Medicine Head was an English blues rock
band,
active in the 1970s.
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Contents
- 1 Main
personnel
- 2 Career
- 3 Post
break-up careers
- 4 Discography
- 5 Reference
- 6 External
links
|
Main personnel
The group worked as a duo for most of its career, consisting
of
- John Fiddler (born 25
September 1947,
Darlaston,
Staffordshire,
England)
- (vocalist,
guitarist,
piano
player, drummer).
- Peter Hope-Evans (born 28
September 1947,
Brecon,
Powys, Wales) - (harmonica, jew's
harp, and mouthbow player).
Career
Medicine Head formed in Stafford in 1968,
and came to prominence when championed by influential DJ John Peel,
who signed them to his Dandelion record
label.
The group recorded six original albums, the opening trio of which were on
'Dandelion'. That label enjoyed its only UK
Singles Chart hit when "(And The) Pictures in the
Sky" reached number 22 in 1971. Despite consistent touring, often as
support to acts with larger commercial appeal, Medicine Head failed to
place an album on the UK Albums Chart. One of their albums
was titled "Dark Side of the Moon" (1972), released the year before the
Pink
Floyd album of the same name. If the Medicine Head release
had gained attention, Pink Floyd may have had to reconsider the title
of their masterwork.
They went through line-up changes with their largely backing
personnel, but did achieve a total of four hit singles,
the best-known of which are "One and One is One" (No. 3, 1973) and
"Rising Sun" (No. 11, 1973). At various times the line-up also included
Tony
Ashton, formerly of Ashton, Gardner and Dyke,
and Keith
Relf, the former Yardbirds vocalist.
Their later recordings were
released on the Polydor record label. Two
Man Band was their last album, and Medicine Head finally
folded in 1977. In 2005 Angel Air released the album Don't
Stop The Dance. In effect it was a 'lost' album, compiling
some singles from an unsuccessful period with the WWA label, and some
unreleased sessions with the band as a five piece.
In March 2007 Medicine Head's debut album New
Bottles, Old Medicine was re-released on CD by Cherry
Red Records.
Post break-up careers
Since the band's break-up, both members have continued to work
in music: Hope-Evans appears on many albums, most prominently with Pete
Townshend, and Fiddler was a member of British
Lions and Box of Frogs. Fiddler has
occasionally revived the Medicine Head name, to tour a show of their
hits and release further low-key recordings.
Discography
Singles
The following Medicine Head singles appeared on the UK
Singles Chart:
- "(And The) Pictures in the Sky" - Number 22 - 1971
- "One and One is One" - Number 3 - 1973
- "Rising Sun" - Number 11 - 1973
- "Slip and Slide" - Number 22 - 1974
Albums
- New Bottles, Old Medicine - 1970
- Heavy on the Drum - 1971
- Dark Side of the Moon - 1972
- One & One is One - 1973
- Thru a Five - 1974
- Medicine Head - 1976
- Two Man Band - 1976
Reference
- Guinness Book
of British Hit Singles - 16th Edition - ISBN
0-85112-190-X
External links
