The Herd (British band)
| Company type | Rock band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1965 in South London, England |
| Defunct | 1969 |
| Headquarters | London , England |
Area served | United Kingdom |
Key people | Peter Frampton, Andy Bown, Gary Taylor, Andrew Steele, Henry Spinetti |
| Products | Music (singles and album) |
The Herd was a British rock group established in 1965. In 1966, the band welcomed 16-year-old Peter Frampton as their lead vocalist and guitarist. During the late 1960s, they achieved three UK top twenty singles, notably "From the Underworld" and "I Don't Want Our Loving to Die". Frampton exited the band in 1968 to co-found Humble Pie alongside Steve Marriott. Shortly thereafter, the band dissolved, with a brief and unsuccessful reunion occurring in 1971.
Biography
Formed in south London in 1965, The Herd initially released three singles under Parlophone that failed to chart. The original members were Terry Clark (vocals/guitar), Gary Taylor (guitar), Louis Cennamo (bass), and Tony Chapman (drums). By 1966, all except Taylor had departed.[1] The reconfigured lineup included Peter Frampton (vocals/guitar), Andy Bown (keyboards), and Andrew Steele (drums), which became the definitive formation. Parlophone chose not to continue with the band, leading to a contract with Fontana.[2] They replaced manager Billy Gaff with producers and songwriters Ken Howard and Alan Blaikley, who were known for their work with Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich.
Howard and Blaikley developed a unique fusion of pop music infused with elements of flower power. After nearly breaking through with "I Can Fly" in April 1967, their single "From the Underworld"—drawing inspiration from the Orpheus legend—reached number six on the UK charts and gained international recognition, including a number three spot in the Netherlands.[3] This success was followed by "Paradise Lost" in November 1967, which peaked at number 15.[4] In October 1967, they opened for the Jimi Hendrix Experience at London's Saville Theatre. Their most successful release was "I Don't Want Our Loving to Die" in March 1968, which climbed to number five.[4]
Frampton’s youthful appearance earned him the nickname "The Face of '68" from teen publication Rave.[2][5]
Towards the end of 1968, internal conflicts arose: Steele departed and was succeeded by Henry Spinetti, while Howard and Blaikley were dismissed as producers. Briefly under the management of Harvey Lisberg, ongoing personnel challenges resulted in his exit.[6] Most compositions on their only album Paradise Lost were penned by Frampton and Bown, who also wrote their subsequent single "Sunshine Cottage".
Growing discontented with his teen idol image and following the commercial disappointment of "Sunshine Cottage", Frampton left by late 1968 to establish Humble Pie.[2] The remaining members—Bown, Spinetti, and Taylor—released "The Game", which did not chart successfully,[5] then without Taylor formed the short-lived group Judas Jump alongside Allan Jones from Amen Corner and singer Adrian Williams. Taylor pursued a career as a disc jockey, while Steele briefly reunited with him for a one-off single in June 1971 that failed to achieve commercial success.[7] By the late 1970s, Bown became part of UK rock band Status Quo,[5] while Taylor and Spinetti worked together with Gerry Rafferty.
Andrew Steele passed away from cancer in Alaska on 18 April 2005 at age 63.
Band members
- Louis Cennamo (1965–1966) – bass guitar
- Terry Clark (1965–1966) – vocals and guitar, originally from Roehampton, currently residing in Western Australia
- Tony Chapman (1965–1966) – drummer
- Mick Underwood (1966) – drums
- Andy Bown (1965–1969) – keyboards, vocals, and bass
- Gary Taylor (1965–1969, 1971) – bass, vocals, and guitar
- Peter Frampton (1966–1968) – guitar and vocals
- Andrew Steele (1966–1968, 1971) – drums and vocals
- Henry Spinetti (1968–1969) – drummer
Singles
| Year | Title | Details | Peak chart positions | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AUS | BEL (WA) | GER | IRE | NL | NZ | UK | |||
| 1965 | "Goodbye Baby Goodbye" | Released: 28 May 1965; B-side: "Here Comes the Fool"; Label: Parlophone R5284 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| "She Was Really Saying Something" | Released: October 1965; B-side: "It's Been a Long Time Baby"; Label: Parlophone R5353 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1966 | "So Much in Love" | Released: 18 February 1966; B-side: "This Boy's Always Been True"; Label: Parlophone R5413 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1967 | "I Can Fly" | Released: April 1967; B-side: "Diary of a Narcissist"; Label: Fontana TF819; US B-side: "Understand Me" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| "From the Underworld" | Released: August 1967; B-side: "Sweet William"; Label: Fontana TF856 | 88 | 49 | 11 | 14 | 2 | — | 6 | |
| "Paradise Lost" | Released: December 1967; B-side: "Come on, Believe Me"; Label: Fontana TF887 | — | — | 22 | — | 13 | 18 | 15 | |
| 1968 | "I Don't Want Our Loving to Die" | Released: 29 March 1968; B-side: "Our Fairy Tale"; Label: Fontana TF925 | 65 | — | 33 | 5 | — | 4 | 5 |
| "Sunshine Cottage" | Released: October 1968; B-side: "Miss Jones"; Label: Fontana TF957 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 54Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content
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| 1969 | "The Game" | Released: May 1969; B-side: "Beauty Queen"; Label: Fontana TF1011 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1971 | "You've Got Me Hangin' from Your Lovin' Tree" | Released: June 1971; B-side: "I Don't Wanna Go to Sleep Again"; Label: B&C Records CB154 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| "—" indicates singles that did not chart or were not officially released | |||||||||
Albums
- 1968: Paradise Lost (Fontana STL 5458; released as Paradise and Underworld in Germany):
- Tracks include "From the Underworld," "On My Way Home," "I Can Fly," "Goodbye Groovy," "Mixed Up Minds," "Impressions of Oliver," "Paradise Lost," "Sad," "Something Strange," "On Your Own," and "She
External links
- The Herd on Answers.com
- Singles discography
- Official website of Peter Frampton, featuring:
- Archived 2006 interview with Peter Frampton
- Archived lyrics of "From the Underworld"
- Archived lyrics of "Paradise Lost"
- The Herd at Harvey Lisberg
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