- Unit 4 + 2
Infobox musical artist |
Name = Unit 4 + 2
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Origin =Hertfordshire ,England
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Genre =Pop rock
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Years_active =1963 -1967
Label =Decca Records Fontana Records
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Past_members = Brian Parker Tommy Moeller Buster Meikle Peter Moules Howard 'Lem' Lubin Rod 'Humble' Garwood Hugh Halliday Nigel SnookRuss Ballard Bob Henrit
Notable_instruments =Unit 4 + 2 were a British pop band, who had a number one hit in the
UK Singles Chart in1965 with thesong "Concrete and Clay ". The track topped the UK chart for one week.Career
Early days
Brian Parker after a short spell as a
guitar player inAdam Faith 's backing groupThe Roulettes in early1962 , formed the fledgling outfit, as Unit Four with fellowguitarist Tommy Moeller, Dave 'Buster' Meikle and leadsinger , Peter Moules. Due to ill-health Parker quickly dropped himself from playing duties with the group, and concentrated onsongwriting for them. His place was taken by Howard ' Lem' Lubin. Thequartet was named 'Unit Four' simply on account of their having four band members. When two furthermusician s joined the group (Rod Garwood and Hugh Halliday), they augmented the name accordingly. They were later joined by the multi-talented Nigel Snook, becoming Unit Four Plus Two in Late1963 .As Unit 4 + 2, the sextet issued their debut single, on
Decca Records . "Green Fields" reached a modest number 48 in the UK in1964 . Their second single release "Sorrow and Pain" fared even worse.uccess
Unit 4 + 2's song "Concrete and Clay" became a big hit the following year, reportedly thanks to exposure on the pirate
radio station s of the day, most notablyWonderful Radio London . Theradio station 'smusic director , Tony Windsor, later recalled in an interview that he had initially rejected the song for the station'splaylist , but was persuaded to change his mind by DJKenny Everett . The disc was recorded using the skills of two guest musicians,Russ Ballard andBob Henrit (two of Parker's former bandmates from their Roulettes days), who debuted much earlier together at venues such as Cheshunt Boys' Club together with Buster Meikle as members of The Daybreakers. As well as its chart topping exploits in the UK, "Concrete and Clay" was aworldwide hit, and the group suddenly found themselves on radio playlists across the globe. In America, a competingcover version byEddie Rambeau (produced byBob Crewe ) split sales, with Rambeau reaching #35 on the Billboard chartsand Unit 4 + 2 placing at #28. Cash Box charted the two versions together, and they reached a combined #12.Decca released a hastily put together album, also entitled "Concrete and Clay", to capitalise on the success, but it was not as notable in style or content as the single. Nevertheless, the next single release "You've Never been in Love like This Before" reached the Top Twenty in Britain, and #95 on the Billboard chart in the U.S. The song returned to the Top Twenty of the
UK Singles Chart in 1976, courtesy ofRandy Edelman 'scover version . More recently, the original song appeared in thefilm , "Rushmore" (1998).Downhill
After the release of three less successful singles, the band underwent several personnel changes with the
1967 shake up, and experienced a change ofrecord label toFontana Records , but neither was able to revive the group's fortunes.By 1968, with Ballard and Henrit on board as fulltime members, their sound was toughened up, but a stab at
Bob Dylan 's "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere" was comprehensively outsold byThe Byrds owncover version . They moved intopsychedelic mode with their final single offering "3.30" with lavishorchestration andharpsichord s aplenty. It failed to chart, and with another album "Unit 4 + 2" quickly following suit, the group disbanded in1969 .Band member details
*Brian Parker (born
1940 , inCheshunt ,Hertfordshire ): vocals, guitar; later taught guitar playing in his local area, but died whilst playingtennis in 2000. Co-writer of "Concrete and Clay".
*Tommy Moeller (born Thomas Moeller,23 February 1945 , inLiverpool ): lead vocalist, guitar, piano; was the brother of Billy Moeller, who became one hit wonderWhistling Jack Smith , and took "I Was Kaiser Bill's Batman" to number five in 1967. Tommy Moeller was the other co-writer of "Concrete and Clay".
*'Buster' Meikle (born David Ian Meikle,1 March 1942 , inGoff's Oak ,Hertfordshire ): vocals, guitar; former lead singer of Buster Meikle & The Day Breakers, (That includedRuss Ballard ,Roy Ballard , Russ's older brother on keyboards andBob Henrit ) and a founding member of Unit 4 + 2. Left in 1967 and had chart success overseas as half of Buster & Bill.
*Peter Moules (born Peter Charles Moules,14 October 1944 , inBarnet , Hertfordshire): original member and bass vocalist.
*Howard 'Lem' Lubin (born20 January 1944 , inHampton Court ,Middlesex ): replaced Parker (above) in the group's early days.
*Rod 'Humble' Garwood (born Rodney John Garwood,27 March 1944 , inDiss ,Norfolk ): bass guitar; who left in 1967.
*Hugh Halliday (born12 December 1944 ): drums; who also left in 1967. Replaced by Allan Price who went on to join Jade Warrior. After an international career as an opera director, he is now Director of Productions with Melbourne Opera (Aust)
*Nigel Snook (born Nigel Ian Norman Snook,26 February 1944 inPoole ,Dorset Died 05 November 2007): later addition to the group.
*Russ Ballard , who came fromWaltham Cross , joined in 1967 from Adam Faith's one-time backing ensemble, the Roulettes. He later joined Argent and became a successfulsongwriter .
*Bob Henrit performed as a session drummer on Concrete & Clay. He joined as a regular member in 1967, also from the Roulettes. Eventually joined both Argent, and later stillThe Kinks .Discography
ingles
*"Green Fields" - February 1964 - UK #48 RR
*"Sorrow and Pain" - August 1964 "Did Not Chart"
*"Concrete and Clay" - February 1965 - UK #1 RR, #2 NME
*"You've Never Been In Love Like This Before" - May 1965 - UK #14 RR, #17 NME
*"Hark" - September 1965 - UK #30 NME
*"You've Got To Be Cruel To Be Kind" - December 1965 - UK #23 NME
*"Baby Never Say Goodbye" - March 1966 - UK #49 RR, #28 NME
*"I Was Only Playing Games" - January 1967 "Did Not Chart"
*"Too Fast, Too Slow" - 1967 "Did Not Chart"
*"Butterfly" - 1967 "Did Not Chart"
*"Loving Takes A Little Understanding" - 1967 (released as single by "The Unit") "Did Not Chart"
*"You Ain't Goin' Nowhere" - March 1968 "Did Not Chart"
*"3.30" - October 1969 "Did Not Chart"(Chart positions from Record Retailer and New Musical Express)
Albums
*"Concrete and Clay" - 1965
*"Unit 4 + 2" - 1969References
*
Guinness Book of British Hit Singles - 16th Edition - ISBN 0-85112-190-X
* The Guinness Book of 500 Number One Hits - ISBN 0-85112-250-7
* 40 Years of NME Charts - ISBN 1-85283-746-2External links
* [http://www.thedeadrockstarsclub.com/deadrock.html The Dead Rock Stars website]
* [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll All Music Guide website]
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