Guide to British Music of the 1960s

November 1997

CD Review

John's Children- Smashed Blocked

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John's Children have a place in rock history as the group where Marc Bolan played guitar. He joined the group to replace the previous guitarist, Geoff McLelland. The group's manager was Simon Napier Bell who also managed the Yardbirds, and later Wham. In his book, You Don't Have to Say You Love Me, he describes the chaos surrounding John's Children especially when supporting the Who on tour in Germany. Andy Ellison's recollections of this are included on the CD cover. What is clear is that that what the group may have lacked in talent and musical ability, they certainly made up for in enthusiasm.

However, they still managed to have two small hits in the UK with Smashed Blocked (also known as The Love I'd Thought I'd Found) and Just What You Want- Just What You'll Get. Naturally, these are both included on the CD. Other than these two tracks, the CD brings together much of John's Children's recorded output although key omissions include Desdemona and Go-Go Girl, the latter resurfacing as T-Rex's Mustang Ford. The John's Children version of Mustang Ford does appear on the CD though. Indeed, a combination of Smashed Blocked and the Bam-Caruso release Midsummer Night's Scene would be the definitive John's Children collection. Strange Affair and But She's Mine may be mislabeled as the former also appeared on the earlier Cherry Red release The Legendary Orgasm Album.

A second version of Smashed Blocked on the CD is titled as The Love I'd Thought I Found. There is also a second version of Jagged Time Lapse from a BBC session. Four BBC session tracks are included on the CD; Daddy Rolling Stone covered amongst them.

For any aficionado of 1960s British music it is worth investigating John's Children and not just because of the Marc Bolan connection. The songs do tend to grow after a few listens and gain a certain charm.

mp, October 1997

• Released: August 1997, NMC

Essential Tracks:

• Smashed Blocked
• Strange Affair
• Jagged Time Lapse

Track Listing:

1. Smashed Blocked
2. Just What You Want- Just What You'll Get
3. Strange Affair
4. But She's Mine
5. Hippy Gumbo
6. Jagged Time Lapse
7. Midsummer Night's Scene
8. Not The Sort of Girl You'd Like to Take to Bed
9. Mustang Ford
10. The Love I'd Thought I Found
11. Remember Thomas A'Beckett
12. Come and Play with Me in the Garden
13. Daddy Rolling Stone
14. Hot Rod Mama
15. Perfumed Garden of Gulliver Smith
16. Jagged Time Lapse
17. Sally Was an Angel