Marvpaul Di'anno's Warhorse

Most famous for being the band of ex-Purple bassist Nicky Simper, this group also had in members Ashley Holt on vocals, Mac Poole on drums, Frank Wilson on kbs and respectively Ged Peck and Pete Parker on guitars on their first and second albums. Their first album is very much in the mould of Deep Purple in between the Mk1 and Mk2 sound. Both their albums are quite fine in quality and should please most progheads into the 70's. It is interesting to make a parallel between Warhorse and Captain Beyond as that band had the other ex-Purple frontman Rod Evans, and they also developed an harder edged sound than that of Mk1 Purple, one of the reasons Ritchie Blackmore sacked the two unlucky boys.

Maybe number five is the charm? Not that JJ Grey and his ever evolving backing band Mofro care. But it's possible that Georgia Warhorse may be the record that pulls them from the glorified cult status they've enjoyed for a decade into the lights on the mainstream's fringes - but don't count on it. Grey's music is far too gritty; too poetically, sonically, and atmospherically rooted in vintage Southern soul, rock and blues traditions to translate readily into radio fodder. Georgia Warhorse (named for a tenacious and resilient species of grasshopper) contains 11 new originals, recorded at Jim DeVito's Retrophonics Studio in St. Augustine - as were all four previous albums. The music is steeped in funky, greasy, slippery Southern R&B, blues and rock…

Warhorse were a band formed by former Deep Purple bassist Nick Simper. He had left Deep Purple in 1969 and joined Marsha Hunt's backup band. Not long after, Simper replaced her backing band with Ged Peck on guitar and Mac Poole on drums. While this was going on, Simper would play in an extracurricular band along with Peck, Poole and singer Ashley Holt. When Hunt became pregnant, the band stopped touring and Simper re-organized the group as Warhorse. Holt became the band's singer, and they recruited keyboardist Rick Wakeman who proved unreliable. When their first demo was recorded in April 1970, Wakeman was replaced by Frank Wilson.

Wikipedia

Fresh from the incredible success of Rick Wakeman’s early concept LPs (he drummed with Wakeman’s band) Barney and his ex-bandmates Warhorse made this sensational lost heavy prog LP as a promo acetate to get an official release. Barney wrote all the songs and sings. Musically complex, it begins with a spoken intro and tells the tale of Koneg Son Of Odin, as he quests to find meaning and death in battle. Keyboards and guitar interweave, with further spoken interludes, and culminating in an epic prog workout featuring fluid soloing electric leads as Koneg dies on the battlefield and is taken by Valkyries to Valhalla.

This intriguing Angel Air release spotlights two albums produced in the wake of punk rock and seemingly destined to be overlooked in the history of heavy rock. Fandango developed out of that other seminal seventies heavy rock outfit, Warhorse. Nick Simper, original bassist for Deep Purple, joined with ex-Warhorse guitarist Peter Parks along with drummer Ron Penny and vocalist James Proops. Their first album, “Slipstreaming” was recorded and originally released on a small German label in 1979. The second album, “Future Times”, was recorded and released the following year with Mac Poole, former Warhorse drummer, replacing Penny. Now available for the first time on CD, this release includes two singles and bonus tracks never before available on CD. As ever, this package is completed by comprehensive liner notes and band photographs. The album is a must for any fan of British Rock and a real gem for any collector of Deep Purple related items.

Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, Deep Purple is the third piece of the marvelous trinity who are the creators of heavy metal. The story of Deep Purple as a band continues to this day and has weathered many a storm and changes of band members…

One of the progenitors of heavy metal and British prog rock, Deep Purple had several different distinct lineups during the band's run, and there was always a shuffling of personnel, it seems, which makes the overall consistency of Deep Purple's recorded legacy pretty impressive, especially in retrospect. This three-disc set takes a particularly unique approach to the band's history, presenting instead a parallel one, with tracks from various bandmembers' projects in other guises and bands. Serious fans of this iconic band will find these discs fascinating.