Ace (band)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1972 in Sheffield, England |
| Defunct | 1977 |
| Headquarters | Sheffield , England |
| Products | Music albums and singles |
Ace was a British rock ensemble active between 1972 and 1977, best remembered for their 1974 hit single "How Long", which entered the UK top 20 and climbed to number three on the charts in both the United States and Canada in 1975. The group featured Paul Carrack, who later gained fame as a vocalist with Mike + The Mechanics and as a solo performer.
Career
The band originated in December 1972 in Sheffield under the name "Ace Flash and the Dynamos," but they soon abbreviated it to simply "Ace." The members brought experience from other notable bands: Carrack and Terry Comer had previously played with Warm Dust, while Alan "Bam" King was formerly part of Mighty Baby and The Action. Their sound, a fusion of pop and funk, helped them establish a presence within the UK pub rock scene.
Before recording their first album, Five-A-Side, drummer Steve Witherington was replaced by Fran Byrne. This debut album included their signature track "How Long," which reached the top 20 in the UK and peaked at number three on the US Billboard Hot 100 during spring 1975. The album itself attained number 11 on the Billboard 200 chart. Carrack, serving as keyboardist and chief songwriter, provided lead vocals on "How Long," while other band members took turns singing on later singles.
After relocating to the United States, Ace underwent a lineup change in June 1976 when Jon Woodhead replaced Phil Harris on lead guitar. Their third album, No Strings, was released in January 1977, featuring Carrack’s voice prominently across its tracks, including two singles that unfortunately did not chart. The band disbanded in July 1977 when Carrack, Comer, and Byrne joined Frankie Miller's backing ensemble.
Following his time with Ace, Carrack collaborated with artists such as Eric Clapton, Nick Lowe, Roger Waters, Roxy Music, and Squeeze, alongside pursuing a successful solo career. Notably, his re-recorded version of "How Long" returned to the UK top 40 in 1996.
Personnel
- Paul Carrack (born 22 April 1951, Sheffield, Yorkshire) – keyboards, vocals (1972–1977)
- Alan "Bam" King (born 18 September 1946, Kentish Town, London) – rhythm guitar, vocals (1972–1977)
- Terry "Tex" Comer (born 23 February 1949, Burnley, Lancashire) – bass (1972–1977)
- Phil Harris (born Philip Harris, 18 July 1948, Muswell Hill, London) – lead guitar, vocals (1972–1976)
- Steve Witherington (born 26 December 1953, Enfield, Middlesex) – drums (1972–1974)
- Fran Byrne (born 17 March 1948, Dublin, Ireland) – drums (1974–1977)
- Jon Woodhead – lead guitar, vocals (1976–1977)
Studio albums
| Year | Album | Peak chart positions | Record label | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | CAN | ||||
| 1974 | Five-A-Side | 11 | 16 | Anchor Records | |
| 1975 | Time for Another | 153 | — | ||
| 1977 | No Strings | 170 | — | ||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart. | |||||
Compilation albums
- Six-A-Side (1982)
- How Long: The Best of Ace (1987)
- The Very Best of Ace (1993)
- The Best of Ace (Varèse, 2003)
Singles
| Year | Title | Highest chart positions | Record label | B-side | Album | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Billboard Hot 100 | US Adult Contemporary | Canada | UK Singles Chart | ||||||
| 1974 | "How Long" | 3 | 24 | 3 | 20 | Anchor Records | "Sniffin' About" | Five-A-Side | |
| 1975 | "Rock & Roll Runaway" | 71 | — | — | — | "I Ain't Gonna Stand for This No More" (A-side) | |||
| "I Ain't Gonna Stand for This No More" | — | — | — | 51 | "Rock & Roll Runaway" | Time for Another | |||
| "No Future in Your Eyes" | — | — | — | — | "I'm a Man" | ||||
| 1977 | "You're All That I Need" | — | — | — | — | "Crazy World" | No Strings | ||
| "Found Out the Hard Way" | — | — | — | — | "Why Did You Leave Me" | ||||
| "—" indicates singles that did not chart or were not issued in the specified region. | |||||||||