Delivery (band)
Encyclopedia
Delivery was a British
blues
/progressive rock
musical group, formed in the late 1960s. The band was one of the wellsprings of the progressive rock Canterbury scene
.
Founded in 1966 as Bruno's Blues Band by guitarist Phil Miller
, his elder brother, pianist Steve Miller, drummer Pip Pyle
and bassist Jack Monck
, the band gigged around London
for a few years. In 1968, saxophonist Lol Coxhill
joined them, and the band's name was changed to Steve Miller's Delivery. In 1969, the band teamed up with blues singer Carol Grimes
and bassist Roy Babbington
replaced Monck. The resulting line-up recorded and released one album: Fools Meeting
. Although Grimes wanted to appear as a band member, the record company released the album under "Carol Grimes and Delivery". In 1971, Pyle left the band to join Gong
and was replaced by Laurie Allan
(who also later joined Gong). Soon after that, the band broke up.
Phil Miller went on to found Matching Mole
with Robert Wyatt
and Dave Sinclair
, but a new Delivery line-up was assembled in the spring of 1972 consisting of the Miller brothers, Pyle and Richard Sinclair
(bass and vocals), then Steve Miller's bandmate in Caravan
. The band played a few live shows in August/September that year, but with Steve Miller being replaced by Dave Sinclair (from Matching Mole
and Caravan
), the band changed its name to Hatfield and the North
. A final Delivery performance took place in November 1972 for the BBC's Radio One In Concert series, with an unusual line-up bringing together the Miller brothers, Pyle, Babbington, Coxhill and Sinclair, the latter on vocals only.
Steve Miller went on to release two shared (rather than "duo") albums with Coxhill for Virgin's Caroline budget label in 1973/74.
Roy Babbington, who had played with the Keith Tippett
Group and Nucleus
in 1971-73, went on to join Soft Machine
from 1973-76. Laurie Allan rejoined Gong
a couple of times, most notably appearing on 1973's Flying Teapot, and later Barbara Thompson's Paraphernalia.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
/progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
musical group, formed in the late 1960s. The band was one of the wellsprings of the progressive rock Canterbury scene
Canterbury Scene
The Canterbury scene is a term used to loosely describe the group of progressive rock, avant-garde and jazz musicians, many of whom were based around the city of Canterbury, Kent, England during the late 1960s and early 1970s...
.
Founded in 1966 as Bruno's Blues Band by guitarist Phil Miller
Phil Miller
Phil Miller is an English progressive rock/jazz guitarist who was part of the Canterbury scene.He was a member of the bands Delivery, Matching Mole, Hatfield and the North, National Health, Short Wave and has since worked in solo projects and in his band In Cahoots, which he founded in 1982...
, his elder brother, pianist Steve Miller, drummer Pip Pyle
Pip Pyle
Phillip "Pip" Pyle was an English-born drummer from Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire, who later resided in France...
and bassist Jack Monck
Jack Monck
Jack Monck is a bass guitarist. He has worked with Syd Barrett and David Thomas and Phil Miller from In Cahoots and Delivery.He was also in Stars, Delivery, and The Pedestrians...
, the band gigged around London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
for a few years. In 1968, saxophonist Lol Coxhill
Lol Coxhill
Lowen Coxhill, generally known as Lol Coxhill is a free improvising saxophonist and raconteur...
joined them, and the band's name was changed to Steve Miller's Delivery. In 1969, the band teamed up with blues singer Carol Grimes
Carol Grimes
Carol Grimes is a smooth jazz and world music singer.Grimes came to prominence in 1969 as a member of Delivery, associated with the Canterbury Scene. During the 1970s she performed regularly on the London blues circuit with her band The London Boogie Band...
and bassist Roy Babbington
Roy Babbington
Roy Babbington is a rock and jazz bassist. He became well known for being a member of the Canterbury scene progressive rock/jazz fusion band Soft Machine.-Biography:...
replaced Monck. The resulting line-up recorded and released one album: Fools Meeting
Fools Meeting
Fools Meeting is an album by Carol Grimes with the british blues/progressive rock band Delivery, founded in the late 1968. The band was one of the wellsprings of the progressive rock Canterbury scene....
. Although Grimes wanted to appear as a band member, the record company released the album under "Carol Grimes and Delivery". In 1971, Pyle left the band to join Gong
Gong (band)
Gong is a Franco-British progressive/psychedelic rock band formed by Australian musician Daevid Allen. Their music has also been described as space rock. Other notable band members include Allan Holdsworth, Tim Blake, Didier Malherbe, Pip Pyle, Gilli Smyth, Steve Hillage, Francis Moze, Mike Howlett...
and was replaced by Laurie Allan
Laurie Allan
Laurie Allan is an English drummer, best known for stints in Delivery and Gong. He has also played with Robert Wyatt, for example on his albums Rock Bottom and Ruth Is Stranger Than Richard....
(who also later joined Gong). Soon after that, the band broke up.
Phil Miller went on to found Matching Mole
Matching Mole
Matching Mole was a short-lived UK progressive rock band from the Canterbury scene best known for the song "O Caroline". Robert Wyatt formed the band in October 1971 after he left Soft Machine and recorded his first solo album The End of an Ear...
with Robert Wyatt
Robert Wyatt
Robert Wyatt is an English musician, and founding member of the influential Canterbury scene band Soft Machine, with a long and distinguished solo career...
and Dave Sinclair
Dave Sinclair
David Sinclair , is a keyboardist who has been part of the progressive rock Canterbury Scene...
, but a new Delivery line-up was assembled in the spring of 1972 consisting of the Miller brothers, Pyle and Richard Sinclair
Richard Sinclair
Richard S. Sinclair is a progressive rock bassist, guitarist and vocalist who has been a member of several bands of the Canterbury scene.-Biography:...
(bass and vocals), then Steve Miller's bandmate in Caravan
Caravan (band)
Caravan are an English band from the Canterbury area, founded by former Wilde Flowers members David Sinclair, Richard Sinclair, Pye Hastings and Richard Coughlan. Caravan rose to success over a period of several years from 1968 onwards into the 1970s as part of the Canterbury scene, blending...
. The band played a few live shows in August/September that year, but with Steve Miller being replaced by Dave Sinclair (from Matching Mole
Matching Mole
Matching Mole was a short-lived UK progressive rock band from the Canterbury scene best known for the song "O Caroline". Robert Wyatt formed the band in October 1971 after he left Soft Machine and recorded his first solo album The End of an Ear...
and Caravan
Caravan (band)
Caravan are an English band from the Canterbury area, founded by former Wilde Flowers members David Sinclair, Richard Sinclair, Pye Hastings and Richard Coughlan. Caravan rose to success over a period of several years from 1968 onwards into the 1970s as part of the Canterbury scene, blending...
), the band changed its name to Hatfield and the North
Hatfield and the North
Hatfield and the North were an experimental Canterbury scene rock band that lasted from October 1972 to June 1975, with some reunions thereafter.-Career:...
. A final Delivery performance took place in November 1972 for the BBC's Radio One In Concert series, with an unusual line-up bringing together the Miller brothers, Pyle, Babbington, Coxhill and Sinclair, the latter on vocals only.
Steve Miller went on to release two shared (rather than "duo") albums with Coxhill for Virgin's Caroline budget label in 1973/74.
Roy Babbington, who had played with the Keith Tippett
Keith Tippett
Keith Tippett is a British jazz pianist and composer.Tippett, the son of a local police officer, went to Greenway Boys Secondary Modern school in Southmead, Bristol. He formed his first jazz band called The KT7 whilst still at school and they performed numbers popular at the time by The Temperance...
Group and Nucleus
Nucleus (band)
Nucleus were a pioneering jazz-rock band from Britain who continued in different forms from 1969 to 1989. In their first year they won first prize at the Montreux Jazz Festival, released the album Elastic Rock, and performed both at the Newport Jazz Festival and the Village Gate jazz club.They were...
in 1971-73, went on to join Soft Machine
Soft Machine
Soft Machine were an English rock band from Canterbury, named after the book The Soft Machine by William S. Burroughs. They were one of the central bands in the Canterbury scene, and helped pioneer the progressive rock genre...
from 1973-76. Laurie Allan rejoined Gong
Gong (band)
Gong is a Franco-British progressive/psychedelic rock band formed by Australian musician Daevid Allen. Their music has also been described as space rock. Other notable band members include Allan Holdsworth, Tim Blake, Didier Malherbe, Pip Pyle, Gilli Smyth, Steve Hillage, Francis Moze, Mike Howlett...
a couple of times, most notably appearing on 1973's Flying Teapot, and later Barbara Thompson's Paraphernalia.
Discography
- Fools MeetingFools MeetingFools Meeting is an album by Carol Grimes with the british blues/progressive rock band Delivery, founded in the late 1968. The band was one of the wellsprings of the progressive rock Canterbury scene....
(albumAlbumAn album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
, as "Carol Grimes and Delivery"), 1970 - "Harry Lucky" / "Home Made Ruin" (singleSingle (music)In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
), 1970