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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZFOUNDATIONSUK pop/soul multi-racial group formed in London early '67, discovered by record dealer Barry Class who heard them in basement Butterfly Club and recommended them to Pye label's Tony Macauley, who signed them to sing/play his songs. Lineup showed unusual range in age: Clem Curtis (b 28 Nov. '40, Trinidad), vocals; Alan Warner (b 21 April '47, London), guitar, vocals; Peter Macbeth (b 2 Feb. '43, London), bass; Tim Harris (b 14 Jan. '48, London), drums; Tony Gomez (b 13 Dec. '48, Ceylon), organ; Mike Elliot (b 6 Aug. '29, Jamaica), sax; Pat Burke (b 9 Oct. '37, Jamaica), sax; Eric Allen Dale (b 4 March '36, West Indies), trombone. First single Motown-infl. "Baby Now That I've Found You' was no. 1 UK, 11 USA; first of six UK hits late '67 to late '69, three in top 10. Elliot left; Curtis was replaced as lead singer by Colin Young (b 12 Sep. '44, Barbados) for second million-seller "Build Me Up, Buttercup' (no. 2 UK '68, second and last USA hit at no. 3 '69), written by Macauley and Mike D'Abo (ex-Manfred Mann). "In The Bad, Bad Old Days' was no. 8 UK '69, but they displayed no songwriting ability of their own and disintegrated '70. Curtis has since led New Foundations lineups in UK clubs. |