Uriel
begin gigging during the Spring; a contemporary setlist includes
covers of songs by Cream ("Sunshine Of Your Love", "Tales Of
Brave Ulysses", "Politician", "Born Under A Bad Sign", "N.S.U.",
"Spoonful"), the Jimi Hendrix Experience ("Manic Depression",
"Foxy Lady", "I Don't Live Today"), John Mayall's Bluesbreakers
("All Your Love", "Have You Heard", "The Same Way", "Dust My
Broom"), the Spencer Davis Group ("Stevie's Blues"), Traffic
("Dear Mr Fantasy"), The Beatles ("Strawberry Fields Forever"),
The Nice ("Rondo", "Azrael (Angel Of Death)", "Daddy, Where Did
I Come From ?", "Flower King Of Flies"), Donovan ("Season Of The
Witch", "Hurdy Gurdy Man")
[03] London, Middle Earth [supporting Captain Beefheart &
his Magic Band, also: Come Early]
[--] Woodford, Montclair Youth Club
[--] Hackney [London], Upton School
Uriel
record a demo in a little studio close to Holland Park tube
station ("Saturn", "Bogey Man")
They have a summer residency at the Ryde Castle Hotel on the
Isle of Wight; the event is commemorated in the later Egg song
"A Visit To Newport Hospital" (they also support The Herd, and
possibly Stray and Chicken Shack)
[20] Ryde [Isle Of Wight], 69 Club at Ryde Castle Hotel
[supporting Crazy World Of Arthur Brown; also: Helcyon Order]
[27] Ryde [Isle Of Wight], 69 Club at Ryde Castle Hotel
[supporting Fairport Convention; also: Helcyon Order]
Uriel becomes
a trio after Steve Hillage leaves the band to continue school
(and eventually study at Canterbury University); dropping most
of its cover versions, the trio replace them with original
compositions by Mont Campbell and Dave Stewart, including
"Egoman", "The Salesman Song", "Leda And The Swan", "Morfudd The
Nun" and parts of "Symphony No.1", namely "Gripperknicks", "Horn
Movement" and "Speed" (Campbell); "Swooping Bill", "The
Nightmarish Plateau Of Leng" and "Snido The Snail From Happytown
Vale" (Stewart) and "The Other Day I Was Thinking"
(Campbell/Stewart); plus covers of Mussorgsky's "Night Of Bare
Mountain", Holst's "Saturn", the Dick Barton series theme
"Devil's Gallop"
They play their first trio (afternoon) gigs at Shanklin Pier
before leaving the Isle of Wight to return to London
Around this
time, Uriel record a demo at Peter Wicker's
Studio 19, consisting of the songs "Egoman", "Swooping Bill" and
"The Salesman Song" (all three tracks are included on the 2007
archive release Arzachel by Uriel)
[23] London, Roundhouse (Middle Earth) [also: Juniors Eyes,
Writing On The Wall, Arcadium, The Gun, Sleepy]
Uriel
are offered management by the managers of the Middle Earth club;
part of the arrangement include regular appearances at the club
[14] London, Roundhouse (Middle Earth) [supporting Principal
Edward's Magic Theatre, Third Ear Band, Radha Kinoka, Temple,
also: Sitar Master, Pandit Trika]
[28] London, Roundhouse (Middle Earth) [supporting: Super
Star Jam Session with Soft Machine, Zoot Money & Andy
Summers, also John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, Writing On The
Wall, Arcadium]
Bowing to
demands from their new management, Uriel change their
name to The Egg (quickly shortened to Egg)
[11] London, Roundhouse (Middle Earth) [also: Love Sculpture,
support: Giant]
[16] London, Country Club [also: Jody Grind]
[25] London, Roundhouse (Middle Earth) [supporting The Pretty
Things, also: Melanie, Glass Menagerie, Dave Brock & Peter
Judd]
[07] London,
Fishmonger's Arms [also: Liverpool Scene]
[08] London, Roundhouse (Middle Earth) [also: Family,
Arcadium, Steamhammer]
[--] London, Speakeasy
[--] London, Drury Lane Arts Lab
[01] London, Royalty Theatre [supporting Soft Machine; also: Arcadium]
[06] London,
Roundhouse (YCND) [also: Peter Brown's Battered Ornaments,
Alexis Korner, Stray, The Deviants, Mike Stevens, Gary Farr,
Exploding Spectrum, Roy Harper]
[13] Southall, Farx Club [also: Jerome Arnold, Steamhammer?]
[23] London,
The Roebuck
Following Egg's début appearance at this Tottenham Court Road
pub, the band's unofficial manager Bill Jellett negotiates a
weekly residency for them there; Steve Hillage occasionally sits
in; among the audience at one of these gigs is Pat Boland, a DJ
and headhunter for Decca Records; with Middle Earth's plans to
start a record label failing to materialise, Egg end up signing
with Decca
Egg plus
former Uriel cohort Steve Hillage reunite to record (under
pseudonyms) Arzachel's eponymous album (released in the autumn)
[30] London, The Roebuck
[07] London,
The Roebuck
[14] London, The Roebuck
[23] London, The Roebuck
[24] London, Playhouse
Theatre (Top Gear w. John Peel) (producer: Pete Ritzema) -
"Seven Is A Jolly Good Time", "While Growing My Hair" and
"The Song Of McGillicudie..." performed (broadcast Aug 13)
[31] London, "a studio near Oxford Street"
(sessions for single, with Pat Boland producing)
[29] "Seven
Is A Jolly Good Time" c/w "You Are All Princes" released
on Nova, a sub-label of Decca
[31] London, Roundhouse (YNCD Benefit Night) [also: Juniors
Eyes, Dr K's Blues Band, Bridget St.John, Jody Grind, Screw,
Stray, Andromeda, Stonehouse]
[05] London,
BBC Studios [Stuart Henry 'Noise At Nine'] (broadcast Sep 21)
[26] London, All Saints' Hall [supporting Stray]
Sessions for
"Egg" at Lansdowne Studios, London
[04] London, University College
[14] West Hampstead, Railway Hotel "Klook's Kleek"
[supporting Family]
[24] Redhill, Greyhound
[25] London, Regent St. Poly [also: The Peddlers]
[30] Redhill, St. John's Church [also: Dr Strangely Strange]
[31] Twickenham [London], Eel Pie Island
[22] London,
Imperial College [also: Principal Edwards' Magic Theatre]
[23] London, Lyceum (Time Trip Into The Seventies) [also:
Spirit Of John Morgan, Rare Bird, Griffin, The Galliard]
[24] Redhill, Greyhound
[30] London, Lyceum [also: Kuby's Blues Band]
[06] London, University College [also: Hard Meat]
[09] London,
Speakeasy
[17] London, University College [supporting Taste]
[24] London, Imperial College [supporting Procol Harum]
[30] London, The Temple [supporting Formerly Fat Harry, Gary
Farr]
[31] London, Marquee Club [supporting May Blitz] (first-ever
appearance at the Marquee)
[01]
Kingston, Kingston Hotel [support: Heaven]
[21] London, University College [supporting Joe Cocker]
[22] London, Lyceum (Nova Night) (Egg's appearance cancelled)
[05] London,
100 Club [also: Jeff Dexter]
[13] "Egg" is released on Nova
[11] Croydon,
Star Hotel [supporting Comus, Keith Tippett Group]
[17] Croydon, Star Hotel [also: Keith Tippett Group]
[21] Birmingham, Town Hall [supporting Black Sabbath]
[02] London,
Roundhouse (Camden Rock Festival) [also: Family, Taste]
Sessions for "The Polite Force" at Morgan Studios
[15] Manchester, Faculty Of Commerce - Polytechnic Union (Nova
Night) [also: Galliard, Pacific Drift, Clark-Hutchinson]
[26] Hounslow, Arts Lab
[27] London, The Crypt
[25] London, Kings Head [supporting Castle Farm]
[02] London,
Roundhouse (Implosion) [also: Matthews Southern Comfort,
Brett Marvin & The Thunderbolts, Michael Chapman]
[30] London, Roundhouse ('Evensong')
[03] East Ham [nr London], Hounds Green Man
[31] A feature on Egg in Melody Maker by Richard Williams mentions the fact that Decca doesn't want to release their recently completed second album, on the grounds that the group doesn't have a manager or an agent. The band mention they have only played a dozen gigs in the last six months, "and the past few weeks have been even worse"
[11] Redhill [nr London], Greyhound
[04] London,
BBC Studios [Alan Black show] (broadcast Feb 12) [also: If]
Around this time, Egg assist Steve Hillage in the recording of a
demo for Decca Records, made at the label's West Hampstead
studio (Barbara Gaskin guests on backing vocals)
"The
Polite Force" is finally released on Nova
[04] London, Paris Cinema [Sunday Concert] (producer: Jeff
Griffin) ["A Visit To Newport Hospital", "Long Piece n°3
Pt.2-4" and unknown performed] (broadcast Feb 14)
[also: Argent]
[13] Canterbury, St.Thomas' Hall
[20] London, Northern Polytechnic [also: Audience, Burnin'
Red Ivanhoe]
[21] London, Roundhouse (Evensong) [also: Groundhogs,
Renaissance, Mark-Almond, Spirit Of John Morgan, and special
guests Wishbone Ash]
[05]
Doncaster, Top Rank Ballroom [also Yes, If]
[06] London, 43 King Street (Oz Police Ball) [also: Roy
Harper, Gnidrolog, Third World War, Pink Fairies, Arthur
Brown's Kingdom Come]
[12] London, BBC Studios (Sounds Of The Seventies) [also:
Lancaster]
[18] Norwich, University of East Anglia (all-nighter) [also:
Audience, Lindisfarne, Quiver, Bronco, Stoned Rose, Orpheus]
[20] London, Kingham Hall [supporting Daddy Longlegs]
[26] Southend, Kursaal Ballroom (Southend Tech Rag Dance) [also:
Oblivion Express, Gypsy, Gentle Giant]
[28] London, Lyceum [supporting Groundhogs, also Gypsy +
special guests Molesto]
[03] London,
Chaguarmas Club
[13] London, Lyceum - Workshop (Tuesday lunchtime workshops)
[22] London, Marquee Club (Sounds of the Seventies)
[supporting Skin Alley]
[01] London,
Imperial College Union [support: Forever More]
[02] London, Imperial College [also: Cochise]
[20] East Ham, Hounds Green Man [support: Ugly Lites,
Oxsounds]
June
[25] Liverpool, Cavern Club [support: Kansas Hook]
[11] London,
The Seagulls [also: Octavia]
[14] London, The Temple [also: Gringo]
[02] London,
Carshalton Public Hall [Ottawa Music Company]
Debut performance by the Ottawa Music Company, a large
orchestra co-founded by Dave Stewart and Chris Cutler, featuring
all members of Egg and various others
[09] Widnes, Queen's Hall [also: Comus, Schunge]
[04] London,
Kensington Town Hall [also: Mantra, Tintagel, Fuller-Smith,
Dave Russell]
[23] Watford, Kingham Hall [support: Slump]
[06] London,
North-East London Poly [supporting The Groundhogs]
[13] London, Imperial College [also: Third World War]
[01]
Newcastle, City Hall [supporting Groundhogs, also Quicksand]
[03] Norwich, St.Andrew's Hall [supporting Groundhogs, also
Quicksand]
[04] Leeds, University [supporting Groundhogs, also
Quicksand]
[05] Wolverhampton, Civic Hall [supporting Groundhogs,
also Quicksand]
[08] Aberdeen, Music Hall [supporting Groundhogs, also
Quicksand]
[09] Dundee, Caird Hall [supporting Groundhogs, also
Quicksand]
[10] Glasgow, Green's Playhouse [supporting Groundhogs,
also Quicksand]
[11] Edinburgh, Playhouse Theatre [supporting Groundhogs,
also Quicksand]
[17] Loughton [nr London], Loughton College [also: Black
Widow]
[01] Boston,
Starlight Rooms [also: Spontaneous Combustion]
[15] Oxford, St.Claire's Hall [also: Snow Leopard]
[Khan, with Dave Stewart on guest keyboards]
[11] London,
City Poly Navigation School [also: Quicksand]
[12] Farnborough, Technical College [supporting Lindisfarne]
[Khan, with Dave Stewart on guest keyboards]
[22] London, Maida Vale Studio 4 (Top Gear w. John Peel) - "Germ
Patrol", "Wring Out The Ground (Loosely Now)" and "Enneagram"
performed (broadcast Mar 07)
A second series of (three) Ottawa Music Company concerts is
organised, including the participation of Henry Cow plus Steve
Hillage and Barbara Gaskin
[25] St.Martin's College of Art [Ottawa Music Company]
[26] London [Battersea Rise], Emanuel School [Ottawa Music
Company]
[28] London, Playhouse Theatre (Top Gear w. John Peel)
[Henry Cow (Dave Stewart guests)]
[06] Redhill,
Market Hall [Ottawa Music Company]
[--] Swansea Arts Festival [also: Music Improvisation
Company]
[11] Watford, Hydraspace [also: Lifeblud]
[13] London, BBC Maida Vale 5 ("Sounds Of The 70s" with Pete
Drummond) - "Enneagram" / "Hoax" [="There's No Business Like
Show Business" / "Wring Out The Ground (Loosely Now)" (middle
section) / "Long Piece No.3 (Part 3)"] performed (broadcast Mar
23)
[18] Swansea, University [also: George Khan's Stagecoach]
[06] Harrow
[nr London], Headstone Manor Recreation Ground [also: Gypsy,
Byzantium, Gwenyway, Mantra]
[07] Abingdon, North Banks College of Further Education
[21] Weybridge, Brooklands Tech (Main Hall) [supporting
Chicken Shack, also Jaffee]
[30] Watford, Palace Theatre [Ottawa Music Company]
[27]
Colchester, Essex University [support: Matching Mole]
Setlist: "Germ Patrol", "Long Piece no. 3 Parts 2 & 4",
"Wring Out The Ground (Loosely Now)", "Blane", "Long Piece no.
3 Part 3", "Enneagram", "A Visit To Newport Hospital"
[06]
Burton-on-Trent, "76" Club
[--] Margate, Dreamland [support: Spontaneous Combustion]
[22] Roehampton, Parish Hall [Ottawa Music Company]
[30] Hemel Hampstead, Arts Centre (Boxmoor Hall) [also: Nick
Webb]
[09] London,
Roundhouse (Implosion) [also: Third Ear Band, Demick &
Armstrong, Thirsty Too and special guest Leo Kottke]
This final performance by Egg is captured in part by an audience
member; the recording (consisting of an extended rendition of
"Long Piece No.3") sees the light of day in 2007 on the archive
CD The Metronomical Society
Egg split up; Clive Brooks joins the
Groundhogs, Mont Campbell starts studying the French
horn, and Dave Stewart joins a new incarnation of Steve
Hillage's Khan
The final
manifestation of the Ottawa Music Company takes place as part as
Henry Cow's Cabaret Voltaire series; it reunites Dave Stewart
and Mont Campbell for the first time since Egg's break-up
[05] Kensington Town Hall (Cabaret Voltaire) [Ottawa
Music Company]
Sessions for "The Civil Surface" at Saturn Studios, Worthing