Customer Reviews

Wishful Thinking

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THIS is not the US-based Jazz-band, BUT a British pop/rock band who had a uge hit in Germany with "Hiroshima"!
Don't mix them up with the American Fusion/Jazz band! Totally different musicians AND musical style!
This is sadly the only CD from them besides a long deleted one called "Live Vol. 1", which was only released in Japan.
More details under: http://explode.to/wishfulthinking

Wishful Thinking started off as The Emeralds in the mid-sixies. They released three singles during 1963-65. The group changed their name to Wishful Thinking in 1966 with the line-up Roy Daniels on vocals, Terry New on lead guitar, Roger Charles on bass and Brian Allen on drums.

A new lineup with Kevin Scott replacing Daniels and John Franklin replacing Terry New is featured on the most of the singles released on Decca by the band in the sixties. A live album "Live Vol: 1". was also released. This album and all singles were produced by Decca 'A & R' man and former Shadow Tony Meehan.

Some of these singles were actually great records in the same vein as the Tremeloes or even the Beach Boys, and they had hits in various European countrues with songs like "Count to Ten", "Step by Step" and "Cherry Cherry". A Decca studio-album was unfortunately never released, but the records are are compiled by independant Dansh label Frost Records on the the Collection "Step by Step".

During a tour through Denmark in 1967 they supported Pink Floyd on their gig in Århus on September 10th. In 1969 bass-player Roger Charles was replaced by Tony Collier 1969. This was the lineup which recorded the album "Hiroshima" in 1970 with producer Lou Reizner at Chappell Recording Studios, London. It was released in the UK in 1971 on B&C Records, the original distributor of "The Famous Charisma Label. In Germany it was released on Global Records, which are still the copyright holders of most of Wishful Thinking's later songs.

The song "Hiroshima" also became a minor hit in some European countries, and the album was later re-released in 1979 just with the band name as the title.

Compared to their sixties recordings, the sound has changed quite markedly. The sound is generally thinner, a little like the Searchers in the seventies, and may at times appear a little "cheap".

The material is somewhat uneven, spanning from pop-psych over cabaret ballads to pure mainstream pop. "Hiroshima", written by Dave Morgan who also wrote songs for the Move, is the stand-out track Morgan wrote a lot of the material on this album, and among these "Now" and "1984" are also quite good.

Apart from these songs, the album is more or less forgettable, which is really a shame, because their great Decca singles, seemed to to promise more from this relatively obscure group.

Not much I can say about this group, heard them once and I think these contemporary jazz group are far better of than the other styles of performing. Even though where I reside one can't actually get to listen these kind of music. Hearing them once was enough to get a liking towards these kind of jazz band.

I must say, that from what I have heard, they are neat performers, a touch of class.