Wednesday, December 19, 2012

The Shorthand of Beauty

Via one of the Brit music rags, I just learned that George Gallacher -- lead singer of Scotland's finest beat group of the 60s, The Poets -- died this past August.


If memory serves, I first encountered these guys on NUGGETS II (the 2001 Rhino box set that documented all sorts of great garage rock and psych from parts of the world not located in the United States).

Here's the closest thing they had to a hit -- the quite remarkable (as in, boy, does that bass line and the overall sound of the record anticipate the Spencer Davis Group's "I'm a Man") "That's the Way It's Got to Be."




Amazingly enough, they were actually on American television in 1965, via Shindig. I totally don't remember this clip, BTW, and I used to watch that show religiously.



That's not as good as song as "That the Way...", of course, but still -- a great sound and charisma to burn, which is probably why Rolling Stones svengali Andrew Loog Oldham produced them.

R.I.P, George.

5 comments:

FD13NYC said...

Interesting song, I kind of like it. Also, it was featured in the cult C/D-movie Frankenstein Meets The Space Monster from 1965.

Gummo said...

"That's the Way It's Got to Be" is a great song.

R.I.P.

Anonymous said...

Love that Shindig clip. I especially like these guys since my ancestors are Scottish and I share the last name of one of the composers, so must be related, right? :)

It looks like "baton" but rhymes with a famous Chicago Bear, Walter.

Unfortunately the creepy Bay City Rollers manager shared that last name too.

trivia bit: "Now We're Through" was the first release on DynoVoice.

Hannes A. Jónsson said...

A pretty cool Poets website here: http://www.the-poets.co.uk/early-days/

And yet another Scottish Paton: David, originally a very early Roller, but later a founding member of the great, largely unsung '70s group Pilot. Magic! After that a highly regarded session musician (Kate Bush, Wings, someone named Elton, etc.), as well as an Alan Parsons Project, a Camel, and Fish.

bollyhit said...

songs is very nice,i lyk this.thx