Music In A Doll's House

Family centered on the talents of guitarist John "Charlie" Whitney and vocalist Roger Chapman, and found early acceptance in the London underground scene. The pair was originally in the Leicester-based Farinas, along with sax/flute player Jim King and bassist Ric Grech. American producer Kim Fowley gave them their name, a reference to their "mafia" appearance. Rob Townsend then arrived on drums, and after recording one single for the Liberty label, they were signed by Reprise Records. Two further singles failed to chart, but the band quickly gained a considerable reputation from their live act; legend has it that Jimi Hendrix would never follow the band on stage. Family's debut album, Music In A Doll's House, was produced by Traffic's Dave Mason and Jimmy Miller, and had a predictably psychedelic, if not Traffic-esque, feel. Immediately, Chapman's raspy vocal on "The Chase" establishes one of the band's most recognizable signatures. But digging deeper, the album reveals sophistication few bands of the era would achieve. Their influences are wide. Both "Hey Mr. Policeman" and "The Breeze" hint at the blues, while "Voyage," with its roaring feedback and Mellotron breaks, is truly experimental. Inventively too, the album reprises themes from its selections between tracks. But songwriting would remain Chapman and Whitney's strong suit, and their debut has little shortage: "Mellowing Grey" and "Me My Friend" begin their long tradition of uniquely original song craft, as does the closing track "3 X Time" which-you guessed it-goes through three rhythmic changes. Well received, the album earned a No. 35 spot in the UK. No less than eight BBC appearances that year certainly helped the cause.