AFFINITY

AFFINITY WAS A SHORT-LIVED BAND THAT RELEASED ONE ALBUM ONE SINGLE IN 1970 QND THEN SPLIT UP. THEIR MUSIC IS A BLEND OF BLUES, JAZZ-ROCK AND PROGRESSIVE ROCK WITH LOTS OF NICE HAMMER ORGAN. THE BAND HAD A FANTASTIC FEMALE VOCALIST IN LINDA HOYLE. AFFINITY STARTED WRITING FOR A SECOND ALBUM, BUT IN JANUARY 1971 LINDA LEFT THE BAND AND THAT WAS END FOR THE WHOLE BAND. ANOTHER MEMORABLE COVER SHOT BY MARCUS REEF. THIS ONE RADATES CALM AND PEACE AND IS MORE OR LESS ANTIPODE TO BLACK SABBATH COVER. THE LADY RELAXEDLY OBSERVES THE FORGAGING SWANS, BOTH THE MASONARY AT HER BACK AND THE PARASOL SERVE TO MAKE LOOK VERY PROTECTED AND COSY. THE OVERALL TURQUOISE TINTING WORKS WONDERS TOO. INSIDE THE MUSICIANS POSE VERY AESTHETICALLY IN GREY-BLUE SILVER. NO LESS THAT SEVEN POSTIVE REVIEWS FROM THE TABLOIDS ARE DISPLAYED.

AFFINITY

LINDA HOYLE

IT IS PROBABLY ISN'T SURPRISING TO LEARN THAT HOYLE'S DEBUT, CUT FOLLOWING THE FINAL DISSOLUTION OF AFFINITY IN 1971, DOSE NOT DEVIATE TOO FAR FROM THAT BAND'S JAZZ-ROCK MODUS OPERANDI. HOWEVER, IN SEEKING TO TRIM THE INSTRUMENTAL FAT FROM AFFINITY'S SOMETIME GRUELLING WORK-OUTS, AND CONCENTRATE THE ATTENTION ON THE SONG'S (AND LYRICS) THEMSELVES, IT RAISES FAR ABOVE ITS ROLE MODEL; TO SHOWCASE HOYLE AS A FAR MORE EXCITING FIGURE THAN HER FOOTNOTE IN HISTORY WOULD HAVE YOU BELIEVE. REMINISCENT IN PLACES OF THE BEST JULIE DRISCOLL'S LATE 1960'S WORK - A ROLE MODEL THAT HOYLE WAS SINGULARLY WELL-PLACED TO SUCCED - "PIECES OF ME" (THAT WAS RELEASED IN 1971) LIKEWISE BORROWS FROM SEVERAL OF DRISCOLL'S OWN INFUENCES. THE NINA SIMONE AND LAURA NYRO SONGBOOKS BOTH CONTRIBUTE TO THE PROCEEDINGS, WITH THE LATTER'S "LONELY WOMAN" STANDING AMONG THE BEST TRACKS ON THE ENTIRE ALBUM. BUT HOYLE'S OWN WORK, LARGELY WRITTEN IN TANDEM WITH KEYBOARD PLAYER KARL JENKINS, IS EQUALLY POWERFUL, WITH EERIE "HYMN TO VALERIE SOLANIS" (TITLED FOR, BUT NEVER MENTIONING THE WOMEN WHO SHOT ANDY WARHOL), AND THE REGRETFUL "JOURNEYS END" RANKING AMONG OTHERS HIGHLIGHTS. THE INTRIGUING "BALLAD OF MARTY MOLE", MEANWHILE, READS LIKE A CROSS BETWEEN BOB DYLAN AND BEATRIX POTTER, AND COULD WELL GIVE CHILDREN NIGHTMARES FOR DAYS.