limited to 150 copies for the uk - reissue of this classic single from 1965, with new picture sleeve and notes by mike stax from ugly things magazine.
keith west (vocals, harp), les jones (lead guitar), junior wood (rhythm guitar) boots alcot (bass) and ken lawrence (drums) started out as four + one, stirring up the mods on the dance floor of club noreik in tottenham, and recording a single for parlophone. in early 1965, though, they acquired a new manager/producer, roy pitt, and a new name: the in crowd. their first record under that name was a classic case of the producer calling the shots for the a-side and the band taking care of business on the flip. "some of us were not keen on the a-side," recalls drummer ken lawrence, "but roy pitt from parlophone wanted us to record it." the result was an accomplished enough reading of otis redding's soul ballad that's how strong my love is, which pitt sweetened with some female background vocals. the frenetic things she says could not have been more different - a homicidal dr hyde to the a-side's civilized dr jekyll. "in the studio we recorded the b-side live," remembers lawrence. "if i remember correctly, we made it up as we went. we had taken a few 'purple sweets' prior to recording and we were all in the best of humour for a change, and i think that came across in the recording." it most certainly did. it's a singularly thrilling performance from start to finish with west's howling vocals and slobbering harmonica work and jones's string-mangling guitar leads ricocheting like pinballs across the tough, hyper-adrenalized groove laid down by the others. released in april 1965, that's how strong my love is cracked the uk top 50, but that would be the extent of the band's success