The Illusions - City Of People

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For many years and many a bootleg the snarling imperious Stones or Yardbirds influenced groove of The Illusions 'City Of People' has been sought after and coveted by garage rock collectors. The group originated from the Michigan town of St Clair. Led by Tom Strasz who would later go on to be in the equally obscure psych band Attack. The Illusions released one single, on the tiny Michelle label and today any copies that appear easily sell for North of £1000.

So far, so typically Garage. However there is a backstory to the release that explains why the record never sold at the time of release. The record was produced by Bobby Marin, a Nuyorican, who at the time was stationed in Michigan on his National Service, and who would later go on to record some of the biggest names in Latin Music, first for the cult Speed label and then for United Artists and various of his own labels. In the early 2000s his 'I'll Be A Happy Man' was sampled by Christina Aguilera on her smash hit 'Ain't No Other Man'.

At the end of 2020 Bobby found the master tape of The Illusions single - including the Byrdsian B-side - and a deal was done with Acid Jazz to release the record legally for the first time since its initial release. This legal reissue a fresh mastering from those tapes, bringing out the intensity of the recording, and we have released it on a look-a-like Michelle label.

Released on Acid Jazz on the 23rd July!

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