| Unit 4 + 2 | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Hertfordshire, England |
| Genres | Pop rock |
| Years active | 1963–1970 |
| Labels | Decca Records Fontana Records |
| Past members | |
| Brian Parker Tommy Moeller Buster Meikle Peter Moules Howard 'Lem' Lubin Rod 'Humble' Garwood Hugh Halliday Nigel Snook Russ Ballard Bob Henrit |
|
Unit 4 + 2 were a British pop band, who had a number one hit in the UK Singles Chart in 1965 with the song "Concrete and Clay".[1] The track topped the UK chart for one week.[1]
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Brian Parker was a guitar player and songwriter in Adam Faith's backing group The Roulettes in early 1962, and he decided to form a vocal harmony group. He asked his friend 'Buster' (David) Meikle, a local star at the time, to join him. Tommy Moeller in his last year at school had a reputation as a singer when Buster and Brian asked him and Peter Moules also at school with Tommy to join what became vocal harmony group called Unit 4.
Unit 4 were later joined by Russ Ballard on guitar and (Robert) 'Bob' Henrit on drums (forming the + 2) for a now 6 piece, 4 vocal harmony group. Tommy Moeller was lead singer and frontman, from the first show as the Unit 4 vocal group to the last show as Unit 4 + 2 as vocal group with instruments. Due to ill-health and dislike of life performance Brian Parker left the live band, yet remained co-songwriter with Tommy Moeller for all original Unit 4 + 2 recordings. [2] His place at live performances was taken by Howard 'Lem' Lubin. In around 1967 when the second album was recorded Rodney Garwood replaced Peter Moules on Bass (Peter had taken up bass when the band morphed from vocal group to pop band) and Hugh Halliday replaced Bob Henrit. As Unit 4 + 2, the sextet issued their debut single, on Decca Records. "The Green Fields" (which included the only performance with the band of banjo player Nigel Snook), reached a modest number 48 in the UK in 1964.[1] Their second single release "Sorrow and Pain" was less successful.[2]
Unit 4 + 2's song "Concrete and Clay" became a big hit the following year, reportedly thanks to exposure on the pirate radio stations of the day, most notably Wonderful Radio London. The radio station's music director, Tony Windsor, later recalled in an interview that he had initially rejected the song for the station's playlist, but was persuaded to change his mind by DJ Kenny Everett. The disc was recorded using the skill of two guest musicians, Russ Ballard and Bob Henrit (two of Parker's former bandmates from their Roulettes days),[2] who debuted earlier at venues such as Cheshunt Boys' Club, together with Buster Meikle, as members of The Daybreakers. As well as its chart topping exploits in the UK, "Concrete and Clay" was a worldwide hit, and the group suddenly found themselves on radio playlists across the globe.[2] In America, a competing cover version by Eddie Rambeau (produced by Bob Crewe) split sales, with Rambeau reaching #35 on the Billboard charts and Unit 4 + 2 placing at #28. Cash Box charted the two versions together, and they reached a combined #12.
Decca released a hastily put together album, also entitled Concrete and Clay, to capitalise on the success, but it was not as notable in style or content as the single.[2] Nevertheless, the next single release "You've Never Been in Love Like This Before" reached the Top 20 in the UK,[2] and #95 on the Billboard chart in the US "Concrete and Clay" returned to the Top 20 of the UK Singles Chart in 1976, courtesy of Randy Edelman's cover version.[3] More recently, the original song appeared in the soundtrack to the film, Rushmore (1998).
The band underwent two changes when bass player Rodney Garwood joined the band in 1964, and on Brian Parker's departure Howard 'Lem' Lubin joined. The next change came in 1967 when Russ Ballard (who went on to form the highly successful Argent) joined full time, having already played some of excellent guitar work with Brian Parker on the original recording for Concrete And Clay in 1964.
Unit 4 + 2 released ten singles on Decca, between 1964 - 1967 including one 4 track EP, and many of the songs ended up on their first album called "1ST ALBUM". it was later changed in title, cover art and track listing and then rereleased as "#1 featuring Concrete And Clay" for obvious reason in the title. Also, singles that became hits like the 5th single (You've) Never Been In Love Like This Before, were not on the "1ST Album" and were added under the re-released version.
Hugh Halliday replaced 'Bob' (Robert) Henrit for the second and final album in 1967 on the Fontana Records, record label. With Ballard and Henrit on board as fulltime members, the Unit 4 + 2 sound had toughened up, but a stab at Bob Dylan's "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere" was comprehensively outsold by The Byrds own cover version.[2]. They moved into psychedelic mode with their final single offering "3.30" with lavish orchestration and harpsichords aplenty.[2] The song appears on the 1984 compilation album, The 49 Minute Technicolor Dream. The B-side, "I Will," appeared on the 1984 compilation album The Psychedelic Snarl. "3.30" failed to chart, and with another album Unit 4 + 2 quickly following suit, the group disbanded circa 1970.[2]
The label change was a result of Decca being acquired, its new owners also owned Fontana. Unit 4 + 2 released six more singles on Fontana up to 1969, disbanding in 1970 and have never reformed. One of the Fontana releases was for Spain, and was a reissue of the four tracks from two previous singles, as one EP.
(Chart positions from Record Retailer and NME - the Record Retailer positions were those used for the official UK Singles Chart)