The Herd

I The Herd sono stati una pop band inglese attiva tra il 1965 ed il 1970, nota per aver lanciato la carriera del cantante-chitarrista Peter Frampton.

Storia della band

Allontanati dalla etichetta Parlophone per lo scarso livello di successo ottenuto dai loro singoli, riuscirono ad emergere dal buio grazie alla Fontana Records che ne curò il lancio rivalutandone l'immagine come band di culto del movimento “Flower power” degli anni sessanta.
Vengono oggi ricordati per una serie di singoli pubblicati nel biennio 1967-1968 che ottennero successo anche grazie al fatto di essere stati massicciamente trasmessi da molte delle radio pirata imperversanti all'epoca in Inghilterra. I Can Fly e From the Underworld (n. 6 in UK) i loro successi più significativi del 1967; del 1968 sono invece i brani Paradise Lost (n. 15 in UK) e soprattutto I Don't Want Our Loving to Die (n. 5 in UK), in assoluto il loro successo più grande.
Il gruppo si affermò specialmente come band per giovanissimi (Frampton ottenne anche la copertina del Rave, un periodico per teenager che lo incoronò “volto del 1968”) ostentando un look fotogenico e sofisticato.
Tuttavia, ben presto inaspettati cambi di formazione spezzarono in maniera irreversibile la buona alchimia creatasi tra i componenti originali ed il successivo singolo Sunshine Cottage non riscosse il successo preventivato.
Insoddisfatto dei risultati (ma altresì inappagato dal fatto di suonare in una band etichettata solo “per teenager”) Frampton abbandonò il gruppo per formare gli Humble Pie insieme a Steve Mariott.
Privi di Frampton, i The Herd ebbero vita assai breve: i componenti superstiti provarono ad incidere altri brani ma senza grandi soddisfazioni e, già nel 1970, la band non esisteva più.
Negli anni successivi Frampton intraprese una strepitosa carriera solistica. Il tastierista Andy Bown divenne componente degli Status Quo in pianta stabile dal 1976.

Formazione

Peter Frampton (nome completo, Peter Kenneth Frampton, 23 aprile 1950, Beckenham, Kent) - (voce, chitarra)
Andy Bown (nome completo Andrew Steven Bown, 27 marzo 1946, Beckenham) - ( tastiere)
Gary Taylor (vero nome, Graham Taylor, 28 novembre 1947) — (basso)
Andrew Steele (nome completo, Andrew Roy Malcom Steele, 2 agosto 1941, Londra- deceduto il 18 aprile 2005, Alaska, USA) — (percussioni)
Henry Spinetti (nome completo, Henry Anthony George Spinetti, 31 marzo 1951, Cwm, Galles - (batteria)
Mick Underwood, 1945, Middlesex- (batteria)
Tony Chapman - (batteria)

Trade ad for The Herd's single "I Don’t Want Our Loving to Die".

The Herd in 1968. Left: Andy Bown (keyboards, vocals), back: Gary Taylor (bass), front: Andrew Steele (drums), right: Peter Frampton (guitar, vocals).

The Herd were a British pop rock group, founded in 1965, that came to prominence in the late 1960s. They launched the career of Peter Frampton and scored three UK top twenty hits.

Biography

The Herd were founded in 1965 in south London, England. The group recorded three unsuccessful singles with the record label Parlophone. In 1966 three members in succession (Terry Clark, Louis Cennamo and Mick Underwood) quit the group and the group got the line-up that made it famous. The singer, Peter Frampton, was 16 when he joined the group in 1966 and had just left school. The other members were a few years older. Parlophone did not want to go on with them, but Fontana was willing to give them a try. They also sent their manager Billy Gaff away and brought in the songwriters/producers Ken Howard and Alan Blaikley instead. This pair had been largely responsible for a string of hits by Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich.
Howard and Blaikley orchestrated for them a unique blend of pop and flower power. After a UK Singles Chart near-miss with "I Can Fly" (April 1967), the haunting "From the Underworld", (August 1967) based on the legend of Orpheus and Eurydice, reached Number 6 later that year with help from copious plays on pirate radio. It was a hit in other countries too. In the Netherlands the song reached Number 3. "From the Underworld" was followed by "Paradise Lost", (November 1967) which made it up to Number 15.
Their greatest success came with "I Don't Want Our Loving to Die", (March 1968) a Number 5 UK hit single.
The Herd appeared at The Saville Theatre, London on Sunday 8 October 1967 supporting The Jimi Hendrix Experience. Also on the bill were The Crazy World of Arthur Brown and Eire Apparent.
With his boyish photogenic looks, Frampton was dubbed "The Face of ’68" by teen magazine Rave.
The last months of 1968 were tempestuous times for the group. Steele left the group, to be replaced by Henry Spinetti. The group dumped their managers Howard and Blaikley, and briefly found a new mentor in Harvey Lisberg who after three months found himself so bogged down with their personnel problems that he politely withdrew his services. Most songs on their first and only album Paradise Lost were written by Peter Frampton and Andy Bown, just like their next single, "Sunshine Cottage".
Dissatisfied with mere teen idol status, and disappointed with the failure of "Sunshine Cottage", Frampton left by the end of 1968 to form Humble Pie with Steve Marriott. The remaining members Bown, Spinetti and Taylor made another flop single, "The Game", then minus Taylor, formed the short-lived Judas Jump with Allan Jones, saxophonist from Amen Corner, and Welsh vocalist Adrian Williams. Taylor, who became a disc jockey, and Steele, reunited briefly for a one-off single "You've Got Me Hangin' From Your Lovin' Tree" in June 1971, to almost universal lack of interest.
By the late 1970s, after a stint back with a pre-"Frampton Comes Alive!" Peter Frampton band from 1973-1975, Bown became a member of UK rockers Status Quo and both Taylor and Spinetti joined up with Gerry Rafferty.

Band members

Louis Cennamo (1965-1966) - bass
Terry Clark (1965-1966) - vocals, rhythm guitar
Tony Chapman (1965-1966) - drums
Mick Underwood (1966) — born Michael John Underwood, 5 September 1945, Bath, Somerset - drums
Andy Bown (1965-1969)— born Andrew Steven Bown, 27 March 1946, The City, London - keyboards, vocals, bass
Gary Taylor (1965-1969) — born Graham John Taylor, 28 November 1947, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey - bass, vocals, rhythm guitar
Peter Frampton (1966-1968) — born Peter Kenneth Frampton, 22 April 1950, Stone Park Hospital, Beckenham, Kent - lead guitar, vocals
Andrew Steele (1966-1968) — born Andrew Roy Malcolm Steele, 2 August 1941, Hendon, north-west London — died 18 April 2005, Alaska, U.S. - drums
Henry Spinetti (replaced Steele in 1968,1968-1969) — born Henry Anthony George Spinetti, 31 March 1951, Cwm, Ebbw Vale, Wales - drums

Discography

Singles

May 1965: "Goodbye Baby Goodbye" b/w "Here Comes the Fool" (Parlophone R5284)
October 1965: "She Was Really Saying Something" b/w "It’s Been a Long Time Baby" (Parlophone R5353)
February 1966: "So Much in Love" b/w "This Boy’s Always Been True" (Parlophone R5413)
April 1967: "I Can Fly" b/w "Diary of a Narcissist" (Fontana TF819)
1967: "I Can Fly" b/w "Understand Me" (US Fontana 1588)
August 1967: "From the Underworld" b/w "Sweet William" (Fontana TF856 & US Fontana 1602)
December 1967: "Paradise Lost" b/w "Come on, Believe Me" (Fontana TF887 & US Fontana 1610)
March 1968: "I Don’t Want Our Loving to Die" b/w "Our Fairy Tale" (Fontana TF925 & US Fontana 1618)
October 1968: "Sunshine Cottage" b/w "Miss Jones" (Fontana TF957)
May 1969: "The Game" b/w "Beauty Queen" (Fontana TF1011 & US Fontana 1646)
June 1971: "You’ve Got Me Hangin’ from Your Lovin’ Tree" b/w "I Don’t Wanna Go to Sleep Again" (B & C CB154)

LPs

1968: Paradise Lost (Fontana STL 5458; entitled Paradise and Underworld in Germany):
- "From the Underworld" / "On My Way Home" / "I Can Fly" / "Goodbye Groovy" / "Mixed Up Minds"/ "Impressions of Oliver" / "Paradise Lost" / "Sad" / "Something Strange" / "On Your Own" / "She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not" / "Fare Thee Well"
1968: Lookin’ Thru You (Fontana 67579; only released in the US)
- "I Don't Want Our Loving to Die" / "Come On, Believe Me" / "Our Fairy Tale" / "On My Way Home" / "Goodbye Groovy" / "From the Underworld" / "Paradise Lost" / "Sweet William" / "I Can Fly" / "Understand Me"
1972 From the Underworld (Emidisc 1C048-51106):
- "From the Underworld" / "Mixed Up Minds" / "Sunshine Cottage" / "Diary of a Narcissist" / "Goodbye Groovy" / "Sad" / "Paradise Lost" / "Beauty Queen" / "Something Strange" / "Sweet William" / "I Can Fly" / "On Your Own"
1977: All About The Herd (Philips RJ7292):
- "From the Underworld" / "On My Way Home" / "I Can Fly" / "Goodbye Groovy" / "Mixed Up Minds" / "Impressions of Oliver" / "Miss Jones" / "I Don’t Want Our Loving to Die" / "Sunshine Cottage" / "Paradise Lost" / "Sad" / "Something Strange" / "On Your Own" / "She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not" / "Fare Thee Well"
1999: The Fontana Years (Lilith Records 900525; double album on vinyl, produced in the Netherlands):
- "From the Underworld" / "Paradise Lost" / "I Don’t Want Our Loving to Die" / "Bang!" / "Beauty Queen" / "Charlie Anderson" / "Come on, Believe Me" / "Diary of a Narcissist" / "Fare Thee Well" / "Follow the Leader" / "Goodbye Groovy" / "Half of Me" / "You’ve Got Me Hangin’ from Your Lovin’ Tree" / "I Can Fly" / "I Don’t Wanna Go to Sleep Again" / "Impressions of Oliver" / "Laugh and Dance and Sing" / "Miss Jones" / "Mixed Up Minds" / "Mother’s Blue Eyed Angel" / "On My Way Home" / "On Your Own" / "Our Fairy Tale" / "Sad" / "Good Citizen" / "She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not" / "Something Strange" / "Sugarloaf Mountain" / "Sunshine Cottage" / "Sweet William" / "The Game" / "Understand Me"

CDs

1989: Paradise Lost (Fontana 842760-2):
- "From the Underworld" / "On My Way Home" / "I Can Fly" / "Goodbye Groovy" / "Mixed Up Minds" / "Impressions of Oliver" / "Paradise Lost" / "Sad" / "Something Strange" / "On Your Own" / "She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not" / "Fare Thee Well" / "Sweet William" / "Come on, Believe Me" / "I Don’t Want Our Loving To Die" / "Our Fairy Tale"
1994: The Herd Featuring Peter Frampton (Polygram 522746):
- "From the Underworld" / "On My Way Home" / "I Can Fly" / "Goodbye Groovy" / "Mixed Up Minds" / "Impressions of Oliver" / "Paradise Lost" / "Sad" / "Something Strange" / "On Your Own" / "She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not" / "Fare Thee Well" / "Diary of a Narcissist" / "Understand Me" / "Sweet William" / "Come on, Believe Me" / "I Don't Want Our Loving to Die" / "Our Fairy Tale" / "Sunshine Cottage" / "Miss Jones"
1995: From the Underworld: The Singles and More (BR Music BX 451-2):
- "From the Underground" / "Paradise Lost" / "I Don’t Want Our Loving to Die" / "I Can Fly" / "Diary of a Narcissist" / "Our Fairy Tale" / "Sunshine Cottage" / "The Game" / "Come on, Believe Me" / "Miss Jones" / "Follow the Leader" / "Mother’s Blue Eyed Angel" / "On My Way Home" / "Mixed Up Minds" / "Something Strange" / "Sad" / "You’ve Got Me Hangin’ From Your Lovin’ Tree" / "Fare Thee Well" / "Half of Me" / "I Don’t Wanna Go to Sleep Again" / "Laugh and Dance and Sing" / "She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not" / "Sweet William" / "Sugar Loaf Mountain" / "Understand Me" / "Bang!" / "Charlie Anderson" / "Beauty Queen"
1998: I Can Fly: The Very Best of The Herd (Collectables Records 5890):
- "I Can Fly" / "I Don’t Want Our Loving to Die" / "Come on, Believe Me" / "Our Fairy Tale" / "From the Underworld" / "Paradise Lost" / "Sweet William" / "Understand Me" / "Beauty Queen" / "The Game" / "Miss Jones" / "Diary of a Narcissist" / "I Don’t Wanna Go to Sleep Again" / "You’ve Got Me Hangin’ from Your Lovin’ Tree" / "Something Strange" / "Mixed Up Minds" / "Sad" / "Goodbye Groovy"
1998: Anthology (MCI Music MCCD352):
- "I Can Fly" / "Diary Of a Narcissist" / "From the Underworld" / "Sweet William" / "Paradise Lost" / "Come on, Believe Me" / "Mixed Up Minds" / "Sad" / "Fare Thee Well" / "I Don’t Want Our Loving to Die" / "Our Fairy Tale" / "On My Way Home" / "Sunshine Cottage" / "Miss Jones" / "She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not" / "Something Strange" / "The Game" / "Beauty Queen" / "You’ve Got Me Hangin’ from Your Lovin’ Tree" / "I Don’t Wanna Go to Sleep Again" / "Follow the Leader" / "Mother’s Blue Eyed Angel" / "Laugh and Dance and Sing" / "Sugar Loaf Mountain" / "Understand Me" / "Charlie Andersen" / "Bang!"
2000: Paradise and Underworld (Repertoire REP 4257):
- "From the Underworld" / "Paradise Lost" / "I Can Fly" / "I Don’t Want Our Loving to Die" / "Sunshine Cottage" / "The Game" / "Sweet William" / "Come on, Believe Me" / "Diary of a Narcissist" / "Understand Me" / "Our Fairy Tale" / "Miss Jones" / "Beauty Queen" / "Follow the Leader" / "Charlie Anderson" / "Bang!" / "Mother’s Blue Eyed Angel" / "On My Way Home" / "Goodbye Groovy" / "Mixed Up Minds" / "Impressions Of Oliver" / "Sad" / "Something Strange" / "On Your Own" / "She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not" / "Fare Thee Well"
2002: Underworld (Snapper 439; double album):
- "From the Underworld" / "Paradise Lost" / "I Don’t Want Our Loving to Die" / "Bang!" / "Beauty Queen" / "Charlie Anderson" / "Come on, Believe Me" / "Diary of a Narcissist" / "Fare Thee Well" / "Follow the Leader" / "Goodbye Groovy" / "Half of Me" / "You’ve Got Me Hangin’ from Your Lovin’ Tree" / "I Can Fly" / "I Don’t Wanna Go to Sleep Again" / "Impressions of Oliver" / "Laugh and Dance and Sing" / "Miss Jones" / "Mixed Up Minds" / "Mother’s Blue Eyed Angel" / "On My Way Home" / "On Your Own" / "Our Fairy Tale" / "Sad" / "Shame Shame" / "She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not" / "Something Strange" / "Sugarloaf Mountain" / "Sunshine Cottage" / "Sweet William" / "The Game" / "Understand Me"
2005: The Complete Herd: Singles As and Bs (Repertoire REP 5032; double album):
- "I Can Fly" / "Diary of a Narcissist" / "From the Underworld" / "Sweet William" / "Paradise Lost" / "Come on, Believe Me" / "I Don’t Want Our Loving to Die" / "Our Fairy Tale" / "Sunshine Cottage" / "Miss Jones" / "The Game" / "Beauty Queen" / "You’ve Got Me Hangin’ from Your Lovin’ Tree" / "I Don’t Wanna Go to Sleep Again" / "Understand Me" / "Follow the Leader" / "Charlie Anderson" / "Bang!" / "Mother’s Blue Eyed Angel" / "Laugh and Dance and Sing" / "Sugarloaf Mountain" / "Half of Me" / "Sweet William" / "I Don’t Want Our Loving to Die" / "The Game" / "From the Underworld" / "On My Way Home" / "I Can Fly" / "Goodbye Groovy" / "Mixed Up Minds" / "Impressions of Oliver" / "Paradise Lost" / "Sad" / "Something Strange" / "On My Own" / "She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not" / "Fare Thee Well" / "Come on, Believe Me" / "Our Fairy Tale" / "You’ve Got Me Hangin’ from Your Lovin’ Tree" / "I Don’t Wanna Go to Sleep Again" / "Goodbye Baby Goodbye" / "Here Comes the Fool" / "She Was Really Saying Something" / "It’s Been a Long Time Baby" / "So Much in Love" / "This Boy’s Always Been True"
2006: Best of the Herd (Repertoire REP 5031):
- "From the Underworld" / "Paradise Lost" / "I Can Fly" / "I Don’t Want Our Loving to Die" / "Miss Jones" / "The Game" / "Sunshine Cottage" / "Sweet William" / "Come on, Believe Me" / "Diary of a Narcissist" / "Understand Me" / "Our Fairy Tale" / "Beauty Queen" / "You’ve Got Me Hangin’ from Your Lovin’ Tree" / "I Don’t Wanna Go to Sleep Again" / "Follow the Leader" / "Charlie Anderson" / "Bang!" / "Mother’s Blue Eyed Angel" / "On My Way Home" / "Goodbye Groovy" / "Mixed Up Minds" / "Impressions of Oliver" / "Something Strange" / "On Your Own" / "Fare Thee Well"