There are plenty of groups who sound better on paper than they do in reality, but with the Jugglers it was the other way round. They looked ridiculous, as the photo shows; they gave themselves names like Rocco and Lushi; and, as you will already have spotted, they were called One The Juggler. They probably had a "manifesto" as well. It was the sort of things glammed up pretend gypsies did in those days.
And yet somehow it worked. Listening to "Nearly A Sin" all the way through for the first time in many a year was not the disappointment I had feared it would be. Yes, the influences are all too clear - Bowie mostly - and occasionally it is a little bit derivative. But fundamentally it is a bloody good record.
"Passion Killer" - One The Juggler
"Blind Old Senator" - One The Juggler
nice surprise, these Jugglers...didn't know them. but you can't be serious about looking very long for the record? there are about 30 copies for sale (cheap!) on GEMM alone, as we speak... greetings, Jan, Netherlands
ReplyDeleteWhat can I say, Jan, I'm a fool to myself
ReplyDeleteHa! I have a couple of 12 inch singles as well by the Juggler (as no one used to call them) that I snaffled from the RCA press office at the time. The biog on the press release is a hoot and an amazing work of fantasy - as you say, the image was a bit of a mistake, and poor old Steve formerly of Eddie and the Hot Rods looked decidedly uncomfortable in his gypsy getup.
ReplyDeleteI loved this band and still own their albums. Went to see them live a few times and my mate asked, "Which one's 'Juan'?" Sam South
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