Scotland's No. 1 Group

The Poets (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD
• ASIN: B0009NBOTY
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #483,953 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Tracks: 1. With You By Me 2 Why You Still Go On 3 Miss Queen Bee 4 This Woman Mine 5 Love Is Fading Away 6 Now We're Thru 7 There Are Some 8 That's The Way It's Got To Be 9 I'll Cry With The Moon 10 I Am So Blue 11 I Love Her Still 12 I'll Keep My Pride 13 It's So Different Now 14 Some Things I Can't Forget 15 Call Again 16 I'll Come Home 17 Baby Don't You Do It 18 Wooden Spoon 19 In Your Tower 20 With You By Me 21 Why You Still Go On 22 This Woman Mine 23 Why Willows Weep Notes: 1-5 pre-Oldham demos early 1964 6-7 first single released 10/64 8-9 second single 2/65 10-11 third single 7/65 12-13 unreleased acetate 9/65 14-15 fourth single 10/65 16-17 fifth single 1/66 18-19 sixth single 2/67 20-23 late 1963 demos

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Scotland's No. 1 Group, September 18, 2006

By 

Hans Pfaall "eight_miles_high" (Connecticut, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Scotland's No. 1 Group (Audio CD)

The Poets are indeed a strong contender for the title of Great Lost British Invasion group, and it is fitting that Amazon now carries this record. Despite signing with Rolling Stones manager Andrew Loog Oldham in 1964, and enjoying a minor British hit with their first single, major success was not to be. The Poets formed in Glasgow in 1963, and were quick to begin writing their own material. This was uncommon in 1963, and must have set them apart from the multitude of cover bands (even the Rolling Stones were essentially a cover band, albeit a great one, at this point.) Most of the time, the band favored a mournful, minor-keyed style not unlike a more guitar-based Zombies, (though this comparison only goes so far.) In addition, the Poets were distinguished by their usage of two twelve-string guitars, which provided them with a unique sound.

In analyzing the contents of Scotland's No. 1 Group, one must also be aware of another release entitled In Your Tower, another best of compilation for the Poets (not sold on Amazon). In the opinion of this writer, Scotland's No. 1 Group has the slight edge, even though there are a couple of good late 60's tracks on In Your Tower not on Scotland's No. 1 Group ("Dawn" and "Never Thought She Would"). Scotland's No. 1 Group has nine 1963-64 unreleased demos of original material not on In Your Tower, and they're of generally high quality. "With You By Me" would have made a fine catchy single in '63 or '64, while "Love Is Fading Away" was melodious folk-rock before the term really existed. "Miss Queen Bee" is a strong R&B raver unlike most of the band's other material, and makes one wonder why the band did not try this style more often. Despite the high quality of the songs, the demos occasionally suffer from some of the worst sound quality to ever grace a commercial release, but the patient listener can overlook such shortcomings. The remainder of the CD includes both sides of the six Decca single releases (fortunately of very good sound quality), and two excellent (if a bit raw) demo recordings from 1965. The Decca recordings are the high point of the Poets history, and represent some of the finest underappreciated British Invasion music. It is perplexing that the Poets never released a full-length album in the 60's. Based on the recorded evidence, they surely would have had enough material. In addition, after reading lead singer and main creative force George Gallacher's interview with Richie Unterberger (the full transcript is available on Unterberger's web site), it seems possible that even more unreleased Poets material exists in the Decca vaults.

Scotland's No. 1 Group is not the perfect anthology for the group, due to the aforementioned missing In Your Tower tracks, and other tracks rumored to exist in the vaults. However, as of 2006, Scotland's No. 1 Group is arguably the best overview available on the band. They deserve to be discovered. Indeed, for someone already into the Zombies and Searchers, the Poets are an excellent group to look into.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Don't miss!, February 8, 2010

By 

The BlackFerret "Steve The BlackFerret" (Plymouth UK) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Scotland's No. 1 Group (Audio CD)

Quite simply, great!

This is everything the group did, including demos from 1963/4 and both sides of an acetate from 1965.

Some of the sound quality on these extras is debatable, comes from reel-to-reel tapes, I think. But the essential sound is still there.

And that sound should have seen them sell millions world-wide. But the late 1964 publicity shot(in the booklet) of the guys in frilly shirts etc(like well-known poet Oscar Wilde, get the picture?) was about 18 months ahead of Brit Invasion fashion trends & the group's chances of a major career went down the Swannee, or was that the Clyde?!

Darn pity;their 12-string guitar-based sound was unique & they were a good live act, too.

The only demerit here is the photos in the booklet-they are great, but the dates they purport to relate to are ALL wrong;small point, but one I need to worry about, so you don't have to.

But, overall, it's a essential purchase, whether you are reading this Stateside or in GB!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Scottish rock rosetta stone, November 27, 2009

By 

DJ Joe Sixpack (...in Middle America) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Scotland's No. 1 Group (Audio CD)

The Poets
"Scotland's No. 1 Group"
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A fascinating collection of rare singles and unreleased tracks by one of Scotland's best rock bands of the late 1960s, with a stylistic range similar to that of the English band Pretty Things, ranging from Yardbirds-y R&B to more psychedelic and edgier material. A fascinating glimpse at one of the Northern British rock/garage scene's great lost bands. Recommended! (DJ Joe Sixpack, Slipcue Music Guide)