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Meddy's People


Meddy's People - Fantasy World / Mister Sister - 7

Fantasy World / Mister Sister - 7"
Quality - 1968


Michael Panontin
Meddy's People actually trace their lineage to southern England, where they formed as the Traces in 1964. But the BC group didn't qualify for CanRock certification until the following year when 16-year-old lead guitarist Brian Medway immigrated to Canada along with his parents. Of course, Meddy's People wouldn't be the same without...well...Medway's people. So it wasn't long before the band's second guitarist Brian Clasby and bassist Laurie Roberts also crossed the ocean to restart things on Canadian soil.

"Laurie Roberts was one of the very best bass players in all of Southampton. I was in awe of his skill and dexterity. And both Clasby and Roberts were great vocalists," Medway recently told CM. "They believed that we had a certain something as a group that was special, so my father invited them over to Canada and they both said yes."

With Haney BC-native Dale Waddell joining on drums, the guys gigged all over the lower mainland, including at malls, dance halls and high schools, as well as at clubs like Denny's Discotheque, The Cave, Village Bistro, Grouse Nest, The Bayshore Inn and Planetarium.

But as the sixties progressed, and as the boys grew up, their sound began to evolve. "Our band in England was a mod R&B band," Medway recalled. "We sounded a lot like the early Who recordings. But in Canada we became a much heavier band, leaning on our original blues roots."

Meddy's People rifled off a trio of singles - all on the Quality label - in a little under a year. The first, in January 1967, featured a pair of serviceable Brit Invasion covers (the Small Faces' 'Shalalalee' b/w the Who's 'Substitute') with Medway's guitar chops on the a-side as electrifying as anything heard in this country up to that point. The boys followed the same formula on the follow-up - this time it was the Hollies' 'Yes I Will' and 'Hideaway' by Dave, Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Tich - before Medway decided to put out a couple of his own tunes.

"'Fantasy World' was the first song that I ever wrote and 'Mr. Sister' was the second. They were recorded at Aragon Recording Studios in Vancouver, which interestingly enough, ended up becoming Mushroom Studio." 'Fantasy World' is a stormer of a record that to this day has never been officially comped. It is likely the closest thing to UK freakbeat ever issued on these shores, which I suppose is hardly a surprise given that when it was released in Dec. '68 Medway had still not taken his Canuck citizenship

Internet commenters have likened the song to the Small Faces, especially Medway's searing guitar licks. But when asked about it, the talented guitarist demurred somewhat, directing his accolades at the group's drummer Dave Wilson (who had only recently replaced Waddell). "Both songs featured arrangements that benefited from Dave's powerful drumming style. His playing reminded me of Keith Moon's percussive style on many occasions." Medway is equally modest when asked about that mysterious production credit ("Produced by Accident"). "I produced it. It was a bit of humour. My name did not need to keep appearing on the record."

Despite the push given to it by RPM magazine - the disc appeared in no fewer than six issues from May to June '69 as Recommended Canadian Content - 'Fantasy World' seems to have troubled no charts. By late '69, Meddy's People had pretty well called it a career. Medway kept himself busy in the first part of the seventies writing music before forming a "progressive power trio" named Pegasus that toured Canada with Rory Gallagher but otherwise went nowhere. In 1976, frustrated and disillusioned with a music industry he found "corrupt and pretty dark", Medway walked away from the business for good.
         
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