Biography
Formed during the final years of the 1960s, the folk-rock outfit Eclection possessed an unusual flavor yet never developed sufficient strength, individuality, or persistence to register much impact across their short career. As one of the scant British outfits signed to Elektra at the time, the band issued their lone long-player, the 1968 release titled Eclection, which carried a markedly West Coast flavor unusual for any British act of that moment. Rooted in melodic and gently wistful folk-rock, the performances gained additional layers from producer Ossie Byrne, already known for his work with the early Bee Gees, whose light orchestral touches echoed the buoyant arrangements common to many California sunshine-pop recordings of the era. Their layered vocal blends likewise belonged to that same Californian tradition, especially through the interplay of male and female voices that brought to mind the Mamas & the Papas, the Jefferson Airplane, the Seekers, and the We Five. Chief among those voices was Kerrilee Male, whose slightly piercing yet affecting delivery closely resembled the women who sang with the Seekers, We Five, and the early Jefferson Airplane. Although Eclection’s songwriting fell short of the caliber found in the Mamas & the Papas or the Jefferson Airplane, enough distinctive elements surfaced to make their dissolution in late 1969 after only one album feel like a missed opportunity.
Despite operating from an English base, Eclection originated with a single Englishman, a Canadian, a Norwegian, and two Australians. Guitarist and singer Georg Hultgreen exerted primary creative control by authoring most of the group’s material, while guitarist and singer Michael Rosen supplied the remaining songs and handled the majority of lead vocals from the male side. Like several other Elektra releases of the period, the album juxtaposed tuneful folk-rock with mildly ambitious orchestral production and a subtle psychedelic hue. The words and harmonies frequently suggested carefree, floating excursions across open skies, colored by youthful innocence and high spirits. Orchestration sometimes lifted the songs and sometimes sat uneasily beside them. The instrumental settings often proved striking in their near-classical thickness, yet the actual compositions could turn ordinary and insubstantial, falling beneath the standard set by such contemporaries as the Byrds, early Fairport Convention, and Tim Buckley, whose influences can be faintly detected in Eclection’s approach.
Kerrilee Male, among the band’s chief strengths, departed in late 1968 shortly after the album appeared. Her replacement was American folk singer Dorris Henderson, already known for a pair of albums recorded with John Renbourn; the revised lineup issued one further single, a version of Kaleidoscope’s “Please.” The group nevertheless dissolved in October 1969 once Poli Palmer, who had only recently taken Michael Rosen’s place on keyboards, exited to join Family. Henderson made a brief attempt to reactivate Eclection during the early 1970s.
By far the best-known participant was bassist and singer Trevor Lucas, who had earlier issued a traditional-folk album and who later co-founded Fotheringay alongside his future wife, the renowned British folk-rock vocalist Sandy Denny. Eclection drummer Gerry Conway also played in Fotheringay, which lasted for just one album; Lucas subsequently performed with Denny in a later edition of Fairport Convention. Within Eclection, however, Lucas occupied a minor position, contributing neither songs nor any lead vocals except on a single track from the album.
Despite operating from an English base, Eclection originated with a single Englishman, a Canadian, a Norwegian, and two Australians. Guitarist and singer Georg Hultgreen exerted primary creative control by authoring most of the group’s material, while guitarist and singer Michael Rosen supplied the remaining songs and handled the majority of lead vocals from the male side. Like several other Elektra releases of the period, the album juxtaposed tuneful folk-rock with mildly ambitious orchestral production and a subtle psychedelic hue. The words and harmonies frequently suggested carefree, floating excursions across open skies, colored by youthful innocence and high spirits. Orchestration sometimes lifted the songs and sometimes sat uneasily beside them. The instrumental settings often proved striking in their near-classical thickness, yet the actual compositions could turn ordinary and insubstantial, falling beneath the standard set by such contemporaries as the Byrds, early Fairport Convention, and Tim Buckley, whose influences can be faintly detected in Eclection’s approach.
Kerrilee Male, among the band’s chief strengths, departed in late 1968 shortly after the album appeared. Her replacement was American folk singer Dorris Henderson, already known for a pair of albums recorded with John Renbourn; the revised lineup issued one further single, a version of Kaleidoscope’s “Please.” The group nevertheless dissolved in October 1969 once Poli Palmer, who had only recently taken Michael Rosen’s place on keyboards, exited to join Family. Henderson made a brief attempt to reactivate Eclection during the early 1970s.
By far the best-known participant was bassist and singer Trevor Lucas, who had earlier issued a traditional-folk album and who later co-founded Fotheringay alongside his future wife, the renowned British folk-rock vocalist Sandy Denny. Eclection drummer Gerry Conway also played in Fotheringay, which lasted for just one album; Lucas subsequently performed with Denny in a later edition of Fairport Convention. Within Eclection, however, Lucas occupied a minor position, contributing neither songs nor any lead vocals except on a single track from the album.
Albums