Their style was originally loud pop-art, similar to The Kinks and The Who, but developed into a more typically mid-60s psychedelic/prog sound. The most popular Creation tune up to this day remains probably "Painter Man", which made the U.K. Top 40 late 1966 and hit even #8 in the German charts in April 1967. The song also featured, in the second half, lead guitarist Phillips's trademark of playing his instrument with a violin bow.
At the end of 1966, Bob Garner left and was replaced by Kim Gardner and, in March 1968, Pickett left and was replaced by Ron Wood (both of these new members had been in The Birds), but Pickett soon returned, replacing both Phillips and Gardner.
Only The Who were creating such venomous guitar pop at this time and (it is reputed) that Pete Townshend of The Who was so impressed with the innovate guitar style of Eddie Phillips he asked him to join the Who as a second guitarist but he turned the Who down (!) presumably because he felt confident and did not want to play second fiddle.
Shortly afterwards, however, The Creation disbanded; Pickett continued as songwriter for their American producer, Shel Talmy, and also became American road manager for Led Zeppelin; Ron Wood joined The Faces; Gardner co-formed Ashton, Gardner & Dyke and was later a member of Badger; Jones became a cabaret singer. Pickett and Phillips later wrote the single "Teacher Teacher" for Rockpile.
The Creation reformed in the mid 1980s with Phillips, Pickett, Dalton, and Mick Avory (drums, ex-Kinks). Pickett died of a heart attack on January 10, 1997. The reformed band continued to tour, with various lineup changes. They performed in the United States for the first time at the final edition of Cavestomp in November, 2001.
The famous independent record label Creation Records was named after them. The founder of Creation Records, Alan McGee, also had a band named Biff Bang Pow!, named after one of their songs.
The 1990s band Ride then recorded the song "How Does It Feel to Feel?" on their album, Carnival of Light. Some years earlier The Godfathers, another UK alternative rock band of the time, had also included a cover of the song on their 1991 album Unreal world, so that the tune "How Does It Feel to Feel?" became quite popular in the 1990s in the UK indie scene.
In 2004, Cherry Red Records released Psychedelic Rose, made up of nine songs from the group's abandoned 1987/88 sessions including the tracks previously issued on the 1987 single, augmented by two spoken-word recollections of The Creation's history; the few reviews of the album were almost uniformly negative.
Garner and Jones both exited the band sometime in the early 2000s; Garner died on July 16, 2016. The only original member left in the current line-up is Phillips. The most recent Creation touring line-up consists of Eddie Phillips (lead guitar, vocals), Simon Tourle (lead vocals), Tony Barber (bass), and Kevin Mann (drums).
Members
Present members
Eddie Phillips (born Edwin Michael Phillips, 15 August 1942, Leytonstone, east London) – lead guitar, backing and occasional lead vocals (May 1966–November 1967, mid-1980s-present)
Tony Barber – bass guitar, backing and occasional lead vocals (early 2000s-present)
Kevin Mann – drums (early 2000s-present)
Simon Tourle – lead vocals (early 2000s-present)
Earlier members
Bob Garner (born Robert Anthony Garner, 15 May 1946, Warrington, Lancashire; died 16 July 2016) – bass guitar, backing vocals (May 1966-February 1967, 1994-January 1997); lead vocals (February 1967–February 1968, January 1997-early 2000s)
Kenny Pickett (born Kenneth George Pickett, 3 September 1942, Ware, Hertfordshire; died 10 January 1997) – lead vocals (May 1966–February 1967, April–June 1968, mid-1980s–1997)
Jack Jones (born Jack Llewleyn Jones, 8 November 1944, Northampton, Northamptonshire) – drums, backing vocals (May–November 1966, December 1966–June 1968, 1994-early 2000s)
Dave Preston – drums (November–December 1966)
Kim Gardner – bass, backing vocals (February 1967–June 1968; died 2001)
Tony Ollard – lead guitar, backing vocals (November 1967–February 1968)
Ronnie Wood – lead guitar (April–June 1968)
John Dalton – bass guitar (mid-1980s–1994)
Mick Avory – drums (mid-1980s–1994)
There is another band with the same name:
2. There was a U.S 1960s garage rock band also called The Creation
Midway Down
The Creation Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Thrown your pennies in a wishing well
Eating jelly on a stick
Too much will make you sick
Three ring circus, trapeze artist
Swinging to and fro
With no net below
Tiny cars, 12 pounds of oil
Hear the barkers calling people to the sideshow
Bearded ladies, dancing babies, waving hello
Ten foot giant finds it tough to lift a feather
Three foot midget hopes he won't be small forever
See the dancing bear, tigers through the air
See him jump so high, nearly touch the sky
Elephants and tall giraffes, monkeys have such funny laughs
Hear the barkers calling people to the sideshow
Bearded ladies, dancing babies, waving hello
Ten foot giant finds it tough to lift a feather
Three foot midget hopes he won't be small forever
The Creation's song Midway Down is an upbeat, playful commentary on the various attractions and characters one might encounter at a carnival or sideshow. The first verse sets the scene with references to classic fairground tropes such as carousels, wishing wells, and sticky treats like jelly-on-a-stick. The second verse introduces the more exotic elements of the show, describing trapeze artists, circus performers with no safety net below, and the contrasting image of tiny cars using a disproportionate amount of oil. The song's chorus features the barkers calling for people to come and see the oddities on display, including bearded ladies, dancing babies, a ten-foot giant struggling with a feather, and a three-foot midget hoping to grow.
Overall, the lyrics are a celebration of the strange and unusual, presented with a sense of humor and whimsy that captures the sense of wonder and delight that many people feel when visiting a carnival or sideshow. The catchy, upbeat melody and playful vocal delivery invite the listener to join in the fun, and the song's lighthearted tone makes it a perfect soundtrack for a day at the fair.
Line by Line Meaning
Have you ever seen a carousel
Have you ever experienced the ups and downs of life?
Thrown your pennies in a wishing well
Have you ever hoped for something beyond your control?
Eating jelly on a stick
Indulging in something sweet and temporary.
Too much will make you sick
Excessive indulgence can have negative consequences.
Three ring circus, trapeze artist
Life is full of excitement and entertainment.
Swinging to and fro
Navigating the unpredictability of life.
With no net below
Taking risks without a guaranteed safety net.
Tiny cars, 12 pounds of oil
Material possessions are often temporary and unimportant.
Isn't that an awful silly scene
It's important to realize the absurdity of certain aspects of life.
Hear the barkers calling people to the sideshow
People are often drawn to the spectacle of life.
Bearded ladies, dancing babies, waving hello
Diversity and uniqueness should be celebrated.
Ten foot giant finds it tough to lift a feather
Having physical size doesn't always equate to strength.
Three foot midget hopes he won't be small forever
Everyone wants to be accepted and loved for who they are.
See the dancing bear, tigers through the air
The beauty of nature can be captivating.
See him jump so high, nearly touch the sky
The possibilities in life are endless.
Elephants and tall giraffes, monkeys have such funny laughs
Animals bring joy and happiness to our lives.
Contributed by Jack H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.