Hailing from Morges, Switzerland, Patrick Moraz was a classically-trained keyboardist who spent the 60s as a student and jazz musician, touring throughout Europe and England. With friend and bassist Jean Ristori, the pair travelled to England in 1969 in search of musicians with whom to start a group. They enlisted drummer Bryson Graham and vocalist David Kubinec, the latter previously in The World of Oz. Back in Switzerland-and aided by the same Dutch millionaire that funded Supertramp, Stanley “Sam” August Miesegaes-the band, now called Mainhorse Airline, expanded to a six piece.

After the breakup of The Nice in 1970, Brian Davison and Lee Jackson moved on to solo projects. Drummer Davison's jazz-tinged eponymous album Every Which Way was short-lived however; the only release was in 1970. Jackson's Jackson Heights fared folksier, and perhaps, better; he released an excellent debut, King Progress, in 1970 for Charisma, and a further three for Vertigo, with guitarist John McBurnie and keyboardist Brian Chatton (Michael Giles guested on drums).