01-02-2010, 15:19
In 1967 amid the beginnings of the "Summer of Love",Sgt Pepper and pirate radio a project began;of which the first signs were a single by the lead singer of an important underground group, Tomorrow ( Here we find an early resting place of one Steve Howe from the future band "Yes"!) Tomorrow were an up and coming underground band whose profile included albums and gigs but not singles. Enter Mark Wirtz, a producer with an instinctive feel for the music sceen at the moment and song writer....................Mark produced the big hit of Spring 67 " Excerpt From A Teenage Opera" aka "Grocer Jack"..............It featured Tomorrows lead singer one Keith West and propelled him unwillingly into the position of Teen idle overnight.( Much to his embarrassment!) The track scored highly in the charts around he world and heralded the great expectaion of the project "A Teenage Opera" which was previewed in many music papers as Mark Writz's brainchild.. Later in the year ,a second single appeared from the project called "Sam" and the tension and anticipation of the unveiling of this great new project was high...............However..........no further news of the project followed but, the trail was not cold: a third single called "( He's Our Dear Old Weatherman)" reached the lower end of the UK charts..........
Speculation continued about the project and Mark made diversions and smokes screens but, nothing more seemed to surface ( Perhaps nothing more did or did it???? History shows that there was more but! One had to be a record collector to trace the trail!) All goes cold and apart from the odd retro article no more is said about the project.
Mark Writz goes on working as an EMI house producer and continues his song writing partnership with his then wife.
However, in the early 90s Mark is brought into the public eye by a chance article in a music paper, about what ever happened to "A Teenage Opera?" The article goes on to say that Mark did continue with the project under various different banners and that it did approach completion , however due to Keith West's paradox between Pop Idle and Progressive Rock star made it hard for it to come to fruition.................However, Mark did record , most of the tracks and what was not released was in his hands as demos or acetates.........Enter RPM records who specialize in difficult reissues....................They worked with Mark and others to hunt down most of the tracks and improve the quality of the acetates until they are able to formulate a release of the project in 1996..............And here it is presented a fully fledged Pop Opera ( Well before Tommy!) and a psychedelic rock masterpiece...................Find It...... Listen To it and Enjoy ...
Speculation continued about the project and Mark made diversions and smokes screens but, nothing more seemed to surface ( Perhaps nothing more did or did it???? History shows that there was more but! One had to be a record collector to trace the trail!) All goes cold and apart from the odd retro article no more is said about the project.
Mark Writz goes on working as an EMI house producer and continues his song writing partnership with his then wife.
However, in the early 90s Mark is brought into the public eye by a chance article in a music paper, about what ever happened to "A Teenage Opera?" The article goes on to say that Mark did continue with the project under various different banners and that it did approach completion , however due to Keith West's paradox between Pop Idle and Progressive Rock star made it hard for it to come to fruition.................However, Mark did record , most of the tracks and what was not released was in his hands as demos or acetates.........Enter RPM records who specialize in difficult reissues....................They worked with Mark and others to hunt down most of the tracks and improve the quality of the acetates until they are able to formulate a release of the project in 1996..............And here it is presented a fully fledged Pop Opera ( Well before Tommy!) and a psychedelic rock masterpiece...................Find It...... Listen To it and Enjoy ...
Nice to be able to go back to trust and friendship!!!!!!!!!
It's a mixed up sensation this being alive
Oh! it wears a man down into the ground
It's the strangest elation
I can't describe it
Oh it leaves a man weary
It makes a man frown..............................Chris Simpson ( "Mixed Up Sensations" 1975 Martin's Cafe )
It's a mixed up sensation this being alive
Oh! it wears a man down into the ground
It's the strangest elation
I can't describe it
Oh it leaves a man weary
It makes a man frown..............................Chris Simpson ( "Mixed Up Sensations" 1975 Martin's Cafe )
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