Amen Corner (band)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1966 |
| Headquarters | Cardiff , Wales |
| Products | Rock music, singles, albums |
Amen Corner was a rock band originating from Cardiff, Wales. They gained recognition primarily for their singles "Bend Me, Shape Me" (1968), "High in the Sky" (1968), and the number one hit "(If Paradise Is) Half as Nice" (1969).
Career
Established in late 1966, the group derived their name from The Amen Corner, a weekly soul music gathering held at Cardiff's Victoria Ballroom. Initially dedicated to blues and jazz genres, they gradually transitioned to a more mainstream sound influenced by their record labels. Their breakthrough came with a cover of "Gin House Blues." Early releases, including singles and an album, appeared on Deram Records, a Decca subsidiary, before switching to Immediate Records towards the end of 1968. While with Immediate, they secured a chart-topping success with "(If Paradise Is) Half as Nice" in early 1969 and followed up with another Top 5 single, "Hello Susie," written by Roy Wood.
Following the release of their last studio album, Farewell to the Real Magnificent Seven, and a Beatles cover "Get Back," Amen Corner dissolved by the close of 1969. The band also featured as themselves in the 1969 horror movie Scream and Scream Again, performing the film’s title track.
After the split, saxophonist Allan Jones went on to create Judas Jump. Meanwhile, guitarist and vocalist Andy Fairweather Low formed Fair Weather with Dennis Bryon (drums), Blue Weaver (keyboards), Clive Taylor (bass), and Neil Jones (guitar). Fair Weather achieved a UK Top 10 hit with "Natural Sinner" in 1970 and released one album before disbanding when Weaver joined The Strawbs.
Andy Fairweather Low embarked on a prosperous solo path during the 1970s, notably scoring a Top 10 single with "Wide Eyed and Legless" (1975). He later collaborated with prominent artists such as Eric Clapton, George Harrison, and Roger Waters. Blue Weaver replaced Rick Wakeman in The Strawbs, toured with Mott the Hoople in 1974, then joined the Bee Gees alongside Dennis Bryon. Weaver also developed a reputation as an accomplished session keyboardist and Fairlight programmer.
Allan Jones took on management duties for L.A. Guns between 1986 and 1991.
Amen Corner's recordings under Decca have been reissued within the "Collection" series. Their Immediate Records material—including singles, live albums, and previously unreleased studio tracks—is compiled in If Paradise Was Half as Nice: The Immediate Anthology.
Band members
- Andy Fairweather Low (born Andrew Fairweather Low, 2 August 1948, Ystrad Mynach, Hengoed, South Wales) – lead vocals
- Neil Jones (born 25 March 1948, Llanbradach, South Wales; died 8 June 2018) – guitar
- Allan Jones (born 6 February 1947, Swansea, Glamorgan, South Wales) – saxophone
- Blue Weaver (born Derek John Weaver, 11 March 1947, Cardiff, Glamorgan, South Wales) – keyboards
- Mike Smith (born Michael Joseph Smith, 4 November 1947, Neath, South Wales) – tenor saxophone
- Clive Taylor (born 27 April 1948, Cardiff) – bass guitar, backing vocals
- Dennis Bryon (born Dennis Ronald Bryon, 14 April 1949, Cardiff; died 14 November 2024) – drums, backing vocals
Albums
- Round Amen Corner (Deram, 1968) – reached No. 26 on UK charts
- The National Welsh Coast Live Explosion Company (Immediate, 1969) – peaked at No. 19 in the UK
- Farewell to the Real Magnificent Seven (Immediate, 1969)
- The Return of the Magnificent Seven (Immediate, 1976)
- Greatest Hits (Immediate, 1977)
- If Paradise Is Half As Nice: The Immediate Anthology (Castle, 2000)
- Amen Corner (If Paradise Is Half As Nice and More Hits) (Weton-Wesgram, 2007) – features live tracks
Singles
| Year | Single | Highest chart positions | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK | AUS | AUT | BE (WA) | GER | IRE | NL | NOR | NZ | ||
| 1967 | "Gin House Blues" | 12 | 85 | — | — | — | — | 12 | — | — |
| "The World of Broken Hearts" | 24 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1968 | "Bend Me, Shape Me" | 3 | — | — | 16 | — | 5 | — | 10 | 9 |
| "High in the Sky" | 6 | — | — | — | — | 9 | — | — | 19 | |
| 1969 | "(If Paradise Is) Half as Nice" | 1 | 82 | 14 | 27 | 12 | 4 | 15 | 7 | 5 |
| "Let the Good Times Roll and Feel So Good" (UK release cancelled) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| "At Last I've Found Someone to Love" (exclusive to New Zealand) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| "Hello Susie" | 4 | — | 14 | — | 14 | 7 | 13 | — | 13 | |
See also
- List of artists who reached number one on the UK Singles Chart
- List of performers on Top of the Pops
- List of UK Singles Chart number ones of the 1960s