Description
Label Review.
27 tracks. Singles, EPs and their album from 1961. Jasmine.
Our Overview.
Indulge yourself in the sounds of the 20’s and 30’s which is the musical inspiration behind Temperance Seven. Formed in the mid-fifties, The Temperance Seven were at first part of the “trad jazz” scene that had flourished in post-war Britain. As the movement matured into the early 1960s, the group took a highly entertaining and for a time hugely successful left hand turn to have fun with the music of the ’20s and ’30’s, applying light-hearted art school attitudes involving period costumes and whimsical names; sending up the whole era with impeccable style and tremendous irony.
Arguably the most singular group in the history of popular music, the Temperance Seven signed to Parlophone soon after their Argo debut and achieved the seemingly impossible when in 1961, their George Martin produced single disc ‘You’re Driving Me Crazy’ soared to No.1 on the UK chart.
The follow-up ‘Pasadena’ almost repeated the trick, breaking into the Top 5. The success of these initial singles and the subsequent chart hits ushered in an intensive period of concert and cabaret appearances, broadcasts and films for the Temperance Seven, including It’s Trad Dad! (1962), Richard Lester’s first feature film. The band took part in the 1961 Royal Variety Performance and made their West End debut in The Bed Sitting Room by Spike Milligan and John Antrobus, which ran for six weeks at the Mermaid theatre in 1963.
The Temperance Seven, while not a comedy group, as such, did much to clear the ground for the irreverent and surrealistic humour of Monty Python and did more than suggest the historic costume style that would be adopted by The Beatles for Sgt Pepper.
This excellent set from Jasmine has been lovingly remastered and comprises of the group's first singles and EPs followed by their LP 'The Temperance Seven' from 1961.Included within are a plethora of great songs and contains their No 1 hit 'You're Driving Me Crazy' which was produced by the now legendary Sir George Martin who was eventually dubbed 'The Fifth Beatle' such was his level of involvement with the band. Other superb tracks of note are Ukelele Lady featuring Peter Sellers and of course 'Pasadena' which went on to become the group's signature tune and which appears on this set in both its single and LP version.
This magnificent mix of weird and wonderful eccentricity and polished musicianship is a must have for fans of trad-jazz and its 1960s revival.