Of the millions of pages written about the British music scene in the 1960s, very rarely will one find a reference to Graham Dee. If, however, you were to ask the movers and shakers of those giddy days if they knew him, the answer would be a resounding 'yes'. Known by at least one of his star-crossed contemporaries as Mr. Tin Pan Alley, Graham was a pivotal figure on the London sixties music scene and could be described as one of its missing links.
He was friends with Steve Marriott and, after playing guitar in the last line up of Marriott’s Moments, he went on to play rhythm guitar on The Small Faces first single as a session musician. He played live with bands as diverse as Them, The Gass, The Walker Brothers and even a few dates with Pink Floyd during one of Syd Barrett’s legendary off spells in early 1967.
In spite of the demand for his guitar playing genius, his first loves were song-writing and production and it is this which he will always be best remembered for.
The Acid Jazz Records Rare Mod series continues here with a trip through the Graham Dee archives, producing this amazing secret garden of melodic delights. Dee wrote literally hundreds of songs and produced a whole host more for a diverse collection of artists that he'd spotted from his perch in the A&R department at Polydor. The Graham Dee 60s collection is a compilation of a cross section of styles and artists written or produced by him. Including mod legend Sharon Tandy, freakbeat innovators The Fleur De Lys, cross-over masters The Fantastics, garage groover Waygood Ellis, film orchestrator Jerry Shury, the velvet voiced James Patterson, Dennis Lotis and Tony Rivers. 16 gems in total, from kitch-core easy listening greats, garage pop chart busters and anthemic soulful floor-fillers, every one a lost masterpiece.
Tony And Tandy - Two Can Make It Together
Waygood Ellis – I Like What I’m Trying To Do.
Maxine – Who Belongs To You.
Alexander Stewart - Hey Doesn’t It Grab You.
The Storytellers – In The City (string mix).
Dennis Lotis – Celebration
James Patterson – This Ol’ World
Polydor Pam - Something In The Way (demo)
The Fantastics – Time To Go.
Sharon Tandy – When A Woman Is In Love (Demo)
The Gerry Shurey Orchestra. - Sea Music.
Tony Rivers and The Castaways– Let Me Take You Out Of This World.
Mike Berry – Soul Ride.
John Bromley – Lisa Lies.
Lenny White – Friday Night.
The Fleur De Lys feat. Sharon Tandy – Love Them All.
I’d usually rate this kind of record as ‘essential’ but that word doesn’t capture how urgently you need this album. Released at the end of October on CD and Vinyl, advance copies are available now. Go Get !
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