Here’s Simon Dupree and the Big Sound performing their only hit, “Kites”, in 1968. A thoroughly mediocre single designed to capitalize on the burgeoning psychedelic movement with Orientalist trappings, it somehow - astoundingly - reached #9 UK. The band hated it, and its mild success led to them being pigeonholed as cabaret balladeers, which then led to them breaking up. This single would end up being more popular and charting higher than anything the future Gentle Giant would ever put out.
It’s kind of interesting to note in this video that after “Kites” (which was written for them) the band plays a song that they wrote themselves called ”Thinking About My Life” - and it’s really quite good! They also, not coincidentally, start looking like they’re actually having fun during the second song.
Go, David! Curate that week of GG like a champion!
