The Collectors _ A Collection Of Songs 1960's (Full Album)

The Collectors was a Canadian rock band active in the 1960s. It debuted in Vancouver, British Columbia, in 1961 as a house band (the C-FUN Classics) for CFUN radio, and renamed itself The Collectors in 1966. The band featured Howie Vickers on lead vocals, Bill Henderson on lead guitar, recorder, keyboards and lead vocals (these last mostly on Grass and Wild Strawberries), Claire Lawrence on tenor saxophone, harmonica, keyboards, flute, organ, recorder and vocals, Glenn Miller on bass and vocals, and Ross Turney on drums and percussion. The Collectors' biggest hit was their first single, 'Looking at a Baby', released in March 1967 on the Valiant label in the U.S. and on New Syndrome in Canada. It reached #4 on Toronto's CHUM-AM on April 24th, 1967. In 1968, the group released its first, eponymously named album on the Warner Brothers label (Warner/Seven Arts), and over the next two years created soundtrack music to three Canadian films. Grass and Wild Strawberries was one such; its lyrics were written by Canadian poet and playwright George Ryga ("The Ecstasy of Rita Joe") complemented by the music of The Collectors.

Howie Vickers left the group in 1969, and the remaining members of the band reconstituted themselves as Chilliwack, with Bill Henderson taking over lead vocals.



The Collectors (hailing from Vancouver) might just be the first full-blown progressive group of the country, but they are also Canada's best-kept secret.

These guys started recording a few singles (managing modest but real national success) as soon as 66, but really came on their own when they recorded their first Lp (self-titled) with a superb Art-Nouveau psychedelic artwork. Simply put, this is a masterstroke and they managed with an astounding aplomb and self-confidence that was highly unusual for 68. The only way to describe this incredible record is a mix of THE MOODY BLUES, sprayed with a good dose of VANILLA FUDGE and a cloud of HP LOVECRAFT. Sounds intriguing? Ya betcha!!!! Five tracks on the first side of the vinyl as a starter and the piece de resistance, the 19min+ What Love to finish (no need of desert, you've had enough with that).

Their second album is a full-blown ecological concept album called Grass And Wild Strawberries and the tracks are all linked and the lyrics written by writer George Ryga. The group has for a spine Claire Lawrence on winds and vocals and Bill Henderson on vocals, guitars and keyboards. But the Lead singer was Howie Vickers.

Feeling that their name was not doing them any favour (cannot blame them as it sounds like an early RnR group), they changed their name to Chilliwack, producing a few albums - gradually less progressive and more mainstream, before calling it a day by the end of the 70's. By that time almost everyone had forgotten their superb progressive start.




Why this artist must be listed in www.progarchives.com :
Just discover it and you'll understand!!!



Discography:
- THE COLLECTORS - 68
- Grass And Wild Strawberries - 69

"Overture" (4:49)
"Grass & Wild Strawberries" (2:01)
"Things I Remember" (2:46)
"Don’t Turn Away (from Me)" (3:10)
"Teletype Click" (2:55)
"Seventeenth Summer" (3:29)
"The Long Rain" (2:57)
"My Love Delights Me" (2:23)
"Dream of Desolation" (2:30)
"Rainbow of Fire" (2:52)
"Early Morning" (3:28)
"Sheep On the Hillside" (4:17)
"What is Love?" (3:51)
"She (Will-O-the-Wind)" (3:51)
"Howard Christman’s Older" (5:08)
"Lydia Purple" (2:47)
"One Act Play" (3:42)