Les Fleur de Lys
Encyclopedia
The Fleur de Lys were a British band originally formed in late 1964, in Southampton
, Hampshire
, England. They recorded singles
beginning in 1965 in the transitional Beat to psychedelic music
genre, later known as freakbeat
. The band had varied line-ups; only drummer Keith Guster was a member throughout their history. They finally disbanded in 1969. Keyboardist Pete Sears
went on to play on several early Rod Stewart
recordings, and was a founding member of Jefferson Starship
.
Fleur de Lys were managed by Atlantic Records
' Frank Fenter
, who had also discovered Sharon Tandy
, the first white artist to record for Stax Records
. Sweet Feeling's manager Howard Conder recruited the band to record the song "Reflections of Charlie Brown", under the name 'Rupert's People'. This single, heavily reminiscent of Procol Harum
's "A Whiter Shade of Pale
", failed to chart
(except in Australia where it reached #13 in August 1967) despite receiving airplay but became a collectable item according to Record Collector Magazine (Issue c. 1992). The band recorded a B-side, "Hold On" which was their last work with Conder.
Jimmy Page
produced
their first single and co-produced their second release with Glyn Johns
. In 1966 Chas Chandler
added Jimi Hendrix
to a song they had recorded in London called Amen. They are featured on Hip Young Guitar Slinger
and other reissues of 1960s British rock. A compilation of their work was issued in 1996 under the name Reflections.
They backed John Bromley on his only album.
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
, Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
, England. They recorded singles
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...
beginning in 1965 in the transitional Beat to psychedelic music
Psychedelic music
Psychedelic music covers a range of popular music styles and genres, which are inspired by or influenced by psychedelic culture and which attempt to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. It emerged during the mid 1960s among folk rock and blues-rock bands in the...
genre, later known as freakbeat
Freakbeat
Freakbeat is the name used for rare, collectable, and obscure British Invasion records, particularly from 1966 and 1967. Elements of the freakbeat sound include strong direct drum beats, loud and frenzied guitar riffs, and extreme effects such as: fuzztone, flanging, distortion and compression or...
. The band had varied line-ups; only drummer Keith Guster was a member throughout their history. They finally disbanded in 1969. Keyboardist Pete Sears
Pete Sears
Peter 'Pete' Sears is an English rock musician. In a career spanning more than four decades he has been a member of many bands and has moved through a variety of musical genres, from early R&B, psychedelic improvisational rock of the 1960s, folk, country music, arena rock in the 1970s, and blues...
went on to play on several early Rod Stewart
Rod Stewart
Roderick David "Rod" Stewart, CBE is a British singer-songwriter and musician, born and raised in North London, England and currently residing in Epping. He is of Scottish and English ancestry....
recordings, and was a founding member of Jefferson Starship
Jefferson Starship
Jefferson Starship is an American rock band formed in the early 1970s. The group is a spin-off from the iconic 1960s psychedelic/folk group Jefferson Airplane. The band has undergone several major changes in personnel and genres through the years while retaining the same Jefferson Starship name...
.
Fleur de Lys were managed by Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
' Frank Fenter
Frank Fenter
Frank Fenter was a music industry executive.Fenter was the first Managing Director of Atlantic Records for Europe, where he helped discover and sign to Atlantic late-1960s British Invasion groups including Led Zeppelin and the progressive rock bands Yes and King Crimson...
, who had also discovered Sharon Tandy
Sharon Tandy
Sharon Tandy is a South African singer who achieved somesuccess in the United Kingdom in the 1960s as part of the blue-eyed soul and freakbeat movements. In 1966, she recorded some songs at Stax studios, a rarity for a white singer...
, the first white artist to record for Stax Records
Stax Records
Stax Records is an American record label, originally based in Memphis, Tennessee.Founded in 1957 as Satellite Records, the name Stax Records was adopted in 1961. The label was a major factor in the creation of the Southern soul and Memphis soul music styles, also releasing gospel, funk, jazz, and...
. Sweet Feeling's manager Howard Conder recruited the band to record the song "Reflections of Charlie Brown", under the name 'Rupert's People'. This single, heavily reminiscent of Procol Harum
Procol Harum
Procol Harum are a British rock band, formed in 1967, which contributed to the development of progressive rock, and by extension, symphonic rock. Their best-known recording is their 1967 single "A Whiter Shade of Pale"...
's "A Whiter Shade of Pale
A Whiter Shade of Pale
"A Whiter Shade of Pale" is the debut song by the British band Procol Harum, released 12 May 1967. The single reached number one in the UK Singles Chart on 8 June 1967, and stayed there for six weeks. Without much promotion, it reached #5 on the US charts, as well...
", failed to chart
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
(except in Australia where it reached #13 in August 1967) despite receiving airplay but became a collectable item according to Record Collector Magazine (Issue c. 1992). The band recorded a B-side, "Hold On" which was their last work with Conder.
Jimmy Page
Jimmy Page
James Patrick "Jimmy" Page, OBE is an English multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and record producer. He began his career as a studio session guitarist in London and was subsequently a member of The Yardbirds from 1966 to 1968, after which he founded the English rock band Led Zeppelin.Jimmy Page...
produced
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
their first single and co-produced their second release with Glyn Johns
Glyn Johns
Glyn Johns is a musician, recording engineer and record producer.-Career:He has worked with such artists as Bob Dylan, The Beatles, The Easybeats, The Band, The Rolling Stones, The Who, Led Zeppelin, Eagles, Eric Clapton, The Clash, The Steve Miller Band, Small Faces, Spooky Tooth, The Ozark...
. In 1966 Chas Chandler
Chas Chandler
Bryan James "Chas" Chandler was an English musician, record producer and manager of several successful music acts....
added Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
to a song they had recorded in London called Amen. They are featured on Hip Young Guitar Slinger
Hip Young Guitar Slinger
Hip Young Guitar Slinger is a compilation of Jimmy Page's pre-Led Zeppelin studio sessions, recorded between 1962 and 1966. Released on September 4, 2000.It is not certain whether Page actually played on every track...
and other reissues of 1960s British rock. A compilation of their work was issued in 1996 under the name Reflections.
They backed John Bromley on his only album.
Singles
- 1965 - "MoondreamsMoondreams (Norman Petty song)"Moondreams" is a song written by Norman Petty and released in 1957 by The Norman Petty Trio.Featured musicians are Petty on organ. Buddy Holly on guitar, Vi Petty on piano, Mike Mitchell on percussion and The Picks backing vocals....
" (PettyNorman PettyNorman Petty was an American musician, songwriter, and pioneer record producer who helped shape modern popular music, including pop and rock....
) / "Wait For Me" (PageJimmy PageJames Patrick "Jimmy" Page, OBE is an English multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and record producer. He began his career as a studio session guitarist in London and was subsequently a member of The Yardbirds from 1966 to 1968, after which he founded the English rock band Led Zeppelin.Jimmy Page...
) - (ImmediateImmediate RecordsImmediate Records was a British record label, started in 1965 by The Rolling Stones' manager Andrew Loog Oldham and Tony Calder and concentrating on the London-based blues and R&B scene.-History:...
IM 20, as Les Fleur de Lys) - 1966 - "Circles" (TownshendPete TownshendPeter Dennis Blandford "Pete" Townshend is an English rock guitarist, vocalist, songwriter and author, known principally as the guitarist and songwriter for the rock group The Who, as well as for his own solo career...
) / "So Come On" - (Immediate IM 32) - 1966 - "Mud In Your Eye" / "I've Been Trying" (MayfieldCurtis MayfieldCurtis Lee Mayfield was an American soul, R&B, and funk singer, songwriter, and record producer.He is best known for his anthemic music with The Impressions during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960's and for composing the soundtrack to the blaxploitation film Super Fly, Mayfield is highly...
) - (PolydorPolydor RecordsPolydor is a record label owned by Universal Music Group, headquartered in the United Kingdom.-Beginnings:Polydor was originally an independent branch of the Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft. Its name was first used as an export label in 1924, the British and German branches of the Gramophone...
56124) - 1967 - "I Can See a Light" / "Prodigal Son" - (Polydor 56200)
- 1968 - "Gong With the Luminous Nose" (HaskellGordon HaskellGordon Haskell is a Pop, Rock & Blues music vocalist, songwriter, and bassist. He first gained recognition as a member of the British band Les Fleur de Lys. He sang on one of the songs of King Crimson's second album, then played bass and sang on their third album...
) / "Hammer Head" (Haskell) - (Polydor 56251) - 1968 - "Stop Crossing That Bridge" (DeeGraham DeeGraham Dee is an English musician.- Early life :Davidson was born in London in 1943. Davidson has lived his life with a neuromuscular disorder that results in a series of ticks, twitches and spasms which has created a weakness in his neck.He attended boarding school in Hertfordshire, where he...
, Potter) / "Brick by Brick (Stone by Stone)" (Dee, Potter) - (AtlanticAtlantic RecordsAtlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
584 193) - 1969 - "(You're Just A) Liar" (HaworthBryn HaworthBryn Haworth is a British Christian singer-songwriter, guitarist, and pioneer of Jesus music in mainstream rock. Born in Blackburn, Lancashire, UK, he has released some twenty-two albums and several singles since the 1970s as well as guesting as guitarist on many other albums by rock and folk...
, Potter) / "One Girl City" - (Atlantic 584 243)
Compilation albums
- 1991 - Les Fleurs de Lys (FDL 1005)
- 1996 - Reflections (Blueprint/VoiceprintVoiceprint RecordsVoiceprint Records is a company and record label based in England, founded in 1990 by Rob Ayling. They specialise in re-releasing old material, especially progressive rock, but also have new releases, all under the Voiceprint and other imprints....
BP256CD)
Further reading
- Paul Anderson, Damian Jones: Circles: The Strange Story of the "Fleur De Lys", Britain's Forgotten Soul Band (Published November 16th 2009 by Acid Jazz Books) ISBN 0952393514
External links
- Keith Gusters' (Fleur de Lys' Drummer) website with full personal historical account, pictures and videos
- Video clip of Fleur de Lys backing Sharon TandySharon TandySharon Tandy is a South African singer who achieved somesuccess in the United Kingdom in the 1960s as part of the blue-eyed soul and freakbeat movements. In 1966, she recorded some songs at Stax studios, a rarity for a white singer...
at the Speakeasy Club in London 1967