The Fleurs de Lys released some great tracks during the 1960s although, unfortunately, they did not trouble the charts. The story of the band is quite complicated as the line-up was ever-changing with only drummer Keith Guster the constant member. Furthermore, the band acted as backing for different artists with their tracks released under different names. Nevertheless, the Fleurs de Lys have left an excellent legacy and this double album showcases much of their work under different names. This was previously released as a single CD but this review is based on the 2xLP version.

The band had lined up the song Wait for Me as their first single. Signed to Immediate Records, session guitarist Jimmy Page was brought in to produce the track. However, things did not go according to plan. The band ended up with a reasonable but unexciting cover of Buddy Holly's Moondreams on the A-side. Wait for Me was on the B-side but not the band's song; it was a track put together by Page and may not even have featured the Fleurs de Lys. Of course, writers and publishers made as much from the B-side as from the A-side! The Fleurs de Lys' version of Wait for Me is available elsewhere.

The band were disenchanted. Alex Chamberlain and Danny Churchill left to be replaced by Gordon Haskell and Phil Sawyer. Now came the band's greatest moment. The Who had legal issues regarding Pete Townshend's Circles. The Fleurs de Lys recorded it and, arguably, released a superior version to the original. It has long been suggested that Jimmy Page played lead guitar on this track although Keith Guster has confirmed that it was Phil Sawyer. Page may have had some involvement in the track though. So Come On maintained the momentum on the B-side.

Original lead singer Frank Smith now left the band. The band also decided to bring back a keyboard player and they found Pete Sears. Bryn Hayworth replaced Phil Sawyer on guitar and Chris Andrews joined on vocals. The band continued releasing some excellent singles but releasing them under different names such as Tick Tock as Shyster and backing different artists as the Atlantic in-house band may have hindered the development of the Fleurs de Lys as a unit.

However, the band's work as a backing group produced some great tracks. Of particular note is their work with South African Sharon Tandy, the wife of manager Frank Fenter. Hold On and Daughter of the Sun are tracks that certainly deserve a wider audience. Rupert's People was an interesting development. Reflections of Charlie Brown was a rewrite of Air on a G String (aka A Whiter Shade of Pale). Rupert's People also released a very good version of Hold On. The Fleurs de Lys were the backing band on both sides of this single but they decided not to continue with what had become, effectively, a virtual band.

The Fleurs de Lys were one of the most underrated band of the 1960s. The changes of personnel and their work as a backing group may have made it more difficult for them to develop their own identity. However, this collection shows that they produced a great body of work that extends well beyond the classic Circles. Worth checking out.

Blue Day

Original release: 2024

Essential Tracks