In October 1966, a lucrative package tour of the States with the Lovin' Spoonful and the Mamas & Papas was cancelled because of Mac's cannabis conviction. This was to have been followed by a full-scale American tour in December. But since this was off a UK tour was hastily arranged. This was not without a dose of aggro though, thanks to Don Arden - and this was on top of a gruelling "Swinging England" tour with Crispian St Peters and Neil Christian.

The Small Faces were touring with the Hollies and the Nashville Teens. Arden thought that as they had recently hit the top of the charts with All or Nothing they should have the headline status. He even tried to use physical force on the Hollies' road manager, Rod Shields, to get his point across. However, Shields was no shrinking violet and sorted Arden out in no uncertain manner - a rare feat in itself! Ironically, the two groups were quite matey with each other and the back-stage squabbling did not involve them.

All the same, this little episode helped give the Small Faces a bad name as cocky, big-headed southerners. The press gave them a hard time for a short while and the fact that they had pulled out of a couple of shows shortly before they were due to appear on stage did not help. As Steve remembers: "The contract stipulated that there would be soap and fresh towels in our dressing rooms and on a few occasions they did not happen. Now was that too much to ask?" Fair comment but this failed to appease the press.

Meanwhile, the Small Faces second album, pencilled in for 1966, failed to appear. this only added fuel to the charged atmosphere in their relationship with Decca and, more particular, with Don Arden.

Almost all the music recorded in mid to late '66 did not appear until the summer of '67 on the Decca compilation From the Beginning. Songs like Have You Ever Seen Me and My Way of Giving were ready for release. The latter was actually given to blue-eyed shouter Chris Farlowe for his own single in January 1967, on which Steve and Ronnie played. If the said material had been released in November it would have shown that the Small Faces were progressing at almost the same pace, studio-wise, as the Beatles. A number like That Man was a definite hint of primitive psychedelia and it was a pity that they were held back by the infinite wisdom of Decca.

On November 11th the Small Faces' long-awaited follow-up to their number one smash All or Nothing was released. The track in question, My Mind's Eye, was a real change in direction for the group musically. The number was something they knocked up in the studio one night and was was intended to be an album track or even a flipside but they had never looked on it as a potential hit single. The band did not support the release of the single.

Around this time, Mac, Ronnie and Steve decided to quit their house in Westmoreland Terrace, Pimlico. The house was constantly besieged by adoring fans and the group's all-night raves were certainly getting up the noses of their snobby and "refined" neighbours.

There were even instances of fans keeping vigil outside the house (and the group's fan club headquarters) singing All or Nothing over and over again at the top of their voices.

• Part 14: Happy to be Part of the Industry of Human Happiness
• Return to part 12