Collective Consciousness Society, better known as CCS, emerged in 1970 from an improbable alliance linking blues traditionalist Alexis Korner (b. 19 April 1928, Paris, France, d. 1 January 1984, London, England; vocals/guitar), producer Mickie Most (b. Michael Peter Hayes, 20 June 1938, Aldershot, Hampshire, England, d. 30 May 2003, London, England), and arranger John Cameron (b. 1944, England). The ensemble centered on Korner alongside his longstanding colleague Peter Thorup (b. 14 December 1948, d. 3 August 2007; vocals) and drew from Britain’s premier jazz players—Harry Beckett, Henry Lowther, Kenny Wheeler, and Les Condon on trumpets; Johnnie Watson and Don Lusher on trombones; Ronnie Ross and Danny Moss on saxophones; Ray Warleigh on flute; Herbie Flowers and Spike Heatley on basses; Barry Morgan and Tony Carr on drums; plus Bill Le Sage on tuned percussion—whose participation shifted according to availability. Across three albums the group maintained its polished, brass-heavy identity, delivering multiple chart singles distinguished by Korner’s signature vocal rasp. A cover of Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love,” adopted as the theme for BBC television’s Top Of The Pops, climbed to number 13 in 1970, while 1971 brought two further UK Top 10 successes, “Walkin’” and “Tap Turns On The Water.” The project ended in 1973 when Korner and Thorup assembled Snape with former King Crimson members Boz Burrell (bass) and Ian Wallace (drums).
