Moonrider -

Moonrider was an English rustic-rock band that released a self-titled album on small-press Anchor Records in 1975. The band featured ex-Tomorrow vocalist Keith West and once-Quiver/future-Attractions bassist Bruce Thomas.

Members: Brian “Chico” Greenwood (drums), Bruce Thomas (bass), John Weider (guitar, vocals), Keith West (guitar, vocals)

Background

The band developed through ties between Keith West and guitarist John Weider, who worked together on the former’s 1974 solo album Wherever My Love Goes, which marked a ruralized turn for the former Tomorrow vocalist. The guitarist himself had an extensive background with stints in The Animals (1967–69) and Family (1970–71), as well as brief appearances with Stud, Home, and the 1972 one-off Ro Ro with Alan Ross.

Completing the Moonrider lineup were former Bodast/Quiver bassist Bruce Thomas and ex-Jasper/Trifle drummer .

Moonrider

The album merges twangy rustic rock and dark balladry, with a mellow tone distinct from the group’s harder-edged prior affiliations. Keith West’s material favors rural acoustics and conversational phrasing, while John Weider contributes the album’s more shadowed, dramatic pieces.

West handles acoustic and rhythm guitar and sings lead on most tracks; Weider plays lead guitar and sings lead on two numbers. Bruce Thomas plays bass throughout and anchors the rhythmic pacing with dry, restrained figures. Chico Greenwood’s drumming guides momentum with brushed restraint and syncopated patterns that soften transitions between songs.

Keith West wrote six songs, including the acoustic-led “Angel of Mercy,” the bright, rhythmic “Having Someone,” and the clipped rocker “Livin’ on a Main Street.” He co-wrote three additional songs with Weider, who authored one track on his own and sings lead on two.

“Weider’s ‘Good Things’ alternates rising phrases and stop-start chord shifts, accentuated by brushed snare hits and clipped rhythm guitar. West’s “Angel of Mercy” moves through wide harmonic intervals, layered with slide fills and mournful vocal phrasing. “Ridin’ for a Fall” builds through backbeat repetition, delayed chord changes, and lyrical circularity. “Danger in the Night” switches between dark, tense verses and sudden full-chord breaks.

A1. “Angel of Mercy” (4:48)
A2. “Having Someone” (4:29)
A3. “Our Day’s Gonna Come” (4:18)
A4. “Good Things” (3:29)
A5. “Livin’ on a Main Street” (2:35)

B1. “Too Early in the Morning” (3:34)
B2. “Gold Digger” (3:38)
B3. “Danger in the Night” (3:43)
B4. “Ridin’ for a Fall” (4:00)
B5. “As Long as It Takes” (3:56)

Sessions occurred in early 1975 at Olympic Studios, London, with Keith West producing and Doug Bennett engineering.

Moonrider features cover photography by Michael Putland. Michael Ross handled sleeve concept and design.

Anchor issued no singles from the album, which marked the only release under the Moonrider name. Bruce Thomas reemerged in 1977 as bassist in Elvis Costello’s backing band The Attractions.