Billy Nicholls - Would You Believe (uk 1968)

Billy Nicholls - Would You Believe (uk 1968)

Born: February 15, 1949, London, England, United Kingdom
Related Artists: Phil Manzanera, Small Faces
Notes Father of: Morgan
Genres: Psychedelic Pop, Baroque Pop

ALBUM:
1 WOULD YOU BELIEVE (Immediate IMCP 009) 1968 R3
45s:
1 Would You Believe/Daytime Girl (Immediate IM 063) 1968
2 Forever's No Time At All/This Song Is Green (Track 2094 109) 1973
NB: (2) with Pete Townshend.

Tracks:
01. Would You Believe? (Paul) - 2:41
02. Come Again (Nicholls) - 2:34
03. Life Is Short (Nicholls) - 3:07
04. Feeling Easy (Nicholls) - 3:12
05. Daytime Girl (Nicholls) - 2:14
06. Daytime Girl (Coda) (Nicholls) - 1:36
07. London Social Degree (Nicholls) - 2:20
08. Portobello Road (Nicholls) - 2:05
09. Question Mark (Nicholls) - 2:26
10. Being Happy (Nicholls) - 2:28
11. Girl From New York (Nicholls) - 3:16
12. It Brings Me Down (Nicholls) - 4:39
Bonus Tracks:
13. Would You Believe? [Mono Single Version] (Paul) - 2:38
14. Daytime Girl [Mono Single Version] (Nicholls) - 2:14

The Would You Believe album is now an ultra-rarity. His first 45 was produced by Ronnie Lane and Stevie Marriott of The Small Faces.His album was Andrew Loog Oldham's attempt to concoct the UK's answer to The Beach Boys' Pet Sounds, only a few copies appear to have leaked out. He was signed by Oldham straight from school.Nicholls went on to contribute to Townshend's early seventies solo album, which explains Townshend's involvement on his 1973 45 for Track.Compilation appearances have included: Portobello Road on Justavibration (LP) and Justafixation (CD); London Social Degree on Maximum '65 (LP); Would You Believe on Immediate Alternative (LP); Would You Believe and Daytime Girl on Immediate Alternative (CD); Daytime Girl on Immediate Single Collection, Vol. 5 (CD).
~ internet source.
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Billy Nicholls' stillborn 1968 album does indeed recall the Beach Boys' 1966-19 67 era, not just due to Nicholls' melodies and high, versatile vocals, but also the production of Andrew Oldham, an avowed fan of Phil Spector and Pet Sounds. Although very attractive, however, the songs and production do not have the depth and emotional resonance of Pet Sounds. This is not a knock; Nicholls was very young at the time, after all, and it's hard to match Brian Wilson, though Oldham pulled out a bunch of tricks with baroque keyboards, tasteful brass, and airy multi-part harmonies. As with the Oldham-produced cuts done by Del Shannon in the same era, the deftly elaborate L.A.-meets-London semi-Wall of Sound is more impressive than the pretty but often rather slight material. It's still a pleasurable listen, with the more acoustic and darker "Come Again" slightly foreshadowing the kind of sound Pete Townshend would employ on much of Who Came First, and "Girl from New York" (with Steve Marriott on lead guitar) going for a gutsier British rock vibe. The CD reissue (on the Immediate imprint, but actually put out by the British reissue label Sequel) includes mono single versions of "Would You Believe?" and "Daytime Girl" as bonus tracks.
~ Richie Unterberger, allmusic.com
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Billy Nicholls was originally hired by Andrew Loog Oldham as a staff writer for Oldham's Immediate Records. Oldham was so entranced by the Beach Boys' Pet Sounds album that he enlisted songwriter Billy Nicholls to record a British response, which became this largely forgotten album. The Small Faces' Steve Marriott can be heard very prominently on "Would you believe", despite Oldham's attempts to drown them out with heavy orchestration. Oldham wanted this to be the British "Pet Sounds" but financial difficulties with the label caused it to be shelved (it only achieved an initial promotional run of 100 copies, as Immediate IMCP009) before it ever hit the streets. Would You Believe has become one of the most collectable and legendary albums of its era.
~ internet source.

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