Love Affair/LA - New Day

Prog by numbers, but not to be underrated

With prize asset Steve Ellis departed in 1970, Everlasting Love hitmakers Love Affair shortened their name, took on flute-playing lead singer Gus Eadon and tried their best to morph into a version of Jethro Tull. Truth be told, they didn’t do that bad a job. If you can listen without prejudice, New Day isn’t dissimilar to bands such as Argent, who were also taking their first steps around this time; keyboardist Morgan Fisher was the bedrock of the sound. An instrumental, Ge’s Whiz, appears three tracks in and indicates that here was an outfit that had musical ability, even if it hadn’t played on the first hit singles Ellis voiced.

Ah, singles. A comet’s tail of 10 sides doubles the length of this album. But Gus Eadon left as quickly as he’d arrived when the public appeared not to buy the Love Affair/LA transformation and, while four sides bear a 1971 production date, it seems the story ended then.

While it will go down better in Europe than here, New Day is worth a listen. Final coincidence: original sleevenote writer John Gee, manager of the Marquee Club (and possibly the inspiration of Ge’s Whiz), was the same guy immortalised in song by Tull. Small world…

Repertoire | RES 2313

Reviewed by Michael Heatley
<< Back to Issue 350