The album "Them Belfast Gypsies," released only in Sweden and the Netherlands in 1967, was initially overlooked but has since become a revered classic in British garage punk and R&B. Recorded in London and Copenhagen during May and June of 1966, the album features material from a band formed by brothers Pat (John) and Jackie McAuley after their departure from Them.
Due to a legal dispute, the McAuley group could only use the name Them outside the UK and had to call themselves The Other Them domestically. Producer Kim Fowley, who signed the band, dubbed them the Belfast Gypsies, a name the band never used themselves.
Previous releases of the album faced challenges due to the lack of master tapes and accurate information. However, recent discoveries of the master tapes for the London sessions have allowed for a significant sonic upgrade. This new anthology is the most comprehensive to date, including the first CD release of early demo recordings such as "I Want You" and an alternative mix of "People! Let’s Freak Out," originally released under the pseudonym The Freaks Of Nature by Island.
The updated release also features rare photos, memorabilia, and a new 6,000-word essay on the band's complex history, with fresh quotes from Jackie McAuley and reminiscences from the late guitarist Ken McLeod.
