Hatfield And The North

The roots of Hatfield and the North go back to the Miller brothers-guitarist Phil and keyboardist Steve-and the final days of Delivery in mid-1972. In early 1973, keyboard player and Dave Stewart replaced Steve, joining the core of Phil, bassist Richard Sinclair (ex-Caravan) and drummer Pip Pyle (ex-Gong). Stewart had previously been in Egg and replaced keyboard player Dave Sinclair, who returned to Caravan. The band spent most of 1973 touring, including several visits to the Continent. One of the first of the Canterbury bands to sign with Virgin Records, their self-titled debut album was recorded by Tom Newman at The Manor Studio the previous winter. It's easy to see what the fuss is about. Hatfield's music is instantly recognizable—highly arranged, mathematical in structure and definitely not in 4/4 time! Composition credits are to the individual members, yet each track flows effortlessly into the next, serving as another testament to the band's cerebral virtuosity. Stewart's keyboards are central, but Miller's thick-toned guitar and Sinclair's soothing voice are also distinct signatures of the band. The debut includes several classics, including Robert Wyatt's ethereal vocalizing on "Calyx" and the rolling instrumental "(Son Of) There's No Place like Homerton." Sinclair's "Licks for the Ladies" kicks off a small batch of vocal efforts on the second side, culminating with the angelic Northettes on "Lobster in Cleavage Probe." A single, "Let's Eat (Real Soon)" b/w "Fitter Stoke Has a Bath," was released in November. Hatfield, meanwhile, stayed on the road.