The CREATION: Mod Riffmasters |  

Shortly after I moved to LA, I rode my 1963 Lambretta to a pub on Sunset Blvd called the Cat & Fiddle. I was dressed full MOD in a suit & pushing my Lambretta around looking for a place to park it. Some guy with a British accent came over to me with a big smile and twinkle in his eyes & said "ahhh.. you remind me of the old days". He looked familiar, but I couldn't place him. Told me he owns the place and instructed me to just bring my Lambretta inside the patio area & park it there. Super nice guy. Found my friends & they told me that guy I was talking to was Kim Gardner from the Creation!

And Nigel Tufnell of Spinal Tap was the first to use the entire violin on his guitar!

And good ol' Ringo - when asked if he was a mod or a rocker - "Neither, I'm a Mocker."

Great video. Met Eddie Phillips a few times, smashing bloke, signed my records for me and had a chat about the band. Totally underated guitarist. Shame no British footage seems to have survived of the band. Making time was always a fave in the mod clubs.

What a great subject and band Matt, thanks for this particular analysis of this band

Great video. I was there in the UK in the sixties. My band, The Gass Company had just one record release: Everybody Needs Love c/w Nightmare on the President label.

Some bands, for whatever reason, can't take that next step to stardom. I always liked The Creation. You got me thinking about the career of Alex Chilton (in general) and the band Big Star (in particular). Another band I would put in the same category as The Creation. A really good band that just couldn't record that one break out hit that launched the band to the big time. Great stuff Matt. Thank you Sir, RNB

You should do a thing on The Move. Also, the could-have-been The Who album 'Who's for tennis' that was supposed to have been released in 1968. Would be really interesting.

Thanks so much Matt. I love this band. I got the Edsel record back when it came out. Shell Talmy, I think summed up the feelings of many when he said it frustrated him till today that he couldn't put them over. They did get catch lightning in a bottle a few times though. Cheers.

My good friend Bob worked for days and weeks creating his own versions of Rhino’s “Nuggets” Psychedelic collections, both British and American. Bob mined deep to find great Psychedelic tracks not found on the Nuggets collections, but he included The Creation’s “Making Time,” which is hands down my favorite song of Psych genre, and I believe Bob’s as well! Thank you for teaching us the history of this excellent band, Matt!

I consider the band one of the finest to ever have come out of the UK. It's criminal that they had so little success. I highly recommend anyone to buy the 2-CD set "Action Painting", which tell the whole story and has all of their stuff!

there was a garage band from 1990s Cincinnati called The Mortals that recorded a cover of Makin' Time that is EXPLOSIVE

Very well done Matt!!! Todd Rundgrens Nazz? Love your channel!

I’ve tried for years to find something I like about about these guys. They just remind me of low rent Who

Great job Matt, I had never head of this band, very interesting. I would have to call them successful, at least in the long run, influencing others and still having a following years after they broke up. It is always sad that groups, or partners of any endeavor, that can't enjoy what they are doing in the moment. But that is life, its hard to know the best of times until they pass.

Terrific website! I particularly like your short histories of sometimes underrated 60s bands -- Buffalo Springfield, Merry-Go-Round, The Association, Lovin' Spoonful, Kaleidoscope, The Yardbirds, Spanky & Our Gang, etc., and now, The Creation. (I was born in 1953, so I enjoyed hearing those bands' music in real-time! Also, I got to see see Cream live in 1967, and the Who in 1971.) Great to hear the backstories to all those great songs. Would you consider doing a history of one my favorite 60s British bands, The Small Faces? They were almost unknown in the U.S. during the 60s, except for their lone US hit, "Itchycoo Park". When file sharing became a thing 20 years ago, I got to discover just how many great songs The Small Faces recorded.

Lee Jackson of The Nice also used violin bow on bass guitar, great vid

It's my first contact with the sound of this band. Very good! Thanks, my friend Matt. As always, waiting for more lessons from you.

Thank you for the ron wood info

Hi Matt- as ever, great video, and on one of my favourite bands too. Loved your Young Rascals series too! Now, how about a wee video on the ultimate Mod gods- The Action. I saw their "Action Packed" LP on your records shelf in another of your videos- so no excuse!

I discovered these guys through Rhino's Nuggets compilations

Matt I just discovered a little known band outside of the UK called The Action who bizarrely were produced by George Martin? Do you know much about them, I don't think they had any real hits?

I visited London in 86'and discovered the Creation.While there I also heard the rumor about Phillips joining the Who.

So yeah, I may be a big Beatles fan and all, but in the 'rock' genre I also have a longtime love of the general 1966-1968 transition of the garage sound through freakbeat into early psychedelia. One band I'm in does originals written in that style. LOVE The Creation. Nice vid, Matt! Wanted to let you know (if you didn't know already) that over in Facebookland, SHEL TALMY is regularly posting memories/notes on his recording sessions from the era, with extensive stories about early Who, Kinks, Creation, and just about every other act he recorded.

Matt great video.I ordered the double disc of all their 60s music.Growing up in the 60s there was so much going on in music,the war and all the garbage with politics was hard to keep up with everything

Thanks for this. I have a couple of tracks of theirs on various compilations.. I now need to dive deeper

Nightmares is their most underrated track

Great job on this little know-but important band from the 60s.

Really intersting !!And well documented !! The 60's are unbeatable still nowadays !!!

Fantastic! I’ve had the comp “How does it feel to feel” on Edsel Records for over 25 years and still love it. Great band, but I’ve never really known much biographical info about them until this video. Great job. I’m going to listen to them now. Thanks for this. Do you like the album they released in the ’90’s? I was a bit skeptical at the time and didn’t buy it.

Fleur De Lyes are another ‘66’s band you could look at Matt.

This is great ,another band ive discovered watching your videos

Too bad Planet Records failed... they had such a great label logo. Thanks for turning me onto these cats. As it turns out, I have had their complete collection for many years and have never gotten around to listening to it. I'm changing that now!

Biff, Bang, Pow! Matt, once again you've knocked it out of the park with this one.

Love these videos on oft overlooked bands, you do a great job of overviewing their careers

I think the Gardner-era singles were their best. The group's fractured run is a confusing topic to chronicle. Thank you.

TBF they look more like '66/'67 britpop 'mockers' rather than 64/65 original mods.Things changed very fast in those days.Though there was always some confusion as to what was pure and not pure 'mod',particularly as the desovle into hippy began in late '66.When many orgionals rebelled into proto skins.

Phenomenal job!! Thanks for your diligent work!! I learned a ton in this video..all I ever heard was the stuff on the UK nuggets. Excellent

Thank you for the Creation, one of my favorites, great video as usual.

Great band , nice overview . Ashton Gardner and Dyke - great little single Resurrection Shuffle. Only heard it a few times on local radio and it took years to figure out who it was.

That’s curious that Eddie Phillips said the fuzz box wasn’t invented yet. It was invented in 1960 and Jimmy Page used one with The Who on the B-side to their late 64 single, I Can’t Explain. Bald Headed Woman opens with a rather heavy fuzz-toned guitar. The sales of the fuzz box skyrocketed after The Rolling Stones hit the charts in 1965 with (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction. So either Eddie started bowing his guitar much earlier or he didn’t know about or forgot about when the fuzz box became popular.

Great video, once again with lots of fascinating info! You introduced me to a new band!

I just found your channel tonight, via the Graham Bond piece, which is great. Then I watched this. Excellent. Despite being a big follower of The Creation, I had no idea that Atlantic had signed, or tried to sign them. I bought the US 'How Does It Feel To Feel' when it was released and damn, it still sounds better that most records before and after it. In the 80's I was working at Elektra in A&R. The reformed lineup you mentioned, with Mick Avory and John Dalton were shopping a deal. All the songs on the demo were magic, 'Psychedelic Rose', 'Radio Beautiful' and 'Lay The Ghost' specifically. I also saw their first ever NY show at Warsaw in Nov 2001. They truly looked and sounded fantastic, right down to spray painting the huge Union Jack backdrop. I'd waited 30+ years to see The Creation and it was worth every second. Thanks for the time you put into researching this one. I loved it.

Living in Australia, this band was unknown to me and only became aware of them years ago in a fantastic obscure book titled "Encyclopedia of British Beat Groups & Solo Artists of the Sixties" (1980 - Omnibus Press) by Colin Cross - (this is not a plug, I'm just alerting you to this publication as it contains bio's on 100's of British pop/rock acts from the 60's - a great source for everyone who loves that era). Keep up the great work Matt - and absolutely excitedly waiting in anticipation for your Easybeats installment!!! (I just had to stretch the friendship and sneak that one in!) regardless, all the best, Terry.

Great band profile, Matt! I’m new to your channel but a big fan already, having also watched your profiles of Nazz, The Left Banke, The Merry-Go-Round, and others. I’m sure you’ve gotten a ton of suggestions, but some lesser-known band (or at least lesser-discussed) profile ideas to get my votes in: * The Action * Kaleidoscope (UK) * John’s Children * The Poets * The Smoke * The Beau Brummels * The Blue Things * The Electric Prunes * Love * The Millennium * The Remains * The Silver Apples * The United States of America * The Easybeats * The Master’s Apprentices A top 10 of World bands would be very cool too, as we don’t hear much about fantastic international 60s bands like The Outsiders, Q-65, The Motions, Golden Earrings (pre “Radar Love”), Los Brincos, Tages, The Mascots, Los Shakers, Los Vidrios Quebrados, and others. Next for me: Your Byrds 4-parter…

Can I join your band is a bitchin tune I always thought they had untapped potential

That was a rock history lesson. I only ever heard of Ronnie Wood. Thanks!

Another great video, Matt! The Creation is one of my favourite groups of the mod period, so I’m very glad you covered them. You’re really hitting your stride with these band histories, the style and format is both highly enjoyable and unique. If I may request a future band to cover, I’d suggest the Seeds or the 1910 Fruit Gum Company! Keep up the fantastic work!

I still remember hearing 'Painter Man' on Radio London (a pirate station) back in '66. I moved to Canada that month and didn't hear it again for over ten years.

Greetings Matt✌ I remember the first time when I heard Making Time by The Creation was after watching the movie Rushmore back in the 90's. I was so blown away by this song I immediatley went out and bought The Best of The Creation,. To my ears they were a cross between The Who and The Kinks,-That Shel Talmy signature sound. Great Video👍

Saw these guys live at a mod festival in London about 20 years ago with an all original reunion of The Action. They were much better than anyone expected them to be(but not as good as The Action...Sorry). Seeing those 2 bands in a small London hall ranked up there with some of the best shows I've seen. A lot of guitarists owe quite a debt to Eddie Phillips.

Love the early incarnation of the band...and like the later versions too..

You were spot-on with The Creation, Matt. Exactly right. I communicated with Eddie Phillips years ago and he signed some autographed photos for me that are now framed. They were one of those sad rock 'n roll stories that never were. Great band.

The Action would be a great band to cover.

Through My Eyes should have been the A side. One of my favs by The Creation.

Ugly Things Magazine did a fantastically vast feature on them once - held at MP-Gunpoint by GDR-Soldiers whilst stoned out of their heads when stranded in transit to en route to Berlin an stuff... worth seeking out!

My grandpa catched one of their shows during his trip to England in 1966 on his 19th birthday. He said that they easily were one of the best live bands he'd heard.

Love your videos Matt.....Could you do one on The Move?

The Poets from Scotland are a band worth exploring, they had some very interesting singles from 1964 to 1967. I remember when John Lennon reviewed some singles in 1964, he was very impressed with them for their unique sound, it was called Now We’re Thru’, take a listen 👂 That’s the way it’s got to be, is great too, amazing bass! Oh just checked your vlogs you played their later singles👏

HOW DID IT MISS THIS?

Great video !! My introduction to THE CREATION was from the film "Rushmore".....those opening guitar riffs and that snarky attitude in vocal delivery had me immediately !!

POP GOES THE 60's, thanks for another great video, have you ever done one on Chocolate Watch Band? If not, would you consider it? Also really loved the videos on the Association, a band i think is terribly overlooked. I have a Creation compilation record that spent a lot of time on my turntable 20 years ago but i haven't spun it in a while. After seeing this I need to pull that sucker out. Life is Just Beginning is a total masterpiece.

Thank thank thank you Matt! Superb band...pls do the Action next as they were the other great more underground UK mod band! Or the Move? I did an article for a powerpop fanzine about them in Shakin' Street in the pre-internet days when info was hard to come by...I described How Does it Feel to Feel like sounding like Heaven's Gate opening! You did a great job though, top research... And wow, that poster on the left of the Stones and Easybeats tour is a beauty I hadn't seen before...

Making Time is a great song, but honestly, their other tracks never grabbed me. It's people like me who kept these guys frm hitting it big! I feel bad now.

Useless drivel... not worth playing. Chidlish chord progressions, weak vocals...

Never heard of them Matt. Thanks for the introduction . I will give them a listen.

I have a hankering for you to do one of these on The Herd.

There was a bootleg cassette I got in mid-77 of Lydon spinning records and being interviewed and Life is Just Beginning was included. He had a super eclectic taste in music that was really refreshing and original. I didn't know a thing about their love of The Creation but I finally figured out who they were and Life is Just Beginning is my favorite of their songs.

You missed the two Kennedy Express singles.

Great video, thanks for doing it. I love the Creation to bits -- and as you say, some of their B-sides were even stronger than their A-sides. Another fine mod-soul band were the Action, who were Phil Collins' favourite band at the time and were even produced by George Martin. Fun fact: Creation bassist Kim Gardner's daughter Eva Gardner is a well-sought after musician in her own right, most famous for being P!nk's bassist for well over a decade, though she's played with loads of other people as well including Cher. She's even been honoured by Fender-Squier by having her own signature Precision bass released.

Great band. Have you heard of a sixties British group called The Eyes ? Check out their song "When the Night Falls " Thank you for the videos.🎸🎼

I heard ' How does it feel to feel ' by The Creation by watching the documentary( Stranger in my own skin ) about Pete Doherty of The Libertines , I heard the song and was very into it ! ...Groovy man , like really groovy ! Thanks !

Nothing you played as examples here displays the least bit of wit or innovation. Instead, I hear the trends of the day, and not played terribly well. Hits happen for very good reasons. Despite the claims, the audience cannot be conned with all the promotion in the world to like something unlike-able. I’m surprised to hear they had a producer. They sound completely lost in the studio.

The Japanese early seventies heavy rock band, Blues Creation, also gave a nod to The Creation.

If someone came to me today with great music and funds to record it, I would immediately balk at the name The Creation. The world is full to drowning with christian music.

Awesome stuff Matt loved the creation boy they deserved more success great insight into the great band...don’t if you have covered them if you have not! The Electric prunes another one of my fav 60,s bands great stuff Matt keep them coming .

I sign your every word below. The Creation was a very unfair band, what they did was very different and creative. In fact, it was another band, The Sorrows (very aggressive, very "punk", an excellent drummer, faster and less hysterical than Keith Moon), that pushed me towards British bands of the 1960s, something that went beyond the Beatles and Stones (two boring bands, in my opinion).

They sound really derivative...I hear that riff from Them Hollies’ ‘s ‘On the Carousel’ (sp)

Tx. Purple Flashes i have from around 2006 on CD.. i have two different versions of Green Bullfrog doing Makin Time.. Very Heavy recorded in 70 and 71. i didn't know Roger Waters used a bow. musta been a one off.

I discovered them not long ago thanks to Pete Doherty's doc where he's pictured listening to "How does it feel to feel" which became a favorite of mine

Ride did a pretty good cover of How Does It Feel To Feel for their 1994 album Carnival of Light.

The Eddie Phillips Kenny Pickett era was the best. Nearly as good as the small faces. Nearly. My favorite track is their cover of OV Wrights that’s how strong my love is. I do have Volumes 1&2 on vinyl. I think it’s from the 80s? I’m not sure.

Boney M did the cover version of Painter Man during the 1970s.

in retrospect everything from the Uk 60's scene is called mod now...it's only part of the story,to start with neither the Creation,nor Small Faces,nor Who nor Action called themselves a mod band,nor did they express the the desire to have an audience consisting exclusively out of mods..in fact since British music journalists tried to reinvent pophistory since the late 70's,there had to be labels for everything,so mod and punk was declared as good while everything slightly to do with hippy was declared as utter rubbish.noone in the 60's used terms like freakbeat or poppsych,both terms were coined by recirds label owner Phil Smee and scottish music writer Brian Hogg around 1982/3.around the same time Phil Smee started to form his Bam Caruso label,which did a stellar job with reissues of long forgotten artists as well as a series of compilation lps Rubble.yes some of the tunes of the rubbles series had been in inferior sound quality on compilations like Chocolate soup for diabetics or the Perfumed garden,never mind.Personally Im just so fed up that everyything attributed to the 60's as to have a mod prefix,as a sort of sign of approval.Mod certsinly was a part of the whole 60's youth culture,but most young people ,didnt care about belonmg to one group or another,they were the first generation,who demanded their own music their own fashions their own tv programms with their music,they didnt want to be like their mums and dads,they wanted something else.I was only a kid in the 60's but i had an older sister and knew other people who went to gigs and and bought records

Solid band but they were average songwriters competing with some of the most melodic songs of all time.

Matt, you can do a story of Larry Byrom because he was in bands before he joined forces with the group Steppenwolf.

Second best British 60s band that did not make it big in the U.S---the Small Faces being the first.

Thank you, thank you, thank you. I love this band too bad they never made it in the US.

Yes! Outstanding look at the coolest subculture that ever was!

What a blast from the past.Problem? Non innovative music.

The disco band Boney M have made a version of "Painter man" in 1978 ...

Just sold a VG copy of How does it feel on Polydor on discogs. Both Phillips and Pickett have solo albums too.

That Ronnie wood guitarist guy sounded good. Hope he makes it big (being sarcastic)

Meant to say Creation's "Makin' Time" . Songs sound so much better in the theatres!!!

The Creation did a live gig at The Mean Fiddler in Northwest London.

Man the riff in tom-tom sounds like bagpipes!

How about an episode on The Action / Mighty Baby?

you should reveiw the Easybeats

This is one band I never heard of. Could you do a video on Fanny? Very underrated in the U.S.

*psychedelia…