Biography
In the mid-1960s the Action enjoyed fervent grassroots popularity among Britain’s mod community yet never approached a chart entry despite George Martin’s backing. Among mod outfits they stood out as the most soul-focused, relying on guitar-driven versions of Motown numbers and contemporary R&B dance tracks such as “Harlem Shuffle” alongside scattered originals. Martin’s productions spotlighted Reg King’s commanding lead vocals and the group’s soaring harmonies, yielding a distinctive overall timbre. Their subsequent self-written pieces grew more intricate and leaned psychedelic; after the 1967 loss of their contract the demos they recorded circulated for years as a storied unreleased album before appearing in various editions, most prominently Rolled Gold on Reaction Records in 2002. Lineup shifts and stylistic changes eventually led the band to re-emerge as Mighty Baby.
The musicians first assembled in North London in 1963 as a quartet named the Boys, cutting a lone single behind Sandra Barry before securing their own Pye release, “It Ain’t Fair.” Though the Boys name vanished in 1964 the musicians did not disband; instead they expanded to a five-piece. Guitarist Alan “Bam” King, vocalist Reg King, bassist Mike Evans and drummer Roger Powell were joined by Pete Watson on guitar and adopted the name the Action.
With this configuration they forged a tougher, more aggressive style that swiftly endeared them to mod audiences. Their sound echoed the Small Faces yet lacked the heavier instrumental force and the larger-than-life presence of Steve Marriott. George Martin discovered them, signed the group to his new AIR Productions venture in 1965 and placed them on Parlophone, the label he had previously headed.
Their first single, the spirited “Land of a 1000 Dances” backed with the tender “In My Lonely Room,” bypassed the charts even though both sides displayed authentic flair and an English white-soul credibility comparable to anything then emerging from the country. Early the following year the equally strong follow-up “I'll Keep on Holding On” b/w “Hey Sah-Lo-Ney” likewise failed to register commercially, though the B-side offered another potent dance track. The Action retained a loyal mod following and competed with the Who and the Small Faces, yet remained confined to club dates without wider exposure.
Watson and his signature twelve-string guitar departed in 1966; Martin Stone, late of Savoy Brown, took his place. Under the revised lineup the band kept pace with evolving tastes, turning toward smoother soul material by late 1966 and early 1967. Ballads such as “Since I Lost My Baby” showcased a gentle lyricism while originals like the funk-inflected “Twentyfourth Hour” signaled further departure from their initial R&B base.
By mid-1967 the transformation had deepened into progressive folk-rock, shifting from an approach reminiscent of the Birds toward greater Byrds influence. Although Martin continued to champion their work, commercial disappointment prompted AIR to drop them at the end of that year. Eager to continue, the musicians immediately recorded a fresh set of self-composed songs marked by heavier psychedelic textures. The resulting tape circulated among labels without securing a deal and later surfaced on bootlegs before receiving an official release as Rolled Gold in 2002.
Still committed to their new direction, the Action recruited keyboardist Ian Whiteman late in 1967. Reg King soon exited to launch a solo career, after which Whiteman led the remaining members under the name Azoth. Through manager Giorgio Gomelsky they amassed extensive demo recordings; the ensemble ultimately evolved into the purely psychedelic Mighty Baby, whose trippy, flute-dominated sound stood far removed from the Action’s earlier identity.
During the mod revival the 1980 compilation The Ultimate Action gathered singles and unreleased tracks and, bolstered by Paul Weller’s enthusiastic liner notes, reintroduced the band’s catalog to fresh listeners. Subsequent anthologies appeared over the decades, and the original lineup reconvened in 1998 for a mod event on the Isle of Wight. Positive response led to additional performances that continued until Madstock in 2004. In 2018 Grapefruit issued the comprehensive archival collection Shadows and Reflections: The Complete Recordings 1964-1968.
The musicians first assembled in North London in 1963 as a quartet named the Boys, cutting a lone single behind Sandra Barry before securing their own Pye release, “It Ain’t Fair.” Though the Boys name vanished in 1964 the musicians did not disband; instead they expanded to a five-piece. Guitarist Alan “Bam” King, vocalist Reg King, bassist Mike Evans and drummer Roger Powell were joined by Pete Watson on guitar and adopted the name the Action.
With this configuration they forged a tougher, more aggressive style that swiftly endeared them to mod audiences. Their sound echoed the Small Faces yet lacked the heavier instrumental force and the larger-than-life presence of Steve Marriott. George Martin discovered them, signed the group to his new AIR Productions venture in 1965 and placed them on Parlophone, the label he had previously headed.
Their first single, the spirited “Land of a 1000 Dances” backed with the tender “In My Lonely Room,” bypassed the charts even though both sides displayed authentic flair and an English white-soul credibility comparable to anything then emerging from the country. Early the following year the equally strong follow-up “I'll Keep on Holding On” b/w “Hey Sah-Lo-Ney” likewise failed to register commercially, though the B-side offered another potent dance track. The Action retained a loyal mod following and competed with the Who and the Small Faces, yet remained confined to club dates without wider exposure.
Watson and his signature twelve-string guitar departed in 1966; Martin Stone, late of Savoy Brown, took his place. Under the revised lineup the band kept pace with evolving tastes, turning toward smoother soul material by late 1966 and early 1967. Ballads such as “Since I Lost My Baby” showcased a gentle lyricism while originals like the funk-inflected “Twentyfourth Hour” signaled further departure from their initial R&B base.
By mid-1967 the transformation had deepened into progressive folk-rock, shifting from an approach reminiscent of the Birds toward greater Byrds influence. Although Martin continued to champion their work, commercial disappointment prompted AIR to drop them at the end of that year. Eager to continue, the musicians immediately recorded a fresh set of self-composed songs marked by heavier psychedelic textures. The resulting tape circulated among labels without securing a deal and later surfaced on bootlegs before receiving an official release as Rolled Gold in 2002.
Still committed to their new direction, the Action recruited keyboardist Ian Whiteman late in 1967. Reg King soon exited to launch a solo career, after which Whiteman led the remaining members under the name Azoth. Through manager Giorgio Gomelsky they amassed extensive demo recordings; the ensemble ultimately evolved into the purely psychedelic Mighty Baby, whose trippy, flute-dominated sound stood far removed from the Action’s earlier identity.
During the mod revival the 1980 compilation The Ultimate Action gathered singles and unreleased tracks and, bolstered by Paul Weller’s enthusiastic liner notes, reintroduced the band’s catalog to fresh listeners. Subsequent anthologies appeared over the decades, and the original lineup reconvened in 1998 for a mod event on the Isle of Wight. Positive response led to additional performances that continued until Madstock in 2004. In 2018 Grapefruit issued the comprehensive archival collection Shadows and Reflections: The Complete Recordings 1964-1968.
Albums
