FREE FERRY:Magic Carpet 1970 UK PROG/PSYCH ACETATE 45

	£		341
	$		452

OK - as far as prog rarities go, this one is way off the known charts. This is surely the only surviving copy in the world.

I bought this in a street market with a load of other acetates about ten years ago. I have NEVER been able to find out anything about it...until very recently.

It turns out to be one of the very, very rarest UK psychedlic/prog singles NEVER RELEASED. And it was produced by Rod Argent in 1970.

THE FREE FERRY: MAGIC CARPET RIDE (UK EMI ADVISION ONE-SIDED ACETATE 1970)

I naturally found it incredibly frustrating that there was absolutely no information on-line anywhere about either the band or this disc.

Well that all changed recently.

Thank God for The New Gibraltar Encyclopedia Of Progressive Rock! There, at last, they were. The Free Ferry.

This is what it said:

" Free Ferry are a group that delved intensely into prog ideas without quite letting themselves be categorized as a prog group with a capital "P". It would be most interesting to hear an album by these guys; as it is, however, I'll just have to settle for listening to the singles and guessing at what it was they were trying to accomplish. If you have a spare moment, I recommend you to do the same. Whatever their progressive standing is, this is good stuff: strong, energetic performances given to ingenuous compositions.

The first 45  facetiously titled "Friend", is an agressive garage rocker executed in an unconventional style that smacks of prog rock. Most striking is a part of "Friend" where the instruments sputter to a halt as the singer solemnly intones "Help me get back what is rightfully mine"; this moment sounds like it was pulled from a prog tune of prophetic implications rather than a simple garage rock piece.

Their second 45 "Flying", which is undeniably prog, albeit rather moderate prog. It opens with a symphonic crescendo before relaxing into soft vocals and electric guitar behind a steady organ beat. Though "Flying" only clocks in at 4 minutes, it accomplishes a fair deal in that time. A nice symphonic prog piece. "

There is then a follow-up letter actually from the band's drummer David Hempstead:

Well, the band was
Jeff Martin : Lead guitar, lead vocals and songwriter
Dave Gyngell: Bass guitar and vocals
Rob Chidley: Organ
David Hempstead: Drums
Robin Laws: Percussion

There is an unreleased album, which is not prog rock. More blusey standards. I have a copy on acetate. But somewhere there is/was a master of a magic 20+ minute, very prog rock, rendition of "Light My Fire" intermixed with "America" from West Side Story."

However it is the next thing David says that makes this such an incredible find:

"...And our very best single never made it to the presses either, 'On a Magic Carpet Ride.' "

Well collectors - it was never pressed up - here it is. FOUND ONCE MORE. "Magic Carpet Ride" by The Free Ferry - the original acetate.

This is a brittle but clean one sided EMIDISC actetate from Advision Studio's in London. There are no chips, scuffs or scratches.

Musically, what starts as a deceptively light and trippy conga and Hammond Organ driven ditty soon becomes the kind of multi-layered vocal wonder very typical of Yes at the time - think "Survival". It's really very beautiful - "We can touch the sky in a place where there is no time!" - with the occassional jagged edges.

The labels have all the usual info typed onto a plain white label as well as the number RM1 and Nexus Record Productions - Rod Argent's Company.

The sleeve is a deep green/white company bag with the studios address in New Bond Street clearly printed.   

It is hard to imagine that there is another copy of this recording anywhere in the world. Information about the band's two released 45s is hard enough to track down. But this? Here truly is one tiny elusive dropped stitch from the luxurious tapestry of UK prog rock.

New to me and I guess new to you too. But here it is. Read the fuller story at http://www.gepr.net/fm.html 

THE FREE FERRY: MAGIC CARPET RIDE (UK EMI ADVISION ONE-SIDED ACETATE 1970)

Good Luck to serious collectors everywhere.

There is no reserve on this extraordinary historic rarity and the start is low.