Biography

Heads Hands & Feet was a British rock and country rock band.^[1] It was formed in 1969 after the breakup of Poet and the One Man Band,^[2] which included some of the same members (see Members below).

Music and performances

Heads Hands & Feet recorded their debut album, Home From Home, in 1970. Initially shelved by their label, it was finally released in 1996.

In 1971, their proper debut release, Heads Hands & Feet, was released as a single-disc record in Europe on Island Records, and as a double album in the United States on the Capitol Records label.^[1]

While still relatively unknown, they served as the supporting act for Deep Purple's series of concerts from 5 to 8 March 1971 in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee, and Aberdeen, Scotland.^[3] They were the opening act at a free concert in London's Hyde Park on 3 July 1971, which also featured Humble Pie and Grand Funk Railroad.^[4][5]

In 1972, the band toured the United States.^[6] Their second album, Tracks, received some critical acclaim.^[1] But internal tensions in the band resulted in a break-up in December 1972, before the group's third release, Old Soldiers Never Die, in 1973.^[1]

Other activities

Ray Smith and Tony Colton teamed with producer and composer Johnny Harris on several efforts, including co-writing and co-producing for Richard Harris and Shirley Bassey, as well as writing and performing the soundtrack for the 1970 BBC documentary, The World of Georgie Best.^[7] In 1970, members of the group performed at the Royal Albert Hall with the Johnny Harris Orchestra for his 'Movements' concert, opening for Dionne Warwick.

Members of Heads Hands & Feet also provided the core backing for:

• Shirley Bassey's album Something (1970)
• Richard Harris's single "A Ballad of a Man Called Horse" (1970)
• a still-unissued Carl Wayne album (1970)
• Jerry Lee Lewis's album The Session...Recorded in London with Great Artists, recorded in London from 7 to 11 January 1973
• Don Everly's Sunset Towers album (1974)
• Teresa Brewer's Rock Version of "Music! Music! Music!" (1973)

Members

• Tony Colton (born Anthony George Chalk, 11 February 1942, Tunbridge Wells, Kent; died 24 August 2020) - vocals
• Pete Gavin (born Peter Leslie Rowney, 8 September 1946, Lewisham, South East London) - drums
• Chas Hodges (born Charles Nicholas Hodges, 28 December 1943, Edmonton, North London; died 22 September 2018) - bass, vocals, violin
• Albert Lee (born Albert William Lee, 21 December 1943, Willey, Herefordshire) - lead guitar
• Mike O'Neill (born Michael O'Neill, 8 July 1938, Lowton, Lancashire; died 10 October 2013, Stevenage, Hertfordshire) - keyboards (1970-1971)
• Ray Smith (born Raymond Barry Smith, 7 September 1943, London);died 6 June 2022 - rhythm guitar, vocals, bass

Colton, Smith and O'Neill were previously members of the band Poet and the One Man Band.

Discography

Studio albums

^[1]

References