Formerly Fat Harry - Selftitled (Folk-Prog-Country Influenced Rock UK 1972)

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FORMERLY FAT HARRY are one the forgotten greats of late '60s British rock. The band was formed in London in 1969 by ex-Country Joe & the Fish bassist Bruce Barthol and two old friends from the Berkeley California folk music scene, Gary Petersen and Phil Greenberg. Fat Harry was soon signed up by the original Pink Floyd management company. 

Playing a highly idiosyncratic brand of Americana that frequently experimented with jazz time signatures, the band played at two of the now legendary free concerts in Hyde Park, the 1970 Bath Festival, Phun City and many of the clubs of the era such as The Marquee in London.

A quartet of 'musician's musicians', admired by everyone from Ralph McTell to Edgar Broughton and Michael Chapman, the group made only one LP for Harvest Records before disbanding in 1972. Though reflecting their musical and song-writing abilities, that record failed to capture their true flavour. 

Formed in England in 1971, Formerly Fat Harry revolved around the talents of US expatriates Gary Peterson (vocals/guitar/keyboards), Phil Greenberg (vocals/guitar) and Bruce Barthol (bass, ex-Country Joe And The Fish). Saxophonist George Khan (formerly of Battered Ornaments) and Laurie Allen (drums) completed the featured line-up on Formerly Fat Harry, a pleasant country rock, good time music set which anticipated the ‘pub rock’ boom. 

Unfortunately, the band failed to make commercial headway and they split up when the core members returned to the USA. Allen subsequently worked with Gong, Lol Coxhill and Robert Wyatt. George Khan, also known as Nisar Ahmet Khan, played on several jazz rock features by Annette Peacock and Mike Westbrook before leading Mirage (1977).

Led by Bruce Barthol (bassist with San Francisco psych heroes Country Joe & The Fish), this oddly-named quartet coalesced in London in 1969 and soon gained admirers for their laid-back country-influenced sound. They became a fixture in the city's underground clubs and at free festivals, but their sole album appeared in late 1971, by which time their moment had passed. It makes its long-awaited return to CD here, complete with background notes.

Musicians:
♦ Bruce Barthol - bass/vocals
♦ Phil Greenberg - guitar/vocals
♦ Gary Peterson - guitar/keyboards/vocals
♦ Laurie Allan - drums (tracks 1, 3, 4, 8)
♦ John Marshall - drums (tracks 2, 5, 7)
♦ Alan Jackson - drums (track 6) 

01. Passing The River 05:04
02. My Friend Ws A Pusher 05:15
03. About My Life 05:45
04. Please Go Away 04:35
05. I Saw The Ringing Of The Bell 04:45
06. Tell Me All About It 04:40
07. Captain Heart 03:28
08. Goodbye For Good 06:55

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