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 […]
