On this day in music history: November 2, 1967 - “Disraeli Gears”, the second album by Cream is released. Produced by Felix Pappalardi, it is recorded at Atlantic Studios in New York City in May 1967. The albums title is inspired by a conversation that drummer Ginger Baker has with Eric Clapton and one of the bands’ roadies about Clapton wanting to buy a racing bicycle. The roadie named Mick Turner comments, “it’s got them Disraeli Gears”, meaning to say “derailleur gears” instead. The title is a pun on the aforementioned “derailleur gears” and 19th century British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli. Recorded in just three and a half days, it spins off the classics “Sunshine Of Your Love” (#5 Pop), “Strange Brew” and “Tale Of Brave Ulysses”, and today is regarded as one of the best rock albums of the era. Though it is released in late  1967, “Disraeli Gears” is slow to take off. The singles “Strange Brew” b/w “Tale Of Brave Ulysses” and “Spoonful”, both released ahead of the album, only make a minor dent in the charts. Though it enters the Billboard pop album chart in early December of 1967, it literally takes months for it to gain momentum. Atlantic Records releases “Sunshine Of Your Love” the same month (with some early copies listing the band as “The Cream”), but intially stalls at #36 on the Hot 100 on March 2, 1968 before doing an about face and falling off the chart. It is only after the release of Cream’s next album, the epic double LP “Wheels Of Fire” does “Sunshine” come roaring back to life. It re-enters the chart at #52 on July 6, 1968 and begins its final climb into the top five, over eight months after its initial release. The single is belatedly issued in the UK in October of 1968, peaking at #25. The album is remastered and reissued on CD in 1998, followed by a double CD Deluxe Edition in 2004 featuring the original stereo and mono versions of the album with demos and outtakes included as bonus tracks. “Disraeli Gears” peaks at number four on the Billboard Top 200, is certified Platinum in the US by the RIAA, and is also inducted into the Grammy Hall Of Fame in 1999.


and yes here we go again . . . . . . bought when it came out and our gang of friends barely listened to anything else when this came out, numbering amongst those pals the legendary brilliant drummer, Johnny Marter [Mr Big et al] who could match Ginger Baker and Mitch Mitchell [and anyone else for that matter] on the drum kit and we spent many happy hours listening to him drum in his parent's garage. 
We LOVED these guys and this album . . . . . turn it up!


thanks to the most excellent Jeff Harris' blog 'Behind The Grooves