Painter Man

A few weeks after the group released "Making Time", the first major line-up change occurred when drummer Jack Jones was terminated, being replaced by Dave Preston, a friend of bassist Bob Garner who Pickett believed to be phenomenal.^[1][2] His first scheduled gig with the Creation was on a tour with the Walker Brothers, after which it was revealed after only a few select weeks that his drumming wasn't to the standard Pickett had hoped for.^[1] Although Preston had time to partake in a photoshoot with the band,^[3] he was swiftly replaced by Jones once again, who stayed with the band until their demise towards early 1968.^[4][5] Jones would hold a grudge against Pickett for this decision until the latter left the band in early 1967.^[1][4]

According to the pop magazine Beat Instrumental, "Painter Man" was written by the duo as a response to their stage act, which involved Pickett painting a canvas during song numbers,^[7][8] occasionally burning it.^[8][9] According to their manager Tony Stratton Smith, they did this because "they felt like it",^[10] with Phillips adding that "their music was visual" as much as it was musical.^[10] Lyrically, the song revolves around a "suppressed" artist,^[11] through lines that indicates that he went through a college education that only led him to obscurity.^[11][12] It also revolves around the endless debate of art in commercialism which is referred to through lines such as "adverts on TV."^[12][13] It ends with the note that classical art is dead.^[14] Musically, the song has a less raunchy sound than "Making Time" and is softer, but still features Phillips in one of the earliest recorded bowed guitar parts, which prevails throughout the entire composition.^[15][16]

Shortly after Jones was reinstated into the group, they returned to IBC Studios on Portland Place in London on 23 August 1966.^[17] Together with producer Shel Talmy who had signed and recorded them, they cut two songs that day, "Painter Man" and what would eventually become its B-side, "Biff, Bang, Pow".^[17] The session marked the first time the group were assisted by studio musician Nicky Hopkins who played keyboards on both songs,^[18] further strengthening their connection with the Who as Hopkins had played on several of their recordings.^[19] "Painter Man" was recorded in ten takes, out of which only two, takes three and seven, were complete.^[19] Take 7 was chosen as the master, which was compiled and mixed on 25 August by Talmy.^[19]

Released on 7 October 1966,^[20] the single managed to enter the UK Singles Chart, entering on 9 November 1966 at a position of 38.^[21] The following week, it peaked at number 36 before exiting the chart altogether, becoming their only top-forty hit.^[21] In West Germany, the single managed to peak at number eight on 4 January 1967, and became their sole top-ten hit in the country.^[22] The single received mostly positive reviews from critics, with Record Mirror critics Norman Jopling and Peter Jones writing it that it has an "avant-garde pop group sound", noting the droning of the bowed guitar.^[20] Writing for Disc & Music Echo, Penny Valentine states that she thought the song had a great "looning-about atmosphere" and drew parallels to records by both the Beatles and the Who.^[11] Regarding the song, Phillips has later stated that "We see our music as colours – it's purple with red flashes."^[10][23]

In retrospective assessments of the song, many critics have noted the fact that Phillips used a bow prior to Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin.^[12][15][16] David Luhrssen and Michael Larson called the song "humorous",^[12] while Owen Bailey wrote that the song had a "superb riff" and compared it with the guitar playing of Pete Townshend, also noting the violin-bowed solo.^[15] Doug Collette of Glide Magazine writes that song is instantly recognizable due to the vocal harmonies and energetic rhythm section.^[24] Kieron Tyler thought that "Painter Man" ranked among the best and most innovative recordings of the 1960s.^[23] Jerome Estèbe of TDG stated that "Painter Man" was one of the best things that could happen to English rock.^[25] Ian Canty considered it an "art-pop nugget,"^[26] while Beverly Paterson similarly stated that it a "brash and bouncy nugget."^[27] AllMusic critic Bruce Eder called the track a "cheerfully trippy pop anthem",^[28] while Richie Unterberger wrote that the song was elevated because of its musical arrangement,^[29] noting its similarity with records by the Who,^[29] while also suggesting that Phillips attempted to play his guitar "like it's a classical violin".^[29]

Nonetheless, "Painter Man" became one of the Creation's best known songs, and was often used as their stage finale.^[30] A young citizen, Günther Zettl,^[31] from East Germany recognized the song in 1969 during a contest by the West German AM station Europawelle Saar, where the listeners were requested to send a card with the song title and band to win the single.^[31][32] He sent off a postcard, which was intercepted by the Stasi and resulted in permanent surveillance until 1989.^[31][32] In 2013, after he got his Stasi reports, he sent the card again and, during the celebration of "50 years Europawelle" in 2014, he finally received his prize.^[31][32]

• Kenny Pickett – lead vocals
• Eddie Phillips – lead and bowed guitar, backing vocals
• Bob Garner – bass, backing vocals
• Jack Jones – drums, backing vocals
• Nicky Hopkins – piano