above all, the inventive use of keyboards become more important than ever. The result here is ambiguous.
'Copper Sunset' has a nice title and a great 'wrong' and nagging bass-note in the chorus, and
'Many Things To Do' has nice harmonies, but this latter track is too long. Generally, the music suffers from too many long, extended tracks. The outstanding cut,
'Once Upon A Hill' is lovable, though, with great eclectic medieval stylings and effective celeste parts. Nice enough, but not brilliant.
Most songs on the album were written by Dave Skillin. They were mostly a studio band and made very few live appearances as they had enormous difficulties finding a keyboard player. Steve Milliner was previously in
Black Cat Bones. Other keyboardists in the band were Paddy Coulter, Peter
Wood and Dave Watts, who was later in
Jackson Heights and Affinity. Peter Wood had played with
The Trendsetters Soul Band and Hush and was later in Sutherland Brothers and Quiver and also played with
Al Stewart and Natural
Gas. Aldous had previously been in Odyssey and Skillin was later in
Home.
(Marcel Koopman/Vernon Joynson)
Taken from The Tapestry of
Delights - The Comprehensive Guide to British Music of the Beat, R&B,
Psychedelic and Progressive Eras 1963-1976, Vernon Joynson
ISBN 1 899855 04 1