The Life and Music of The Assembled Multitude

Introduction to The Assembled Multitude

The Assembled Multitude was a 70s music era act and the brainchild of the late Tom Sellers.  The group was an instrumental band made up of studio musicians brought together by Sellers.  Sellers was a member of the soft rock band Gulliver, which also featured Daryl Hall before he joined John Oates to form the successful Hall and Oates duo, and solo artist Tim Moore.  Gulliver disbanded in 1969 after making one album on Elektra Records.  In 1970 Sellers, who was more interested in producing music than performing, brought together a group of studio musicians, many coming from Sigma Sound Studios, as a vehicle for his interest in record production experiments.  He took several existing hit songs such as The Beatles “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” and “I Want You (She’s So Heavy), The Who’s “Overture to “Tommy (A Rock Opera)” (charting at #16 on The Billboard Hot 100), Joni Mitchell’s “Woodstock” (#70 Billboard Hot 100), the hit Broadway musical “Medley From (Jesus Christ) Superstar” (#95 Billboard Hot 100) and created unique instrumental versions of them.  The group recorded only one album titled “The Assembled Multitude”, which was on the Atlantic Records label, in 1970.  Tom Sellers went on to produce other music but never found had much success after The Assembled Multitude.  Sadly, in March 1988, Sellers was tragically killed in a house fire.  Other hit songs by The Assembled Multitude include:  “Ohio,” “Where the Woodbine Twineth,” “Theme from Cosmos (Heaven and Hell),” “Singalong Junk,” “MacArthur Park,” “The Princess & The Soldier,” “Twenty Four Hours From Tulsa,” “While My Guitar Gently Weeps”, “Mud,” “William Tell Overture,” “Classical Gas,” “Chariots Of Fire” and “Mr. Peppercorn.”

Who was The Assembled Multitude?

The instrumental act The Assembled Multitude consisted of studio musicians gathered by Tom Sellers in 1970 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Sellers, the former member of the soft rock band Gulliver was also once a staff writer for John Madara’s production outfit. When Gulliver disbanded in 1969, Sellers channeled his energy on production works and formed The Assembled Multitude as well.

The Assembled Multitude’s releases

The Assembled Multitude released their first single “Woodstock” for Atlantic Records. The Joni Mitchell original did modestly at #70 on Billboard Hot 100. However, the followed single “Overture from Tommy (A Rock Opera)” (The Who original) which became a hit, peaking at #16 on the Billboard Hot 100 and enjoyed its stay there for 2 weeks in August 1970. The song was produced by Sellers. Aside from the first two singles, the group issued several songs, mostly the band’s interpretations of other artists’ hits such as “Ohio,” “MacArthur Park, “Heaven and Hell (Theme from Cosmos)” and “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.”

The Assembled Multitude’s departure and Seller’s death

Having released only one album throughout their career, The Assembled Multitude disbanded later that time. Seller continued to produce music but he met his tragic fate when he perished in a house fire in 1988.