Genre: pop
Rating: ** (2 stars)
Title: The Assembled Multitude
Company: Atlantic
Catalog: SD-8262
Year: 1970
Country/State: USA
Grade (cover/record): VG/VG
Comments: minor ring wear
Available: 1
GEMM catalog ID: 4
Price: $5.00
Cost: $1.00
The brainchild of the late Tom Sellers, we can't even begin to explain why this LP is such a kick to us ...
Originally a staff writer working for John Madara's production company, by the late 1960s Sellers was a veteran of the Philadelphia-based band Gulliver (along with Daryl Hall of future Hall and Oates fame). Following the band's collapse Sellers focused his attention on production work, forming The Assembled Multitude as a studio vehicle for his in-studio experiments.
Atlantic Records somehow decided to release Sellers' MOR cover of The Who's "Overture from Tommy (A Rock Opera)" b/w "" (Atlantic catalog number 45-2737) as a single. Even though it was easily one of the year's lamest singles, it promptly became a top-20 hit, leading Atlantic to finance a supporting album. Produced by Sellers, 1970's "The Assembled Multitude" did little to stray from Sellers' MOR tendencies. Featuring a collection of heavily orchestrated rock numbers with a couple of equally forgettable originals thrown in the mix, this was a rock LP for grannies. It's so bad as to actually be kind of cool. It's probably worth the entrance fee just to hear Sellers' cover of Neil Young's "Ohio". A sad reflection of early 1970s popular tastes, the LP spun off another radio hit via Joni Mitchell's "Woodstock" b/w "" (Atlantic catalog number 45-2764). Once more back to Tommy for 1971's "Jesus Christ Superstar" b/w "" (Atlantic catalog number 45-2780) and the concept came to a deserved end.
"The Assembled Multitude" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) Overture from "Tommy" (A Rock Opera) (instrumental) (Peter Townshend) - 2:30
2.) Woodstock (instrumental) (Joni Mithcell) - 2:15
3.) Where the Woodbine Twineth (instrumental) (Tom Sellers) - 2:35
4.) Ohio (instrumental) (Neil Young) - 2:08
5,) Singalong Junk (instrumental) (Paul McCartney) - 1:45
6.) MacArthur Park (Jim Webb) (instrumental) - 3:35
(side 2)
1.) The Princess and the Soldier (Tony Hazzard) (instrumental) - 2:30
2.) Twenty Four Hours from Tulsa (Burt Bacharach - Hal David) (instrumental) 2:32
3.) While My Guitar Gently Sleeps (instrumental) (George Harrison) - 4:11
4.) Mr. Peppercorn (instrumental) (Tom Sellers) - 2:30
5.) I Want You (She's So Heavy) (instrumental) (John Lennon - Paul McCartney) - 4:24
Sellers enjoyed minor successes as a producer, but died in a tragic March 1988 house fire.