Biography

Comprising Stuart Cowell (keyboards, guitar, vocals), John Lee (bass), Tony Priestland (saxophone, flute, oboe) and Jim Toomey (drums), this UK progressive rock group took their name from the central character of Mervyn Peake’s gothic novel - in a variation on the Tolkien/Lord Of The Rings fixation expressed by many similar groups of the time. Otherwise there were few distinctive qualities immediately apparent to the listener on hearing their two 1970 releases for Dawn Records. The single, ‘Open The Door, Homer’, shared a lack of conviction with the attendant self-titled debut album. Though the use of wind instruments offered fresh possibilities, the group’s lack of cohesive songwriting ability ensured that these were not taken. The group broke up shortly after the release of the album, which was eventually reissued on CD by See For Miles Records in 1989. Toomey later joined the Tourists.