THURSDAY TIME TRAVELER: 1966 South London
"High Time Baby" by The Gremlins
THE THURSDAY TIME TRAVELER “High Time Baby” by The Gremlins
…The Time Machine lands on South London, summer 1966. An open garage is invitation to start a rock’n’roll band and these teen-something lads followed the lead.
Guitarist/lead vocalist Chris Andrews recalls,"Me at 17! Great guys! We were playing local gigs and having a lot of fun doing so. We were together only for a short while but managed to record this track at the legendary Oak Studios (run by R.G. Jones) in Wimbledon. I'd just discovered a new gadget for the guitar...the Fuzzbox."
As acolytes of The Spencer Davis Group, The Gremlins cut several demos of gritty R&B, including this song co-written by Spencer Davis with Muff & Steve Winwood. The Gremlins crested out as Chris was invited to join Fleur de Lys, the lively band credited for inciting the “freakbeat” sound—a mash-up of psychedelia, r’n’b/soul, and garage rock. Chris’s career grew from there, and this track by The Gremlins (not to be confused with a similar Gremlins garage band from NZ) has resurfaced as a “nugget” on many compilation albums. Beyond the Gremlins, Chris embarked on a long music career, becoming a solo act, collaborating with Roger Daltrey, David Essex, and Davy Jones (Monkees), and continuing to release new music to this day.
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