Great Lost Bands: Heads, Hands and Feet

By Bill Lloyd
– During the late ’60s and early ’70s, the idea of a rock group being musically stronger than individual parts still felt like a happening trend. Not every lead singer or star guitarist had gone solo… yet. Even the dissolving Beatles made great music in between arguments. Some groups, however, never hit their commercial stride before the time came to pursue multiple musical careers. Such was the fate of the ever so talented collective from the U.K. called Heads, Hands and Feet.

Best known in the U.S. for being the band that brought Telecaster-master Albert Lee to light, the band also featured Charles “Chas” Hodges who later went on to fame and fortune with the comedy/musical duo, Chas and Dave in England. Lead singer Tony Colton has also had a long career in the music biz as a songwriter and producer (Jerry Lee Lewis and Yes are among acts he’s produced). Drummer Pete Gavin, keyboardist Mike O’Neill and guitarist Ray Smith rounded out the group that would most likely be labelled Americana today.

Musically, H, H & F covered a lot of ground. They could be funky like Little Feat and they could seamlessly mix country and R’n’B music into their sound, echoing groups like The Band or American Beauty-era Dead. Albert Lee and Tony Colton’s “Country Boy” later became a massive country hit for Ricky SKaggs. Lee’s stunning guitar work and songwriting can be heard throughout.

During the group’s active years 1970-1973 , they released only three albums. Their obvious talent and musical hybrid found quick critical acclaim but their sales, like many bands who had critical acclaim, were less than spectacular. Copies of their first two albums on Capitol can still be found in vinyl bins, as well as their third “Old Soldiers Never Die” on Atco, which was released after the band called it quits.

Internet shopping will surely lead you to CD reissues of these records for fans old and new. as well as a couple more posthumous releases. Heads, Hands and Feet is the kind of pop culture buried treasure worth digging up.

(Bill Lloyd is a respected solo artist and member of the reunited Foster and Lloyd.)