Fleur De Lys' cover of The Who's "Circles" kicks off new Countdown 7" series

Eddie Piller's Countdown label is launching their mod classics 7" series with a freakbeat gem from the legendary Fleur De Lys.  

Here's the scoop from Acid Jazz HQ...

With the first release in our new Countdown ‘Mod Classics’ 7-inch single series - The Fleur De Lys' iconic cover of The Who’s ‘Circles’ - now in stock and set to ship next week, we are getting super excited about the future of this series.

Each record will be presented in a classy new Countdown bag, with a circular ‘chequered flag’ monochrome geometric sleeve. Our second title will be announced next week, and over the coming months we will be unveiling a series of astounding cuts on limited 7-inch vinyl. These will include titles by The Action, Mighty Baby, Shyster, The Mike Cotton Sound, Maxine and The Bo Street Runners.

The Fleur De Lys version of ‘Circles' comes backed with the band’s never-before on 7-inch cover of the Temptations ‘You Got To Earn It’ and is pressed in a run of 500 units on white vinyl. 

Fleur De Lys emerged from the vibrant Southampton scene with a love of Soul and R&B, and were signed to the Immediate label by Tony Calder, who had connections on the South Coast. Their first single was ‘Moondreams’ (produced by Jimmy Page no less), before their incendiary take on ‘Circles’. It proved to be their final release on Immediate, before they signed with Frank Fenter. 

The Pete Townshend song ‘Circles’ was originally slated as The Who’s follow up to ‘My Generation’, before getting caught up in legal matters. The Fleur De Lys version was released to take advantage of The Who’s misfortunes, but it was rush-released and failed to chart. It remains one of the finest slices of the Pop Art Mod sound, and is as fresh today as it was then. 

‘You’ve Got To Earn It’ is from a tantalizing, lost session from 1966 which also included takes of The Impressions ‘Amen’ and Don Covay’s ‘Sookie Sookie. All that survived from the session was an acetate of this amazing cut, found by group member Gordon Haskell, from which this side derives. It was originally released as the title track of the first Fleur De Lys compilation on Acid Jazz in 2013. It has never before been available on 7” vinyl. 

Now is the time to order the Fleur De Lys single, as these won’t be coming around again any time soon. Get it while you can via Bandcamp right here. Have a listen to both sides below. 

Definitive collection of UK freakbeat faves Fleur de Lys out Friday

The 25-track ultimate Fleur de Lys compilation contains all the singles they released on Immediate, Polydor and Atlantic. 

Here's the scoop...

Atlantic Records, Andrew Loog Oldham, Shel Talmy, Cream, Isaac Hayes and er... Tony Blackburn, all these and so many more turn up in the story of Southampton band the Fleur De Lys and so many more. You may not have heard of them, and if you have it may be just because of their glorious cover of The Who’s "Circles" – an ultimate freakbeat anthem which this compilation is named after – but the singles they released in the second half of the 1960s are one of the greatest collections of singles by any band, ranging from R&B through freakbeat and psych and back into club soul. 

Emerging from the English South Coast’s competitive club scene they signed to Rolling Stones’ manager Andrew Loog Oldham’s pioneering indie label Immediate where they recorded two singles before being taken under the wing of Frank Fenter who worked out of the UK Polydor office running the UK arm of Atlantic. The group went through numerous line-up changes as they recorded a series of singles which are now some of the most collectible of the era. 

Acid Jazz and Countdown Records have been the custodians of the Fleur De Lys catalogue for the last decade and this compilation is the culmination of that work containing all the singles that they released for Immediate, Polydor and Atlantic (where they edged Led Zeppelin to become the first UK signed band to that legendary label). Issued digitally, on CD and in a limited edition gatefold coloured double vinyl, it has been produced with the full co-operation of the group’s Keith Guster, allowing us to use previously unseen photos and illustrations. Compiled by Eddie Piller and Dean Rudland along with the band’s official biographer Paul ‘Smiler’ Anderson, who has contributed an extended note that tells the band’s story in compelling detail. Available March 26. 

Get a copy of the Fleur de Lys' Circles 2LP via Bandcamp right here. Listen to "Circles," "Mud In Your Eye" and "Hold On" below.