Cupid's Inspiration | |
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Origin | Stamford, Lincolnshire |
Genres | Pop music, rock music |
Years active | 1968—1985, 2010—2021 |
Members |
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Past members |
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Website | Roger Gray's Cupid's Inspiration: http://www.cupidsinspirationuk.com Terry Rice-Milton's Cupid's Inspiration: http://www.cupidsinspiration.co.uk |
Cupid's Inspiration are a British pop group, active with various line up changes since 1968 when they had two hit singles. The current version of the band consists of original drummer Roger Gray re-joining the veteran line up of Paul Shanahan and Bob Poole with Paul Thomas on vocals.
Originally from Stamford, Lincolnshire, the band were at first called The Ends [1] (no relation to The End).
The group scored two Top 40 hits on the UK Singles Chart in 1968. "Yesterday Has Gone", originally a hit for Little Anthony and The Imperials, [1] reached No. 4 in July of that year, and "My World" went to No. 33 in October. [2] In 1970, lead singer Terry Rice-Milton the vocalist on the hit singles left, replaced by John Lynch and then Martin Cure, who added several musicians from Leamington to the line-up so none of the hit making band remained after these changes.
Rice-Milton had his third hit with "You're My World" in 1970 (a song that had previously been a hit for Cilla Black), [1] while bass player Gordon Haskell later joined King Crimson. [1]
By 1978, the band began writing and recording heavier rock songs. These were performed under a different name, initially '4 Wheel Drive', which they soon changed to 'Chevy', to avoid alienating Cupid's Inspiration fans. They recruited Steve Walwyn, later of Dr. Feelgood to give a "twin guitar" sound. As 'Chevy' they toured supporting bands such as Alvin Lee, Hawkwind and Gillan. [3] Chevy recorded two BBC In Concert Programmes, issued three singles: "Too Much Loving" / "See the Light", "The Taker" / "Life on the Run" and "Just Another Day" / "Rock On" and one album The Taker, released in September 1980. [4]
The band's hit single, featuring Terry-Rice Milton, "Yesterday Has Gone" (written by Teddy Randazzo [5] and Victoria Pike) has featured on many compilation albums, including Sixties Power Ballads – The Greatest Driving Anthems in the World... Ever! (2007) as well as their original album Yesterday Has Gone (1969).
In more recent years, there were two bands that toured as "Cupid's Inspiration", one that featured original drummer Roger Gray and another that featured original singer Terry Rice-Milton and bassist Laughton James: [6]
One of these bands was formed in 2010 by Paul Shanahan, Bob Poole (both members of the band in the 1970s), with Paul Thomas and Rick Medlock, Medlock then being replaced by original member Roger Gray in 2014, who toured until 2021 when Gray retired. However he gave his blessing to Shanahan, Poole and Thomas to hire a new drummer and keyboards member to carry on the band.
Another Cupid's Inspiration band, formed by original members Terry Rice-Milton and Laughton James, was formed in the mid 2010s and lasted for a few years. Rice-Milton now sings solo, performing the songs of Cupid's Inspiration.
Years | Band Name | Lead singer | Guitarist | Bassist | Keyboardist | Drummer | |
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Early 1968—October 1968 | Cupid's Inspiration | Terry Rice-Milton | Wyndham George | Laughton James | Garfield Tonkin | Roger Gray | |
October 1968—1969 | Bernie Lee | Gordon Haskell | |||||
1969—1970 | Derek Needham | David Morris | |||||
1970 | John Lynch | Paul Shanahan | |||||
1970 | Martin Cure | Graham Amos | none | ||||
1970—1972 | Bob Poole | ||||||
1972 | Eamonn Carr | Andy Chaplin | |||||
1972—1978 | |||||||
1978—1981 | 4 Wheel Drive/Chevy | ||||||
1981—1985 | Paul Brooke | ||||||
2010—2014 | Cupid's Inspiration | Paul Thomas | Rick Medlock | ||||
2014—2021 | Roger Gray |
Year | Label | Title |
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1969 | NEMS | Yesterday Has Gone [12] [13] |
Year | Label | A-side | B-side | UK [14] [15] |
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1968 | NEMS | "Yesterday Has Gone" [16] | "Dream" | 4 |
"My World" [16] | "Everything Is Meant To Be" | 33 | ||
1969 | Bell | "The Sad Thing" [16] | "Look At Me" | X |
1970 | CBS | "Without Your Love" [16] | "Different Guy" | X |
"Are You Growing Tired Of My Love" [16] | "Sunshine" | X | ||
1974 | DJM | "Yesterday Has Gone" [16] | "My World" | X |
1987 | MBS | "Yesterday Has Gone" [16] | "My World" | X |