Miller Anderson -

Miller Anderson (born April 12, 1945) is a Scottish guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter who played in a series of bands between 1967 and 1975, including Paper Blitz Tissue, the Keef Hartley Band, Hemlock, Broken Glass, and Dog Soldier. As a solo artist, Anderson released the 1971 Deram album Bright City.

Background

Miller Anderson was born on April 12, 1945, in Houston, Renfrewshire, Scotland. His father played harmonica, and Anderson learned Scottish tunes on the instrument as a child.

Anderson acquired an acoustic guitar around age ten and started with slide technique because his hands were too small for conventional fingering. He studied Hawaiian guitar for three years, then switched to standard guitar after forming a local skiffle and rock-and-roll group around age fifteen.

Karl Stuart and the Profiles / The Profile

Anderson played guitar with the Royal Crests in Scotland around 1964. The group moved to London in March 1965 and became Karl Stuart and the Profiles with singer Stuart Halbert, bassist Ian McDonald, drummer James McNally, and organist Ed Hamill.

Mercury issued “The Love of My Eyes” (b/w “Not a Girl in a Million”) under the Karl Stuart and the Profiles name in 1965; Anderson and Hamill wrote both sides. The same lineup shortened the billing to the Profile for “Haven’t They Got Better Things to Do” (b/w “The Touch of Your Hand”), with Anderson and Hamill credited on the B-side. The Profile followed with “Got to Find a Way” (b/w “Don’t Say Goodbye”) in January 1966, with Anderson and Hamill again credited on the B-side.

The Voice

The Profile evolved into the Voice with Anderson, Halbert, McDonald, Hamill, and drummer Dave Dufort. Mercury issued “The Train to Disaster” (b/w “The Truth”), with Anderson and Hamill credited on both songs. Anderson left the group soon afterward and selected auditioning guitarist Mick Ronson as his replacement.

The Scenery

Anderson continued with Dufort and formed the Scenery after meeting bassist Ian Hunter through session work at Regent Sound Studios. Keyboardist Dante Smith joined the group, while John Vernon Smith replaced Dufort on drums.

The Scenery worked as a Regent Sound house band with Anderson on guitar and Hunter on bass. Anderson, Hunter, and John Vernon Smith also played live dates across Britain under the Scenery name. The group backed David McWilliams on a Dubliners tour that included Anderson’s first appearance at Royal Albert Hall.

The Scenery recorded “To Make a Man Cry” and “Thread of Time” with Bill Farley at Regent Sound. The recordings subsequently appeared overseas under the Scenery name.

Paper Blitz Tissue

Anderson joined Paper Blitz Tissue in early 1968 with guitarist Bernie Lee, bassist Derek Needham, and drummer Bill Bruford. An earlier lineup had recorded “Boy Meets Girl” (b/w “Grey Man”) for RCA Victor, which issued the single in December 1967.

The group considered dismissing Bruford because of his jazz-oriented playing. Anderson opposed the decision and told the other members he would leave if they removed Bruford. Anderson soon returned to musicians from the Scenery circle.

At Last the 1958 Rock and Roll Show

Anderson reunited with Hunter in March 1968 in At Last the 1958 Rock and Roll Show, led by singer-pianist Freddie “Fingers” Lee with drummer Pete Phillips. CBS issued Lee’s “I Can’t Drive” (b/w “Working on the Railroad”) under the group name. The quartet also appeared on German television and played the Star-Club in Hamburg.

Charlie Woolfe

The same quartet next recorded as Charlie Woolfe. NEMS issued “Dance Dance Dance” (b/w “Home”) in September 1968. Anderson co-wrote “Home” with Lee and Hunter.

Anderson and Hunter split from Lee as the rock-and-roll revival unit dissolved. They briefly revived the Scenery name for club and college dates, then Anderson answered a Melody Maker advertisement for a singer who could also play an instrument.

Keef Hartley Band

Keef Hartley recruited Anderson as singer-guitarist in late 1968 alongside bassist Gary Thain, organist Peter Dines, and guitarist Ian “Spit” James. The band recorded Halfbreed at Decca Studios with producer Neil Slaven. Anderson sang and received guitar credit on the album, which Deram issued in March 1969.

Contractual restrictions prevented Anderson from using his own surname on early songwriting credits. He used the surname Hewitson, taken from wife Fiona Hewitson, on Halfbreed and The Battle of North West Six. Anderson received Hewitson co-credits on “Born to Die” and “Sinnin’ for You” from the debut.

The Keef Hartley Band played Woodstock in August 1969, which marked the group’s first American engagement. Anderson sang and played guitar in the lineup with Hartley, Thain, trumpeter-violinist Henry Lowther, and saxophonist Jimmy Jewell.

Deram followed with The Battle of North West Six in November. Anderson wrote most of the album and received Hewitson credits on nine of ten tracks, including “Waiting Around,” “Tadpole,” and “Believe in You.” The sessions established Anderson as the principal songwriter alongside his roles as singer and guitarist.

Anderson resumed his own surname for the six originals on The Time Is Near. The album included “Morning Rain,” “From the Window,” and the title piece among his compositions. Deram issued the album in September 1970.

Anderson supplied six compositions for Overdog, including “You Can Choose,” “Plain Talkin’,” “Roundabout,” and “We Are All the Same.” He remained the principal singer and guitarist alongside Hartley, Thain, and keyboardist Mick Weaver. Deram issued Overdog in April 1971.

Hartley expanded the group for two Marquee Club concerts on June 13–14. Anderson sang and played guitar in the rock unit with Thain, keyboardist Derek Austin, drummer Hartley, and percussionist Peter York, backed by an eleven-piece brass ensemble. Recordings from the concerts subsequently formed Little Big Band.

Anderson left the Keef Hartley Band after the Marquee concerts and prepared his first solo album with Thain, Weaver, trumpeter Harry Beckett, reedist Lyn Dobson, and keyboardist Peter Dines. Deram issued “Bright City” (b/w “Another Time, Another Place”) on Aug. 6, 1971, ahead of the album Bright City.

Discography: