The Riot Squad: Jump! (Singles 1965-67,Uk, Beat, R&b)

INFO ABOUT THE BAND

This Liverpool band underwent several personnel changes in their three year career and enjoyed quite a prolific 45 output, though no commercial success. They were usually a six-piece and their music was predominantly beat and R&B. Mitch Mitchell (later of Georgie Fame and The Blue Flames and The Jimi Hendrix Experience) was one of their drummers and Jon Lord was their keyboard player after leaving The Artwoods and prior to forming Deep Purple. David Bowie was also a member for a brief period in '65, although he didn't take part in any of their recordings, and has only been connected with the band via a publicity shot from the period...

Aside from these subsequent prestigious associations their other claim to fame was to have appeared on a couple of episodes of 'Emergency Ward 10' - not playing their songs, though!

All of their 45s are now minor collectables. Cry Cry Cry and I Take It That We're Through were Joe Meek productions. Curiously, another Meek produced track, How Is It Done was later ripped off almost note for note and word for word as No Life Child by Keith Dangerfield.

You can find more info about the band here.

ALBUM REVIEW

Given their history, the Riot Squad ought to have a bigger cult following than they do -- David Bowie was briefly a member and so was Mitch Mitchell of the Jimi Hendrix Experience; for a spell they worked under the tutelage of iconic producer and visionary nutjob Joe Meek; and they somehow developed a huge following in Venezuela. However, they've mostly been forgotten except by a handful of beat-era fanatics, and not without reason. While the group turned out a few interesting sides, judging from Jump!, a collection featuring the seven singles they released along with some unreleased sides and tracks they cut backing other vocalists, the Riot Squad were a distressingly average combo, veering between R&B and pop influences without hitting either dead on.


Featuring Mitch Mitchell...

Some pics of Mitchell with the band

By many accounts, both editions of the Riot Squad were strong live acts (the Meek-era band was tapped to back up Wilson Pickett on a U.K. tour), and it's a shame they were never able to pour the excitement they generated live onto wax -- Jump! sounds like odds and ends from British Invasion also-rans rather than the legacy of a swingin', underappreciated beat group.

LINK: Jump damn ! ! !