★Trading Places
As I Am
Recording a solo album in 1969 allowed Troggs guitarist Chris Britton to take a stab at greater artistic freedom, though the presence of a familiar set of suspects meant that the resultant LP, As I Am, didn’t veer too far from The Troggs’ standard blend of poppy psychedelia and garage rock, constructed with a particular English bent. Producer and keyboardist Colin Frechter shaped the group’s Mixed Bag release, and his wistful harpsichord on tracks like If You Really Care lend a baroque air to th…
The Signal To Noise Set
Trading Places present a reissue of The Signal To Noise Set, originally released in small numbers in 1984 on London's short-lived Only A Revolution label. The ultra-rare various artists release showcased the Australian variant of minimalist wave AND analog synth-pop. The eleven exclusives featured on the compilation are all prime examples of Australia's synth band underground, and although each group was totally unknown outside of their sphere of influence, some have gone on to attain legendary …
Oh Really!?
The guitarist and singer-songwriter Mike Cooper was a key figure in the British blues boom of the late 1960s. Born in Reading in 1942, Cooper began playing guitar as a teen in local skiffle groups. After seeing Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee perform in 1961, Cooper caught the blues bug and began to play the harmonica and formed The Blues Committee, supporting John Lee Hooker, Sonny Boy Williamson, Alexis Korner and Long John Baldry, while Cooper was also performing solo. Acquiring a lap steel gu…