The Flying Machine (band)
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The Flying Machine was a British studio band, which was assembled in 1968, from the ashes of a previously studio based outfit.
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[edit] Career
The Flying Machine is best known for its major hit single in 1969, "Smile A Little Smile For Me", which peaked at number 5 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart (on Kapp Records' Congress record label). By 12 December that year they had sold a million copies of the record, and it was awarded a gold disc by the R.I.A.A. [1] The song was penned by the songwriting pairing of Tony Macauley and Geoff Stevens. Oddly, despite originating from the other side of the Pond, the record had no presence at all on the UK Singles Chart, despite its initial release there on Pye Records.
A follow-up single, a cover version of "Baby Make It Soon", first recorded by Marmalade, scraped the U.S. Hot 100 the following year, but the group, somewhat ungratefully, grew frustrated with their pop-oriented style. A final single, "The Devil Has Possession Of Your Mind", suggested a change of direction, but the Flying Machine split up following its release.[1]
The bulk of the outfit started their musical career under the title of Pinkerton's Assorted Colours.
Bassist Colman went on to a successful career as a session musician, record producer and BBC Radio disc jockey.
They are not to be confused with James Taylor's similarly named band from the early 1960s.
[edit] Band members
- Tony Newman (born 1947, Rugby, Warwickshire, England) - vocals, guitars
- Steve Jones (born 1946, Coventry) - guitars, vocals
- Sam Kempe (born 1946, Rugby) - vocals
- Stuart Colman (born 19 December 1944, Harrogate, Yorkshire) - bass, electric piano
- Paul Wilkinson (born 1948, Coventry) – drums
- Edie Andrews (born 1945, Detroit, Michigan) - background vocals
[edit] Discography
[edit] Singles
1969 "Smile A Little Smile For Me" - #5 U.S.
1970 "Baby Make It Soon"
1970 "The Devil Has Possession Of Your Mind"
[edit] Albums
1969 Flying Machine
1970 Down To Earth With The Flying Machine [2]
1998 Flight Recorder (Double CD compilation album on Sequel Records)
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Murrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs, 2nd, London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd, p. 259. ISBN 0-214-20512-6.
