Eclection were a British-based folk rock band, originally formed in 1967 in London by Norwegian-born Georg Kajanus (then known as Georg Hultgreen), Canadian Michael Rosen, Australians Trevor Lucas and Kerrilee Male, and Briton Gerry Conway. They released one album on Elektra Records before singer Kerrilee Male left to be replaced by Dorris Henderson, but the group broke up in December 1969.
(Read more at Wikipedia.)
Links to Peel[]
Peel approved of Eclection, not least because they were the first British artists since the Incredible String Band to be signed by the Elektra label. Their first and, as it turned out, only album was praised by the DJ in his column in International Times:
The Eclection have the ability to become what I understand is called "A super-group"....Their LP on Elektra EKS 74023 really is very good...They are, I suppose, basically a pure "pop group" (more awful defintions) but a totally superior one...There are a few weak links on the LP.[1]
Other music industry figures were equally impressed by Eclection and they seemed destined for major success, but began to fall apart soon after their LP was released. Singer Kerrilee Male was the first to leave and other original members followed, leading to changes in their sound. On the band's fourth Peel session, they sounded very different from the vocal harmony-based group heard on their first two sessions, and included two musicians who did Peel sessions in other contexts - guitarist Gary Boyle, previously a member of Brian Auger’s Trinity and later a session artist under his own name with his band Isotope, and vibes player John "Poli" Palmer who had formerly been with Blossom Toes and joined Family in late 1969; after his departure Eclection broke up.
Trevor Lucas and Gerry Conway went on to join Sandy Denny in Fotheringay, and Georg Kajanus had some UK chart success in the 1970s (but little or no Peel airplay) with Sailor, while Michael Rosen (not to be confused with the British children'a author of the same name, who hosted the Radio 4 series Word Of Mouth) was a member of the little-known band Mogul Thrash, whose name was inspired by a Spike Milligan TV sketch.
Festive Fifty Entries[]
- None
Sessions[]
Four sessions. No known official release.
1. Recorded: 1968-04-30. First Broadcast 12 May 1968. Repeated 09 June 1968.
- Mark Time / In Her Mind / In The Early Days / Morning Of Yesterday
2. Recorded 1968-07-23. First Broadcast 28 July 1968. Repeated 01 September 1968.
- Another Time Another Place / Nevertheless / St George & The Dragon / Will Tomorrow Be The Same? / Violet Dew (first TX 01 September 1968 repeat)
3. Recorded 1968-11-19. First Broadcast 08 December 1968. Repeated 12 January 1969.
- Please / If I Love Her / Days Left Behind / Time For Love
4. Recorded 1969-04-21. First Broadcast 27 April 1969, repeated 01 June 1969
- Both Sides Now / Restitution / Charity / Earth / Put On Your Face
Other Shows Played[]
- 26 May 1968: (JP praises Eclection's performance, apparently their first in front of an audience, at the LSE the previous evening.)
- 02 June 1968: Nevertheless (7" - Mark Time) Elektra EKSN 45033
- 16 June 1968: Nevertheless (7" - Mark Time) Elektra EKSN 45033
- 23 June 1968: Nevertheless (7" - Mark Time) Elektra EKSN 45033
- 30 June 1968: Mark Time (7") Elektra EKSN 45033
- 07 July 1968: Mark Time (7") Elektra EKSN 45033
- 11 August 1968: In The Early Days (album - Eclection) Elektra EKS 74023
- 15 September 1968: Violet Dew (album - Eclection) Elektra EKS 74023
- 06 October 1968: Please (7") Elektra EKSN 45042
- 20 October 1968: Please (7") Elektra EKSN 45042
- 17 November 1968: Please (7") Elektra EKSN 45042
See Also[]
- ABC Of Beauty
- Cover Versions
- Disc & Music Echo: Peel Columns
- Fotheringay
- International Times: Other Mentions
- Melody Maker: 1969
- Mogul Thrash
- Record Collection: E
- Gigography 1967
- Gigography 1969
- International Times: Perfumed Garden Column
- Disc & Music Echo: Peel Columns