Robert Plant & his Band Of Joy by: shiloh
Band of Joy were largely an elusive group due to the fact that they never released any albums or singles yet their notoriety was due to future Zeppelin Robert Plant and John Bonham being members. The idea of forming Band Of Joy was to play at live venues , the first formation being ex Tennessee Teens / Listen Bob Plant lead vox, ex Shooting Stars drummer Pete Robinson, Chris Brown keyboards, ex Stringbeats guitarist Vernon Pereira & bassist Lyndon Laney, replaced by Mick Reeves. The first moment of Joy broke in March 1967 when Bob Plant was asked to leave, so he did some blues harmonica / vox sessions with Alexis Korner jumping through Black Snake Moan and Crawling Kingsnakes.(These sessions yielded his first single ‘Our Song’/ ‘Laughin’, Cryin’, Laughin’ in March 1967, with backing singers Madeline Bell & Kiki Dee) He was replaced by ex Paint vocalist /guitarist Mickey Cox.
Band Of Joy’s first debut performances were featured at ‘Churchfields Comp school’ but actualized at the ‘Black Horse’ and ‘Chateau Impney’. (NB Band Of Joy had many entrants not recorded in this write up purely for lack of info) Once Plant left Band Of Joy a second phase toured the live venues now including ex Shooting Stars Paul Lockey & ex Paint Micky Cox who later joined Jardine with Keith Law. The completed third line-up Plant, Vernon Periera, Chris Brown, Pete Robinson from first BoJ entered a 2 week tour of Scotland. By 1967 a third phase of Band Of Joy comprised of the Wolverhamton band Paper which included Steve Bowen, Steve Taylor, John Elston, John Mathews and a returned Bob Plant. (Guitarist Kevyn Gammond stood in adhoc with ex Uncle Joseph bassist John Hill) This lineup was fondly remembered as Robert Plant and the Band of Joy that included a psychedelic light show. The band adopted full face paint with hippy regalia kaftans, beads on stage, performing at the ‘Ship & Rainbow’ covering William Roberts’ “Hey Joe” , Moby Grape and Love repertoire.
Also a short stint with the band was ex Uglys / Ian Campbell Folk Group guitarist Dave Pegg who was persuaded to swap to bass and has played the instrument ever since, but he did not tour but rather opted for Fairport Convention, later to ignite Jethro Tull). This line-up supported The Geno Washington Band in Wolverhamton and cleaned up. (notably band’s roadie was Noddy Holder later of Slade) Standard live repertoire included Billy Roberts’ “Hey Joe”, Buffalo Springfield’s “For What it Worth” and Tim Hardin’s “If I Were A Carpenter” and “Hang On to A Dream” and Jefferson Airplane’s “She Has Funny Cars” and “Plastic Fantastic Lover” Some of these were included in Plant’s retrospective 2003 album Sixty Six to Timbuktu.
In Oct 67 the Band of Joy 2 had to change its name to The Good Egg, but reformed in 1968 as Band of Joy to cover remaining gigs on the books, his line up was Bob, John, John Hill, Mick Strode, ex Big Three/ Journeymen Tim Rose and ex Senators / Pat Wayne & The Beachcombers/ The Way of Life John Bonham fresh out of Crawling King Snakes. The last Band of Joy gigs were played in Sunderland and Newcastle upon Tyne in 68 with members of the second Band of Joy. Band of Joy co-founder Vernon Pereira formed the hard rock band Possessed while Plant went to Obbstweedle where he was abducted by some ex Yardbirds for Led Zeppelin. In 1977 Gammond & Lockey revived Band of Joy with John Pasternak, Peter Robinson & keyboardist Michael Chetwood, Gammond, Lockey, Pasternak & Robinson, all previous Bronco. In 2010 Plant toured as Robert Plant & the Band of Joy with a different trip and a banjo rip.
Added: May 24th 2011
Reviewer: shiloh | See all reviews by shiloh
Category: Music
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Related Link: Seekers Guide To The Rhythm Of Yesteryear