Scotland’s answer to the Beatles? Well not quite, but Marmalade were Scotland’s big 60’s band. They may not have qualified as huge but Marmalade had a long career, sold a heck of a lot of records and even, in the early 70’s, had their own News of the World scandal.

Too young? Okay, stop reading now. Remember most of the words to Ob-la-di, ob-la-da? Then this could be for you.

There’s no point in giving a plotted history of the band; there’s an excellent little booklet, written by original member Junior Campbell, with this double CD pack that does that. The band still tours now, though sadly none of the boys that set off from Glasgow as members of ‘Dean Ford and the Gaylords’ are still playing.

This double CD gives quite a plotted history of a band that was extremely popular as a live act and reveals some of the key phases of its recording history. The early years before the move to London stand out quite markedly from the bulk of the recordings that were made later in the 60’s in London on CD1. The change is quite revealing as the disc plays through and there’s some interesting songs here. How many of you knew Marmalade did a cover of Hey Joe for example?

The big hit Ob-la-di, ob-la-da and their other chart hits are here as well as the huge American hit Reflections of My Life that broke the band in the states. So there’s some interesting tracks and plenty of ‘oh yes, I remember that’ moments for the listener in CD1.

CD2 moves the band on to their 70s recordings and sees quite another change in mood and tempo. The 70s recordings see the band move quite firmly into a soft rock phase and reveal more polished song writing and recording. As the plotted history in the accompanying booklet reveals these were the years that Marmalade could have made it big, probably in the US, save for a rather tasty scandal in the News of the World. CD2 is definitely for fans; those who stuck with the band through the late sixties and onwards. While there are some tracks on here I do genuinely remember the sadly departed Uncle Jimmy Savile playing on his Sunday lunchtime oldies show when I was a little kid, most will appeal to aficionados only.

A very revealing ‘best of’ double album this is then. It’s much more than a biggest hits collection that would have occupied only one disc and does show how the band changed and developed over the years. The changing line up shows itself as well for those bothered to listen close enough. This is a good package and should appeal to those who can remember more than two singles. Those fans of the band in the 70s will also find this a worthy addition to their collection as reveals what could have been quite concisely.

The band history written by Junior Campbell is also well worth a read as you play the CDs. It shows how decisions and chance play the greatest part in the development of bands over the years. My favourite is the decision the band took to turn down a song their producer Mike Smith offered them in 1968 – it was Everlasting Love that went to No.1 for Love Affair. The stuff of pop legend.

Reviewed by D-jaysea.

Fine Cuts - The Best of Marmalade is available now to buy from Amazon.