This Classic obscure and very underrated band was the brainchild of one "Julian Savarin" a dominican born keyboard player who moved to Britian in the early sixties where he eventually formed "Julians Treatment".
The original line up recorded there first album "A Time Before This" which featured Nigel Jenkins (guitar), Roger Odell (drums) and from Australia Jo Meek (vocals).
One could say there is a similarity to early "Earth & Fire" with the female vocals but this is only incidental really as this is quite different in feel and far more progressive.
"A Time Before This" a very nice progressive Sci Fi concept album ( Savarin was also apparently a Science Fiction writer) where hammond organ is featured predominantly and the powerfull female vocals of "Meek".
A great pity albums and bands like this are now almost forgotten. A really wondefull album here which is full of color with superb mostly melodic hammond organ from "Savarin" and some great female vocals. The music alternates between progressive rock and more dense dreamy forboding atmospheres. At times there's some whispery flute and riffing guitars but no solo's as such except the odd wild one.
Standouts are "Terran"
a stunning instrumental with super organ and guitar. Also "Fourth From The Sun" ( check it out below) and "Strange Things" with more excellent panned female vocals and lots of hooks with marching beats and layered organ with bags of atmosphere. Indeed all the music has great atmospherics and on the whole is really well produced for the time. Another great song is the title track " A Time Before This" which is probably the closest comparison to " Earth &Fire".
"Waiters On The Dance" there second album is perhaps even better. With a different but excellent and more subtle female vocalist this is another stunner. Take "Child Of The Night" in two parts is a real stormer with more guitar on this track than on any of the previous album tracks. This really cooks with great organ once again. Brilliant stuff!
A rare treat and you get there entire output here, both "A Time Before This" and " Waiters On The Dance"
Songs / Tracks Listing
First Chapter: First Prophecy
1. First oracle
Second Chapter:
2. The coming of the mule
Third Chapter:
3. Phantom city
Fourth Chapter
4. The black tower
Fifth Chapter:
5. Aida, dark lady of the outer worlds
Sixth Chapter:
6. Altarra, princess of the blue women
Seventh Chapter: second prophecy
7. Second oracle
Eigth Chapter:
8. Part one: Twin suns of Centauri
9. Part two: Alkon, planet of Centauri
Ninth Chapter:
10. The terran
Tenth Chapter:
11. Fourth from the sun
Eleventh Chapter:
12. Strange things
Twelfth Chapter: Epilogue
13. A time before this
14. Child of the night 1 + 2
15. Stranger
16. The death of Aida
17. Cycles
18. Soldiers of time
Line-up / Musicians - Julian Savarin / organ
- John Dover / bass
- Del Watkins / guitar, flutes
- Jack Drummond / drums
- Cathy Pruden / vocals
- Nigel Jenkins / guitar
- Roger Odell / drums
- Jo Meek / vocals
The original line up recorded there first album "A Time Before This" which featured Nigel Jenkins (guitar), Roger Odell (drums) and from Australia Jo Meek (vocals).
One could say there is a similarity to early "Earth & Fire" with the female vocals but this is only incidental really as this is quite different in feel and far more progressive.
"A Time Before This" a very nice progressive Sci Fi concept album ( Savarin was also apparently a Science Fiction writer) where hammond organ is featured predominantly and the powerfull female vocals of "Meek".
A great pity albums and bands like this are now almost forgotten. A really wondefull album here which is full of color with superb mostly melodic hammond organ from "Savarin" and some great female vocals. The music alternates between progressive rock and more dense dreamy forboding atmospheres. At times there's some whispery flute and riffing guitars but no solo's as such except the odd wild one.
Standouts are "Terran"
a stunning instrumental with super organ and guitar. Also "Fourth From The Sun" ( check it out below) and "Strange Things" with more excellent panned female vocals and lots of hooks with marching beats and layered organ with bags of atmosphere. Indeed all the music has great atmospherics and on the whole is really well produced for the time. Another great song is the title track " A Time Before This" which is probably the closest comparison to " Earth &Fire".
"Waiters On The Dance" there second album is perhaps even better. With a different but excellent and more subtle female vocalist this is another stunner. Take "Child Of The Night" in two parts is a real stormer with more guitar on this track than on any of the previous album tracks. This really cooks with great organ once again. Brilliant stuff!
A rare treat and you get there entire output here, both "A Time Before This" and " Waiters On The Dance"
Songs / Tracks Listing
First Chapter: First Prophecy
1. First oracle
Second Chapter:
2. The coming of the mule
Third Chapter:
3. Phantom city
Fourth Chapter
4. The black tower
Fifth Chapter:
5. Aida, dark lady of the outer worlds
Sixth Chapter:
6. Altarra, princess of the blue women
Seventh Chapter: second prophecy
7. Second oracle
Eigth Chapter:
8. Part one: Twin suns of Centauri
9. Part two: Alkon, planet of Centauri
Ninth Chapter:
10. The terran
Tenth Chapter:
11. Fourth from the sun
Eleventh Chapter:
12. Strange things
Twelfth Chapter: Epilogue
13. A time before this
14. Child of the night 1 + 2
15. Stranger
16. The death of Aida
17. Cycles
18. Soldiers of time
Line-up / Musicians - Julian Savarin / organ
- John Dover / bass
- Del Watkins / guitar, flutes
- Jack Drummond / drums
- Cathy Pruden / vocals
- Nigel Jenkins / guitar
- Roger Odell / drums
- Jo Meek / vocals
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