July - The Second Of July (1967-68 uk, glorious technicolor psychedelia)
John Koutromanos
2022-10-16
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July - The Second Of July (1967-68 uk, glorious technicolor psychedelia)
"I sang like a complete prick - a quivery, frightened little jerk," exclaims Tom Newman with a look of despair. "It's totally obvious to me why our LP didn't impress anyone. It's fucking terrible compared to what we were capable of." Tom can't understand why copies of his JULY album sell for 250 Pounds. Recorded in a panic-stricken weekend early in '68, "July" was a rush-job, thrown together by their low-budget label Major Minor, in the vain hope of cashing in on the success of the BEATLES' "Sgt. Pepper", issued almost exactly a year earlier.
Tom's old colleague, Jon Field, agrees: "It's cringingly embarrassing. I'd prefer to forget about it, to be honest! We weren't given enough time." Poppycock! "July" is a psychedelic classic, overflowing with inventiveness and imagination. "My Clown" and "Dandelion Seeds", which were coupled on the band's first single, contain all the exotic ingredients of the best in British psychedelia. Newman's dreamy other-worldly melodies drifted alongside some wonderfully eerie keyboards, and fuzz guitar passages that'd make your hair fall out. Aside from a couple of dated pop whimsies, "July" was a corker - a little tentative and strained at times, true, but a glorious Technicolor explosion of an album nevertheless.
Despite its obvious qualities, little is known about "July". It sold a measly number of copies at the time, and the band imploded almost immediately. Tom's place in rock history was later sealed when he set up the Manor recording studios for Richard Branson, first working on "Tubular Bells" before carving out a solo career. Jon Field, meanwhile, formed JADE WARRIOR with fellow JULY member Tony Duhig. Meanwhile, "The Second Of July" or "The 2nd Of July" presents a collection of home demos recorded by Tom back in 1967, which offer a glimpse of how - to his mind - the band's "Sgt. Pepper" might have sounded.
1. You Missed It All (Tom Newman, Peter Cook) - 0:00
2. My Clown - 1:57
3. Dandelion Seeds - 4:29
4. Stamping Machine (Tom Newman, Peter Cook) - 7:09
5. (A) Bird Lived (Tom Newman, Peter Cook) - 8:51
6. Look At Her (Tom Newman, Peter Cook) - 10:45
7. The Way - 13:03
8. Friendly Man (Tom Newman, Peter Cook) - 15:06
9. I See (Tom Newman, Peter Cook) - 17:08
10. The Girl In The Cafe - 19:32
11. You See Me I See You - 21:29
12. Man Outside (Tom Newman, Peter Cook) - 23:41
13, Move On Sweet Flower - 27:09
14. Hello To Me - 29:19
*Chris Jackson - Drums, Piano, Organ
*Tom Newman - Lead Vocals, Rhythm Guitar, Sitar
*Allen James - Bass Guitar
*John Field - Vocals, Tabla, Conga Drums
*Tony Duhig - Lead Guitar, Organ, Vibes
"I sang like a complete prick - a quivery, frightened little jerk," exclaims Tom Newman with a look of despair. "It's totally obvious to me why our LP didn't impress anyone. It's fucking terrible compared to what we were capable of." Tom can't understand why copies of his JULY album sell for 250 Pounds. Recorded in a panic-stricken weekend early in '68, "July" was a rush-job, thrown together by their low-budget label Major Minor, in the vain hope of cashing in on the success of the BEATLES' "Sgt. Pepper", issued almost exactly a year earlier.
Tom's old colleague, Jon Field, agrees: "It's cringingly embarrassing. I'd prefer to forget about it, to be honest! We weren't given enough time." Poppycock! "July" is a psychedelic classic, overflowing with inventiveness and imagination. "My Clown" and "Dandelion Seeds", which were coupled on the band's first single, contain all the exotic ingredients of the best in British psychedelia. Newman's dreamy other-worldly melodies drifted alongside some wonderfully eerie keyboards, and fuzz guitar passages that'd make your hair fall out. Aside from a couple of dated pop whimsies, "July" was a corker - a little tentative and strained at times, true, but a glorious Technicolor explosion of an album nevertheless.
Despite its obvious qualities, little is known about "July". It sold a measly number of copies at the time, and the band imploded almost immediately. Tom's place in rock history was later sealed when he set up the Manor recording studios for Richard Branson, first working on "Tubular Bells" before carving out a solo career. Jon Field, meanwhile, formed JADE WARRIOR with fellow JULY member Tony Duhig. Meanwhile, "The Second Of July" or "The 2nd Of July" presents a collection of home demos recorded by Tom back in 1967, which offer a glimpse of how - to his mind - the band's "Sgt. Pepper" might have sounded.
1. You Missed It All (Tom Newman, Peter Cook) - 0:00
2. My Clown - 1:57
3. Dandelion Seeds - 4:29
4. Stamping Machine (Tom Newman, Peter Cook) - 7:09
5. (A) Bird Lived (Tom Newman, Peter Cook) - 8:51
6. Look At Her (Tom Newman, Peter Cook) - 10:45
7. The Way - 13:03
8. Friendly Man (Tom Newman, Peter Cook) - 15:06
9. I See (Tom Newman, Peter Cook) - 17:08
10. The Girl In The Cafe - 19:32
11. You See Me I See You - 21:29
12. Man Outside (Tom Newman, Peter Cook) - 23:41
13, Move On Sweet Flower - 27:09
14. Hello To Me - 29:19
*Chris Jackson - Drums, Piano, Organ
*Tom Newman - Lead Vocals, Rhythm Guitar, Sitar
*Allen James - Bass Guitar
*John Field - Vocals, Tabla, Conga Drums
*Tony Duhig - Lead Guitar, Organ, Vibes
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