Them

Band members               Related acts

- Jim Armstrong - guitar, sitar and percussion (replaced Billy  Harrison) (1966-)
- Peter Bardens - keyboards (replaced Jackie McCauley) (1965)
- Jerry Cole - vocals, drums (1970)
- Ray Elliott - keyboards, sax (replaced Peter Bardens) (1966-)
- Billy Harrison - guitar (1963-65)
- David Harvey - drums (replaced Terry Noone) (1966)
- Alan Henderson - bass (1963-)
- Jackie McCauley - keyboards (replaced Eric Wrixen) (1964-65)
- Pat McCauley - vocals, drums,  harmonica (replaced Ronnie Mellings) (1964-65)
- Ken McDowell - vocals (replaced Van Morrison) (1966-68)
- Ronnie Mellings - drums (1963-64)
- Van Morrison (aka George Ivan) - vocals, sax

 

- Peter Bardens (solo efforts)
- The Belfast Gypsies
- Camel (Peter Bardens)
- Ecology (Jerry Cole)

- Keats (Peter Bardens)
- Van Morrison (solo efforts)
- Van Morrison and the Chieftains
- Taste (John Wilson)

 

 

Rating: ***** (5 stars)

Title:  Time Out!, Time In for Them

Company: Tower

Catalog: ST 

Year: 1968

Grade (cover/record): VG/VG

Comments: minor ring and edge wear

 

 

 

 Issued less than a year after the previous set, "Time Out! Time In for Them" is simply an amazing album. Continuing their partnership with producer Ruff, the set finds the band having reinvented themselves as a psychedelic outfit. Largely written by Tom Lane and Sharon Pulley (anyone know anything about the pair?), the LP found Them pulling out all the stops, melding trippy lyrics ("Waltz of the Flies" and "The Moth"), raga influenced rhythm patterns ("Black Widow Spider" and "Just One Conception"), tons of sitar ("Time Out For Time In"), and fuzz guitar ("Young Woman") into a first rate psych album. What's fascinating about the album is the fact it remains so commercial and catchy ("We've All Agreed To Help"). Seldom have we heard a band so successfully reinvent itself. Like it's predecessor, the album generated little attention and failed to chart. (This is another one listed in Hans Pokora's rarities series. That seems fitting since we've only seen two copies in the last 20 years of collecting.)

"Time Out! Time In for Them" track listing:
1.) Time Out For Time In (Tom Lane - Sharon Pulley) - 
2.) She Put a Hex On You (Tom Lane - Sharon Pulley) - 
3.) Bent Over You (Tom Lane - Sharon Pulley) -
4.) Waltz of the Flies (Tom Lane) - 
5.) Black Widow Spider (Tom Lane - Sharon Pulley) - 
6.) We've All Agreed To Help (D. Dunn - T. McCashen) - 
7.) Market Place (Tom Lane - Sharon Pulley) - 
8.) Just One Conception (Them) - 
9.) Young Woman (Tom Lane - Sharon Pulley) - 
10.) The Moth (Tom Lane - Sharon Pulley) - 

Rating: ***** (5 stars)

Title:  Now and "Them"

Company: Tower

Catalog: ST 5104

Year: 1968

Grade (cover/record): VG/VG

Comments: minor ring and edge wear; minor soiling on white areas; plays wonderfully

Available: 1

 

 

 In the wake of an extended American tour that left the band exhausted, things turned increasingly nasty. Unhappy with Soloman's heavy handed management style, Morrison tendered notice, returning to Ireland where he spent some time playing with friends, before accepting an offer from Bert Berns to relocate to the States and start a solo career (see separate entry). The McAuleys promptly hit the road with their own version of Them, which quickly mutated into The Belfast Gypsies, Freaks of Nature and finally The Belfast Gypsies (see separate entries).

Amidst the ongoing confusion and legal wrangling Armstrong, Elliott, Harvey and Henderson elected to reform the band. Recruiting former Mad Lads singer Kenny McDowell (see separate entry), they started looking for a new manager, eventually asking American Ray Ruff to take the job. Originally uninterested in the position, Henderson eventually convinced Ruff to reconsider and in late 1967 he (Ruff) paid to have the revitalized line up relocate to Los Angeles. Under Ruff's tutelage the quintet released the single "I Happen To Love You" b/w "Walking In the Queen's Garden" on Ruff Records. While the single did little in terms of sales, it attracted the attention of Capitol's Tower subsidiary, which quickly signed them to a contract. Produced by Ruff, the band made its label debut with 1968's "Now and Them". While McDowell lacked Morrison's unique chops, he proved an excellent replacement, his voice more flexible and varied than the former. Offering up a weird mix of R&B ("Witch Doctor"), blue-eyed soul ("What's the Matter Baby") and psychedelic ("You're Just What I Was"), musically the set was nothing short of great. Highlights included the raunchy garage rocker "Walking In the Queen's Garden" and the extended raga influenced "Square Room". (Curiously, one of the tracks listed on the liner notes "Looking for Today" was pulled from the set prior to release.) Perhaps our favorite post-Morrison release, the set sold next to nothing, making at a valued collector's item (explaining our high list price).

"Now and Them" track listing:
1.) Witch Doctor (John Mayall) - 2:33
2.) What's the Matter Baby (Otis - Beyer) - 2:45
3.) Truth Machine (L. Thornton) - 2:05
4.) Square Room (Them) - 9:51
5.) You're Just What I Was (Gerry Goffin - Carole King) - 2:55
6.) Dirty Old Man (At the Age of Sixteen) (T. Lane) - 1:44
8.) Nobody Loves You When You're Down and Out (Jimmie Cox) - 3:33
9.) Walking In the Queen's Garden (Them) - 3:02
10.) I Happen To Love You (Gerry Goffin - Carole King) - 2:52
11.) Come To Me (Them) - 2:20

Rating: *** (3 stars)

Title:  Them

Company: Happy Tiger

Catalog: HT 

Year: 1970

Grade (cover/record): VG/VG

Comments: minor ring and edge wear

Available: 2

 

 

 Standing as the lone remaining original member, Henderson recorded 1970's "Them" with support from L.A. sessions singer/guitarist Jerry Cole and an uncredited drummer (Ry Cooder reportedly provided guitar on several tracks). Released by the small Happy Tiger label, musically the set was surprisingly diverse and impressive. Admittedly, as lead singer Cole was an acquired taste, but his raspy voice (occasionally recalling AC/DC's Bon Scott - check out his performance on the "Gloria" rip "Lonely Weekends"), was well suited to the up tempo collection. Quite diverse, the track lineup included stabs at country ("Take A Little Time"), hard rock ("Jo Ann") and the now-requisite psych ("I Keep Singing", "Memphis Lady" and "You Got Me Good"). Certainly not their finest moment, but all-in-all, a nice late inning rebound and an album we return to time after time ...

"Them" track listing:
1.) I Keep Singing (Jerry Cole) - 4:25
2.) Lonely Weekends (Charlie Rich) - 2:33
3.) Take A Little Time (Ron Joelson)- 2:14
4.) You Got Me Good (Shawn Rudd) - 2:30
5.) Jo Ann (Buddy Knox - Vance Smith) - 2:55
6.) Memphis Lady (Jerry Cole) - 3:00
7.) In the Midnight Hour (Wilson Pickett - Steve Cropper) - 2:46
8.) Nobody Cares (B. Duncan - C. Garrett) - 2:46
9.) I Am Waiting (Mick Jagger) - 3:24
10.) Just a Little (Ron Elliott) - 1:54

Rating: *** (3 stars)

Title:  Them Featuring Van Morrison

Company: London

Catalog: 

Year: 1973

Grade (cover/record): VG/VG

Comments: double LP; minor ring and edge wear; gatefold sleeve

Available: 1

 

 

 Since the band's break up, Them reissues and "best of "packages have become a cottage industry. The first of an ongoing onslaught, 1973 saw London Records reissue the band's first two albums (less two tracks from each) as "Them, Featuring Van Morrison". Elsewhere Lester Bangs contributed interesting liner notes. Given the original LPs have become rather costly investments, this set is probably the place for the curious or casual fans to start. Certainly spurred on by Morrison's solo successes, the set sold well, reaching #154. (The album was originally released with a gatefold sleeve.)

"Them, Featuring Van Morrison" track listing:
1.) Could You Wold You (Van Morrison) - 3:05
2.) Something You Got (Chris Kenner - Domino Jr.) - 2:31
3.) Turn On Your Lovelight (Malone - Scott) - 2:20
4.) I Can Only Give You Everything (Scott - Coutler) - 2:40
5.) My Lonely Sad Eyes (Van Morrison) - 2:28
6.) Out of Sight (Wright) -2:21
7.) It's All Over Now Baby Blue (Bob Dylan) - 3:48
8.) Bad On Good (Van Morrison) - 2:07
9.) How Long Baby (Gillon) - 3:38
10.) Bring 'em On In (Van Morrison) - 3:44
11.) Gloria (Van Morrison) - 2:38
12.) Here Comes the Night (Bert Berns) - 2:45
13.) Mystic Eyes (Van Morrison) - 2:41
14.) Don't Look Back (Hooker) - 3:23
15.) Little Girl (Van Morrison) - 2:21
16.) One More Time (Van Morrison) - 2:47
17.) If Only You and I Could Be As Two (Van Morrison) - 2:53
18.) I Like It Like That (Van Morrison) - 3:35
19.) One Two Brown Eyes (Van Morrison) - 2:39
20.) Route 66 (Troup) - 2:22

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