Week of December 26, 2004

Beefeaters

Peter Thorup - guitars, vocals, flute
Morten Kjærumsgård - organ, piano
Keith Volkersen - bass
Max Nhuthzhi - drums
Alexis Korner - guitar, vocals

Albums:
Beefeaters 1967 Sonet SLPS1242
Meet You There 1969 Sonet SLPS 1509

These two albums were reissued as a double LP (SLP1624) in 1979.
Both were also reissued on CD by Sonet (159 631-2) in 2000.
The second album was reissued on CD by Repertoire (REP 4440) in 1994.

CD: DR Sessions 1967-1968, Karma Music KMCD 05114
CD: The Secret Tapes, Karma Music KMCD 28104

Povl Dissing, Benny Holst & The Beefeaters:
Dissing 1969 Sonet SLPS 1510

A precursor to this band was formed in Copenhagen in early 1964, but their strong orientation towards blues-rock began only with the arrival of Peter Thorup in 1966. In 1967, The Beefeaters played as support band for Jimi Hendrix, John Mayall and Pink Floyd during their concerts in Denmark. Both albums were top-notch "real" blues-rock efforts to file along albums by John Mayall, early Fleetwood Mac and even Cuby & The Blizzards. The first album was, along with Steppeulvene, the most important Danish album of 1967. The Beefeaters weren't entirely blues purists either, they also displayed beat and soul influences. The sound (very well developed for 1967) was largely based on Thorup's talents as vocalist and guitarist, but Kjærumsgård's Farfisa organ (sometimes replaced by piano) obviously augmented the group’s sound. Burnin' Red Ivanhoe was one of many groups who later copied this distinctive organ sound.

The second album contained some extended tracks, e.g. "Serenade To A Cuckoo" (9:55) and "Stormy Monday" (9:54).

In 1969, Povl Dissing left the group, which continued for a while longer with Ole Fick (from Burnin' Red Ivanhoe) as their lead singer. The post-Dissing group recorded the soundtrack to "Smil Emil", but no further vinyl output emerged.

Taken from Scented Gardens of the Mind - A guide to the Golden Era of Progressive Rock (1968-1980) in more than 20 European Countries, by Dag Erik Asbjørnsen, Borderline Productions, ISBN 1-899855-12-2

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