Box of Frogs
| Company type | Rock band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1983 |
| Founder | Chris Dreja, Paul Samwell-Smith, Jim McCarty |
| Headquarters | London , United Kingdom |
| Products | Music albums, singles |
Box of Frogs was a British rock ensemble established in 1983 by ex-members of the Yardbirds: Chris Dreja, Paul Samwell-Smith, and Jim McCarty. Their inaugural album, released in 1984, showcased vocals by John Fiddler, previously associated with Medicine Head and British Lions. The follow-up album featured guest vocalists such as Graham Parker, Ian Dury, and Roger Chapman, with Fiddler lending his voice on five tracks. Distinguished guest artists included guitarists Rory Gallagher, Earl Slick, and Steve Hackett, harmonica player Mark Feltham, as well as keyboardists Max Middleton and Peter-John Vettese. Additionally, former Yardbirds guitarists Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page contributed lead guitar parts on the first and second albums, respectively.
History
The group's origins trace back to a 1983 reunion of Samwell-Smith, Dreja, and McCarty during the Marquee Club's anniversary event in London. Motivated to carry forward the Yardbirds' legacy, they enlisted John Fiddler as their vocalist. Jeff Beck participated in a recording session on Christmas Eve, playing lead guitar on four tracks. The band adopted the name "Box of Frogs" during these sessions to signify their renewed yet classic rock-inspired direction.
Their debut album delivered rock-oriented songs tailored for radio play, featuring Jeff Beck's guitar work, and gained traction particularly among college audiences. However, plans for a U.S. tour faced opposition from Samwell-Smith, Dreja, and McCarty, leading to disagreements with Fiddler. Jeff Beck, dissatisfied with the decision against touring, did not contribute to their sophomore release, Strange Land (1986). Fiddler’s participation diminished before his exit; notably, the track "Asylum" included both his vocals and Jimmy Page’s guitar.
Both Box of Frogs (1984) and Strange Land (1986) were reissued together on CD by Renaissance Records in 1996. Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic awarded the compilation four and a half stars, acknowledging the albums’ inconsistency but noting their appeal to fans of early 1980s mainstream AOR hard rock. He characterized the recordings as more of a curiosity for Yardbirds enthusiasts due to their distinct sound and style despite featuring original members.
Personnel
- John Fiddler – lead and backing vocals, guitars, percussion, synthesizers
- Chris Dreja – guitar, percussion, occasional backing vocals
- Paul Samwell-Smith – bass guitar, backing vocals, percussion, synthesizers
- Jim McCarty – drums, percussion, backing vocals, keyboards
Personnel
Box of Frogs
- Paul Samwell-Smith – bass guitar, backing vocals, percussion, synthesizer, producer
- Jim McCarty – drums, percussion, backing vocals
- John Fiddler – lead and backing vocals, acoustic and electric guitars, percussion, synthesizer, assistant producer
- Chris Dreja – rhythm guitar, percussion, backing vocals, photography
Additional musicians
- Jeff Beck – lead guitar (tracks 1, 3, 6, 9)
- Ray Majors – lead guitar, backing vocals, percussion (track 2)
- Dzal Martin – lead guitar (tracks 4, 7, 8), slide guitar (track 4)
- Rory Gallagher – slide guitar (tracks 5, 7), electric sitar (track 7)
- Mark Feltham – harmonica (track 1)
- Guy Barker – trumpet (track 7)
- Peter-John Vettese – keyboards (tracks 1, 3), piano (track 8)
- Max Middleton – keyboards (tracks 2, 4, 5, 7)
- Geraint Watkins – piano (track 9)
Production
- Mark Larson – design
- Gary Edwards – overdubs and mixing
- Max Norman – recording engineer
- Patty Dryden – illustration
Track listing
Additional tracks on bonus cassette edition:
Personnel
Box of Frogs
- Paul Samwell-Smith – bass guitar, production, backing vocals
- Jim McCarty – drums, keyboards, backing vocals, percussion
- Chris Dreja – rhythm guitar, percussion
- John Fiddler – lead vocals
Guest musicians
- John Knightsbridge – lead guitar on track 1
- Rory Gallagher – lead guitar on tracks 2, 4, and 6; slide guitar on track 4; electric sitar on tracks 5 and 6
- Steve Hackett – lead guitar on tracks 3 and 9
- Dzal Martin – guitar on tracks 4, 7, and 9; lead guitar on tracks 4 and 8
- Jimmy Page – lead guitar on track 7
- Graham Gouldman – rhythm guitar and backing vocals on track 6
- Max Middleton – synthesizer on tracks 1 and 3; keyboard outro solo on track 3
- Peter-John Vettese – synthesizer on tracks 2 through 4; emulator synthesizer on tracks 3, 5, 6, 8, and 9; keyboards on track 6
- Geraint Watkins – piano on track 4
- David Clayton – keyboards on track 7; synthesizer on track 9
- Neil Lockwood – backing vocals on track 1
- Carroll Thompson, Julie Roberts – backing vocals on tracks 2 and 4
Production team
- Mark Larson – art direction
- Simon Hanhart – engineer at Battery Studio
- Stephen Street – engineer at Island Studios
- Gary Edwards – engineer at Redan Recorders
- Jeremy Allom and Louis Austin – engineers at Ridge Farm
- John H. Howard – illustration
- George Marino – mastering
Singles
- "Back Where I Started" / "The Edge" – released in the UK, 1984
- "Back Where I Started" / "Nine Lives" / "The Edge" – UK 12-inch release, 1984
- "Into The Dark" / "X-tracks medley": including "Two Steps Ahead," "Just A Boy Again," "Harder," "Another Wasted Day," and "Back Where I Started" – UK release, 1984
- "Into The Dark" / "X-tracks medley" – UK 12-inch edition, 1984
- "Two Steps Ahead" / "The Edge" – US release, 1984
- "Two Steps Ahead" / "Two Steps Ahead" (promo) – US 12-inch, 1984
- "Average" / "Strange Land" / "I Keep Calling" – UK 12-inch release, 1986
- "Heart Full of Soul" single released in the Netherlands, 1986
Transcription discs
- Interchords - issued in 1984