Spooky Tooth

Spooky Tooth
Origin Carlisle, England
Genres Hard rock, psychedelic rock, roots rock
Years active 1967–1970, 1972-74, 1998–1999, 2004, 2008–2009
Labels Island, CBS, A&M (U.S./Canada)
Associated acts The V.I.P.s/Art, Humble Pie
Past members Mike Harrison
Mike Kellie
Luther Grosvenor
Gary Wright
Greg Ridley
Andy Leigh
Chris Stainton
Henry McCullough
Alan Spenner
John Hawken
Steve Thompson
Mick Jones
Bryson Graham
Ian Herbert
Chris Stewart
Mike Patto
Val Burke
Joey Albrecht
Michael Becker
Steve Farris
Shem von Shroeck
Tom Brechtlein
Donald Ortiz

Spooky Tooth was an English rock band principally active, with intermittent breakups, between 1967 and 1974. In recent years, the band has been reconstituted at various points,[1] and continues to perform occasionally.

Career

Crucial to their sound was their instrumentation; they were one of the relatively few rock acts of the time to adopt the twin keyboard approach (both an organ and a piano player).

They formed in October 1967, when Gary Wright joined the band Art. The band name Art only existed from April to October 1967. Art was renamed from The V.I.P.s, as the name fitted better to the new musical direction taken on the album Supernatural Fairy Tales. Gary Wright held a significant role from the start. He wrote the majority of the first Spooky Tooth album, some even with record producer Jimmy Miller instead of band members.

The line-up changed several times, but typically was:

Gary Wright was introduced to the members of Art by Chris Blackwell, founder of Island Records.[2]

1969's Spooky Two LP was the last album release by the original lineup. It included the song "Better by You, Better Than Me", which was covered by Judas Priest on their 1978 release Stained Class.

Ridley joined Humble Pie in 1969 and was replaced by Andy Leigh (in time for 1969's album Ceremony) who went on to Matthews Southern Comfort with ex-Fairport Convention vocalist Ian Matthews. The experimental nature of Ceremony received mixed reviews and following its release Wright also bowed out. The core of Harrison, Grosvenor and Kellie struggled on for one more album, The Last Puff, completed with friends from Joe Cocker's Grease Band.

Singer Mike Harrison on stage with the band in the 1970s

They broke up after a European tour in the autumn of 1970 that was undertaken with a lineup of Harrison, Grosvenor, Kellie, keyboardist John Hawken (ex-Nashville Teens) and bassist Steve Thompson. However, after recording solo efforts, Harrison and Wright decided to reform Spooky Tooth in September 1972 with a different line-up. The best known member of these line-ups (from March 1973 to September 1974) was Mick Jones (guitar / vocals), later in Foreigner. From February — May 1974, Mike Patto (vocals) replaced Harrison for the 1974 release The Mirror. The group then split again in November 1974.[3]

Post-Spooky

Media depictions

The band is featured in the 1970 documentary Groupies.

Band members


1967 – 1969

1969 – 1970

1970

1970

1972 – 1973[8]

1973 – 1974

1974
  • Mike Patto – lead and backing vocals, piano, clavinet, drums
  • Gary Wright – organ, lead and backing vocals, synthesizer
  • Mick Jones – guitar, backing vocals
  • Val Burke – bass, lead and backing vocals
  • Bryson Graham – drums

1998 – 1999

2004
  • Mike Harrison – lead and backing vocals, piano
  • Gary Wright – organ, backing and lead vocals, synthesizer
  • Joey Albrecht – guitar, backing vocals
  • Michael Becker – bass, backing vocals
  • Mike Kellie – drums

2008
  • Mike Harrison – lead and backing vocals, piano
  • Gary Wright – organ, backing and lead vocals, synthesizer
  • Steve Farris – guitar, backing vocals
  • Shem von Shroeck – bass, backing vocals
  • Mike Kellie – drums

2009
  • Mike Harrison – lead and backing vocals, piano
  • Gary Wright – organ, backing and lead vocals, synthesizer
  • Steve Farris – guitar, backing vocals
  • Shem von Shroeck – bass, backing vocals
  • Tom Brechtlein – drums

Timeline

Discography

Studio albums

Compilations and live albums

Singles

References

  1. Such as in 1999, resulting in the release of Cross Purpose and in 2004, resulting in the 2007 release of Nomad Poets.
  2. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 17 June 2007. Retrieved 25 May 2007.
  3. Tobler, John (1992). NME Rock 'N' Roll Years (1st ed.). London: Reed International Books Ltd. p. 270. CN 5585.
  4. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 21 March 2009. Retrieved 25 June 2009.
  5. "The Only Ones - Official Website". Theonlyones.biz. Retrieved 2016-06-15.
  6. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 8 December 2009. Retrieved 25 June 2009.
  7. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 20 June 2013. Retrieved 21 June 2013.
  8. "Bryson Graham : Biography and Discography". Webcitation.org. Archived from the original on 26 October 2009. Retrieved 2016-06-15.
  9. "Spooky Tooth - Tobacco Road". Discogs.com. 2015-05-07. Retrieved 2016-06-15.
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