The Herd
Band members Related acts
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line up 1 (1965) - Louis Cennamo -- bass - Terry Clark -- lead vocals, lead guitar - Tony Chapman -- drums, percussion - Lewis Rich -- vocals, keyboards
line up 2 (1965-66) - Terry Clark -- lead vocals, guitar - Lewis Rich -- vocals, keyboards NEW - Gary Taylor (aka Graham John Taylor) -- vocals, bass (replaced Louis Cennamo) NEW- Mick Underwood -- drums, percussion (replaced Tony Chapman)
line up 3 (1966-68) NEW - Andy Bown -- bass, backing vocals - Gary Taylor (aka Graham John Taylor) -- vocals, bass NEW - Peter Frampton (1966–1968) – vocals, lead guitar NEW - Andrew Steele (RIP 2005) -- drums, percussion, backing vocals (replaced Mick Underwood)
line up 4 (1968) - Andy Bown -- keyboards, vocals - Gary Taylor (aka Graham John Taylor) -- vocals, bass - Peter Frampton – guitar, vocals NEW - Henry Spinetti -- drums, percussion (replaced Andrew Steele)
line up 5 (1968) - Andy Bown -- keyboards, vocals, bass - Henry Spinetti -- drums, percussion (replaced Andrew Steele) - Gary Taylor (aka Graham John Taylor) -- bass, vocals, guitar
line up 6 (1971) - Lewis Rich -- vocals, keyboards - Andrew Steele (RIP 2005) -- drums, percussion vocals - Gary Taylor -- bass, vocals, guitar
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- Alphabet (Tony Chapman) - Amazon (Andy Bown) - Armageddon (Louis Cennamo) - Axis (Louis Cennamo) - The Birds (Terry Clark) - Bogomas (Louis Cennamo) - Andy Bown (solo efforts) - Louis Cennamo and Michael Timothy - The Chaps (Mick Underwood) - Chicago Line (Blues Band) (Louis Cennamo) - The Cliftons (Tony Chapman) - Colosseum (Louis Cennamo) - The Mick Cox Band (Andrew Steele) - "Dear Jerry" Ensemble (Peter Frampton) - Doggerel Bank (Andrew Steele) - The Doves (Terry Clark and Mick Underwood) - Episode Six (Mick Underwood) - The Family Dogg (Gary Taylor) - Gary Farr and the T-Bones (Andy Bown) - Fancy (Henry Spinetti) - The Five Dimensions (Louis Cennamo) - Fox (Gary Taylor) - Peter Frampton (solo efforts) - Frampton's Camel (Peter Frampton) - George's Band (Henry Spinetti) - Gillian (Mick Underwood) - Grunt Futtock (Andy Bown and Peter Frampton) - Heinz And The Wild Boys (Mick Underwood) - Humble Pie (Peter Frampton) - Hustler (Henry Spinetti) - Illusion (Louis Cennamo) - Jody Grind (Louis Cennamo) - Judas Jump (Andy Bown and Henry Spinetti) - Kid Gloves (Andrew Steele and Gary Taylor) - Mark Knopfler's Guitar Heroes (Peter Frampton) - The Lancasters (Mick Underwood) - Lazy Racer (Henry Spinetti) - Limited Edition (Louis Cennamo) - Man Doki Soulmates (Peter Frampton) - Moon's Train (Tony Chapman) - The Muldoons (Andrew Steele) - The Outlaws (Mick Underwood) - Peace (Mick Underwood) - Jimmy Powell And The 5 Dimensions (Louis Cennamo and Mick Underwood) - The Preachers (Tony Chapman and Peter Frampton) - Lewis Rich (solo efforts) - Quartermass (Mick Underwood) - Quartermass II (Mick Underwood) - Raw Glory (Mick Underwood) - Renaissance (Louis Cennamo) - The Rolling Stones (Tony Chapman) - Sammy (Mick Underwood) - Scrugg (Henry Spinetti) - Chris Staintin's Tundra (Henry Spinetti) - Stairway (Louis Cennamo) - Status Quo (Andy Bown) - Stealers Wheel (Andrew Steele and Gary Taylor) - Steamhammer (Louis Cennamo) - Strapps (Mick Underwood) - Storyteller (Henry Spinetti) - The T-Bones (Andrew Steele) - Glen Turner's Tundra (Henry Spinetti) - Tundra (Henry Spinetti) - Mick Underwood (solo effort) - Wizard's Convention (Henry Spinetti) - Yellow Dog (Gary Taylor)
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Genre: pop Rating: *** (3 stars) Title: Lookin Thru You Company: Fontana Catalog: SRF
67579 Country/State: London, UK Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+ Comments: minor cover wear Available: 1 Catalog ID: -- Price: $40.00
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I'll admit it - I bought this album for the connection to a young Peter Frampton. That's him on the album cover - third from the left. Yes, I was one of the millions who became enraptured by "Frampton Comes Alive", but I'd actually known about Frampton from his days with Humble Pie. Add to that, I'd kind of kept track of his story through 2014's "Hummingbird In A Box: Songs For A Ballet". So why not check out his musical roots when I found a copy of "Lookin Thru You" at a Northern Virginia yard sale?
Formed in South London, The Herd's roots track back to 1965 and a line-up featuring bassist Louis Cennamo, The Rolling Stones' first drummer Tony Chapman, former The Birds singer/guitarist Terry Clark and bassist Gary Taylor. Under the arm of manager Billy Gaff the band joined the legions of you "pretty boy" groups looking for fame and fortune,. With support from The Stones' Bill Wyman the quartet were signed by EMI's Parolophone subsidiary, releasing a series of three singles over the next year:
- 1965's "Goodbye Baby (Baby Goodbye)" b/w "Here Comes The Fool" (Parlophone catalog number R 5284) - 1965's "She Was Really Saying Something" b/w "It's Been A Long Time Baby" (Parlophone catalog number R 5353) - 1966's "So Much In Love" b/w "This Boy's Always Been True" (Parlophone catalog number R 5413)
Shortly after the third single was released the band splintered. With Taylor holding on to the nameplate, Herd mark II featured keyboardist Andy Bown, sixteen year old singer/guitarist Peter Frampton and drummer Andrew Steele. Dropped by Parlophone, after demanding manager/producer Gaff be fired, Fontana Records picked the band up, teaming them with the management and songwriting team of Ken Howard and Alan Blaikley. Unlike their Parlophone 45s, their Fontana debut included an American release:
- 1967's "I Can Fly" b/w "Diary Of A Narcissist" (Fontana catalog number F-1588)
While their Fontana debut wasn't a blockbuster, Fontana went ahead with a follow-up single:
- 1967's "From The Underworld" b/w "Sweet William" (Fontana catalog number F-1602)
Inspired by Jacques Offenbach's operetta "Orpheus In The Underworld", ."From The Underworld" proved their initial commercial breakthrough, that success reinforced with the release of "Paradise Lost".
- 1967's "Paradise Lost" b/w "Come On--Believe Me" (Fontana catalog number F-1016)
The
Howard and Blaikley penned "From the Underworld" and
"Paradise Lost" provided their commercial breakthrough, convincing
Fontana to released an album. Produced by American Steve Rowland,
"Paradise
"Lookin
Thru You" track listing: 1.) I Don't Want Our Loving To Die (Ken Howard - Alan Blaikley) - 2:54 rating: *** stars The first "new" single off the album, "I Don't Want Out Loving To Die" also proved their biggest UK chart success, hitting the top-5. Bown provided the "English gentleman" opening. Frampton handled lead vocals and Taylor's Scott Walker-styled delivery was spotlighted on one of the chorus. Howard and Blaikley handed the band a radio-friendly pop number. It wasn't particularly original, but did have a catchy chorus which, when coupled with Frampton's "pretty boy" good looks, ensured plenty of chart exposure.
- 1968's "I Don't Want Our Loving To Die" b/w "Our Fairy Tale" (Fontana catalog number F-1618)
YouTube has a couple of television performances of the tune. I'm not sure where it came from, but there's a black and white promotional clip: The Herd - I Don't Want Our Loving To Die - YouTube There's also a clip of the band lip-synching the song for an appearance on the West German Beat-Club show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujlabOc-bg4&list=RDujlabOc-bg4&start_radio=1 2.) Come On - Believe Me (Gary Taylor) - 2:46 rating: ** stars The lone Taylor contribution to the album, the ballad "Come On - Believe Me" also featured Taylor on lead vocals. A big, hyper-sensitive ballad, at least to my ears his deep voice bore more than a passing resemblance to Scott Walker. I've always thought Taylor's bass line was the song's strongest characteristic. 3.) Our Fairy Tale (Andy Brown - Peter Frampton) - 2:40 rating: **** stars The first of three Bown - Frampton compositions, "Our Fairy Tale" found the pair sharing lead vocals on a bouncy tune that mashed up pop and psych-pop touches. Interesting how Frampton's voice has changed much over the years. Super catchy, if perhaps a bit too "cutesy" for some folks. The track also appeared as the "B" side on their "I Don't Want Our Loving To Die" 45. (In 1986 former Five Or Six vocalist Julia Gilbert did a sweet cover of the song.) 4.) On My Way Home (Andy Brown - Peter Frampton) - 2:00 rating: *** stars The breezy ballad was interesting for two reasons. First was hearing a young Frampton handling lead vocals. Second was for the song's distinctive Curtis Mayfield and the Impressions flavor. Shame the song faded out so abruptly. 5.) Goodbye Groovy (Ken Howard - Alan Blaikley) - 2:42 rating: * star Exemplified by the spoken word intro, British humor can be an acquired taste. "Goodbye Groovy" offered up a weird-assed mix of blues and English music hall. I'm guessing it was meant to be cute, but to my ears was merely irritating.
(side
2) Previously released as a single, "From the Underground" was apparently inspired by the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice (Eurydice and Orpheus are married. When Eurydice is bitten by a serpent and dies Orpheus tried to bring back from the dead with his enchanting music.) This one has always reminded me of a train wreck. Like a train wreck, there was something fascinating in the resulting carnage. Songwriters Howard and Blaikley through everything that had into the song - over-the-top lyrics; surprisingly cool pop-psych melody; blaring horns, waves of strings, church bells, etc.). Even better was hearing a 17-year old Frampton somehow keeping a straight face as he plowed through the song. Another previously released single and their first UK hit (# 6 on the pop charts). YouTube has another Beat-Club performance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=323lYSPDbyQ&list=RD323lYSPDbyQ&start_radio=1 2.) Paradise Lost (Ken Howard - Alan Blaikley) - 3:26 rating: *** stars With strange "stripper club" opening and closing sections, I've always thought "Paradise Lost" was an odd choice for a single, though it sold well, peaking at # 15 on the UK pop charts. Admittedly they song got better when Frampton's vocals kicked in along with the over-the-top song arrangement. Sounds like Howard and Blaikley hired ever horn player in the UK to back the band. Complete with strings and bells, the track sounds like a shake-down for the forthcoming "From The Underworld". Taken from an appearance on Beat-Club, YouTube has a black and white Beat-Club performances of the song. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5HZKDQzeLU&list=RDp5HZKDQzeLU&start_radio=1 There's also a clip from a performance on Dutch television: The Herd - Paradise lost ( Rebroadcast Dutch TV Original Probably French TV 1967 ) 3.) Sweet William (Andy Brown - Peter Frampton) - 2:16 rating: ** stars Opening with Bown on Hammond B-3 and lead vocals (Frampton on backing vocals), "Sweet William" started out as a throwaway blues shuffle burdened by some forgettable hippy dippy lyrics. The song also appeared as the "B" side on their "Paradise Lost" 45. 4.) I Can Fly (Ken Howard - Alan Blaikley) - 3:05 rating: *** stars Another earlier single, "I Can Fly" was a strange, disjointed, over-produced pop tune. Complete with elaborate vocal arrangements and some pounding Andrew Steele drums, it sounded like The Herd's idea of how to copy a Pete Townshend song. YouTube has a black and white promotion film for the song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IakfgnrwHDo&list=RDIakfgnrwHDo&start_radio=1 5.) Understand Me (Warland - Andy Brown) - 2:25 rating: **** stars The album's most rocking tune, "Understand Me" demonstrated they could actually record without Howard and Blaikley smothering them in pop-psych excesses. Great melody; nice vocal arrangement and Gary Taylor thunderous bass line was amazing.
One of the songs dropped from the US album, "Fare Thee Well / On Your Own" was released as a Dutch single:
- 1968's "Fare Thee Well " b/w "On Your Own" (Fontana catalog TF 267 821)
Success came at a price. Unhappy with their pop image, the band parted way with managers/writers Howard and Blaikley, briefly signing with Harvey Lisberg (who quickly dropped the group). Drummer Steele was the first to leave, replaced by former Scrugg drummer Henry Spinetti. Written and produced by Bown and Frampton, the new line-up debuted with a 1968 single:
- 1968's "Sunshine Cottage" b/w "Miss Jones" (Fontana catalog number TF 975)
The single's commercial failure coupled with Frampton desire to be seen as a rocker rather than Rave Magazine's "The Face of 68" saw him head out the door, reappearing as a founding member of Humble Pie.
Bown, Spinetti and Taylor soldiered on for another single. Interestingly, while Frampton was shown on the Dutch and Scandinavian picture sleeves, he was no longer part of the band.
- 1969's "The Game" b/w "Beauty Queen" (Fontana catalog number F-1646)
Bown and Spinetti joined former Amen Corner sax player Allan Jones and singer Adrian Williams in Judas Jump. Bown went on to join Status Quo and release some solo material.
Steele and Taylor reunited for one instantly obscure final single on Tony Stratton-Smith's Charisma associated B & C label:
- 1971's "You've Got Me Hangin' From Your Lovin' Tree" b/w "I Don't Wanna Go To Sleep Again" B&C catalog number CB 154)
Taylor turned his attention to becoming a radio DJ and played with the band Fox in the mid-'70s.
© Scott R. Blackerby September 2025
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Lost"
(Fontana catalog number TL 545 mono and STL 5458 stereo) featured a
mixture of the three earlier Howard and Blaikley penned Fontana singles and
various band originals. For some reason Fontana elected not to release
the album in the States. In its place American audiences were
presented with 1968's "Lookin Thru You". In
one of those mysterious marketing decisions the US album featured five songs
found on the original UK release. Missing from the US LP were the
Bown-Frampton originals "Mixed Up Minds", "Impressions Of
Oliver" and "She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not", Frampton's
"On Your Own", Steele's
"Faire the Well" and Howard and Blaikley's "I Don't Want Our
Loving To Die", "Sad" and "Something
Strange". Those seven tracks were replaced by five
"new" tracks: the Frampton-Bown penned "Our Fairy Tale"
and the earlier "B" side "Sweet William", the previously
released Gary Taylor penned "B" side "Come On - Believe
Me" and the Bown penned "Understand Me". Music
ally
the US collection offered up an already slightly dated mixture of pop and
sunshine-psych moves. It didn't take a lot to figure out that The Herd
were largely at the mercy of Howard and Blaikley who were seemingly
determined to market them as "pretty boy" pop stars following in
the path of their earlier successes working with Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick
& Tich. That's not to say The Herd didn't have talent. Rare
for a debut album, half of the ten tracks were band originals.
Unfortunately, with the exceptions of the Frampton-Bown penned "Our Fairy Tale"
and Bown's closing rocker "Understand Me",
time after time Howard and Blaikley buried the band in lousy songs ("Goodbye Groovy")
or waves
of needless orchestration. On tracks like the single "I
Don't Want Our Loving To Die", "On My Way Home" and "Paradise
Lost" the
results consistently served to dilute the band's talent in a fog bank of
horns, strings, church bells and other studio effects. Adding to the
problem, their "sound" hasn't aged well. What was perhaps
daring and cutting edge in 1968 not wounds pap and almost middle-of-the
road. Easy to see why the band started to splinter in the wake of the
album's release.
