About
The Creation were an English rock band formed in 1966. The group was originally fronted by singer Kenny Pickett, with Eddie Phillips on guitar, Bob Garner on bass, and Jack Jones on drums. They are associated with the British mod and psychedelic rock scenes of the mid-1960s and were managed for a period by producer Shel Talmy, known for his work with The Who and The Kinks.
Musical Style and Influences
The Creation’s music combined elements of mod rock, pop, psychedelia, and experimental guitar techniques. Biographer Sean Egan described their sound as “a unique hybrid of pop, rock, psychedelia and the avant garde.” Guitarist Eddie Phillips became known for using a violin bow on electric guitar, an early example of the technique in rock music.
Breakthrough Moments
The band’s debut single Making Time was released in 1966 and written by Kenny Pickett and Eddie Phillips. The track featured bowed electric guitar and became their most widely recognised recording. The song later appeared in the 1998 film Rushmore, the 2008 film The Reader, an Xfinity television commercial in 2017, and an Audi USA commercial in 2018. Since 2017, it has also been used as the theme for The Great Pottery Throw Down.
Later in 1966, The Creation released Painter Man, which reached the UK Top 40 and peaked at No. 8 in Germany in April 1967. The song was later covered by Boney M in 1979, reaching No. 10 on the UK Singles Chart.
Artist Identity and Growth
Despite gaining critical attention and international chart success, The Creation experienced several lineup changes during their active years. Their work later gained recognition through retrospective reissues and influence within mod and psychedelic rock circles. The band initially disbanded in 1968 but later reunited in various forms for live performances and recordings in subsequent decades.
What’s Next
The Creation’s catalogue continues to be reissued and featured in film, television, and advertising placements. The band name has also been revived periodically through reunion performances featuring former members and later collaborators.
