From Ely, Cambridgeshire and originally named The Kreed, the band changed their name to The Look when they moved to London.
Their lead singer and frontman was Jonny Whetstone (born c. 1955). The band's 1980 debut single, "I Am the Beat" was a Top 10 hit, peaking at No. 6 on the UK Singles Chart. After the minor follow-up hit "Feeding Time" (No. 50, 1981), their third single "Tonight" failed to reach the charts. The singles, and self-titled album, were released on the MCA Records label. Further singles including "Three Steps Away" also missed the Top 75.
Although the fact is curiously irregularly referenced these days, a whole host of retro mods and power poppers hit the music scene in the early eighties, all seemingly having a shelf-life of one or two hit singles before getting forgotten about. In the mod corner we had Secret Affair and The Lambrettas - both hideously over-rated by lovers of that kind of noise, I'll have you know - and in the power-pop corner sat far too many people to list, including The Pinkees who were disqualified from the charts because their record company went around lots of chart return shops buying up their disc. Personally, I think they should have been disqualified from the charts just because their PR seemed to revolve around making vague and unrealistic suggestions that they were the "new Beatles", but I'm a harsh man as you'll know.
Of all these backwards-looking eighties bands, however, The Look genuinely do remain my favourites. With their squawking, pounding organ noises (of the electric variety, in case anything else was going through your sick minds) almost glam rhythms and a healthy degree of worship at the Temple of the Earworm, their singles were simple but extremely powerful and effective. Their love of Northern Soul, The Small Faces and The Kinks was palpably obvious, but their ability not to take the post-modern approach of referencing old riffs and instead seemingly discovering fresh ones should be applauded. Plenty of these bands were bone idle where such things were concerned, and indeed plenty of retro bands still are.
Sadly, their label MCA didn't quite get them, it would seem, and pressured them into releasing the single "Tonight", a cover of the West Side Story classic which worked well live, but sounded a tiny bit pointless as an A-side. Far more interesting is the B-side "Three Steps Away", which presented here shouldn't disappoint anyone who enjoyed their hit "I Am The Beat", being more joyful riffage of the same nature - and whilst I doubt KT Tunstall referenced that riff for "Suddenly I See" years later, there is a slight similarity going on.
Side A
A1. Animal Charms - 3:24
A2. The Walking Truth - 4:30
A3. Guards Of Love - 2:54
A4. Double Life - 3:38
A5. Knock, Knock, Knock - 3:20
A6. Tonight - 5:06
Side B
B1. I Am The Beat - 3:01
B2. Dressed Earp - 3:31
B3. Three Steps Away - 2:22
B4. Your Dreams, My Dreams - 2:50
B5. Information Bureau - 3:35
B6. Feeding Time - 3:49
Credits
- Backing Vocals – The Look
- Bass Guitar – Gus Goad
- Drums, Percussion, Timpani, Saxophone – Trevor Walter
- Lead Guitar, Keyboards – Mick Bass
- Lead Vocals, Rhythm Guitar – Jonny Whetstone
- Producer – Alan Shacklock
- Written-By – Jonny Whetstone (tracks: A1 to A5, B1 to B6), Mick Bass (tracks: A1 to A5, B1, B2, B4 to B6)
Notes
Release: 1981
Format: LP
Genre: Pop
Label: MCA Records
Catalog# 204 045
Prijs: €10,00
Vinyl: VG
Cover: VG
Prijs: €10,00
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