Biography
Writing on the Wall stood out as one of the scarcer Scottish psychedelic outfits to register on the British landscape, releasing only a single album across their half-decade run. Issued in 1969, The Power of the Picts captured heavy psychedelia shifting toward hard bluesy progressive rock, its prominent organ and theatrically dramatic vocals drawing freely from the Crazy World of Arthur Brown and the Doors while reflecting Procol Harum and Traffic to a milder extent, although the band maintained a more somber tone and avoided the melodic emphasis of those groups. Ambitious and underground in outlook, the music lacked strong originality or lasting impact, yet Writing on the Wall persisted with live work through the close of 1973, adding just one mid-1973 single to their official catalog despite steady performances, occasional radio and TV sessions, and an attempt to complete a follow-up album in 1972.
The group originated in the mid-'60s Edinburgh outfit the Jury, which adapted from soul to psychedelic rock and adopted the name Writing on the Wall by early 1968. Manager Brian Waldman relocated them to London that year and secured gigs at his psychedelic-underground venue, the Middle Earth. By late 1968 they had taped a BBC radio session for DJ John Peel and cut a live demo album to attract label interest. Although Tetragrammaton showed interest, the band—now featuring slightly altered personnel from their initial London lineup—recorded The Power of the Picts for Waldman's Middle Earth imprint.
The album drew limited attention beyond Scotland, but praise for their energetic concerts sustained performances for several years until fresh original songs ceased to emerge amid the lack of further releases. Another Peel session followed in 1971, and after additional lineup shifts reduced the roster to its 1966 Jury configuration, they cut an unreleased album in Edinburgh during 1972. Their final single, "Man of Renown," surfaced on Pye in mid-1973, and they began work on another record in Wales late that year before disbanding when their gear was stolen in December. The 2007 expanded two-CD reissue of The Power of the Picts on Ork contains the original album, a 1969 non-LP single, and a full disc of previously unissued 1968-1973 recordings.
The group originated in the mid-'60s Edinburgh outfit the Jury, which adapted from soul to psychedelic rock and adopted the name Writing on the Wall by early 1968. Manager Brian Waldman relocated them to London that year and secured gigs at his psychedelic-underground venue, the Middle Earth. By late 1968 they had taped a BBC radio session for DJ John Peel and cut a live demo album to attract label interest. Although Tetragrammaton showed interest, the band—now featuring slightly altered personnel from their initial London lineup—recorded The Power of the Picts for Waldman's Middle Earth imprint.
The album drew limited attention beyond Scotland, but praise for their energetic concerts sustained performances for several years until fresh original songs ceased to emerge amid the lack of further releases. Another Peel session followed in 1971, and after additional lineup shifts reduced the roster to its 1966 Jury configuration, they cut an unreleased album in Edinburgh during 1972. Their final single, "Man of Renown," surfaced on Pye in mid-1973, and they began work on another record in Wales late that year before disbanding when their gear was stolen in December. The 2007 expanded two-CD reissue of The Power of the Picts on Ork contains the original album, a 1969 non-LP single, and a full disc of previously unissued 1968-1973 recordings.
Albums
