Help Yourself (band)
Encyclopedia
Help Yourself, known to their fans as "The Helps", were an English rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...

 band of the early 1970s whose style developed from “American-flavoured country-rock… …to acid-drenched psych.”.

History

Help Yourself formed in London in 1970, originally as a backing band for singer-songwriter Malcolm Morley
Malcolm Morley (musician)
Malcolm Morley is a British rock singer, guitarist and keyboard player who came to fame in the 1970s. Best known as a founder of Help Yourself and as a member of Man, he continues to perform to this day.-Early career:...

, who had left Sam Apple Pie
Sam Apple Pie
Sam Apple Pie were a British blues-rock band, of the late 1960s and 1970s, noted for having played at the first Glastonbury Festival in 1970, and for playing a role in the early careers of several musicians including Gary Fletcher, Dave Charles and Malcolm Morley.-Biography:Formed in Walthamstow,...

 and been signed as a solo act by Famepushers. The band was assembled by John Eichler who, as well as working for Famepushers, was production manager at Strand Cosmetics, where he hired people either for 'musical ability' or 'strangeness'.

The eponymous debut album, Help Yourself, was recorded from late 1970 to early 1971. Malcolm Morley, (guitars/keyboards/vocals) wrote all the songs on this album, which was recorded with another former Sam Apple Pie member Dave Charles
Dave Charles
Dave Charles, also known as David Charles is a British drummer, recording engineer & record producer. He often appears under both names on the same album, e.g. Help Yourself's The Return of Ken Whaley, where Dave Charles is credited with drums and vocals and David Charles as producer.Charles'...

 (drums/percussion/vocals), ex member of Monday Morning Glory Band, Richard Treece (guitars/vocals/harmonica) and former Growth member Ken Whaley (bass)

The album was recorded before the band had played a gig, having been signed to Liberty Records
Liberty Records
Liberty Records was a United States-based record label. It was started by chairman Simon Waronker in 1955 with Al Bennett as president and Theodore Keep as chief engineer. It was reactivated in 2001 in the United Kingdom and had two previous revivals.-1950s:...

 by Andrew Lauder
Andrew Lauder (music executive)
Andrew Lauder is a record company executive and former A&R manager. Initially noted for his adventurous signings of bands as diverse as Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, Can, Hawkwind and Brinsley Schwarz to Liberty Records and United Artists Records in the 1960s and 70s, he went on to form numerous...

, head of A&R. The band toured on the Downhome Rhythm Kings package with Brinsley Schwarz
Brinsley Schwarz
Brinsley Schwarz were a 1970s English pub rock band, named after their guitarist Brinsley Schwarz. With Nick Lowe on bass and vocals, keyboardist Bob Andrews and drummer Billy Rankin, the band evolved from the 1960s pop band Kippington Lodge.-Formation:...

 & Ernie Graham
Ernie Graham
Ernie Graham was a singer, guitarist and songwriter, active from the mid 1960s to the early 1980s-Early life:...

 (ex Eire Apparent
Eire Apparent
Eire Apparent was a band from Northern Ireland, noted for launching the careers of Henry McCullough and Ernie Graham, and for having Jimi Hendrix play on, and produce, their only album.-The People:...

), who were all managed by Famepushers. After the tour, Ken Whaley was fired, but no other bass player was recruited.

Help Yourself, Ernie Graham and his guitarist Jonathan “Jojo” Glemser, moved into Headley Grange
Headley Grange
Headley Grange is a former poorhouse in Headley, East Hampshire, England, UK. It is best known as a recording and rehearsal venue in the 1960s and 1970s for bands such as Led Zeppelin, Bad Company, Fleetwood Mac, Genesis, Peter Frampton, the Pretty Things, Ian Dury and Clover.-Early history:Built...

 in 1971, shortly after Led Zeppelin IV
Led Zeppelin IV
The fourth album by the English rock band Led Zeppelin was released on 8 November 1971. No title is printed on the album, so it is generally referred to as Led Zeppelin IV, following the naming standard used by the band's first three studio albums...

 had been recorded there. The line up was amalgamated to include both Graham (who had just released his eponymous solo album backed by Help Yourself and Brinsley Schwarz) and Glemser, both of whom were guitarists, so Treece switched to bass. The band played the 1971 Glastonbury Festival
Glastonbury Festival
The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, commonly abbreviated to Glastonbury or even Glasto, is a performing arts festival that takes place near Pilton, Somerset, England, best known for its contemporary music, but also for dance, comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret and other arts.The...

  Sam Apple Pie having played the first Glastonbury in 1970. "Street Songs" a track that would later appear on the second album Strange Affair, was issued on a United Artists double album sampler All Good Clean Fun
All Good Clean Fun
All Good Clean Fun was originally a promotional sampler issued by United Artists Records in 1971. This original release was a double album containing 23 tracks by 20 different artists, with three artists; Morning, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and Canned Heat, having 2 tracks each.Most of the...

. A tour was arranged to promote this album, so Help Yourself joined Man
Man (band)
Man are a rock band from South Wales whose style is a mixture of West Coast psychedelia, progressive rock, blues and country-rock. Formed in 1968 as a reincarnation of Welsh rock harmony group ‘’The Bystanders’’, Man are renowned for the extended jams in their live performances, and having had...

 and Leicester band Gypsy, on a tour of Switzerland.
The second album Strange Affair was recorded at the Grange, initially with Richard Treece still on bass, and adding his guitar parts later, until Paul Burton, a former Sam Apple Pie roadie, joined on bass, to complete the album. Strange Affair was released in early 1972, by which time both Graham and Glemser had left.

The new line up of Burton, Morley, Treece and Charles appeared on their first Peel Session in April 1972 and recorded the next album Beware of the Shadow almost immediately. Sean Tyla, who had been the band's roadie, helped with some of the songwriting, notably "All Electric Fur Trapper", which was based on a fairy tale he had written. Shortly after completing the album, the band left Headley Grange, Tyla moved in with ex member Ken Whaley, and they formed Ducks Deluxe
Ducks Deluxe
Ducks Deluxe were an English pub rock band of the 1970s, who have recently reformed. Usually called "The Ducks" by their fans, they were known for up-tempo, energetic performances, and the successful careers of their members, after they disbanded.-History:...

.

Just as the Helps were due to start a tour to promote Beware of The Shadow, Morley suffered a bout of depression, ("The Shadow" referred to in the album title). Rather than cancel the tour, Deke Leonard
Deke Leonard
Roger "Deke" Leonard is a rock musician, "serving a life sentence in the music business." Best known as a member of the progressive rock band Man, which he joined and left several times, and for fronting his own rock and roll band Iceberg, which he formed and disbanded several times, he is also...

, who had just been fired by Man, stood in. Leonard stayed with the band after Morley had recovered, whilst Help Yourself backed Leonard on his first solo album Iceberg

In December 1972, Help Yourself with Leonard and BJ Cole, played at Man's Christmas Party. The double 10" album, Christmas at the Patti
Christmas at the Patti
Christmas at the Patti is a live album, recorded at Man's Christmas party, held at the Patti Pavilion, Swansea, on 19 December 1972. 'The album features Man and Help Yourself with guests Deke Leonard, Dave Edmunds and B J Cole, together with appearances by Ducks Deluxe, The Jets, The Flying Aces...

recorded at this concert, contains far more of their performance (24’) than their hosts (11’30’’). Ducks Deluxe also played this concert, but Whaley had already left.

Beware of the Shadow was released in late 1972, but none of the first three albums sold well. The Helps appealed to a hippie audience such as fans of The Grateful Dead and Quicksilver Messenger Service
Quicksilver Messenger Service
Quicksilver Messenger Service is an American psychedelic rock band, formed in 1965 in San Francisco.-Introduction:Quicksilver Messenger Service gained wide popularity in the Bay Area and, through their recordings, with psychedelic rock enthusiasts around the globe and several of their albums ranked...

 so they were moderately successful in the U.S. but never toured there.

In 1973, the band proposed touring with Roger Ruskin Spear
Roger Ruskin Spear
Roger Ruskin Spear is a multi-instrumentalist who was a founding member of the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, staying with it until its end.-Career:...

, the Flying Aces and Vivian “Spiv” Morris, in a vaudeville show called “Happy Days”, which was to be held in a circus tent. They started recording material for this in January, but Burton was unhappy with the proposed theatrical tour, so he left. Whaley returned and the band started recording their new album in February, finishing the Happy Days album in March and the Helps album in April, when they also recorded their second Peel Session. After a two month "Happy Days" tour, the fourth album, The Return of Ken Whaley, was released, with the Happy Days album included free with the first 5,000 copies.

The fourth album did not sell well either, and the band were not getting many gigs, so they were surprised when United Artists asked them to record another album, which they started recording in July 1973, with a line-up augmented by Sean Tyla. The album was to be called 5 and a cover was commissioned from Rick Griffin
Rick Griffin
Richard Alden Griffin was an American artist and one of the leading designers of psychedelic posters in the 1960s. As a contributor to the underground comix movement, his work appeared regularly in Zap Comix. Griffin was closely identified with the Grateful Dead, designing some of their best known...

. They only had “half formed ideas” and although they eventually laid down 8 tracks, they gave up recording and disbanded in August 1973. They reformed for "The Amazing ZigZag
ZigZag (magazine)
ZigZag was a British rock music magazine. It was started by Pete Frame and the first edition rolled off the printing presses on 16 April 1969...

 Concert" on 28 April 1974 with a core line up of Morley, Treece, Whaley and Charles with Burton and Leonard guesting.

Being incomplete, 5 was not issued, although a few years later some fans tried, unsuccessfully, to persuade the band to complete the album. After Morley released his solo album Aliens in 2001, the suggestion re-arose, and the album was finally completed in 2002/2003 by Morley, Treece and Whaley, with Kevin Spacey on drums, as Charles had other commitments. The album was eventually released in 2004.

Personnel

  • Malcolm Morley – keyboards,guitar, vocals (1970–1973 & 2002–2003)
  • Richard Treece – guitar, bass, vocals (1970–1973 & 2002–2003)
  • Dave Charles
    Dave Charles
    Dave Charles, also known as David Charles is a British drummer, recording engineer & record producer. He often appears under both names on the same album, e.g. Help Yourself's The Return of Ken Whaley, where Dave Charles is credited with drums and vocals and David Charles as producer.Charles'...

     – drums, percussion, vocals (1970–1973)
  • Ken Whaley – bass (1970–1971, 1973 & 2002–2003)
  • Paul Burton – bass, guitar, vocals (1971–1973)
  • Jonathan "Jojo" Glemser – guitar (1971)
  • Ernie Graham
    Ernie Graham
    Ernie Graham was a singer, guitarist and songwriter, active from the mid 1960s to the early 1980s-Early life:...

     – guitar, vocals (1971)
  • Kevin Spacey – drums (2002–2003)
  • Sean Tyla – guitar, vocals (1972 & 1973)

Malcolm Morley


Briefly joined Bees Make Honey
Bees Make Honey
Bees Make Honey were an influential band in the early pub rock movement in the UK.The band were formed in 1971 in north London by Barry Richardson, who had a residency in a jazz band at the "Tally Ho" public house, when Eggs over Easy started playing pub rock there...

, before joining Man with Leonard and Whaley, where he co-wrote and recorded Man's most successful album Rhinos, Winos and Lunatics but left after a US tour. In 1976 Morley recorded a solo album, backed by Plummet Airlines
Plummet Airlines
Plummet Airlines, was a British pub rock band of the mid 1970s, which was originally formed in Nottingham. Band members later joined The Pogues and Darts.-History:...

 who he'd been working with, and produced by ex Brinsley Ian Gomm
Ian Gomm
Ian Robert Gomm is a British singer-songwriter, who was the rhythm guitarist for Brinsley Schwarz from 1970 to 1974. He was named "Best Rhythm Guitarist" by NME in 1971.[]...

. The album was not issued, and the master tapes were lost for 25 years. When the tapes were found, the album was finally issued as Lost and Found in 2002 (Hux 034).

He performed with Deke Leonard, Wreckless Eric
Wreckless Eric
Wreckless Eric is an English rock and roll/new wave singer-songwriter, best known for his 1977 single " Whole Wide World" on Stiff Records. More than two decades after its release, the song was included in Mojo magazine’s list of the best punk rock singles of all time...

 and Kirsty McColl, including a TV appearance with McColl in 1981. He then left the music business. In 2001 he recorded another solo album Aliens which was issued on Creo Records, and in 2008 he started appearing live again.

Richard Treece


Briefly joined Deke Leonard's Iceberg and later re-joined George and Martin Ace in The Flying Aces. Briefly joined The Splendid Humans; before joining former Man members Phil Ryan and Will Youatt in The Neutrons. In 2000, he issued a solo album Dream Arena East (Treece 1) and then joined Ken Whaley in 'The Archers', which evolved into his current band 'The Green Ray'.

The Green Ray comprises Richard Treece (guitar and vocals), Ken Whaley (bass and Vocals), his brother Simon Whaley (drums) and Simon Haspeck (guitar and vocals). They have issued three albums: Soft Cloud (2002) SC001/FYPC15, Back from the Edge (2006) Gray 11 with Aaron Liddard, and the live Classic Rock Club, Cheshunt, 5 January 2008 with Nick Saloman of Bevis Frond (Effigy 2008), and a DVD with Barry "The Fish" Melton guesting. They played at the Glastonbury Festival
Glastonbury Festival
The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, commonly abbreviated to Glastonbury or even Glasto, is a performing arts festival that takes place near Pilton, Somerset, England, best known for its contemporary music, but also for dance, comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret and other arts.The...

 (Green Stage) in 2007.

Dave Charles

Charles was an Engineer whilst he was in Help Yourself, (recording the infamous Brinsley Schwarz “hype” concerts at the Filmore East) and subsequently became the resident engineer and producer at Rockfield Studios
Rockfield Studios
Rockfield Studios, near Monmouth in Wales and just outside the village of Rockfield, Monmouthshire are where many of British rock music’s most successful recordings have been made.-History:...

 where he produced and/or engineered albums by Hawkwind
Hawkwind
Hawkwind are an English rock band, one of the earliest space rock groups. Their lyrics favour urban and science fiction themes. They are also a noted precursor to punk rock and now are considered a link between the hippie and punk cultures....

, Dr Feelgood
Dr. Feelgood (band)
Dr. Feelgood are a British pub rock band formed in 1971. The band's name derives from a slang term for heroin or for a doctor who is willing to overprescribe drugs. It is also a reference to a 1962 record by the American blues pianist and singer Willie Perryman called "Dr Feel-Good", which...

, The Charlatans, The La's
The La's
The La's were an English rock band from Liverpool, originally active from the mid-1980s to early 1990s. Fronted by singer, songwriter and guitarist Lee Mavers, the group is most famous for their hit single "There She Goes". The band was formed by Mike Badger in 1984 and Mavers joined soon after...

, The Fabulous Thunderbirds
The Fabulous Thunderbirds
The Fabulous Thunderbirds are an American, Grammy-nominated Blues rock band, formed in 1974.-Career:After performing for several years in the Austin, Texas blues scene, the band won a recording contract with Takoma/Chrysalis Records, and later on signed with Epic Records.Their first two albums,...

 and others. He still plays drums, and has played for Dave Edmunds
Dave Edmunds
David 'Dave' Edmunds is a Welsh singer, guitarist and record producer. Although he is primarily associated with Pub rock and New Wave, and had numerous hits in the 1970s and early 1980s, his natural leaning has always been towards 1950s style rock and roll.-Early bands:As a teenager Edmunds first...

 as well as Carl Perkins
Carl Perkins
Carl Lee Perkins was an American rockabilly musician who recorded most notably at Sun Records Studio in Memphis, Tennessee, beginning during 1954...

, George Harrison
George Harrison
George Harrison, MBE was an English musician, guitarist, singer-songwriter, actor and film producer who achieved international fame as lead guitarist of The Beatles. Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle", Harrison became over time an admirer of Indian mysticism, and introduced it to the other...

, Dion DiMucci
Dion DiMucci
Dion Francis DiMucci , better known as Dion, is an American singer-songwriter whose work has incorporated elements of doo-wop, pop oldies music, rock and R&B styles....

, Steve Cropper
Steve Cropper
Steve Cropper , also known as Steve "The Colonel" Cropper, is an American guitarist, songwriter and record producer. He is best known as the guitarist of the Stax Records house band, Booker T...

, Jeff Beck
Jeff Beck
Geoffrey Arnold "Jeff" Beck is an English rock guitarist. He is one of three noted guitarists to have played with The Yardbirds...

 and Kid Creole and the Coconuts
Kid Creole and the Coconuts
Kid Creole and the Coconuts is an American musical group created and led by August Darnell. Its music incorporates a variety of styles and influences, in particular "American and Latin American, South American, Caribbean, Trinidadian, Calloway" and conceptually inspired by the big band era...

.

Ken Whaley

Briefly joined Deke Leonard's Iceberg, until joining Man with Leonard and Morley. Recorded Man's two most successful albums Rhinos, Winos and Lunatics and Slow Motion and also left after a US tour. Worked for John Eichler at The Three Kings. Played with Richard Treece in 'The Archers' and is currently in 'The Green Ray' (see above).

Sean Tyla

After Ducks Deluxe, he formed the Tyla Gang, which made three albums and which both Treece and Whaley played with at various times. In 1981 he worked with Joan Jett
Joan Jett
Joan Jett is an American rock guitarist, singer, songwriter, producer and actress.She is best known for her work with Joan Jett & the Blackhearts including their hit cover "I Love Rock 'n' Roll", which was #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 from March 20 to May 1, 1982, as well as for their other popular...

 and then formed The Force, with Deke Leonard, who recorded one album, Forces First, but Tyla left after suddenly suffering stage fright. He has recently reformed Ducks Deluxe.

Ernie Graham

Formed pub rock group Clancy
Clancy
Clancy is an Irish name coming from the Gaelic Mac Fhlannchaidh.-As a first name:* Clancy Barone, American football coach* Clancy Brown, U.S. actor* Clancy Chassay, English journalist* Clancy Cooper, U.S. actor* Clancy Eccles, Jamaican reggae singer...

 in 1971, which recorded two albums before they split in 1976.
Gave up being a professional musician. Worked on the railways, including as a guard on The Orient Express
The Orient Express
For the full article on Badd Company see Badd CompanyThe Orient Express was a professional wrestling tag team in the World Wrestling Federation in the early 1990s composed of Pat Tanaka and Akio Sato, who was later replaced by Kato....

, and was training to become a counsellor when he died in April 2001.

Albums

  • Help Yourself (1971) Liberty ((UK Cat No) LBS 83484)) ((US Cat No) LBS 5583) Allmusic  [ link]
  • Strange Affair (1972) United Artists ((UK Cat No) UAS 29287) ((US Cat No) UAS 5591) Allmusic  [ link]
  • Beware the Shadow (1972) United Artists (UAS 29413)
  • The Return of Ken Whaley (1973) United Artists (UAS 29487)
  • Happy Days (with the Flying Aces and Spiv) (1973) United Artists (UA Free 1) free with the first 5,000 copies of The Return of Ken Whaley as a box set (UDG4001)
  • 5 (8 unreleased 1973 recordings & 3 recorded in 2002/2003) (2004) Hux Records (HUX054)

Live albums

  • Christmas at the Patti (with Man, Ducks Deluxe, Flying Aces and others) (1973) United Artists (UDX 203/4): CD Re-release (1997) Point (PNTVP110CD): CD Re-master (2007) Esoteric (ECLEC 2018) Allmusic  [ link]
  • The Amazing ZigZag Concert
    The Amazing ZigZag Concert
    The Amazing Zig Zag Concert was a rock concert held at The Roundhouse on 28 April 1974 to celebrate the fifth anniversary of Zig Zag Magazine. Described as "one of the gigs of the decade", the concert "has taken on legendary proportions over the years" and featured Michael Nesmith with Red Rhodes,...

    (2010) Road Goes on Forever (RGF/ZZBOX1974) Disc 4 of 5CD Box set also featuring Starry Eyed and Laughing
    Starry Eyed and Laughing
    Starry Eyed and Laughing were a British Rock band of the 1970s. Formed in 1973, they released two albums on CBS, recorded three Peel Sessions and undertook a US tour, before briefly evolving into Starry Eyed, and finally disbanding in 1976.-History:...

    , Chilli Willi and the Red Hot Peppers
    Chilli Willi and the Red Hot Peppers
    Chilli Willi and the Red Hot Peppers were one of the main British pub rock groups of the early 1970s. Later managed by Jake Riviera, who first worked for the band as a roadie, they reached their peak as part of the "Naughty Rhythms Tour" of 1975, along with other stalwarts of the same scene, Dr...

    , John Stewart
    John Stewart (musician)
    John Coburn Stewart was an American songwriter and singer. He is known for his contributions to the American folk music movement of the 1960s while with The Kingston Trio and as the songwriter of The Monkees' #1 hit "Daydream Believer" and his own #5 hit "Gold", among several hundred original...

     and Michael Nesmith
    Michael Nesmith
    Robert Michael Nesmith is an American musician, songwriter, actor, producer, novelist, businessman, and philanthropist, best known as a member of the musical group The Monkees and star of the TV series of the same name...


Singles

  • "Running Down Deep" / "Paper Leaves" (1971) Liberty (LBF15459)
  • "Heaven Row" / "Brown Lady" (1972) United Artists (UP 35355)
  • "Mommy Won’t Be Home for Christmas" / "Johnny B. Goode" (1972) United Artists (UP 35466)

Compilations

  • Help Yourself and Beware of the Shadow (the first and third albums), were re-released on one CD (BGO CD 385) in 1998
  • Strange Affair, The Return of Ken Whaley and Happy Days were re-released on a double CD (BGO CD452) in 1999 Allmusic  [ link]

Samplers

  • All Good Clean Fun
    All Good Clean Fun
    All Good Clean Fun was originally a promotional sampler issued by United Artists Records in 1971. This original release was a double album containing 23 tracks by 20 different artists, with three artists; Morning, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and Canned Heat, having 2 tracks each.Most of the...

    One track ("Street Songs") appears on the original 1971 double album (UDX 201/2)
  • All Good Clean Fun
    All Good Clean Fun
    All Good Clean Fun was originally a promotional sampler issued by United Artists Records in 1971. This original release was a double album containing 23 tracks by 20 different artists, with three artists; Morning, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and Canned Heat, having 2 tracks each.Most of the...

    Three tracks ("Street Songs", "Eddie Waring" and "Re-affirmation") appear on the 2004 triple CD re-release (Liberty 8660902)
  • Naughty Rhythms: The Best of Pub Rock Includes one Helps track "Alabama Lady” (1996) EMI Premier (37968)
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