Winchester Cathedral – THE NEW VAUDEVILLE BAND***

Winchester Cathedral/Lilli Marlene/I Can’t Go Wrong/Tap Your Feet/Whatever Happened To Phyllis Puke/Diana Goodbye/A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square/Whispering/Kind Of Hush/Your Love Ain’t What It Used To Be/That’s All For Now Sugar Baby

The short lived The New Vaudeville Band specialised in ersatz yet appealing recreations of the musical styles of the twenties and thirties. The Grammy winning title track was a No. 1 hit single in the States and No. 4 in Britain. Unfortunately omitted are their breezy follow up hits Peek-A-Boo and Finchley Central. (US:5)

"Geoff Stephens, a producer and songwriter who wrote Winchester Cathedral, was a clever moderniser of the '20s and '30s music hall styles which he genuinely loved, Winchester Cathedral became the surprise blockbuster of mid-to-late 1966. Stephens managed to round up an ensemble - complete with contra bassoon, pocket trumpet, and other period instruments as well as a contemporary rhythm section. Unfortunately, the novelty wore off sooner than Stephens believed it might."

"Their music was firmly rooted in the thirties although much of their material was original, written to sound like it could have been vaudeville music of the time."

"This novelty vaudeville jazz outfit surfaced for a short chart run in the mid-'60s. Although limited in range and at times far too obvious, at their best The New Vaudeville Band delivered a whimsical, sometimes clever takes on original and imitation tunes of the 1920s and 1930s."

"A quirky group that brings back memories of the swinging '60s. Listening to Winchester Cathedral is like taking a lovely walk to memories past. A song with simplistic music and lyrics that are sung so clearly."

"The New Vaudeville Band was a mid 60s outfit that had a habit of using megaphones and kazoos for sound affects, like in the Roaring 20s to the Big Band era. In most cases they also dressed the part as well. Simply outrageous and fabulous." "This LP is more than just their one big hit song. Even though A Kind Of Hush was contemporary, they place their 1920s stamp on it as an authentic period piece."