The Human Instinct
Encyclopedia
The Human Instinct are a New Zealand
blues rock
band that has been active since the late 1960s. The band currently consists of Maurice Greer (lead vocals and stand-up drummer), Phil Pritchard (guitar), Joel Haines (guitar) and Tony Baird (bass). The band has had more than 25 members and has changed lineups several times since its formation under the leadership of Maurice Greer.
They have released a total of seven albums and thirty singles. Their most recent album, Midnight Sun, was released October 2010.
The band is best known for their single "Black Sally" and their album Stoned Guitar
which features the Jimi Hendrix
-inspired guitar work of Billy Te Kahika, professionally known as Billy TK.
In mid-1966 Maurice Greer, then fronting his own band The Saints, was invited to audition. He had his first group at the age of 14 and was billed as "the teenage wonder drummer". In 1964 he began experimenting with his drum kit, converting it into a stand up-unit, which he claimed was better for his vocals. As well as his drumming ability, the Four Fours were impressed with his ability to harmonise and hit high notes, talents valued by chart-topping bands of the time. He joined just in time to record their biggest hit "Go Go"/"Don’t Print My Memoirs".
The band, featuring Maurice Greer as vocalist and stand-up drummer, toured as support band for The Rolling Stones
' 1966 New Zealand tour and sailed to the UK in August, changing their name en route to the Human Instinct.
The band won a recording deal with Mercury Records
in 1967, releasing "Rich Man" (which New Musical Express
described as a "pounding up-tempo piece with ear catching lyrics and some weird sounds"), "Can’t Stop Loving You", and a re-recording of the Four Fours' "Go Go". The band then signed with Deram Records
to record "A Day in My Mind's Mind", described 30 years later by English critic Jon Savage as "a blurring of the real and fantastic, aurally reproduced by untuned raga-style guitars and a few voices".
Greer declined an offer to join the Jeff Beck Group
, opting instead to return to New Zealand in September 1968 as the band disintegrated.
-born Greer sought a heavier rock sound with his band’s new three-piece lineup back in New Zealand: he had enlisted guitarist and old high school friend Billy Te Kahika
(who used the name Billy TK) and bassist Peter Barton.
The Human Instinct secured a role as resident band at Auckland’s Bo Peep Club, then abandoned the gig to return to Britain in February 1969, where they invested in a massive PA and lighting system. They remained there for three months, during which time they met New Zealand guitarist Jesse Harper (real name Doug Jerebine). Human Instinct would record several Harper compositions for their first two albums.
and entered ASTOR Studios to record their first blues-based album, Burning Up Years
, which was released in late 1969. Three of the album’s seven songs were Harper compositions. (Another song, the A-side of their first single, "I Think I’ll Go Back Home", was a blues version of Neil Young
’s "Everybody Knows This is Nowhere", but wrongly credited to Harper.)
During recording Barton was replaced on bass by Larry Waide.
Recording engineers were Gary Potts and Wahanui Wynyard. Recorded using Ampex AG-440 4-Track (1/2" tape).
, after which Waide was replaced by former Underdogs bassist Neil Edwards. The band began work on their third album, Pins in It
, which was released in June 1971.
The band flew to Sydney
for a three-month tour, after which TK quit the band to remain in Australia. His place was taken by keyboardist Graeme Collins, formerly of Dedikation and Dragon.
sound. The band released two more albums, 1972's Snatmin Cuthin? (an anagram of the band's name) and The Hustler (1974). A series of lineup changes took place before Greer ended the band in 1982.
A further album, Peg Leg, was belatedly released in 2001, produced from sessions originally recorded in late 1975.
In July 2007 the Human Instinct travelled to South Korea to play on the main stage at the Pentaport Rock Festival
.
In July 2009 they returned to South Korea to play on the main stage at the Jisan Valley Rock Festival
.
In 2010 a new album, Midnight Sun, was released, with Maurice Greer on drums/vocals, Neil Edwards on bass and Joel Haines on guitar. There are guest appearances on the album by Billy TK, Eddie Rayner and Murray Grindlay. A box set was also released containing the three albums recorded for the Zodic label: Snatmin Cuthin?, The Hustler, and Peg Leg.
Former members
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
blues rock
Blues-rock
Blues rock is a hybrid musical genre combining bluesy improvisations over the 12-bar blues and extended boogie jams with rock and roll styles. The core of the blues rock sound is created by the electric guitar, piano, bass guitar and drum kit, with the electric guitar usually amplified through a...
band that has been active since the late 1960s. The band currently consists of Maurice Greer (lead vocals and stand-up drummer), Phil Pritchard (guitar), Joel Haines (guitar) and Tony Baird (bass). The band has had more than 25 members and has changed lineups several times since its formation under the leadership of Maurice Greer.
They have released a total of seven albums and thirty singles. Their most recent album, Midnight Sun, was released October 2010.
The band is best known for their single "Black Sally" and their album Stoned Guitar
Stoned Guitar
Stoned Guitar is the second album by New Zealand blues-rock band The Human Instinct. It was released in 1970.The cover features an adaptation of a painting by New Plymouth artist Michael Smither, "Two Rock Pools"....
which features the Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
-inspired guitar work of Billy Te Kahika, professionally known as Billy TK.
Early history: psychedelic pop (1966-1968)
The band emerged from a 1950s pop band The Four Fours, formed in Tauranga in 1958 by drummer Trevor Spitz. Lead guitarist Bill Ward joined in 1959, former police cadet Dave Hartstone became rhythm guitarist in 1960, and Frank Hay was enlisted on bass. The foursome rapidly became one of the most sought-after bands in the country.In mid-1966 Maurice Greer, then fronting his own band The Saints, was invited to audition. He had his first group at the age of 14 and was billed as "the teenage wonder drummer". In 1964 he began experimenting with his drum kit, converting it into a stand up-unit, which he claimed was better for his vocals. As well as his drumming ability, the Four Fours were impressed with his ability to harmonise and hit high notes, talents valued by chart-topping bands of the time. He joined just in time to record their biggest hit "Go Go"/"Don’t Print My Memoirs".
The band, featuring Maurice Greer as vocalist and stand-up drummer, toured as support band for The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
' 1966 New Zealand tour and sailed to the UK in August, changing their name en route to the Human Instinct.
The band won a recording deal with Mercury Records
Mercury Records
Mercury Records is a record label operating as a standalone company in the UK and as part of the Island Def Jam Motown Music Group in the US; both are subsidiaries of Universal Music Group. There is also a Mercury Records in Australia, which is a local artist and repertoire division of Universal...
in 1967, releasing "Rich Man" (which New Musical Express
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
described as a "pounding up-tempo piece with ear catching lyrics and some weird sounds"), "Can’t Stop Loving You", and a re-recording of the Four Fours' "Go Go". The band then signed with Deram Records
Deram Records
Deram Records was a subsidiary record label established in 1966 by Decca Records in the United Kingdom. At this time U.K. Decca was a completely different company than the Decca label in the United States, which was then owned by MCA Inc. Deram recordings were also distributed in the U.S. through...
to record "A Day in My Mind's Mind", described 30 years later by English critic Jon Savage as "a blurring of the real and fantastic, aurally reproduced by untuned raga-style guitars and a few voices".
Greer declined an offer to join the Jeff Beck Group
Jeff Beck
Geoffrey Arnold "Jeff" Beck is an English rock guitarist. He is one of three noted guitarists to have played with The Yardbirds...
, opting instead to return to New Zealand in September 1968 as the band disintegrated.
Peak of popularity: acid rock and blues rock (1969-1971)
Palmerston NorthPalmerston North
Palmerston North is the main city of the Manawatu-Wanganui region of the North Island of New Zealand. It is an inland city with a population of and is the country's seventh largest city and eighth largest urban area. Palmerston North is located in the eastern Manawatu Plains near the north bank...
-born Greer sought a heavier rock sound with his band’s new three-piece lineup back in New Zealand: he had enlisted guitarist and old high school friend Billy Te Kahika
Billy TK
Billy TK is a Māori guitarist, born in Palmerston North, New Zealand. He has often been touted as the Māori Jimi Hendrix, and is one of the most respected and technically proficient guitarists in New Zealand today.- Early work :...
(who used the name Billy TK) and bassist Peter Barton.
The Human Instinct secured a role as resident band at Auckland’s Bo Peep Club, then abandoned the gig to return to Britain in February 1969, where they invested in a massive PA and lighting system. They remained there for three months, during which time they met New Zealand guitarist Jesse Harper (real name Doug Jerebine). Human Instinct would record several Harper compositions for their first two albums.
Burning Up Years (1969)
On their return to New Zealand, Greer was signed by Pye RecordsPye 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...
and entered ASTOR Studios to record their first blues-based album, Burning Up Years
Burning Up Years
Burning Up Years is the debut album by New Zealand blues-rock band The Human Instinct. It was released in 1969 and reissued on CD by Ascension Records in 2001....
, which was released in late 1969. Three of the album’s seven songs were Harper compositions. (Another song, the A-side of their first single, "I Think I’ll Go Back Home", was a blues version of Neil Young
Neil Young
Neil Percival Young, OC, OM is a Canadian singer-songwriter who is widely regarded as one of the most influential musicians of his generation...
’s "Everybody Knows This is Nowhere", but wrongly credited to Harper.)
During recording Barton was replaced on bass by Larry Waide.
Recording engineers were Gary Potts and Wahanui Wynyard. Recorded using Ampex AG-440 4-Track (1/2" tape).
Stoned Guitar
In June 1970 the band began work on their second album, Stoned GuitarStoned Guitar
Stoned Guitar is the second album by New Zealand blues-rock band The Human Instinct. It was released in 1970.The cover features an adaptation of a painting by New Plymouth artist Michael Smither, "Two Rock Pools"....
, after which Waide was replaced by former Underdogs bassist Neil Edwards. The band began work on their third album, Pins in It
Pins in It
Pins in It is the third album by New Zealand blues-rock band The Human Instinct. It was released in 1971 and was both the first album to feature bassist Neil Edwards and the last to feature Billy TK on guitar...
, which was released in June 1971.
The band flew to Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
for a three-month tour, after which TK quit the band to remain in Australia. His place was taken by keyboardist Graeme Collins, formerly of Dedikation and Dragon.
Country rock
In 1972 Greer changed the lineup again, enlisting guitarists Martin Hope (Fourmyula) and John Donoghue (Timberjack) and bassist Glenn Mikkelson for a new country rockCountry rock
Country rock is sub-genre of popular music, formed from the fusion of rock with country. The term is generally used to refer to the wave of rock musicians who began to record country-flavored records in the late 1960s and early 1970s, beginning with Bob Dylan and The Byrds; reaching its greatest...
sound. The band released two more albums, 1972's Snatmin Cuthin? (an anagram of the band's name) and The Hustler (1974). A series of lineup changes took place before Greer ended the band in 1982.
A further album, Peg Leg, was belatedly released in 2001, produced from sessions originally recorded in late 1975.
End of hiatus (2000s)
Greer reformed the band in 2002 for a series of performances.In July 2007 the Human Instinct travelled to South Korea to play on the main stage at the Pentaport Rock Festival
Pentaport rock festival
Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival is a rock festival, which is held annually in Incheon, South Korea for three days at the end of July. It is considered as one of the biggest live music events in South Korea. The festival covers various genres of music, but mainly rock music and electronic music...
.
In July 2009 they returned to South Korea to play on the main stage at the Jisan Valley Rock Festival
Jisan Valley Rock Festival
Jisan Valley Rock Festival is an annual 3 day music festival that is held at Jisan Valley Ski Resort, in Icheon, South Korea on the last weekend of July. It is organized by Yellow9 Entertainment in close coordination with Fuji Rock Festival, sharing many artists...
.
In 2010 a new album, Midnight Sun, was released, with Maurice Greer on drums/vocals, Neil Edwards on bass and Joel Haines on guitar. There are guest appearances on the album by Billy TK, Eddie Rayner and Murray Grindlay. A box set was also released containing the three albums recorded for the Zodic label: Snatmin Cuthin?, The Hustler, and Peg Leg.
Albums
- Burning Up YearsBurning Up YearsBurning Up Years is the debut album by New Zealand blues-rock band The Human Instinct. It was released in 1969 and reissued on CD by Ascension Records in 2001....
(Pye, 1969) - Stoned GuitarStoned GuitarStoned Guitar is the second album by New Zealand blues-rock band The Human Instinct. It was released in 1970.The cover features an adaptation of a painting by New Plymouth artist Michael Smither, "Two Rock Pools"....
(Pye, 1970) - Pins in ItPins in ItPins in It is the third album by New Zealand blues-rock band The Human Instinct. It was released in 1971 and was both the first album to feature bassist Neil Edwards and the last to feature Billy TK on guitar...
(Pye, 1971) - Snatmin Cuthin (Zodiac, 1972)
- The Hustler (Zodiac, 1974)
- Peg Leg – The Lost Tapes (Rajon, 2002)
- Midnight Sun (ODE, 2010)
Singles
- "Can't Stop Around/I Want to be Loved by You" (Mercury, 1966)
- "Rich Man"/"Illusions" (Mercury, 1966)
- "Go-Go"/"I Can't Live Without You" (Mercury, 1967)
- "A Day in My Mind's Mind/Death of the Seaside" (Deram, 1967)
- "Renaissance Fair/Pink Dawn" (Deram, 1968)
- "I Think I’ll Go Back Home"/"You Really Got Me" (Pye, 1969)
- "Midnight Sun"/"Idea" (Pye, 1970)
- "Black Sally"/"Tomorrow" (Pye, 1970)
- "Rainbow World"/"Highway" (Pye, 1971)
- "Texas Sparrow"/"Children of the World" (Pye, 1971)
- "Down the Hall On Saturday Night"/"Simple Man" (Zodiac, 1972)
- "Tropical Paradise"/"Dixie Holiday" (Family, 1975)
Band members
Current lineup- Maurice Greer - lead vocals and drums (1966–present)
- Phil Pritchard - guitar (2002–present)
- Joel Haines - guitar (1998, 2010-present)
- Tony Baird - bass (2007–present)
Former members
- Dave Hartstone - lead vocals, guitar (1966–1968)
- Bill Ward - lead guitar, vocals (1966–1968)
- Frank Hay - bass, vocals (1966–1969) (Deceased)
- Billy Te Kahika - lead guitar, vocals (1969–1971, 2002, tours)
- Michael Brown - bass (1971)
- Peter Barton - bass (1971)
- Larry Waide - bass (1971) (Deceased)
- Neil Edwards - bass, vocals (1971-1973 198?, 2002–2005)
- Graeme Collins - keyboard (1973) (Deceased)
- Martin Hope - lead guitar, vocals (1973-?)
- Glenn Mikkelson aka Zaine Griff - bass, vocals
- John Donaghue - lead guitar, vocals
- Phil Whitehead - lead guitar
- Steve McDonald - keyboard, vocals
- Peter Cuddihy - bass, vocals
- Andrew Kaye - keyboard, vocals (Deceased)
- Chris Gunn - bass
- Malcolm Weatherall - bass
- Len Whittle - keyboard
- John Parker - lead guitar
- Kevin Fury - lead guitar
- Steve Hubbard - lead guitar
- Murray Hancox - keyboard
- Stuart Pearce - keyboard
- Peter Woods - keyboard