The Action
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| The Action | ||
|---|---|---|
| Background information | ||
| Origin | Kentish Town, North London | |
| Genre(s) | Beat, pop music folk rock |
|
| Years active | 1963 - 1969 | |
| Label(s) | Parlophone Records | |
| Associated acts |
Ace The Boys Mighty Baby |
|
| Website | http://www.actionmightybaby.co.uk | |
| Members | ||
| Alan King Mike Evans Roger Powell Martin Stone |
||
| Former members | ||
| Peter Watson Reg King |
||
The Action were an English band of the 1960s.
They were part of the mod subculture, and played soul music-influenced pop music. The band were formed as The Boys in August 1963, in Kentish Town, North London. They changed their name to The Action in 1965. The original members were Reg King (lead vocals) (born Reginald King, 5 February 1945, in Paddington, West London) (ex Eddie Stewart and the Movers), 'Bam' King (lead guitar, vocals) (born Alan King, 18 July 1945, in Muswell Hill, North West London) (ex Eddie Stewart and the Movers), Mike Evans (bass guitar, vocals) (born Michael King, July 1945, in Kentish Town, North West London) (ex Eddie Stewart and the Movers) and Roger Powell (drums) (born July 1945, in Camden Town, North West London) (ex Eddie Stewart and the Movers). A second lead guitarist, Peter Watson, joined the band in 1964.
Shortly after their formation, they signed to Beatles producer George Martin's Parlophone Records. "Land of 1000 Dances" b/w "In My Lonely Room" was well received by critics, but sold poorly. None of the Action's singles achieved success in the UK singles chart; their highest charting single was "I'll Keep on Holding On", which reached number 47 in 1965.
In the late 1960s, the Action moved toward a mid-tempo psychedelic ballad style, and then into folk rock. They were dropped from by Parlophone in 1967, and Peter Watson was replaced by Martin Stone (born 11 December 1946, in Woking, Surrey), and keyboardist. When Reg King left the band in 1969, the band renamed themselves Mighty Baby. Some members of The Action later went on to form Ace (see pub rock (UK)).
Notably, they are one of the favourite bands of Phil Collins, who performed with the reunited band in 2000. "[F]or me it was like playing with the Beatles," he later commented on the experience.[1]
