The Spiders From Mars were an English hard-rock band that initially formed in 1971 to provide instrumental backup for David Bowie. Guitarist Mick Ronson and drummer Mick “Woody” Woodmansey backed the singer on the 1969/70 albums Man of Words, Man of Music and The Man Who Sold the World. With the addition of bassist Trevor […]
Simon Dupree & The Big Sound were an English R&B/beat group from Portsmouth that issued a string of singles on Parlophone between 1966 and 1969. An album of mostly covers, Without Reservations, was issued by the label in 1967. That year, they released the psych single “Kites” with guest vocals by actress Jacqui Chan. In […]
Supercharge were an English R&B/big band from Liverpool that debuted with an album on Stag Music in 1974, followed by five albums on Virgin between 1976 and 1979. After an album apiece on Criminal Records and Intercord during the 1980–82 period, the band released two live discs and a comeback studio album on Memo Music […]
Strapps were an English hard-rock band that released three albums on Harvest between 1976 and 1978, followed by a fourth on Eastworld in 1979. The band featured veteran drummer Mick Underwood (Episode Six, Quatermass, Sammy), who subsequently joined Gillan. Members: Ross Stagg (guitar, vocals), Joe Read (bass, vocals), Mick Underwood (drums), Noel Scott (keyboards, 1974-?), […]
The Swell Maps were an English art-punk band from Solihull that issued a three-song single on self-press Rather in 1978, followed by two albums and four shortplayers on Rough Trade during 1979 and 1980. Members: Nikki Sudden (vocals, backing vocals, guitar, piano, saxophone, percussion, harmonica, handclaps, balloon), Epic Soundtracks (piano, drums, organ, bass, bass synth, […]
The Vapors were an English rock band that released the 1980–81 albums New Clear Days and Magnets on United Artists–Liberty. They foreshadowed the Second British Invasion with their transatlantic hit “Turning Japanese.” Members: David Fenton (vocals, guitar), Edward Bazalgette (lead guitar), Howard Smith (drums), Steve Smith (bass) The Vapors assembled in Guildford, Surrey, in 1978 […]
Sector 27 were an English New Wave/art-punk band that released a self-titled album with accompanying singles on Fontana in 1980, followed by three further singles in 1981. The band was formed by singer/songwriter Tom Robinson after the breakup of his namesake politi-rock band. He subsequently launched a solo career, releasing eight albums over the ensuing […]
Tractor were an English hard-rock/psych combo from Rochdale, Greater Manchester, centered on the partnership of vocalist/guitarist Jim Milne and drummer/bassist Steve Clayton. The pair comprised half of psych-rock four-piece The Way We Live, which released the album A Candle for Judith on Dandelion in 1971. They subsequently issued a self-titled album as Tractor on the […]
Thunderclap Newman were an English pop-psych band that released the album Hollywood Dream in 1969. The album was produced by Pete Townshend and released on Track Record, the label run by Who managers Kit Lambert and Chris Stamp. Members: Speedy Keen (vocals, guitar, drums), Andy Newman (keyboards), Jimmy McCulloch (guitar), Jim Avery (bass), Leslie Taylor […]
Ten Years After were an English blues-rock band from London that released five albums and a live disc on Deram between 1967 and 1970, followed by four further studio albums and a live double on Chrysalis between 1971 and 1974. They are best known for their 1969 Woodstock performance and their 1971 acoustic hit “I’d […]
Steel Mill was an English hard-rock/psych band that released the album Green Eyed God on Penny Farthing in 1972. Members: David “Dave” Morris (keyboards, vocals), Derek Chandler (bass, 1969-71), Terry Williams (guitar, 1969-72), John Challenger (saxophone, woodwinds), Colin Short (drums, 1969-70), Ricky [aka Rupert Bear] (drums, 1970), Chris “The Rat” Martin (drums, 1970-72), Jeff Watts […]
The Ruts were an English punk-rock/reggae band from Hayes, Greater London, that released the album The Crack with accompanying singles on Virgin in 1979. A name-change to Ruts DC preceded the 1981/82 albums Animal Now and Rhythm Collision – Vol.1, the second released on self-press Bohemian Records. Members: David Ruffy (drums), John Jennings (bass, vocals), […]
The Reluctant Stereotypes were an English New Wave/ska band from Coventry that issued a three-song EP on A&M-subsidiary Oval Music in 1979, followed by the album The Label with three accompanying singles/b-sides on WEA in 1980. Vocalist Paul King, who joined just prior to the WEA releases, later recorded two albums with his own surname-sake […]
Red Dirt was an English post-psych blues-rock band from Kingston upon Hull that released a self-titled album on Fontana in 1970. Guitarist Steve Howden concurrently played with music-hall popsters Fickle Pickle. They recorded a second Red Dirt album and morphed into Snake Eye for the concept album The Journey, both vaulted until the 2010s. Bassist […]
UPP were an English jazz-funk band that released two albums on Epic during 1975 and 1976, the first produced by Jeff Beck. Drummer Jimmy Copley hailed from rustic-rockers Spreadeagle; he later did session work for Ann Lewis, The Quick, Go West, and Killing Joke. Keyboardist Andy Clark recorded three 1969–71 albums as part of the […]
