Wizzard was formed in 1972 by Roy Wood after he split from ELO – which then fell under the leadership of Jeff Lynne – taking band members Bill Hunt (keyboards and french horn) and Hugh McDowell (cello) with him.
The mainstay of The Move in its heyday, Wood formed Wizzard as a rock ‘n’ roll revival vehicle for his Phil Spector-ish production numbers.
The band made their live debut in front of 40,000 people at the London Rock and Roll Show at Wembley Stadium on 5 August 1972. Wizzard’s second appearance was at the Reading Festival later that month.
With Wood’s distinctive big hair, warpaint make-up and colourful costumes – and regular appearances Top of the Pops in which members and friends appeared as pantomime horses – they were one of the most visual groups in the British glam rock era.
Wizzard’s live shows featured Wood leaping around like some manic English king, with the rest of the band (who Wood actually employed and paid a weekly wage) dressed in equally insane costumes – angels with roller skates jostling with ageing Teddy Boys.
In 1973 they scored their first Top 10 hit with Ball Park Incident, which peaked at #6.
Their biggest hit was with their second single, See My Baby Jive, which reached #1. The follow-up, Angel Fingers – subtitled “A Teen Ballad” – also topped the charts.
Wizzard’s 1973 Christmas single – I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day – became an annual yuletide fixture on British radio and television, and the group returned to the top of the charts in 1974 with Rock ‘n’ Roll Winter (the release of the single was delayed for several weeks until the end of March, so the words “Sorry, the word ‘Spring’ wouldn’t fit” were added to the title on the single’s label).
By autumn 1975, the band had split, leaving a farewell single, Rattlesnake Roll, which failed to chart, plus a third album, Main Street, which their record company did not release as they deemed it too uncommercial. It finally saw the light of day in 2000.
In 1977 Wood and bassist Rick Price formed the short-lived Wizzo – a belated stab at jazz-rock in the age of punk and disco – after which Wood reverted to a solo career in addition to producing records for other acts, notably a 1979 Top 10 cover version of Duke of Earl for British doo-wop revivalists Darts.
Roy couldn’t find his way back into the charts despite a bona fide classic with the 1980 double-sider Rock City/Givin’ Your Heart Away – under the new name of Roy Wood’s Helicopters.
Saxophonist Mike Burney – who provided the memorable sax riffs across three of the band’s albums and numerous hits singles – died in 2014.
Roy Wood Vocals, guitar, saxophone Bill Hunt Keyboards Bob Brady Keyboards
Hugh McDowell Electric Cello
Rick Price Bass
Mike Burney Saxophone, clarinet, flute
Nick Pentelow Saxophone, clarinet, flute
Keith Smart
1st Drummer
Charlie Grima 2nd Drummer
Dave Griffiths
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With Wood’s distinctive big hair, warpaint make-up and colourful costumes – and regular appearances Top of the Pops in which members and friends appeared as pantomime horses – they were one of the most visual groups in the British glam rock era.
