Warhorse (British band)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1970 |
| Founder | Nick Simper |
| Defunct | 1974 |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom |
Key people | Nick Simper, Ashley Holt, Ged Peck, Mac Poole, Rick Wakeman, Frank Wilson, Pete Parks, Barney James |
| Products | Albums: Warhorse (1970), Red Sea (1972) |
Warhorse was a British rock ensemble established by Deep Purple's founding bassist Nick Simper.
History
Following his exit from Deep Purple in 1969, Simper became part of Marsha Hunt's backing musicians, eventually replacing several members with guitarist Ged Peck and drummer Mac Poole. When Hunt ceased touring due to pregnancy, Simper and Peck restructured the group into Warhorse. Vocal duties were taken on by Ashley Holt, while keyboardist Rick Wakeman initially joined but departed after their first demo session in April 1970 to join the Strawbs. He was succeeded by Frank Wilson on keyboards.
Warhorse signed with Vertigo and released their self-titled debut album, Warhorse, in November 1970. Managed by Ron Hire of HEC Enterprises—who had previously invested in Deep Purple—the band embarked on tours but struggled to gain widespread recognition; their album failed to enter the charts. The single "St. Louis" also did not chart, although it briefly appeared on a Dutch "bubbling under" chart in 1971. Creative differences led to Peck's departure in 1971, with Pete Parks stepping in as his replacement.
Their sophomore album, Red Sea, was released in June 1972; however, Vertigo soon dropped the band from their roster. Drummer Poole left to join Gong, with Barney James taking over percussion duties. Notably, Wakeman later invited Holt and James to participate in his solo project The English Rock Ensemble, contributing to works such as Journey to the Centre of the Earth and The Myths and Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. Warhorse performed their final live show in 1974 at Polhill College, Bedford.
Members Holt, Parks, Simper, Wilson, and Poole reunited sporadically—including occasions in 1985 and again in 2005 to celebrate Poole's 60th birthday. Drummer Poole passed away on 21 May 2015.
Members
- Ashley Holt – lead vocals (1970–1974, 1985, 2005)
- Nick Simper – bass guitar (1970–1974, 1985, 2005)
- Mac Poole – drums (1970–1972, 1985, 2005; died 2015)
- Ged Peck – guitar (1970–1971; died 2015)
- Rick Wakeman – keyboards (1970)
- Frank Wilson – keyboards (1970–1974, 1985, 2005)
- Pete Parks – guitar (1971–1974, 1985, 2005)
- Barney James – drums (1972–1974; died 2016)
Line-ups
| 1970 | 1970–1971 | 1971–1972 (Reunions in 1985 and 2005) |
1972–1974 |
|---|---|---|---|
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Studio Albums
Compilation Releases
- Best of Warhorse (issued in 1986)
- Outbreak of Hostilities (issued in 1991)
External links
- [ Allmusic.com Profile for Warhorse]
- Complete Discography at Discogs.com
- Rick Wakeman – The Myths and Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table
- Official Website of Nick Simper