1960s, Birmingham’s The Move failed to gain traction in the US, despite clogging up the UK singles charts with nine Top 20 hits in five years.

You could point the finger of blame at the band’s main songwriter, Roy Wood, who spiked commercial pop material with a left-of-centre sense of humour that perhaps US radio programmers didn’t appreciate.

These reissued albums (the band's first two, originally released in 1968 and 1970, respectively) highlight occasional shortcomings and displays of brilliance. On one hand you have awful schlock (a cover version of Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart); on the other, you have '60's Brit pop gems such as Flowers in the Rain, Fire Brigade and Wild Tiger Woman.

What came next? Major success with Wizzard and Electric Light Orchestra. brumbeat.net