Tony Cummings interviewed Peter Meadows, David Payne and Geoff Shearn and scoured 10 years of Buzz magazine to gather a history of British CCM from 1965 to 1975. Here is the first part.



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The new premises welcomed MGO's first full-time secretary, Gill Snow, and a growing group of volunteers. Gill, whose car suffered three punctures in as many months thanks to the glass-strewn street, eventually became personal secretary to Cliff Richard for nearly 40 years.

MGO, Buzz and Key Records Pt 1: Pioneers of British Christian
music 1965-1969

After the release of 'The Forerunners', Key Records set about recording its second album. With the apparent lack of any group able to produce enough songs for the full 12 tracks required the decision was made to release a various artists album. Titled 'Alive!' the sleevenote read, "The artists on this plastic whirl appeared at the London Sound Vision Concerts in March 1969. And most of them have been involved in the presentation of the pop-drama Alive throughout the country. They rate among the finest gospel music talent, yet to be recorded."

They were indeed an impressive, if musically diverse, bunch. Whispers Of Truth's sound could almost be described as psych folk and their main writer and singer was Graham Kendrick who was, a decade later, to lead the way in contemporary church worship. Roger & Jan were a husband and wife pop folk duo who later that year were to have their debut album released by Pilgrim Records. All Things New were blues rockers who, decades later, critic Ken Scott described as playing "a fun beat song 'Jesus Is Coming Again' complete with cheesy organ, baritone sax, fuzz guitar, flute and trumpet coming off as some kind of bizarre, cheap Troggs/Madness clone." And possibly the best-known act on 'Alive' were The Glorylanders, an Oldham-based folk trio who at one time even shared a stage with Cliff Richard. Nigel Goodwin, a professional actor who was later to form the important Arts Centre Group, offered a couple of poems including Gordon Bailey's The First Time I Went To Church in a cod cockney accent. Pete Meadows remembered, "We did some stuff in the same studio the Stones did their first album - off Tottenham Court Road, though we took sound recordings of Nigel from the show itself."

MGO, Buzz and Key Records Pt 1: Pioneers of British Christian
music 1965-1969

The third Key release was less adventurous though enjoyed better sales. In 1966 the Christian Pastoral Aid Society (CPAS) and Falcon Books published a highly successful worship songbook, Youth Praise, aimed at young people, with a collection of newer hymns and what were then known as choruses. Explained Geoff Shearn, "CPAS came to us for our graphic skills to provide their cover design. This led to the whole discussion about doing an album to go with a new launch of the songbook - hence 'Tribute To Youth Praise'." Key Records recorded and released 'Tribute To Youth Praise' sung by the Crusader Youth Singers and a group from Preston, The Navigators. Remembered David, "We used the church at Portsmouth for that" while Pete Meadows commented, "It wasn't a great album but it sold quite well."

Buzz continued to report on grassroots beat evangelists. The February '69 issue wrote about The Concords' plan to have a single released to coincide with their Sound Vision appearances. "It's very Motown influenced," lead guitarist Douglas Watt told Buzz.

In the spring of 1969 MGO had had enough of Vauxhall mice, including one that had been electrocuted inside the coffee machine and started to cook on the water heater. "Our dedicated staff deserved better," stressed Pete Meadows. "They had suffered long enough!" A former off licence in New Malden, Surrey, provided more pleasant and increased accommodation and came just in time to provide the extra space required due to the takeover of Vista magazine which doubled the Buzz circulation.

May '69 saw the departure to the US of The Forerunners, after two hectic years performing in colleges and universities throughout Europe. MGO organised a packed farewell concert at the Westminster Central Hall to mark their departure. The August '69 Buzz advertised a weekend teach-in with a special feature being a Drum Clinic by Humphrey Lyttelton's drummer Tony Taylor.

The November Buzz announced that "MGO were taking the 1970 Sound Vision concert on tour." Promised to make appearances were Judy MacKenzie ("apart from the north, where she has a big reputation, Judy is practically unknown") and Out Of The Darkness, whose Hendrix-styled blues rock was to take Christian music to a new level in Britain. Within 12 months both artists would have albums released by Key Records. In just over four years MGO had grown from the smallest of entities to a significant rallying point for musicianaries across Britain. Much had been achieved in those formative years but there was still far more to come.

Pt 2 of this feature will be published on Wednesday CR

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.