“Our music is red - with purple flashes” is how Creation guitarist Eddie Phillips described his band's records. For those in the know The Creation are the very stuff of legend; these visionary architects of what’s now known as freakbeat, this tough mod-psych jumble and a cross generational inspiration to the likes of Jimmy Page, Pete Townshend, Sex Pistols, Paul Weller and Alan McGee.
The Creation was formed in 1966 from beat combo The Mark Four and was quickly signed to a production deal with Shel Talmy, The Who’s producer. The first release was the urgent “Making Time”, which featured guitarist Eddie Phillips playing his guitar with a violin bow, two years before Jimmy Page started doing so.
This new edition of Our Music Is Red - With Purple Flashes expands on the compilation released by Demon Records in 1998. It features all The Creation’s studio recordings in one definitive set. 65 tracks over 4CDs including Making Time, Painter Man & Biff Bang Pow.
Disc 1 features the original compilation in mono. Disc 2 includes Alex Palao fresh stereo mixes created 2012. Disc 3 and disc 4 consist of the albums Psychedelic Rose and Power Surge that were released after the band reunited in 1985. The set is complete with an essay by Lois Wilson and fresh artwork.
There’s still a very real sense that The Creation never got their proper due. Perhaps they never will but for those in the know, they know. The Creation are king.
