Out of Darkness -

Out of Darkness was an English hard-rock/psych band that released a 1970 self-titled album on the Christian label Key. A 1972 live set of unrecorded material appeared 21 years later on Plankton Records.

Members: Carl Grant (bass, bongos, piano), Tim Anderson (drums), Tony Goodman (vocals, harmonica, acoustic guitar, 1968-71), Wray Powell (lead guitar, acoustic guitar, vocals, 1971-74), Bruce Duncan (bass, 1972-?)

Out of Darkness

Out of Darkness formed in 1968 in London as a cross-racial Christian hard-rock band. The original lineup featured singer/guitarist Tony Goodman, bassist/percussionist Carl Grant, drummer Tim Anderson, and guitarist Wray Powell.

Goodman came from The Pilgrims, a mid-1960s gospel beat group that issued the 1964 single “Heaven’s the Place for Me” (b/w “Think of God’s Love”) on Herald Records. Grant and Anderson hailed from the Soul Seekers and Insight, respectively. The Soul Seekers ranked among the first UK-based Black gospel groups to tour Europe and release multiple singles. Anderson worked as a session drummer prior to joining the band.

Key Records, a newly formed Christian label, signed Out of Darkness after a brief rehearsal period and booked them alongside labelmates on the Sound Vision tour, which yielded a multi-artist live LP. The group landed their deal after just four days together.

They performed at clubs such as the Flamingo and Marquee and appeared at large events, including the Reading Festival, Phun City, and the Jesus Revolution in Edinburgh (recorded by the BBC). Their presence often drew polarized reactions due to their heavy style, spiritual content, and racially integrated lineup. Cliff Richard defended their presence on the underground circuit.

Out of Darkness

Out of Darkness released their self-titled debut album in April 1970 on Key Records.

Wray Powell wrote “Us,” “Wings of the Morning,” and two B-side tracks. Tony Goodman penned “Thank You Lord,” “Lemonade and Peanuts,” “Hustle Bustle,” and “Homeland.” The two collaborated on “On Solid Rock,” “Moses,” “Who Is to Blame,” and “Light.”

Powell handles lead guitar and vocals on Out of Darkness, which features Goodman on acoustic guitar, harmonica, and vocals. Grant plays electric bass, bongos, and piano. Anderson drums and adds assorted percussion, including hammer and wire cutters.

A1. “Us” (0:54) – Brief intro with phrasal guitar and fragmented gospel chant
A2. “Thank You Lord” (3:14) – Hard-riffing rocker with call-and-response vocals and chromatic turns
A3. “On Solid Rock” (4:00) – Stop-start pacing under clipped phrasing and declarative refrain
A4. “Wings of the Morning” (3:29) – Soul ballad with ascending vocal lines and hymn-like structure
A5. “Moses” (2:46)
A6. “Lemonade and Peanuts” (2:40)
A7. “Closing In on Me” (4:10) – Mid-tempo with sustained wah-tones and expressive soloing

B1. “Who Is to Blame” (3:16)
B2. “Hustle Bustle” (2:25)
B3. “Dreamaway – Stevie’s Song” (3:13) – Light acoustic psych with modal inflections and elegiac tone
B4. “There You See a Stranger” (3:47) – Driving garage psych with raspy vocals and rhythmic tremor
B5. “Homeland” (5:17)
B6. “Light” (3:55) – Expansive closer with thematic surges and spaced-out interludes

Sessions occurred in early 1970 at City of London Studios, where staff captured the band on 8-track in a one-week period. Key Records oversaw production.

Out of Darkness appeared in a two-tone sleeve tinted in hot pink and dark purple. Original pressings became sought-after collector’s items by the late 1980s.

Key lifted no singles from the album, which sold primarily at Sound Vision tour stops, Christian bookshops, and by mail order. Despite limited mainstream exposure, it was the UK’s top-selling gospel album of 1970.

The Celebration Club Session

Plankton Records issued the live document The Celebration Club Session in 1993, 21 years after the band’s 1972 performance at the Kent venue of the same name.

The album contains six extended originals from their unreleased second-phase repertoire, performed by Wray Powell, Carl Grant, Bruce Duncan, and Tim Anderson. Powell handled vocals and guitar. Duncan played bass, allowing Grant to alternate between piano and percussion.

“Cocaine”
“Hymn”
“In the Beginning”
“Peace of Mind”
“Golgotha”
“The Cross”

Producer Nigel Palmer remastered the tapes from Anderson’s archive. The CD-only release was limited to 1,000 copies.

The set captures the band’s peak-phase live sound, rooted in heavy psych improvisation with elements of soul, gospel, jazz, and African rhythm. Powell’s guitar style drew frequent comparisons to Jimi Hendrix, particularly from bandmate Anderson.

The band disbanded in 1974. Powell pursued a solo deal and later relocated to Jamaica. Grant, Duncan, and another member named Denver emigrated to Canada. Anderson remained in the UK, later becoming a college lecturer. In 1993, he played in the Hendrix tribute act Sky Church with guitarist Keith Olyva and bassist Dave Markee (ex-Clapton).

U2, After the Fire, and Steve Fairnie later cited Out of Darkness as an influence.

Discography: