Artist: Cartoone
Album: Cartoon
Country: Scotland
Released: 1969 (2009)
Genre: Folk/Pop Rock
Format: MP3 CBR 320

Cartoone formed in 1967 in Glasgow from a group called The Chevlons. They were an indispensable band when some celebrities from England came to Scotland on tour. Cartoone was the opening act for The Tremeloes, The Merseybeats and The Hollies. In 1968, Cartoonone moved to London, hoping to secure a recording deal. In London, they were helped by a compatriot from Scotland - the famous singer, actress and TV presenter Lulu. Lulu was managed by Marion Massey, whose husband was songwriter and producer Mark London. Cartoonone showed him some of his own songs and London was impressed. He took the band into the studio, where they recorded four songs with just acoustic guitars. London showed the recordings to Ahmet Ertegun and Jerry Wexler of Atlantic Records, who signed Cartoone to a two-album deal. Thus, "Cartoone" became the first British group signed to "Atlantic Records", ahead of "Led Zeppelin" by several months. Cartoonone producer Mark London was a friend and collaborator with Zeppelins manager Peter Grant. This is where Jimmy Page came into the Cartoonone sessions. He participated in the recording of all numbers of the album, where he played either an electric Telecaster or a custom-made acoustic Gibson. But you shouldn't look for Page's energetic passages familiar to us from Led Zeppelin music in this album. His role here as a studio musician is modest and decorative, yet his playing is easily discernible. Lulu took part in the promotion of fellow countrymen, inviting her to her New Year's TV program on December 28, 1968. And on January 16, 1969, Cartoone performed on the popular British TV show Top Of The Pops promoting their single "Penny For The Sun / Knick Knack Man". The band then flew to promote the album in the US, where they performed on several TV shows. In April-June 1969, Cartoone traveled to the United States again, this time in support of Led Zeppelin's American tour. Touring life soon got so fed up with guitarist Mike Ellison that he left the band, and Mark London urgently found a replacement for him in the person of talented guitarist Les Harvey, the younger brother of the famous "sensational" Alex Harvey. Les Harvey had previously played with his Stone The Crows, co-managed by Peter Grant and Mark London. Les Harvey and Jimmy Page also worked on the second Cartoonone album, supposedly titled Reflections, which unfortunately never saw the light of day. Despite the good sales of the debut album (85,000 copies sold only in the US), Atlantic Records for some reason slowed down the release of the second album. When the Cartoones found themselves in this lingering situation, Les Harvey left them, longing to return to his band Stone The Crows, where his girlfriend Maggie Bell was the main vocalist. Then "Atlantic" terminated the contract altogether and deleted the group from its catalog. "Cartoone" returned to Britain and disbanded, with dashed hopes and disappointments. Les Harvey, for all his talent, failed to achieve success with Stone The Crows, and in 1972 he tragically died from an electrocution on stage after touching an ungrounded microphone with wet hands. Maggie Bell, promoted at the time as the British answer to Janis Joplin, recorded two albums with Atlantic Records, both of which, ironically, the company refused to release. Derek Craigan continued to write songs and record solos until his death in 1990. Mo Trowers went to Australia. Guitarist Mike Ellison, who left the band during a period of intense touring, preferring to quietly compose songs, has been successful on this path. One of his songs, "Every Face Tells A Story", written for singer Olivia Newton-John, became a No. 1 hit and won a Grammy Award. He also wrote half of the songs on one of Cliff Richard's popular albums I'm Nearly Famous (1976). Ellison has his own studio in London where he works with emerging artists. Former Cartoone roadie Dennis Sheehan later became U2's road manager.

Tracks:
01. Knick Knack Man - 3:50
02. Withering Wood - 2:25
03. The Sadness Of Toby Jugg - 2:38
04. A Penny For The Sun - 3:04
05. I'll Stay - 2:05
06. Girl Of Yesterday - 3:09
07. I Can't Walk Back - 2:52
08. Let Me Reassure You - 2:19
09. Mr. Poor Man - 3:43
10. Ice Cream Dreams - 2:48
11. Doing What Mamma Said - 2:38
12. See Me - 2:02
Bonus:
13. Reflections Of A Common Theme (Single A-Side, 1969) - 2:39
14.Sunday Morning - 2:55
15. Deep In My Heart - 3:52
16. Going My Way - 3:14
17. Give Me Something New - 3:25
18. Reflections Of A Common Theme - 2:35
19. Don't Look Down Your Nose - 4:09
20. Only I Can Do It - 3:54
21. Come And Sit By Me - 6:39

Personnel:
Derek Creigan - lead vocals, bass
Mike Allison - lead guitar
Mo Trowers - rhythm guitar
Charlie Coffils (Chick E. Coffils) - drums
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Jimmy Page - Telecaster guitar (01, 02, 05, 10), acoustic guitar (02, 04, 06, 07, 09, 11, 12)