Walrus was an English brass-rock band that released a self-titled album on Deram in 1970, followed by a standalone a-side in 1971. Members: Steve Hawthorn (bass), John Scates (guitar), Noel Greenaway (vocals), Don Richards (trumpet), Roy Voce (tenor saxophone), Bill Hoad (saxophone), Roger Harrison (drums), Nick Gabb (drums), Barry Parfitt (organ, piano) Background Walrus was […]
Passion Puppets were an English new wave band from Camden that released three singles and the 1984 Stiff album Beyond the Pale. Members: Ray Burmiston (lead vocals), Miki Screene (bass, vocals), Andy P (guitar, vocals), David Rollins (guitar, vocals), Simon Langford Godfrey (drums, percussion) Background Passion Puppets formed in Camden, London, in 1982 when singer […]
Michael Farneti is an American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist from Palm Beach Shores who released the 1976 album Good Morning Kisses on self-press Full Moon. Subsequent 1980s demos surfaced on Looking for a Goddess. Background Michael Farneti was born on March 19, 1951, and grew up near the Atlantic coast in Palm Beach Shores, Florida. […]
First Choice was an American soul-funk vocal trio from Philadelphia. Between 1973 and 1980, they made six albums and scored R&B crossover hits with “Armed and Extremely Dangerous,” “Smarty Pants,” “The Player (Part 1),” and “Doctor Love.” Co-founder Wardell Piper left after the first album for a solo career. Members: Rochelle Fleming, Joyce Jones, Annette […]
Barbara Acklin (1943–1998) was an American soul singer who scored a 1968 hit with “Love Makes a Woman” and co-wrote “Have You Seen Her,” a 1971 hit for The Chi-Lites. She made six albums between 1968 and 1975 on Brunswick and Capitol. Acklin dueted with Gene Chandler on the hits “Show Me the Way to […]
Spjärnsvallet was a Swedish jazz-rock/folk band that released a 1975 self-titled album on MNW. Members: Bengt Berger (drums, percussion, rattle), Christer Bothén (tenor saxophone, bass clarinet, B♭ clarinet, piano, gunbri, balani), Kjell Westling (saxophone, bass clarinet, flute, cello, piano), Nikke Ström (bass, rattle) Formation Spjärnsvallet formed in 1974 in Gothenburg, where percussionist Bengt Berger and […]
Voyager was an English art-rock band from Newbury, Berkshire, that released two albums on Polygram-subsidiary Mountain in 1979 and 1980, followed by a third on RCA in 1981. The band was borne from a 1977 single by vocalist/keyboardist Paul French’s Connection. Earlier in the decade, French cut an album with psychedelic jazz-rockers Tonton Macoute. Members: […]
Violinski was an English art-rock band that released two albums on Jet between 1979 and 1980. The band was formed by ELO alumni Michael de Albuquerque (guitar, vocals) and Mik Kaminski (violin). The second album features the talents of ex-Starry Eyed and Laughing bassist Iain Whitmore. Members: Mik Kaminski (violin), Baz Dunnery (guitar), Andy Brown […]
Vicious Pink was an English electro-pop duo from Leeds consisting of keyboardist Brian Moss and vocalist Josie Warden. Originally dubbed the Vicious Pink Phenomena, the pair released a single apiece on the small-press labels Mobile Suit Corporation and Warehouse circa 1982/83. After shortening their name, the two released a trio of singles on Parlophone between […]
Velvett Fogg was an English psych-rock band that released a 1969 self-titled album and the Tornadoes cover “Telstar” on Pye Records. Guitarist–singer Paul Eastment recorded a subsequent album with folk-rockers The Ghost. Members: Frank Wilson (vocals, organ), Graham Mullett (drums), Mick Pollard (bass), Ian Leighton (guitar, 1968), Paul Eastment (guitar, vocals, 1968-70) Background Velvett Fogg […]
UK Decay was an English art-punk/goth-rock band from Luton, Bedfordshire, that released two shortplayers on self-press Plastic Records circa 1979/80, followed by a trio of singles on small-press Fresh Records during 1980 and 1981, culminating with the album For Madmen Only. An EP followed on Crass-subsidiary Corpus Christi in 1982, after which the band released […]
Catherine Howe is an English singer/songwriter who released the 1971 album What a Beautiful Place, a collection of post-psych orchestral ballads. She returned with the 1975/76 RCA albums Harry and Silent Mother Nature, concluding her initial run with the 1979 album Dragonfly Days. Background Catherine Howe (born May 17, 1950) grew up in Yorkshire in […]
Telex was a Belgian electro/art-pop trio that released the 1979 album Looking for Saint-Tropez on Vogue/RKM, followed by the 1980 international release Neurovision. Two tracks from the former were appended to the latter for a U.S. issue on Sire. In 1981, the trio enlisted the lyrical services of Sparks for the Ariola release Sex. Two […]
Triangle was a French sax-rock/psych band that debuted with a pair of singles on Odeon in 1969, followed by three albums with accompanying shortplayers on Pathé between 1970 and 1973. Members: Papillon [Gérard Fournier] (bass, vocals, 1967-73), Pierre Fanen (guitar, 1967-69), Jean-Pierre Prevotat (drums), Alain Renaud (guitar, 1969), François Jeanneau (saxophone, keyboards, 1970-74), Paul Farges […]
Jacqui Brookes is an English vocalist who cut a 1980 single with the minimal-wave trio Shox, followed by three 1981 singles with Siam. In 1983, she formed Intro with Fingerprintz mastermind Jimme O’Neill, who co-wrote her 1984 solo album Sob Stories, a demure art-pop set on MCA. Shox Jacqui Brookes formed Shox in 1979 as […]
Fat Larry’s Band was an American soul-funk band from Philadelphia that released six albums between 1976 and 1982: including three on WMOT Records and two on its eventual parent Fantasy Records. The band’s second album, Off the Wall, appeared on Stax in 1977. A late-period U.K. breakthrough yielded a seventh album on Virgin in 1983, […]
Hannibal was an English blues-rock band from Birmingham that released a self-titled album on B&C and Philips in 1970. Members: Rolando Alex Boyce [aka Kirk St. James] (lead vocals), Jack Griffiths (bass), Bill Hunt (keyboards), Adrian Ingram (guitar), John Parkes (drums), Cliff Williams (tenor saxophone, clarinet) Background Hannibal formed circa 1969 with two West Midlands […]
Jet was an English glam-rock band that released a 1975 self-titled album, guided by bassist and songwriter Martin Gordon with fellow Sparks sidemen. Radio Stars formed from Jet’s remnants and scored a 1977 UK hit with “Nervous Wreck,” followed by the albums Songs for Swinging Lovers and Holiday Special. Members: Martin Gordon (bass), Andy Ellison […]
Ashton, Gardner & Dyke were an English organ-rock trio that released a 1969 self-titled album on Polydor, followed by two 1970–72 albums and a soundtrack on Capitol. Bassist Tony Ashton and drummer Roy Dyke hailed from the long-running R&B/beat combo Remo Four, which released the 1967 album Smile! Bassist Kim Gardner played in a latter-day […]
Working Week was an English sophisti-pop trio that released three albums on Virgin between 1985 and 1987, followed by two 1989–91 titles on label-subsidiary Ten. The band revolved around the instrumental core of veteran jazz-saxophonist Larry Stabbins (Centipede/Keith Tippett’s Ark) and ex-Weekend guitarist Simon Booth, who chose the name “Working Week” as a spoof on […]
The Attack was an English psych-rock band that released four 1967–68 singles on Decca. The first two (“Try It,” “Hi Ho Silver Lining”) feature guitarist Davy O’List, who departed for The Nice. Their third (“Created By Clive”) appeared on the same day as a similar version by The Syn. Guitarist John Du Cann joined for […]
Stark Naked was an American hard-rock/psych band that released a self-titled album in 1971 on RCA Victor. Members: Richard Belsky (lead guitar), Paul Venier (keyboards, vocals, percussion), Lyne Bunn (vocals, percussion), John Fragos (drums, percussion, gong), Jim Monahan (vocals, guitar), Tom Rubino (bass) Background Stark Naked formed in Long Island, New York, in the late […]
Manowar was an American metal band from Auburn, New York, that bassist Joey DeMaio formed in 1980 with singer Eric Adams and guitarist Ross the Boss. They arrived with the 1982 Liberty release Battle Hymns, then cut a rapid run through Into Glory Ride, Hail to England, Sign of the Hammer, Fighting the World, and […]
Gary Farr (Oct. 19, 1944 — July 29, 1994) was an English singer/songwriter who first emerged in the mid-1960s R&B/beat combo The T-Bones, which also included the nucleus of The Nice. In 1969, he released the album Take Something With You on Marmalade, followed by Strange Fruit on CBS in 1970. His final solo album, […]
Freeez was an English funk band that released three albums and assorted singles on Beggars Banquet between 1980 and 1985. Members: John Rocca (vocals, percussion), Andy Stennett (keyboards), Peter Mass (bass), Paul Morgan (drums), Gordon Sullivan (guitar), Ingrid Mansfield Allman (vocals), Alison Gordon (vocals), Jason Wright (keyboards), Everton McCalla (drums), George Whitmore (saxophone, flute), Jean-Paul […]
Fotheringay was an English folk-rock band that released a self-titled album on Island in 1970. The following year, thet recorded a second album that was ultimately issued by archivists Fledg’ling in 2008. The band featured ex-Fairport Convention vocalist Sandy Denny immediately prior to the launch of her solo career. Members: Sandy Denny (vocals), Trevor Lucas […]
Forever Amber was an English pop-psych band that self-released the 1969 album The Love Cycle. Keyboardist Christopher Parren surfaced behind Hudson–Ford and teamed with Maggie Bell in Midnight Flyer. Members: Michael Richardson (vocals), Anthony Mumford (bass, vocals), Richard Lane (lead guitar, vocals), Christopher Jones (rhythm guitar, vocals), Christopher Parren (organ, piano, harpsichord, vocals), Barry Broad […]
Petrus Castrus was a Portuguese symphonic-rock band that included musician/composer Júlio Pereira. They released two EPs in 1971/72 on Decca, followed by the 1973 Música longplayer Mestre. In 1977, they returned with a single on Imavox, followed by the 1978 Decca release Ascenção e Queda. Members: Pedro Castro (bass, acoustic guitar, vocals, kazoo), José Castro […]
My Solid Ground was a German Krautrock band that released a 1971 self-titled album on Bacillus Records. Members: Bernhard Rendel (guitar, vocals), Teddy (vocals, 1968-?), Manfred Fischer (bass, 1968-?), Willy Waid (drums, 1967-70), Werner Geilenkirchen (bass, ?-1970), Karl-Heinz Dörfler (bass, vocals, 1970-72), Ingo Werner (keyboards, 1970-72), Andreas Würsching (drums, percussion, 1970-72), Günther Mildenberger (organ, 1972-74), […]
Ego on the Rocks was a German space-rock duo formed by ex-Eloy members Detlev Schmidtchen and Jürgen Rosenthal. They released the 1981 album Acid in Wounderland on Jupiter Records. Members: Detlev Schmidtchen (vocals, keyboards, guitar, bass), Jürgen Rosenthal (drums) Background Ego on the Rocks launched in 1980 after keyboardist Detlev Schmidtchen and drummer Jürgen Rosenthal […]
Raccomandata Ricevuta di Ritorno was an Italian symphonic-rock band that released the 1972 album Per… un Mondo di Cristallo. Members: Luciano Regoli (vocals, acoustic guitar), Nanni Civitenga (guitar), Stefano Piermarioli (keyboards), Damaso Grassi (flute, saxophone), Manlio Zacchia (bass, double bass), Francesco Francica [aka Froggio] (drums, percussion) Background Raccomandata Ricevuta di Ritorno (Registered Mail Return Receipt) […]
Emtidi was a German/Canadian folk-psych duo behind a 1970 self-titled album on Thorofon, followed by the 1972 Pliz release Saat. Members: Dolly Holmes (acoustic guitar, bouzouki, kazoo, keyboards, organ, piano, spinet, Mellotron, vocals), Maik Hirschfeldt (guitar, flute, bass, synthesizer, vibraphone, percussion, vocals) Inception Emtidi formed in Berlin when local composer Maik Hirschfeldt teamed with a […]
Bo Hansson (April 10, 1943 – April 23, 2010) was a Swedish keyboardist and composer best known for his 1970 album Sagan om Ringen, released internationally as Music Inspired by Lord of the Rings. He first achieved national fame in the organ-psych duo Hansson & Karlsson. Background, Early Career He was born Bo Ingemar Gunnar […]
Gwen McCrae (December 21, 1943 – February 21, 2025) was an American soul singer who first performed and recorded during the 1960s with then-husband George McCrae. As a solo singer, she cut multiple singles for Columbia and Cat during the 1970s. Her first album, Rockin’ Chair, spawned a charting hit with the moaning title-track. Background […]
Danny Kirwan (1950–2018) was an English guitarist, singer, and songwriter who (at 18) joined Fleetwood Mac for their 1968 second album Mr. Wonderful and featured in the 1969–72 lineups responsible for the albums Then Play On, Kiln House, Future Games, and Bare Trees. As a solo artist, Kirwan debuted with the 1975 DJM release Second […]
Fad Gadget (aka Frank Tovey, 1956–2002) was an English post-punk electronic musician who released four albums between 1980 and 1984 on Mute Records. Members: Frank Tovey (lead vocals, computer, synthesizer), David Simmonds (grand piano, synthesizer), Nick Cash (vibraphone, drums, percussion), David Rogers (double bass, guitar, bass synthesizer), Peter Balmer (bass), Joni Sackett (vocals, viola), Barbara […]
Flaming Bess was a German symphonic-rock band that self-released the 1979 album Tanz der Götter, followed by the 1981 Polydor title Verlorene Welt. Members: Hans Wende (guitar, bass, clavinet, drums), Horst Wagner (bass, 1969-?), Rolf Selbach (drums, 1969-?), Peter Figge (keyboards), Achim Wierschem (guitar, keyboards, drums, vocals), Peter Wahle (drums, gong, guitar, bells, rhythm machine), […]
Richard Pinhas (born May 7, 1951) is a French guitarist, keyboardist, and composer who headed the experimental combo Heldon during the 1970s. Between 1977 and 1982, he released five solo albums on Cobra and Pulse. Background Richard Pinhas is a French guitarist, keyboardist, and composer who emerged in the early 1970s through the psych-rock group […]
The Collectors were a Canadian psychedelic rock band that released seven singles and the 1968–69 albums The Collectors and Grass and Wild Strawberries on Warner Bros.-Seven Arts. After the departure of single Howie Vickers, the others carried on as Chilliwack. Members: Ross Turney (drums), Howie Vickers (vocals), Claire Lawrence (saxophone, flute, keyboards), Glenn Miller (bass), […]
Christmas was a Canadian post-psych band from Ontario. In 1970, they held an in-studio jam that appeared (unauthorized) on Paragon, followed by the Daffodil release Heritage. In 1974, they resurfaced as The Spirit of Christmas with the ambitious concept album Lies to Live By. Members: Bob Bryden (vocals, guitar), Tyler Raizenne (bass), Rich Richter (drums), […]
Scarlet Rivera is an American violinist from Chicago who emerged as part of Bob Dylan’s 1976 Rolling Thunder Revue, then led the 1977/78 Warner albums Scarlet Rivera and Scarlet Fever. Background Donna Shea was born in 1950 in Joliet, Illinois. Her father worked as a chemist at an oil refinery, while her mother managed the Shea […]
Curt Cress Clan was a German jazz-rock/funk supergroup led by drummer Curt Cress and featuring guitarist Volker Kriegel. The band released a 1975 self-titled album on Atlantic. Members: Curt Cress (drums, percussion), Dave King (bass), Volker Kriegel (guitar), Kristian Schultze (keyboards), Ack van Rooyen (flugelhorn) Background Curt Cress Clan formed in Munich in 1975 when […]
Atlantis was a German hard-rock/soul band that released five albums and a live disc on Vertigo/Venus between 1972 and 1976. The band grew out of heavy-psych legends Frumpy, sharing vocalist Inga Rumpf and French-born keyboardist/composer Kravetz, who released a self-titled album with colleagues from both bands in 1972. Members: Inga Rumpf (lead vocals, acoustic guitar, […]
Grinderswitch was an American blues-rock/boogie band from Warner Robins, Ga., that released three albums on Capricorn between 1974 and 1976, followed by an album apiece on Atco, Auric, and Robox during the subsequent four-year period. Members: Dru Lombar (lead vocals, guitar), Larry Howard (guitar, 1972-80), Joe Dan Petty (bass, 1972-82), Rick Burnett (drums, 1972-82), Paul […]
Phantom was an American hard-rock/psych band from Detroit that released the album Phantom’s Divine Comedy, Part 1 on Capitol in 1974. Earlier recordings were later released by archivists Flash and Ghost. The group morphed into the Happy Dragon Band for a further album on the Fiddlers Music Company label in 1978. Members: Phantom [aka Tom […]
Garybaldi was an Italian symphonic/hard-rock band that first recorded as Gleemen. After the 1970 release Gleeman, Garybaldi made the 1972/73 albums Nuda and Astrolabio. Two members continued as Bambibanda e Melodie. Members: Pier Nicolò “Bambi” Fossati (guitar, vocals), Lio Marchi (keyboards, 1972-73), Angelo Traverso (bass, 1972-73), Maurizio Cassinelli (drums), Sandro Serra (bass, 1973-74) Background Garybaldi […]
Kaleidon was an Italian jazz-rock band that released the 1973 album Free Love on Fonit Cetra. Members: Stefano Sabatini (keyboards, 1973-74), Massimo Balla (saxophone, flute, 1973-74), Franco Tallarita (bass, 1973), Giovanni Liberti (drums, 1973), Francesco Bruno (guitar, 1974), Gianni Colaiacomo (bass, 1974), Francesco Froggio Francica (drums, 1974), Mandrake (percussion, 1974) Background Kaleidon formed in Rome in […]
Rational Youth was a Québécois synthpop band that released the 1982 album Cold War Night Life on Yul, followed by an EP and the 1985 album Heredity on Capitol. Members: Tracy Howe (vocals, keyboards, guitar), Mario Spezzo (keyboards, 1981), Bill Vorn (keyboards, vocoder, 1981-82, 1996-97), Kevin Komoda (keyboards, 1982-83), Denis Duran (bass, 1983), Angel Calvo […]
Skyy was an American soul-funk band from Brooklyn that released seven albums on Salsoul Records between 1979 and 1984. Their material was mostly written and co-produced by Randy Muller of the Brass Construction. Members: Randy Muller (keyboards), Denise Dunning (vocals), Delores Dunning (vocals), Bonny Dunning (vocals), Solomon Roberts (guitar), Anibal Anthony Sierra (guitar), Larry Greenberg […]
Flotsam and Jetsam are an American metal band from Scottsdale, Ariz., that released the album Doomsday for the Deceiver on Metal Blade in 1986, followed by No Place for Disgrace on Elektra in 1988 and a round of titles on MGM during the following decade. Members: Kelly David-Smith (drums, 1982-97), Jason Newsted (bass, 1982-86), Eric […]
Opus-5 was a Québécois symphonic-folk quintet from Montréal that released the 1976 Celebration album Contre-courant. The group completed a follow-up and issued the single “Sérieux ou pas,” but Celebration collapsed before the album reached stores. Disques L’Aller-Retour issued the tapes in 1989 as Sérieux ou pas, Vol. 2. Guitarist Luc Gauthier and bassist Christian Léon […]
Bourgeois Tagg was an American adult-oriented pop band from Sacramento that released the 1986 album Bourgeois Tagg and the 1987 follow-up Yoyo on Island. The group reached the Billboard Hot 100 with “Mutual Surrender (What a Wonderful World)” and “I Don’t Mind at All.” Members: Brent Bourgeois (vocals, keyboards), Larry Tagg (vocals, bass), Lyle Workman […]
Besombes-Rizet were a French electronic/experimental duo that released the 1975 double-album Pôle on namesake Pôle Records. Members: Philippe Besombes, Jean-Louis Rizet Background Besombes-Rizet began as a Paris collaboration in 1974 when composer-keyboardist Philippe Besombes met multi-instrumentalist Jean-Louis Rizet during work for a ballet. Besombes was born Philippe Pierre Dominique Besombes in 1946 and grew up […]
Russia was an American hard-rock band from Seattle that evolved from Sorcerer’s Apprentice and moved to Los Angeles. Warner Bros. issued their 1980 self-titled album, followed by a second album under the Force 10 name. Members: Griff Stevens (lead vocals, woodwinds, guitar), Tom Richard Brighton (guitar, vocals), Richard Allyn White (keyboards, vocals), Larry Tuttle (bass, […]
The Loading Zone was an American brass-rock-soul band that released a self-titled album in 1968 on RCA Victor, followed by the private 1970 effort One for All. They launched the career of soul singer Linda Tillery, who went solo as Sweet Linda Divine. Members: Peter Shapiro (guitar, 1965-69), Steve Dowler (rhythm guitar, 1965-69), David Dougdale […]
Zomby Woof was a German symphonic-rock band behind the 1977 album Riding on a Tear. Members: Ulrich Herter (vocals, guitar, synthesizer), Heinrich Winter (vocals, guitar, clavinet, 1973-79), Matthias Zumbroich (piano, organ, synthesizer, Mellotron, saxophone), Udo Kreuß (bass), Berthold Mayer [Bea Maier] (drums, percussion, 1976-79), Matthias Seelmann-Eggebert (Hammond organ, 1973-76), Thomas Moritz (drums, 1973-76), Achim Czech […]
Tranquility was an English rustic-rock/folk band assembled by manager-producer Ashley Kozak around singer-songwriter Terry Shaddick. They released the 1972 Epic albums Tranquility and Silver, then reconfigured for the 1974 Island single “Midnight Fortune.” Shaddick later co-wrote the 1981 Olivia Newton-John single “Physical” with Steve Kipner. Bassist Jim Leverton played beforehand with Fat Mattress and Juicy […]
Alpha Centauri was a symphonic|hard-rock band from Colorado that existed for twelve years (1971–83). They moved to Canada and released a 1977 self-titled album on Salt Records. Members: Kurt Smith (vocals, guitar), Jess Redmon (keyboards, vocals), Garth Hannum (bass, vocals, 1975-83), Randy Thompson (drums) Background Alpha Centauri sprung from Colorado, a psychedelic rock trio formed […]
The Europeans were an English synthpop/art-pop band that released the 1983/84 A&M albums Vocabulary and Recurring Dreams. Guitarist Colin Woore and singer/keyboardist Steve Hogarth formed the spinoff duo How We Live for the 1987 album Dry Land. In 1989, Hogarth joined Marillion as the permanent replacement of their original frontman, Fish. Members: Steve Hogarth (lead […]
Druid was an English symphonic-rock band that released the 1975–76 albums Toward the Sun and Fluid Druid, both on EMI. Drummer Ced Sharpley later resurfaced in Gary Numan‘s Tubeway Army and Dramatis. Members: Neil Brewer (bass), Andrew McCrorie-Shand (keyboards), Ced Sharpley (drums), Dane [Dane Stevens] (guitar, vocals) Background Druid formed in 1971 in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, […]
Dog Soldier was an English hard-rock supergroup from Preston, Lancashire, that released a 1975 self-titled album on United Artists. They marked the second team-up between Scottish guitarist–songwriter Miller Anderson and drummer Keef Hartley, both veterans of the Keef Hartley Band. Concurrent to Dog Soldier, the two played in hard-rockers Broken Glass. Bassist Paul Bliss resurfaced […]
Detective was an English-American hard-rock band that released the 1977 albums Detective and It Takes One to Know One, both on Led Zeppelin‘s Swan Song label. The band featured former Silverhead vocalist Michael Des Barres, one-time Steppenwolf guitarist Michael Monarch, and ex-Yes/Badger keyboardist Tony Kaye. Members: Michael Des Barres (lead vocals), Michael Monarch (guitar), Bobby […]
Delta 5 was an English post-punk band that released three 1979–80 Rough Trade singles and the 1981 album See the Whirl. Members: Bethan Peters (bass, vocals), Ros Allen (bass, vocals), Julz Sale (vocals, guitar, 1978-81), Kelvin Knight (drums, 1979-1981), Alan Riggs (guitar, 1979-81), Jacqui Callis (vocals, guitar, 1981-82), Graeme Haigh (drums, 1981-82) Formation Delta 5 […]
Deep Feeling was an English studio band that released multiple singles of orchestral pop on Page One and DJM in 1970/71, followed by an eponymous art-rock album that has since achieved cult status. (This Deep Feeling is not to be confused with a namesake earlier band that featured a pre-Traffic Jim Capaldi.) Members: John Swail […]
Gonzalez was an English soul-funk and Latin-rock big band that released the 1974–75 albums Gonzalez and Our Only Weapon Is Our Music on EMI, followed by the 1978–80 albums Shipwrecked, Move It to the Music, and Watch Your Step on Capitol. In 1979, they scored a UK Top 20 hit with “I Haven’t Stopped Dancing […]
Mashmakhan was a Canadian psychedelic rock band from Montreal that released the 1970–71 Columbia–Epic albums Mashmakhan and The Family and scored an international hit with “As the Years Go By.” Drummer Jerry Mercer later joined Halifax stars April Wine. Members: Pierre Senecal (vocals, keyboards), Rayburn Blake (guitar), Jerry Mercer (drums, 1960-71), Trevor Payne (vocals), Brian […]
Peter Baumann is a German keyboardist and percussionist who served as a member of Tangerine Dream from 1972 through 1977. While still a member of the band, he made his solo debut with the 1976 Virgin release Romance 76. Between 1979 and 1982, he released two further albums on the label and also cut a […]
Gebärväterli was a German jazz-rock band that released the 1978 album Im Tal der Emmen on Brutkasten. Members: Manfred Demetz (trombone), Norbert Kirchner (guitar), Yogo Pausch (drums, congas), Friedl Pohrer (bass), Mandi Riedelbauch (saxophone, bassoon), Dieter Weberpals (flute), Reinhold Weberpals (piano, organ) Background Gebärväterli formed in 1973 in Nuremberg when guitarist Norbert Kirchner, bassist Friedrich […]
Dean Friedman is an American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist from New Jersey who released three albums between 1977 and 1981. He scored a US Top 40 hit with “Ariel” and a UK Top 3 hit with “Lucky Stars.” Between 1999 and 2021, he self-produced six albums on Real Life Records. Background Dean Friedman was born […]
Midnight Star was an American soul-funk band from Frankfort, Kentucky, that recorded eight albums for Solar between The Beginning in 1980 and Work It Out in 1990. Their breakout came with No Parking on the Dance Floor in 1983, which produced “Freak-A-Zoid,” “Wet My Whistle,” and “Slow Jam.” They followed with Planetary Invasion and the […]
The Buoys were an American pop-rock band that released seven singles and one album between 1969 and the mid-Seventies. Their February 1970 Scepter single “Timothy,” written by Rupert Holmes, reached No. 17 on the Billboard Hot 100 after a prolonged regional rise. “Give Up Your Guns” later reached the Dutch Top 10 in separate 1972 […]
Juicy Lucy was an English blues-rock band that released the 1969–70 Vertigo albums Juicy Lucy and Lie Back and Enjoy It. They charted with the revved-up Bo Diddley cover “Who Do You Love?” Amid multiple lineup changes, they cut the 1971 Bronz title Get a Whiff a This and the 1972 Polydor album Pieces. Steel […]
707 was an American melodic/hard-rock band that released three albums on the PolyGram subsidiaries Casablanca and Boardwalk between 1980 and 1982. Members: Kevin Russell (vocals, guitar), Phil Bryant (vocals, bass), Duke McFadden (vocals, keyboards), Jim McClarty (drums), Kevin Chalfant (vocals), Tod Howarth (keyboards, guitar), Felix Robinson (bass), Don Bassey (bass), Denny Carmassi (drums) Background 707 […]
Nitzinger was an American hard-rock band from Fort Worth, Texas, that released the 1972–73 Capitol albums Nitzinger and One Foot in History, followed by the 1976 20th Century release Live Better Electrically. Members: John Nitzinger (guitar, lead vocals), Linda Waring (drums, vocals), Curly Benton (bass, vocals), Bugs Henderson (guitar, vocals) Background The Nitzinger band formed […]
Fraction was an American psych-rock band from Los Angeles that released the 1971 album Moon Blood on Angelus Records. Members: Jim Beach (vocals), Don Swanson (lead guitar), Curt Swanson (drums), Victor Hemme (bass), Robert Meinel (rhythm guitar) Background Fraction comprised singer Jim Beach, bassist Vic Hemme, drummer Curt Swanson, and guitarists Don Swanson (lead) and […]
Twelfth Night was an English symphonic-rock band that self-released three cassettes and a live album between 1980 and 1982, culminating with their proper debut Fact and Fiction. After the 1983 departure of singer Geoff Mann, they made their second professionally-recorded album, Art and Illusion, on Music For Nations. Their final release from this period was […]
Trickster was an English rock band that released the album Find the Lady on Jet in 1977, followed by Back to Zero in 1979. Members: Phil Bates (vocals, guitar), Colin Hewinson (piano, keyboards, vocals), Mike Sheppard (bass, guitar, vocals), Paul Elliot (drums, percussion), Mike Groth (vocals, bass), John Fincham (bass) Background Trickster appeared in 1976 […]
Tonton Macoute was an English jazz-rock/psych band from Newbury, Berkshire, that released a self-titled album on RCA-subsidiary Neon in 1971, followed by a standalone single under the abbreviated name Tonton in 1972. Keyboardist/vocalist Paul French reemerged at decade’s end with art-rockers Voyager, which issued three albums between 1979 and 1981. Members: Paul French (keyboards, vocals), […]
Toe Fat was an English hard-rock/blues band that released a self-titled album on Parlophone in 1970, followed by a second on Regal Zonophone in 1971. The band was led by first-generation rock n’ roller Cliff Bennett and briefly included drummer Lee Kerslake and keyboardist Ken Hensley, en route to their lengthy stints in Uriah Heep. […]
Dorothy Moore is an American soul singer who released twenty albums between 1976 and 2020. She first appeared in The Dolletts, an R&B girl group that morphed into The Poppies, which cut four singles and one 1966 album. As Dottie Cambridge, she cut two 1968 singles on MGM, followed by a one-off with Dorothy & […]
Toad was a Swiss hard-rock trio that scored a national hit with “Stay” and made the 1971/72 albums Toad and Tomorrow Blue on Hallelujah, followed by the 1975 release Dreams. Further live and studio tracks surfaced on archival discs from Arkama. Members: Vittorio “Vic” Vergeat (guitar, vocals, piano), Cosimo Lampis (drums, percussion, vocals), Werner Fröhlich […]
