Eons roll by - Gentlemen without weapons

I didn't really know that the Gentlemen without weapons album 'Transmission' came with two single releases. I bought Unconditional Love (Planet Earth) back in 1989 around the time of its release, but this single, 'Eons Roll By' passed me by. I wasn't the only one: the single didn't chart in any territory. 

The album 'Transmissions', from which both singles were taken, was equally unsuccessful in reaching the charts, but the trio remained undeterred and started the project Spirit Of The Forest, enlisting the help of many famous stars to create a song that would perhaps persuade more people to think about the environment. Thirty years later, my cynical conlusion is that people didn't care then, and they still don't care now. At least we got some remarkable songs out of it. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6350
Found: Discogs.com, received 21 February 2021
Cost: 1,66 euro
Tracks: 'Eons roll by' / 'Uchu o mamoro'

Spirit of the forest - Spirit of the forest

After Band Aid, Dance Aid, Ferry Aid and USA for Africa, the Gentlemen without weapons figured they had something to add to the growing amount of charity singles: a rainforest appeal. Together with the animal and rainforest noises which they'd already used for an album, they rounded up lots of famous artists to record 'Spirit of the forest'.

Somehow, the idea didn't quite work. The song sounded a bit naff and people were apparently not so concerned about the destruction of the rain forest as they were about starving children in Africa. The single was a commercial failure, but fans of Afrika Bambaataa, Jon Anderson, B52's, Michael de Barre, Big Country and the few dozen other artists mentioned on the sleeve of this single had another collector's item to get their hands on.

My collection: 7" single no. 900
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, June 23, 1989
Cost: 6,5 guilders
Tracks: 'Spirit of the forest' / 'Spirit of the forest'

Unconditional love (Planet earth) - Gentlemen without weapons

Kenny Young is an American songwriter who has been active as writer, artist and producer since 1963. In 1988, he was the founder member of the group Gentlemen without weapons. They released one album, 'Transmissions', from which this single was taken.

The album was unique because it used no instruments, only samples of animal noises. The point being that Young wanted to draw attention towards environmental awareness. The unique album was accompanied by a video produced by Pink Floyd's art director Storm Thorgeson, who also designed the album and single covers.

My collection: 7" single no. 766

Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, March 16, 1989

Cost: 3,5 guilders

Tracks: 'Unconditional love (Planet earth)' / 'The way of the dodo'