A founding member of Curved Air, classically-trained violinist and keyboard wizard Darryl Way took flight in 1973 to form prog rock project, Wolf.
Augmented by the likes of John Etheridge on guitar, Ian Mosley (ex-Walrus) on drums and American Dek Messecar on bass and vocals, Darryl Way’s Wolf completed a trilogy of albums for Deram.
Canis Lupus (1973) was an adventurous debut, breaking away from Curved Air’s shackles. Vocal tracks took up Side One (including Camel-esque The Void and flop single, Wolf ), while Side Two was instrumental.
Ex-King Crimson member Ian McDonald (who produced the album) guested on the honorary closing cue, McDonald’s Lament, a unique fusion of classical and folk.
The follow-up, Saturation Point (1973), was subdued by comparison, though tracks such as Two Sisters (another flop single) and the Focus-like Game Of X, stood out.
Supplemented by one-time If vocalist John Hodgkinson, third album Night Music (1974), marked a return to form, opening with The Envoy and 10cc-like Black September.
Darryl subsequently returned to Curved Air, also releasing a solo LP ( Concerto For Electric Violin ) in 1978. Dek Messecar joined Caravan, while Ian Mosley teamed up with Marillion.
Darryl Way
Keyboards, violin
John Etheridge
Guitar
Dek Messecar
Vocals, bass
Ian Mosley
Drums
John ‘JW’ Hodgkinson
Vocals
