Leaf Hound
Encyclopedia
Leaf Hound is an English
1960s/1970s hard rock
band. The group have been cited as a major influence on the stoner rock
movement.
. Early incarnations of the Black Cat Bones featured guitarist Paul Kossoff
and drummer Simon Kirke
who both left to form Free
. Black Cat Bones issued one album for Decca Records
entitled Barbed Wire Sandwich. They replaced their vocalist shortly after releasing the album, adding Peter French to the line-up. Guitarist Rod Price
departed soon after to join Foghat
and French added his cousin Mick Halls on guitar. Soon afterwards, Black Cat Bones changed their name to Leaf Hound. At this point the band consisted of French on vocals, Halls on guitar, the Brooks brothers, Derek and Stuart, on guitar and bass respecitively, and Keith George-Young on drums.
Growers of Mushroom was recorded at Spot Studios in Mayfair
, London in late 1970. Shortly after the Brooks brothers departed and Ron Thomas filled in on bass. The band toured Europe as a four piece and released the "Drowned My Life in Fear" single and the Leaf Hound album in Germany
on Telefunken
. The Growers of Mushroom album was released shortly after (featuring all of the tracks on the self-titled album) but by this time French had already departed to join Atomic Rooster
for their album In Hearing Of. French would also later join American hard rock band Cactus
. Growers of Mushroom became a collectors item in the years to come and was voted the number one most collectable rock album in Q magazine. It was released on CD in Germany by Walhalla Records with one bonus track, "It's Gonna Get Better" (b-side to the "Drowned My Life in Fear" single). It was re-released by See For Miles Records
in 1994 with two bonus tracks, "It's Gonna Get Better" and "Hipshaker". Akarma Records re-released the vinyl version in 2003 featuring one bonus track, "It's Gonna Get Better." It was re-released on CD a third time in 2005 by Repertoire Records
featuring the two bonus tracks on the See For Miles release as well as a third bonus track, "Too Many Rock 'n' Roll Times."
In 2004 Peter French put together a new incarnation of the band. In 2006 they released a limited 7" on Rise Above Records
featuring a live version of "Freelance Fiend" recorded in Soho, London in September 2005. The b-side is also taken from the same recording. In 2007 Leaf Hound released 'Unleashed' on 'Rare Recording' According to the bands website a live album is set for future release.
's "Breakthrough".
The album has been met with critical acclaim from the music press with Kerrang!
calling it, "As good a rock album as you could hope to hear."
Classic Rock Magazine noted, "An unpretentious hard rock record, relying on strong songs and powerful performances."
French and Rayner were also praised for their production skills, "Preserving the Classic Rock sound."
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
1960s/1970s hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
band. The group have been cited as a major influence on the stoner rock
Stoner rock
Stoner rock or stoner metal is a subgenre of heavy metal, combining elements of psychedelic rock, blues rock, traditional heavy metal and doom metal. Stoner rock is typically slow-to-mid tempo and features a bass-heavy sound, melodic vocals, and 'retro' production...
movement.
Biography
Leaf Hound formed in 1969 under their original name, Black Cat BonesBlack Cat Bones
Black Cat Bones was a British heavy blues rock group from London.The band is perhaps best known for having had Paul Kossoff and Simon Kirke in its lineup, both of whom later joined Free in 1968...
. Early incarnations of the Black Cat Bones featured guitarist Paul Kossoff
Paul Kossoff
Paul Francis Kossoff was an English rock guitarist best known as a member of the band Free.Kossoff was ranked 51st in Rolling Stone magazine list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time" -Early days:...
and drummer Simon Kirke
Simon Kirke
Simon Kirke is an English rock drummer best known as a member of Free and Bad Company.-Biography:...
who both left to form Free
Free (band)
Free were an English rock band, formed in London in 1968, best known for their 1970 signature song "All Right Now". They disbanded in 1973 and lead singer Paul Rodgers went on to become a frontman of the band Bad Company along with Simon Kirke on drums; lead guitarist Paul Kossoff died from a...
. Black Cat Bones issued one album for Decca Records
Decca Records
Decca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
entitled Barbed Wire Sandwich. They replaced their vocalist shortly after releasing the album, adding Peter French to the line-up. Guitarist Rod Price
Rod Price
Rod Price was an English guitarist who was best known for his work with the rock band Foghat...
departed soon after to join Foghat
Foghat
Foghat are a British rock band that had their peak success in the mid- to late-1970s. Their style can be described as "blues-rock," or boogie-rock dominated by electric and electric slide guitar. The band has achieved five gold records...
and French added his cousin Mick Halls on guitar. Soon afterwards, Black Cat Bones changed their name to Leaf Hound. At this point the band consisted of French on vocals, Halls on guitar, the Brooks brothers, Derek and Stuart, on guitar and bass respecitively, and Keith George-Young on drums.
Growers of Mushroom was recorded at Spot Studios in Mayfair
Mayfair
Mayfair is an area of central London, within the City of Westminster.-History:Mayfair is named after the annual fortnight-long May Fair that took place on the site that is Shepherd Market today...
, London in late 1970. Shortly after the Brooks brothers departed and Ron Thomas filled in on bass. The band toured Europe as a four piece and released the "Drowned My Life in Fear" single and the Leaf Hound album in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
on Telefunken
Telefunken
Telefunken is a German radio and television apparatus company, founded in Berlin in 1903, as a joint venture of Siemens & Halske and the Allgemeine Elektricitäts-Gesellschaft...
. The Growers of Mushroom album was released shortly after (featuring all of the tracks on the self-titled album) but by this time French had already departed to join Atomic Rooster
Atomic Rooster
Atomic Rooster were an English progressive rock band, composed of former members of the The Crazy World of Arthur Brown. Throughout their history, keyboardist Vincent Crane was the only constant member, and wrote the majority of their material. Their history is defined by two periods, in the early...
for their album In Hearing Of. French would also later join American hard rock band Cactus
Cactus (band)
Cactus is an American hard rock supergroup, formed in 1970.-Biography:Cactus was initially conceived as early as late 1969 by the Vanilla Fudge rhythm section of bassist Tim Bogert and drummer Carmine Appice with guitarist Jeff Beck and Xylophone player Adele Smitchell acted as the counterpart and...
. Growers of Mushroom became a collectors item in the years to come and was voted the number one most collectable rock album in Q magazine. It was released on CD in Germany by Walhalla Records with one bonus track, "It's Gonna Get Better" (b-side to the "Drowned My Life in Fear" single). It was re-released by See For Miles Records
See For Miles Records
See for Miles Records is a British record label which distributed some of the records of Dandelion Records on CD in the 1990s. The name hints both to its owner Colin Miles and The Who's "I Can See for Miles."...
in 1994 with two bonus tracks, "It's Gonna Get Better" and "Hipshaker". Akarma Records re-released the vinyl version in 2003 featuring one bonus track, "It's Gonna Get Better." It was re-released on CD a third time in 2005 by Repertoire Records
Repertoire Records
Repertoire Records is a German record label from Hamburg, Germany, specialising in reissues of classic pop and rock albums originally issued in the 60s and 70s. The chairman is Thomas Neelsen....
featuring the two bonus tracks on the See For Miles release as well as a third bonus track, "Too Many Rock 'n' Roll Times."
In 2004 Peter French put together a new incarnation of the band. In 2006 they released a limited 7" on Rise Above Records
Rise Above Records
Rise Above Records is a London, England based independent record label owned by Lee Dorrian . It is named after a Napalm Death song from their EP Mentally Murdered. It was formed in the late 1980s and originally made to sell live releases by Napalm Death and S.O.B., but by 1991 had changed to cater...
featuring a live version of "Freelance Fiend" recorded in Soho, London in September 2005. The b-side is also taken from the same recording. In 2007 Leaf Hound released 'Unleashed' on 'Rare Recording' According to the bands website a live album is set for future release.
Unleashed
New album Unleashed was released on November 12, 2007. It features eight all new compositions by Peter French and Luke Rayner and also a reworking of Atomic RoosterAtomic Rooster
Atomic Rooster were an English progressive rock band, composed of former members of the The Crazy World of Arthur Brown. Throughout their history, keyboardist Vincent Crane was the only constant member, and wrote the majority of their material. Their history is defined by two periods, in the early...
's "Breakthrough".
The album has been met with critical acclaim from the music press with Kerrang!
Kerrang!
Kerrang! is a UK-based magazine devoted to rock music published by Bauer Media Group. It was first published on June 6, 1981 as a one-off supplement in the Sounds newspaper...
calling it, "As good a rock album as you could hope to hear."
Classic Rock Magazine noted, "An unpretentious hard rock record, relying on strong songs and powerful performances."
French and Rayner were also praised for their production skills, "Preserving the Classic Rock sound."
Current line-up
- Peter French - vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
- Luke RaynerLuke RaynerLuke Rayner is a London based guitarist and record producer. He is best known for being part of the reformed Leaf Hound. Since joining Leaf Hound his guitar style and ability have been praised by the music press; Classic Rock Magazine calling him, "a real discovery" and Metal Hammer, "a guitar hero...
- guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker... - Ed Pearson - bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Jimmy Rowland - drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
Classic line-up
- Peter French - vocals
- Mick Halls - guitar
- Derek Brooks - guitar
- Stuart Brooks - bass
- Keith George-Young - drums
Discography
- Leaf Hound LP (1971 TelefunkenTelefunkenTelefunken is a German radio and television apparatus company, founded in Berlin in 1903, as a joint venture of Siemens & Halske and the Allgemeine Elektricitäts-Gesellschaft...
) - "Drowned My Life in Fear"/"It's Gonna Get Better" 7" (1971 TelefunkenTelefunkenTelefunken is a German radio and television apparatus company, founded in Berlin in 1903, as a joint venture of Siemens & Halske and the Allgemeine Elektricitäts-Gesellschaft...
) - Growers of Mushroom LP (1971 Decca RecordsDecca RecordsDecca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
) - "Freelance Fiend"/"Too Many Rock 'n' Roll Times" live 7" (2006 Rise Above RecordsRise Above RecordsRise Above Records is a London, England based independent record label owned by Lee Dorrian . It is named after a Napalm Death song from their EP Mentally Murdered. It was formed in the late 1980s and originally made to sell live releases by Napalm Death and S.O.B., but by 1991 had changed to cater...
) - Unleashed CD (2007 R.A.R.E. Records)
Reissue
- Growers of Mushroom CD (? Walhalla Records)
- Growers of Mushroom CD (1994 See For Miles RecordsSee For Miles RecordsSee for Miles Records is a British record label which distributed some of the records of Dandelion Records on CD in the 1990s. The name hints both to its owner Colin Miles and The Who's "I Can See for Miles."...
) - Growers of Mushroom LP (2003 Akarma Records)
- Growers of Mushroom CD (2005 Repertoire RecordsRepertoire RecordsRepertoire Records is a German record label from Hamburg, Germany, specialising in reissues of classic pop and rock albums originally issued in the 60s and 70s. The chairman is Thomas Neelsen....
)