Band Of Joy

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Band of Joy were a 1960s rock band from Birmingham, England.

The band is notable as the last of several line-ups included two musicians, John Bonham and Robert Plant, who went on to join Led Zeppelin; and, to a lesser degree, because the band's roadie was Noddy Holder.

The earliest incarnation of the group was formed in 1966 by Plant. Conflicts with the band's management led to Plant leaving the group after a few months. He quickly tried to form his own Band of Joy, but it soon folded. A third incarnation of the band, including Plant's childhood friend John Bonham, lasted from 1967 to mid-1968. Their brand of soul and blues was popular with Birmingham mods. The final lineup recorded a number of demo recordings in early 1968, but broke up in May 1968 when a recording contract failed to materialise.

Plant and Bonham eventually joined Led Zeppelin. Kevyn Gammond (stage name "Carlisle Egypt") and Lockey subsequently formed the country-rock band Bronco, with singer Jess Roden, bassist John Pasternak, drummer Pete Robinson, and future Robert Plant sideman Robbie Blunt. They made two albums before breaking up after a serious road accident.

In 1977 Gammond and Lockey revived the Band of Joy, rounding out the lineup with Pasternak, Robinson, and keyboardist Michael Chetwood. They invited Plant and Bonham to contribute to their 1978 self-titled album, but nothing came of it. The group released a second album in 1983 before breaking up.

Gammond later joined Robert Plant in the Priory of Brion from 1999 to 2001.

1967–1968 lineup

John Bonham — drums
Chris Brown — organ
Kevyn Gammond — guitar, vocals
Paul Lockey — bass guitar, guitar, vocals
Robert Plant — lead vocals

This Band of Joy was formed in West Bromwich, near Birmingham, England. A few years after BOJ split up, Gammond and Lockey went on to play in Bronco when Jess Roden left Bronco to go solo. Pete Robinson, from an earlier incarnation of BOJ, was on drums, with John Pasternak (bass) and Dan Fone (keyboards).

References

Hornby, Laurie. Brum Rocked On! (Solihull: TGM Limited, 2003) ISBN 0953695158
[Band of Joy interview] — Achilles Last Stand (1992). (Retrieved August 18 2005.)
Yorke, Ritchie. Led Zeppelin: The Definitive Biography (London: Virgin, 1993) ISBN 0863696481

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