You might have much of it already, but The Creation – Our Music Is Red With Purple Flashes expanded CD box set is a lovely thing.
You might have much of it on vinyl as a result of purchasing the Creation Theory Box Set or the Creation Theory CD and book set. Both were very popular back in 2018.
But if you didn’t buy those, you are new to the band or just happen to be a completist, then have a look at this new set, which is an expanded version of the band’s 1998 compilation over four discs and 65 tracks. The name, of course, is how Creation guitarist Eddie Phillips described his band’s records.
The Creation are something of a Mod staple, a band that crossed the boundaries of beat, freakbeat and even psych, inspiring everyone from the Sex Pistols and Paul Weller to an entire musical scene – Creation Records was named in tribute to the band.
It was a short-lived band in its original incarnation. The original 1966 Creation line-up was Kenny Pickett (vocals), Eddie Phillips (guitar), Bob Garner (bass) and Jack Jones (drummer). They produced Making Time with Shel Talmy, followed it up with the top 40 single ‘Painter Man’ (backed by ‘Biff Bang Pow’), then produced the debut album, We Are Painterman. Things pretty much fell apart after that.
In 1982, Edsel/Demon released the acclaimed singles collection How Does It Feel To Feel?, which was followed in 1987 by the band’s second album, Psychedelic Rose: The Great Lost Creation Album, featuring original members Eddie Phillips and Kenny Pickett. In 1996, fan Alan McGee released the band’s third album, Power Surge, on his Creation Records label.
This new edition of Our Music Is Red – With Purple Flashes brings much of that together, featuring all of The Creation’s studio recordings in one definitive set – 65 tracks over those four CDs.
Disc one features the original How Does It Feel To Feel? compilation in mono. Disc two includes Alex Palao’s fresh stereo mixes created in 2012. While discs three and four consist of the albums Psychedelic Rose and Power Surge that were released after the band reunited.
The set is completed with a new essay written by Lois Wilson and fresh artwork. All tracks below.
It comes out on 31st January 2025, selling for £39.99.
Find out more at the Amazon website
Tracklisting:
DISC ONE – Mono Mixes 1966-1968
1. Making Time
2. Try And Stop Me
3. Painter Man
4. Biff Bang Pow
5. Sylvette
6. If I Stay Too Long
7. Nightmares
8. Cool Jerk
9. Like A Rolling Stone
10. I Am The Walker
11. Can I Join Your Band
12. Hey Joe
13. Life Is Just Beginning
14. Through My Eyes
15. How Does It Feel To Feel (UK Version)
16. How Does It Feel To Feel (US Version)
17. Tom Tom
18. Ostrich Man
19. Sweet Helen
20. Midway Down
21. The Girls Are Naked
22. Bony Maronie
23. Mercy, Mercy, Mercy
24. For All That I Am
25. Uncle Bert
DISC TWO – Stereo Mixes 1966 – 1968
1. Making Time [instrumental]
2. Painter Man
3. Biff Bang Pow
4. Sylvette [full length]
5. If I Stay Too Long
6. Nightmares
7. Cool Jerk
8. Like A Rolling Stone
9. Can I Join Your Band
10. Hey Joe
11. Life Is Just Beginning
12. Through My Eyes
13. How Does It Feel To Feel [UK version]
14. Tom Tom
15. How Does It Feel To Feel [US version]
16. Midway Down
17. For All That I Am
18. Instrumental # 1
19. How Does It Feel To Feel [instrumental]
DISC THREE – Psychedelic Rose – 1987
1. Lay The Ghost
2. Psychedelic Rose
3. Radio Beautiful
4. United
5. Doing It My Way
6. Making Time (new version)
7. Far From Paradise
8. White Knight
9. Spirit Called Love
DISC FOUR – POWER SURGE – 1996
1. Creation
2. Power Surge
3. Someone’s Gonna Bleed
4. Shock Horror
5. That’s How I Found Love
6. Killing Song
7. Nobody Wants To Know
8. City Life
9. English Language
10. Free Men Live Forever
11. Ghost Division
12. O+N