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Hatfield and the North

From Alfawiki
Hatfield and the North
Company typeBand
IndustryMusic
FoundedOctober 1972; 54 years ago (1972-10)
DefunctJune 1975 (1975-06)
Headquarters
England
Area served
United Kingdom, Japan, North America, Europe
ProductsProgressive rock music, albums
Websitewww.hatfieldandthenorth.co.uk

Hatfield and the North was a progressive rock group linked to the Canterbury scene, active from October 1972 until June 1975, with sporadic reunions thereafter.

Career

The band originated in mid-1972, emerging from former members of the blues/jazz/rock ensemble Delivery: Pip Pyle on drums, Phil Miller on guitar, and Phil’s brother Steve Miller on Wurlitzer electric piano. Bassist Roy Babbington was succeeded by Richard Sinclair, who had previously collaborated with Steve Miller in Caravan. This formation marked a transition from Delivery’s blues origins toward intricate compositions characterized by unusual time signatures and extended melodic lines, emblematic of the Canterbury style.

Following several live performances between July and September, they secured a deal with Virgin Records. Subsequently, Steve Miller was replaced by Dave Sinclair on Hammond organ, also known for his work with Matching Mole and Caravan; this change coincided with adopting the name Hatfield and the North.

In November 1972, Delivery briefly reunited for a BBC session featuring some members including Steve Miller and Richard Sinclair. Steve Miller later partnered with Lol Coxhill for duo albums released during 1973 and 1974.

Dave Sinclair left the group in January 1973 after appearing on French television alongside guest musician Robert Wyatt. He was replaced by Dave Stewart (formerly of Egg) prior to Hatfield and the North’s initial recording sessions.

The band produced two albums: Hatfield and the North (1974) and The Rotters' Club (1975). Backing vocals were supplied by The Northettes—Amanda Parsons, Barbara Gaskin (a native of Hatfield, Hertfordshire), and Ann Rosenthal. During the autumn 1974 "Crisis Tour," which they co-headlined with Kevin Coyne, Steve Miller and Lol Coxhill performed as an opening duo; Coxhill frequently joined in improvisational segments of "Mumps."

After disbanding, Dave Stewart established National Health alongside Alan Gowen from Gilgamesh. Phil Miller remained a constant member of National Health, with Pyle joining in 1977. Richard Sinclair participated in select performances and radio broadcasts that year. Previously, Hatfield and the North had shared stages with Gilgamesh in late 1973, including a combined "double quartet" set that foreshadowed National Health. Members often collaborated in varying line-ups across other projects.

The group's name was inspired by road signage on the A1 directing traffic northwards from London toward Hatfield, historically displayed as 'A1 Hatfield & the North'. This style of signage from the 1970s has since been revised to read "The NORTH, Hatfield".

Reunions and archival releases

In March 1990, the band reunited to record a television special featuring Phil Miller, Richard Sinclair, and Pip Pyle joined by Sophia Domancich on keyboards—Pyle’s partner at the time and fellow member of Equip'Out.

The band regrouped again in January 2005 with Alex Maguire (from Pip Pyle's Bash!) on keyboards, embarking on tours through 2005 and 2006. This included a brief tour in Japan at the end of 2005 as well as appearances at North American festivals such as BajaProg and NEARfest. During some European shows in June 2005, Mark Fletcher (from Miller’s band In Cahoots) temporarily reinforced the group while Pyle recovered from back surgery, playing partial sets. After returning from a concert in Groningen in August 2006, Pyle passed away. Subsequently, Hatfield fulfilled two remaining scheduled performances with Fletcher on drums, including an appearance at the Canterbury Festival in October 2006.

Between 2005 and 2006, two archival compilations were released: Hatwise Choice: Archive Recordings 1973-1975, Volume 1 and Hattitude: Archive Recordings 1973-1975, Volume 2. These collections showcased recordings from the classic lineup of Miller/Pyle/Sinclair/Stewart—including BBC radio sessions, live performances, and demos—and were distributed by UK label Burning Shed. Proceeds supported both the musicians involved and Pip Pyle’s family.

In 2007, Cuneiform Records reissued two albums by Steve Miller and Lol Coxhill, adding bonus tracks featuring approximately twenty minutes of early material from proto-Hatfield and Delivery’s North lineup performing "God Song," "Bossa Nochance/Big Jobs," and "Betty"—a piece based on Sinclair's bass riffs that influenced Hatfield's "Rifferama."

Jonathan Coe’s novel The Rotters' Club (2001) derives its title from Hatfield’s second album and includes multiple references to the band.

Additionally, Saint Etienne mention Hatfield and the North in their song "Popmaster" from the 2017 album Home Counties.

In 2022, Richard Sinclair established a tribute ensemble celebrating Hatfield and the North—particularly honoring Phil Miller and Pip Pyle. The group named The HAT Band, debuted in Palermo on December 10, 2022, featuring Sinclair on vocals and bass, Alex Maguire on electric piano, Mezz Gacano on guitar and backing vocals, along with Giulio Scavuzzo on drums.

Discography

Filmography

External links

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