Dateline: October 01, 2005

Source: Midlands Burton Mail Newspaper

It's a Syn they just weren't more popular

By Tom Sloan

While compilations of bands who tasted chart success in the 1960s have been available for years, one of the London Underground scene's finest acts has only just been put on the map with its own release.

The Syn were one of the top flower power bands in London during 1967's Summer of Love, regularly supporting acts including The Who, Pink Floyd, Jimi Hendrix and Cream.

Despite releasing only two singles on the Deram label, home to such acts as the Moody Blues and The Move, The Syn have enjoyed a cult reputation for nearly 40 years -- largely thanks to two of the band's members, Chris Squire and Peter Banks, going on to form prog rock legends Yes.

The Syn's singles, Created By Clive c/w Grounded and 14-Hour Technicolour Cream c/w Flowerman, have long been collector's items valued at 100 GBP each.

Now, thanks to a reunion of three of the band's former members, a 19-track compilation, including five newly recorded numbers, has been released to a market hungry for good 60s reissues.

As well as the four songs released on the group's two singles, all of which are excellent 60s fodder, the vaults have been raided to produce some excellent rarities that document one of Britain's most interesting underground bands.

The Syn, who were originally made up of Squire on bass, vocalist Stephen Nardelli, John Painter on guitar, Martyn Adelman on drums and Andrew Pryce Jackman on keyboards, are clearly a talented band who should have been given the chance to cut more records.

The vintage recordings reveal a talented group with few of the leanings that would cause Yes to be forever associated with the pomposity and grandeur of the prog rock movement.

The newer material, however, is more in the Yes vein and bears little resemblance to the magical output of The Syn. However, it provides a neat link between the two bands. Overall, the compilation is well worth buying for any fan of psychedelic or freakbeat music.

Phil Collins, drummer and later vocalist with famed prog rock group Genesis, was a big fan of The Syn. "There were many a great band in the mid to late-60s to play the Marquee Club in Wardour Street," he says.

"The Syn seemed to be always on, supporting someone or headlining on their own night.

"They were a very musical band with great musicianship and arrangements. They also concentrated on harmonies, which must have been quite tricky. I remember them as being a great live band."

Personnel changes eventually did for The Syn in 1968, with original members leaving the group to pursue outside interests. Nardelli became involved with the fashion industry while Adelman became a photographer. Meanwhile, Pryce Jackman, now deceased, went back to the classical music of his roots.

Squire, of course, formed Yes, a band which performs live to this day.

The Syn, which now features Chris and Stephen, are currently touring the United States on the More Drama tour. A new single by the band will be released this month in the run-up to a new album entitled Syndestructible.

The Syn my have split up before they had a chance to record an album, but 40 years later they are making up for lost time.