Lasgo: Some things

just pure magic

The Essex were originally formed by a group of marines who were still in active service when they had their biggest hit, Easier said than done, which gave them an American number one hit in 1963. The single also became a minor UK hit although Britain was already gripped by Beatle mania, which hadn't yet crossed the Atlantic. The follow-up single, A walking miracle, nearly made the American top ten but missed the UK charts completely - however, this song eventually made the UK top ten in the seventies via a cover by Limmie and the family cooking. Their singles chart history ended with the minor American hit, She's got everything.The main appeal of the Essex was that they always appeared in full military uniform. Another unusual aspect was the racially mixed composition of the group - a rarity in 1963 - with a female lead singer (Anita Humes) and three harmony vocalists (Walter Vickers who also played guitar, Rodney Taylor who also played drums, Billie Hill). A fifth member, Rudolph Johnson (vocals, guitar), was posted to a location that forced him to leave the group after completion of the group's first album.This compilation contains their hits and a selection of tracks from their two albums as well as failed singles and B-sides. Most of the material is original although they recorded a fine cover of Be my baby (Ronettes). Among the failed singles, Don't fight it baby and Just for the boy are particularly noteworthy but by the time of their 1964 release, the Beatles had captured the attention of America and nobody was interested in the Essex any more. Furthermore, once they had secured discharges from the marines, they no longer appeared in uniform and some of their distinctive identity was lost.If you enjoy girl group music of the early sixties, you will surely love this although the Essex were not a girl group themselves.