Ashton, Gardner and Dyke
| Company type | Rock band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1968 |
| Founder | Tony Ashton, Roy Dyke, Kim Gardner |
| Defunct | 1972 |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom |
| Products | Music albums, singles |
Ashton, Gardner and Dyke were a British rock trio who gained prominence in the early 1970s, chiefly recognized for their transatlantic Top 40 success with the single "The Resurrection Shuffle" released in 1971.
History
Tony Ashton and drummer Roy Dyke first crossed paths while performing in bands based in Blackpool. Ashton became the organist and vocalist for the Liverpool beat group The Remo Four, where Dyke was already the drummer, starting from 1963. Their significant contributions include the 1966 album Smile! and providing instrumental support for George Harrison on his Wonderwall Music album. Harrison later played guitar on their track "I'm Your Spiritual Breadman".
In 1968, Ashton and Dyke teamed up with bassist Kim Gardner—formerly associated with British groups The Birds and The Creation—to establish Ashton, Gardner and Dyke. Mick Liber, who previously played with Python Lee Jackson, handled lead guitar duties.
Their initial single, "Maiden Voyage"/"See The Sun In My Eyes" (Polydor Records, 1969), did not achieve commercial success. Nevertheless, their follow-up single "Resurrection Shuffle," released via Capitol Records and featuring brass players Lyle Jenkins and Dave Caswell from Birmingham's Galliard, brought them widespread attention. The song reached No. 3 on the UK Singles Chart and climbed to No. 40 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, marking their only major hit and earning them the label of one-hit wonders. They showcased this track live on BBC's Top of the Pops in December 1971. Notably, "Resurrection Shuffle" was later covered by artists such as Tom Jones and Clarence Clemons.
Their subsequent single "Can You Get It" failed to chart. Despite this setback, the band produced three albums and contributed as backing musicians for Irish singer Jonathan Kelly's debut release in 1970. In 1971, they collaborated with several British jazz-rock artists on Leigh Stephens' album Cast of Thousands. Additionally, former Bee Gees guitarist Vince Melouney briefly joined the group.
The last recording effort by the trio involved working with Jon Lord on the soundtrack for the low-budget film The Last Rebel, which starred Joe Namath. Tony Ashton also appeared on Lord's solo project Gemini Suite released in 1972. The band ultimately dissolved later that same year.
Afterwards
After disbanding, Tony Ashton became part of Medicine Head and had a short stint with Family, before reuniting with Deep Purple's Jon Lord to form Ashton & Lord. He subsequently worked alongside Lord and Purple’s drummer Ian Paice in the group Paice Ashton Lord. Meanwhile, Roy Dyke and Kim Gardner went on to join Badger.
Tony Ashton passed away from cancer on 28 May 2001 in London at age 55. Kim Gardner also died of cancer later that year on 24 October 2001 in Los Angeles, California, aged 53.
Studio albums
| Year | Title | Billboard 200 |
Label + Cat. No. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | Ashton, Gardner and Dyke | — | Polydor – 583 081 |
| 1971 | The Worst of Ashton, Gardner and Dyke (US release: Ashton, Gardner & Duke - Resurrection Shuffle) |
185 | Capitol – EST 563 |
| 1972 | What A Bloody Long Day It's Been | — | Capitol – EST 862 |
Soundtracks
| Year | Album Title | Collaborator | Record Label + Catalog Number |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | The Last Rebel • Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | Jon Lord | Capitol – SW-827 |
| 2002 | The Last Rebel (Expanded Edition) | Purple – PUR 309 |
Live albums
| Year | Album Title | Record Label + Catalog Number |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Let It Roll – Live 1971 | Purple – PUR 307 |
| 2011 | Live In Montreux 1970 | Thompson Music |
Singles
| Year | Track Listing | Record Label + Catalog Number |
|---|---|---|
| 1969 | A-side: "Maiden Voyage" B-side: "See The Sun In My Eyes" |
Polydor – 56306 |
| 1970 | A-side: "The Resurrection Shuffle" B-side: "Hymn To Everyone" |
Capitol – CL 15665 |
| 1971 | A-side: "Can You Get It" B-side: "Delirium" |
Capitol – CL 15684 |
| 1972 | A-side: "Still Got A Long Way To Go" | Capitol |
Band members
- Tony Ashton — (born Edward Anthony Ashton, 1 March 1946, Blackburn, Lancashire; passed away 28 May 2001) — vocals, keyboards
- Kim Gardner — (born 27 January 1948, Dulwich, London; deceased 24 October 2001) — bass guitar
- Roy Dyke — (born 13 February 1945, Liverpool, Lancashire) — drums
- Mick Liber — (born 1 March 1944, Peebles, Scotland) — lead guitar
See also
External links
- – live appearance on Beat-Club