Leaf Hound

Infobox musical artist |
Name = Leaf Hound


Img_capt = Cover of "Growers of Mushroom"
Img_size =
Background = group_or_band
Alias =
Origin = London, U.K.
Genre = Hard rock Psychedelic rock
Years_active = 1969 - 1971 2004 - present
Label =
Associated_acts = Free Foghat Atomic Rooster Cactus
URL = [http://www.leafhound.net/ leafhound.net]
Current_members = Peter French Luke Rayner Ed Pearson Jimmy Rowland
Past_members = Mick Halls Derek Brooks Stuart Brooks Keith George-Young Ron Thomas

Leaf Hound is an English 1970s hard rock band.

Biography

Leaf Hound formed in 1969 under their original name, Black Cat Bones. [http://www.rockdetector.com/officialbio,5142.sm Leaf Hound at Rockdetector] ] Early incarnations of the Black Cat Bones featured guitarist Paul Kossoff and drummer Simon Kirke who both left to form Free. [http://www.rockdetector.com/officialbio,5142.sm Leaf Hound at Rockdetector] ] Black Cat Bones issued one album for Decca Records entitled "Barbed Wire Sandwich". They replaced their vocalist shortly after releasing the album, adding Peter French to the line-up. Guitarist Rod Price departed soon after to join Foghat and French added his cousin Mick Halls on guitar. [http://www.rockdetector.com/officialbio,5142.sm Leaf Hound at Rockdetector] ] Soon after Black Cat Bones changed their name to Leaf Hound. At this point the band consisted of French on vocals, Halls on guitar, the Brooks brothers, Derek and Stuart, on guitar and bass respecitively, and Keith George-Young on drums.

"Growers of Mushroom" was recorded at Spot Studios in Mayfair, London in late 1970. [ [http://www.leafhound.net/history.asp Leaf Hound homepage] ] Shortly after the Brooks brothers departed and Ron Thomas filled in on bass. The band toured Europe as a four piece and released the "Drowned My Life in Fear" single and the "Leaf Hound" album in Germany on Telefunken. The "Growers of Mushroom" album was released shortly after (featuring all of the tracks on the self-titled album) but by this time French had already departed to join Atomic Rooster for their album "In Hearing Of". [http://www.rockdetector.com/officialbio,5142.sm Leaf Hound at Rockdetector] ] French would also later join American hard rock band Cactus. "Growers of Mushroom" became a collectors item in the years to come and was voted the number one most collectable rock album in Q magazine. [ [http://www.leafhound.net/bandpage.htm Leaf Hound homepage] ] It was released on CD in Germany by Walhalla Records with one bonus track, "It's Gonna Get Better" (b-side to the "Drowned My Life in Fear" single). It was re-released by See For Miles Records in 1994 with two bonus tracks, "It's Gonna Get Better" and "Hipshaker". Akarma Records re-released the vinyl version in 2003 featuring one bonus track, "It's Gonna Get Better." It was re-released on CD a third time in 2005 by Repertoire Records featuring the two bonus tracks on the See For Miles release as well as a third bonus track, "Too Many Rock 'n' Roll Times."

In 2004 Peter French put together a new incarnation of the band. In 2006 they released a limited 7" on Rise Above Records featuring a live version of "Freelance Fiend" recorded in Soho, London in September of 2005. [ [http://riseaboverecords.com/prodview.asp?prodId=55 Leaf Hound at Rise Above Records] ] The b-side is also taken from the same recording. According to their website, Leaf Hound has finished recording a new album, "Unleashed".

Unleashed

New album "Unleashed" was released on November 12, 2007. It Features eight all new compositions by Peter French and Luke Rayner and also a reworking of Atomic Rooster's Breakthrough.The album has been met with critical acclaim from the music press with Kerrang! calling it, "As good a rock album as you could hope to hear."
Classic Rock Magazine noted, "An unpretentious hard rock record, relying on strong songs and powerful performances."French and Rayner were also praised for their production skills, "Preserving the Classic Rock sound."

Members

Current line-up

* Peter French - vocals
* Luke Rayner - guitar
* Ed Pearson - bass
* Jimmy Rowland - drums

Classic line-up

* Peter French - vocals
* Mick Halls - guitar
* Derek Brooks - guitar
* Stuart Brooks - bass
* Keith George-Young - drums

Discography

* "Leaf Hound" LP (1971 Telefunken)
* "Drowned My Life in Fear"/"It's Gonna Get Better" 7" (1971 Telefunken)
* "Growers of Mushroom" LP (1971 Decca Records)
* "Freelance Fiend"/"Too Many Rock 'n' Roll Times" live 7" (2006 Rise Above Records)
* "Unleashed" CD (2007 R.A.R.E. Records)

Reissue

* "Growers of Mushroom" CD (? Walhalla Records)
* "Growers of Mushroom" CD (1994 See For Miles Records)
* "Growers of Mushroom" LP (2003 Akarma Records)
* "Growers of Mushroom" CD (2005 Repertoire Records)

References

External links

* [http://www.leafhound.net/ Leaf Hound Homepage]
* [http://www.myspace.com/leafhound Leaf Hound at MySpace]