(Them with Van Morrison - short lived, but burned bright) There was a time when, if you had a band or were getting a band together, you were more o
December 3, 2009

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(Them with Van Morrison - short lived, but burned bright)

There was a time when, if you had a band or were getting a band together, you were more or less obliged to play one of two songs - Gloria or Mystic Eyes. If Van Morrison never recorded another song in his life, those would be the two songs he would forever be remembered by. Them were only together for two years - a nanosecond by all accounts. Even though the band were from Belfast Ireland, they were considered part of the British Invasion from 1964 until their demise (at least with Van Morrison) in 1966. Morrison went off to greener pastures and has never looked back. The rest of the band soldiered on a few more years before packing it in around 1971. A lot of people who have become familiar with Van Morrison the last twenty or so years don't really remember much about his period with Them, aside from maybe the above mentioned songs. The first album was a massive seller, but the second one didn't fare as well. Probably because the band had broken up by the time the album was released, and Morrison was well on his way to a solo career by the end of the year. Them Again was a sort of post script to a band that made some wonderful music and some indelible impressions. One of the tracks off that album, featured here tonight is the opening of Them Again, Could You Would You, a Morrison penned track that captures the visceral energy of his voice and the heartfelt soul of the band backing him.

Some things just weren't destined to last.

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