Heads Hands & Feet
Heads Hands & Feet was a British rock and country rock band. It was formed in 1969 after the breakup of Poet and the One Man Band,[1] which included some of the same members (see Members below).
Heads Hands & Feet | |
---|---|
Origin | UK |
Genres | Country rock |
Years active | 1969 to 1973 |
Labels | Capitol Records |
Associated acts | Johnny Harris Orchestra, Poet and the One Man Band |
Past members | Tony Colton, Ray Smith, Mike O'Neill, Albert Lee, Chas Hodges, Pete Gavin |
Music and Performances
Heads Hands & Feet recorded their debut album, Home From Home, in 1970. Initially shelved by their label, it was finally released in 1996.
In 1971 their proper debut release, Heads Hands & Feet, was released as a single-disc record in Europe on Island Records, and as a double album in the United States on the Capitol Records label.
While still relatively unknown, they served as the supporting act for Deep Purple's series of concerts from 5 to 8 March 1971 in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee, and Aberdeen, Scotland.[2] They were the opening act at a free concert in London's Hyde Park on 3 July 1971, which also featured Humble Pie and Grand Funk Railroad.[3][4]
In 1972 the band toured the United States. [5] Their second album, Tracks, received some critical acclaim. But internal tensions in the band resulted in a breakup before the group's third release, Old Soldiers Never Die, in 1973.
Other Activities
Ray Smith and Tony Colton teamed with producer and composer Johnny Harris on several efforts, including co-writing and co-producing for Richard Harris and Shirley Bassey, as well as writing and performing the soundtrack for the 1970 BBC documentary The World Of Georgie Best. In 1970, members of the group performed at the Royal Albert Hall with the Johnny Harris Orchestra for his Movements concert, opening for Dionne Warwick.
Members of Heads Hands & Feet also provided the core backing for:
- Shirley Bassey's album Something (1970),
- Richard Harris's single "A Ballad Of A Man Called Horse" (1970),
- a still-unissued Carl Wayne album (1970),
- Jerry Lee Lewis's album The Session, recorded in London from 7 to 11 January 1973, and
- Don Everly's Sunset Towers album (1974).
Members
- Tony Colton (born Anthony George Chalk, 11 February 1942, Tunbridge Wells, Kent; died 24 August 2020) - vocals
- Pete Gavin (born Peter Leslie Rowney, 8 September 1946, Lewisham, South East London) - drums
- Chas Hodges (born Charles Nicholas Hodges, 28 December 1943, Edmonton, North London; died 22 September 2018) - bass, vocals, violin
- Albert Lee (born Albert William Lee, 21 December 1943, Willey, Herefordshire) - lead guitar
- Mike O'Neill (born Michael O'Neill, 8 July 1938, Lowton, Lancashire; died 10 October 2013, Stevenage, Hertfordshire) - keyboards (1970-1971)
- Ray Smith (born Raymond Barry Smith, 9 July 1943, London) - rhythm guitar, vocals, bass
Colton, Smith and O'Neill were previously members of the band Poet and the One Man Band.
Discography
Studio albums
Title | Album details | Peak chart positions |
---|---|---|
AUS [6] | ||
Heads Hands & Feet |
|
36 |
Tracks |
|
- |
Old Soldiers Never Die |
|
56 |
References
- "Head Hands & Feet: Biography". Allmusic. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
- "Also On The Bill..." Deep Purple Live Index. Retrieved 30 August 2012.
- "July 3, 1971". The Hyde Park Free Concerts 1971. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
- "Head Hands and Feet setlist". Setlist.fm: The Setlist Wiki. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
- Smith, Richard Digby. "One, Two, Three, Four: The life and times of a recording studio engineer". Google Books. The Book Guild Ltd, Kibworth, Leicestershire UK. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
- Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 136. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.