History

 Few rock albums have achieved greater cult status than Leaf Hound’s ‘Growers of Mushroom’. Accompanied by the aura and mystique which surrounds buried treasure, the album has gradually acquired a mythical status, reflecting the hallucinogenic imagery of its cover, and befitting the explosive fusion of soulful blues and hard rock fury contained within its grooves.

 

Leaf Hound was a product of the South-West London rock scene of the late sixties, which spawned the likes of Free and other blues-rock acts who would go on to make a wider impact. Vocalist Peter French and guitarist Mick Halls were the mainstays of Leaf Hound. Both had previously played together in the Brunning Sunflower Blues Band and Black Cat Bones. The line up for the ‘Growers of Mushroom’ album was completed by Stuart and Derek Brookes, on bass and rhythm, and drummer Keith Young.

 

‘Growers of Mushroom’ was recorded in one eleven hour session at Spot Studios in Mayfair, London, in late 1970. In between the recording of the album and its belated release the following year, the Brookes brothers were replaced by Ron Thomas (of Heavy Metal Kids fame) on bass and Leaf Hound undertook a tour of Europe as a four piece. Although the band had expected the album to be released to coincide with the tour, it did not materialise in time, and the band found themselves in the frustrating situation of promoting an album which was not yet available. Despite this, the shows were successful, and legend has it that they regularly wiped the floor with a fledgling UFO, headliners on some of the shows. The success of the tour prompted German label Telefunken to release the album in Germany. A single of 'Drowned My Life in Fear' / 'It's Gonna Get Better' was also released in Germany.

 

In October 1971, Decca followed suit in the band’s native UK. However, by the time of the Decca release the band had split, riven by disputes with their agents.

 

Peter French’s reputation as a potent lead vocalist led him to stints as frontman for Atomic Rooster (appearing on the hit album ‘In Hearing Of’), and Tim Bogert & Carmine Appice’s US band Cactus (appearing on the album ‘Ot’n’Sweaty). Later in the seventies he served as frontman for popular German act Randy Pie, before recording his acclaimed solo album ‘Ducks in Flight’ which featured the likes of Brian Robertson, Micky Moody and Kenny Jones.

 

 

In 1994, the ‘Growers of Mushroom’ album received a long-overdue re-release by Repertoire Records, endorsed by both Peter French and Mick Halls, the mainstays of the original band. Freeing it from the clutches of rich collectors and inevitable bootleggers, the album was now freely available to the everyday rock fan. Since then its reputation has grown to a huge extent, and the album has gained a new generation of cult followers.

In early 2004, aware of the growing cult status the music of Leaf Hound had achieved, French was persuaded to get a new version of Leaf Hound together. Following a chance meeting with drummer and self-confessed Leaf Hound fanatic Jimmy Rowland, a new band was assembled featuring Luke Rayner (guitar) and Ed Pearson (bass). In Rayner, French feels the band has a guitarist with the skill, feel and vitality needed to feel the void left by original guitarist Mick Halls, who now works as a successful session guitarist in California. Songwriting is already underway for material to be used on an all-new Leaf Hound album, and the results so far are extremely exciting. In the meantime, the band are preparing for an assault on the live stage where many of the now infamous songs from ‘Growers of Mushroom’ will be performed by French and band for the first time in over 30 years. A couple of tasters of the new material will also be given an airing for the first time.