The Spectres

Formed in South London back in 1962 and gradually developed playing local dates and backing visiting American singers, the Spectres were one of the longer-lived local bands from London, enduring through five years of club dates and backing visiting American singers. The band -- <a href="spotify:artist:43wp8UNZlKGueRUXKf9Nmb">Francis Rossi</a> (guitar, vocals), Alan Lancaster (guitar, bass, vocals), Rod Lynes (keyboards), John Coughlan (drums) -- were later joined by <a href="spotify:artist:258uHZxMMN8uKtVV4VtlSm">Rick Parfitt</a> of the Highlifes on bass and keyboards, and they hung onto in this lineup long enough to get signed to <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Pye+Records%22">Pye Records</a>' <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Piccadilly%22">Piccadilly</a> imprint in 1966. They made their debut that year covering the <a href="spotify:artist:090VebphoycdEyH165iMqc">Shirley Bassey</a> hit "I (Who Have Nothing)," which Donovan later recorded with great success, and followed it up with a version of "Hurdy Gurdy Man" a cover of the <a href="spotify:artist:7peASGSN6FkIFQ3XjLfBtB">Blues Magoos</a> hit "(We Ain't Got) Nothing Yet." That record, released in early 1967, captured a good chunk of the sound -- crunchy guitar, swirling organ Arabesques, and a hard rhythm section -- that the group would use, after an interlude spent as <a href="spotify:artist:7lfXFK9TEl6R6LW72BhDbi">Traffic Jam</a>, to finally top the charts as <a href="spotify:artist:4gIdjgLlvgEOz7MexDZzpM">Status Quo</a>. The three <a href="spotify:artist:2Ynayz6Ax2hZi0QGhALibr">Spectres</a> singles and their B-sides have appeared on various CD reissues, grouped together on a couple of <a href="spotify:artist:4gIdjgLlvgEOz7MexDZzpM">Status Quo</a> compilations. "(We Ain't Got) Nothin' Yet" has appeared on <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Sequel+Records%22">Sequel Records</a>' Freakbeat Freakout, among other compilations, while "I (Who Have Nothing)" is on the <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Sequel%22">Sequel</a> Songs of Leiber & Stoller collection. ~ Bruce Eder, Rovi