Biography
One of the era's standout hidden gems among late-'60s psychedelic 45s—and indeed among rock singles overall—was Dantalian's Chariot's "Madman Running Through the Fields." Released in 1967, the track epitomized British pop-psych at its peak and matched the inventive spark of Syd Barrett's earliest Pink Floyd recordings. Its origins added an extra layer of surprise, since the musicians involved had only recently been performing jazz/R&B fusion under the name Zoot Money's Big Roll Band. Keyboardist and vocalist Zoot Money, a seasoned journeyman who had issued several records without charting, fronted a lineup that included a youthful Andy Summers more than ten years before his rise to fame with the Police.
Psychedelia's grip on 1967 prompted Money to overhaul his group's direction by midsummer. With R&B, jazz, and soul suddenly outmoded, the emphasis shifted toward original songs that captured the era's consciousness-expanding ethos. Retaining Summers, the ensemble shed its previous identity and adopted the name Dantalian's Chariot. Compositions credited chiefly to Money and Summers took on a new character marked by ethereal tunes, cosmic verses, and prominent guitar-and-organ textures. The musicians entered London's underground scene alongside Pink Floyd and Soft Machine, committing "Madman" to tape as their first Dantalian's Chariot session during summer 1967.
Despite its originality, the single failed to register commercially. Although the band earned respect on the live circuit, EMI withdrew support and the label's psychedelic album project remained unfinished. A handful of those recordings surfaced in early 1968 on a Direction Records collection assembled from the prior year's sessions; the fact that the LP appeared under the Zoot Money & the Big Roll Band moniker underscored the industry's reluctance to embrace the psychedelic turn.
The outcome proved less calamitous than it first seemed. In 1996 a compilation of Dantalian's Chariot's psychedelic material, including several previously unheard tracks, finally appeared, revealing a capable group whose finest moment remained "Madman Running Through the Fields." The project dissolved in spring 1968 when Summers joined Soft Machine and soon afterward Eric Burdon's Animals; Money followed the same route into Burdon's lineup. Drummer Colin Allen later spent time in John Mayall's band.
Psychedelia's grip on 1967 prompted Money to overhaul his group's direction by midsummer. With R&B, jazz, and soul suddenly outmoded, the emphasis shifted toward original songs that captured the era's consciousness-expanding ethos. Retaining Summers, the ensemble shed its previous identity and adopted the name Dantalian's Chariot. Compositions credited chiefly to Money and Summers took on a new character marked by ethereal tunes, cosmic verses, and prominent guitar-and-organ textures. The musicians entered London's underground scene alongside Pink Floyd and Soft Machine, committing "Madman" to tape as their first Dantalian's Chariot session during summer 1967.
Despite its originality, the single failed to register commercially. Although the band earned respect on the live circuit, EMI withdrew support and the label's psychedelic album project remained unfinished. A handful of those recordings surfaced in early 1968 on a Direction Records collection assembled from the prior year's sessions; the fact that the LP appeared under the Zoot Money & the Big Roll Band moniker underscored the industry's reluctance to embrace the psychedelic turn.
The outcome proved less calamitous than it first seemed. In 1996 a compilation of Dantalian's Chariot's psychedelic material, including several previously unheard tracks, finally appeared, revealing a capable group whose finest moment remained "Madman Running Through the Fields." The project dissolved in spring 1968 when Summers joined Soft Machine and soon afterward Eric Burdon's Animals; Money followed the same route into Burdon's lineup. Drummer Colin Allen later spent time in John Mayall's band.
Albums