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Lieutenant Pigeon | |
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| Origin | Coventry, England |
| Genres | Pop, novelty |
| Years active | 1972–present |
| Labels | Decca, London |
| Past members | Robert Woodward Hilda Woodward Steven Johnson Nigel Fletcher |
| Website | lieutenantpigeon |
Lieutenant Pigeon were an English novelty musical group popular in the early 1970s, originating in Coventry.
A spin-off from an experimental music band Stavely Makepeace, [1] the group was fronted by Rob Woodward and managed by him and drummer Nigel Fletcher. Other members included bassist Steven Johnson. [2] The group's sound was dominated by a heavy honky-tonk-style piano played by Woodward's mother, Hilda.
Lieutenant Pigeon (an anagram of Genuine Potential) achieved two UK hits: "Mouldy Old Dough", written by Woodward with bandmate Fletcher, which reached number one in 1972, followed by "Desperate Dan" (number 17 in 1973). [3] Both tracks were largely instrumental, with the titles providing virtually the only lyrics. "Mouldy Old Dough" (the title being an adaptation of the 1920s jazz phrase, "vo-de-o-do") became the second biggest selling UK single of the year, behind The Band of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards' bagpipe version of "Amazing Grace".
Lieutenant Pigeon scored a further hit, in the autumn of 1974, when they reached number three in the Australian chart with a cover version of "I'll Take You Home Again, Kathleen". The band stopped gigging in 1978, although Johnson (after recording as Class 50) re-formed the band in the 1980s, touring to notable success in Scandinavia. The line-up went through a number of changes. By the late 1980s Steven Johnson was the only original member of the live band, replaced by Chris Allen (current Troggs lead vocalist) in 1993. Fletcher joined Tasty (which also featured Johnson) and Oakie. [2] Johnson subsequently set up a documentary video production company. [2] Hilda Woodward died, aged 85, on 22 February 1999. She was aged 58 at the time of "Mouldy Old Dough" topping the chart, which made her one of the oldest female artists to feature on a UK number one single.[ citation needed ]
The Pigeon name, and that of Stavely Makepeace, remain active with former members working together in the production of backing beds and jingles, maintaining a website and releasing occasional new material. Their 2001 release "Opus 400" is a 35-minute single composed of separate sections. For a number of years now, Woodward and Fletcher have continued to produce music which they have made available through their website.
Lieutenant Pigeon were a spin-off from Stavely Makepeace. Primarily consisting of Woodward and Fletcher, they began their career in 1969, experimenting with musical ideas in their home studio. [4] The music they created was a form of eccentric pop that reflected their obsession with producer Joe Meek. [5] Their debut single "(I Wanna Love You Like a) Mad Dog" was released in 1969. [4] A compilation of their material, The Scrap Iron Rhythm Revue , was released in 2004. [6] Their 1972 single "Slippery Rock 70s" was used in the film Hot Fuzz in 2007 after the film's producers heard it on the album. [6]
KC and the Sunshine Band is an American disco and funk band that was founded in 1973 in Hialeah, Florida. Their best-known songs include the hits "Get Down Tonight", "That's the Way ", "(Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty", "I'm Your Boogie Man", "Keep It Comin' Love", "Boogie Shoes", "Please Don't Go", and "Give It Up". The band took its name from lead vocalist Harry Wayne Casey's last name ('KC') and the 'Sunshine Band' from KC's home state of Florida, the Sunshine State. The group had five number one singles on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the 1970s.
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"Mouldy Old Dough" is a primarily instrumental song by Lieutenant Pigeon. It reached the number one spot in 1972 on charts in Belgium, the UK, Ireland and New Zealand.
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The Scrap Iron Rhythm Revue is a compilation album and the first album overall by English avant-pop band Stavely Makepeace, released in May 2004 by reissue label RPM Records. Compiled by journalist Bob Stanley, it contains a string of singles recorded between 1969 and 1984 that the band recorded in their home studio and released on various record labels. The band, primarily consisting of Rob Woodward and Nigel Fletcher, were influenced by Joe Meek, and started the band in order to explore experimental and disparate ideas within pop music, describing their musical style as the "scrap iron sound" in reference to their incorporation of unusual instruments. Their singles were commercially unsuccessful, though the band would find major success with "Mouldy Old Dough" (1972) under the extended line-up of Lieutenant Pigeon.
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Hilda Woodward was a British musician from Coventry. She is best known for playing the piano on the hit song "Mouldy Old Dough", by the band Lieutenant Pigeon.
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