Sutherland Brothers

Sutherland Brothers (Gavin and Iain Sutherland) originally performed as a folk / rock duo in the field of British music in the early 1970s, and then joined with Quiver to record and tour as The Sutherland Brothers and Quiver.

Personal details

* Gavin Sutherland (born 6 October 1951, Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, Scotland) - Bassist / vocalist.
* Iain Sutherland (born 17 November 1948, Ellon, Aberdeenshire, Scotland) - Vocalist / guitarist / keyboards.

Career

The Sutherland Brothers began their career in 1968 as A New Generation, having some yearly success with the single "Smokie Blues Away" (which used a melody based on the main theme of Dvořák's, "New World Symphony"). Subsequently re-billed as The Sutherland Brothers Band, they won a new recording contract with Island Records and put out two albums in 1972. Their first minor hit was "The Pie" in 1970.

In an effort to diversify and expand their folk based sound, the Sutherland Brothers joined forces with a local rock band known as Quiver.

Quiver

Quiver originally comprised guitarist and singer Cal Batchelor, guitarist Tim Renwick, bassist Bruce Thomas and drummer John "Willie" Wilson. Keyboardist Peter Wood had replaced Batchelor just before the band joined up with the Sutherland Brothers.

The Sutherland Brothers and Quiver

Their joint greatest success came under this name. Several moderately successful albums were released by Island Records throughout the 1970s under this joint name before they moved to CBS Records where they recorded, amongst other songs, the Top Ten hit single, "Arms of Mary", which also became a hit when covered two years later by the Canadian group, Chilliwack.

The band were just reaching their peak as the punk music explosion happened; they ended up being ousted from their residency at London's Marquee Club to make way for the likes of The Damned and X-Ray Spex. The group quickly found that its cheerful, folk-rock style had fallen out of fashion, and disbanded after recording a final album in 1979.

One of the earlier Sutherland Brothers recordings is "Sailing", which exists in two versions: one with The Sutherland Brothers alone, the other together with Quiver. "Sailing" was no success for the Brothers, but in 1975, it became a major hit for Rod Stewart.

Post Quiver

* Quiver's Tim Renwick went on to play with Al Stewart, and even a later incarnation of Pink Floyd.
* Bassist Bruce Thomas went on to join Elvis Costello and the Attractions.
* Peter Wood (aka Peter Woods) later worked with Cyndi Lauper. Born in 1950 in Middlesex, England, he died in 1994 in New York.
* Willie Wilson also worked with Pink Floyd during the period when the band were touring with The Wall .

Discography

utherland Brothers albums

*"Sutherland Brothers Band" - (1972)
*"Lifeboat" - (1972)

Quiver albums

*"Quiver" (1971)
*"Gone in the Morning" (1972)

utherland Brothers & Quiver albums

*"Lifeboat" - (1973) - was re-issued in America under The Sutherland Brothers and Quiver banner with three newly penned tracks: "Have You Had a Vision", "Rock and Roll Show", and "You Got Me Anyway".
*"Dream Kid" - (1973) - which was the first full album with Quiver
*"Beat of the Street" - (1974)
*"Reach for the Sky" - (1975) - without Peter Wood who had now left the band (contains their most successful song "Arms of Mary" - UK Albums Chart - Number 26
*"Slipstream" - (1976) - Number 49
*"Down to Earth" - (1977)
*"When The Night Comes Down" - (1979) - duo only album, recorded in Los Angeles

Track listing

# “Natural Thing” (Iain Sutherland) - 3:25
# “Have You Ever Been Hurt?” (Iain Sutherland) - 3:34
# “First Love” (Gavin Sutherland) - 3:46
# “Easy Come, Easy Go” (Gavin Sutherland) - 3:33
# “As Long As I've Got You” (Iain Sutherland) - 3:15
# “I'm Going Home” (Gavin Sutherland) - 3:21
# “When The Night Comes Down” (Gavin Sutherland) - 3:44
# “Dreams of You” (Iain Sutherland) - 4:31
# “Cruisin'“ (Iain Sutherland) - 4:02
# “On the Rocks” (Gavin Sutherland) - 3:56
# “Crazy Town” (Iain Sutherland) - 3:43

*"Diamonds and Gold" - (1999) - Gavin Sutherland solo effort

ingles

* "You Got Me Anyway" - (1973) -
* "Arms of Mary" - (1976) - UK Singles Chart - Number 5
* "Secrets" - (1976) - Number 35
* "Easy Come, Easy Go" - (1979) - Number 50 - duo only single release

External links

* [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:rkqvad1kv8w4~T1 The Sutherland Brothers biography at the "AMG" website]
* [http://users.efortress.com/doc-rock/1995.html Peter Wood death confirmation at the "The Dead Rock Stars Club" website]
* [http://blawk359.blogspot.com/2006/10/stream-decemberists-from-npr-dose-of.html Brief anecdotal history of SBQ at Any Given Tuesday]
* [http://www.mathie.demon.co.uk/sbq/ Detailed fan site]
* [http://www.geocities.com/sunsetstrip/Diner/2674/trenw_b.htm Tim Renwick bio with details of Quiver and SBQ line-up changes etc.]

References

* Guinness Book of British Hit Singles - 16th Edition - ISBN 0-85112-190-X
* Guinness Book of British Hit Albums - 7th Edition - ISBN 0-85112-619-7