THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD
2,133) Fairfield Parlour/Kaleidoscope — “Aries”
From Fairfield Parlour (formerly Kaleidoscope (see #154, 336, 552)), one of the great unsung UK pop psych/prog bands, here is a “soaring” “richly detailed world seen through the eyes of British youth” (Benjamin Wheelock, https://www.salon.com/2015/04/21you_must_hear_this_fairfield_parlours_aries/), from an LP —From Home to Home — that is in vocalist Peter Daltrey’s words “a unique artifact of that strange interim period between psychedelia and progressive”. (https://www.salon.com/2015/04/21you_must_hear_this_fairfield_parlours_aries/) Daltrey adds:
There are a few tracks scattered through my recording career that are autobiographical and “Aires” is one of them. Whitey was a friend of mine. We did find a motorbike and as far as I know he did die when he was riding it. It was a great opener for the album and encompasses the mood.
Dave Thompson writes:
Between 1967 AND 1972, Kaleidoscope were one of the most adventurous, and intriguing, bands on the U.K. psych scene as they morphed into prog, folk and a wealth of other structures. . . . Signed initially to Fontana Records before shifting to the label’s prog imprint Vertigo, Kaleidoscope/Fairfield Parlour released some of the most glorious records of the era, three albums and a clutch of glorious 45s [including] “Flight From Ashiya” [see #552] [and] “A Dream for Julie[]” [see #336].
https://www.goldminemag.com/music-history/kaleidoscope-reignite-the-heady-days-of-u-k-psych-rock
Daltrey explains:
We changed our name to Fairfield Parlour after we shrugged off our psychedelic colours and embraced the progressive folk sound that was approaching. We didn’t feel the name Kaleidoscope was appropriate for our new sound and image. In retrospect I guess it was a bit of a mistake. We should have stuck to our guns, proud of our name. But at the time it seemed the right thing to do.
https://www.psychedelicbabymag.com/2011/05/kaleidoscope-fairfield-parlour.html
Richie Unterberger explains:
The saga of Fairfield Parlour, though brief, is confusing because the group was really the same as Kaleidoscope . . . . Around 1970, Kaleidoscope changed their name to Fairfield Parlour, though the music was pretty much the same whimsical, fairy tale-ish blend of harmony pop/rock folk with late-’60s Beatles and Pink Floyd psychedelic flavors. They issued a 1970 LP on Vertigo, From Home to Home , which continued the directions they had staked out in Kaleidoscope, with slightly heavier rock arrangements. Shortly after its release, they worked on a double-LP concept album, White Faced Lady, based on the story of a troubled young woman who becomes a movie star, but descends into tragic death. Plans to join the RCA roster stalled when their contact at the label departed. The album was not issued at the time, though it finally appeared in the ’90s.
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/fairfield-parlour-mn0000335248
Read Benjamin Wheelock fascinating interview with Daltrey at https://www.salon.com/2015/04/21you_must_hear_this_fairfield_parlours_aries/.
Live on John Peel’s Top Gear show:
Live (’17)
An interview with Peter Daltrey:
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