Python Lee Jackson: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 04:45, 20 December 2021

Revision as of 00:16, 27 December 2021

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===1968-1972: British period ===

Python Lee Jackson was reformed in the UK in October 1968 by Bentley, Lieber and Montgomery;<ref name="McFarlane"/> the line-up was completed by former [[The Clefs|Levi Smith Clefs]]' bass player, John Helman (also ex-Jeff St John and the Id).<ref name="Kimball JStJ">{{cite web | archive-url = https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20070306130000/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/35967/20070307-0000/www.milesago.com/Artists/jeffstjohn.html | url = http://www.milesago.com/Artists/jeffstjohn.html | title = Jeff St John & The Id / Yama / Copperwine | last = Kimball | first = Duncan | publisher = Milesago: Australasian Music and Popular Culture 1964–1975. Ice Productions | archive-date = 6 March 2007 | year = 2002 | access-date = 26 May 2017 }}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> The band played at the Vesuvio club on [[Tottenham Court Road]], and in early 1969 performed at the [[Arts Lab]] on [[Drury Lane]] for several months, where it was spotted by DJ [[John Peel]]. In April 1969 Bentley, Lieber and Montgomery were joined by Jamie Byrne from the Groove, and recorded three tracks in the studio with [[Rod Stewart]] as a guest vocalist. Stewart was paid a set of car seat covers for his recording session; he had been brought in to sing three tracks, after Bentley informed his bandmates that he didn't think his own voice was right for the songs. Peel produced the recording of "[[In a Broken Dream]]". Two other tracks, "Doin' Fine" (a version of "Cloud Nine") and "The Blues" remained unreleased until 1970 when Miki Dallon re-produced the track for his Youngblood label and released it, having bought the masters from Peel. The single was not a success on its initial release, but Dallon re-released it in August 1972 to coincide with Stewart's release of "You Wear It Well", his second solo single. With Stewart more popular by then, "In a Broken Dream", rose to number&nbsp;three in the [[UK Singles Chart]] and, No.&nbsp;56 in the United States [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]].,<ref name="UK Singles">{{cite web | url = http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/14708/python-lee-jackson/ | title = Official Charts Company | website =Officialcharts.com | access-date = 23 May 2017 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=Rock File 3 Chartlog – Sources of British Hit Songs:Writers, American Hits and Original Versions |author1=Gillett, Charlie |author2=Frith, Simon |name-list-style=amp |year=1975 |publisher=Panther |___location=St. Albans, England |isbn=0-586-04261-X |page=126 }}</ref><ref name="US Singles">{{cite web | url = http://www.billboard.com/artist/356928/python-lee-jackson/chart | title = Python Lee Jackson – Chart History | work = [[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] | access-date = 23 May 2017 }}</ref> and No. 74 in Canada.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/028020/f2/nlc008388.7662.pdf| title=RPM Top 100 Singles - July 29, 1972}}</ref>

Following the recording of the songs with Stewart, the group made sporadic live appearances; ''[[Time Out (company)|Time Out]]'' magazine advertised one show at the Bottleneck Club in the Railway Tavern, [[Stratford, London|Stratford]] in East London on 28 June 1969. The band went into hiatus from 1969 to 1972, during which period the band members explored separate projects.

In 1972, David Bentley, Mick Lieber, and David Montgomery made recordings with new members Gary Boyle (guitar) and former [[The Easybeats]]' member Tony Cahill (bass). These tracks subsequently appeared on the band's only album (also titled ''In a Broken Dream'') alongside the earlier Rod Stewart recordings from 1969. This resulted in the release of the song and the subsequent charting. The song was popular in Europe and appeared on the soundtrack of films and documentaries (including the arthouse movie ''[[Breaking the Waves]]'') and became the subject of many cover versions. [[Rod Stewart]] included the song on two anthologies of previously recorded work and in 1996 an English band, [[Thunder (band)|Thunder]], delivered a high-octane rendering that propelled it into the UK chart for the second time.

===1973-present: Post break up===