The Herd was founded in 1965 in south London and recorded three singles with Parlophone the most well known perhaps “I Don’t Want Our Loving to Die”. In 1966 three members in succession (Terry Clark, Louis Cennamo and Mick Underwood) quit the group, Parlophone did not want to go on with them, but Fontana Records was willing to give them a try. They also sent their manager Billy Gaff away and brought in the songwriters/producers Ken Howard and Alan Blaikley instead. This pair had been largely responsible for a string of hits by Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich. Howard and Blaikley orchestrated for them a unique blend of pop and flower power pop.
and the group got the line-up that made it famous. Peter Frampton was 16 when he joined the group in 1966, a few years younger than the other members. After a UK Singles Chart near-miss with “I Can Fly” (April 1967), the haunting “From the Underworld”, (August 1967) based on the legend of Orpheus and Eurydice, reached Number 6 later that year with help from copious plays on pirate radio. Radio airplay was essential for success and the band recorded many unique versions of their hits, near misses and stage favourites for radio broadcast. It’s those recordings that comprise this album. The last months of 1968 were tempestuous times for the group. Steele left to be replaced by Henry Spinetti and dissatisfied with mere teen idol status, and disappointed with the failure of “Sunshine Cottage”, which he’d written, Their first and only album Paradise Lost most songs being written by Peter Frampton and Andy Bown, . Frampton left to form Humble Pie with Steve Marriott.
released January 17th, 2021
The Fat Angel Sings 