Edwards Hand

Formerly known as "Piccadilly Line", Edwards Hand are a musical group formed by Englishmen Rod Edwards (keyboard and vocals) and Roger Hand (acoustic guitar and vocals). After a 1968 album released under their former name, in 1969 Edwards Hand released an eponymous album produced by George Martin who, taking a break from working on The Beatles' White Album, described their music as 'exceptional'. The online CD vendors [http://www.freakemporium.com Freak Emporium] (UK) and [http://www.forcedexposure.com Forced Exposure] (US) tentatively compare it to certain works by Kaleidoscope and Fairfield Parlour.

A further album, "Stranded", came in 1970. Also produced by Martin, for this they were backed by James Litherland on electric guitar, former Tornados drummer Clem Cattini and John Wetton - who was later to find fame with King Crimson and Asia - playing bass. Forced Exposure and Freak Emporium describe "Stranded" as...

"...a superb blend of styles that is very hard to categorise. Short West Coast influenced rock tracks sit alongside all out progressive anglophile pop symphonies that at times utilise the kind of 'everything including the kitchen sink' tactics employed by Brian Wilson."

Their final album, "Rainshine", was produced by Martin in 1971 but, rejected by the band's RCA Victor label, was not released until it was picked up by Regal Zonophone Records in 1973. For this album, the line up included Americans Les Brown Jr. and David Dowd as well as Harry Reynolds on vibraphone and bass.

Albums

"The Huge World of Emily Small" (1968)

An album released under the band name "Piccadilly Line", the featured musicians were Edwards and Hand plus Danny Thompson (bass), Alan Hawkshaw (keyboards), Jan Barber Vocals, Herbie Flowers (bass) and Harold McNair (flute). All material is original except for a version of Bob Dylan's "Visions of Johanna" and The Everly Brothers' "Gone, Gone, Gone".

"Edwards Hand" (1969)

Recorded in stereo at the EMI studios in St John's Wood, London, the album was released in the United States on vinyl and cassette by GRT Records of Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles, California. The cover art is a golden autumnal scene featuring two faces, presumably those of Rod Edwards and Roger Hand, with a tree in the background. All songs were written by Edwards and Hand except "If I thought You'd Ever Change Your Mind" by John Cameron.

*Banjo Pier
*Characters Number One
*Close My Eyes
*Days Of Our Life
*Episodes, Being The First Part
*Friday Hill
*House Of Cards
*If I thought You'd Ever Change Your Mind (by John Cameron)
*Magic Car
*Orange Peel
*Sing Along With The Singer

"Stranded" (1970)

Recorded at London's Morgan Studios and released on RCA Victor, the original cover art was a black and white drawing of a sheriff's rotund stomach produced by Klaus Voormann (famous for designing the cover of The Beatles' album Revolver). The drawing referred to a track about one of America's racist policemen, "Sheriff Myras Lincola", which was banned in the USA. A new cover was produced, this time a photograph of a hand, fingers splayed, beneath the Stars and Stripes. All songs were written by Edwards and Hand.

*Death Of A Man (an epic in five parts)
*Encounter
*Hello America
*Revolution's Death Man!
*Sheriff Myras Lincola
*Stranded
*US Flag
*Winter

"Rainshine" (1973)

Produced by George Martin in 1971 at AIR studios in London; released on Regal Zonophone two years later.

References

*Sleevenotes to the eponymous album "Edwards Hand", GRT-10005.
*http://www.geocities.com/afowler13/asia/edhand.html Edwards Hand second LP info
*http://www.geocities.com/sunsetstrip/diner/2674/edwards_rod_a.htm Rod Edwards
*http://www.lightning-tree.com/ "Lightning Tree" reissue label
*http://www.freakemporium.com/site/artist/Edwards%2520Hand/artistpage.html Edwards Hand at Freak Emporium
*http://www.forcedexposure.com/artists/edwards.hand.html Edwards Hand at Forced Exposure