Clouds

Clouds were a progressive rock group from Edinburgh, Scotland who never found true commercial success despite rave reviews for their records and concerts. Not to be confused with [a1131034] (1980s indie rock band from Glasgow, Scotland). In their earlier incarnation as '1-2-3', Edinburgh's Clouds had a now-legendary residency at the Marquee club in early 1967, directly influencing many important bands such as [a50263], [a259812], and [a70828]. They were managed by [a298528] and Nems, but this association ended shortly after Epstein’s death, and the band was signed by [a267837] to the fledgling Chrysalis empire. But the success of [a30122] took the focus away from Clouds, and despite successful European and American tours, and numerous recordings with Island records, the band failed to capture the imagination of the record-buying public, and disbanded in Oct 1971. As years passed, however, it was the band's earlier incarnation as 1-2-3 that became the subject of a critical reappraisal. With accolades from the likes of David Bowie and others, the band's distinctive guitar-less, organ-driven sound is now viewed as a definitive precursor to the progressive rock movement.