14 September 2009

Look into the Eyes of the Beacon Street Union

UPDATE: This post was re-uploaded 08/18/2013. Enjoy, NØ.

Though part of the trinity with Ultimate Spinach & Orpheus in the MGM scheme for 'the Boss Sound of Bosstown', The Beacon Street Union was a far superior band. They were second only to Boston’s Listening (who released the phenomenal eponymous album) in reality. But like other bands used in the Bosstown promotion, the Beacon Street Union suffered from the hype, & although both their albums made the charts, they never had much of a chance to succeed.

Bosstown Sound was originally a publicity campaign by Alan Lorber of MGM started in January 1968. The idea was to present the groups on his label (Ultimate Spinach, The Beacon Street Union & Orpheus) as a package. The Bosstown Sound was to echo the San Francisco Sound that was very big at the time. The hype was a big turn off to the rock critics & rock audiences. Record sales never materialized. The campaign backfired & became an albatross.


TIME Magazine, May 10, 1968: “THE EYES OF THE BEACON STREET UNION (MGM). Among today's sound- saturated rock groups, The Beacon Street Union is refreshingly rare: it recognizes the existence of twin stereo speakers and utilizes them to separate its music into two compatible components.”

Not everyone agrees, citing the band as too eclectic (late 60s???) , but The Union deserved better management & better acceptance.

The Beacon Street Union were:John Lincoln Wright - vocals;Paul Tartachny - lead & rhythm guitar;Wayne Ulaky - bass;Robert Rhodes - keyboards; & Richard Weisberg - drums.

MGM Records SE 4517, 1968.
decryption code in comments

Side A -

My Love Is
Beautiful Delilah
Sportin' Life
Four Hundred & Five
Mystic Mourning

Side B -

Sadie Said No
Speed Kills
Blue Avenue
South End Incident (I'm Afraid)
Green Destroys the Gold
The Prophet (4:33)


MGM Records SE 4568, 1968.
decryption code in comments


Side A -

The Clown Died In Marvin Gardens
The Clown's Overture
Angus Of Aberdeen
Blue Suede Shoes (Carl Perkins cover)
A Not Very August Afternoon
Now I Taste The Tears


Side B -

King Of The Jungle
May I Light Your Cigarette
Baby Please Don't Go

Enjoy,

5 comments:

  1. I have not listened to either album yet - one is downloading as I type - but the sleeve for "The Clown Died in Marvin Gardens" has to be one of the most proto-punk I have yet seen; it could almost be a Dead Boys LP.

    Nice that it's on MGM, too.

    Having said that, how can you ignore any record with a title like "Sadie Said No" or even "South End Incident" ?

    I think I'm compelled to DL "The Eyes Of..." first.

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  2. thanks - steve

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  3. I had both of these albums when they and I were so much younger. I hadn't thought about them in a long time. Lost so much vinyl over my life. Saw the name on a music list and went googling. You have them both. I can't believe it. Thank you so much for all the work you do, your generosity and for reuniting me with my oldies, but very goodie!

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  4. Unfortunately I cannot open the drop.io-link to download the first album. Can you help?

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  5. The Eyes
    GIEB8wGBVRG_WqaGTEfX1TqziWBarp1w6cVewkMSHnw
    The Clown
    MHRJMCZssTmgZykz3nA-yT87kgBmn8V2qlLj6cdTMBc

    ReplyDelete