Snafu (band)
Encyclopedia
Snafu was a British
rhythm and blues
/rock
band of the 1970s featuring vocalist Bobby Harrison
and the talented slide guitarist Micky Moody
.
had just left blues-rock outfit Freedom and started to record his first solo LP, 'Funkist'. Featured on this album was Micky Moody
, then lead guitarist with the ailing Juicy Lucy
. The collaboration between the two was so successful, that after the demise of Juicy Lucy they decided to form a completely new group and play American-inspired funk and R&B-flavoured rock.
Bobby Harrison
had a background of playing with Procol Harum
, and participated in the recording of their all-time classic, "A Whiter Shade of Pale
". Soon after, however, Harrison was told to leave the band due to 'internal differences'. After Procol Harum, Bobby Harrison formed Freedom, whose first line-up recorded a couple of singles and a soundtrack for an Italian film. Commercial success sadly eluded them and Freedom disbanded in 1972. After that, Bobby would occasionally gig with Juicy Lucy where he became friends with guitarist Micky Moody
.
Born in 1950 into a Northern working-class family, Micky Moody from an early age became infatuated with the sound of the electric guitar. Later - when Micky had formed his first band at school - his father managed to get him his first gigs at the local working men's club. This band, called The Roadrunners, featured on bass and vocals one of Micky's classmates from school, Paul Rodgers
, later the lead singer of Free.
As the band started to improve, another bass player from the Middlesbrough area, Bruce Thomas (later of Quiver
and Elvis Costello
's Attractions), was drafted and the group changed their name to The Wildflowers. After three months the group disbanded, and Moody went back to Middlesbrough to study classical guitar. However, he soon joined a local band called Tramline and was also a member of The Mike Cotton Sound. In July 1970, Moody was invited to join Juicy Lucy, with whom he stayed for three albums until Snafu was formed in October/November 1972.
Bobby Harrison
and Micky Moody
started writing together and auditioning new band members. They found former Tramline drummer Terry Popple (previously with Van Morrison
), bass player Colin Gibson
(formerly of Ginger Baker
's Airforce) and keyboard /fiddle player Pete Solley
(later in Whitesnake
). Gibson suggested the name Snafu
, a term he lifted from a Captain Beefheart
song "Big Eyed Beans From Venus" in 1972 LP "Clear Spot
". The line-up proved to be a musician's and critic's band. The musical influences were mainly American and came from bands such as The Allman Brothers Band
and in particular Little Feat
, one of Bobby Harrison’s favourite bands.
Richard Branson
, who had recently built The Manor Studio
, and had started recording a long composition by an unknown guitarist, Mike Oldfield
, was also impressed with the efforts of Snafu, who arrived at The Manor Studio
to record their first LP. In fact, Oldfield was working on 'Tubular Bells
' while Snafu were there and Pete Solley actually played briefly on the recording.
The band's first, eponymously titled, LP and single received good reviews but were less successful commercially. However, at the time when 'Snafu' was released, the group successfully toured Europe with The Doobie Brothers
and then the U.S. with The Eagles.
On the second LP, "Situation Normal
", Pete Solley had taken over much of the control of the band and there is a strong country-rock influence on the album. However, it was not as well reviewed as its predecessor. The band toured America as a support act for Emerson, Lake & Palmer
, but participation in the tour was seen by many as a mistake.
The band recorded up to eight songs in session for the BBC
around this time.
Snafu's third LP, "All Funked Up
", has long been seen as their 'great lost album' and is highly elusive in its original vinyl format. Pete Solley had left to join Procol Harum
. He was replaced first by Brian Chatton (previously with John Miles
) and later by Tim Hinkley
, who was a much-used session player at the time. They both play on the album, which again was recorded at The Manor.
During a tour of Germany, Moody was invited to join David Coverdale
and he accepted. Harrison tried to keep Snafu together for a while with Clem Clempson
(Colosseum
, Humble Pie
, Champion) on guitar, but it did not work.
Snafu are notable for their combining of the British rhythm and blues
tradition with U.S inspired elements of funk
and country music
. Micky Moody
's distinctive guitar playing, often with slide, provided the band with a distnctive hard-edged R&B sound, particularly on such numbers as "Lock and Key" and "Hard To Handle".
[This chronology adapted from original material by Alex Gitlin ]
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...
rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
/rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band of the 1970s featuring vocalist Bobby Harrison
Bobby Harrison
Bobby Harrison is a drummer. He was an early member of Procol Harum, but shortly after their 1967 hit single "A Whiter Shade of Pale" was released, he and guitarist Ray Royer left the group to form the band Freedom...
and the talented slide guitarist Micky Moody
Micky Moody
Michael Joseph "Micky" Moody is an English guitarist, and a former member of the rock bands Juicy Lucy and Whitesnake. He was also a founder-member of Snafu. Together with his former Whitesnake colleague Bernie Marsden he founded the Moody Marsden Band, and later, The Snakes...
.
History
In 1972, vocalist and drummer Bobby HarrisonBobby Harrison
Bobby Harrison is a drummer. He was an early member of Procol Harum, but shortly after their 1967 hit single "A Whiter Shade of Pale" was released, he and guitarist Ray Royer left the group to form the band Freedom...
had just left blues-rock outfit Freedom and started to record his first solo LP, 'Funkist'. Featured on this album was Micky Moody
Micky Moody
Michael Joseph "Micky" Moody is an English guitarist, and a former member of the rock bands Juicy Lucy and Whitesnake. He was also a founder-member of Snafu. Together with his former Whitesnake colleague Bernie Marsden he founded the Moody Marsden Band, and later, The Snakes...
, then lead guitarist with the ailing Juicy Lucy
Juicy Lucy (band)
Juicy Lucy is a blues-rock band formed on April 1, 1969. After the demise of The Misunderstood, vocalist Ray Owen, steel guitarist Glenn Ross Campbell, and saxophone player Chris Mercer formed Juicy Lucy...
. The collaboration between the two was so successful, that after the demise of Juicy Lucy they decided to form a completely new group and play American-inspired funk and R&B-flavoured rock.
Bobby Harrison
Bobby Harrison
Bobby Harrison is a drummer. He was an early member of Procol Harum, but shortly after their 1967 hit single "A Whiter Shade of Pale" was released, he and guitarist Ray Royer left the group to form the band Freedom...
had a background of playing with 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"...
, and participated in the recording of their all-time classic, "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...
". Soon after, however, Harrison was told to leave the band due to 'internal differences'. After Procol Harum, Bobby Harrison formed Freedom, whose first line-up recorded a couple of singles and a soundtrack for an Italian film. Commercial success sadly eluded them and Freedom disbanded in 1972. After that, Bobby would occasionally gig with Juicy Lucy where he became friends with guitarist Micky Moody
Micky Moody
Michael Joseph "Micky" Moody is an English guitarist, and a former member of the rock bands Juicy Lucy and Whitesnake. He was also a founder-member of Snafu. Together with his former Whitesnake colleague Bernie Marsden he founded the Moody Marsden Band, and later, The Snakes...
.
Born in 1950 into a Northern working-class family, Micky Moody from an early age became infatuated with the sound of the electric guitar. Later - when Micky had formed his first band at school - his father managed to get him his first gigs at the local working men's club. This band, called The Roadrunners, featured on bass and vocals one of Micky's classmates from school, Paul Rodgers
Paul Rodgers
Paul Bernard Rodgers is an English rock singer-songwriter, best known for his success in the 1970s as a member of Free and Bad Company. After stints in two less successful bands in the 1980s and early 1990s, The Firm and The Law, he became a solo artist. He has recently toured and recorded with...
, later the lead singer of Free.
As the band started to improve, another bass player from the Middlesbrough area, Bruce Thomas (later of Quiver
Quiver
A quiver is a container for arrows. Quivers have been traditionally made of leather, bark, wood, furs and other natural materials; modern quivers are often made of metal and plastic....
and Elvis Costello
Elvis Costello
Elvis Costello , born Declan Patrick MacManus, is an English singer-songwriter. He came to prominence as an early participant in London's pub rock scene in the mid-1970s and later became associated with the punk/New Wave genre. Steeped in word play, the vocabulary of Costello's lyrics is broader...
's Attractions), was drafted and the group changed their name to The Wildflowers. After three months the group disbanded, and Moody went back to Middlesbrough to study classical guitar. However, he soon joined a local band called Tramline and was also a member of The Mike Cotton Sound. In July 1970, Moody was invited to join Juicy Lucy, with whom he stayed for three albums until Snafu was formed in October/November 1972.
Bobby Harrison
Bobby Harrison
Bobby Harrison is a drummer. He was an early member of Procol Harum, but shortly after their 1967 hit single "A Whiter Shade of Pale" was released, he and guitarist Ray Royer left the group to form the band Freedom...
and Micky Moody
Micky Moody
Michael Joseph "Micky" Moody is an English guitarist, and a former member of the rock bands Juicy Lucy and Whitesnake. He was also a founder-member of Snafu. Together with his former Whitesnake colleague Bernie Marsden he founded the Moody Marsden Band, and later, The Snakes...
started writing together and auditioning new band members. They found former Tramline drummer Terry Popple (previously with Van Morrison
Van Morrison
Van Morrison, OBE is a Northern Irish singer-songwriter and musician. His live performances at their best are regarded as transcendental and inspired; while some of his recordings, such as the studio albums Astral Weeks and Moondance, and the live album It's Too Late to Stop Now, are widely...
), bass player Colin Gibson
Colin Gibson (musician)
Colin Gibson is a bass player and composer.-Biography:Gibson and guitarist John Turnbull were childhood friends and played together in a band called The Primitive Sect, wth Bob Sergeant on organ. In summer 1966, Gibson and Turnbull joined unsigned, Newcastle band The Chosen Few...
(formerly of Ginger Baker
Ginger Baker
Peter Edward "Ginger" Baker is an English drummer, best known for his work with Cream and Blind Faith. He is also known for his numerous associations with World music, mainly the use of African influences...
's Airforce) and keyboard /fiddle player Pete Solley
Pete Solley
Peter "Pete" Solley is a Hammond organ player, pianist and a Grammy-nominated record producer. He has recorded with Eric Clapton, Al Stewart and Whitesnake as well as producing records for Ted Nugent, Oingo Boingo, Motörhead, The Romantics, Peter Frampton, The Sports, Wreckless Eric and many...
(later in Whitesnake
Whitesnake
Whitesnake are an English rock band, founded in 1978 by David Coverdale after his departure from his previous band, Deep Purple. The band's early material has been compared by critics to Deep Purple, but by the mid 1980s they had moved to a more commercial hard rock style...
). Gibson suggested the name Snafu
Snafu
Snafu may refer to:* SNAFU, an acronym* Snafu , an English rhythm and blues band of the 1970s* Snafu, a 1970 album by East Of Eden* Snafu , a 1981 Intellivision video game title published by Mattel Electronics...
, a term he lifted from a Captain Beefheart
Captain Beefheart
Don Van Vliet January 15, 1941 December 17, 2010) was an American musician, singer-songwriter and artist best known by the stage name Captain Beefheart. His musical work was conducted with a rotating ensemble of musicians called The Magic Band, active between 1965 and 1982, with whom he recorded 12...
song "Big Eyed Beans From Venus" in 1972 LP "Clear Spot
Clear Spot
Clear Spot is the seventh album by Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band, originally released on LP in 1972 in a clear plastic sleeve.After Trout Mask Replica, which was critically acclaimed but sold poorly, each of the group's following three albums was slightly more conventional than the one before...
". The line-up proved to be a musician's and critic's band. The musical influences were mainly American and came from bands such as The Allman Brothers Band
The Allman Brothers Band
The Allman Brothers Band is an American rock/blues band once based in Macon, Georgia. The band was formed in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1969 by brothers Duane Allman and Gregg Allman , who were supported by Dickey Betts , Berry Oakley , Butch Trucks , and Jai Johanny "Jaimoe"...
and in particular Little Feat
Little Feat
Little Feat is an American rock band formed by singer-songwriter, lead vocalist and guitarist Lowell George and keyboardist Bill Payne in 1969 in Los Angeles....
, one of Bobby Harrison’s favourite bands.
Richard Branson
Richard Branson
Sir Richard Charles Nicholas Branson is an English business magnate, best known for his Virgin Group of more than 400 companies....
, who had recently built The Manor Studio
The Manor Studio
The Manor Studio was a recording studio in the manor house at the village of Shipton-on-Cherwell in Oxfordshire, England, north of the city of Oxford. It was the first residential recording studio in the UK...
, and had started recording a long composition by an unknown guitarist, Mike Oldfield
Mike Oldfield
Michael Gordon Oldfield is an English multi-instrumentalist musician and composer, working a style that blends progressive rock, folk, ethnic or world music, classical music, electronic music, New Age, and more recently, dance. His music is often elaborate and complex in nature...
, was also impressed with the efforts of Snafu, who arrived at The Manor Studio
The Manor Studio
The Manor Studio was a recording studio in the manor house at the village of Shipton-on-Cherwell in Oxfordshire, England, north of the city of Oxford. It was the first residential recording studio in the UK...
to record their first LP. In fact, Oldfield was working on 'Tubular Bells
Tubular Bells
Tubular Bells is the debut record album of English musician Mike Oldfield, released in 1973. It was the first album released by Virgin Records and an early cornerstone of the company's success...
' while Snafu were there and Pete Solley actually played briefly on the recording.
The band's first, eponymously titled, LP and single received good reviews but were less successful commercially. However, at the time when 'Snafu' was released, the group successfully toured Europe with The Doobie Brothers
The Doobie Brothers
The Doobie Brothers are an American rock band. The group has sold over 40 million units worldwide throughout their career. The Doobie Brothers were inducted into The Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2004.-Original incarnation:...
and then the U.S. with The Eagles.
On the second LP, "Situation Normal
Situation Normal
Situation Normal is the second studio album by SNAFU.Pete Solley's fiddle lends this album a curious Country and Western tone in places, unusual for what was essentially an R&B band...
", Pete Solley had taken over much of the control of the band and there is a strong country-rock influence on the album. However, it was not as well reviewed as its predecessor. The band toured America as a support act for Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Emerson, Lake & Palmer, also known as ELP, are an English progressive rock supergroup. They found success in the 1970s and sold over forty million albums and headlined large stadium concerts. The band consists of Keith Emerson , Greg Lake and Carl Palmer...
, but participation in the tour was seen by many as a mistake.
The band recorded up to eight songs in session for the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
around this time.
Snafu's third LP, "All Funked Up
All Funked Up
All Funked Up is the "highly elusive on vinyl" third Snafu album .-Track listing:Side 1:#"Don't Keep Me Wondering" #"Bloodhound" #"Lock and Key"...
", has long been seen as their 'great lost album' and is highly elusive in its original vinyl format. Pete Solley had left to join 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"...
. He was replaced first by Brian Chatton (previously with John Miles
John Miles (musician)
John Miles is an English rock music vocalist, songwriter, guitarist and keyboard player, best known for his 1976 Top 3 UK hit single, "Music".-Career:...
) and later by Tim Hinkley
Tim Hinkley
Tim Hinkley is an English singer-songwriter, keyboardist and record producer. Hinkley started playing in youth club bands in the early 1960s, including The Copains, Boys, Freeman Five. During this time he turned down an offer to join The Konrads which featured Davy Jones, who later changed his...
, who was a much-used session player at the time. They both play on the album, which again was recorded at The Manor.
During a tour of Germany, Moody was invited to join David Coverdale
David Coverdale
David 'Jack' Coverdale is an English rock singer, most famous for his work with the his own hard rock band Whitesnake which achieved massive commercial success.-Early life:...
and he accepted. Harrison tried to keep Snafu together for a while with Clem Clempson
Clem Clempson
Clem Clempson is an English rock guitarist who has played in a number of bands including Colosseum and Humble Pie.-Career:...
(Colosseum
Colosseum (band)
Colosseum is a pioneering British progressive jazz-rock band, mixing progressive rock and jazz-based improvisation.-History 1968 - 1971:The band was formed in September 1968 by drummer Jon Hiseman, tenor sax player Dick Heckstall-Smith and bass player Tony Reeves, who had previously worked together...
, Humble Pie
Humble Pie (band)
Humble Pie was a rock band from England, finding success both in the UK and the US. They are remembered for songs such as "Black Coffee" "30 Days in the Hole", "I Don't Need No Doctor", and "Natural Born Bugie"...
, Champion) on guitar, but it did not work.
Snafu are notable for their combining of the British rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
tradition with U.S inspired elements of funk
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
and country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
. Micky Moody
Micky Moody
Michael Joseph "Micky" Moody is an English guitarist, and a former member of the rock bands Juicy Lucy and Whitesnake. He was also a founder-member of Snafu. Together with his former Whitesnake colleague Bernie Marsden he founded the Moody Marsden Band, and later, The Snakes...
's distinctive guitar playing, often with slide, provided the band with a distnctive hard-edged R&B sound, particularly on such numbers as "Lock and Key" and "Hard To Handle".
[This chronology adapted from original material by Alex Gitlin ]
Albums
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1973 | SNAFU SNAFU (album) Snafu is the first album by Snafu.An unusual funky tone for what is essentially an R&B band. Cover art by Roger Dean.-Track listing:# Long Gone# Said He The Judge# Monday Morning... |
|
| 1974 | Situation Normal Situation Normal Situation Normal is the second studio album by SNAFU.Pete Solley's fiddle lends this album a curious Country and Western tone in places, unusual for what was essentially an R&B band... |
|
| 1975 | All Funked Up All Funked Up All Funked Up is the "highly elusive on vinyl" third Snafu album .-Track listing:Side 1:#"Don't Keep Me Wondering" #"Bloodhound" #"Lock and Key"... |