The Mercenaries
'Dr Witherspoon's Scent Organ' c/w 'Cordon Bleu Girl'
Released August 1967. Parlophone POP 4343
Ray Green (vcls, guitar), Peter Henrit (clarinet), Garfield Gimble (not pictured. Organ), Rick Whitney-Stoops (bass) Guy Jones (drums)
An organ that emits a different exotic scent for each note played was hardly a new idea in 1967, but Manchester's The Mercenaries were the first band to try and incorporate this tricky concept into a pop song.
"None of us played the organ", said clarinettist Pete Henrit at the time. "But we thought that if we created enough different smells in the studio - and concentrated hard enough when we played - then the listener at home would be able to smell those smells emitting from Dr Weatherspoon's Scent Organ. Could such a thing be built? I don't know. It's only a song".
A quick glance at the group's lineup, however, will reveal that the band did have an organist. Having said that, it's quite possible that none of the band played on this record at all, given the fact that they were playing a gig in Pontefract on the day that studio records show it was recorded.
"Now you mention it", says Henrit, "I don't remember ever recording this song. I think it might have been James Criterion & The Playboys that did it. In fact, I don't remember ever being in a recording studio or even being signed to a record company. It's a bit of a mystery! Who wrote that song? D'you know?"
Incidentally, organist Garfield Gimble was the brother of Guy Gimble who played descant recorder with The Tinkerbells.
Peter Henritt joined the short-lived Hump in 1970.
'Dr Witherspoon's Scent Organ' c/w 'Cordon Bleu Girl'
Released August 1967. Parlophone POP 4343
Ray Green (vcls, guitar), Peter Henrit (clarinet), Garfield Gimble (not pictured. Organ), Rick Whitney-Stoops (bass) Guy Jones (drums)
An organ that emits a different exotic scent for each note played was hardly a new idea in 1967, but Manchester's The Mercenaries were the first band to try and incorporate this tricky concept into a pop song.
"None of us played the organ", said clarinettist Pete Henrit at the time. "But we thought that if we created enough different smells in the studio - and concentrated hard enough when we played - then the listener at home would be able to smell those smells emitting from Dr Weatherspoon's Scent Organ. Could such a thing be built? I don't know. It's only a song".
A quick glance at the group's lineup, however, will reveal that the band did have an organist. Having said that, it's quite possible that none of the band played on this record at all, given the fact that they were playing a gig in Pontefract on the day that studio records show it was recorded.
"Now you mention it", says Henrit, "I don't remember ever recording this song. I think it might have been James Criterion & The Playboys that did it. In fact, I don't remember ever being in a recording studio or even being signed to a record company. It's a bit of a mystery! Who wrote that song? D'you know?"
Incidentally, organist Garfield Gimble was the brother of Guy Gimble who played descant recorder with The Tinkerbells.
Peter Henritt joined the short-lived Hump in 1970.
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