The band's modern incarnation formed in 1965 (see 1965 in music) and soon signed with George Martin and Parlophone Records. "Land of 1000 Dances" b/w "In My Lonely Room" was well received by critics but sold poorly. This began a trend that continued for most of their career, as the Action became one of the earliest cult bands.
By the late 1960s, the Action had moved towards ballad-oriented material, and then moved into folk rock, which led to being dropped from their label.
In 1967 (see 1967 in music), the Action renovated their membership and began recording with still-limited success under the name Mighty Baby. Some members of The Action later went on to form Ace (see pub rock (UK))