Heads Hands & Feet
British rock and country rock group
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Heads Hands & Feet was a British rock and country rock band.[1] It was formed in 1969 after the breakup of Poet and the One Man Band,[2] which included some of the same members (see Members below).
Heads Hands & Feet | |
|---|---|
| Origin | UK |
| Genres | Country rock |
| Years active | 1969–1973 |
| Label | Capitol |
| Spinoff of | Poet and the One-Man Band |
| Past members |
|
Music and performances
Heads Hands & Feet recorded their debut album, Home From Home, in 1970. Initially shelved by their label, it was finally released in 1995.
In 1971, their proper debut release, Heads, Hands & Feet, was released as a single-disc record in Europe on Island Records, and as a double album in the United States on the Capitol Records label.[1]
While still relatively unknown, they served as the supporting act for Deep Purple's series of concerts from 5 to 8 March 1971 in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee, and Aberdeen, Scotland.[3] They were the opening act at a free concert in London's Hyde Park on 3 July 1971, which also featured Humble Pie and Grand Funk Railroad.[4][5]
In 1972, the band toured the United States.[6] Their second album, Tracks, received some critical acclaim.[1] But internal tensions in the band resulted in a break-up in December 1972, before the group's third release, Old Soldiers Never Die, in 1973.[1]
Other activities
Ray Smith and Tony Colton teamed with producer and composer Johnny Harris on several efforts, including co-writing and co-producing for Richard Harris and Shirley Bassey, as well as writing and performing the soundtrack for the 1970 BBC documentary, The World of Georgie Best.[7] In 1970, members of the group performed at the Royal Albert Hall with the Johnny Harris Orchestra for his 'Movements' concert, opening for Dionne Warwick.
Members of Heads Hands & Feet also provided the core backing for:
- Shirley Bassey's album Something (1970)
- Richard Harris's single "A Ballad of a Man Called Horse" (1970)
- a still-unissued Carl Wayne album (1970)
- Jerry Lee Lewis's 1973 album The Session, recorded in London from 7 to 11 January
- Don Everly's Sunset Towers album (1974)
- Teresa Brewer's rock version of Music! Music! Music! (recorded as Teresa Brewer in London with Oily Rags) (1973)
Members
- Tony Colton (born Anthony George Chalk, 11 February 1942, Tunbridge Wells, Kent; died 24 August 2020) – lead vocals, percussion, keyboards
- Pete Gavin (born Peter Leslie Rowney, 8 September 1946, Lewisham, South East London) – drums
- Chas Hodges (born Charles Nicholas Hodges, 28 December 1943, Edmonton, North London; died 22 September 2018) – bass, backing and lead vocals, guitar, violin
- Albert Lee (born Albert William Lee, 21 December 1943, Willey, Herefordshire) – lead guitar, backing and lead vocals, keyboards
- Mike O'Neill (born Michael O'Neill, 8 July 1938, Lowton, Lancashire; died 10 October 2013, Stevenage, Hertfordshire) – keyboards (1970–1971)
- Ray Smith (born Raymond Barry Smith, 7 September 1943, London; died 6 June 2022) – rhythm guitar, backing and lead vocals, bass
Colton, Smith and O'Neill were previously members of the band Poet and the One Man Band.