Formed in Yorkshire in the mid-sixties as the Shots. They recorded one unsuccesful single before they got into contact with producer Monty Babson. He saw the potential in the demo of "My Friend Jack", which soon recorded and released on Columbia in February 1967. The song was highly commercial and very modern and very much in the same vein as the early Pink Floyd singles. The lyrics indicated a celebration of drug abuse, and it was banned by the BBC. The song was a big hit in several European countries, and and the album "It's Smoke Time" was released later that year.
Sveral singles were released during 1967-1974, but none of them were able to give the band a real breakthrough
Band Members:
Mike Rowley: Born 1946, vocals and lead-guitar. Founder member.
Gill Geoffrey: Born 1949, drums and guitar. Founder member
John Zeke Lund: Born 1945, Bass and guitar . Founder member
Malcolm Luker: Born 1946, Guitar, keyboards and citar
Phil Peacock: Guitar and vocals. Left before they changed their name to The Smoke
Discography:
1. It's Smoke Time - Metronome MLP - 1967 Tracks:
1. My Friend Jack / 2. Waterfall / 3. You Can't Catch Me / 4. High in a Room / 5. Wake Up Cherylina / 6. Don't Lead Me on / 7. We Can Take It / 8. If the Weather's Sunny / 9. I Wanna Make It With You / 10. It's Getting Closer / 11. It's Just Your Way of Lovin' / 12. I Would if I Could But I Can't / 13. Have Some More Tea* / 14. Victor Henry's Cool Book* / 15. Sydney Gill* / 16. It Could Be Wonderful* / 17. Keep a Hold of What You've Got * / 18. She's a Liar* / 19. I Am Only Dreaming* / 20. Universal Vagrant* / 21. Dreams of Dreams* / 22. My Birth* / 23. Jack Is Back* / 24. That's What I Want* / 25. Playing with Magic* / 26. My Friend Jack* [Alt]
Rating : 7
2. My Friend Jack - comp. - Morgan Blue Town 1988
Tracks:
1. My Friend Jack / 2. High in a Room / 3. Victor Henry's Cool Book / 4. Waterfall / 5. It's Just Your Way of Lovin' / 6. Wake Up Cherylina / 7. That's What I Want / 8. Like a Good Man Should / 9. We Can Take It / 10. Playing with Magic / 11. She's a Liar / 12. I Would If I Could but I Can't
Rating : 7
3. The Best of Sugar Man - Repertoire REP 4606 WY - 1996
Tracks:
1. Sugar Man / 2. Shagalagalu / 3. My Friend Jack / 4. We Can Take it / 5. High in a Room / 6. Have Some More Tea / 7. It Could Be Wonderful / 8. That’s What I Want / 9. Gimme Good Loving / 10. Ride Ride Ride / 11. Guy Fawkes / 12. Sydney Gill / 13. Victor Henry’s Cool Book / 14. Utterly Simple / 15. Dreams of Dreams / 16. My Lullaby / 17. Looking High / 18. I Am Only Dreaming / 19. Same Old Fat Man / 20. Hold on to Everything You’ve Got / 21. Some People / 22. Battersea Fair / 23. I Wanna Make it With You / 24. She Put the Hurt on Me / 25. Magic / 26. Like a Good Man Should / 27. My Freind Jack 76 / 28. Lady
Rating : 7
4. My Friend Jack, comp. - Repertoire - 1999
Tracks:
1. My Friend Jack / 2. We Can Take It / 3. If The Weather's Sunny / 4. I Would If I Could but I Can't / 5. It Could Be Wonderful / 6. Have Some More Tea / 7. Utterly Simple / 8. Sydney Gill / 9. High in a Room / 10. Victor Henry's Cool Book / 11. You Can't Catch Me / 12. Waterfall / 13. Wake Up Cherylina / 14 . Don't Lead Me On / 15. I Wanna Make It With You / 16. It's Getting Closer / 17. It's Just Your Way of Lovin' / 18. My Friend Jack (Alt.) / 19. The Girl in the Park / 20. Playing With Magic / 21. She Put the Hurt on Me (Live) / 22. High in a Room (Live) / 23. My Friend Jack (Live)
Rating : 7
Essential Albums!
Original albums as listed and rated on “Rate Your Music” - March 1 - 2011
168 It's Smoke Time - 1967
820 My Friend Jack - 1988
Check and Rate Here!
March 1 - 2011< - "rateyourmusic.com"
My Suggestion For a 80 minutes (app.) Best Of Compilation:
1. My Friend Jack ( Rowley/Gill/Luker/Lund) It's Smoke Time
2. High in a Room ( Rowley/Gill/Luker/Lund) It's Smoke Time
3. Utterly Simple ( Mason ) The Best of Sugar Man
4. Waterfall ( Rowley/Gill/Luker/Lund) It's Smoke Time
5. You Can't Catch Me ( Rowley/Gill/Luker/Lund) It's Smoke Time
6. Sugar Man ( Gill ) The Best of Sugar Man
7. Wake Up Cherylina ( Rowley/Gill/Luker/Lund) It's Smoke Time
8. We Can Take it ( Rowley/Gill/Luker/Lund) It's Smoke Time
9. Guy Fawkes ( Reed/Gill/Malone ) The Best of Sugar Man
10. If the Weather's Sunny ( Rowley/Gill/Luker/Lund) It's Smoke Time
11. It's Getting Closer ( Rowley/Gill/Luker/Lund) It's Smoke Time
12. Same old Fat Man ( Young ) The Best of Sugar Man
13. Have Some More Tea ( Rowley/Gill/Ridley) It's Smoke Time*
14. Sidney Gill ( Rowley/Gill ) It's Smoke Time*
15. It Could Be Wonderful ( Rowley/Gill/Miller) It's Smoke Time*
16. Am I Only Dreaming ( Rowley/Gill/Luker/Lund) It's Smoke Time*
17. Jack is Back ( Gill/Berckerman) It's Smoke Time*
18. That's What I Want ( Gill/Luker/Malone/Lund) My Friend Jack 88
19. Like a Good Man Should ( Gill/Malone) My Friend Jack 88
20. My Friend Jack - 76 ( Rowley/Gill/Luker/Lund) The Best of Sugar Man
21. My Friend Jack - alt ( Rowley/Gill/Luker/Lund) It's Smoke Time*
The Smoke
Wikipedia