Hunter Muskett
Encyclopedia
Beginnings
The group was formed at Avery Hill College in South London when Terry Hiscock and Chris George were joined by fellow student Doug Morter. The band’s name was taken from an anecdote about an eccentric Cornishman.Hunter Muskett began by playing in London folk-clubs and colleges mixing original songs with acoustic folk and blues. Unusually for the time they used a pa system to balance guitars and voices.
Recording and Touring
The band signed to Decca NovaDeram Records
Deram Records was a subsidiary record label established in 1966 by Decca Records in the United Kingdom. At this time U.K. Decca was a completely different company than the Decca label in the United States, which was then owned by MCA Inc. Deram recordings were also distributed in the U.S. through...
after being spotted playing at The Troubadour in London’s Earls Court. On the resulting album, ‘Every Time You Move’ (1970), produced by Kim Margolis, the trio’s acoustic sound was augmented by Danny Thompson
Danny Thompson
Daniel Henry Edward 'Danny' Thompson is an English multi-instrumentalist best known as a double bassist and businessman...
(uncredited) on double bass and orchestration arranged by Richard Hewson
Richard Anthony Hewson
Richard Anthony Hewson is an English producer, arranger, conductor and multi-instrumentalist, who is best recognized for his studio group The RAH Band.-Career:...
. Bass-player Rog Trevitt joined shortly after the album's release. The Decca Nova label lasted less than a year.
From 1971 to 1974 the band toured the UK and on the continent, also making one trip to Morocco. Although mainly working the folk/college/ circuit, they also played festivals (Cambridge, St Albans, Laycock, Norwich) and major venues, notably as support to Ralph McTell
Ralph McTell
Ralph McTell is an English singer-songwriter and acoustic guitar player who has been an influential figure on the UK folk music scene since the 1960s....
(UK Spring Tour 1973) and Amon Düül
Amon Düül
-External links:* - Extensive bio @ Perfect Sound Forever* mainly focussed on their collaboration with Robert Calvert of Hawkwind...
(touring Belgium and Northern France in autumn 1973). Radio appearances included BBC's Country Meets Folk, Pete Drummond’s Night Ride and Sounds on Sunday.
In 1973 managers Mike Hutson and George Fenton
George Fenton
George Fenton is a British composer best known for his work writing film scores and music for television, although he also writes music for the theatre. His real name is George Howe but he is better known by his pseudonym of George Fenton.-Selected film and television credits:Fenton has composed...
(then working as George Howe) signed the band to Derek Johns at Bradley's Records
Bradley's Records
Bradley's Records was a UK record label in the mid 1970s. It was founded by ATV Music publishers in 1973 and run by Derek Johns. The label was active for four years with moderate success, but was discontinued in early 1977....
where they became one of three acts (alongside Paul Brett and Kala ) in a label launch involving considerable promotional expenditure. The album ‘Hunter Muskett’ (1973) produced by Keith Relf
Keith Relf
Keith William Relf , was a musician best known as the lead singer and harmonica player of The Yardbirds. After the Yardbirds broke up Relf formed the acoustic duo Together, with fellow Yardbird Jim McCarty, followed by Renaissance, which also featured his sister, singer Jane Relf, then hard rock...
also featured Michael Giles
Michael Giles
Michael Giles is an English drummer, best known as a co-founder of King Crimson in 1969...
on drums, Jim McCarty
Jim McCarty
Jim McCarty is an English musician, best known as the drummer for The Yardbirds and Renaissance.-Early life:...
on percussion, Ken Freeman
Ken Freeman (composer)
Ken Freeman is a prominent English composer and session musician, primarily playing piano and synthesisers.He is most prominently known for his work playing most of the synthesisers on Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds, and also as the composer of the theme music for BBC...
and John ‘Rabbit’ Bundrick
John Bundrick
John Douglas "Rabbit" Bundrick is an American rock keyboardist, pianist and organist. He is best known for his work with The Who and associations with others including Eric Burdon, Bob Marley and the Wailers, Roger Waters, Free and Crawler. Bundrick is noted as the principal musician for the cult...
(uncredited) on synthesiser.
Plans to add a permanent drummer were never realised although Andrew Steele
The Herd (UK band)
The Herd were an English psychedelic rock group, founded in 1965, that came to prominence in the late 1960s. They launched the career of Peter Frampton and scored three UK top twenty hits.-Biography:...
played at the Royal Festival Hall (May 1973) and worked on demos for a projected second Bradley’s album, whilst Roger Swallow
Roger Swallow
Roger Swallow is an English producer, musician and songwriter. He was a member of The Albion Band and worked with many artistes in the late 1960s early '70s as a session and touring drummer/percussionist.- Biography :...
came in for Pete Drummond’s Night Ride (autumn 1973).
Break-up and afterwards
In 1974 a change of musical policy at Bradleys (now under ex-Mojo Stuart Slater) resulted in the label parting with all three of its original acts in a successful quest for hit singles. With no record label and finding the economics of keeping on the road increasingly difficult the band decided to split.Of the four members only Doug Morter has continued to work as a professional musician combining a solo career with band and duo work. Now based in Denmark his credits include: Richard Digance
Richard Digance
Richard Digance is a comedian and folk singer.- Biography :He studied Mechanical Engineering at Reid Kerr College Paisley, during which time he was inspired by Billy Connolly....
, Magna Carta
Magna Carta (band)
Magna Carta is a folk rock group originally formed in London in April 1969; their first concert was on 10 May 1969, by Chris Simpson , Lyell Tranter , and Glen Stuart ....
, The Albion Band, Maddy Prior Band
Maddy Prior
Maddy Prior is an English folk singer, best known as the lead vocalist of Steeleye Span.-Early life:...
, Then Came The Wheel, Jerry Donahue
Jerry Donahue
Jerry Donahue is an American guitarist and producer primarily known for his work in the British folk rock scene as a member of Fotheringay and Fairport Convention as well as being a member of the rock guitar trio The Hellecasters.-Biography:Donahue was born in New York, the son of big band...
, The Backroom Boys and The Gathering (Legends of Folk Rock). Chris George, who had built instruments for Hunter Muskett, is a highly regarded luthier.
Following the official re-release of ‘Everytime You Move' in 2010 Hunter Muskett reformed for a reunion performance in May 2010. There are now plans for the band to tour periodically once again performing new songs alongside the original 1970s material.
Discography
AlbumsEvery Time You Move – (9 October 1970, Decca Nova, SND20) Format: vinyl 12" 33rpm.
Recorded at West Hampstead studios, summer 1970. Produced by Kim Margolis
Hunter Muskett – (9 March 1973, Bradleys Records)
Formats: BRADL 1003 vinyl 12" 33rpm, BRA 1003 cassette , Y8BRA1003 cartridge. Recorded at Island no 2 studio, Basing Street, autumn 1972. Produced by Keith Relf
Bradley’s Roadshow Live at the Marquee (1973, Bradleys, BRADB 4003) Format: vinyl 12" 33rpm.
A promotional album featuring two Hunter Muskett tracks produced by Keith Relf and Geoff Calver. Recorded live at The Marquee Club, Wardour Street, London on 25 March 1973 - the final night of Bradley's promotional road-show
Single
John Blair c/w Silver Coin – (23 February 1973, Bradleys, BRAD 103) Format: vinyl 7" 45rpm.
Side A recorded at Island no 1 studio, early 1973. Drums by Michael Giles. Produced by Keith Relf.
Side B taken from the album Hunter Muskett.
Official re-release
Every Time You Move – (2007, Cherry Tree Records, CRTREE001) Format: CD.
Includes 16-page booklet of lyrics, photos and early history of the band.
Cover versions of Hunter Muskett songs by other artists
Silver Coin (Terry Hiscock) appears on the following albums:
Thank You For - Bridget St John
Sunsets I've Galloped Into - Archie Fisher
All Those Songs - Derek Brimstone
Hand Pict - Ken Campbell