Nuggets II: Love Hate Revenge by Episode Six

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 74—Love Hate Revenge by Episode Six

From: London, England

8

Credits

3/20. LOVE HATE REVENGE – Episode Six (U.K.)
(Ritchie Adams/Irwin Levine)

PERSONNEL/IAN GILLAN: vocals * TONY LANDER: lead guitar * GRAHAM CARTER-DIMMOCK: guitar, vocals * SHEILA CARTER-DIMMOCK: organ, vocals * ROGER GLOVER: bass * HARVEY SHIELDS: drums
Produced by JOHN SCHROEDER
Recorded in London, England
Pye single #7N-17244 (1967)

Episode Six

If you scan the credits above, you’ll probably recognise a couple of names. Ian Gillan and Roger Glover went on to form the legendary Deep Purple. Despite Gillan and Glover’s later success, Episode Six remained obscure in the 1960s. They topped the charts in Beirut, but failed to register anywhere else.

Formed in Harrow, London, in July 1964, Episode Six turned pro later that year. They honed their skills with a residency at comic actor/writer Peter Cook’s Establishment Club as well as a stint in Frankfurt, Germany, before being signed to Pye in the summer of ’65.

Mike Stax, Nuggets II liner notes

Gillan shared vocals with organist Sheila Carter-Dimmock. Episode Six’s output was surprisingly eclectic, from Tokens covers to psychedelic pop.

Love Hate Revenge

American songwriters Ritchie Adams and Irwin Levine penned ‘Love Hate Revenge’. Levine was later responsible for ‘Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Old Oak Tree’, whilst Adams wrote for The Banana Splits’ ‘The Tra La La Song’ and for The Archies.

Doo-wop group The Del-Satins were the first to record the song, releasing ‘Love, Hate, Revenge (If I Want You To Cry)’ in January 1967. Episode Six released their version later in 1967.

Episode Six’s version was the basis for The Avengers ‘Love, Hate, Revenge’. The Avengers were from Wellington, New Zealand, and their version reached #2 on the NZ singles chart.

It’s surprising that the song took so many tries to become a hit, and then only in New Zealand. There’s a memorable chorus, and some witty lines:

If I want you to cry, bet your life you’re gonna cry
I put three drops of water in this little doll’s eye

The Episode Six version feels fragmented and awkward. It’s like they’re going for a Jefferson Airplane acid-rock sound, but they don’t have the harsh elements, like Grace Slick’s voice and the flowing acid-rock guitar, and it ends up closer to the Seekers. I prefer the Avengers’ psychedelic pop version – but either way, it’s a strong song.

The Aftermath

Episode Six released nine singles in the UK, all of which failed to chart. In June 1969, Ritchie Blackmore and Jon Lord invited Gillan to join Deep Purple.

The band carried on briefly with John Gustafson on bass and vocals. Gustafson later formed Quartermass, then joined Roxy Music. The original Episode Six reformed for a reunion concert in December 2015.

Read More

• Nuggets II Song by Song
• 1960s Album Reviews

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