A Band Of Angels

In the beginning there was a funky little five piece band known to many as "A Band Of Angels". The group envolved while Mike d'Abo was still at school in Harrow, and they managed to pick up a few quid for themselves playing around the countryside. Their act comprised mainly of coverversions of current hit records by such as The Shadows, Duane Eddy and Cliff Richard. Upon receiving a disc contract from Ember Records, the band decided to turn professional in March 1964.

While with Ember, they cut about 25 tracks, though many remain un-issued. In fact, the only song traced from that period is "Hide 'n' Seek", which is on the soundtrack album "Just For You" on Decca LKM 4620.

On the United Artists recordings Mike d'Abo was the only band member to actually play an instrument on the sessions. He played piano and duetted with Johnny Gaydon on vocals, while session musicians were hired like Bobby Graham on drums, Big Jim Sullivan on lead guitar and Eric Ford on bass.

James Rugge-Price has also been drummer in the band.

During a tour of French beach and ski resorts, "A Band Of Angels" found themselves deep in debt and they had to work their arses off for six months to pay off everything. An experience as gruelling as this would be enough to put down any band, and thus "A Band Of Angels" were no more.

Mike d'Abo then went to the Manfred Mann band, while John Christian Gaydon became a successful manager, involved at various times with King Crimson; Julie Felix; Emerson, Lake & Palmer; T. Rex; and Roxy Music in partnership with "A Band Of Angels" former manager David Enthoven.

Andy Petre (or Andy Peters) then went to playing in a group called Timebox in the period September 1966 until August 1967.