They could've
been contenders - hell, they should've been contenders! That's the first
thought that passes through one's head as one hears the early singles by the
Creation - and, indeed, how they weren't contenders is astonishing. They had
it all, the in-house songwriting, the production, the voices, and the sound
that should've put them right up there with the Who and ahead of the Move and
Jimmy Page, among others. Their lead guitarist, Eddie Phillips, was even asked
by Pete Townshend to join the Who as their second guitarist. But thanks to an
unaccountable weakness in their British sales - as opposed to their German
chart action, which was downright robust - and some instability in their
lineup, they were never to enjoy any of the recognition they deserved, and a
right turn from psychedelia into soul at the wrong moment took whatever wind
they had out of their sails (and sales). And the final few months of their
history, filled out by the work of a revived band that never quite got it
together in the studio, and singles derived from early outtakes, did nothing
but confuse fans and admirers, who couldn't be sure "which" Creation
they were dealing with on record.
