Light Of The Charge Brigade ~ Viv Prince (Ex Pretty Things) 1966

[martben42]

i live up the road from Viv he has a great collection of old clips and photos will ask if he is willing to let me upload any,the video of him banging a tambourine next to Van Morrison on a Them track is a joy

[shadyalan1]

@martben42 hi..did you ask him? What did he say....I would love to see the Van morrison clip. i met John Stax last week !!!!

[geoffpiggott]

Bought the single on EBay anything by Carter-Lewis is top class

[MapsOfJupiter]

@Wilthomer66 It was - and is - a great compilation...and important too, the first of countless LPs to showcase obscure 60s acts. I recall it was advertised on TV too. Bloody awful sleeve, mind! I reckon it was put out to cash in on the Mod revival, though there's precious little Mod vibe on there really. Who gives a flying, @£3.99 in 1980, 'twas a major league bargain. And hey, thanks for the heads-up re. 'Laughing Man'!

[MapsOfJupiter]

It is indeed mate though the main focus is on Carter. It's called 'Measure For Measure' on RPM Records. All sorts on there, Ivy League, Flowerpot Men, that Friends 45, and of course Viv Prince. Plus a lot of stuff I've never heard though strangely no sign of Laughing Man, his weirdest cut. Dammit, got offered an original Columbia copy of Viv's single 2 years ago but price was more than I could manage...such is the collecting biz nowadays I guess. Hope you can grab the CD, it's still out there.

[SuperNevile]

@MapsOfJupiter Thanks alot for that. Cheers

[Wilthomer66]

@MapsOfJupiter I believe "Laughing Man" is on the RPM Carter/Lewis CD "Men From The Ministry"...

[MapsOfJupiter]

Stupendous to see this belting number on youtube at last...I first heard it on 'My Generation', a cool comp on EMI circa 1980 - the one that started all them Rubbles & Choc Soups I believe. (same album also introduced me to Shotgun Express) Cheers, SuperNevile - a much appreciated upload as I can't afford the John Carter CD just now!

[SuperNevile]

@MapsOfJupiter 'My Generation' is the album I lifted it from. As stated above I used the picture of the single to show the acknowledgements, as the album notes gave no info on Viv Prince or the record. Had to get that info from the web. Is the John Carter CD a Carter/Lewis collection? If so I would like to buy a copy myself

[neckapb]

>>Apparently he has now passed on

Viv is pretty much alive, I met him in person last year and spoke to him on the phone the other day. You may check his page at Facebook, too.

As for this track, he told me that he has got Jimmy Page on it and a whole lot of other musicians he now can't remember all the names of.

However, I still look for a chance to hear the B-side...

[SuperNevile]

@neckapb Thanks alot for that info ~ I will make the corrections. As for the B side, unfortunately, I lifted this great track off a compilation album, bought 30 years ago . The album gave zero info on this track or Viv Prince, (at least the single gives the credits), and had to rely on the web, which is prone to error! Hope the rest of the info is correct ~ what an extraordinary story! V. interesting info on JP too, this must have been one of his many sessions just before joining the YBs