The Artwoods -

The Artwoods were an English R&B/beat quintet that cut six Decca singles between 1964 and 1967, including “Sweet Mary,” “Goodbye Sisters,” and “I Take What I Want,” along with the Jazz in Jeans EP and the 1966 album Art Gallery.

Members: Art Wood (vocals), Derek Griffiths (guitar), Jon Lord (keyboards), Malcolm Pool (bass), Keef Hartley (drums, 1963-67), Colin Martin (drums, 1967)

Background

Art Wood (July 7, 1937 – November 3, 2006) formed the Artwoods in London in 1964 from a new version of his Art Wood Combo with drummer Reg Dunnage, bassist Don Wilson, guitarist Derek Griffiths, and keyboardist Jon Lord.

Wood studied at Ealing School of Art and previously led a nine-piece Art Wood Combo on the west London club circuit. He also sang with Alexis Korner’s Blues Incorporated. His younger brother Ronnie Wood (b. 1947) entered the same London R&B circuit with The Birds.

Griffiths played guitar with the Bob Watson Quartet, which worked dances and club dates around London. Wilson introduced Griffiths to Lord, who studied at the Central School of Speech and Drama and played jazz with the Bill Ashton Combo. Lord also played with Red Bludd’s Bluesicians, which supported Georgie Fame at Klooks Kleek and recorded at Regent Sound with singer Ronnie Gordon.

The reconstituted Art Wood Combo supported Graham Bond at Klooks Kleek in February 1964 and secured further bookings at the club. Wilson broke both legs in a van accident the following month, and Wood recruited bassist Malcolm Pool from The Roadrunners. The Pool lineup cut a four-song acetate and moved into headline dates on the London club circuit.

The musicians elected to turn professional, but Dunnage retained his employment at Heathrow and left the group. While the members searched for a new drummer, they filled several engagements with Mitch Mitchell; the seventeen-year-old drummer had worked with Chris Sandford & the Coronets and the Soul Messengers. Keef Hartley joined after answering a Melody Maker advertisement, following work with Rory Storm & the Hurricanes and Freddie Starr & the Midnighters. With Hartley’s arrival, the quintet adopted the Artwoods name.

Early Singles

The Artwoods secured a Decca contract through their manager, Johnny Jones of London City Agency. They debuted with the October 1964 single “Sweet Mary” (b/w “If I Ever Get My Hands on You”), followed in February 1965 by “Oh My Love” (b/w “Big City”) and the August single “Goodbye Sisters” (b/w “She Knows What to Do”).

In April 1966, The Artwoods returned with “I Take What I Want” (b/w “I’m Looking for a Saxophonist Doubling French Horn Wearing Size 37 Boots”), followed in August with “I Feel Good” (b/w “Molly Anderson’s Cookery Book”).

The Artwoods also appeared on Ready Steady Go!, recorded BBC sessions for Saturday Club, and issued the four-track Jazz in Jeans EP.

Discography: