Genre: rock
Rating: *** (3 stars)
Title: Fable
Company: Magnet
Catalog: MAG 5002
Year: 1974
Country/State: Wolverhampton, UK
Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+
Comments: gatefold sleeve; UK pressing
Available: 1
GEMM catalog ID: 4
Price: $25.00
Cost: $66.00
With a line up consisting of lead guitarist Mac Bailey, singer and multi-instrumentalist Peter Goalby, bassist Peter Mackie, keyboardist Paul Robbins and drummer Keith Tully, this little known UK outfit somehow managed to attract the attention of Peter Shelly and his newly formed Magnet Records.
Anyone looking at the packaging (including the gatefold sleeve band photo) for 1974's "Fable" couldn't be faulted for assuming these guys fell somewhere into the English folk-rock cauldron. Luckily that image is 100% wrong. Produced by Shelly and largely written by Goalby and Robbins, the opener 'See My Face' and 'Hard Life' kicked with a sense of urgency that was a pleasant surprise. 'She Knows How To Love Me' was almost funky, while 'Same Key and 'Speak Your Mind' sported some great vocal harmonies and strong melodies. Among the other highlights, 'Four Horseman' bore an uncanny resemblance to something out of the CSN&Y catalog, while 'Madolin' boasted an irritatingly catchy chorus. Mind you, the album wasn't perfect. Nothing here was particularly original and 'Google Eye' was needless, while 'Old Queen' sounded like it was cobbled together from a series of top-40 songs. Still, the total package was surprisingly successful. Elsewhere, Magnet tapped the LP for a pair of singles:
- 1973's 'See My Face' b/w 'Thick as a Plank' (Magnet catalog number MAG 3)
- 1974's 'Madolin' b/w 'Thick as a Plank' (Magnet catalog number MAG 6)
"Fable" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) See My Face (Peter Goalby) - 2:53
2.) She Knows How To Love Me (Peter Goalby - Paul Robbins) - 3:40
3.) Same Key (Peter Goalby - Paul Robbins) - 3:28
4.) Four Horseman (Keith Tully - Paul Robbins) - 3:17
5.) Speak Your Mind (Peter Goalby) - 4:05
(side 2)
1.) Hard Life (Paul Robbins) - 3:20
2.) Madolin (Peter Goalby) - 2:48
3.) Thick as a Plank (Peter Goalby - Paul Robbins)2:11
4.) Google Eye (Peter Goalby) - 2:27
5.) Old Queen (Peter Goalby) - 2:55
One final 1975 single 'Motorbike' b/w 'Gotta Getaway' (Magnet MAG 9)
and the band seems to have called it quits.
Peter Goalby and Peter Mackie both reappeared as members of Trapeze. Goadley went on to Uriah Heep.