Stretch (band)
| Company type | Rock group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1974 |
| Founder | Elmer Gantry (Dave Terry), Kirby Gregory (Graham Gregory) |
| Defunct | 1979 (initial disbandment) |
| Fate | Disbanded in 1979; reunited in 2007 |
Key people | Elmer Gantry, Kirby Gregory, Paul Martinez, Jim Russell, Jeff Rich |
| Products | Albums, singles |
| Website | www |
Stretch was a British rock group from the 1970s, founded by vocalist Elmer Gantry (Dave Terry) and guitarist Kirby Gregory (Graham Gregory). Prior to Stretch, Gantry had fronted Elmer Gantry's Velvet Opera, while Gregory had been a member of Curved Air.
Formation
Stretch came together in 1974, backed by Fleetwood Mac manager Clifford Davis and drummer Mick Fleetwood. The band was originally created to impersonate Fleetwood Mac on a U.S. tour after the original lineup was unable to meet their contractual commitments. However, at the last moment, Fleetwood withdrew his participation, denying any association with the project. This led to the tour's failure as audiences quickly noticed the absence of any original band members. Bassist Paul Martinez recalled, "Mick Fleetwood pulled out at the last minute claiming not to know who we were!"
Music career
Despite this initial hurdle, Stretch found commercial acclaim with their November 1975 single "Why Did You Do It?", which climbed to No. 16 on the UK charts. The song’s lyrics were a direct rebuke of Mick Fleetwood’s withdrawal from the tour. The lineup on this track included Elmer Gantry on vocals, Paul Martinez handling bass duties, Kirby Gregory on guitar, Jim Russell on drums, along with Hiroshi Kato and horn players such as Chris Mercer contributing.
Following this success, they released the album Elastique. During this period, Martinez was removed from the band. Drummer Jim Russell exited before their sophomore album, You Can't Beat Your Brain for Entertainment, and was succeeded by future Status Quo drummer Jeff Rich. Stretch went on to produce two additional albums; however, Gantry left before their final record, Forget the Past. In 1979, with managerial financial support from Davis withdrawn, Stretch disbanded.
In 1999, Italian DJ Gigi D'Agostino incorporated a sample from "Why Did You Do It?" into his track "Bla Bla Bla".
Stretch reunited in 2007 to promote a "Greatest Hits" compilation and toured alongside the Jeff Healey Band. They released Unfinished Business in 2011 through Repertoire Records, featuring original compositions, cover songs, and a new rendition of "Why Did You Do It?".
Cover versions
In 2012, German producer Ferry Ultra recorded a cover of "Why Did You Do It?" featuring Canadian singer Ashley Slater for the album Ferry Ultra and the Homeless Funkers.
Personnel
- Current members
- Elmer Gantry (Dave "Elmer" Terry) – lead vocals, rhythm guitar (1974–78, 2007–present)
- Kirby Gregory (Graham Gregory) – lead guitar, backing vocals (1974–79, 2007–present); lead vocals (1978–79)
- Jim Scadding – bass guitar (2007–present)
- Justin Hildreth – drums (2009–present)
- Former members
- Paul Martinez – bass guitar (1974–75)
- Craig Collinge – drums (1974)
- John Wilkinson – keyboards (1974)
- Jim Russell – drums (1974–76)
- Hiroshi Kato – guitar (1974)
- John Cook – keyboards (1975)
- Dave Evans – bass guitar (1975–76)
- Steve Emery – bass guitar, backing vocals (1976–79), lead vocals (1978–79)
- Jeff Rich – drums (1976–78, 2007–09)
- Nicko McBrain – drums (1978–79)
Albums
- Elastique (1975) (Anchor Records)
- You Can't Beat Your Brain for Entertainment (1976) (Anchor)
- Lifeblood (1977) (Anchor)
- Forget the Past (1978) (Hot Wax – distinct from the US label of the same name)
- Can't Judge a Book... The Peel Sessions (1996) (Strange Fruit Records)
- Stretch: The Story of Elmer Gantry (1996) (Repertoire Records)
- Why Did You Do It: The Best of Stretch (2007) (Repertoire)
- That's the Way the Wind Blows – A Collection (2011) (Repertoire)
- Unfinished Business (2011) (Repertoire)
Singles
| Year | Title | Highest chart positions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK | AUS | ||
| 1975 | "Why Did You Do It" | 16 | 92 |
| 1976 | "That's the Way the Wind Blows" | — | — |
| 1976 | "Loves Got a Hold on Me" | — | — |
| 1977 | "Fixin' to Die" | — | — |
| 1978 | "Forget the Past" | — | — |
| "—" indicates singles that did not chart or were not issued. | |||
External links
- Official band website
- Discography on Discogs
- Music video at TopPop, February 1976