East Of Eden - Mercator Projected (CD) (UK Import)

East Of Eden's were formed as Picture of Dorian Gray, by Dave Arbus (b. David Arbus, 8 October 1941, Leicester died 21 March 2025 – violin, flute, saxophone, trumpet), Ron Caines (b. Ronald Arthur Caines, 13 December 1939, Bristol – alto saxophone), Geoff Nicholson (b. Geoffrey Nicholson, 27 June 1948, near Bristol – guitar, vocals), Mike Price (bass), and Stuart Rossiter (drums). Price left in spring 1968 and was replaced by Terry Brace (born Terrence Brace, 28 September 1943, died 2006 (Bristol). Vocalist and guitarist Al Read (b. Alan G Read, 26 March 1942, Chelsea, London, died 2009) joined at the same time. With this line-up the band released the now very-rare single, "King Of Siam", on 25 July 1968. They also appeared in the rarely seen Tony Richardson film of Vladimir Nabokov's Laughter in the Dark

Brace and Read left in September 1968; the band carried on with Nicholson as their main vocalist, with Ron Caines occasionally contributing. Brace was replaced by Steve York (b. 24 April 1948, London died 2020). Rossiter also left, and was replaced in September 1968 by Dave Dufort (b. David Dufort, 1947, London). In 1968 they moved to London, and were signed to a recording contract with Deram Records.[2] In February 1969 Dufort left and in came Bryan Appleyard, who was replaced in June 1969 by Geoff Britton (b. Geoffrey Britton, 1 August 1943, Lewisham, South East London) (drums), who later joined Wings.[2] York also left in June 1969, and in came bassist Andy Sneddon (born Andrew Sneddon, 8 May 1946, Kilbirnie, Ayrshire, Scotland).

Brace and Read left in September 1968; the band carried on with Nicholson as their main vocalist, with Ron Caines occasionally contributing. Brace was replaced by Steve York (b. 24 April 1948, London died 2020). Rossiter also left, and was replaced in September 1968 by Dave Dufort (b. David Dufort, 1947, London). In 1968 they moved to London, and were signed to a recording contract with Deram Records. In February 1969 Dufort left and in came Bryan Appleyard, who was replaced in June 1969 by Geoff Britton (b. Geoffrey Britton, 1 August 1943, Lewisham, South East London) (drums), who later joined Wings. York also left in June 1969, and in came bassist Andy Sneddon (born Andrew Sneddon, 8 May 1946, Kilbirnie, Ayrshire, Scotland).

In 1969, they released the Mercator Projected album, featuring the line-up of Dave Arbus, Ron Caines, Geoff Nicholson, Steve York and Dave Dufort (Dufort's surname was misspelled "Dufont" on the cover of the original LP release, and also on the CD re-release in 2008, which featured as part of its artwork a photo of the back cover of the original LP, complete with the misspelling). This album was followed by Snafu (1970) featuring Nicholson, Britton, Arbus, Caines and Sneddon; and later by Jig-a-Jig, a European-only compilation, released in 1971. Snafu reached the Top 30 of the UK Albums Chart, while a single, "Ramadhan", reached number two in France.

Source: Discogs