Hydra (band)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Hydra is a North American Southern rock band founded in the late 1960's by Spencer Kirkpatrick (guitar), Wayne Bruce (vocals/guitar) and Steve Pace (drums). Steve Pace and Spencer Kirkpatrick first played together in 1968 in the band Strange Brew. Wayne Bruce played with Nickelodean and joined Pace and Kirkpatrick in short lived Noah Mayflower; the three remained together in the band Osmosis, from which by the end of the decade Hydra emerged. Enlisting a succession of bassists the lineup was finally set with the inclusion of Orville Davis. Their career started in the Atlanta region in the state of Georgia, later on expanding their territory, playing at major international acts and prestigious venues, but never outside of the United States.

The band signed a recording contract with Capricorn Records in 1973 and the first self-titled album Hydra emerged in 1974. In 1975 Land of Money follows. They used a horn-section and were assisted by musicians like Chuck Leavell (piano/keyboards) and Randall Bramblett, who later founded his own Randall Bramblett Band.

Despite the good musical quality of their 'heavy' Southern Rock, commercial success was not obtained and Davis left the band and built his own country career emerging in an own debut CD (Howl At The Moon in 1996) en later on Barnburner in 2005. He was replaced on bass by Wayne Bruce and the band moved to Polydor.

In 1977 Rock The World was released, by some reviewers considered the minor and by others, including Edgar Brimer, their road manager, their best record. By the end of 1977 the band separated and rejoined only seldomly thereafter, except for a series of shows in 1997, first with Jimmy Cobb and later with Tommy Vickery on bass, replacing Davis, who had been erroneously reported as deceased. Spencer Kirkpatrick performed later on albums from blues guitarist Wayne 'Bear' Sauls, and also from Eddie Stone, Donnie McCormick and on "Georgia Jam" from Stevie Hawkins.

All their earlier vinyl records in the meantime were released on CD.

In April of 2005 the band (in their 1997 composition) reunited for several concerts, from which the live CD Live - After All These Years was released with songs from their earlier albums. The band at that time made plans for an album with new material.