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THE ONYX Kaleidoscope of Colours - The Onyx Demo Sessions 1967
1. Kaleidoscope Of Colours
2. These Are The Things
3. You've Gotta Be With Me
4. Louisa La Belle
5. Porcelain Monuments
6. I'll Take You Where The Music's Playing
7. Travellin' Along
8. He's A Salesman
9. I Put A Spell On You
10. Billy
11. On Our Way
12. Loneliness Cuts Like A Knife
13. I Used To Know Her
14. Life's Anticipation
15. I Just Had To Laugh
16. In Harmony
17. So Sad Inside
18. I Just Die
19. Climb That Tree
After relocating to the outskirts of London in the summer of 1967, Cornwall band the Onyx went on to record a clutch of late Sixties singles that are now highly regarded by psychedelic pop fans. A collection of studio demos recorded in late 1967 as they prepared to sign to a major label, Kaleidoscope of Colours features early versions of subsequent single tracks (including 'So Sad Inside' and 'You've Gotta Be With Me', the latter with songwriter Guy Fletcher on lead vocals), the band's original recording of subsequent She Trinity B-side 'Climb That Tree' and a host of previously unissued day-glo psychedelic harmony pop offerings, including the extraordinary, heavily phased title song.
“Cornish act The Onyx’s clutch of highly-prized late 60s singles have become the stuff of legend. If not quite up to par with the later releases, their 1967 demo sessions, issued under the inviting title Kaleidoscope of Colours, were recorded when the group moved from Cornwall to the outskirts of London. These sessions see them firmly positioned somewhere between blue-eyed club soul act and tougher psych practitioners. Their guitar-heavy take on ‘I Put A Spell On You’ and the original version of the She Trinity’s ‘Climb That Tree’ are worth the price of admission alone.” (Record Collector)
“ Cornish band The Onyx are now revered for a slew of, at the time, commercially unsuccessful but excellent pop singles for Pye and CBS. Under the management of local entrepreneur Bob Potter, they recorded proficiently at his studio, which they lived above and from where these 19 tracks originate. Supposedly dating from 1967, many sound far too advanced for this date and more accurately represent the later 1960s generally. Ending with their original version of ‘Climb That Tree’ more widely known by the She Trinity (who seem to have simply dubbed their vocal onto the existing track and edited the ending), this is a valuable document of a top class band. From the phased popsike of the title track, the set demonstrates their immaculate progression over their time with Potter. They later became Vineyard, recording two excellent 45s and an as yet unreleased album in the mid-70s. The Onyx had pop and vocal smarts a-plenty. ” (Shindig!)
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