Chicory Tip formed at school in Maidstone, Kent, in 1969.
A contract with CBS brought no real success until their massive 1972 hit, Son Of My Father (originally a European hit for Giorgio Moroder, the Italian producer who would later become the king of Eurodisco).
The Chicory Tip version of the song (a note-for-note cover of the Moroder recording) was the first UK #1 single to feature a synthesizer – in this case, a Moog, played by engineer and future star producer Chris Thomas.
The band were unable to follow-up on the chart-topper and attempted a sci-fi underpants and greasepaint rethink from March 1973.
“That image was for a single called Good Grief Christina,” explained guitarist Rick Foster. “The management thought it would look striking for Top Of The Pops. I’d left by then – I could see where it was going.”
Indeed, rock mythology has it that the group were abandoned on London’s Westway en route to Top Of The Pops in these very outfits by a disgruntled minibus driver.
By March 1975, Brian Shearer and Barry Mayger had both departed, leaving Peter Hewson the sole surviving member of the act that had risen so high just three years before.
Chicory Tip’s final single (Survivor) – the first release on a new, but short-lived label – was accompanied by a farewell Scandinavian tour and the band called it a day.
Peter Hewson
Vocals
Rick Foster
Guitar, vocals
Barry Mayger
Bass
Brian Shearer
Drums
Rod Cloutt
Guitar, keyboards
