Family's Music in a Doll's House - 50th Anniversary

An ingenious debut album that was released 50 years ago, by the band that belongs to the roots of Progressive rock.
In Swinging London's nightclubs in 1967, the undergound music scene had a shift of generations. London's bands like The Who and The Kinks already became the stars, so they were replaced at the undeground scene with the bands like Family, 1-2-3 ("Clouds)", The Nice, Soft Machine and so on, who were experimenting without the limits urged by the music industry; the music by Family and related underground bands was perceived & labeled by the audience as *progressive music*.
In that milieu, Family released their debut and the first album of British Progressive rock: Music in a Doll's House
This early masterpiece was recorded during late 1967 and early 1968, & released in July 1968. Personnel was actually the best Family's line up: Roger Chapman (vocals, harmonica, tenor saxophone) John "Charlie" Whitney (lead and steel guitars), Jim King (tenor and soprano saxophones, vocals, harmonica) Ric Grech (bass guitar, vocals, violin, cello) and Rob Townsend (drums, percussion). Dave Mason of Traffic, produced the album (with Jimi Miller), composed one song and played Mellotron on the album.
NME's journalist Nick Logan has right when he was qualified Music In A Doll's House as a revolutionary record:
"(...) In 1968, the band moved [from Leicester] to London to record Music In A Doll's House the album, produced by Jimmy Miller and Dave Mason. Except for one song by Mason, the album was fullfilled with compositions by the band members and it was a surprisingly successful start - what established themselfs as one of half a dozen of leading bands at the British progressive rock scene in the beginning. (...) If their first, revolutionary album was released a few years later, when the audience could have been more willing to accept it, perhaps the whole story [about the band] could have been written differently. (...)"
from The Illustrated New Musical Express Encyclopedia of Rock by Nick Logan & Bob Woffinden (Salamander Books, London, 1976)

Unlike many albums from that time, Music in a Doll's House sounds fresh even today and, sadly, it's still to be an underrated masterpiece.





Beautiful album design by Peter Duval.

 

I finally found a copy of this last week so hopefully will play it for the first time over the weekend. Looking forward to it

 

Much as I love Family, I disagree with a couple of points. I think MIADH sounds very dated, much as the first Traffic album sounds dated. I blame the Dave Mason influence for that. I bought the album when it was first released and loved it from the start, but I think it's telling that the band dropped these songs from their live shows very early on. Family Entertainment has held up much better.

Second, I don't agree that this is the band's best line-up. To me, the band's peak was absolutely the Fearless and Bandstand lineup. They may well have been the best band in Britain at that time.

With those quibbles out of the way, Happy 50th Anniversary to a remarkable debut!

 

An impressive, groundbreaking debut that helped to lay the foundation for progressive rock. Some of the production effects date it a bit--it's definitely a product of the 60s, including its thinly veiled lysergic sensibility--but its held up well overall. I've often thought that Charlie Whitney was an underrated guitarist and while Chapman's vocals are a bit of an acquired taste, he's a powerful front man. The mono version is worth seeking out, as is their early single "Scene Through The Eye Of A Lens".

 

Ha, ha, ha!
The mono of this has been a holy grail for me. No matter how great John Wetton was, nothing beats the sheer inspiration of Doll's House, nothing beats the sheer 1968 of it!

 

How about an AAA vinyl reissue to celebrate this. Only have a reissue that is likely 'unofficial' and digital source. Madfish did some of the later albums but not the first three. An interesting album that is much of it's time. Originals are pricey in any shape.

 

I have a copy somewhere and have never played it yet, so a nice prod to get around to it. I found a Dave Mason white label test of his 1973 album recently, and had a bit of a listen as I was about to list it for sale. Went in the keeper pile instead!.

 

I had to go all the way to New York to buy this album in 1987!

It's one of the greatest debuts of all time. Psychedelia with a (very) hard edge. I love it.

 

The big box is the way to go

 

I have to admit I've never heard of them, but checking it out on youtube I am amazed, and I won't turn this into a Beatle thread-but I assume this is why they changed their title to just the Beatles. A cross between early Genesis and early Crimson, but amazingly BEFORE both. Also with Traffic (Mason production), Moody Blues and Floyd vibes. Really digging this. Thanks Svetonio and youtube!!

 

Great album

 

I was introduced to Family via Fearless. I tried to like MIADH, but alas, it's nowhere near as good.

 

love fearless but this is the trophy.
could you imagine this in surround in the hands of steven wilson (hint, hint)

 

I just discovered this album last year and it’s in my top 25 albums of all-time already. Highly recommend to fans of music released in 1968 as well as to fans of Jethro Tull and Procol Harum. The vocals take a little getting used to, but they’re amazing once you get acclimated to it. Such a great album!

 

How many lumps, is it two, one or five?

 

I think that those later line-ups of the band, although they might be superior to the original line-up and have made undoubtedly excellent albums, never repeated that beautiful, haunting & "proggy" atmosphere of Music in a Doll's House.

 

It's true MIADH is unique in the Family catalog, and I enjoyed it immensely at the time it was released, but for me it's too much of its time. That can't be said of the albums from Family Entertainment on.

 

An underrated band that was years ahead of its time and with Roger Chapman they had one of the finest singers of all time. If only more people would be familiar with their music.

 

This is one of my favorite albums of all time! It amazes me every time I listen to it.
I have all the Family albums in multiples, but this is the one I like the best.
What a great band.

 

How I envy you guys who are hearing this album for the first time and having the experience I had when I first heard it in 1968. It totally blew my mind and remains one of my favourite albums of all time.
Personally I don't think the album sounds dated now, but that's just my view.
I have had the vinyl stereo album forever and more recently acquired a great copy of the mono mix. It is definitely worth having as it is quite different to the stereo version. Something of a revelation in parts.
Having said that, I would be looking very closely at any 50th anniversary issue. And the same applies to a 50th anniversary issue of Family Entertainment next year.

 

Still have the original vinyl. Must get my turntable in working order.

 

I loved it when I first heard it back in 1996 and love it still.

I recently downloaded a vinyl rip of the mono ix, bit more freaky than the stereo. Ace!!!

 

Great album, very evocative of the John Peel shows of 1968. I agree that Family improved a lot in the subsequent few years - some of my favourite albums of the era. Never saw them live - perhaps just as well given Chappo's tendency to throw things at the audience.
It's a shame though, about 'The Beatles' LP title - would have made a lot of sense as 'A Doll's House'.....

 

Love it.

 

I'm hoping we get a deluxe reissue which contains the original mix "Hometown" 45 and the movie-only "Young Love".