Nuggets II: Real Crazy Apartment by Winston’s Fumbs

The success of Rhino’s 1998 Nuggets boxset justified a follow-up. The sequel covers the rest of the world since the first volume only chronicled the USA.

Nuggets II: Original Artyfacts from the British Empire and Beyond, 1964–1969 emerged in 2001. It features music from countries such as Iceland, Uruguay, and Japan. I’m profiling and rating each of the 109 tracks, working backwards.

Track 96 – Real Crazy Apartment by Winston’s Fumbs

From: Stratford, UK

10

Credits

4/16. REAL CRAZY APARTMENT – Winston’s Fumbs (U.K.)
(Jimmy Winston)

PERSONNEL/JIMMY WINSTON: vocals, guitar * TONY KAYE: organ * ALEX PARIS: bass * RAY STOCK: drums
Produced by TERRY OATES
Recorded in London, England
Rca single #1612 (1967)

Winston’s Fumbs

Jimmy Winston was the original keyboard player for the Small Faces. He lasted a couple of singles before he was kicked out and was replaced by Ian MacLagan.

Our original organist, Jimmy Winston, wasn’t working out. He couldn’t play – I mean, none of us could play, but we was keen. Jimmy Winston couldn’t play, and on top of it he had an ego as if he could play the piano, so he had to go! We chucked him out of the Small Faces. Very exciting times, the Sixties, there’ll never be another time like it, I’m sure.

Ronnie Lane, Small Faces Talk to You: The story of the Small Faces in their own words

Undeterred, Winston formed new bands, first The Reflections then Winston’s Fumbs.

Real Crazy Apartment

By 1967 The Reflections had metamorphosed into Winston’s Fumbs, releasing this superb freakbeat single for RCA in July 1967. By then, Winston had switched from organ to his first instrument, guitar, and his abrasive leads are well to the fore here, alongside a great, driving Hammond riff. The track conjures up images of the ultimate Chelsea swinger’s pad, all pop art murals, pot smoke, and Space Age gadgetry.

Mike Stax, Nuggets II liner notes

‘Real Crazy Apartment’ is another great find from the Nuggets compilers. With Winston on guitar, it’s frenetic acid rock, a little like Hendrix with an organ player and a more straitlaced rhythm section.

Winston’s Fumbs only released one single, but the flipside is also worth hearing:

The Aftermath

Winston only released a handful of singles, including a 1976 single as a solo artist. He returned to acting – he appeared in stage performances of Hair and in the Doctor Who episode Day of the Daleks.

Meanwhile, another member of Winston’s Fumbs enjoyed a higher-profile career. While Rick Wakeman is the most famous Yes keyboard player, Tony Kaye played on their early albums and 1983’s comeback album 90125. That’s Kaye on ‘Owner of a Lonely Heart’ and ‘Your Move’.

Read More

• Nuggets Song by Song
• 1960s Album Reviews

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