THE DOWNLINERS SECT "The Sect sing sick songs" EP

Original UK issue very rare Freakbeat EP from 1965

Title: The Sect Sing Sick Songs ("I want My Baby Back", "Leader of the Sect", "Midnight Hour" & "Now She's Dead") Artist: Downliners Sect Year of Issue: 1965 Label: Columbia Cat no: SEG 8438 Country of Issue: UK Gradings
Record: EX Sleeve:
VG (creasing on edges and light staining on rear) Label: EX-

Further Information/Comments This is a very hard to find EP, from one of the best Freakbeat Groups.
The Dowliners Sect were Don Craine - guitar/vocals/tambourine/maracas/autoharp, Keith Grant - bass/vocals, Terry Gibson - guitar, Johnny Sutton - drums, Ray Sone - mouth organ

Don Craine (real name Don O'Donnell) and Sutton had previously been in a Twickenham band called the Downliners. The name came from a Jerry Lee Lewis b-side that had been written by Roy Orbison. Following the end of this band, Grant (real name Keith Evans) and Gibson were recruited and the band renamed the Downliners Sect. The band soon gained a following at Eel Pie Island in Twickenham and made an EP called A Nite In Newport Street. The R&B direction of the band had been decided after seeing the Rolling Stones at the Station hotel in Richmond. Previously, the group played more rock & roll classics. The EP was recorded live and featured four R&B classics including the band's interpretations of R&B classics such as Green Onions and helped the Downliners Sect to secure a recording deal with EMI.

The group had initial success in Sweden where they toured and had a number one record. However, this may have meant that they neglected the UK.

Ray Sone joined the group on harmonica, apparently beating Rod Stewart and Steve Marriott for the role. The group signed to Colombia Records and, shortly after this, the first single, Baby What's Wrong was released. This failed to make the chart but did receive some attention in Europe. The group also toured with the writer of the single, Jimmy Reed. The follow-up single was a cover version of the Coasters' Little Egypt. This showed the humorous, irreverent side of the Downliners. This was also captured on the debut album which was released in 1963. The Sect is a superb collection of British R&B which, nevertheless, did not endear the band to many fans of the music as it was seen to deviate from the pure R&B. The album consisted mostly of covers but with a few original tracks written by members of the Sect. Don Craine had become quite distinctive with his trademark deerstalker hat. He had worn the hat at a gig at Studio 51 and it subsequently become part of his and the band's image.

1965's The Country Sect saw the band bringing in wider influences from folk and country music. The humour was even more evident on the 1965 EP release, The Sect Sings Sick Songs. This featured songs about death including the Shangri-Las spoof Leader of the Sect. However, the nature of the EP led to the almost-inevitable ban from the BBC and this applied to future Downliners Sect recordings. This meant that later singles such as Glendora and The Cost of Living did not receive the acclaim that they richly deserved. The latter was written by supreme songwriter Graham Gouldman of the Mockingbirds who was later in 10CC.

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I am a collector who has been collecting records for nearly 30 years, and these records are either part of my collection that I no longer require, or have acquired over the years as part of a job lot I purchased.  My main motivation for selling records is to finance the purchase of further records for my collection.

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My gradings are based on the system used by Record Collector magazine as described below 

Mint: The record itself is in brand new condition with no surface marks or deterioration in sound quality. The cover and any extra items such as the lyric sheet, booklet or poster are in perfect condition. Records advertised as Sealed or Unplayed should be Mint.??

Excellent: The record shows some signs of having been played, but there is very little lessening in sound quality. The cover and packaging might have slight wear and/or creasing.??

Very Good: The record has obviously been played many times, but displays no major deterioration in sound quality, despite noticeable surface marks and the occasional light scratch. Normal wear and tear on the cover or extra items, without any major defects, is acceptable.

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 444 (GS 6.2 (444))