World of Oz
| Company type | Musical group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1968 |
| Founder | Chris Evans, David Reay |
| Defunct | 1969 |
| Headquarters | Birmingham , United Kingdom |
| Products | Psychedelic pop music |
The World of Oz was a British psychedelic pop ensemble active during the 1960s. Their discography includes a self-titled LP released in 1968, alongside two singles—"The Muffin Man" and "King Croesus"—which charted before the band eventually slipped into obscurity. The album later attained greater acclaim following a CD re-release.
Career
Originating in Birmingham in January 1968, the group was founded by Chris Evans and David Reay, who were soon joined by David 'Kubie' Kubinec and Tony Clarkson. On 13 February 1968, they secured a deal with Sparta Florida Music,[1] and subsequently relocated to London to record under Deram Records. Their single "The Muffin Man," launched on 3 May 1968, achieved modest success in the UK and broke into the Top 10 charts in several European nations, notably the Netherlands and Belgium. Shortly thereafter, manager Barry Class departed for the United States; his successor Michael Levi reduced promotional efforts, which curtailed the single’s potential chart performance.[1][2]
Although they did not penetrate the US market, the band proceeded with their album amid personnel shifts: Geoff Nicholls took over from Kubinec during recording,[1] while Rob Moore replaced Reay, who transitioned to a managerial role. Their follow-up single, "King Croesus," was issued on 16 August 1968.[2]
Released in February 1969, their album received favorable critiques; the single "Willow’s Harp" followed on 7 February. The band made an appearance on BBC2's "Colour Me Pop" program on 8 March 1969,[3] and participated in David Buckton's BBC documentary focused on electronic music production titled "The Same Trade As Mozart." This feature included prominent figures such as Karlheinz Stockhausen and showcased advances in multi-track recording technology.
In May 1969, they released another single, "The Hum-Gum Tree," reportedly without formal authorization from Decca in the UK.[2] Due to limited commercial impact from these releases, the group disbanded soon after.[4]
Line-up
- Christopher Robin Evans (vocals/guitar)
- Tony Clarkson (bass)
- David 'Kube' Kubinec (guitar/organ)
- David Reay (drums)
- Geoff Nicholls (organ/guitar)
- Rob Moore (drums)
Albums
- The World of Oz (March 1969)
Singles
| Title | Date | Peak chart positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK | NL | US Cashbox | ||
| "The Muffin Man" b/w "Peter's Birthday" |
3 May 1968 | 52 | 6 | — |
| "King Croesus" b/w "Jack" |
16 August 1968 | — | 9 | 94 |
| "Willow's Harp" b/w "Like a Tear" |
7 February 1969 | — | — | — |
| "The Hum Gum Tree" b/w "Beside The Fire" (unofficial) |
May 1969 | — | — | — |
(All singles except "Peter's Birthday" were included on their LP)
External links
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Cite error: Invalid
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