The Action are back on the scene! Even though they were the biggest of the up-coming groups, they were dissatisfied with what they were doing and retired from the scene for three whole months, to think their music over, rehearse and record. They returned with a fantastic debut at the Marquee Club, where lines twined ’round the block in both directions. Everyone hopes that “Never Ever” will finally be the record that does it for them . . . If you want to hear a string of superlatives, just ask Monkee Micky Dolenz what he thinks of the Spencer Davis Group . . . Watch out for the Soft Machine! They’re a foursome who specialize in electronic music. Paul McCartney is their straunchest fan and has even written special way-out music for them . . . You’ll need sunglasses this spring just to look at the clothes. If colours get any brighter, London will light up the sky . . . It’s bright green, orange and pink for the girls, and that includes stockings of almost fluorescent brightness . . . The guys are also on a brightness spree, but they’re still hanging on to purple, which the birds have dropped . . . Jeff Beck’s new group will make its debut on the Roy Orbison tour here this spring. No details on the group, not even a name—just the Jeff Beck group . . . The Move are still happily chopping up television sets, automobiles and stages as part of their act. Their kind of act hasn’t hit the States yet, for which your promoters can be thankful . . . You just can’t get grape jelly in England . . . New twosome: Mick Jagger and Marianne Faithful . . . Chrissie Shrimpton now going with Steve Marriott of the Small Faces, over whom she somewhat towers… Girls’ shoes this season are sporting slave-bracelet straps and brilliant colours . . . Radio Caroline disc jockey Robbie Dale made Micky Dolenz and Mike Nesmith Vice-Admirals of the Beat Fleet . . . The Pirate Stations, by the way, are still on the air and going stronger than ever. Fingers crossed, pop radio fans! . . . Mick Jagger was on the late-night (11 p.m.) Eamonn Andrews talk show and found himself attacked by the rest of the panel, all rah-rah show biz types. Mick won by retaining his reason and his temper. Also by virtue of being a good sight more intelligent than the rest of them . . . Speaking of the Stones, “Let’s Spend the Night Together” was their second record in a row that didn’t make number one in Britain . . . The Edwardian look is still in for boys—those long, vented jackets are so gorgeous! . . . Girls’ versions of heavy cord elegance in trouser suits are outrageously expensive, so some girls have taken to buying boys’ clothes, which are cheaper . . . “Gear” on Carnaby Street sells all manner of knick-knacks and wild things, like Union Jack shopping bags . . . At a Happening at the Roundhouse in Chalf Farm, London, not long ago, someone made a 60 gallon jello mould and a naked man splattered himself with paint and crawled along a white piece of paper. All this while the Pink Floyd and Soft Machine produced wierd [sic] electronic music . . . The Roundhouse is the mecca of British psychedelia, such as it is, which isn’t much . . . Peter and Gordon have finally split up. And without having murdered one another after all! . . . I always thought the Cream were the loudest trio around, but the Jimi Hendrix Experience has them beat by a mile. Jimi’s group is even louder than the Who!! (To say nothing of the fact that Jimi is an absolutely fantastic, super, chills-up-your-spin guitarist!) . . . Julie Felix, an American folk singer who has adopted Britain, gave a party to celebrate the release of her recording of Donovan’s composition “Saturday Night.” She invited 60 people and about 300 turned up, among them Spancer [sic] Davis, Georgie Fame and Paul McCartney—but no sign of Donovan . . . Although Dave Dee’s publicist is convinced Dave is a sex symbol, he’s the only one who thinks so—ask the fans if they think Dave Dee is sexy and you get, “Dave Dee? You must be joking!” . . . The Rolling Stones are still alive in South America! . . . In London, people tend to walk more. Which might be why high heels went out here first . . . TeenSet’s London quizzes are a great hit here—if you’re looking for laughs, that is (sorry, Editor).
