Simple Image – Spinning Spinning Spinning
Posted on January 14, 2007 by Kris Holmes
One of those frustrating LPs where the music can never live up to the awesome cover art. The Simple Image were a band from Wellington, New Zealand that formed in the mid 60s. This album is their debut from '68 and the title track was a local number one single. There were a couple other singles issued with one other also breaking the top ten. Musically the record is 60s pop with very light psych influences, it is often talked about as being a "great pop-psych LP", but this is mainly by people wanting to sell it on ebay. There are some instances of phasing swirlyness but the cover is probably the most psych thing about it. The band were known for their 'mod' image of the time & often wore navy blue capes with pink lining, floral shirts & cuban heel boots. The line up on this LP was Gordon Wylie, Barry Leef, Ron Gascoigne & Harry Leki, Leef left the group in 1969 after one more 45 release. Their final hit was in '69 with a cover of the Equals' "Michael & The Slipper Tree" & they had added an organist to their ranks. At the end of '69 the band moved to Australia into a residency left by the recently split Avengers (see previous review) but they were unable to break the Australian charts. Apparently the band then got involved with some artificial stimulents & some bizarre behaviour caused them to split in '71. Check out their take on Sam Cooke's 'Bring It On Home To Me' that opens side two.
Simple Image – Bring It On Home.mp3
Filed under: Pop / Rock, Psych / Prog
9 Comments to “Simple Image – Spinning Spinning Spinning”
Hey man, glad you like it. I have tried the avengers mp3 a bunch of times & I am not getting the pop up option to send any uploads to the editor at all, I don’t know why it isn’t working.
Had this LP many years ago and really found it rather weak. Title track is really the only thing worth a listen and that can be found on a handful of comps that focus on Australian/NZ Psych, like Ugly Things 4. Their one other listenable track is a cover of the Fun and Games track “Grooviest Girl In The World.” Apparently, vocalist Barry Leaf impressed Frank Zappa enough for FZ to ask Barry to join his band back in the early ’70s.
Yep, cool cover but false advertising.
Not a mind blowing psych album as the cover would suggest..
The title track may be a little more important than is indicated by the reviews above. I do recall, across the misty decades, that the “phasing” effects made it a huge hit. This point is not appreciated by modern listeners for whom such techniques are old hat.
Also, at the time of release a number by the Fourmyula called “Nature” just barely pipped “Spinning” for the major local music award at the time. “Nature” was, decades later, rated the most important local (New Zealand) song of all time; that “Spinning” came so close to toppling it for the Loxene Golden disk award is significant. \
However I don’t think “Spinning” was an original composition. I do know the same song was covered by a Swedish ABBA precursor called the “Hep Cats” and also by an American group (The Ballroom). Who actually authored it is unknown to me.
this album is awsome. my grandad is Harry Leki. he was a great musician but sadly passed away last year. R.I.P grandad
also a shout out to my uncle feau. look him up. hes also a great musician from the banfd the radars
Feau Halatau
Hi Joel, glad you found the review. Sorry to hear about your Grandad. The Radars were also a good band.
Regards, Kris
looking for ron if someone can tell of where abouts now if so thanks john bullot ex waitara nz
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very nice track, thank you.
Pleasecheck the missing d/l link for the Avengers, grazie
cheers from Milano!
Michael Vee