The Artwoods

Art’s Gallery Top Sounds CD Album

During the early 60s, there were a plethora of exciting bands playing to packed houses wherever they took their brand of British rhythm and blues. Some would go on to enjoy international fame and fortune over later years, whilst others, including The Artwoods, despite having an awesome reputation live, never quite replicated their success as a live act in terms of record sales. The Artwoods were fronted by, as well as named after, Arthur Wood, older brother of Ronnie Wood (The Birds, The Faces, The Rolling Stones). They signed to Decca in 1964, releasing five singles, three EPs and one album over two years, before moving to Parlophone for one single, and finally Fontana, where, after changing their name to St Valentine’s Day Massacre, their psychadelia/freakbeat single Brother Can You Spare A Dime was released in 67. Only their fourth single, I Take What I Want, made an impact on the UK singles chart, peaking at number 28 in 1966. Retrospectively, pretty much all of The Artwoods’ early material was musically comparable to contemporaries such as The Rolling Stones, The Birds, The Yardbirds and The Animals. They performed on the first broadcast of Ready Steady Go! To go out with (most of) the acts performing live, also during 1965 they did two live BBC radio sessions, along with a third recorded and broadcast early in 1966. It’s the trio of BBC radio sessions that make up the 14 tracks from The Artwoods on this recently released CD album, with the louder and larger-than-life George Melly opening and closing the CD. Without question The Artwoods were significant players during the early 60s in the UK, and this collection of live radio sessions captures the band at arguably their best. A unique opportunity to own a bit of UK/mod music history, which until recently were thought to have been lost. Persistent detective work by Top Sounds discovered the only surviving reel-to-reel recordings of all three radio sessions!