THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD
795) The Answers — “Just a Fear”
‘66 A-side from their debut single is “a bona fide freakbeat classic” that was “written by guitarist Tony Hill, whose incisive, driving, at times almost raga-like fretwork is a key feature of the number – a dance floor stomper with pounding drums, soulful vocals from J. Vincent Edwards, and a suitably frenetic rave-up finish”. (Cosmic Mind at Play, https://cosmicmindatplay.wordpress.com/2015/06/24/classic-singles-102-the-answers-its-just-a-fear-youve-gotta-believe-me-1966/) 23 Dave’s says it “[s]creech[es] its way towards a demented conclusion”. (23 Daves, http://left-and-to-the-back.blogspot.com/2011/07/answers-just-fear.html?m=1) Oh, by the way, their second and final single, possibly never released, sucks so bad that I am left without any answers.
23 Daves delves further into the song and the Answers:
There seems to be a misconception in some circles that the minimal, wiry, angular, paranoid rush of a noise frequently associated with amphetamines only occurred when punk broke. . . . “Just A Fear” is, it has to be said, a startlingly forward-thinking single, combining many of the kind of minimalist, dischordant structures and production techniques post-punk would utilise many years later. The skeletal, persistent main riff here could just as easily grace an early Fall single, and whilst the track does occasionally find its way back on to the main roads of convention at points, it’s still as uncommercial as sixties beat pop ever got. [I]ts astonishing this ever got released at the time. The Answers only released two singles, both this and “That’s What You’re Doing To Me”, before their guitarist Tony Hill was poached by cult psychedelic legends The Misunderstood.
http://left-and-to-the-back.blogspot.com/2011/07/answers-just-fear.html?m=1
Cosmic Mind at Play adds that:
The Answers from South Shields in the North East of England . . . . Tony Hill . . . left The Answers to join the definitive line-up of psychedelic legends the Misunderstood and after that formed heavy progsters High Tide. J. Vincent Edwards went solo after the band split, appeared in the London production of Hair, and later went on to be a successful songwriter and producer.
https://cosmicmindatplay.wordpress.com/2015/06/24/classic-singles-102-the-answers-its-just-a-fear-youve-gotta-believe-me-1966/
J. Vincent Edwards himself says that: “IT WAS GREAT FUN BEING PART OF THE ANSWERS WE LEFT SOUTH SHIELDS FOR FRANCE PLAYING ON US ARMY BASES FOR 3 YEARS AND BACKING A FEW FRENCH SINGERS IN THE STUDIO LOVE AND PEACE VINNY” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfdV22pyru8). Oh, and 67 Supernaut says “Wow! Far Out Man. Great Song Man. Really Crankin This one Up!” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfdV22pyru8)
Here is the A-side of their second single:
Here is the B-side:
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