Goliath was an English jazz-rock/soul band from Manchester that released a self-titled album on CBS in 1970. Members: Linda Rothwell (vocals), Malcolm Grundy (guitar), Joseph Rosbotham (woodwinds), John Williamson (bass), Eric Eastman (drums, percussion) Background Goliath evolved from the unrecorded Mancunian act Petrus Booncamp, which featured guitarist/bassist John Williamson and singers Linda Rothwell and Roy […]
Energy was a Swedish jazz-rock band that released a self-titled album on Harvest in 1974. Members: Alvaro Is (piano, electric piano, organ), Amedeo Nicoletti (guitar), Björn Inge (drums), Bosse Norlén (bass), Luis Agudo (percussion) Energy fused when ex-November drummer Björn Inge teamed with three aspiring musicians: guitarist Amedeo Nicoletti, bassist Bosse Norlén, and Spanish-born keyboardist […]
Dice was a Swedish symphonic-rock band that released a self-titled album on Marilla in 1978. In 1992, the band’s lost 1977 album Four Riders of the Apocalypse was issued by Belle Antique. Members: Leif Larsson (keyboards), Fredrik Vildö (bass), Robert Holmin (vocals, saxophone), Örian Strandberg (guitar), Per Andersson (drums) Dice germinated from a friendship between […]
Atlas was a Swedish symphonic-rock band that issued the album Blå Vardag on Bellatrix in 1979. Four-fifths of the band released a second album as Mosaik. Members: Björn Ekborn (organ, piano, clavinet, synthesizer, Mellotron), Erik Björn Nielsen (organ, piano, synthesizer, Mellotron, electric piano), Janne Persson (guitar, percussion), Micke Pinotti (drums), Ulf Hedlund (bass, bass pedals) […]
Anna Själv Tredje were a Swedish electronic duo that released the popular album Tussilago Fanfara on the Silence label in 1977. Keyboardist Ingemar Ljungström subsequently headed the space-rock/coldwave combos Cosmic Overdose and Twice a Man. Members: Ingemar Ljungström [aka Karl Gasleben] (keyboards), Mikael Bojén (keyboards, guitar) Anna Själv Tredje centered on the musical partnership of […]
Ablution was a Swedish jazz-rock band that released a self-titled album in 1974 on CBS. Four of its members played in the earlier one-off Baltik. The band also included two-thirds of English hard-rockers Quatermass. Members: Barry de Souza (drums, trumpet), Björn J:son Lindh (flute, piano), Janne Schaffer (guitar), John Gustafson (bass), Malando Gassama (percussion), Ola […]
Nebulosa was a Swedish symphonic/hard-rock/folk band that issued a self-titled album on Park Studio in 1977. Members: Bengt Skarin (drums), Lennart Usterud (bass), Roger Pontare [aka Roger Johansson] (vocals), Thomas Fransén (guitar), Thomas Kacsó (keyboards) Nebulosa pooled the talents of Hungarian keyboardist Thomas Kacso and four Swedish musicians, including bassist Lennart Usterud, who played on […]
Epidermis was a German symphonic/art-rock band that released the album Genius of Original Force on Kerston in 1977. Two further albums appeared between 1982 and 1990. Members: Michael Kurz (keyboards, vocals), Rolf Lonz (guitar, vocals), Reiner Neeb (drums, vocals), Wolfgang Wünsche (bass, vocals) Epidermis hailed from Wiesbaden, Hessen, with members who’d played together as early […]
Cravinkel was a German blues-rock/pop band that released two albums and a standalone single on Philips in 1970 and 1971. Members: Gert Krawinkel (guitar, percussion), Rolf Kaiser (vocals, bass), George B. Haupt (drums), Klaus George Meier (guitar, vocals, percussion), Achim Brierley (drums) Cravinkel formed in 1969 Wilhelmshaven, their name spun from the surname of guitarist […]
Chameleon were a German jazz-rock band that released a self-titled album on Blubber Lips in 1979. Members: Knut Rössler (tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, flute, lyricon), Joachim Essig (piano, synthesizer, ARP Solina string ensemble), Roland Herbe (bass, piccolo), Ralph Dietze (drums) Chameleon assembled near Mannheim in the late 1970s. Saxophonist Knut Rössler hailed from Night Sun. […]
Carol of Harvest was a German symphonic-folk band that released a self-titled album on Brutkasten in 1978. Members: Axel Schmierer (composer, guitar, keyboards, programming), Beate Krause (vocals, 1976-78), Jürgen Kolb (keyboards, 1976-78), Heinz Reinschlüssel (bass, 1976-78), Robert Högn (drums, 1976-78), Ewa Grams (vocals, 2007-present) Carol of Harvest was formed in late ’70s Fürth, Franconia, by […]
Abacus was a German art-rock band that released four albums and three singles on Polydor/Zebra between 1971 and 1973. Members: Hans Rolf Schade (guitar, percussion, sitar, vocals), Felix Hans (drums, percussion, vocals), Chris Williams (vocals, guitar), Klaus Kohlhase (bass, percussion, harmonica), Chris Barutzky (piano, organ), Jürgen Wimpelberg (keyboards, vocals, guitar), Norbert Leifert (keyboards, vocals, flute), […]
Bakmak were a German jazz-rock band that released two albums on NOVA and Strand between 1976 and 1978. Members: Christian Lüdeke (guitar), Peter Dörnenburg (drums, percussion), Frank Lüdeke (soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, percussion), Eckard Lüdeke (bass, 12-string guitar), Reinhold Heil (piano, organ, synthesizer) Bakmak were formed in 1973 Berlin by the Lüdeke brothers: guitarist Christian […]
Ardo Dombec were a German jazz-rock band that released a self-titled album on Pilz in 1971. Members: Helmut Hachmann (saxophone, flute), Harald Gleu (guitar, vocals), Wolfgang Spillner (drums, vocals), Michael Ufer (bass) Ardo Dombec assembled in Hamburg in 1970, inspired by UK brass/woodwind-rock acts like Galliard, If, Diabolus, and The Greatest Show on Earth. None […]
Andromeda was a German organ-rock/psych band that released a self-titled album on Vogue in 1970. Members: Peter Schild (Hammond organ, piano), Tony Hendrik (guitar), Gerry Fleming (bass), Günter Steinborn (drums) Andromeda centered on the duo of keyboardist Peter Schild and drummer Günter Steinborn, both members of Cologne beatsters The Tony Hendrik Five. Hemdrik himself played […]
Epidaurus was a German symphonic-rock band that self-released the album Earthly Paradise in 1977. Three of the members later regrouped in the band Choice. Members: Christiane Wand (vocals), Heinz Kunert (bass, percussion), Manfred Struck (drums, percussion), Volker Oehmig (drums, percussion), Günther Henne (Hammond organ, Mellotron, piano), Gerd Linke (Hammond organ, Mellotron, piano, synthesizer) Background Epidaurus […]
Karma was an American Latin-jazz/funk super-group from Los Angeles that released two albums on A&M/Horizon in 1976 and 1977. Members: George Bohanon (trombone, bass trombone, baritone horn, vocals), Ernie Watts (tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, flute), Oscar Brashear (trumpet), Curtis Robertson Jr. (bass), Chuck Rainey (bass), Josef Blocker (drums, vocals), Leon “Ndugu” Chancler (drums), Vander “Stars” […]
Patto was an English rock band that released two albums on Vertigo and a third on Island between 1970 and 1972. They evolved from the final lineup of Timebox, becoming the second of three nameplates for the musical team of singer Mike Patto and guitarist Ollie Halsall, who would later re-team in Boxer. Members: Mike […]
Free was an English hard-rock band that released six studio albums and a live set between 1969 and 1973. Their first two albums, Tons of Sobs and Free, appeared in 1969 on Island. They reached their popular peak with the 1970 albums Fire and Water and Highway. After a brief pause where guitarist Paul Kossoff […]
Spontaneous Combustion was an English hard-rock trio that released two albums on Harvest in 1972, the self-titled first produced by Greg Lake of ELP. Members: Tony Brock (drums), Gary Margetts (guitar, vocals), Tristian Margetts (bass, vocals) Inception Spontaneous Combustion began as a Poole, Dorset, combo called Transient Sand. Drummer Tony Brock, guitarist/singer Gary Margetts and […]
Fay Ray was a Welsh post-punk band that released the album Contact You on WEA in 1982. Members: Sheila McCartney [Sheila Brook] (vocals, guitar), John Lovering (guitar), Owen Hughes (drums), Tony Travis (bass, backing vocals), Jeff Taylor (saxophone, accordion, flute, backing vocals) Hot Water, early singles Fay Ray’s roots trace to the Bangor post-punk combo […]
Dear Mr. Time is an English symphonic-rock/psych band that released the album Grandfather on A Square Record in 1970. Members: Chris Baker (guitar, vocals), John Clements (drums, percussion), Barry Everitt (vocals, organ, piano, harpsichord), Dave Sewell (bass, vocals), Jim Sturgeon (saxophone, flute, guitar, vocals) Dear Mr. Time assembled in Chelmsford in September 1969, its members […]
Fun Boy Three was an English new wave trio that released the 1982–83 albums The Fun Boy Three and Waiting on Chrysalis. They formed as a breakaway act from two-tone ska pioneers The Specials. Fun Boy Three collaborated with Bananarama on the UK Top 5 singles “It Ain’t What You Do (It’s the Way That […]
Mogul Thrash was an English brass-rock band from London that released a self-titled album on RCA Victor in 1971. They were formed by ex-Colosseum/future-Bandit guitarist James Litherland and also featured bassist/vocalist John Wetton, who later gained global fame in the supergroups King Crimson, UK, and Asia. Members: Roger Ball (alto saxophone, baritone saxophone, soprano saxophone), […]
Odin was an English-European hard-rock/psych band based in Gaukönigshofen, Bayern, Germany, that released a self-titled album on Vertigo in 1972. Members: Jeff Beer (keyboards, percussion, vibraphone, vocals), Rob Terstall (guitar, vocal), Ray Brown (bass, vocals), Stuart Fordham (drums, percussion) Odin was formed in 1971 by German keyboardist and percussionist Jeff Beer, Dutch guitarist Rob Terstall, […]
Iguana was an English brass-rock/funk band from Southampton that released a self-titled album on Polydor in 1972. They later became the backing band for singer Jess Roden. Members: Ronnie Taylor (alto saxophone, tambourine), Bruce Roberts (guitar, vocals), John Cartwright (bass, drums), Chris Gower (trombone, tambourine), Pete Hunt (drums, congas), Don Shinn (keyboards, 1971-72), Steve Webb […]
The Pale Fountains were an English sophisti-pop band that released three standalone singles and two albums on Virgin between 1982 and 1985. Members: Michael Head (guitar, vocals), John Head (guitar), Chris McCaffery (bass), Thomas Whelan (drums), Andy Diagram (trumpet) Background Formed in 1980 Liverpool, The Pale Fountains were part of that city’s post-Deaf School musical […]
Spheroe was a French jazz-rock band that released a self-titled album in 1977, followed by Primadonna in 1978, both on the specialty label Cobra. Members: Gérard Maimone (piano, vibraphone, synthesizer), Michel Perez (guitar), Rido Bayonne (bass, percussion), Patrick “Cactus” Garel (drums, percussion) Spheroe formed in Lyon, Rhône-Alpes, in 1972. Drummer Patrick “Cactus” Garel was […]
Space Opera was an American rustic-rock band from Fort Worth, Tex., that released a self-titled album on Epic in 1973. Five years earlier, three-fourths of the band cut a folk-rock album as Whistler, Chaucer, Detroit & Greenhill. Members: David Bullock (vocals, flute, harmonica, guitar), Scott Fraser (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Philip White (vocals, bass, guitar, keyboards), […]
Fields was an English organ-rock trio that released a self-titled album on CBS in 1971. They were formed by ex-Rare Bird organist Graham Field. Members: Graham Field (piano, electric piano, organ), Alan Barry (vocals, classical guitar, electric guitar, bass, Mellotron, 1971), Andy McCulloch (drums, timpani, talking drum), Frank Farell (vocals, bass, guitar, 1972) Background Graham […]
Brainchild was an English jazz-rock/soul band that released the album Healing of the Lunatic Owl on A&M in 1970. Members: Harvey Coles (bass, vocals), Bill Edwards (lead guitar, vocals), Chris Jennings (organ, piano), Brian Wilshaw (saxophone, flute), Lloyd Williams (trumpet), Ian Goss (trombone), Dave Muller (drums) Inception Brainchild congregated in Somerset at the close of […]
Strutt was an American soul-funk band from New Jersey that released the album Time Moves On on Brunswick Records in 1976. Members: Carmen Cosentino (guitar), Dickie Harman (vocals), Edward Walker (bass), Frank Portolana (organ), Jim Mecke (alto saxophone, flute), Joe Escobar (trombone), Roger Zumbo (drums), Ronald T. Jones (vocals) Strutt was assembled in 1973 by […]
West Wing was an American soul group that released a self-titled album on 20th Century in 1975, produced by Barry White. Members: – West Wing was one of several mid-’70s projects overseen by musician and producer Barry White (Love Unlimited, Love Unlimited Orchestra, Tom Brock, White Heat). In 1973, he produced the foursome’s standalone single […]
Still Life was an English organ-rock/psych band from Coventry that released a self-titled album on the Vertigo “swirl” label in 1971. Vocalist Martin Cure had previously sung in the beat-psych groups The Peeps (1965–69), Rainbows (1969), and Cupid’s Inspiration. He later fronted hard-rockers Chevy for a one-off album in 1980. Members: Martin Cure (vocals), Terry […]
Womega was a Belgian jazz-rock/soul band that released the album A Quick Step on self-press Skruup Records in 1975. The band was active until 1981, releasing two locally-pressed singles after their singular album. Members: Duk Vanlessen (guitar), Jen Vanlessen (bass), Joss Vanlessen (guitar), Paul Vrijens (keyboards), Jos Bertrand (drums), Herman Merken (vocals), Paul Peters (flute, […]
Atomic Rooster was an English hard-rock band that released back-to-back albums on B&C/Fontana in 1970, followed by three albums on Pegasus and Dawn between 1971 and 1973. After a six-year pause in activity, the band reconvened for two albums on EMI and PVC/Passport between 1980 and 1983. The band was formed from the ashes of […]
The 3 Pieces were an American jazz-funk/soul trio that released the album Vibes of Truth on Fantasy in 1975. Members: Andre Richardson (congas, percussion), Lincoln Ross (keyboards, trombone), Jerry Wilder (bass, lead vocals) The 3 Pieces coalesced in Washington D.C. around the talents of trombonist/keyboardist Lincoln Ross, bassist Jerry Wilder, and percussionist Andre Richardson. Ross […]
Hambi & the Dance were an English New Wave band from Liverpool that released the album Heartache with accompanying singles on Virgin in 1982. Alongside A Flock of Seagulls, the band were the second significant spinoff to emerge from the 1979 Merseyside shortplayer act Tontrix. Namesake vocalist/guitarist Hambi Harolambous released further singles and the album […]
Ragnarok was a New Zealander symphonic/space-rock band that released a self-titled album on small-press Revolution in 1975, followed by the album Nooks on Polydor in 1976. The band’s first album features vocalist Lea Maalfrid, who would later achieve international renown as a songwriter. Members: Andre Jayet (drums, synthesizer, vocals), Ross Muir (bass, synthesizer, vocals), Mark […]
Ariel was a Danish jazz-rock band that released a self-titled album in early 1980. Later that same year, they released Solens Børn with an expanded, multi-national lineup. Both albums appeared on the specialty label Pick Up Records. Members: Lei Moe (vocals), Klavs Hovman (bass), Per Goldschmidt (vocals, tenor saxophone), Anders Müller (keyboards), Atilla Engin (percussion), […]
Willis Jackson (April 25, 1932 – Oct. 25, 1987) was an American tenor saxophonist who released more than 40 albums as a bandleader on Prestige, Muse, and other labels between 1959 and 1983. Starting under the auspices of trumpeter/bandleader Cootie Williams at the outset of the 1950s, Jackson lent his talent to other artists throughout […]
Czar was an English symphonic-rock band from London that released a self-titled album and standalone single on Fontana, both in 1970. Three-fourths of the band hailed from Tuesday’s Children, which released six singles between 1966 and 1968. Organist Bob Hodges briefly played in the heavier psych-rock combo The Attack. Members: Paul Kendrick (vocals, bass), Mick […]
Strange Advance were a Canadian New Wave/modern-rock band that released two albums on Capitol between 1982 and 1985, followed by a third album on Current in 1988. Members: Darryl Kromm (vocals, guitar), Drew Arnott (keyboards, drums, vocals), Paul Iverson (bass, backing vocals, 1982-84) The three original members of Strange Advance assembled in Vancouver in 1980. […]
Rush was a Canadian maximalist hard-rock trio from Toronto, Ontario, that was active for nearly five decades, debuting on vinyl with a standalone single on Moon Records in 1973, followed by a self-titled album on the label in 1974. After a change of drummers, the lineup solidified around the trio of bassist/vocalist Geddy Lee, guitarist […]
Scope were a Dutch instrumental jazz-rock band that released two albums on Atlantic between 1974 and 1975. Members: Henk Zomer (drums, 1971-76), Rik Elings (keyboards, flute, bass), Rens Nieuwland (guitar), Erik Raayman (bass, 1971-75), Rob Franken (keyboards, 1975-76), Robert Vink (drums, 1976), Roland Zeldenrust (drums, 1976), Pablo Nahar (bass, 1976) Along with Crypto, Scope was […]
Aleph were an Australian symphonic-rock band from Sydney that released the album Surface Tension on Atlantic in 1977. Alongside Chetarca, Sebastian Hardie, and Ragnarok, Aleph were front-runners in the antipodean response to the U.K. symphonic heavyweights of the era (Yes, Genesis, ELP, Camel). Members: Mary Jane Carpenter (keyboards), Ron Carpenter (drums), David Froggatt (guitar), Mary […]
Spring was an English symphonic-rock band that released a self-titled album on RCA/Neon in 1971. It has since become a collectible alongside contemporary titles by Cressida, Fields, Gracious, and Raw Material. Members: Pat Moran (vocals, Mellotron), Ray Martinez (lead guitar, Mellotron, 12-string guitar), Adrian “Bone” Maloney (bass), Pick Withers (drums, glockenspiel), Kips Brown (piano, organ, […]
The Psychedelic Furs are an English New Wave/psych band from London that released six albums on CBS between 1980 and 1989, followed by a seventh on EastWest/Columbia in 1991. Members: Richard Butler (vocals), Tim Butler (bass), Roger Morris (guitar, 1978-81), Duncan Kilburn (saxophone, 1978-81), John Aston (guitar, 1978-91), Vince Ely (drums, 1978-91), Ann Sheldon (cello, […]
Aalon were an American soul-funk band from Los Angeles that released the album Cream City on Arista in 1977. Namesake frontman/guitarist Aalon Butler hailed from the Eric Burdon Band. Members: Aalon Butler (guitar, vocals), Alvin Taylor (drums), Ron Hammond (drums), Al Roberts (bass), Luther Rabb (bass), Luis Cabaza (keyboards) Aalon William Butler (born Sept. 17, […]
Abraxis were a Belgian jazz-rock band that recorded a self-titled album for local EMI subsidiary IBC in 1976. Members: Charles Loos (piano, keyboards), Dirk Bogaert (flute), Paul Elias (guitar), Jean-Paul Musette (bass), Tony Malisan (drums), Jacky Mauer (drums) Abraxis was assembled in Brussels by pianist/composer Charles Loos (born July 29, 1951), who played on the […]
Opa were an Uruguayan jazz-rock band that released two albums during 1976 and 1977 on Milestone/RCA Victor. The first, Goldenwings, features appearances by vocalist Flora Purim and guitarist David Amaro. On the sophomoric Magic Time, the band are joined by early Totem member and Latin-funk solo artist Rubén Rada. Both albums were produced by Airto […]
Barış Manço (Jan. 2, 1943 — Feb. 1, 1999) was a Turkish Anatolian rock vocalist, guitarist, keyboardist, composer, and television personality with a career in entertainment that spanned nearly 30 years. He first shot to local fame during the early 1960s with a sting of singles in the rock ‘n’ roll vein. In 1966, he […]
The Platina were an Israeli jazz-rock ensemble that was active from 1971 to 1976, first serving as the backing band for Tel Aviv singer/songwriter Arik Einstein. As an autonomous outfit, Platina released one live album and a studio set on Isradisc circa 1973/74. Concurrently, the band collaborated with singer/songwriter Chava Alberstein on a 1974 album for […]
