Chicory Tip - The Future Is Past (1972)

Chronologically this song came after "What's Your Name" and before "Good Grief Christina". Veering away from the Moog synth sound that made the preceeding two singles hits "The Future Is Past" was a plodding, Glam stomper and probably more representative of how the band sounded in their own right. Sadly it bombed, receiving little airplay but it is a Glam Rock classic nevertheless.

Chicory Tip is a British pop group from Maidstone, Kent, originally comprising; vocalist Peter Hewson (born 1 September 1950, in Gillingham), guitarist; Rick Foster, bass guitarist (born Richard Foster, 1946); Barry Mayger (born 1 June 1946, Maidstone), drummer; Brian Shearer (born 4 May 1951, Lewisham, South East London); and lead guitarist, keyboard player Rod Cloutt (born Roderick Cloutt, 26 January 1949, Gillingham).

Chicory Tip only released a few records in the US, and their name was shortened to just Chicory for the US market.

Career
The band formed in 1967, their name having been chosen by Peter Hewson who saw a coffee bottle (probably Camp Coffee) that reminded him of chicory, and they were signed to CBS Records. The first few singles flopped, although "Excuse Me Baby" in 1971 secured the band its first appearance on the BBC Television pop music programme, Top of the Pops.

The group's finest moment came after studio manager Roger Easterby came across an advance copy of "Son of my Father", a song written by Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellotte. Convinced of its potential, he secured the option to rush record the group's own cover version in competition with the original. The result was a Number One hit in the UK Singles Chart for three weeks in February 1972. It was one of the first hit singles to prominently feature a Moog synthesizer (in this case played by studio engineer and record producer, Chris Thomas). It sold over one million copies by July 1972, and was awarded a gold disc.

Two further Top 20 hits in similar vein followed, "What's Your Name", and "Good Grief Christina". Another release, "Cigarettes, Women and Wine" was heavily played on Radio Luxembourg but failed to chart, probably owing to a BBC Radio 1 ban because of its references to smoking.

The group released one album, also entitled Son Of My Father.

Although it brought success, the band resented its image as a pure pop band and on stage its sound was much closer to heavy rock and the group claimed it was more like Deep Purple. However, it never succeeded in broadening its appeal to an older audience. The group disbanded in 1975, but later reformed to play gigs on the 1970s revival nostalgia circuit. A later band was formed under Peter Hewsen, with John Wilson, and Trevor Price, but they split, and Chicory Tip is still on the circuit with three original members.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Glam Rock
• What's Your Name
• Son Of My Father
• Good Grief Christina
• The Sweet
• Wizzard
• Slade
• T-Rex
• Mud
• Suzi Quatro
• 70's
• Seventies
• Pop Rock
• Giorgio Moroder
• Kent
• Maidstone
• Gillingham
• British Rock
• The Arrows
• Middle Of The Road
• Mungo Jerry
• Geordie
• Brian Connolly
• Andy Scott
• Deep Purple
• Lewisham
• 1972
• Lift Off
• Top Of The Pops
• Moog Synthesizer
• Radio Luxembourg

[FaerieCrone]

Ah so that's why I remember this one - it was the flexi-disc from Popswap!

[stevierichie]

@soul4444 I seem to remember it had 3 abridged tracks on it. As for the magazine well....... i think it may have been called "POPSWAP" or something like it.

[soul4444]

@stevierichie thats brilliant!!!! just telling my partner about the flexi-single which I also had and then read your post 60 secs later. Alas I don't have my copy anymore. Which magazine did it come with and what were the other 2 tracks on it (pretty sure one of them was son of my father)?

[THEBERNIETHEBOLT]

Yes,i remember the flexi single,it had highlights of three tracks.

[sct353]

This was actually featured on Top of the Pops. I remember at the time thinking that it wasn't that great compared to the previous two (more catchy) singles. Retrospective appraisal proves that with a couple more listens it was a great track. Two more great singles released after their last hit also failed to chart - 'Cigarettes, women and wine' and 'IOU'.

[stevierichie]

crikey.... i had this as a give-away flexi single in 1972. i bought their album when it came out and still have it (12" vinyl). I have not heard this for probably 35 years!. many thanks.