Jonathan King Discussion Thread

Is he famous?

I don't know.

He doesn't really seem to be a recording artist, but I'm currently loving - and I mean LOVING the stuff he put out on his label in the late '60s, early '70s.

I haven't been able to get this 2004 UK comp out of my CD player: "Bubble Pop: 20 UK Pop Oddities."

He seems to have an interesting story...

Here's a snippet I pulled off allmusic.com on him. Anyone familiar with his work?

Jonathan King is the sort of figure who is unique to British pop music of the 1960s and 1970s. He could have no equivalent in America because of the sheer breadth of his talent and its relative superficiality. His music intersects commercial pop and comedy at several points, like a cross between Herman's Hermits, the Bee Gees, and Randy Newman, without ever getting more profound or complex than the first people on that list. He'd last about ten weeks in the American consciousness before being forgotten, which he mostly has been since his one thrust at fame in the States in 1965. Jonathan King burst onto the British (and, briefly, international) music scene in 1965 when he wrote and recorded a single called "Everyone's Gone to the Moon." With a "Ferry Cross the Mersey" type beat and string section, and dream-like, surreal lyrics that anticipated aspects of the Bee Gees' subsequent work, the song got to number four in England and even reached number 17 in America. That's not bad for someone who was still an undergraduate at Trinity College, Cambridge. King later showed his acumen as a writer and producer by taking the band Hedgehoppers Anonymous in hand and producing the poppish folk protest song "It's Good News Week," which was a Top Five hit in England and brushed the U.S. charts at number 50. Since then, King has been a ubiquitous figure in British pop music, without a lot of presence elsewhere.
...

In 1989, Castle Communications released The Butterfly That Stamped, a two-CD collection of King's most well-known and entertaining recordings from the previous 24 years, under all of his varying guises. This included many of his more satiric pieces, including his heavy metal version of "Sugar Sugar" credited to Sakkarin and his ska satire "Johnny Reggae," credited to the Piglets. King remained a well-known music personality through the 1990's, but in 2001 his career and his celebrity status both came to a sudden halt when he was exposed in a sensational trial as a serial abuser of young boys, in a series of incidents said by authorities to go back at least 30 years. He was sentenced to seven years in a case that was still on appeal as of 2004. While his case was still on, King was released from prison in March of 2005. Upon his release, he claimed that he "enjoyed" his time in jail: "I've had a brilliant three-and-a-half years for crimes I did not commit."

--------------------

Sounds like a weird Phil Spectorish thing going on. Hmmm.

Well, I figured if one forum would know...

JEFF!

 

I realize that he had a brief and (to me) obscure recording career in the 60's, but I know his name from the first two 10cc albums which appeared on his label (and I believe he received a producer or excutive producer credit).

 

He was pretty famous, almost notorious. I always liked "Everyone's Gone to the Moon," and I guess we wouldn't have 10cc without his UK Records label.

 

Nor Genesis (he went to Charterhouse School too, and produced From Genesis To Revelation).

 

Check out this comp: "Bubble Pop: 20 UK Pop Oddities."

I really have to explore his other stuff - apparantly there was 2-CD set that I can't find anywhere called "The Butterfly That Stamped." Anyone have this?

I haven't been this excited about a compilation in a long time - strange. So glad I bought it on a recommendation.

JEFF!

 

"The Butterfly That Stamped" is also a Kipling "Just So" story!!

 

He's persona non grata in this country following his conviction for abusing under age boys.
However, it seems his case is under review.

http://www.manchesteronline.co.uk/men/news/s/202/202439_jonathan_king_case_to_be_reviewed.html

 

Though it failed to even crack the Hot 100, I remember radio playing a followup single to "Everyone's Gone to the Moon" entitled "Round Round," a very catchy anti-drug song at a time when there weren't many of those around.

 

Jonathan King himself currently posts on a regular basis at www.VelvetRope.com

His username is either tipsheetx, or tipsheetxx

 

Interesting. I literally cannot stop playing the Oddities comp. CRAZY.

JEFF!

 

"Everyone's Gone To The Moon" is wonderful, it's one of the few slow and dreamy songs I liked when I was in grade school.

The "From Genesis To Revelation" LP is excellent too, and certainly not "over-produced" as some dubious critics claim.

I believe King was also behind the hit "Good News Week" by Hedgehoppers Anonymous, although not in the actual group.

 

Everyone's Gone To The Moon was a fave rave song of the first girl who ever wanted to make out with me so Jonathan King is definitely famous in my book of memories.

 

I remember that one too. It was played in my small town in the late 60s...
"Round Round" also appears on on King's lp "And Or Again" (I think that's the title)...nice pop album, that one.

Dale

 

I think you're right. He also included that tune on his debut lp, but with different lyrics, one line that alludes to Brian Wilson's state of mind circa 1967, "Brian Wilson's gone away..."

Dale

 

King is fun to collect - a slew of oddball Parrot 45s that will take you forever to find in good shape, plus a seemingly endless number of one-off "group" singles to locate. I have several unsatisfying compilations, although I've never seen a copy of the 8-CD (!) "King Of Hits" collection, which looks so bizarre I must now locate one to own.

 

I believe he had some involvement with the Roger Glover album Butterfly Ball certainly there is a photo of the 2 together with the album.

Certainly in the Gary Glitter category now.

 

Yeah, this thread made me do a bit of research and I quickly discovered the seemingly quickly out of print King of Hits box...Apparently it sold through Amazon.co.uk for a bit under 20 pounds (a good deal for 8 loaded CDs)...I WANT IT! Will have to keep looking...

Kwad

 

OK. Let's make this a mission! Let's all three of us (Al above there) try to hunt it down! That sounds like a must-own.

Can someone post a link so I know what I'm looking for at least?

JEFF!

 

Here's info on the 8-CD comp:

http://www.kingofhits.co.uk/content/view/7/25/

Lots of info on it! It says it's available... but how do you buy it?

JEFF!

 

I just picked up From Genesis To Revelation CD with Steve's mastering (DZS-051), and the sound is very nice indeed. This has long been one of my favorites from Genesis, with every song interesting and almost more reminiscent of the Moody Blues.
Sometimes Steve has interesting stories to share about interactions with the producer during the mastering. I wonder if there are any for this one.

 

Hey all:

The 8CD mega-boxed set Jonathan King, King of Hits is available on Amazon.co.uk RIGHT NOW for $19.99 English Pounds + $3.08 English Pounds shipping to the US. This is from the new seller RevvolutionMusic, which I believe is Jonathan King himself...

Kwad

 

YUP. It 'tis. He e-mailed me and I bought it two days ago!

Can't wait!!!

JEFF!

 

Indeedy. Not quite as notorious as Glitter but still in the same category...

 

I just dug up a CD that I knew I had in my collection related to Jonathan King, it's called

"Jonathan King/Hedgehoppers Anonymous" on Wounded Bird from 2001.

It says all tracks digitally remastered from the original master tapes and was licensed from Jonathan King Enterprises Ltd.

Chris C

 

mmmm self-opiniated, obnoxious, greedy, creepy, vile man.

not worthy of a thread IMHO