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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZBOND, Graham(b 28 Oct. '37, Romford, Essex; d 8 May '74, London) UK R&B multi-instrumentalist. An orphan, adopted from a Dr Barnardo home. Had music lessons in school; played in a Don Rendell quintet; forsook jazz for R&B, joining Alexis Korner's Blues Incorporated '62, replacing Cyril Davies. Hired on strength of Eric Dolphy-infl. alto sax playing, but switched to organ. Formed own trio with Jack Bruce, Ginger Baker; became a quartet with John McLaughlin on guitar (later Neil Hubbard, with Dick Heckstall-Smith on sax), name of group changed to the Graham Bond Organization, back to R&B once more. His lack of pedigree on organ led to irreverent innovation: he was credited with being the first to use Hammond organ/Leslie speaker combination in R&B context, first to split keyboard for portability, first to build an electronic keyboard and first to use a mellotron, heard on The Sound Of '65, A Bond Between Us '66, LPs considered seminal now, but receiving little attention at the time. Bruce and Baker left to form Cream with Eric Clapton; Baker's replacement Jon Hiseman left with Heckstall-Smith for John Mayall, then Colosseum. Bond disbanded, went to USA, wrote and recorded '68 LPs Love Is The Law and The Mighty Graham Bond on Pulsar, Solid Bond '70 on WB. With Baker in short-lived band Airforce. Married American singer Diane Stewart, who shared interest in 'magick'. Several shortlived projects followed incl. Initiation; Bond and Brown (with Stewart and Cream lyricist Pete Brown); made Two Heads Are Better Than One '72. Marriage failed; formed group Magus with folksinger Carolanne Pegg; drugs and personal problems led to nervous breakdown '73; he died under a London Underground train. With Korner and Mayall Bond was one of the founders of UK R&B, his promise never fully realized. |