One thing you learn, sleuthing for obscure psychedelic music from the sixties, is that for every “White Rabbit” there is a “Night Sounds Loud.” And a “Crystal Forms.” And God knows how many other brilliant songs grown out of the same protoplasm, but forgotten to history. There is just no shortage of mind-exploding songs that have long ago slipped away into The Nothing – standout songs from bands less consistent, or just less lucky than Jefferson Airplane.
Even knowing that so much great overlooked music is out there, buried deep in record stacks and on YouTube, I was unprepared for “Introspection” by The End. Ironically, seeing that it was produced by Bill Wyman and engineered by Glyn Johns actually lowered my expectations. Let me explain. For an album with such a pedigree – produced by a Rolling Stone in 1968 – to have completely fallen between the cracks, it couldn’t actually be any good, or surely I’d have heard about it before now. Even the album cover is great – is that Charlie Watts’ eye?? It was just too good to be true, so it had to be lousy.
But it’s not lousy. In fact, it’s incredibly not lousy. Not just one or two of the songs, either – the whole album is a full-bodied technicolor blowout. Exquisite production, hooks galore and whiplash transitions. The album was set to come out on Decca (the Rolling Stones’ label) in 1968, and by all rights conquer the world. But, bafflingly, it was shelved for about a year. Which, in the music scene in the late sixties, might as well have been twenty. When Decca did finally release it, they put nothing behind it, and it sunk like a stone.
by Benjamin Wheelock
Although The End actually formed in 1965 some early groundwork was laid down beforehand. As 1964 progressed and Colin Giffin and Dave Brown became increasingly aware that song-writing had a future indeed, was possibly the future, they used their free time between The Innocents' touring and gig date; to start developing their own writing, often demoing their songs at the now-legendary R.G. Jones recording studio in Morden. The studio was something of a magnet for artists and groups all around south London and surrounding areas, such as The Rolling Stones, Yardbirds, PP Arnold and many others (Bill Wyman would later use the studio for sessions with The End).
Mr R.G. Jones himself was an avuncular figure endlessly enthusiastic and encouraging to the many young musicians and singers passing through on their way to who-knew-where. Many of the tracks recorded by Giffin and Brown have disappeared 'Another Time, Another Place', 'She's The One' for example, but may, hopefully, be hidden away in some dusty cupboard or attic somewhere but two titles are included in this compilation; 'I Want You Around and 'I Can't Believe It'. This writing partnership continued through The End years, augmented by productive collaborations with Nicky Graham and Terry Taylor.
CD Liner Notes
Tracks
Disc 1 In The Begining 1964-67
1. I Can't Get Any Joy (Dave Brown, Colin Giffin) - 2.17
2. Hey Little Girl (Dave Brown, Colin Giffin) - 2.22
3. I Want You Around (Dave Brown, Lawrie Williams) - 2.21
4. I Can't Believe It (Dave Brown, Colin Giffin, Lawrie Williams) - 2.19
5. Lost Without You (Dave Brown, Colin Giffin, Lawrie Williams) - 1.52
6. Baby Stay Like You Are (Dave Brown, Colin Giffin) - 2.35
7. It Won't Be Long (Dave Brown, Colin Giffin) - 2.09
8. She Believed Me (Dave Brown, Colin Giffin, Lawrie Williams) - 1.44
9. I Got Wise (Dave Brown, Colin Giffin) - 3.27
10.You're So Right (Dave Brown, Colin Giffin) - 2.21
11.You Better Believe It Baby (Joe Tex) - 3.06
12.Please Do Something (Don Covay, Ron Miller) - 2.11
13.Why (Dave Brown, Colin Giffin) - 2.41
14.Yo-Yo (Dave Brown, Colin Giffin) - 2.40
15.Searching For My Baby (Dave Brown, Colin Giffin) - 2.11
16.Daddy Loves Baby (Don Covay) - 2.30
17.We've Got It Made (July 1967 Mix) (Dave Brown, Colin Giffin, Nicky Graham) - 2.34
18.Shades Of Orange (November 1967 Mix) (Bill Wyman, Peter Gosling) - 2.37
Disc 2 Introspection 1968-69
1. Dreamworld (Dave Brown, Colin Giffin, Nicky Graham) - 4:16
2. Under The Rainbow (Colin Giffin) - 3:47
3. Shades Of Orange (Album Version) (Bill Wyman, Peter Gosling) - 2:39
4. Bromley Common (Talk) (George Kenset) - 0:49
5. Cardboard Watch (Dave Brown, Nicky Graham, Terry Taylor) - 2:53
6. Introspection (Part 1) (Dave Brown, Colin Giffin, Nicky Graham) - 4:03
7. What Does It Feel Like (Colin Giffin, Terry Taylor) - 2:47
8. Linen Draper (Talk) (George Kenset) - 0:13
9. Don't Take Me (Dave Brown, Colin Giffin, Nicky Graham) - 3:24
10.Loving, Sacred Loving (Album Version) (Bill Wyman, Peter Gosling) - 2:58
11.She Said Yeah (George Jackson, S. Christy) - 2:50
12.Jacobs Bladder (Talk) (George Kenset) - 0:53
13.Introspection (Part 2) (Dave Brown, Colin Giffin, Nicky Graham) - 2:43
14.Shades Of Orange (Mono Single Version) (Bill Wyman, Peter Gosling) - 2:39
15.Loving, Sacred Loving (Mono Single Version) (Bill Wyman, Peter Gosling) - 3:02
Disc 3 Retrospection 1968-69
1. Loving Sacred Loving (February 1968 remix) (Bill Wyman, Peter Gosling) - 2:48
2. Building Up A Dream (Dave Brown, Colin Giffin, Nicky Graham, Terry Taylor) - 2:41
3. Little Annie (Colin Giffin) - 2:58
4. Morning Dew (Bonnie Dobson, Tim Rose) - 3:34
5. Tears Will Be The Only Answer (Colin Giffin, Dave Brown) - 2:25
6. Today Tomorrow (Dave Brown, Nicky Graham) - 2:47
7. Lady Under The Lamp (Colin Giffin) - 2:33
8. Black Is Black (Michelle Grainger, Steve Wadey, Anthony Hayes) - 4:46
9. Mister Man (Colin Giffin) - 2:39
10.Call Me (Colin Giffin, Dave Brown) - 2:28
11.Shades Of Orange (June 1968 remix) (Bill Wyman, Peter Gosling) - 2:41
12.Mirror (Dave Brown, Nicky Graham) - 2:53
13.We've Got It Made (Mellotron Mix) (Dave Brown, Colin Giffin, Nicky Graham) - 2:25
14.Bypass The By-Pass (Dave Brown, Nicky Graham, Terry Taylor) - 2:43
15.Mister Man (Instrumental Version) (Colin Giffin) - 3:47
16.The Fly (Dave Brown, Colin Giffin, Nicky Graham) - 1:29
17.Sometimes I Wish I Were Dead (Dave Brown, Colin Giffin, Nicky Graham) - 3:41
18.Stones In My Banana (Dave Brown, Colin Giffin, Nicky Graham) - 2:59
Disc 4 The Last Word 1969-70
1. Son Of Lightning (Dave Brown, Nicky Graham, Terry Taylor, Paul Francis) - 5.02
2. Second Glance (Dave Brown, Nicky Graham, Terry Taylor, Paul Francis) - 4.53
3. Mistress Bean (Dave Brown, Nicky Graham, Terry Taylor) - 3.14
4. For Eleanor (Terry Taylor) - 1.58
5. So Free (Dave Brown, Nicky Graham, Terry Taylor) - 3.53
6. North Thames Gas Board (Dave Brown, Colin Giffin, Terry Taylor, Nicky Graham) - 4.03
7. Do Right Woman Do Right Man (Dan Penn, Chips Moman) - 3.10
8. Turn On Waterstone (Dave Brown, Nicky Graham, Terry Taylor, Paul Francis) - 3.06
9. Smartypants (Dave Brown, Nicky Graham, Terry Taylor, Paul Francis) - 3.56
10.My Friend (Dave Brown, Nicky Graham, Terry Taylor, Paul Francis) - 4.01
The End (In The Begining 1964-67)
*Dave Brown - Bass, Vocals
*Colin Giffin - Guitar, Sax, Vocals
*Nicky Graham - Organ, Vocals
*Chris Winters – Drums
*Hugh Attwooll – Drums
With
*John Horton - Sax
*Charlie Watts – Tabla
The End (Introspection/Retrospection 1968-69)
*Dave Brown - Bass, Vocals
*Nicky Graham - Keyboards, Vocals
*Colin Giffin - Guitar, Vocals
*Terry Taylor - Guitar
*Hugh Attwooll - Drums
With
*John Horton – Saxophone
*George Kenset – Voice
*Nicky Hopkins – Harpsichord
*Ken Leeman – Sax
*Jim Henderson - Additional Harmony
*Charlie Watts - Tabla
*Chris Winters - Drums
*Lennie Neldrett - Guitat
*Tefry Taylor - Guitar
The End (The Last Word 1969-70)
*Dave Brown - Bass, Vocals
*Nicky Graham - Keyboards, Vocals
*Terry Taylor - Guitar
*Paul Francis - Drums
*Jim Henderson - Vocals
With
*Chris Spedding - Guitar
*Ian Stewart - Piano
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