The Action | |
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Also known as | Azoth (1967) |
Origin | Kentish Town, North London, England |
Genres | Blue-eyed soul Folk rock Psychedelic rock |
Years active | 1963–1969 (Reunion: 2000) |
Labels | Parlophone Records (UK), Capitol Records (US), Hansa Records (France) |
Associated acts | The Boys Mighty Baby Ace |
Website | actionmightybaby.co.uk |
Past members | |
Alan "Bam" King Mike "Ace" Evans Roger Powell Reg King Peter Watson Ian Whiteman Martin Stone |
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Notable instruments | |
Rickenbacker 12-string guitar |
The Action were an English band of the 1960s. They were part of the mod subculture,[1] and played soul music-influenced pop music.
Contents |
The band were formed as The Boys in August 1963, in Kentish Town, North West London. After Peter Watson joined them as an additional guitarist in 1965, they changed their name to The Action. The original members were Reg King (lead vocals) (born Reginald King, 5 February 1945, Paddington, West London, died, 8 October 2010, Belvedere, Kent), Alan 'Bam' King (lead guitar, vocals) (born Alan King, 18 September 1945, Muswell Hill, North London), Mike "Ace" Evans (bass guitar, vocals) (born Michael Evans, 10 July 1944, Henley, Berkshire, died 15 January 2010, London) and Roger Powell (drums) (born 4 July 1945, Camden Town, North West London).
Shortly after their formation, they signed to Parlophone. "Land of a Thousand Dances" b/w "In My Lonely Room" was well received by critics, but sold poorly. None of the Action's singles achieved success in the UK Singles Chart.
After disastrous experiences with the Rikki Farr management, Peter Watson (born 18 October 1941, Romford, Essex) left the band in 1966. They continued as quartet, but were dropped from Parlophone in 1967. In the late 1960s keyboardist Ian Whiteman (born 18 May 1945, Saffron Walden, Essex) and guitarist Martin Stone (born 11 December 1946, Wokingham, Surrey) joined the band and the Action moved toward a mid-tempo psychedelic ballad style, and then into folk rock. Reg King left the band in 1967, and Alan King took over as main lead vocalist. In 1969, when signing to John Curd's Head Records, the band was renamed Mighty Baby.
Alan King later went on to form Ace.
Notably, they are one of the favourite bands of Phil Collins, who performed with the reunited band in 2000. "For me it was like playing with the Beatles", he later commented on the experience.[2]
In addition to this in 1980, Edsel released a compilation of all The Action's original UK singles called The Ultimate Action (Edsel ED101) and after that four singles using the same material:
Now, there's a jumpin' little place I go
Called The Action
It's just about a mile or so
Down the street
And there's a part goin' on in there
Down a lot of funky stairs
And everything will be rare
Till the break of dawn
Now, you don't want to walk on down
To The Action
'Cause once you get in there
You're gonna want to use your feet
And when the music starts a gettin' hot
There's gonna burn up everything you got
And you ain't gonna want to stop
Till the break of dawn
They're doin' the pony
Watch 'em do the jerk
Then they get down on the floor
And they go to work
Sister's doin' the alligator
Up on the table top
Lot of Farfisa racket
Don't never stop
We're goin' down to Santa Ana
Way down to Eagle Rock
Way out in Montebello
And down in Huntington Park
Out in El Sereno
Better show 'em what you got
Out on Whittier Boulevard
The action never stops
Down at The Action
Meet you down at The Action
Don't want to end up in traction