Adrian must be pretty pleased with the way his career is going. After an inital flash of success in the mid-seventies, the eighties so far have seen him go from strength to strength. His career at present is poised to take him into even stronger production deals with The Beach Boys camp than so far has been experienced with his work with Mike Love. The last 10 years have seen him remain very true to harmony sounds slap in the middle of the Beach Music vein and his output has been the most regular recently of the British singers involved in this type of music
His early successes on Magnet Records gave him the opportunity to set up his own 16 track studio in the basement of his East London home. Since then he has added to it and improved its comfort and facilities. Having his own studio and very steady relationships with manager and partner the next step came in early 1980 when he started Polo Records, his own label. So with his own publishing company as well (aptly titled Cellar Music), he now enjoys a very high degree of artistic and business control which suits him very well. This control control extendes almost completely through his music output because as a multi-instrumentalist he plays everything on the records (he now often uses a drum machine for ease) and sings every part except for Ellie Hope's lead vocals on the Liquid Gold releases.
The last two years have seen considerable chart action for Adrian. It began with through several more similarly styled, although not quite as big, follow-ups. Then a re-issue of his original “Beach Boy Gold” record sparked success for the Gidea Park name and more hits followed. Added to this he has come close with a couple of issues under his own name. Then during summer of 1981 came an incredible artistic and personal boost when out of the blue Bruce Johnston asked him to tour with The Beach Boys, also offering the possibility of recording and production. Adrian was naturally very exctied and immediately took a short test out trip to join the group for a couple of concerts on the East Coast. Things worked out and for several sections of their tours it was agreed that he should join, to a large extent filling the gaps left by Carl's departure. Adrian got on well with the group, especially Mike who remains the harmony/Beach Music driving force. However, throughout this period up to the present day he has stressed to me that he does not ever want to consider any move to the States, but he will certianly continue to get involved with the group. For obvious reasons his main interests lie in recording, writing and producing for the group:
“There's no future touring with The Beach Boys”
and his connections with Mike Love indicate that things are progressing well towards these possibilites. Mike has now made several short trips to the UK mainly to record at Adrian's studio and the results have been very fruitful:
“I'm really producing him. I'm telling him what I want from his voice. Mike really loves the old sound"
Tracks in various stages of completion are “Sun City”, “Fun Is Free”, “Summertime Music”, “American Girls”, “Goodtime Summertime Girls”, “Da Doo Ron Ron”, “Hawaii” and “Summertime Blues”. By the time this is being read, this last track is likely to have had at least a UK issue on Polo as The Endless Summer Beach Band. The other tracks, some of which are Baker/Love collaborations, are quite likely to surface in different places. One may be a Beach Boys' track, others may go for the 'California Beach' film project, or for subsequent Mike Love solo releases. There is also a possibility of re-recording Beach Boys' material for contractual reasons. Time will tell.
In the meantime Adrian is busy recording further releases of his own for Polo while he is back in the States with The Beach Boys. These are likely to be Gidea Park or Adrian Baker issues and include “Run Baby Run”, a re-issue of “California Gold” and possibly “Hang On Sloopy”. It is also likely that Adrian will wind up his association with the Liquid Gold name. The actual group will probably continue if they can get a new contract somewhere else. So with his personal and business life remaining firmly in England whilst his artistic life extends itself so fascinatingly, the future for Beach Music lovers in the UK and beyond is perhaps brighter than it has ever been.
as ADRIAN BAKER
Magnet 341
Magnet 41
Magnet 61
Magnet 82
Magnet 117
MCA 395
as THE TONICS
Magnet 672
Magnet 52
Magnet 74
PEBBLES3
Parlophone 5900
Parlophone 5921
Deram DM 305
as BUSTER
Bradleys 310
Bradleys 7401
as RUDY
Warner Brothers K 16448
Warner Brothers K 16528
as THE M SQUAD
Ariola ARO 150
as GIDEA PARK 4 (see also Polo releases)
Stone SON 2162
Ariola ARO 167
as LIQUID GOLD5 (see also Polo releases)
Creole CR 159
Creole CR 170
Groups produced and/or arranged by ADRIAN BAKER:
ZIPS
RAK 225
RAK 237
BOSTON POPPERS
Penny Farthing PEN 828
STEVENSON'S ROCKET
Magnet 59
PHOENIX
Pye 7N 45511
Dawn DNS 1110
Albums:
as ADRIAN BAKER
Magnet 5009
I Feel Fine (Lennon-McCartney)
I'll Surrender (Baker-Morgan)
Live And Love Together (Baker-Morgan)
Find Another Fool (Baker-Morgan)
Sherry (Gaudio)
Candy Baby (Baker-Morgan)
So You Think You've Got It Made (Baker-Morgan)
Get Away From Me Girl (Baker-Morgan)
I Was Only Fooling (Baker-Morgan)
Think About It (Baker-Morgan)
Is It Love (Baker-Morgan)
Magnet (Unreleased)
Bruton Music BRH 6
1 ° LIQUID GOLD
2 ✕ DAZZ
3 ADRIAN BAKER
4 ✕° LIQUID GOLD
5 ° AERO
6 ° LIQUID GOLD
7 ° ADRIAN BAKER
8 ° LIQUID GOLD
9 DAZZ
10° STEVIE JONES
11 ADRIAN BAKER 6
12 IRMA THOMAS 7
13 ✕ THE GLITTER BAND8
14 ✕° GIDEA PARK 9
15 ✕° LIQUID GOLD
16 ✕ CELEBRATION
17 ° LIQUID GOLD10
18 ✕° GIDEA PARK11
Albums:
Polo POLP 101
Could Be Tonight (Baker-Seago)
Substitute (Baker-Seago)
Mr. Groovy (Baker-Da Vinci)
Dance Yourself Dizzy (Baker-Seago)
My Baby's Baby (Baker-Seago)
Anyway You Do It (Baker-Da Vinci)
Polo POLP 102
California Gold (Wilson-Asher-Baker)
Don't Worry Baby (Wilson-Christian)
Beach Boy Gold (Various)
Summer Girls (Baker-Morgan)
Happy Birthday Brian Wilson (Baker)
Seasons Of Gold (Baker-various)
My Maria (Baker)
Baby Come Back (Baker-Seago)
(Produced arranged and recorded by Adrian Baker)
Recorded at Polo Studios, London.
All vocals by Adrian Baker.
All Instruments by Adrian Baker except drums which were played by Dave Walker and Pete Phipps
Co-Ordination by Mel Medalie.
1: A UK Top Ten hit.
2: Reached No. 51 in the UK, thus missing out on the Top Of The Pops TV show.
3: PEBBLES was a local harmony group of the late sixties. Adrian's first recording. After the group folded, there was PLAYGROUND, which was also a harmony band but they did not record. However Playground became GIDEA PARK for some TV appearances.
4: The GIDEA PARK single releases around the world were quite interesting: Both AUSTRALIAN releases were issued in 12″ and 7″, The “Beach Boy Gold” release was issued in “surf blue vinyl” for approximately the first 600 12″ copies. In HOLLAND and GERMANY the first release was issued with a picture sleeve (both different) and the second release came with a picture sleeve in Germany. “Beach Boy Gold” was re-issued in the UK in 1981 in both 7″ and 12″ sizes.
5: Both Creole releases were issued in both 7″ and 12″ format.
6: 'B' side is a remixed version of a track done for a Roger Scot-Capital Radio Beach Boys' special.
7: A one-off release deal.
8: A release deal set up by EDDIE SEAGO.
9: The 12″ release had “Opus 17” as an extra song. There was also a limited DJ 7″ issue with the regular length as side A and the extended version as the flip.
10: 12″ issue was extended on the 'A' side and had a different flip - “Could Be Tonight” (Baker-Seago)
11: 12″ extended version with an added instrumental break and extra harmonies.
12: LIQUID GOLD also had an American only released lp containing: C'mon and Dance, My Baby's Baby, Secret Love, Mr. Groovy, Anyway You Do.
@ Denotes side is the instrumental track of the flip
° Denotes issued in both 7″ and 12″ format
✕ Denotes issued complete with picture/art sleeve.
POLO RECORD LABEL (additions):
19:✕ SHERRY JONES
20: WILDLIFE
21:✕ U.K. SUPPORTERS
23:✕ GIDEA PARK
24:✕ LA BATTERIE
25:✕ ELLIE HOPE
Discographical Notes:
All had 12″ issues as well as the standard 7″ issues.
POLO 21 is ADRIAN BAKER with sundry brothers and friends.
POLO 22 was also released as a 7″ picture disc. Full artist credit is GIDEA PARK FEATURING ADRIAN BAKER.
POLO 23 is the first LIQUID GOLD issue with NO ADRIAN BAKER involvement. Also issued as a 7″ picture disc
POLO 25, 12″ issue had “Lucky” instrumental track extra.
