Tramline was an English blues-rock band from Middlesbrough that released the 1968–69 albums Somewhere Down the Line and Moves of Vegetable Centuries, both on Island Records. Members: Micky Moody (guitar), John McCoy (vocals, harmonica), Terry Sidgwick (bass, vocals), Terry Popple (drums) Background Tramline formed when guitarist Micky Moody teamed with singer John McCoy after respective […]
Material was an American avant-rock/No Wave band from NYC that released three EPs between 1979 and 1981 on Red Records, followed by two albums on Celluloid. Bassist Bill Laswell and drummer Fred Maher worked concurrently with Material guest Fred Frith in Massacre. Members: Bill Laswell (bass), Fred Maher (drums), Michael Beinhorn (keyboards), Cliff Cultreri (guitar), […]
Satisfaction was an English brass-rock band that released a self-titled album and two singles on Decca in 1971. They recorded a second album, Three Ages of Man, that remained vaulted for 42 years. Members: Mike Cotton (trumpet, flugelhorn), John Beecham (trombone), Derek Griffiths (guitar, vocals), Bernie Higginson [aka Byrnes] (drums, vocals), Lem Lubin (saxophone, bass), […]
Neil Ardley (May 26, 1937 — Feb. 23, 2004) was an English pianist and composer from Carshalton, Surrey, who emerged in the 1960s with the New Jazz Orchestra and the Don Rendell/Ian Carr Quintet. As a bandleader, he released the 1972 album A Symphony of Amaranths on Regal Zonophone, followed by the 1976 Gull release […]
L.A. Express was an American jazz-funk band that released four albums between 1974 and 1976, the first two with featured saxophonist Tom Scott. Their first album features keyboardist Joe Sample and guitarist Larry Carlton, who cleared out respectively for Larry Nash and Robben Ford. Members: David Luell, Joe Sample, John Guerin, Larry Carlton, Larry Nash, […]
Campo di Marte was an Italian symphonic/psych band that released a 1973 self-titled album on United Artists. Members: Enrico Rosa (guitar, vocals, Mellotron), Alfredo Barducci (horns, piano, organ, vocals), Paul Richard [Paul Ursillo] (bass, vocals), Mauro Sarti (drums, percussion, flute, vocals), Carlo Felice Marcovecchio (drums, percussion, vocals) Background Campo di Marte formed in 1971 in […]
Zarathustra was a German post-psych hard-rock band that released a 1972 self-titled album on Metronome. Members: Ernst Herzner (lead vocals), Wolfgang Reimer (guitar, vocals, percussion), Michael Just (bass, vocals), Klaus Werner (organ), Wolfgang Behrmann (drums, percussion) Background Zarathustra formed in 1969 in Hamburg with a lineup of vocalist Ernst Herzner, guitarist Wolfgang Reimer, bassist Michael […]
Mr. Big was an English hard-rock band from Oxford that made the 1975–77 EMI albums Sweet Silence and Mr. Big and scored a UK Top 5 hit with “Romeo.” Ian Hunter produced their intended 1978 third album, Seppuku, which went unreleased until the 21st century. (Not to be confused with the Nineties American band of […]
The Fourth Way was an American jazz-rock band that released a self-titled album on Capitol in 1969, followed by two live albums on Harvest in 1970. Formed in San Francisco by electric pianist Mike Nock, the quartet blended post-bop and avant-garde impulses with early fusion and global rhythmic influences. Violinist Michael White’s use of amplified […]
Mother Superior was an English all-female rock band that recorded the album Lady Madonna, released in 1976 on the Swedish SMA label. Members: Lesley Sly (keyboards, lead vocals), Audrey Swinburne (lead guitar, lead vocals), Jackie Badger (bass, vocals), Jackie Crew (drums, vocals), Simon Etchell (keyboards), Janis Sharp (guitar), Kate Buddeke (vocals), Pete Chapman (guitar) Formation […]
The Nite-Liters were an American funk band that released five albums on RCA Victor between 1970 and 1973. The band concurrently participated in the soul-funk collective New Birth with members of The Now Sound and The Mint Juleps. Members: Harvey Fuqua, Tony Churchill, Austin Lander, James Baker, Robert Jackson, Leroy Taylor, and Robin Russell, Ben […]
Modern Eon was an English post-punk band from Liverpool that released the 1979 EP Pieces on self-press Eon Records, followed by the single “Euthenics” and the 1981 album Fiction Tales on DinDisc. Members: Alix Plain [aka Alex Johnson] (guitar, vocals, percussion, keyboards, horn), Danny Hampson (bass, vocals), Tim Lever (guitar, saxophone, 1980-81), Joey McKechnie (drums, […]
Neuschwanstein was a German symphonic-rock band that released the 1979 album Battlement on Racket Records. Members: Thomas Neuroth (keyboards), Klaus Mayer (flute, synthesizer), Roger Weiler (guitar, 1975-?), Frederic Joos (lead vocals, acoustic guitar, 1975-?), Rainer Zimmer (vocals, bass), Hans-Peter Schwarz (drums) Background Neuschwanstein formed in 1971 in Völklingen, Saarland, when pianist Thomas Neuroth and flutist […]
Ju Ju was an American avant-garde jazz ensemble from San Francisco that released two albums in 1973/74 on Strata-East. They morphed into Oneness of Juju and released five further albums over the following decade. Members: J. Plunky Branch, Michael “Babatunde Olatunji” Lea (percussion), Al-Hammel Rasul [aka Tony Grayson] (piano), Jalongo Ngoma [aka Dennis Stewart] (percussion), […]
The Freeborne was an American psych-rock band from Boston that released the 1968 album Peak Impressions on Monitor Records. Formed by five classically trained teenage multi-instrumentalists, they blended baroque pop, blues, acid rock, and jazz into a studio-driven sound reflective of the “Bosstown Sound” scene. Members: Bob Margolin (guitar), Nick Castoln (guitar, keyboard, vocals, recorder, […]
Omnibus was an American psych-rock band from New Jersey that released a 1970 self-titled album on United Artists. Members: Robert “Bob” Wegrzyn (vocals), Joseph “Jay” Polt (guitar), Al Raimondi (keyboards), Robert “Bob” Marcinczak (bass), and Jerry Garino (drums), Don Cardinali (percussion) Background Omnibus hailed from New Milford, NJ, where singer/songwriter Robert “Bob” Wegrzyn teamed with […]
Mick Softley (Sept. 26, 1939 — Sept. 1, 2017) was an English folk guitarist–singer who first appeared with the 1965 Columbia album Songs for Swingin’ Survivors. He reemerged as a CBS singer–songwriter with the 1970–72 albums Sunrise, Street Singer, and Any Mother Doesn’t Grumble. On self-press Doll Records, he made the 1976–78 albums Capitol and […]
Methuselah was a psychedelic English folk-rock band responsible for the 1969 Elektra album Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. They featured guitarist–singer Terry Wincott and guitarist–percussionist John Gladwin, bandmates in assorted beat groups (The Dimples, Gospel Garden) and subsequent partners in Amazing Blondel. Members: John Gladwin (guitar, vibraphone), Terry Wincott (guitar, vocals), Les Nicol (guitar, vocals), […]
Bananarama was an English vocal trio that charted with the 1982 singles “Shy Boy,” “Really Saying Something,” and “It Ain’t What You Do,” the last two in partnership with Fun Boy Three. Between 1983 and 1987, they made four albums on London Records and scored hits with “Cruel Summer,” “Robert De Niro’s Waiting,” and the […]
Back Door was an English jazz-rock and blues-rock trio that released four albums between 1972 and 1976 on Warner Bros. Members: Colin Hodgkinson (bass, vocals), Ron Aspery (saxophone, keyboards, flute, clarinet), Tony Hicks (drums, 1972–75), Adrian Tilbrook (drums, 1976) Formation Back Door formed in Redcar, North Yorkshire, when bassist Colin Hodgkinson teamed with drummer Tony […]
Monsoon was an English-Indian ethno/art-pop trio led by singer Shelia Chandra with multi-instrumentalist Steve Coe. They scored a 1982 UK hit with “Ever So Lonely.” Their first release, a four-track EP, appeared in 1981 on Indipop. Signed to the Mobile Suit division of Phonogram, they released three 1982 singles, collected with additional cuts on their […]
May Blitz was an English–Canadian hard-rock trio that released two albums on Vertigo during 1970 and 1971. They were initially a spinoff of Bakerloo. Drummer Tony Newman came from the Jeff Beck Group and later joined Three Man Army and Boxer. Members: Tony Newman (drums), Jamie Black (vocals, guitar), Reid Hudson (bass) Background May Blitz […]
Listening was an American psychedelic rock band from Boston that released a self-titled album in 1968 on Vanguard. Members: Michael Tschudin (keyboards, organ, vocals), Peter Malick (guitar), Walter Powers (bass), Ernie Kamanis (drums, vocals) Background Listening emerged as part of the Bosstown Sound, a nomenclature for Boston-area psychedelic talent. Bassist Walter Powers hailed from The […]
The Free Spirits were an American jazz-rock/psych band from NYC that released the 1967 ABC album Out of Sight and Sound. Members: Larry Coryell (guitar), Jim Pepper (saxophone), Bob Moses (drums), Columbus Baker (guitar), Chris Hill (bass) Background The Free Spirits formed in 1965 in New York City as a quintet of young jazz musicians […]
Goldenrod was an American jam-rock/psych band from Los Angeles that released a 1969 self-titled album on Chartmaker Records. Members: Ben Benay (guitar), Jerry Scheff (bass), Toxey French (drums) Background Goldenrod was a Los Angeles-based instrumental psych trio consisting of guitarist Ben Benay, bassist Jerry Scheff, and drummer Toxey French. The three musicians first crossed paths […]
The Stark Reality was an American jazz-rock/psych band from Boston that released the 1970 double-album …Discovers Hoagy Carmichael’s Music Shop on AJP, a label launched by jazz pianist Ahmad Jamal. Vibraphonist Monty Stark led the project, which reinterprets selections from Hoagy Carmichael’s Music Shop, a 1950s educational program that Carmichael composed for children. Stark arranged […]
L.T.D. — an acronym for Love, Togetherness & Devotion — was an American soul-funk band that made eight albums (1974–1982) on A&M. They scored three No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot R&B chart with their 1976–78 singles “Love Ballad,” “Holding On (When Love Is Gone),” and their 1977 crossover hit “(Every Time I Turn […]
Troyka was a Canadian blues-psych trio that released a self-titled album on Cotillion in 1970. Members: Robert Edwards (guitar, mandolin, vocals), Michael Richards (lead vocals, drums, percussion), Ron Lukawitski (bass, bongos, banjo) Background Troyka had its roots in The Ortegas, an early-Sixties Edmonton teen band with guitarist Rob Edwards and bassist Ron Lukawitski. As the […]
Hydra was an American hard-rock/boogie band from Atlanta that released two albums on Capricorn in 1974/75 and a third on Polydor in 1977. Members: Wayne Bruce (lead vocals, guitar, bass), Spencer Kirkpatrick (guitar, vocals), Steve Pace (drums), Trip Burgess (bass, backing vocals, 1970-?), Orville Davis (bass, backing vocals, 1971-75) Background Hydra formed in Atlanta in […]
Thunder and Roses were an American hard-rock/psych trio from Philadelphia that released the album King of the Black Sunrise on United Artists in 1969. Members: Chris Bond (guitars, vocals), Tom Schaffer (bass, vocals), George Emme (drums) Background Thunder and Roses emerged in 1968 as a heavy psychedelic power-trio from Philadelphia, formed around 18-year-old guitarist Chris […]
Headstone were an English hard-rock band that released the album Bad Habits on EMI in 1974, followed by a self-titled release in 1975. Vocalist/guitarist Mark Ashton hailed from the original lineup of Rare Bird, releasing two albums with the band circa 1969/70. He briefly launched a solo career, releasing two solo albums between 1976 and […]
Jane was a German symphonic/hard-rock band that released ten studio albums and a live double-LP on Brain between 1972 and 1982, followed by a final album on Sky Records in 1986. Members: Peter Panka (drums, percussion, vocals), Klaus Hess (guitar, vocals, Moog Taurus, 1970-83, 1992-94), Werner Nadolny (organ, ARP Solina string ensemble, Moog, piano, Mellotron, […]
Marshall Hain were the English art-pop duo of keyboardist/songwriter Julian Marshall and vocalist/songwriter Kit Hain, who released the album Free Ride on Harvest in 1978. Marshall later teamed with vocalist Deborah Berg in the jazz-pop duo Eye to Eye while Hain recorded several solo albums and gained industry renown as a songwriter. Members: Julian Marshall […]
Marsupilami was an English post-psych six-piece band that released two albums on Transatlantic Records in 1970 and 1971. Members: Mike Fouracre (drums), Fred Hasson (vocals, harmonica), Leary Hasson (keyboards), Richard Lathan Hicks (bass), Dave Laverock (guitar), Jessica Stanley Clarke (flute, vocals), Pete Bardens (percussion), Mandy Riedelbanch (woodwind), Bob West (vocals) Background Marsupilami emerged in Taunton, […]
Magna Carta was an English folk-rock trio that released a 1969 self-titled Mercury album, followed by the 1970–73 Vertigo titles Seasons, Songs From Wasties Orchard, and Lord of the Ages. Guitarist and songwriter Chris Simpson led the combo through multiple lineups that included original singer Glen Stuart and assorted third members, including co-founder Lyell Tranter and subsequent […]
M was the recording moniker of English musician, singer, and songwriter Robin Scott, who released three electro/art-pop albums under the name between 1979 and 1982 on Sire. Ten years before M, Scott released the folk album Woman From the Warm Grass on Head Records. In 1981, he collaborated with Ryuichi Sakamoto on tracks for the […]
Heron was an English folk-rock band from Maidenhead, Berkshire, that released two albums on Dawn during 1970 and 1971. Guitarist G.T. Moore subsequently led the Reggae Guitars, recording assorted singles and three albums on Charisma between 1974 and 1976. Heron regrouped briefly in 1983 and for a longer span in the late 1990s. Members: Tony […]
Essra Mohawk — born Sandra Elayne Hurvitz on April 23, 1948, in Philadelphia — is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist known for her visionary lyricism and genre-defying albums. She emerged with Sandy’s Album Is Here at Last! (1968) on Verve after a stint with Frank Zappa’s Mothers of Invention, followed by the cult classic […]
Ripaille was a French symphonic-folk band that recorded the album La Vieille que l’on Brûla in 1977. Members: Gérard Duchemann (lead vocals, keyboards), Patrick Audouin (keyboards, acoustic guitar, backing vocals), Patrick Droguet (guitar), Michel Munoz (drums), Jacquy [aka Jacky] Thomas (bass, percussion, backing vocals), Michel Santangelli (drums) Background Ripaille (Feast) formed in 1976 in Nantes, […]
Lobby Loyde — aka John Baslington Lyde (May 18, 1941 — April 21, 2007) — was an Australian blues-rock guitarist who emerged in the Sixties beat groups The Purple Hearts and The Wild Cherries. In 1968, he joined Billy Thorpe‘s reinvented Aztecs and played on their 1971 album The Hoax Is Over. Loyde made his […]
McPhee was an Australian post-psychedelic hard rock band from Sydney that released a self-titled album in 1971 on Violet’s Holiday. Members: Faye Lewis (vocals, percussion), Tony Joyce (guitar), Jim Deverell (keyboards, vocals), Benny Kaika (bass), Terry Popple (drums) Background McPhee formed in Sydney in 1970 when guitarist Tony Joyce and Kiwi keyboardist Jim Deverell teamed […]
The Glitterhouse was an American soul-psych band that released the 1968 album Color Blind on Dynovoice Records. They performed the theme song to the 1968 sci-fi comedy Barbarella. Keyboardist Mark “Moogy” Klingman surfaced in the original lineup of Todd Rundgren‘s Utopia. Members: Michael Gayle (guitar, vocals), Hank Aberle (guitar, violin, vocals), Al Lax (bass, vocals), […]
Pierrot Lunaire was an Italian avant/symphonic-folk combo that released two albums on RCA-subsidiary It between 1974 and 1977. Members: Arturo Stàlteri (vocals, piano, organ, spinet, celesta, keyboards, percussion), Gaio Chiocchio (sitar, mandolin, vocals, guitar, Hammond organ, cymbal, timpani), Vincenzo Caporaletti (acoustic guitar, classical guitar, electric guitar, 12-string guitar, bass, drums, flute, 1974), Jacqueline Darby (vocals, […]
The Churls were a Canadian psych-rock band from Toronto that released the 1968–69 A&M albums The Churls and Send Me No Flowers. Members: Bob O’Neill (vocals), John Barr (bass), Brad Fowles (drums), Nick McCombie (guitar), Sam Hurrie (guitar), Harry Southworth Ames (guitar) Background The Churls formed in 1967 when singer Bob O’Neill and rhythm guitarist […]
Le Groupe X was an Italian electro-funk/psych project headed by musician Gianluigi Pezzera. The project yielded the album Frrrrrigidaire on Cipiti Record in 1973, followed by the Radio Records release Out, Off in 1978. Before settling on the project name, Pezzera released a 1972 EP as The Vietnam. Members: Gianluigi Pezzera Background Le Groupe X […]
The Spirit of Atlanta was an American funk-psych band that released the album The Burning of Atlanta on Buddah in 1973. Members: Donald Davis, T.C. Jason, Barbara Gooden, Louise Franklin, J.D. Morris, Charles Terrall, Steve Milner, Barry Abernathy, G.C. Coleman, Bobby Tate, Steve Carry, Clarence Carter Background The Spirit of Atlanta formed in 1973 when […]
The Rainbow Press was an American psychedelic rock band from New York that released the 1968/69 albums There’s a War On and Sunday Funnies on Mr. G Records. Members: Dave “Joe” Groff (lead vocals, tambourine, maracas, recorder, oboe), Marc Ellis (electric guitar, acoustic guitar, vocals), Dave Troup (bass, acoustic guitar, vocals), Larry Milton (electric piano, […]
Damnation of Adam Blessing was an American hard-rock/psych band from Cleveland that released three albums on United Artists between 1969 and 1971, followed by a fourth as Glory on small-press Avalanche in 1973. Members: Adam Blessing [Bill Constable] (lead vocals), Bob Kalamasz (lead guitar, backing vocals), Jim Quinn (rhythm guitar, backing vocals), Ray Benick (bass […]
The Brooklyn, Bronx & Queens Band — commonly billed as the B. B. & Q. Band — was an American soul-funk band whose members hailed from the three namesake boroughs of New York City. They released the 1981–83 Capitol albums Brooklyn, Bronx & Queens Band, All Night Long, and Six Million Times, followed by the […]
Novalis was a German symphonic-rock band that debuted with the 1973 Brain release Banished Bridge. After the departure of vocalist Jürgen Wenzel, they issued five further Brain albums, peaking in popularity with the 1976/77 albums Sommerabend and Brandung. After their 1978 release Vielleicht bist du ein Clown?, they issued six further albums on assorted labels […]
Fat was an American psych-rock band from Massachusetts that released a self-titled album on RCA in 1970, followed by a standalone single in 1971. After a half-decade silence, the band re-emerged with Footloose on self-press Dream Merchant Records in 1976. A further shortplayer appeared on the imprint in 1982, two years after their disbandment. Members: […]
Frantic was an American garage-psych band, formed in 1965 in Billings, Mont. Initially billed as The Frantics, they issued a standalone single on small-press Sunco Records in 1966. Re-situated in Los Angeles, Frantic released the album Conception on Lizard Music in 1970. Members: Max Byfuglin (vocals), Jim Haas (vocals, keyboards), Kim Sherman (guitar), David Day […]
Triode was a French jazz-rock and folk band that released the 1971 album On n’a pas fini d’avoir tout vu on Futura. Their sound combined flute-driven psych-jazz with bluesy guitar, improvisational interplay, and brisk rhythmic undercurrents. They formed in 1970 and disbanded two years later. Members: Michel Edelin (flute), Pierre Chérèze (guitar), Pierre-Yves Sorin (bass), […]
Gypsy was an English folk-rock band that released the 1971–72 albums Gypsy and Brenda & the Rattlesnake on United Artists. They evolved from the Leicester pop-psych combo Legay, which cut the 1968 Fontana single “No-one” (b/w “The Fantastic Story of the Stream-Driven Banana”). Members: John Knapp (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Robin Pizer (guitar, vocals), Rod Read […]
The Ghost was an English folk-psych band from Birmingham that released the album When You’re Dead – One Second on Gemini in 1970. The prior year, guitarist–singer Paul Eastment recorded one album with psych-rockers Velvett Fogg. Members: Paul Eastment (vocals, guitar), Terry Guy (keyboards, vocals), Charlie Grima (drums), Daniel MacGuire (bass, vocals), Shirley Kent (vocals, […]
Fuse was an American Midwest psych-rock band that released a 1970 self-titled album on Epic. Members: Rick Nielsen (guitar, keyboards), Craig Myers (guitar), Tom Petersson (bass), Joe Sundberg (vocals, 1967-70), Chip Greenman (drums, 1967-70), Robert “Stewkey” Antoni (vocals, 1970-73), Thom Mooney (drums, 1970-71), Bun E. Carlos (drums, 1971-73) Background Fuse formed in 1967 in Rockford, […]
October Country was an American chamber-pop/psych band from Los Angeles that released a 1968 album on Epic. Members: Caryle De Franca (vocals), Joe De Franca (vocals), Marty Earle (guitar), Bruce Wayne (bass guitar), Bob Wian (keyboards), Eddie Beram (drums) Background October Country originated as The Rubber Band, formed in Los Angeles in 1967 by siblings […]
Corpus was an American hard-rock/psych band that released the 1971 album Creation a Child on Acorn Records. Members: Richard Deleon (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), William Grate (lead guitar, backing vocals), James Castillo (bass), Frudy Lianes (drums) Background Corpus formed in 1969 in Corpus Christi, Texas, when guitarist William Grate teamed with vocalist–guitarist Richard Deleon, bassist […]
Yello is a Swiss electro-pop combo from Zürich that emerged on Ralph Records with the 1980/81 albums Solid Pleasure and Claro que Si. In 1983, they scored a crossover hit with “I Love You” from their Stiff release You Gotta Say Yes to Another Excess. Trimmed to the duo of Boris Blank and Dieter Meier, […]
Les Fleur de Lys were an English mod-psych band from Southampton that released a string of singles on Immediate, Polydor, and Atlantic between 1965 and 1969, including one apiece under the alternate names Shyster, Rupert’s People, and The Chocolate Frog. Bassist Gordon Haskell launched a seventies solo career amid brief memberships in King Crimson and […]
Space Art was a French electronic music duo formed in Paris by keyboardist Dominique Perrier and drummer Roger “Bunny” Rizzitelli. Between 1977 and 1980, Space Art released three albums and three singles, selling more than three million records worldwide. In 1981, they joined Jean-Michel Jarre on his groundbreaking tour of China. Members: Dominique Perrier (keyboards), […]
Rhésus O was a French jazz-rock/psych band that cut a self-titled 1971 album on Epic. They featured three bassists, including Francis Moze, who played on the 1970/71 albums Magma and 1001° Centigrades by chamber-rock heavyweights Magma. Members: Serge Lenoir (Bass), Francis Moze (Bass, Acoustic Guitar, Xylophone), Guy Pedersen (Double Bass, Bass), Thierry Blanchard (Drums, Percussion), […]
Rahmann was a French Zeuhl band that released a self-titled album in 1980 on Ramsès. Members: Mahamad Hadi (guitar synth, electric guitar, fretless guitar, oud, bouzouki), Amar Mecharaf (drums, percussion), Michel Rutigliano (piano, grand piano, synthesizer), Gérard Prevost (acoustic bass, bass), Louis-César Ewande (percussion), Nadia Yamina Hadi (vocal), Didier Lockwood (violin), Sylvain Marc (bass), Richard […]
Lighthouse was a Canadian brass-rock big band that released three albums on RCA Victor between 1968 and 1970, followed by six further titles on GRT between 1971 and 1974. Members: Skip Prokop (drums), Paul Hoffert (keyboards), Ralph Cole (guitar), Bob McBride (vocals), Russ Little (horns), Arnie Chycoski (horns), Freddy Stone (horns), Howard Shore (saxophone, flute), […]
Appletree Theatre was the American chamber-pop/psych duo of Buffalo-bred musical brothers John and Terence Boylan, who issued the album Playback on Verve Forecast in 1968. Terence became a solo singer/songwriter while John went into production. Members: John Boylan (vocals), Terence Boylan (vocals) Background Brothers John and Terence “Terry” Boylan were born in Brooklyn, New York, […]
Ars Nova was an American psych-rock band from New York that released a self-titled album on Elektra in 1968, followed by Sunshine & Shadows on Atlantic in 1969. The first album features the track “Fields of People,” which The Move covered on their 1970 second album Shazam. The second Ars Nova album features session keyboardist […]
Aura was an American brass-rock band from Los Angeles that released a 1971 self-titled album on Mercury. Members: Al Lathan (vocals, percussion), Jerry Smith (bass, vocals), Bill Waidner (guitar), George Barr (trumpet, vocals), Fred Entesari (saxophone), Andy Foertsch (trombone), Sam Alessi (keyboards), Dennis Horan (drums) Background Aura formed in 1971 in Los Angeles with roots […]
Aorta was an American psych-rock band from Chicago that released a self-titled album on Columbia in 1969, followed by a second on Happy Tiger Records in 1970. Between 1964 and 1967, the band recorded several local-press singles as The Exceptions, adopting the name Aorta after bassist Peter Cetera left to join Chicago Transit Authority. Members: […]
Westfauster was an American psych-rock trio from Cincinnati that released the 1971 album In a King’s Dream on Nasco Records. Members: Michael Newland (flute, saxophone, vibraphone), Stephen Helwig (drums, vocals), C. W. Fauster (piano, harpsichord, bass, keyboards, vocals) Background Westfauster formed in Cincinnati, Ohio, in the late 1960s as a trio centered on multi-instrumentalist C.W. […]
Leaf Hound was an English hard-rock band from London that released the album Growers of Mushroom on Decca in 1971. They sprouted from the final lineup of blues-rockers Black Cat Bones. Members: Peter French (vocals), Mick Halls (guitar, 1970-71), Derek Brooks (guitar, 1970-71), Stuart Brooks (bass, 1970-71), Keith George Young (drums, 1970-71), Ron Thomas (bass, […]
Le Mat was an English art-rock/psychedelic band behind the 1983 album The Waltz of the Fool on Whaam! Records. Members: Gary Simpson (vocals), Pete Helmer (guitar), Paul Helmer (bass), Salvatore “Sav” Ramundo (drums), Mark Mifsud Bonnici (violin, keyboards)), Rob Hollyoak (keyboards) Background Le Mat sprung from The Leepers, a mod-revival group formed in spring 1979 […]
The Swamp Children were an English sophisti-jazz/pop band from Manchester that released two albums on Factory circa 1981/82, followed by the album So Hot in 1982. The band morphed into Kalima for a further run of shortplayers and albums during the mid-to-late 1980s. Members: Martin Moscrop (drums), Ann Quigley (vocals), Tony Quigley (bass), John Kirkham […]
Delivery — alternately billed as Carol Grimes & Delivery — was an English jazz-rock/soul band that released the album Fools Meeting on B & C Records in 1970. The band served as an early vehicle for future members of Soft Machine, Hatfield & the North, and National Health. Members: Phil Miller (guitar), Steve Miller (piano), […]
Kissing the Pink was an English synthpop band that released three albums between 1983 and 1986 on Magnet Records. Their first, Naked, spawned five singles, including the UK hit “Last Film.” Members: Nicholas Whitecross (lead vocals, guitar), Jon Kingsley Hall (keyboards, synthesizer, vocals), Stephen Cusack (drums, percussion, vocals, 1980-88), George Stewart (keyboards, vocals, 1980-85, 1988-present), […]
Kingdom Come was an English psychedelic space-rock band that released the 1971–73 Polydor albums Galactic Zoo Dossier, Kingdom Come, and Journey. They spun from the Crazy World of Arthur Brown. Singer Arthur Brown appears before the Kingdom Come name in certain media. Late-period keyboardist Victor Peraino led a subsequent US-based Kingdom Come. Members: Arthur Brown […]
Kestrel was an English symphonic-rock band that released a self-titled album on Cube Records in 1975. Guitarist Dave Black promptly joined a resurrected Spiders from Mars for an eponymous album in 1976. Members: Dave Black (guitar, vocals), John Cook (guitar, synthesizer), Tom Knowles (vocals), Fenwick Moir (bass), Dave Whitaker (drums, percussion) Inception Kestrel came together […]
The Ian Gillan Band was an English hard-rock/funk group that released the album Child in Time on Polydor in 1976, followed by the 1977 Island releases Clear Air Turbulence and Scarabus. Their namesake frontman, once-and-future Deep Purple vocalist Ian Gillan, retained the services of keyboardist/co-writer Colin Towns in the followup act Gillan. Members: Ian Gillan […]
Zakarrias was the alias of Austrian Robert Haumer, a singer-songwriter based in London. In 1971, he assembled a makeshift band of English musicians for a self-titled album on Deram. The album features appearances from journeyman keyboardist Peter Robinson (Ablution, Brand X, Quatermass, Sun Treader) and future-Henry Cow saxophonist Geoff Leigh. Members: Robert Haumer [Zakarrias] (vocals), […]
A-440 was an American rock band from Houston that released three local garage-psych singles in 1967/68 on Sona and Cinema. The group returned in 1978 with the double-album rock opera Ulysses: The Greek Suite, featuring singers Ted Neeley and Yvonne Iversen on 20th Century-Fox. Members: Ted Neeley (vocals), Carlos Luevano (guitar), Craig Meacham (bass), Ian Hoffman […]
Jonesy was an English symphonic/hard-rock band that released three 1972/73 albums on Dawn: No Alternative, Keeping Up…, and Growing. Material for a fourth album, Sudden Prayers Make God Jump, appeared decades later as an archival disc. Members: John Evan-Jones (keyboards, guitar, vocals), Trevor Jones (violin, vocals, bass, keyboards, 1971, 1972-74), Bernard Hagley (saxophone, flute, 1971), […]
The Heavy Metal Kids were an English hard-rock/pop band from London that released a self-titled album on Atlantic in 1974. The following year, they shortened their name to The Kids for a second Atlantic album, Anvil Chorus. In late 1976, the name returned for the RAK release Kitsch. The Kids’ rhythm section backed French singer–songwriter […]
