Druid -

Druid was an English symphonic-rock band that released the 1975–76 albums Toward the Sun and Fluid Druid, both on EMI. Drummer Ced Sharpley later resurfaced in Gary Numan‘s Tubeway Army and Dramatis.

Members: Neil Brewer (bass), Andrew McCrorie-Shand (keyboards), Ced Sharpley (drums), Dane [Dane Stevens] (guitar, vocals)

Background

Druid formed in 1971 in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, when singer–guitarist Dane Stevens (henceforth known by his forename) teamed with bassist Neil Brewer and drummer Ced Sharpley, a friend since childhood. Their name refers to religious leaders in ancient Celtic mythology. After two years as a trio, Druid hired keyboardist Andrew McCrorie-Shand, a London College of Music graduate who played in multiple bands in his native Leamington Spa.

In 1974, Druid competed against twelve unsigned acts at the Melody Maker Rock–Folk Contest, an annual contract competition held at London’s Roundhouse. They performed two originals, “Shangri-La” and “Toward the Sun,” before a voting panel that included Clifford T. Ward, Elkie Brooks, Roy Wood, and TV host Bob Harris, compere of the BBC music program The Old Grey Whistle Test.

The panel selected Druid, who won £500 for instruments and a contract with EMI Records. Sharpley won an additional £50 as the best musician in the contest. The event’s organizer, Larry Westland, became their manager. Harris produced a set of demos that convinced EMI to greenlight an album. Meanwhile, Druid gained London residencies at the Brecknock and Lord Nelson venues.

Toward the Sun

Druid released their debut album, Toward the Sun, in July 1975 on EMI.

Danem composed the title track and co-wrote “Remembering” and “Shangri-la” with bassist Neil Brewer, who co-wrote “Red Carpet for an Autumn” and “Dawn of Evening” with keyboardist Andrew McCrorie-Shand, who in turn wrote “Voices” with Dane.

“Theme” is joint-credited to the four members. McCrorie-Shand handled the album’s choral arrangements.

A1. “Voices” (8:16)
A2. “Remembering” (5:27)
A3. “Theme” (5:28)
A4. “Toward the Sun” (5:08)

B1. “Red Carpet for an Autumn” (3:11)
B2. “Dawn of Evening” (10:10)
B3. “Shangri-la” (10:12)

Sessions occurred in Northwest London at Morgan Studios, where Bob Harris produced Toward the Sun between the two Wally albums. Morgan staffer George Nicholson engineered the album amid titles by Decameron, Delroy Washington, and ex-Hollies singer Allan Clarke.

EMI issued Toward the Sun in the UK and Portugal in a textured sleeve with artwork by Adrian Sadgrove. In Brazil, the album appeared on EMI’s progressive Harvest imprint.

“Nothing But Morning” appears on EMI Summer Sounds Volume 1 Rock, a 1976 EMI–Harvest label comp with cuts by Baker Gurvitz Army, Be-Bop Deluxe, Deep Purple, Kevin Ayers, Man, Nazareth, Sensational Alex Harvey Band, Soft Machine, Solution, Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel, and Strapps.

Fluid Druid

Druid released their second album, Fluid Druid, in May 1976 on EMI.

Dane wrote “Barnaby” and co-wrote three songs (“Razor Truth,” “Painters Clouds,” “Nothing but Morning”) with Brewer, who co-wrote “Crusade” with McCrorie-Shand, who lone-wrote three short numbers (“FM 145,” “Kestrel,” “The Fisherman’s Friend”) and joint-wrote the epic “Left to Find” with Brewer and Dane.

McCrorie-Shand arranged the album’s strings and choir, the latter courtesy of the Royal College of Music.

A1. “Razor Truth” (5:40)
A2. “Painters Clouds” (4:58)
A3. “FM 145” (2:10)
A4. “Crusade” (7:51)

B1. “Nothing but Morning” (4:10)
B2. “Barnaby” (3:12)
B3. “Kestrel” (3:37)
B4. “Left to Find” (7:17)
B5. “The Fisherman’s Friend” (0:44)

Sessions occurred in central London at Advision Studios with producer/engineer Paul “Rockette” Hardiman, a prior Curved Air, Groundhogs, and Mott the Hoople soundman who handled Fluid in sequence with titles by Alan White, David Essex (Out On the Street), and Zzebra; assisted by Ken “Superstar” Thomas, who also worked on the 1976 Gentle Giant album, Interview.

Fluid Druid appeared in an off-white melting title cover with a white-on-blue lyrical inner-sleeve by Cream, the Dutch design firm behind 1975/76 covers for Alquin (Nobody Can Wait Forever), Black Sabbath, Earth and Fire, Eric Tagg (Smilin’ Memories), Kayak (Royal Bed Bouncer), Queen, and Stackridge (Extravaganza).

Post-Druid

In 1977, Druid split amid sessions for an unfinished third album, Newfoundland.

Andrew McCrorie-Shand arranged the 1979 Sarah Brightman b-side “Illusions of Love” and co-wrote the 1982 Leo Sayer album track “Paris Dies In the Morning.” He produced 1984/85 electronic albums by Rod Argent (A New Age) and ex-Gryphon reedist Richard Harvey (Inspiration). In 1988, he released Altered Images, a collection of library tracks on KPM Music.

Neil Brewer engineered the live side of Old Four Eyes Is Back, a 1977 folk/monologue album by comedian and broadcaster Mike Harding. In 1981, he formed Splash, a new wave quartet with singer/keyboardist Carol Stocker, a prior Aviator/Earth Band backing vocalist. After the single “Fear No Evil” (b/w “Gimme Your Body”), the pair formed FRAME by FRAME, which made the 1985 synthpop EP Lies on Scratch Records.

Ced Sharpley joined the post-Tubeway Army backing band of Gary Numan for the 1979/80 albums The Pleasure Principle and Telekon. In 1981, the band recorded separately from Numan as Dramatis, which released For Future Reference on Elton John’s Rocket Record Company label. Sharpley retained his Numan ties on the 1981–85 albums Dance, Warriors, Berserker, and The Fury.

Brewer, Sharpley, and McCrorie-Shand later reunited for an undated, self-released disc as Tinderfish.

Discography: