Blossom Toes
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Brian Godding (guitar, vocals, keyboards) (born 19 August 1945, in Wales), Jim Cregan (guitar, vocals) (born James Cregan, 9 March 1946, in Yeovil, Somerset), Brian Belshaw (bass, vocals) (born 25 February 1944, in Wigan, Lancashire) and Kevin Westlake (drums) (born Kevin Patrick Westlake, 5 March 1947, in Ireland died 29 September 2004) were initially known as the Ingoes, but became Blossom Toes in 1967 upon the launch of manager Giorgio Gomelsky's Marmalade label (a subsidiary of Polydor).
We Are Ever So Clean was an enthralling selection, astutely combining English pop with a quirky sense of humour. The grasp of melody offered on "Love Is" or "What's It For" was akin to that of the Idle Race or the Beatles, while the experimental flourish on "What On Earth" or "Look At Me, I'm You" captures the prevailing spirit of 1967. Upon its release, it was presented in Melody Maker as "Giorgio Gomelsky's Lonely Hearts Club Band".
If Only For A Moment marked the departure of Westlake, who was replaced, in turn, by John "Poli" Palmer, then Barry Reeves. A noticeably heavier sound was shown to great effect on the revered "Peace Lovin' Man", but the set was altogether less distinctive. The quartet was dissolved in 1970, but while Belshaw and Godding rejoined Westlake in B.B. Blunder, Cregan formed Stud with Jim Wilson and Charlie McCracken, before joining Family. He later found fame with Cockney Rebel and Rod Stewart.
Film work: The Blossom Toes contributed music to "La Collectionneuse" (1967), a film by Éric Rohmer and appeared in "Popdown" (1967) by Fred Marshall.
[edit] Records
- What On Earth/Mrs. Murphy's Budgerigar/Look At Me I'm You (October 1967, Marmalade 598002)
- We Are Ever So Clean (Album - October 1967, Marmalade 607001 (mono) 608001 (stereo))
- I'll Be Your Baby Tonight/Love Is (March 1968, Marmalade 598009)
- Postcard/Everybody's Leaving Me Now (October 1968, Marmalade 598012)
- If Only For A Moment (Album - July 1969, Marmalade 608010)
- Peace Loving Man/Above My Hobby Horses Head (April 1969, Marmalade 598014)
- New Day / Love Bomb (October 1969, Marmalade 598022)
