- Genres: Rock
- Representative Albums: "Kingpins for Sale
Biography
Though the Kingpins existed from 1964 to 1967, the one single they issued during that period was credited to a different name, and the group had changed to a yet different name when it issued a single in 1968. Forming in New Addington in the London borough of Croydon, the group initially played rough-hewn British Invasion-style music with something of an American garage rock edge. Though they played original material, at this point they fell somewhere between the poles of being good enough to play professionally and good enough to deserve a recording contract. They did issue a cover of the Reflections' "(Just Like) Romeo and Juliet" in 1966 on the Ember label, but this 45 was oddly credited to Those Fading Colours.In early 1967, they recorded four unissued tracks (with onetime Georgie Fame drummer Red Reece) that showed their sound evolving rapidly into a more personal, progressive style with prominent piano, somewhat in the early soul and progressive rock mold of Procol Harum. However, by the time they issued a psychedelic pop single in 1968 with a new lineup, they had changed their name to Orange Seaweed, that being their sole release before evolving into the Ray Neale Band. In 1995, the Tenth Planet label released 600 copies of a limited-edition LP entitled Kingpins for Sale, featuring 11 unreleased tracks recorded in 1965-1967 by the Kingpins and three in 1968-1969 by Orange Seaweed. ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide
