Wednesday, August 27, 2014

The Quests: 'Mr. Rainbow' 1968 from 'Teenage Opera'



         Mr Rainbow (1968). Video by Adobo Coral:



Allan Thompson, a regular writer on this blog, wrote to me a few days ago after reading the last posting about the SS 50th Anniversary gig: 

"Congratulations on the great success of the Orchard Road and Silver Strings concerts.  You really do have a great music scene in Singapore and it is good that the veteran artists receive such a wonderful reception."

NB: It is a learning experience for me and I am guilty again of not finding out the origin and composer of some songs that I am aware of.  Again, a big thank you Allan for providing this piece of information.

About the song: Mr. Rainbow.

Dear Andy,

I have recently realised that The Quests have a connection with my friend, John Alder, better known as Twink, who was the drummer with Tomorrow.  

The Quests covered Mr. Rainbow which was one of the songs recorded by Tomorrow for Mark Wirtz's ill-fated Teenage Opera project.  Twink himself recorded a version of the song several years later. 

The version by The Quests is very good and comes close to the original.  Mark Wirtz actually resurrected the Teenage Opera on CD a few years ago by bringing together all the recordings of the original music which had been made by various musicians back in the 1960s. 


                     Mark Wirtz: A Teenage Opera recorded in 1967.

It is a great shame that after the success of Grocer Jack and, to a lesser extent, Sam, the opera did not materialise at the time.  I have much more information on Twink/John Alder if it is of interest to you.

Congratulations once again on the successful reunions.

Best wishes, 
Allan Thompson.
U.K.

(Allan Thompson: Information Copyrights Reserved).
You Tube Video: tonysclafani.
Recording/Poster from EMI Music.

3 comments:

ChatterBox said...

"A Teenage Opera" is a musical project from the 1960s and was created by record producer Mark Wirtz.

The basic concept was a series of sketches featuring different characters who lived in a fantasy village. These stories were to be told by a young man to a young girl. Wirtz intended it to be animated and likened it to "Yellow Submarine" by The Beatles.

Wirtz used members of the band Tomorrow to produce the first recording and had already begun working on Tomorrow's album and recorded a remake of "Hallucinations" for single release. It was renamed to "Mr Rainbow" and Wirtz performed it himself. It was released in August 1967. The Quests from Singapore recorded it in 1968.

Edited from Wiki

ERICH SOLLBOCK TALKS ABOUT ELVIS CRAWFISH said...

Hi Andy,

Stumbled over your blog while researching about Hawker Trade in Singapore.

I find your blog entry most educational and a superb glimpse back in time.

The group will appreciate your documentation and maybe some are inspired to drive the Hawker Trade forward.

For sure you inspired me.
Tks and all the best.

Edited letter from Erich Sollbock, Chinatown, Singapore.

For full version click above connection.

FACEBOOK said...

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