"I have just been surfing the web and what did I just find? An original of our Bands demo disc recorded in London at the IBC studio. The recording of both songs were done in an hour. We had a few cut for our own use and also a few that we left with Recording Labels in London and also one with Roy Wood and Trev Burton of the Move. They wanted to start up a label for unknown groups and as we got to know them fearly well we drove up to Birmingham from High Wycombe and left them a copy to hear.
Our lead singer Dave was often said to resemble Paul Jones of Manfred Mann, although we could never hear the simularity. Dave and Keith left the band and joined up with a band called "Farm" who's bassist was Nigel Harrison (yes ,of Blondie fame) and the late Paul Hammond who played drums with Atomic Rooster and had a number one hit with Tommorow Night.
Take a look at this web link for more information on our Band, which I believe, disbanded
http://www.california-ballroom.info/bands/respect.htmd
when I moved to Germany.
Ah! yes, both songs were originals. Santa Lucia was penned by Dave Bowden and Clive Whitelock (a friend of Daves) and was originally an accoustic spanish feeling - The Minstrel was a co-operation of the band - Dave writting the words and the basic melody from me - although alot of comparison was made to The Weight by the Band - wasn't intentional and I'm not sure even if I heard The Weight before the tune came into my head.
So, let's hear it for the Minstrel :-)
with Respect
Michael Henry Grant
Kaiserslautern, Germany"
Link to the original acetate:-
- Respect (1)