JACK LANCASTER

Biography

Bands/Discography:

  • Pacific Drift
  • Blodwyn Pig
  • Lancaster's Bombers / Lancaster
  • Mick Abrahams Band
  • Blodwyn Pig (again)
  • Live at the Lafayette (1997, Indigo)
  • The Soul Searchers
  • single 'Scaramouche / Head stand' (1975, EMI)
  • Phizz
  • single 'Caribbean queen / Mallard phizz' (1976, RSO)
  • Aviator
  • The Deviants (or The Deviants IXVI)
  • Mick Farren & Jack Lancaster
  • The Deviants
  • Fragments of broken probes (1998, Captain) (Japanese only)
  • The Deviants have left the planet (1999) (Japanese only)
    • Albums with Robin Lumley:
  • Peter and the wolf (1975, RSO)
  • Marscape (1976, Ozone)
    • Albums with Rick Van Der Linden:
  • Wild connections (1979, Acrobat)
    • Solo albums:
  • Skinningrove bay (1981)
    • Soundtracks:
  • < STILL NEED TO FIND THE INFO>
    • Very talented player and composer, he started playing sax, as well as other assorted wind instruments (flute, clarinet). I still remember when I first read about him, because of the instrument he was playing, a thing that I had never heard of before, the lyricon. He also plays violin or keyboards in his albums.

    PACIFIC DRIFT 

    This is the first band I've been able to trace with Jack Lancaster. This was around 1970.

    They released one album, Feelin' free, with the contribution of wonderful backing vocalists Sue Glover and Sunny Leslie.
     
    Click for short, additional info on bandmates:
    Barry Reynolds
    Graham Harrop
    Dave Davani
    Brian Chapman
    Lawrence Arends
    BLODWYN PIG  

    When Mick Abrahams left Jethro Tull, in November 1968, he forms this fantastic outfit.

    They released two albums, Ahead rings out and Getting to this. But in September 1970, the leader Mick Abrahams leaves them to form his own Mick Abrahams Band. He's replaced by two guitarists, Peter Banks (the original guitarist in Yes) and old mate Barry Reynolds.
    (fantastic, valuable scan courtesy of Christer Fridhammar) 

    But, very soon, Banks leave them to form Flash, and Reynolds also leaves. A new guy comes, Larry Wallis (later in UFO and Motorhead), and they change their name to Lancaster's Bombers.


    (scan courtesy of Alex Gitlin)

    As I've said, the original lineup only recorded two studio albums, but now, there are some other albums released, live recordings such as The modern alchemist.
     

    Click for short, additional info on bandmates:
    Ron Berg
    Peter Banks
    Someday, these musicians will be fully covered here:
    Mick Abrahams
    LANCASTER'S BOMBERS / LANCASTER  

    This was the new lineup:

    They started under the name Lancaster's Bombers, and later they shortened it to Lancaster, thus demonstrating who was the leader in the band. But they were a short-lived band. They toured supporting Yes around 1971.
    Click for short, additional info on bandmates:
    Larry Wallis
    Ron Berg
    MICK ABRAHAMS BAND  

    As we've read, after leaving Blodwyn Pig, Mick Abrahams formed his own band. In 1972, they augment their lineup with Jack Lancaster:

    Mick Abrahams (vocals, guitar)
    Walt Monaghan (bass)
    Bob Sargeant (keyboards, guitar)
    Jack Lancaster (sax)
    Ritchie Dharma (drums)
    They released the album At last in 1972. But the band was dissolved in 1973, when Abrahams and Lancaster decided reforming Blodwyn Pig for a tour.
    Click for short, additional info on bandmates:
    Bob Sargeant
    Walt Monaghan
    Ritchie Dharma
    Someday, these musicians will be fully covered here:
    Mick Abrahams
    BLODWYN PIG (again)  

    The original lineup (minus Berg, substituted by Clive Bunker) re-formed for a tour, in February 1974.

    They didn't record studio material, but in 1997 it has appeared a live album from that period, Live at the Lafayette. They also recorded some tracks for the BBC, that are rumoured to be finally released.
     
    Someday, these musicians will be fully covered here:
    Mick Abrahams
    Clive Bunker
    THE SOUL SEARCHERS  

    This was a studio band, assembled by Jack Lancaster, Robin Lumley and some famous friends. Part of the lineup was:

    Jack and Robin wrote the two songs that appeared as a single in 1975: single 'Scaramouche / Head stand'.
     
    Someday, these musicians will be fully covered here:
    John Goodsall
    Percy Jones
    Robin Lumley
    Someday, these musicians will have a short tribute here:
    Gary Moore
    Bill Bruford
    PHIZZ  

    Again, this was a studio band, assembled by Jack Lancaster, and more famous friends. The lineup was:

    The A-side was written by Bernie Frost, Jack Lancaster and Andy Pyle. The single contained the songs 'Caribbean queen / Mallard phizz'.
     
    Click for short, additional info on bandmates:
    Bernie Frost
    Francis Rossi
    John Kongos
    AVIATOR  

    A great lineup, and all of them will be featured someday in my Olympus. The band was formed in 1979.


    (scan courtesy of Alex Gitlin)

    They released a very good first album, simply called Aviator. My favourite tracks are 'Keep your heart right' (with a lovely sax solo), 'Time traveler', 'Country morning' and the epic track 'Morning journey'.

    There were two singles released from the album:

    It's interesting noting that both singles include a song not available in the album ('Lay down your weary tune' and 'Rocking chair').
     
    (scan courtesy of Alex Gitlin)

    They toured supporting Steve Hillage (Clive Bunker had been Hillage's drummer), but after a while, Jack left the band before their 2nd album (Turbulence) was recorded. A pity they didn't record a live album!
     

    Someday, these musicians will be fully covered here:
    Mick Rogers
    John G. Perry
    Clive Bunker
    THE DEVIANTS  

    Mick Farren is the brain behind The Deviants (a band formed in 1966, that comes back to life from time to time). As we're going to read, Jack has been also involved lately with The Deviants, recording albums with the band or simply credited to Farren & Lancaster.

    As I've said, The Deviants is a veteran band. They turned into Pink Fairies in 1970, when Farren had left the band. In the 90s, there's a new edition of the band, called Deviants ixvi (i.e. Deviants 96):

    They released an album with a funny title, Eating jello with a heated fork. Also appearing in the album: Wayne Kramer (guitar, bass), Brock Avery (drums), and actor Brad Dourif.

    In 1998, it was released in Japan an album called Fragments of broken probes. The lineup here is:

    Again, it has been released in Japan a new album by the band, called The Deviants have left the planet. The album features Mick Farren, Jack Lancaster, Andy Colquhoun, plus Phil Taylor and friend and former colleague Larry Wallis.
     
    Click for short, additional info on bandmates:
    Mick Farren
    Andy Colquhoun
    Wayne Kramer
    Paull Ill
    Brock Avery
    Larry Wallis
    Spike Baron
    Alan Powell
    MICK FARREN & JACK LANCASTER  

    But, apart from the band, Mick Farren & Jack Lancaster released an album credited to the duo, and called The Death Ray tapes. It's a live album recorded with this lineup:

    Other guest players in the album, the mythical Wayne Kramer (from MC5 fame), and again, actor Brad Dourif.
     
    Click for short, additional info on bandmates:
    Mick Farren
    Andy Colquhoun
    Doug Lunn
    Toss Panos
    ALBUMS by JACK LANCASTER & ROBIN LUMLEY 

    Jack Lancaster and Robin Lumley formed a team, composing music for TV and playing together in sessions. I won't speak about Robin Lumley, as he'll have someday his own page in my Olympus. Jack & Robin have released two projects, although the first of them wasn't credited to their names, but as a collective album.

    Peter and the wolf is based on Prokofiev classical work, but also including original material. Recorded with this all-star lineup:

    Every one of the musicians portrayed a role in the story: the duck, the cat, etc. There are different editions of the album in different languages, changing the narrator. By the way, there is even a version in Spanish.


    (scan courtesy of Alex Gitlin)

    Their second project (this time credited to their names) is Marscape. It's a conceptual, instrumental album, featuring a great lineup, including the whole lineup of Brand X:

    Click for short, additional info on bandmates:
    Gary Moore
    Alvin Lee
    Pete Haywood
    Brian Eno
    Gary Brooker
    Manfred Mann
    Keith Tippett
    Stephane Grapelli
    Erika Michailenko
    Phil Collins
    Bill Bruford
    Julie Tippett
    Bernie Frost
    Vivian Stanshall
    Morris Pert
    Someday, these musicians will be fully covered here:
    Robin Lumley
    John Goodsall
    Chris Spedding
    Percy Jones
    Dave Markee
    Henry Lowther
    Jon Hiseman
    ALBUMS by JACK LANCASTER & RICK VAN DER LINDEN 
    (Rick Van Der Linden & Jack Lancaster)
    (scan courtesy of Alex Gitlin)

    Again, a joint project, this time with virtuoso Rick Van Der Linden (Dutch keyboardist, he was the leader of great bands such as Ekseption or Trace. See my page on Ian Mosley for some info on Trace). The album was called Wild connections, and was recorded with help from drummer Barry Morgan.


    (scan courtesy of Alex Gitlin)

    It was also released a single from the album, 'Fortuna / African violet' (1979, Acrobat).
     

    Click for short, additional info on bandmates:
    Barry Morgan
    Someday, these musicians will be fully covered here:
    Rick Van Der Linden
    SOLO ALBUMS

    Jack Lancaster finally released his solo album in 1981, the very beatiful Skinningrove Bay. The list of musicians appearing is:

    A superb album, it includes one of my favourite songs ever, 'Save a place for me', with haunting vocals by Bernie Frost.


    (three different covers for the 'Skinningrove Bay' album)

    NOTE: this album has been reissued in several shapes (my guess, without any kind of permission or legal rights) under different names (Deep Green), and the most surprising is that the reissues are not credited to Jack Lancaster!! For example, I have an edition called Wild connections. The album is not credited to anyone, but the cover show the names of Phil Collins, Gary Moore and Rod Argent. To make things worse, we must remember that there is an official album called Wild Connections (recorded with Rick Van Der Linden, see above), and they're completely different records!!!

    Click for short, additional info on bandmates:
    Phil Collins
    Bernie Frost
    Gary Moore
    Someday, these musicians will be fully covered here:
    Hugh Burns
    Mick Rogers
    John G. Perry
    Robin Lumley
    Rick Van Der Linden
    Rod Argent
    Clive Bunker

    Sessions

    Press here to read about Jack Lancaster sessions

    Related links:
    From the always interesting Alex's Picks (by Alex Gitlin), we have: From the superb site Knights in Blue Denim: The British Blues Scene '68 - '70 (by Christer Fridhammar & Vanja), we have:
    Musicians mentioned in this page that I have projected to cover in my site someday: And short tributes to:

    Family tree

    Coming soon (I hope so!).

    Thanks section

    Very special thanks to: Jack Lancaster, for his kindness, help and patience.

    Special thanks to: Christer Fridhammar, for the great scan of Blodwyn Pig and for many other things; Alex Gitlin, for so many scans and albums.


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    Page created by Miguel Terol on: 15/March/2000. Last modified on: 15/March/2000.