Black Cat Bones were a British heavy blues rock group from London.
The band is perhaps best known for having had Paul Kossoff and Simon Kirke in its lineup, both of whom later joined Free in 1968. Kirke also became a founding member of Bad Company in 1974.
History
The band formed in 1966 with original members Paul Tiller (lead vocals and harmonica), Paul Kossoff (lead guitar), brothers Derek Brooks (rhythm guitar) and Stuart Brooks (bass), and Terry Sims (drums).
Black Cat Bones (named after black cat bones, a Hoodoo charm associated with blues music) played regularly on the London pub circuit. Early in the band's existence came several personnel changes, with Terry Sims being replaced by drummer Frank Perry, who was in turn replaced in early 1968 by drummer Simon Kirke. Paul Tiller was later replaced by vocalist Brian Short.
At the suggestion of Mike Vernon, owner of the Blue Horizon blues record label, Kossoff, Kirke and Stuart Brooks, backed veteran blues pianist Champion Jack Dupree, on his 1968 album When You Feel The Feeling You Was Feeling, and played on his concurrent UK tour. However, both Paul Kossoff and Simon Kirke left soon after, replaced by guitarist Rod Price and drummer Phil Lenoir. It was this lineup that recorded Barbed Wire Sandwich, the band's only album release. The album was recorded at Tangerine Studios and Decca Studios, and released in November 1969 on Decca's newly launched Nova label dedicated to progressive rock music. When the album failed to win the band critical acclaim, members Brian Short, Rod Price, and Phil Lenoir left the band, effectively ending its existence.
Brian Short went on to create a solo album entitled Anything for a Laugh in 1971, which also failed to win critical acclaim. Remaining band members Derek and Stuart Brooks were joined by vocalist Pete French and guitarist Mike Halls from the Brunning Sunflower Blues Band; after adding drummer Keith George Young, the outfit became the hard rock band Leaf Hound in 1970. Also in 1970, Lenoir joined Steve Peregrin Took's band Shagrat. Rod Price later went on to become the guitarist in Foghat from December 1970. Pete French joined Atomic Rooster and later Cactus which formed from the remnants of Vanilla Fudge. Mike Halls played for many years on the British blues circuit and later moved to California.
Bob Weston, later of Fleetwood Mac, also spent time with the band.
References
External links
- Alex Gatlin's Black Cat Bones page