Tuesday's Children

Between 1966 and 1968, Tuesday's Children put out half a dozen singles on four different labels that, while reflecting various facets of the British rock scene of the time, didn't come close to establishing them as a popular recording act. Mostly sticking to the lighter side of British rock, the largely original material they recorded took in influences from <a href="spotify:artist:3WrFJ7ztbogyGnTHbHJFl2">the Beatles</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:49WlsIvcUYj7Awo93hDKgf">the Walker Brothers</a>, U.K. psychedelic pop, and American harmony and sunshine pop without cohering into a signature style. Though pleasantly passable releases, the 45s didn't stand out at a time of incredibly intense competition for attention in the British rock world.

Tuesday's Children grew out of the group Steve Douglas & the Challengers, who formed in North London in 1964. The following year they changed their name to the Prophets, recording some tracks with legendarily eccentric British producer giant <a href="spotify:artist:2qFfH4tRlRJtTqPoapoerO">Joe Meek</a> that never got released. After singer Steve Douglas left, the three remaining members -- guitarists <a href="spotify:artist:2zpEwiWTHCGrgFlkiepARL">Phil Cordell</a> and Mick Ware, as well as drummer Derrick Gough -- added bassist Paul Kendrick and changed their name to Tuesday's Children.

For their first three singles, the group's figurehead was <a href="spotify:artist:2zpEwiWTHCGrgFlkiepARL">Cordell</a>, who sang lead and wrote most of their material. After his departure in the summer of 1967, the group carried on with new keyboardist Bob Hodges, Ware becoming the principal singer and songwriter. Although some of their releases got airplay on British pirate radio, Tuesday's Children never broke through commercially, and changed their name to <a href="spotify:artist:0wgmIjl2Ms3RI8Oz5NJftY">Czar</a> by the end of 1969, issuing a progressive rock album under that name the following year. Rev-Ola's 2007 compilation Strange Light from the East: The Complete Recordings 1966-1969 includes both sides of all six of their singles, plus five previously unreleased tracks and the A-side of a 1969 45 by <a href="spotify:artist:2zpEwiWTHCGrgFlkiepARL">Phil Cordell</a>. ~ Richie Unterberger, Rovi