Mabel Greer's Toy Shop new cd

**Adm.Kirk** · 07-24-2014

Billy Sherwood posted on Facebook today that he is producing, mixing and playing bass on a new Mabel Greer's Toyshop CD. Whatever one may think of Mr. Sherwood, you cannot criticize his work ethic.

Bill

**Paulrus** · 07-24-2014

Originally Posted by Adm.Kirk

Billy Sherwood posted on Facebook today that he is producing, mixing and playing bass on a new Mabel Greer's Toyshop CD. Whatever one may think of Mr. Sherwood, you cannot criticize his work ethic.

So does this mean Chris Squire is NOT playing bass on it? Are any original band members involved?

**dpt3** · 07-24-2014

Originally Posted by Paulrus

Are any original band members involved?

Bob Haggar and Clive Bayley, apparently.

**Adm.Kirk** · 07-25-2014

And no Squire. Perhaps he's had his fill of joining up with pre-Yes bands. Still might be interesting for a spin or two just to see how Sherwood approaches it.

Bill

**Scott Bails** · 07-25-2014

No Squire, no MGTS

**arturs** · 07-26-2014

I just came across "Mabel Greer's Toy Shop" in one of Pete Frame's family trees.

the lineup listed is: Jon Anderson, Chris Squire, Pete Banks, Clive Bailey, and "Tub Thumper" on drums.

MGTS doesn't ever appear to have been a real band, more like a proto-Yes that was trying to get its act together. So without JA and CS (and I doubt PB will be joining them either...) the whole idea seems daft.

At least the Syn was a real gigging band with a reputation independent of Yes. British psych articles and blogs namecheck the Syn quite frequently.

**Adm.Kirk** · 07-26-2014

I doubt Sherwood weaseled his way in. I imagine he was asked, probably with Squire's recommendation. At least that seems like the logical approach but when dealing with all things in the Yes world, logic is not at a premium.

I think MGTS did make some singles back in the day or some recordings. These show up on the compilation "A Dustbin Full of Rubbish" and on Pete Banks' "Can I Play You Something".

Bill

**dpt3** · 07-26-2014

Bayley and Haggar were apparently the "founding members" of the band, so I suppose it's not too crazy for them to use the name.

Here's some of their recordings:

**jrw** · 07-26-2014

Supposedly, Tony Kaye involved as well.

**Reginod** · 07-26-2014

I wonder if Sherwood ever sleeps. Maybe he's competing with Edgar Froese. He has his hands in so many projects, it's impossible to keep up.

If you look at what he's done over just the last 2 or 3 years, you get an idea of what could happen with this. He produced or co-produced and played on albums by XNA and Days Between Stations and Nektar but AFAIK he didn't write any of that material. And Emote . . . . . . I dunno if there's a full album there, or to what extent Sherwood wrote or produced the material.

He wrote or co-wrote and produced and played many of the instruments on the Prog Collective albums, and the Shatner rekkid, and the Fusion Syndicate rekkid, so they were essentially Sherwood albums. He took a similar "collective" approach on the tribute albums (Doors, Supertramp, etc) but of course he didn't write that material (save a song on the Tramp tribute).

And then he's also done a solo album or three.

Check with Henry if you want a comprehensive listing . . . . . . . .

So Sherwood's stamp is on all of it, but in the case of XNA and DBS and Nektar, that material was written by the actual band members, so maybe that's what will happen with MGTS. I kinda hope so because it's nice when he doesn't do EVERYTHING, every now and again . . . . . . . . .

**dpt3** · 07-26-2014

I wonder if this is new material, or just them actually releasing an official album of their 60s material.

It might actually be cool to see them live, if only to see *somebody* play Beyond and Before!

**arturs** · 07-26-2014

Good tunes! Too bad they are of such poor sound quality... The great Squire/Banks dual Rickenbacker sound is already in place!

**Adm.Kirk** · 07-26-2014

And he's also working on the new Circa: album too.

Bill

**strawberrybrick** · 07-26-2014

I believe this album collected Mabel's few tracks:

https://strawberrybricks.com/guide/r...-you-something

Reading through the liner notes, Banks says that Anderson just stood in for a few gigs. Drummer was Alexander Belmont (Bob Hagger) and Clive Bayly on guitar/vocals. Bayly has writing credits, along with Squire. However, Hagger and Baily started the band in 1966.

Single was unreleased, but they did a top Gear/Night Ride with John Peel (04/03/1968).

Why it's all here:

http://www.mabelgreerstoyshop.com/

**Paulrus** · 07-28-2014

Originally Posted by strawberrybrick

I believe this album collected Mabel's few tracks:

https://strawberrybricks.com/guide/r...-you-something

Reading through the liner notes, Banks says that Anderson just stood in for a few gigs. Drummer was Alexander Belmont (Bob Hagger) and Clive Bayly on guitar/vocals. Bayly has writing credits, along with Squire. However, Hagger and Baily started the band in 1966.

Single was unreleased, but they did a top Gear/Night Ride with John Peel (04/03/1968).

Why it's all here:

http://www.mabelgreerstoyshop.com/

Yeah, my understanding is Squire got involved as The Syn were winding down, and they did that BBC session. Squire then met Anderson and invited him to a rehearsal. In what must have been the first in a long history of band member assassinations Jon and Chris decided to jettison Bayly (just how many Clive Bailey/Baylys WERE there in the English rock scene, anyway?

) and Haggar in favor of recruiting their own guys.

Somehow this smacks of The Syn all over again. I wonder if Chris was asked. He must have said, "Thanks, but I'll pass."

**bondegezou** · 08-03-2014

Originally Posted by arturs

I just came across "Mabel Greer's Toy Shop" in one of Pete Frame's family trees.

the lineup listed is: Jon Anderson, Chris Squire, Pete Banks, Clive Bailey, and "Tub Thumper" on drums.

MGTS doesn't ever appear to have been a real band, more like a proto-Yes that was trying to get its act together. So without JA and CS (and I doubt PB will be joining them either...) the whole idea seems daft.

At least the Syn was a real gigging band with a reputation independent of Yes. British psych articles and blogs namecheck the Syn quite frequently.

MGTS were a real, gigging band, if not as successful or as long-running as The Syn. The band did morph into Yes, with two MGTS songs appearing on the first Yes album.

The new album expected this year consists of new recordings, some original '60s material re-recorded, some new material.

Henry

**dpt3** · 11-12-2014

The new version of "Electric Funeral", for comparison with above.

**strawberrybrick** · 11-12-2014

Album's out in 2015...sigh

**Paulrus** · 11-12-2014

I didn't realize Tony Kaye is also along for the ride on this one.

**Digital_Man** · 11-12-2014

Yeah I just saw this. http://www.prog-sphere.com/news/mabe...ber-tony-kaye/

Maybe they will turn into Yes and sue the current band and put out some good music.

**Jezmond** · 03-18-2015

The Mabel Greer's Toyshop album is now released and here's a review from The Progressive Aspect:-

http://theprogressiveaspect.net/blog/2015/03/16/mabel-greers-toyshop-new-way-of-life/

**Paulrus** · 03-18-2015

Originally Posted by Jezmond

The Mabel Greer's Toyshop album is now released and here's a review from The Progressive Aspect:-

http://theprogressiveaspect.net/blog/2015/03/16/mabel-greers-toyshop-new-way-of-life/

Thanks for the link. The updated version of "Electric Funeral" sounds cool, though I sort of feel like they missed an opportunity and should have pushed the neo-psych production values even harder. Like imagining what Steven Wilson would have done with it. But it's always a good day when Tony Kaye is brought out of his cave again.