THE GODS - Genesis (1968 UK Proto-Prog,Psychedelic rtock)Full Album

The Gods biography Founded in Hatfield, UK in 1965 - Disbanded in 1969 The GODS are most famous for introducing the world to Ken HENSLEY, the multi talented, main songwriter of URIAH HEEP's most famous period and an excellent solo career in his own right, but also housing Greg LAKE and Mick Taylor in their ranks at some point in their relatively short lived history. However, they were arguably, alongside DEEP PURPLE's earliest work, the closest the UK came to VANILLA FUDGE. Indeed, the FUDGE influenced The GODS hugely, but where The GODS scored was that they wrote more original material than VANILLA FUDGE did, the bulk of it coming from the pen of the already formidable Hensley, but also the guitarist Joe Konas. The GODS' first release was a single for Polydor, with the line-up that would remain constant thereafter - Ken Hensley on keyboards and vocals, Lee Kerslake (who later joined URIAH HEEP) on drums and vocals, Joe Konas on guitar and vocals and John Glascock (who later joined JETHRO TULL) on bass and vocals. However, this made little impact. Nonetheless, they'd gained enough impact to be signed by Columbia, for whom The GODS made two albums- 'Genesis' in 1968 and 'To Samuel A Son' in 1970. Both were innovative affairs, with superb musicianship, with heavy guitar work, crunching organ and early mellotron use to the fore, plus bombastic harmonies and a pop sensibility in the mix. However, both albums made next to no impact. The closest they came to success was ironically a cover version of a lesser BEATLES song, 'Hey Bulldog'. However, arguably their finest work was another cover of the West Side Story nugget 'Maria', which was a tastefully elaborate yet melodic reworking of a standard with superb harmonies. The band were more or less all present on an album released under the pseudonym 'Head Machine' which was called, subtly enough, 'Orgasm', but this sold nothing yet again, and the band's identity was masked under various pseudonyms in any case. The GODS then dissolved, as Hensley, Kerslake and Glascock moved on to the heavy rock outfit Toe Fat led by 60s soul exponent Cliff Bennett, but Hensley soon had moved on to bigger and better things in one of the world's most loved prog/ heavy rock acts, URIAH HEEP, which at last allowed him full rein to showcase his talents. Kerslake joined him a few years later, and Glascock moved on to the prog act Carmen then JETHRO TULL, before sadly dying in 1979. Ken Hensley left HEEP in 1980 and has worked on albums on a session basis alongside his formidable solo career, and Kerslake remains in HEEP to this day. Why this artist must be listed in www.progarchives.com : The GODS were a breeding ground for some much loved prog artists, and they were the closest UK counterpart to VANILLA FUDGE, with bombastic harmonies, heavy guitars and crunching keyboards, creating albums with a conceptual feel. Studio Album, released in 1968 Songs / Tracks Listing 1. Towards the Skies (3:24) 2. Candles Getting Shorter (4:28) 3. You're My Life (3:20) 4. Looking Glass (4:18) 5. Misleading Colours (3:38) 6. Radio Show (3:12) 7. Plastic Horizon (3:26) 8. Farthing Man (3:30) 9. I Never Know (5:41) 10. Love and Eternity (2:41) Line-up / Musicians - Joe Konas/ guitars, vocals - Ken Hensley/ keyboards, guitar, percussion, vocals - John Glascock/ bass, vocals - Lee Kerslake/ drums