Savoy Brown (originally Savoy Brown Blues Band) were a British blues rock band[1] formed in Battersea, southwest London,[2] in 1965. Part of the late 1960s blues rock movement, Savoy Brown primarily achieved success in the United States, where they promoted their albums with non-stop touring.[2] Founder, guitarist and primary songwriter Kim Simmonds was the sole constant member of the band from its formation in 1965 until his death in 2022.
The band was formed by guitarist Kim Simmonds[2] and harmonica player John O'Leary, following a chance meeting at Transat Imports record shop in Lisle Street, Soho, in 1965. In naming themselves, the group put together two words that conveyed an interesting balance of opposite sentiments and approaches. The word "Savoy" came from an American blues label, Savoy Records, as the members of the band thought the word "Savoy" sounded elegant. They added "Brown" because they thought it was an extremely plain word. Overall, the group called itself the Savoy Brown Blues Band to tell listeners that they played Chicago Blues-sounding music.[3]
The original lineup included singer Brice Portius, keyboardist Trevor Jeavons, bassist Ray Chappell, drummer Leo Manning and harmonica player John O'Leary (O'Leary appeared on record with the band on its initial recordings for Mike Vernon's Purdah label). Portius was one of the first black blues musicians to be a part of a British rock band.[citation needed] Jeavons was replaced by Bob Hall shortly after the band's formation and the arrival of Martin Stone on guitars. Not long after Stone's arrival, O'Leary left the band as a consequence of a dispute with manager Harry Simmonds. This lineup, sans O'Leary, appeared on the band's 1967 debut album, Shake Down, a collection of blues covers.[2]
Further lineup changes ensued, with founding members Portius, Chappell and Manning departing along with recently recruited guitarist Stone over a short period of time. Chris Youlden and "Lonesome" Dave Peverett would become the band's new vocalist and 2nd guitarist respectively. Initially Bob Brunning and Hughie Flint (from John Mayall's Clapton-version Bluesbreakers) filled the bassist and drummer positions on the single "Taste and Try (Before You Buy)," but they were subsequently replaced by Rivers Jobe and Bill Bruford. Within a fortnight of Bruford's arrival in the band, he had been replaced by Roger Earl (Bruford went on to huge success later as Yes's drummer). This lineup recorded two albums in 1968, Getting to the Point, and Blue Matter, which demonstrated Youlden's rise as a songwriter alongside Simmonds. It was this lineup that released the single "Train to Nowhere" in 1969. A Step Further was released later that year, and introduced bassist Tony Stevens replacing Jobe. They developed a loyal core following in the United States, due to songs such as "I'm Tired," a driving, melodic song from the album.[citation needed]
Following the release of Raw Sienna (also released in 1969) Youlden departed the band. Raw Sienna marked the first time the band had recorded successive albums without any changes in personnel. The band recorded their next album, 1970's Looking In, as a four-piece, and following this album Peverett, Stevens, and Earl left to form Foghat with guitarist Rod Price.[4]
"More even than John Mayall, this band was the great mean—that is, the mean—of the purist (as opposed to heavy) wing of what we in America once called British blues."
They were one of the bands that UK Decca (US London/Parrot) stuck with through the lean times until they started selling records; it took four or five albums until they started to sell in the US. In the late 1960s and 1970s, the band managed to break into the Billboard Hot 100. The 1971 release Street Corner Talking included the songs "Tell Mama" and "Street Corner Talking". Superstardom perpetually evaded them, though, perhaps in part because of their frequent lineup changes. Despite that their next album, Hellbound Train (1972) was a Top 40 album for them in the US. In January 1974, the British music magazine, NME reported that Stan Webb was joining Savoy Brown, following the break-up of Chicken Shack.[6]
In the late 1970s, Simmonds organised the band with singer Ralph Morman, formerly of the Joe Perry Project, drummer Keith Boyce and guitarist Barry Paul of Heavy Metal Kids fame, and bassist John Humphrey. This lineup recorded the 1981 Rock 'N' Roll Warriors album, which gave Savoy Brown more success than the group had seen since the mid-1970s. The single "Run to Me", a cover of a song originally recorded by Smokie, became Savoy's highest-charting single in the United States, peaking at number 68 on the Billboard Hot 100 on the week of 31 October 1981.[7] That year found the band performing several major arena shows in the US alongside Judas Priest, and recording a live album at the Rainbow Music Hall in Denver. Greatest Hits – Live in Concert was released at the end of the year, featuring "Run to Me" as the sole studio track, as the single had appeared previously only on the German version of Rock 'N' Roll Warriors. Despite the success of this lineup, Simmonds was once again on his own by the Spring of 1982.
Singer Dave Walker returned to the group in the late 1980s and recorded two studio albums and one live album as lead vocalist, but left the group for a second time in 1991. All three of these projects featuring Walker were well received by longtime fans.[citation needed] During the 1990s Simmonds continued working with various lineups of the band, including a brief stint with future Molly Hatchet lead singer Phil McCormack.
Savoy Brown performing in 2002
During the band's active years, they toured the world and recorded regularly, with only Simmonds since its beginning.[2] Original member and harmonica player John O'Leary is still active on the British blues circuit with his band Sugarkane. After leaving Savoy Brown for the first time in the 1970s singer Dave Walker joined Fleetwood Mac for one album, and in early 1978 became the temporary lead singer for Black Sabbath.[8] Bassists have included: Andy Pyle, who played with Mick Abrahams from Jethro Tull in Blodwyn Pig, then later with The Kinks; John Humphrey, who would go on to work with many major artists, including Carole King; Gary Moore; and Andy Silvester, who played with Wha-Koo after Chicken Shack. Savoy Brown also provided an outlet for keyboardist and guitarist Paul Raymond, who later went on to join UFO. Drummer Keith Boyce reformed Heavy Metal Kids and is currently active with that group. Singer Ralph Morman disappeared from the scene in the mid-1980s until emerging in 2011 with plans for a solo project. Guitarist Barry Paul became a successful studio owner in Los Angeles. Singer Jimmy Kunes, who fronted the band during the mid-1980s, is currently the singer for the reformed supergroup Cactus.[citation needed]
Savoy Brown contributed the song "A Man Alone" for the soundtrack to the movie Kickboxer 2.[citation needed]
In 2008, "Train to Nowhere" was used, and figured as a clue, in the TV series CSI: NY, in Season 4, Episode 10 – "The Thing About Heroes".[citation needed]
Their first album for Blind Pig Records, Strange Days, was released in 2003.[2] The band released another record, Steel, in 2007.[2]
Their album, Voodoo Moon, was released by Ruf Records in 2011.[9]
In 2015, billed as Kim Simmonds and Savoy Brown, their album, The Devil to Pay, reached number four on the US BillboardTop Blues Albums chart.[10]
David Walker is an English singer and guitarist who has been front-man for a number of bands; most notably The Idle Race, Savoy Brown and Humble Pie, he also served briefly with Fleetwood Mac and Black Sabbath.
Foghat are an English rock band formed in London in 1971. The band is known for the use of electric slide guitar in its music. The band has achieved eight gold albums, one platinum and one double platinum album, and despite several line-up changes, continue to record and perform.
Roderick Michael Price was an English guitarist best known for his work with the rock band Foghat. He was known as 'The Magician of Slide', 'The Bottle', and 'Slide King of Rock and Roll', due to his slide guitar playing.
Roger Earl is an English drummer best known as a member of the rock band Foghat. A founding member, along with guitarist and vocalist "Lonesome" Dave Peverett, guitarist Rod Price, and bassist Tony Stevens, Earl is the only member to feature in every lineup of the band.
Kim Maiden Simmonds was a Welsh musician. He was the founder, guitarist, primary songwriter and sole consistent member of the blues rock band Savoy Brown, which he formed in 1965. Simmonds had led Savoy Brown since its inception, appearing on every Savoy Brown release.
Fool for the City is the fifth studio album by English rock band Foghat, released on 15 September 1975. Featuring the band's signature song "Slow Ride", along with the title track, it was the band's first album to go platinum. It was also the first album the band recorded after the departure of original bassist Tony Stevens. Producer Nick Jameson played bass and keyboards on the album, and co-wrote the closing track, "Take It or Leave It", with Dave Peverett. Appearing in the photograph on the back cover of the album, Jameson is not known to have toured with Foghat in support of the album. A new bassist, Craig MacGregor, was recruited shortly after the album's release, but Jameson would continue to produce and record intermittently with the band over the next couple of decades.
Raw Sienna is the fifth album by the band Savoy Brown. It was recorded and released by Decca in the United Kingdom 1970 in both mono and stereo. For release in United States and Canada, masters were leased to Parrot Records —PAS 71036.
Charles Huhn is an American rock singer and guitarist. He got his start playing with Vic Amato, Andy Dennen and Al Lesert in the band Cirrus, in and around Grand Rapids, Michigan, playing many gigs in West Michigan before joining Ted Nugent in 1978.
Foghat Live is a 1977 live album by Foghat. The release is Foghat's bestselling album with over two million copies sold, and certified double platinum in the United States.
David Jack Peverett, also known as Lonesome Dave, was an English singer and guitarist, best known as the original lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of the rock band Foghat, which he co-founded following his tenure in Savoy Brown.
A Step Further is the fourth album by the band Savoy Brown. It was released by Decca in the United Kingdom and by Parrot in the United States in September 1969. It is the last of the band's albums on which their long-time pianist Bob Hall played. The album track "Made Up My Mind" had first appeared as the B-side of the U.S. single release on Parrot Records 45-40039, fronted by "Train to Nowhere", from their album Blue Matter. The track "Waiting in the Bamboo Grove" would later be released as the B-side of the U.K. single release on Decca F 13019, of "A Hard Way To Go" from their album Raw Sienna.
Looking In is the sixth album by the British blues band Savoy Brown. The album featured "Lonesome" Dave Peverett on vocals, after Chris Youlden left the band the previous spring. Leader/guitarist Kim Simmonds would be the only band member to continue with the band after this album, as all other band members left to form Foghat the following year.
Hellbound Train is the eighth album by the band Savoy Brown.
Getting to the Point is the second studio album by the British blues rock band Savoy Brown. It marks the debut of a vastly different lineup, still led by Kim Simmonds but fronted by new vocalist Chris Youlden.
Blue Matter is the third album by the band Savoy Brown. Teaming up once again with producer Mike Vernon, it finds them experimenting even more within the blues framework. Several tracks feature piano as well as trombone.
Tony Stevens is an English musician, best known as the bassist with the bands Foghat, Savoy Brown, and Nobody's Business.
Street Corner Talking is the seventh studio album by the English blues rock band Savoy Brown. Released by Parrot Records in 1971, it was the first album released after the departure of guitarist Lonesome Dave, drummer Roger Earl, and bassist Tone Stevens, who all went on to form the more successful rock band Foghat. This left Kim Simmonds as the only remaining member. Simmonds recruited a new line-up of members, predominantly members of the previous line-up of the blues band Chicken Shack, which had undergone a seismic change in membership similar to that which had affected Savoy Brown, which, in turn, ushered in a new sound for the band.
Rivers Jobe, born Rivers Maitland Alexander Job, was a British bass player known for being a member of Anon, one of the two bands which merged to form the progressive rock band Genesis; and for playing on the Savoy Brown album, Getting to the Point (1968), as well as on the tracks "Vicksburg Blues", "Train to Nowhere", and "Tolling Bells" on the following Blue Matter album. Jobe was replaced in Savoy Brown by Tone Stevens in November 1968, and performed as a session musician and busker until his death.
References
1 2 Du Noyer, Paul (2003). The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Music (1sted.). Fulham, London: Flame Tree Publishing. p.181. ISBN1-904041-96-5.
↑ Pratt, Tim (May 1991). "Savoy Brown: Part Two"(PDF). BBR Boogie (17): 19. Retrieved 8 August 2019. When Peverett left, he took Stevens and Earl with him and emerged 18 months later with former Black Cat Bones guitarist Rod Price as Foghat. Foghat owed a lot of their early popularity, especially in the U.S., to their former band. Magazine articles and record campany (sic) press kits used the Savoy Brown connection for all it was worth.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
