Spring (band)
Encyclopedia
Spring were a Leicester-based British progressive rock band that represented the early 1970s progressive rock
movement. A one-shot band, it recorded only one album in its career, a self-titled LP released in 1971. Spring's music is notable for the use of the mellotron
, with three of the its five members credited with playing that instrument on the album.
(drums) and Adrian Maloney (bass), all of whom had previously played in various local Leicester bands.
A turning point in Spring's fortunes happened after a gig in Cardiff, when the band's van broke down somewhere in the Welsh countryside, coincidentally very near where producer/engineer Kingsley Ward had recently set up Rockfield Studios. Ward would later marvel at the "coincidence of meeting a group with a broken down truck in your own home town when you have previously spent months tyrapsing around the country in search of talent". He was particularly intrigued by the fact that they owned a Mellotron, and "invited them down the following week for an audition with my brother Charles and myself", the outcome of which was "good enough for us to want to be involved with them". Several demo sessions followed. The band were rehearsing at Rockfield when producer Gus Dudgeon (of David Bowie
and Elton John
fame) dropped by to check the studio out, heard them play and expressed interest in producing them. A few months later, sessions took place at both Rockfield and London's Trident Studios, and the resulting album was released on the RCA/Neon label in 1971.
In spite of supporting Velvet Underground on a UK tour, plus Keith Christmas and The Sutherland Brothers on various dates, the band broke up in 1972 following aborted attempts at recording a second album. Two previously unreleased songs from these sessions (featuring new bassist Peter Decindis) appeared on The Laser's Edge's 1992 CD reissue of the album, along with "Fool's Gold" from the first album sessions. Moran later worked as sound engineer at Rockfield Studios, notably for Van der Graaf Generator
and Robert Plant
; he died in early 2011. Martinez became an in-demand session guitarist, working with the likes of Alkatraz, Michael Chapman, Gypsy, Tim Rose and Robert Plant. Pick Withers
later became the drummer for Dire Straits
, playing on their first four records.
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
movement. A one-shot band, it recorded only one album in its career, a self-titled LP released in 1971. Spring's music is notable for the use of the mellotron
Mellotron
The Mellotron is an electro-mechanical, polyphonic tape replay keyboard originally developed and built in Birmingham, England in the early 1960s. It superseded the Chamberlin Music Master, which was the world's first sample-playback keyboard intended for music...
, with three of the its five members credited with playing that instrument on the album.
Members
Spring originally consisted of Pat Moran (vocals), Ray Martinez (guitars), Kips Brown (keyboards), Pick WithersPick Withers
David "Pick" Withers was the original drummer for the rock band Dire Straits and played on their first four albums, which included hit singles such as "Sultans of Swing," "Romeo and Juliet" and "Private Investigations."...
(drums) and Adrian Maloney (bass), all of whom had previously played in various local Leicester bands.
A turning point in Spring's fortunes happened after a gig in Cardiff, when the band's van broke down somewhere in the Welsh countryside, coincidentally very near where producer/engineer Kingsley Ward had recently set up Rockfield Studios. Ward would later marvel at the "coincidence of meeting a group with a broken down truck in your own home town when you have previously spent months tyrapsing around the country in search of talent". He was particularly intrigued by the fact that they owned a Mellotron, and "invited them down the following week for an audition with my brother Charles and myself", the outcome of which was "good enough for us to want to be involved with them". Several demo sessions followed. The band were rehearsing at Rockfield when producer Gus Dudgeon (of David Bowie
David Bowie
David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
and Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
fame) dropped by to check the studio out, heard them play and expressed interest in producing them. A few months later, sessions took place at both Rockfield and London's Trident Studios, and the resulting album was released on the RCA/Neon label in 1971.
In spite of supporting Velvet Underground on a UK tour, plus Keith Christmas and The Sutherland Brothers on various dates, the band broke up in 1972 following aborted attempts at recording a second album. Two previously unreleased songs from these sessions (featuring new bassist Peter Decindis) appeared on The Laser's Edge's 1992 CD reissue of the album, along with "Fool's Gold" from the first album sessions. Moran later worked as sound engineer at Rockfield Studios, notably for Van der Graaf Generator
Van der Graaf Generator
Van der Graaf Generator are an English progressive rock band, formed in 1967 in Manchester. They were the first act signed to Charisma Records. The band achieved considerable success in Italy during the 1970s...
and Robert Plant
Robert Plant
Robert Anthony Plant, CBE is an English singer and songwriter best known as the vocalist and lyricist of the iconic rock band Led Zeppelin. He has also had a successful solo career...
; he died in early 2011. Martinez became an in-demand session guitarist, working with the likes of Alkatraz, Michael Chapman, Gypsy, Tim Rose and Robert Plant. Pick Withers
Pick Withers
David "Pick" Withers was the original drummer for the rock band Dire Straits and played on their first four albums, which included hit singles such as "Sultans of Swing," "Romeo and Juliet" and "Private Investigations."...
later became the drummer for Dire Straits
Dire Straits
Dire Straits were a British rock band active from 1977 to 1995, composed of Mark Knopfler , his younger brother David Knopfler , John Illsley , and Pick Withers .Dire Straits' sound drew from a variety of musical influences, including jazz, folk, blues, and came closest...
, playing on their first four records.
Track listing
- The Prisoner (Eight By Ten) (5:34)
- Grail (6:44)
- Boats (1:53)
- Shipwrecked Soldier (5:08)
- Golden Fleece (6:59)
- Inside Out (4:49)
- Song To Absent Friends (The Island) (2:47)
- Gazing (5:54)
- The following three tracks were added in the CD edition
- Fools Gold (1st album outtake)
- Hendre Mews (from unreleased 2nd LP)
- A World Full Of Whispers (from unreleased 2nd LP)