Opal Butterfly
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1967 in Oxfordshire, England |
| Founder | Simon King |
| Defunct | 1970 |
| Headquarters | Oxfordshire , England |
Area served | United Kingdom |
Key people | Simon King, Lemmy, Robert "Robbie" Milne, Allan Love, Richard Bardey, Tommy Doherty |
| Products | Psychedelic rock music, singles, soundtrack album |
Opal Butterfly was a psychedelic rock ensemble originating from Oxfordshire, England, active between 1968 and 1970. Although the group itself did not attain widespread commercial recognition, several members, such as drummer Simon King and briefly Lemmy (who later gained fame with Hawkwind), pursued distinguished musical careers. The lineup also included Robert "Robbie" Milne on lead guitar, Allan Love handling vocals, Richard Bardey on bass, and Tommy Doherty playing rhythm guitar. During their existence, the band issued three official singles characterized by a heavy psychedelic rock sound before ultimately disbanding.
History
Prior to adopting the name Opal Butterfly, the band operated under the moniker Cardboard Heaven, established in 1967 in Oxfordshire. The initial roster consisted of Roger Warner on bass, Robbie Milne as lead guitarist, Simon King on drums, Alan Cobb on keyboards, with vocal duties shared by Stuart Thornhill and Denny Sutcliffe. Their early performances featured a blend of R&B and blues material in local venues. Simon King departed this formation to initiate Opal Butterfly.
Opal Butterfly
Simon King assembled the new group by bringing together Robbie Milne along with Allan Love, Richard Bardey, and Tom Doherty. Regarding the band's name, Doherty remarked that “Butterfly alone seemed too bland, so we opted for something more vibrant.”
The band produced demo recordings that caught the attention of CBS Records; these included interpretations of The Electric Prunes’ "I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night)" and "Wind Up Toys."
In 1968, Opal Butterfly released their debut single featuring "Beautiful Beige" backed with "Speak Up," which was recognized as a solid example of psychedelic pop but did not achieve major success. Their most prominent release arrived in 1969 with a rendition of The Who’s "Mary Anne With The Shaky Hand," enhanced by organ accompaniment and paired with "My Gration Or?". Although it received some airplay, its exposure remained largely regional. Subsequently, the band underwent personnel changes and secured a contract with Polydor Records. At this time, Lemmy Kilmister joined after meeting King at The Chelsea Drug Store in Chelsea but was dismissed within a few months.
Under Polydor’s label, they issued the single "Groupie Girl" coupled with "The Gigging Song," which marked a return to blues influences. The single's cover art, featuring nudity, generated controversy and led to bans from radio stations. Between 1969 and 1970, Opal Butterfly toured extensively across Britain performing lengthy 90-minute sets and appeared in Derek Ford’s film Groupie Girl (1970) portraying Sweaty Betty; however, Lemmy neither participated in recording sessions nor appeared in the film. Further lineup modifications failed to revive the band's fortunes, culminating in their breakup in 1970. Later on, King and Kilmister reunited musically in Hawkwind.
Robbie Milne briefly reassembled another version of Opal Butterfly including Ray Owen (vocals), David O'List (guitar), Stan Decker (bass), and Mike Burchett (drums), but this lineup was short-lived. Meanwhile, Doherty and King also formed their iteration of Opal Butterfly; dissatisfied with Milne’s version, Milne joined the New Look Soul Band (which eventually became Fine China) in 1969.
Discography
- 1966 - "I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night)" (Mantz, Tucker) b/w "Wind-Up Toys" (demo)
- 1968 - "Beautiful Beige" b/w "Speak Up" (CBS single)
- 1968 - "Mary Anne with the Shaky Hand" (Townshend) b/w "My Gration Or?" (single)
- 1969 - "Groupie Girl" b/w "The Gigging Song" (Polydor single)
- 1970 - Groupie Girl (soundtrack album featuring both singles) Polydor 2383 031
