Their band made 2 RARE albums and vanished.. we found them (and asked them what happened)
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 8 ก.พ. 2025
- This is a really special one - not only for us but for the legacy of the once great band which is Gracious!
Today me and Poppa Dave set out to discover the truth behind one of our very favourite prog rock bands from the late 60s/early 70s and find out why did the make 2 absolutely amazing albums and then disappear off the face of the Earth? I won't spoil it for you guys but if you're a fan of the genre or even just a music fan, you're gonna love it. There are stories about the music industry at the time, Isle of Wight Festival 1970 and they even uncover some secrets behind their music!
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This is a gem of a video. Discovering and bringing forgotten bands back it is certainly something that will be really appreciated within the vinyl and music community. Great job, Jake!
Barry's knowledge is second to none - made even better with how he shares his fascinating information. Fantastic video, Jake.
Second to some, to be fair
fab club begins.
Barry trying not to say OKAY is the funniest thing I've seen. He's such a great guy.
Agree 100%
They didn't switch from Vertigo to Phillips, Vertigo was a subsidiary of Phillips.
I'm surprised a self-proclaimed Vertigo collector didn't know that.
Wow! Super cool to hear the stories from the actual members in Gracious! One of my favorite releases on the Vertigo label. I also have their second album which is equally as good 👍🏼 Keep up the good work!
Barry should have his own podcast, he's so interesting indeed
A genius find! I love when coming across a band like this whom I totally missed - Gracious! is so worthy of this deep dive and excavation, totally in love with y'all's love for the music of this wonderful band. Flowing streams of thanks from the U.S. for all the effort here...
Wow! Thanks for making this video! Apart from having the two albums and watching the "mellotron incident" video, I knew nothing else from Gracious!. My favourite swirl band along with Black Sabbath. Great stuff.
Great work following your passion for great music and vinyl then sharing it…from Vinyl Hunters to Detectives! 🙏🏻🤘🏻
Wow ! Terrific episode Jake & Poppa . So enjoyable and great to hear from Barry again !
Nice to see they are all still alive and well and in good spirits 👍
Awesome video! Again! Super interesting to hear their stories! Thank you very much!
Absolutely amazing Jake, well done mate ! You can tell the remaining band members were loving the fact that you were interested & they could relive their great stories of the band. Can't wait for Cherry Red to release that set (btw, what an amazing UK reissue label, just superb). 👋👋
Great vid wirh me old mate Barry , havnt seen him for a good few years but nice ti see him on your channel , any way i have the first gracious but one regret is that i had the second “this is” but sold it , what a mistaka to makea !
Loved this episode. Gracious! is one of my favourite albums and I was gutted they couldn't carry on. Watch a treat for you to be able to meet them.
That was an excellent and interesting video! I started collecting Vertigo swirl records in the 1980s and knew Barry well (after Groundhogs gigs I used to kip on the floor of his old flat in Edgware Road along with members of the band). Barry put me in touch with a lot of interesting musicians, some of which are no longer with us, and I remember going with Barry to meet John Simms of Clear Blue Sky and his wife at their house. On the Vertigo theme, Barry gave me a number and I phoned Patrick Campbell Lyons and had a chat too - Dr Z was mentioned of course! Also we went to a record shop where Dan Bridgman of Fairfield Parlour worked. Happy times
Interesting what you say indeed!
Are you familiar with Dirty Tricks and John Sloman? Some of my faves from the UK!
Greetings from Texas
Ah! Clear Blue Sky, after my brother bought the Vertigo debut we saw them at a college in North London and then got our local Youth Club out in Hertfordshire to book them, and chatted to them afterwards, great live band. Both these gigs were in 1971 and John Simms was a talented guy. Amazing times!
@@Albert-jr4fu Hi from a windy and rainy UK. I can't say that I do but will definitely check them out. Thanks for the suggestion!
@@grahamcole1539 I wish I'd been able to see them in 1970 but I was one at the time! John is a lovely chap and he and his wife were really friendly. I saw John and 'Clear Blue Sky' play a set at the Isle of Wight in 1990 (Third Ear Band as well IIRC)
Barry you can repeat any word. All the Music knowledge you possess is truly unbelievable!
Your vids are fascinating and Barry is incredible a truly encyclopedic memory of his subject. Im loving your content and I dont even collect records!
What a fantastic interview
Has no-one on here read Mike Barnes’ excellent survey of UK Progressive Rock - A New Day Yesterday? He devoted an entire chapter to Gracious. That book came out about 2020.
I have it. A tremendous read! Highly recommended.
Amazing you tracked them down !
Thank you for this interesting video Jake, great to hear 3 of the guys speak. What happened to Martin and Tim? I heard the first Gracious album in the mid 70s, a friend had the original vinyl, then i got both albums on CD years later. Always one of my favourite Vertigo bands along with Cressida. I grew up in that era, seeing bands and buying albums as and when i could afford it while still at school! Good to see Barry again and Poppa Dave from my generation.
This is Progressive Rock Gold. I'm incredibly fortunate enough to own original copies of both the Gracious albums. Like you i love the Vertigo Swirl label.
Thanks for putting this on you tube ,, i am 70 i had heard of the band BUT, ,never heard them playing ,, infact i had forgotten about them , so i looked them up on you tube great band thanks,,
I quite like when Barry uses “okay” like a full stop. Knows his stuff and full of interesting insights 😊
Absolutely great stuff Jake, well researched and well done!
It's lovely to see that the band members are still in contact and speaking to each other after all this time. Like so many bands from this era, it leaves you wondering what me might have got if finances were better for them at the time, ie several more albums. Who knows?!
I got the debut in late 90s from classified ads in Record Collector mag for £35 (also got Patto from same seller at same price BTW). Second album cost me £40 a few years later - I prefer that one if honest, that's just my opinion of course.
Amazing video Jake. More of this kind of thing pls! UK had so many of these small bands in the 60s, 70s and 80s that released one or two good albums and vanished. People still around available to give their stories. Hope it does well for you. Suggestion that you put the band name in the video title so more people can find it who aren't subbed though!
This was extremely well done. Bravo!!
Very nice interview. This kind of video is what makes the VC so special. Thanks for posting!
Great video! Love the stories. And the fact you brought your grandfather its awesome! I hope to inspire my grandson like this🥰
Thank you so much for this. I loved Gracious!! and saw them at least three times, including at the 1970 IoW. I’d already seen them at least once before then.
I love these two Gracious albums. I would see them regularly on sale at record fairs in the early 80s for between £60 and £100. I'm very content with my CD re -issues though. Great video.
Barry is a national treasure.
Fascinating conversations going on here!! I have a beat up copy of GRACIOUS! original Vertigo Swirl
If you guys are open to possibly interviewing that other great 'two albums and done' Vertigo band Cressida, I know their keyboardist Peter Jennings, as he played for a few years in my band The Ghost Of Lemora. Pretty sure he is still in touch with the other band members also.
Yes! I love Cressida and, like Gracious, they came and vanished before i got a chance to see them live in the 70s. Tracking those guys down would be great. I know they reformed briefly some years ago and that is on TH-cam.
@@grahamcole1539 Yes Peter joined us not long after that reunion. He is now retired from gigging and let me tell you finding another keyboardist capable of his level of virtuosity was something of a challenge!
Just watched the Isle of Wight footage and recognised it straight away. Watched it a few years ago but never knew anything about the history, the albums, even the bands' name. Just recently started watching this channel and finding it fascinating. Alas I don't own any of the vertigo swirls albums but remember seeing many of the records back in the day. Wished I'd snagged a few at a reasonable price now!
Another fine video, it's not my scene or music interest, but I now have them on Spotify and listening to them as I type! - incredible job to uncover the information and to put together such a great video. Always good seeing Barry too and of course Poppa Dave. Keep up the great work.
Brilliant Video - Thoroughly enjoyed it 👍
That was rather wonderful. Thank you.
Briliant video Jake - Barry was so informative as always. You are a vinyl detective 😊
I had both of their LP´s, I remember the early Roger Dean artwork of this is... I had to get the first album after seeing them at Wickford´s youth centre on a friday night dance/concert. I also saw their shortened set at the Cambridge festival (that must of been around the same time as the Isle of Wight gig) as the generator didn´t have enough power to drive the mellotron. I´m subbed to Sandy´s YT channel.
I´m grateful for this Gracious get together, gathering further info on a favourite 70´s swell swirl vertigo label artist, as a mater of fact I´m sampling their ´96 Wheatley/Lipson CD "Echo" as I type.
Come on, now. The first Gracious album has some good ideas on it, but takes a serious nosedive in quality after the first two tracks. "Hell" in particular is one of the worst prog tracks I've ever heard, and the lyrics of "The Dream" are cringeworthy. It's certainly not worth the money that it goes for, but it's the same story with a lot of Vertigo swirl albums, including the two Cressida albums that collectors swear are good but actually aren't.
The second album is much better. Stronger songs and a far better listen. No, it's not exceptional, and not worth the prices it goes for, but it's still worth a listen and worth reissuing for the "Super Nova" suite alone.
Want to try a good Vertigo band? Listen to the first two Beggars Opera albums. Especially the first one. Or even better, Gentle Giant. Their albums ARE worth the money.
Fandabidosie! Very interesting. Big respect to the OldSchool ! Heart
My introduction to Gracious was Kid Jensen's Dimensions on Radio Luxembourg. He used to play them all the time. I bought both albums but sold This Is... some years ago. I still have the 1st album in my loft but haven't played it for a long time.
This video is gold!
BTW. I own both Gracious albums on vinyl (original press).
I've heard somewhere that the second album was released on both a black and a blue label Philips?
Oh HELL YEAH LOVE ME SOME GRACIOUS !
What a band man should have been bigger
Cool vid…. Keep going Jake.. Cheers from Denmark 🇩🇰🇬🇧
Cressida next 👀
Gentle giant next 🤔
Definitely!
Excellent work. Please do CRESSIDA next :))))
Great video!
You're a rock'n'roll detective!
I miss Barry saying, "Okay, I like it. Barry, you're a legend, be yourself, and say okay 🙂
Really enjoyed this video!
In the early 70s my future brother-in-law haunted the local rock radio station and brought me a copy of the "Gracious" album , a promo copy. Had forgotten their name ever since until I saw this. Have haunted me ever since, amazing.music for the time.
11:55 the decor in that place is just awesome. Like, people try to make a room like that and never come close. When interior design becomes a work of art. Someone should paint it. 14:30 what a grand ash tray and silver cigarette box. I grew up in a part of Chicago that had a store that sold all that stuff and sold it by displaying it like that. We used to love to walk in it and that kind of atmosphere was there. Being young, the prices were ridiculous, so it was like a dream that one day we might be able to go in and buy something, anything, but it closed down. For years, we would tour the bottom room that was filled with nostalgia while visiting the area. It was on the corner of Clark and Belmont. Back when "the alley" store was actually accessed through an actual alley. Now it's across the street. Right next to boys town, squatter punks used to ask for smash and cigarettes. Now it's totally gentrified. It just all moved a bit down the road. Now that is gentrified - i wonder where it is now. Like a floating neighborhood.
Great, now can you do a video on May Blitz - a great band, same era, same label, and also 2 great albums and vanished…
I had the 1st Gracious LP but never saw their 2nd LP. Fantastic band!
A friend of mine at college was a massive fan so I had heard of them, but never heard them. My loss perhaps?
Top vid!!
have both their albums , with their debut , GRACIOUS in near mint original uk first press
Great details from the past. Fascinating.
Another great watch jake..
Watched the Vertigo movie and then this popps up in my feed! Izzat weird?
Goodness Gracious! Would like to have the vinyl records but happy enough with the digital files. Like this band very much tho only known about them for 4-5 years.
Simplemente, gracias.
Un abrazo desde Argentina.
I'm 64 and I listen to Gracious a lot more than King Crimson.
I'm 64 too, and big prog-head, but though Crimson have made some good albums, they are overrated. I prefer the Gracious albums to most of their output!
@@lemming9984 King Crimson gets a little too wacky on their later albums, to me. I do love Gentle Giant, Yes, P.F.M. and Maxophone.
I have heard of them and the records are at the top tier in my wants list
I remember Poppa Dave from the Royal Oak and the flyers. Does he still drive a sherbet today? Love the channel.
I am a fan of this music band in Iran
You know there is a third Gracious! Album called Echo. It is also very good.
I have those Gracious! albums. They are very good..
Unfortunately, I don't have their albums on vinyl in Iran
What a great band ! Better than todays crap of 2025. Come back Gracious please 👏👏👏👏
Good Gracious..
I really like the two Gracious albums....but I'm going to go out on a limb and say that I think that they only had those two albums in them and the end probably came at the right time. Rather than live in dreamland as to what might have been, I'm just glad that they managed 2 albums and that I have them and am able to enjoy them until I die.
I have a NM swirl of the first one, but I've never come across the second one.
Lead singer Sandy Davis put out 2 solo albums are great
Thank you for this. One of the best!
Supernova is a fantastic song. Seems that they would have been a good match touring with Sabbath - more so than Gentle Giant was.
Good Rare lp to check out is The Norman Haines Band
Alvin lee Ten Years After...there was a band that sounded just like them.Seems Alvin learned from them...I think they come from the UK...
I'm not surprised! 😅😉
Okay, there are many rock bands that have been passed over as the years have gone by.
BUT, if you had any idea how much incredible, wonderful and beautiful World music was created in that era - also half forgotten - then maybe you'd see things in real perspective?
Barry. Don't ever change or apologise. OK...? 😁
Barry is king of prog.
Any questions about anything to do with music, just as Barry.
"What a geezer". 😆👍. 🏴
my uncle was a sound engineer and has some reel tapes. etc .........
Okay is a mordern word with no etymology, if you bother to look it up. Far better to just replace it with Alright.
What happened to the other members??
Drop everything and watch now video!
Tell Berry it's ok.
Heard of Slow? Slow - Against The Glass. Influenced grunge artists. Online videos: Have Not Been The Same, Against The Glass. Rising stars....until they took the stage at Expo 86. Oopsy! Interesting story.
Morning, think it was hearing your Granddad talk about
I have heard of them - my brother-in-law had the first Gracious! album. I used to love it but as time has gone by I find it boring and repetitive. Plus, it's got a sort of Canterbury sound which I now find irritating. The second album: I have heard it but only once. From what I can remember, the second album is better but I'd like to re-hear it to confirm. UPDATE: just found it on Spotify - nah, don't like it - sounds just like the first album!
Didn't want to effect the resale value with the autographs ?
I got a reissue of the first but the 2nd which i have a bootleg of it on Philips is the better one
How much are the Albums worth? When you say they're valuable, I want to know how valuable!
What about Tucky Buzzard another band that made albums but not seen again. I think the Drummer Chris Johnson is still Alive.
You LOOK like your Into Prog Rawk.
What happened to 7th wave? 2 albums..then wot?
I still have the 2 Seventh Wave albums, Things to come and Psi-Fi. Your question sent me checking out their discographys. Most of what I found was prior to 7th wave, notably Second Hand´s 2 albums. Ken Elliott joined Jonesy for their 4th LP recordings in ´74 but the master tape was stolen and didn´t get released until 2003. Kieran O´Connor formed The Balham Alligators, I had to chuckle when I saw one of their albums was titled "Life in the Bus Lane". Of Psi-Fi´s 2 other musicians Peter Lemer appears on Baker Gurvitz Army - Elysian Encounter. Moving on to jazz recordings inc. some Canterbury connections Gilgamesh - Arriving Twice, several In Cahoots albums and Pierre Moerlen´s Gong - Time Is The Key. Finally bassist Steve Cook, formally in CMU also joined Gilgamesh, was in a couple of Mike Westbrook line ups and featured on Soft Machine´s ´78 Alive And Well In Paris. There were many other bands mentioned but I thought those I´ve mentioned were the most interesting as some of them are in my collection.
Barry did you know rob finnis who produced the mandrake paddle steamer strange walking man 45 on parlophone he had a record shop on Fulham Broadway
At The Hop!
Thanks that's it he used have the beatles wigs in the window I think it was Friday and Saturday only when he opened. I loved your channel pity it ain't up anymore great choice in music
Gracious??? I thought you were talking about GRANICUS!!! They made one album that blew away anything from that time period. I have never met anyone who knows more about rock music than me. I’ll go up against ANYONE!! From my teen years until now! My fore te. Is 1972 to 1984 but that doesn’t matter. It must be a live situation, no looking up Wikipedia then coming back in five minutes. I never heard of Gracious so he has one up on me. Rock & Roll Mothers!!!
They also made a second album in the mid 2010’s.
Also he might have managed gene Vincent near the end of his career
He was the road manager with Bob Dunham the trusty roadie, they wrote the first book on Vincent.
The united kingdom had much better bands in the 70s