Mickey CURTIS
was born of English parents in Tokyo, Japan in 1938. After the end of
The World War II he lived by singing in the Occupation Forces or Camps,
and as a result he was approved as a rockabilly singer. Although he had
been an active pop singer and a frontman of two chorus-pop outfits named
'City Crows' and 'Vanguards' in mid 60s, he was awakened to rock
suddenly and finally formed SAMURAI (The SAMURAIS in their early days)
in 1967. They went to Europe in late 1967, picking up some European
members and thus becoming half-Japanese. During the first two years
SAMURAI made a lot of gigs. In London they recorded a single and their
debut album, the double-LP ‘Samurai’ a.k.a. ‘Miki Curtis & Samurai’
[German Metronome, 1970], as well as a single only released in Italy.
They should not be confused with the UK group of the same name, who
released a self-titled LP on Greenwich in 1971.Their second album,
‘Green Tea’ [Philips, 1970], is simply a single-LP repackaging of the
debut only released in Japan, to where the band had returned. In early
1969 their soundscape was completely shifted to progressive rock, and we
can easily realize the fact especially in their eponymous album. Soon
after that they came back to Japan and released "Kappa" (1971), which
has been appreciated as a masterpiece of Heavy Progressive Rock in
Japan. Line-up / Musicians Mickey Curtis/voices,flute Mike Walker/voices,percussion Joe Dunnet/guitars Hiro Izumi/guitars,koto John Redfern/keyboards Tetsuo Yamauchi/bass Yujin Harada/drums Graham Smith/harmonica Discography(Album) Green Tea 1970
1.Four Seasons 2.18th Century 3.Eagle's Eye 4.Intermediate Stages 5.Boy With A Gun 6.Daffy Drake 7.Five Tone Blues 8.Green Tea 9.Mandalay
Can you upload this album, please?