Doctor Father
Encyclopedia
Doctor Father was the band name used by British
musicians Eric Stewart
, Kevin Godley
and Lol Creme
– later of 10cc
– for the release of a single
, "Umbopo", in August 1970.
The trio had already recorded as Hotlegs
and had achieved a UK No.2 hit a month earlier with "Neanderthal Man
".
"Umbopo" was written by Godley and Creme, produced by Creme and featured Godley on lead vocals. Released on the Pye Records
label, it was an expanded reworking of "There Ain't No Umbopo", a song the trio had recorded in 1969 under the guise of American bubblegum pop
group Crazy Elephant
. That song had emerged from an intense three-month period at Strawberry Studios
in Stockport
, near Manchester
, writing and performing songs for American hitmakers Jerry Kasenetz
and Jeff Katz
of Super K Productions
.
Despite regular airplay on Radio Northsea
, "Umbopo" did not appear on the British charts and was the sole release by Doctor Father. A brief sample of the song was included on The History Mix Volume 1
by Godley & Creme
in 1985, while the full version – along with the shorter Crazy Elephant version – appeared on the Strawberry Bubblegum
compilation CD from Castle Music in 2003.
The decision to create a new band name for the release of "Umbopo" was consistent with the trio's operating procedure of the previous year: working with Kasenetz, Katz and Manchester songwriter Graham Gouldman
, they had recorded a large number of songs under names including Silver Fleet, Fighter Squadron and Festival. Creme later recalled: "Singles kept coming out under strange names that had really been recorded by us. I've no idea how many there were, or what happened to them all." After "Umbopo" the band reverted to Hotlegs and produced several singles and an album, Thinks: School Stinks
.
In 1972 Stewart, Godley and Creme joined Gouldman to form pop band 10cc
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
musicians Eric Stewart
Eric Stewart
Eric Stewart is an English musician, songwriter and record producer most known for his tenure with The Mindbenders in the 1960s, and 10cc from 1972 to 1995....
, Kevin Godley
Kevin Godley
Kevin Godley is a British musician and music video director.He was born in a family of Jewish descent, and went to North Cestrian Grammar School in Altrincham....
and Lol Creme
Lol Crème
Lol Creme is an English musician and music video director, best known for his work in 10cc. He sings, plays guitar and keyboards.-Biography:...
– later of 10cc
10cc
10cc are an English art rock band who achieved their greatest commercial success in the 1970s. The band initially consisted of four musicians -- Graham Gouldman, Eric Stewart, Kevin Godley, and Lol Creme -- who had written and recorded together for some three years, before assuming the "10cc" name...
– for the release of a single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
, "Umbopo", in August 1970.
The trio had already recorded as Hotlegs
Hotlegs
Hotlegs was a short-lived English band best known for its hit single "Neanderthal Man" in 1970. The band consisted of Eric Stewart, Kevin Godley, Lol Creme and – briefly – Graham Gouldman...
and had achieved a UK No.2 hit a month earlier with "Neanderthal Man
Neanderthal Man (song)
"Neanderthal Man" is a song by Hotlegs, an English pop band that was later relaunched as 10cc. The song, initially created only as a studio exercise to test drum sounds on new recording equipment, sold over two million copies and reached No.2 in the UK and No. 22 in the US...
".
"Umbopo" was written by Godley and Creme, produced by Creme and featured Godley on lead vocals. Released on the Pye Records
Pye Records
Pye Records was a British record label. In its first incarnation, perhaps Pye's best known artists were Lonnie Donegan , Petula Clark , The Searchers , The Kinks , Sandie Shaw and Brotherhood of Man...
label, it was an expanded reworking of "There Ain't No Umbopo", a song the trio had recorded in 1969 under the guise of American bubblegum pop
Bubblegum pop
Bubblegum pop is a genre of pop music with an upbeat sound contrived and marketed to appeal to pre-teens and teenagers, produced in an assembly-line process, driven by producers, often using unknown singers.Bubblegum's classic period ran from 1967 to 1972...
group Crazy Elephant
Crazy Elephant
Crazy Elephant was a short-lived American bubblegum pop band noted for their 1969 hit single, "Gimme Gimme Good Lovin'". Crazy Elephant was a studio concoction, created by Jerry Kasenetz and Jeff Katz of Super K Productions...
. That song had emerged from an intense three-month period at Strawberry Studios
Strawberry Studios
-Formation:The facility was originally called Inner City Studios and located above a music store in the town centre. In early 1968 it was bought by Peter Tattersall, a former road manager for Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas. Tattersall invited Eric Stewart – then lead guitarist and singer of...
in Stockport
Stockport
Stockport is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on elevated ground southeast of Manchester city centre, at the point where the rivers Goyt and Tame join and create the River Mersey. Stockport is the largest settlement in the metropolitan borough of the same name...
, near Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, writing and performing songs for American hitmakers Jerry Kasenetz
Jerry Kasenetz
Jerry Kasenetz is an American bubblegum pop producer who worked with Jeff Katz, the two working together as the Super K production company, to manufacture and produce bands like The Music Explosion, 1910 Fruitgum Company, Crazy Elephant, and The Ohio Express....
and Jeff Katz
Jeff Katz
Jeffrey Katz is an American music producer, one of the first exponents of bubblegum pop.-Music career:He is one half of a hitmaking duo with Jerry Kasenetz, the two working together as the Super K production company...
of Super K Productions
Super K Productions
Super K Productions was a 1960s American recording production company under Buddah Records, headed by producers Jerry Kasenetz and Jeffrey Katz, whose groups specialized in bubblegum pop. Their biggest successes were The Ohio Express, The 1910 Fruitgum Company, Crazy Elephant and The Music Explosion...
.
Despite regular airplay on Radio Northsea
Radio North Sea International
Radio North Sea International also known as Radio Nordsee International in German and Radio Noordzee Internationaal in Dutch, was a European offshore radio station, run by the Swiss firm Mebo Telecommunications, jointly owned by Swiss engineer, Edwin Bollier, and his business partner, Erwin Meister...
, "Umbopo" did not appear on the British charts and was the sole release by Doctor Father. A brief sample of the song was included on The History Mix Volume 1
The History Mix Volume 1
The History Mix Volume 1 is the sixth album by British pop band Godley & Creme. The album was a remix of songs spanning the career of Godley & Creme and their earlier bands, 10cc, Doctor Father and Hotlegs....
by Godley & Creme
Godley & Creme
Godley & Creme were an English pop music duo composed of Kevin Godley and Lol Creme. The pair began releasing albums as a duo after splitting from the pop band 10cc. In 1979 they directed their first music video for their own single "An Englishman in New York"...
in 1985, while the full version – along with the shorter Crazy Elephant version – appeared on the Strawberry Bubblegum
Strawberry Bubblegum
Strawberry Bubblegum is an album subtitled "A Collection of Pre-10cc Strawberry Studios Recordings 1969-1972". The album is a compilation of songs recorded at Strawberry Studios in Stockport, England, by the four musicians – Graham Gouldman, Eric Stewart, Kevin Godley and Lol Creme –...
compilation CD from Castle Music in 2003.
The decision to create a new band name for the release of "Umbopo" was consistent with the trio's operating procedure of the previous year: working with Kasenetz, Katz and Manchester songwriter Graham Gouldman
Graham Gouldman
Graham Keith Gouldman is an English songwriter and musician who is a long-time member of British band 10cc.-Early life and 1960s pop career: 1946–1968:Gouldman was born in Broughton, Salford, England...
, they had recorded a large number of songs under names including Silver Fleet, Fighter Squadron and Festival. Creme later recalled: "Singles kept coming out under strange names that had really been recorded by us. I've no idea how many there were, or what happened to them all." After "Umbopo" the band reverted to Hotlegs and produced several singles and an album, Thinks: School Stinks
Thinks: School Stinks
Thinks: School Stinks is the first album released by British pop band Hotlegs. The album, featuring the band's hit single "Neanderthal Man", was recorded at Strawberry Studios in Stockport near Manchester and engineered by the studio's co-owners, Eric Stewart and Peter Tattersall...
.
In 1972 Stewart, Godley and Creme joined Gouldman to form pop band 10cc
10cc
10cc are an English art rock band who achieved their greatest commercial success in the 1970s. The band initially consisted of four musicians -- Graham Gouldman, Eric Stewart, Kevin Godley, and Lol Creme -- who had written and recorded together for some three years, before assuming the "10cc" name...
.