Billy Nicholls – Would You Believe (LP 1998) Ltd. number 441 of 1,000. EX/EX
£
71
$
85
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Description
I do not sell copies or bootlegs.
I post my LPs by Tracked Delivery. I use good quality reinforced cardboard cases and separate the Vinyl from the Sleeves to prevent splits in covers. I also enclose a plastic sleeve for storage if the shrink wrap on the sleeves is not intact.
Reviews:
This is a terrific example of late 60's British pop music. If you enjoy well sung, arranged, inventive music from that era then this is it. It is rare and hard to find these days. It is a disc that has acquired a big reputation on the collectors market. This is number 441 of a thousand made by Tenth Planet.
The Billy Nicholls album is a fascinating story which, in short, involves a young lad of 16 somehow getting his demos to George Harrison which ultimately led to him getting a staff writing position with Andrew Loog Oldham (of The Rolling Stones fame) who had recently started his own label, Immediate Records. Oldham was apparently eager to create a British answer to the harmonious sounds of The Beach Boys and other West Coast sunshine pop stars like The Mamas and The Papas. Nicholls was his solution — it was very much a scenario of the right songs and the right voice appearing at the right place at the right time. Fast forward, Nicholls records a twee but lovely album of post Summer of Love psychedelic pop backed by The Small Faces, only to have the album shelved after 100 promotional copies were pressed (ensuring it would become an ultimate holy grail — if you will — among fans of British pop psychedelia, original pressings commanding thousands of dollars from collectors).
Would You Believe is a fine collection that reminds me at times of The Left Banke with its gorgeous string-laden harmony hits “Walk Away Renee” and “Pretty Ballerina.” With groovy songs like “Girl From New York” and “London Social Degree” (L.S.D. , get it?), this first effort by Billy Nicholls is well worth checking out
Billy Nicholls – Would You Believe
Tracklist
A1Would You Believe2:45A2Come Again2:32A3Life Is Short3:04A4Feeling Easy3:10A5Daytime Girl2:40A6Daytime Girl (Coda)1:36B1London Social Degree2:23B2Portobello Road2:05B3Question Mark2:26B4Being Happy2:23B5Girl From New York2:28B6It Brings Me Down4:45Companies, etc.
- Recorded At – Olympic Studios
- Recorded At – I.B.C. Studios
- Licensed From – Castle Communications PLC
- Published By – EMI Music
Credits
- Acoustic Guitar – Big Jim Sullivan, Billy Nicholls
- Arranged By – Art Greenslade*, John Paul Jones, Small Faces (tracks: A1)
- Backing Vocals – Barry Husband, Billy Nicholls, Denny Gerrard (2), Ronnie Lane, Steve Marriott
- Bass – John Paul Jones, Ronnie Lane
- Design – Derek Burton
- Drums – Jerry Shirley, Kenney Jones*
- Electric Guitar – Big Jim Sullivan, Joe Moretti, Steve Marriott
- Engineer – Alan "Irish" O'Duffy*, Glyn Johns
- Harpsichord – Nicky Hopkins
- Lead Vocals – Billy Nicholls
- Liner Notes – David Wells (2)
- Organ – Ian McLagan
- Photography By – Anthony Stern
- Piano – Caleb Quaye
- Producer – Andrew Loog Oldham, Ronnie Lane (tracks: A1), Steve Marriott (tracks: A1)
- Strings [Arrangement] – Art Greenslade*, Denny Gerrard (2), John Paul Jones
- Written-By – Billy Nicholls (tracks: A2 to B6), Jeremy Paul (tracks: A1)
Notes
Hand numbered edition of 1000 copies. Includes insert with liner notes by David Wells.price rating