Headstone -

Headstone was an English hard-rock band behind the 1974 EMI album Bad Habits, followed by a 1975 self-titled release. Singer-guitarist Mark Ashton hailed from the original lineup of Rare Bird. Headstone also featured Irish violinist Joe O’Donnell (East of Eden, Mushroom, Riff Raff) and prolific session drummer Peter Van Hooke.

Members: Mark Ashton (vocals, guitar), Steve Bolton (lead guitar), Phil Chen (bass), Chili Charles (drums), Jerome Rimson (bass), Peter Van Hooke (drums), Joe O’Donnell (violin)

Background

Headstone formed around 1973 when singer-guitarist Mark Ashton teamed with Atomic Rooster guitarist Steve Bolton after they met on a shared European concert bill. Ashton secured a Trident Productions agreement through Charisma producer John Anthony for a proposed solo album.

Ashton grew up in Scotland after his family moved from the Canterbury area. He drummed at twelve in The Vikings, a group with his guitarist older brother that later became The Corvettes. Ashton later formed Turnstyle, which cut the 1968 Pye single “Riding a Wave” (b/w “Trot”) and played the Star-Club in Hamburg. In London, keyboardist Dave Kaffinetti recruited Ashton into a quartet with keyboardist Graham Field and singer-bassist Steve Gould. They became Rare Bird and made the 1969/70 Charisma albums Rare Bird and As Your Mind Flies By. Ashton left after the second album and gigged as an acoustic solo performer.

Bolton emerged from the Manchester groups Modrox, Puzzle, and Wide Open. He relocated to London with Wide Open and worked as a nightclub guitarist in Soho. In 1971, he answered a Melody Maker advertisement for a lead guitarist with Atomic Rooster, which took him on two North American tours. Bolton played on the 1972 Dawn album Made in England, which included his songs “Never to Lose” and “Space Cowboy.” During a subsequent European engagement, Atomic Rooster shared a bill with Ashton. Bolton joined Ashton backstage for an informal session and accepted an invitation to work on the Trident project.

Ashton and Bolton recruited Jamaican session bassist Phil Chen and American drummer Chili Charles for the first Headstone album. Chen arrived in England during the Sixties with Jimmy James & the Vagabonds and played on the 1973 Epic album Cosmic Wheels by Donovan. Irish violinist Joe O’Donnell — who played viola on the 1974 RCA album Original Man by Riff Raff — guested on “Take Me Down” alongside Tranquility synthesist Tony Lukyn. Former Rare Bird keyboardist Dave Kaffinetti played electric piano on the title track.

EMI arranged two weeks of rehearsals at Clearwell Castle in Gloucestershire. Headstone then worked with producer John Anthony at Rockfield Studios in Monmouthshire and Trident Studios in London. EMI issued the May 1974 single “High on You” (b/w “3 O B”) ahead of the eleven-track debut Bad Habits.

Bad Habits

Headstone released their debut album, Bad Habits, in June 1974 on EMI (UK) and Dunhill (North American).

Headstone recorded the album with bassist Phil Chen and drummer Chili Charles alongside Ashton and Bolton. East of Eden violinist Joe O’Donnell and Tranquility keyboardist Tony Lukyn appear on “Take Me Down.” Former Rare Bird keyboardist Dave Kaffinetti plays electric piano on the title track. Carl Douglas and former Rare Bird singer Steve Gould join Juanita Franklin and Sparkie on the harmony parts for “Don’t Turn Your Back” and “Take a Plane.” Ashton wrote ten songs; Bolton supplied “3 O B.”

“Don’t Turn Your Back” strides through layered guitar lines and a throbbing bass figure. “Take Me Down” broods through acoustic strums as violin cuts across terse electric accents. “High on You” bounds through close harmonies and a restrained lead break. “Love You Too” skips through conga accents and light acoustic chords. “3 O B” careens through wah-wah leads and busy cymbal work.

“Live for Each Other” unfurls through a lead line and sustained solo. “You’ve Heard It All Before” drifts through acoustic chords and an understated solo. “Bad Habits” stalks through darker twang before an electric-piano interlude. “Take a Plane” barrels through brassy accents and massed harmonies before a loose outro jam. “D M T” charges into a wah-wah solo before a loose group jam.

A1. “Don’t Turn Your Back” (4:22)
A2. “Take Me Down” (4:14)
A3. “High on You” (3:06)
A4. “Love You Too” (2:18)
A5. “3 O B” (3:59) – Bolton

B1. “Open Your Eyes” (0:30)
B2. “Live for Each Other” (3:45)
B3. “You’ve Heard It All Before” (3:32)
B4. “Bad Habits” (3:50)
B5. “Take a Plane” (4:34)
B6. “D M T” (4:31)

Headstone cut the backing tracks at Rockfield Studios in Monmouthshire, then completed Bad Habits at Trident Studios in London with producer John Anthony and engineers Pat Moran and Mike Stone. Anthony had recently produced Al Stewart (Past, Present and Future) and the 1973 Queen debut. His 1974 credits also included Ace (Five-A-Side). Rockfield staffer Moran had fronted Spring and recently engineered Peter Hammill (Chameleon in the Shadow of the Night). Stone continued his Queen association on the 1974 albums Queen II and Sheer Heart Attack.

Bad Habits appeared in a gatefold sleeve with a smoking nun beneath the album title. Dunhill used alternate artwork for the North American edition.

EMI issued “High on You” in May 1974 (b/w “3 O B”). Dunhill paired the song with “Don’t Turn Your Back” on a November 1974 US single.

Headstone

Headstone released their self-titled second album on February 21, 1975, on EMI.

The working lineup replaced Chen and Charles with bassist Jerome Rimson and drummer Peter Van Hooke. O’Donnell joined on violins and mandolin; he also plays accordion. Bolton sings “Gyrosame” and “Searching Light.” Rimson sings his lone contribution, “Karma,” joined by pianist Max Middleton and rhythm guitarist Chas Jankel. Juanita Franklin adds vocals to “All I Ask.” Ashton wrote seven songs while Bolton supplied three.

“Eastern Wind” strides through a firm mid-tempo riff and lead break. “Warm Sunny Days” saunters through wobbly violin phrases before a guitar break. “Gyrosame” lopes through twanging licks traded between paired leads. “Karma” races through stinging lead phrases over electric-piano chords. “Hard Road” grinds through bent-note phrases as feedback swells against sharp accents.

“Large Weather We’re Having, Lucy” struts through wah-wah phrases and springy syncopation. “Searching Light” rolls through percussion accents before a driving solo. “Get Through to You” glides on close harmonies and a slide figure. “All I Ask” settles into acoustic chords under soft backing harmonies. “Someone’s Gotta Give” breaks into a sudden ensemble passage, then pivots from bowed lines to a feedback-laden solo.

A1. “Eastern Wind” (3:46)
A2. “Warm Sunny Days” (4:51)
A3. “Turn Your Head” (3:12)
A4. “Gyrosame” (3:09) – Bolton
A5. “Karma” (3:09) – Rimson
A6. “Hard Road” (4:19)

B1. “Large Weather We’re Having, Lucy” (2:59) – Bolton
B2. “Searching Light” (3:21) – Bolton
B3. “Get Through to You” (4:21)
B4. “All I Ask” (3:52)
B5. “Someone’s Gotta Give” (6:02)

Headstone recorded the album at Trident Studios in London with returning producer John Anthony and engineers Neil Kernon, Nick Bradford, Pat Moran, and Ted Sharp. Anthony produced the sessions during the same Trident sequence as Nutz (Nutz Too…) and Ace (Time for Another). Kernon moved from tape operation on Five-A-Side into credits on Headstone and Patrick Moraz (The Story of I).

Hipgnosis supplied the photography; Colin Elgie designed and illustrated the sleeve. Elgie had recently handled graphics for Darryl Way’s Wolf (Night Music) and illustrations for Humble Pie (Thunderbox).

EMI issued “Turn Your Head” in February 1975 (b/w “Searching Light”). 20th Century paired the song with “Karma” for the US market later that year.

In August 2023, Esoteric paired both albums on the two-CD Bad Habits/Headstone, remastered from the original master tapes with restored artwork and a booklet based on an interview with Bolton. The set marked the first official UK CD edition of either album.

Postlude

Mark Ashton went solo with a 1976 GTR album, followed by the 1979 Ariola release Solo.

Jerome Rimson played on Stomu Yamashta‘s Go Live From Paris — the live version of the 1976 Yamash’ta/Winwood/Shrieve project Go — and joined Automatic Man for its 1977 Visitors album. Rimson also played on albums by Paul Parish and Liverpudlian soul-funksters the Real Thing.

Steve Bolton played albums by O’Donnell (Vision), Zaine Griff (Ashes and Diamonds), and the first two solo releases by ex-Doctors of Madness frontman Richard Strange. During the mid-1980s, Bolton joined the backing band of Paul Young, featuring on the singer’s 1985 album The Secret of Association.

Discography:

Bad Habits (1974)
Headstone (1975)

Sources:

References and notes

Steve Bolton interview, DMME – June 2026. Firsthand account of formation, session personnel, Clearwell rehearsals, and Rockfield recordings. (interview)
Steve Bolton interview, Jukin Bone – March 28, 2021. Details early bands, Atomic Rooster recruitment, and the initial Ashton partnership. (interview)
Mark Ashton interview, It’s Psychedelic Baby – December 15, 2011. Covers childhood groups, Turnstyle, Rare Bird, and the Trident agreement. (interview)
Malcolm Dome, Prog – December 17, 2024. Ashton explains his Rare Bird departure and John Anthony production relationship. (Rare Bird)
AllMusic, The Turnstyle – undated. Confirms the 1968 Pye single, personnel origins, and concert activity. (biography)
Steve Bolton Official Biography – undated. Documents Manchester origins, Atomic Rooster album credits, and Headstone chronology. (biography)
AllMusic, Phil Chen – undated. Establishes the Vagabonds affiliation and early session credits. (discography)
RCA Victor, Original Man – 1974. Original album credits identify Joe O’Donnell on viola. (sleeve credits)
Beat Instrumental – June 1975. Contemporary profile explains the studio-project origins and subsequent touring lineup. (profile)
Cherry Red, Esoteric Recordings – 2023. Confirms original studios, production, session personnel, and both album dates. (reissue notes)
45cat, Headstone Discography – undated. Verifies British and American singles, dates, and catalog numbers. (singles)
Record Mirror – July 13, 1974. Contemporary album coverage confirms the original EMI release and catalog number EMA 766. (album notice)