John's Children; a new album.

John’s Children were, of course, one of the seminal mod bands of the 1960s, bringing anarchy to Europe on their riotous tours with The Who, leading to a shell-shocked young Marc Bolan leaving the band to pursue a less dangerous music career. A chaotic debut album, released in 1966, was the fruit of this white outfitted, Hells Angel protected, Simon Napier Bell managed alliance.  

After the break-up of John’s Children, Andy Ellison and drummer Chris Townsend, formed Jet, which later mutated into Radio Stars, all throughout maintaining a well-dressed and well deserved reputation for on-stage mayhem and full-on rock debauchery.

And then they rested.

This new album, Black And White, and the second incarnation of John’s Children, has it's geneses in the corner shop. Andy Ellison had just popped out to get a news paper and Pot Noodle when someone shouted:  'Hey Andy, you were in my favourite band.’

A few beers later, after discovering that Andy’s newly made friend Boz Boorer played with Morrissey and the Polecats, Andy took up Boz’s suggestion that maybe they should give a resurrection of John’s Children a try.

Andy hadn’t played the John’s Children material since 1967, and while the live shows for the reformed band went well, work commitments meant that it took a good few years before the new album  was finished. 

With Boz on guitar and Chris back on drums, Martin, the bass player from Jet and Radio Stars, was recruited to add bass. The finished product is a mix of new material, including Train In My Head from Sugarlumps 3. Plus recordings of old tunes, some of which were penned by Marc Bolan, Sara Crazy Child, others of a more 'trad' nature, Lazy Sunday and Eleanor Rigby. Stand out track I Got The Buzz is a garage punk fuzz fest that harks back to the 60's line-up at their peak.

File under 'interesting' rather than 'essential' but definitely worth a listen. Released through Acid Jazz Records on June 6th 2011.

The album is dedicated to the memory of Chris Townsend who sadly died in Feb 2008.