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The band broke up in late 1967, shortly after recording the album. When the album was released in April 1968, it sold poorly, stalling on the US charts at #95 and making no impact in their native UK. The 'Time Of The Season' single, however, became a huge hit in America even though the group had disbanded and couldn't support it. Referencing Mean Business, LP, Album, SRC, 81628-1-E, 7 81628-1E A lost gem from the 80s.Great sounding album with superb playing from the band.Paul Rodgers sound awesome as usual.Highly recommended! Reply Notify me Helpful. Californian hardcore band. Active in the mid 90s: LPs: Grace 1994.

Orangemen marching in Bangor, Northern Ireland on 12 July 2010.

Orange walks are a series of parades by members of the Orange Order, held on a regular basis during the summer in Ulster,^[1]Northern Ireland, and in other Commonwealth nations. The parades typically build up to 12 July celebrations marking Prince William of Orange's victory over King James II at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. Although the term 'march' or 'parade' is widely used in the media, the Order prefers terms such as 'walk' or 'demonstration'. Orange walks have faced opposition from Catholics, Irish nationalists and Scottish nationalists who see the parades as sectarian and triumphalist.

The 'marching season'[edit]

Battlehill LOL 395 marching in Tandragee on 12 July 2008

The 'marching season' generally refers to the months April to August in Northern Ireland and includes marches by groups such as the Ancient Order of Hibernians, the Apprentice Boys of Derry, and the Royal Black Institution as well as the Orange Order. The Orange Order is arguably the most active marching group. Typically, each Orange Lodge holds its own march at some time before 12 July, accompanied by at least one marching band. On 12 July each district holds a larger parade consisting of all the lodges in that district, and sometimes including lodges from outside Northern Ireland. This is particularly the case with the Belfast district, whose parade commonly features several Scottish lodges and often some from other countries. In most districts, the parade's location varies from year to year, rotating through suitable towns. Belfast is an exception; it has kept more or less the same route for many decades. The only major parade after the Twelfth is on the last Sunday in October, when lodges celebrate Reformation Day by parading to church.

Some walks commemorate historic events. Most notably, 12 July marches observe the Battle of the Boyne. Marches in Northern Ireland on and around 1 July originally commemorated the participation of the 36th (Ulster) Division in the Battle of the Somme. Since the beginning of the Troubles, most of these parades have evolved into the 'mini Twelfth', and have little obvious connection with World War I.

There are still a few explicitly commemorative parades.^[2] Reformation Day parades honour Martin Luther, who nailed his 95 theses to the church door in Wittenberg, starting the Reformation that brought about the Protestant churches.

Form of parades[edit]

Orangemen in typical marching wear.

All Orange walks include at least one lodge, with officers. The lodge is almost always accompanied by a marching band, often a flute band, but also fife and drum, silver, brass and accordion bands. Participants range from as few as one lodge, up to dozens of lodges for major events such as the Twelfth. Elderly or infirm lodge members often travel the parade route in vehicles such as black taxis.

In recent decades, it has become much more common for members of ladies' lodges to walk, although men still greatly outnumber them in most parades. Larger walks, especially on the Twelfth, may be headed by a figure on a white horse dressed as William of Orange. A few parades include others in historical fancy dress; or, more rarely, a float, such as that constructed for the 1990 Twelfth celebrations to represent the Mountjoy, the ship which lifted the Siege of Derry.

Regalia and accessories[edit]

Parading Orangemen usually wear dark suits. Some Orangemen wear bowler hats and walk with umbrellas, although it is not mandatory. Walkers wear V-shaped orange collarettes (often inaccurately referred to as sashes) bearing the number of their lodge, and often badges showing degrees awarded within the institution, and positions held in the lodge. Some lodge officers also wear elaborate cuffs, and many walkers wear white gloves, although has become less common. Most lodges carry at least one flag, most commonly the Union Flag. Other common flags include the Ulster Banner, the Flag of Scotland and the Orange Order flag. Lodges also usually carry a banner with the lodge's name and number, and usually depicting William of Orange on at least one side. Other popular banner subjects include deceased lodge members, local landmarks, and the Bible with a Crown.

The 'Red Hand Defenders' flute band marching with the Orange Order in Newtownstewart on 12 July 2010. The flags being carried are the Union Flag, Ulster Banner and Boyntandard.

Bands[edit]

Typically, there is one band per lodge. Some bands have formal connections with the lodge, but in most cases it is simply hired for the day. Bands and lodges pair up by word of mouth, through the band or lodge advertising in Protestant publications such as the Orange Standard, or as a result of a lodge member hearing the recordings many bands produce. Most bands have a strongly Protestant ethos and display bannerettes and flags associated with loyalism, and in some cases, paramilitary groups. Many are associated with or named after Protestant areas such as the Shankill Road in Belfast, although the number of 'Shankill Road' bands suggest that many of their members must also be from elsewhere. In 1985, concerned that some bands' behaviour was bringing the Order into disrepute, the Grand Orange Lodge instituted a system of contracts requiring bands to behave appropriately. According to writer and former Orangeman Brian Kennaway, the contracts have been largely ineffective, mostly because of the Order's reluctance to enforce them.^[3]

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Controversy[edit]

A loyalist mural located off the Shankill Road supporting the Portadown Orangemen in the Drumcree parade dispute.

Throughout the history of the Orange Order, Orange walks have faced opposition, both from Catholics and nationalists, who have seen them as sectarian and triumphalist; and from the general public, due to inconvenience and controversies associated with them. Although many nationalists find the parades offensive, conflict usually arises only when a walk passes through or near a Catholic-dominated area. During The Troubles, many marchers were verbally abused, had objects thrown at them, and were involved in abusing onlookers, something walkers following the march still do today^[4]. The marching season requires a significant police presence to avert violence. In the early 1970s, parading was banned on several occasions, although never on 12 July.^[5]

Currently, of the more than 2000 annual parades in Northern Ireland, only a handful are considered majorly contentious. The best known is the Drumcree conflict. The Drumcree area, near Portadown has a history of parading disputes going back to the 19th century. The current dispute centres on the refusal of the Parades Commission to allow the Portadown lodge through the Catholic Garvaghy Road during their annual celebrations in early July.^[6] The conflict led to severe rioting in the late 1990s, but the area has been relati

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