THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD
2,006) Ice — “Anniversary (of Love)”
Here is UK “pop perfection” (Think Like a Key Music, https://www.thinklikeakey.com/artist/424488-ice?lang=nl), “a perfect slice of gentle Baroque Psychedelic Pop” (oldrock, https://rateyourmusic.com/release/single/ice/anniversary-of-love-so-many-times/), a “[f[antastic 60’s gem from one of the many undeservingly unsuccessful bands of the decade”. (3greenskies, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rPmu3ezgjA) Hey, that’s my wheelhouse — undeservedly unsuccessful bands of a certain decade! It is true that “Anniversary” “revealed a band clearly in the thralls of a Procol Harum fixation, with its layered keyboards and nostalgic lyrics”. (All Music Guide, https://www.allmusic.com/artist/ice-mn0000074210#biography) Not that there’s anything wrong with that!
Think Like a Key Music tells us:
Born from Sussex University’s creative cauldron in 1967, this mysterious outfit turned their complete lack of live appearances into pure mystique, armed with Hammond organ wizardry and arrangements sophisticated enough to make jazz cats weep. With just two official singles — . . . “Anniversary (Of Love)” and the mind-bending “Ice Man” [see #322]—they carved a unique British rock niche proving less really is more.
All Music Guide adds:
UK psychedelic pop quintet formed in the mid-60s while John Carter (bass), Glyn James (vocals), Lynton Naiff (organ), Grant Serpell (drums) and Steve Turner (guitar) were attending Sussex University in Brighton, Sussex, England. Their debut single, ‘Anniversary (Of Love)’, was released in 1967 after the group signed a recording contract with Decca Records. . . . A second single followed a year later, but “Ice Man” also failed to impress commercially. . . . The band was later joined by expressive vocalist Linda Hoyle and pursued a jazz rock direction under the new name of Affinity [see #1,055, 1,364, 1,410]. Serpell was later a founder member of Sailor.
And listen to Jo-Ann Greene:
This late-60s Brit band received a leg-up from the BBC, and even made the occasional TV appearance, but lack of label support brought Ice’s spread to an abrupt halt. . . . [W]hat strikes one immediately is just how eclectic and unique Ice were. [“Iceman] is a wonderful piece of psychedelia whimsy, but the group were also equally adept at vocal-drenched pop, delicate rock ballads delivered in a very English fashion, and more emotive R&B/soul-fired numbers. . . . [F]inally, you begin to see their label’s problem, for how do you package a psychedelic pop/rock-R&B-soul band for the mass market, even if the group did boast a superb singer, phenomenally intricate arrangements, and a totally unique musical vision?
Here is “Anniversary of Love” in Italian by Italy’s I Colours:
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