The Creation - We Are Paintermen

This album is a classic example of British psychedelic rock and mod rock.

Year Released: 1967

Genre: Freakbeat, Psychedelic Rock, Garage Rock, Mod

Description:

We Are Paintermen is the sole studio album released by the British rock band The Creation during their original 1960s run. Released in June 1967, it was a unique release as it was a compilation album initially issued only in West Germany and Denmark, where the band had a significant and devoted following, unlike their native UK. The album serves as a collection of nearly all their singles and B-sides from 1966 to 1967, along with some cover songs.

The album's sound is a vibrant and raucous example of "freakbeat," a subgenre that bridged the gap between mod and psychedelic rock. This sound is defined by its explosive energy, melodic hooks, and experimental production, thanks to producer Shel Talmy, who had previously worked with The Who and The Kinks. A defining characteristic of the band's sound is the groundbreaking guitar work of Eddie Phillips, who pioneered the use of a violin bow on his guitar two years before Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin famously adopted the technique. This gave the band a unique, feedback-drenched and chaotic sonic texture.

Key tracks on the album include the explosive single "Making Time" and the title track "Painter Man," which became a major hit in Germany. The album's historical significance lies in its preservation of a band that, while not a commercial success in their homeland, was a crucial influence on the burgeoning psychedelic and mod scenes. The band's name and the song "Biff Bang Pow" would later inspire Creation Records founder Alan McGee, who would go on to release albums by Oasis and My Bloody Valentine, forever linking The Creation to the history of Britpop and independent music.