Ashton, Gardner and Dyke
Tony Ashton (n. 1946 GB) è un abile tastieristadalla roca voce blues che nei '60 matura una notevole esperienza negli studi e sui palcoscenici di mezza Europa; da ricordare soprattutto la sua militanza beat con Mike Hurst & The Method (insieme adAlbert Lee) e con i Remo 4, a Liverpool. Nel 1969, in Germania, Ashton incontra il tastierista Kim Gardner (n. 1946, GB), già con i Birds, Santa Barbara Machine Head e Creation, e ritrova Roy Dyke, suo compagno dai tempi di Remo 4. Uniti in un gruppo che rinuncia a sigle di fantasia e mette in ditta semplicemente i tre nomi, ASHTON, GARDNER & DYKE si fanno notare per un hard rock misurato con venature di jazz e buona dose di humour. Il successo finisce per premiarli: dopo due album e un'esibizione come "spalla" a Eric Clapton nel celebre concerto del Rainbow Theatre, il trio ottiene nel 1971 un convincente hit negli USA con Resurrection Shuffle e incide LAST REBEL, colonna sonoradel film Last Rebel. Con l'album seguente, WHAT A BLOODY LONG DAY IT'S BEEN, si accentuano le influenze jazz anche per l'ampliamento della formazione, con il chitarrista Mick Liber e una sezione fiati composta da Dave Caswell, Lyle Jenkins (provenienti dalla banda di Keef Hartley) e John Mansfield. Il titolo del disco e la bella title track sono dedicati alla lotta politica in Irlanda. Il sodalizio si scioglie nel 1972. Gardner va a suonare con Dyke prima nei Badger poi con Billy Burnette mentre Ashton intraprende varie iniziative; partecipa all'ultima fase del progetto Family (1972-73) e, con l'amico Jon Lord (Artwoods, Flower Pot Men e Deep Purple), incide FIRST OF THE BIG BANDS. Nel 1975 si concede per breve tempo ai Broken Glass (Stan Webb e Miller Anderson) e nel 1976 prova ancora con un trio, sempre con Lord e con l'altro ex Deep Purple Ian Paice. Il gruppo che si avvale anche della collaborazione del tastierista Bernie Marsden e del bassista Paul Martinez, dura fino a settembre 1977 poi si scioglie. In seguito Ashton incide due ellepì con i Chicken Shack ed è coinvolto in un progetto pop rock sinfonico con la Rainbow Orchestra, ultima impresa di un certo livello prima di ridursi a una oscura carriera solistica.
Ashton, Gardner and Dyke were a British rock trio, most popular in the early 1970s. They are best remembered for their song, "Resurrection Shuffle", a transatlantic Top 40 one-hit wonder in 1971.
History
Founding band member, Tony Ashton first met the drummer Roy Dyke, when playing with various Blackpool based groups.
Ashton was invited to join the Liverpool beat group, The Remo Four as organist/vocalist, whilst Roy Dyke became the group's drummer, having joined them in 1963. Their best work came in 1966 when they released their album Smile! Before their break-up in 1968, they backed George Harrison on his album Wonderwall Music. Harrison later played guitar on their song "I'm Your Spiritual Breadman".
Ashton and Dyke then joined forces in 1968 with the bass guitar playing Kim Gardner, who had previously played in minor British groups, The Birds and The Creation. The triad simply called themselves Ashton, Gardner and Dyke. Mick Liber formerly of Python Lee Jackson played lead guitar with the group.
They released their first single "Maiden Voyage"/"See The Sun In My Eyes" on Polydor Records in 1969, but it flopped. However, their next single, "Resurrection Shuffle" on Capitol Records, made them household names. The brass section was Lyle Jenkins and Dave Caswell of the Birmingham band Galliard. The song entered the UK Singles Chart on 16 January 1971, had a chart life of 14 weeks, and peaked at Number 3.The song reached number 40 in the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song was their only hit record, earning them the designation of one-hit wonders. The song has since been covered by a number of artists, including Tom Jones and Clarence Clemons.
Their follow-up single "Can You Get It" lacked the general boisterous appeal of "Resurrection Shuffle", and failed to chart. Nevertheless, Ashton Gardner and Dyke persevered and recorded three albums (see discography below). The trio also backed Irish singer Jonathan Kelly on his 1970 debut album. And the following year, they appeared, together with other British jazz and rock musicians, on Leigh Stephens' Cast of Thousands (1971).
Also in the band for a period of time and on the cover of their "Best Of" cd was ex-Bee Gees guitarist Vince Melouney.[citation needed]
Their last recording together was a collaboration with Jon Lord on the soundtrack for a B movie, The Last Rebel, starring former gridiron star, Joe Namath. Ashton also appeared on Lord's first solo album Gemini Suite in 1972. The trio finally split the same year.
Afterwards
After the band's demise, Tony Ashton went on to play for Medicine Head, and was briefly in Family before teaming up again with Deep Purple's Jon Lord in Ashton & Lord. Later still he appeared with Lord and Purple's drummer Ian Paice as Paice Ashton Lord. Dyke and then Gardner joined Badger.
Ashton died of cancer, on 28 May 2001. Gardner also died of cancer on 24 October 2001, in Los Angeles, California, aged 53.
Discography
Studio albums |
| Year | Title | Label + Cat. No. |
|---|---|---|
| 1969 | Ashton, Gardner and Dyke | Polydor - 583 081 |
| 1971 | The Worst of Ashton, Gardner and Dyke | Capitol - EST 563 |
| 1972 | What A Bloody Long Day It's Been | Capitol - EST 862 |
Soundtracks
|
Live albums |
| Year | Title | Label + Cat. No. |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Let It Roll - Live 1971 | Purple - PUR 307 |
| 2011 | Live In Montreux 1970 | Thompson Music |
Singles
|
Band members
- Tony Ashton — (born Edward Anthony Ashton, 1 March 1946, Blackburn; died 28 May 2001) — keyboardist and vocalist
- Kim Gardner — (born 27 January 1948, Dulwich, London; died 24 October 2001) — bassist
- Roy Dyke — (born 13 February 1945, Liverpool) — drummer
- Mick Liber — (born 1 March 1944, Peebles, Scotland) — lead guitarist.
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