Affinity (band)

Affinity were an English jazz-rock band, active from mid-1968 to January 1972.

History

Origins

The origin of Affinity was circa 1965 in the science department of the University of Sussex in Brighton, England. Three science students Lynton Naiff ( keyboards), Grant Serpell (drums), and Nick Nicholas (double bass) had formed the US Jazz Trio, they played at University events and local gigs. When Serpell graduated a year later he was replaced by Mo Foster who had earlier been playing bass guitar in his school band but had now adapted to playing drums.

After university Naiff and Serpell, along with members of other bands gathered from other university bands, formed the pop group Ice. Although Ice was moderately successful commercially it only lasted for about a year before it disbanded.

The auditions continued for a singer. They unanimously decided on an English teacher they had met previously, Linda Hoyle.

After obtaining a loan, which was guaranteed by Jopp's father, they bought the equipment needed to start the band. They bought Impact amplifiers, a Hammond M102 organ, a Gibson EBO bass guitar, some microphones and a grey Ford Transit van. They then spent the summer of 1968 rehearsing, writing, and generally chilling out at a rented bungalow on the edge of Brighton. The first thing they needed to do though was invent a name for themselves, eventually they settled on "Affinity" which came from the name of Oscar Peterson's 1961 LP ''Affinity''.

Performances

Affinity played their first London show at the Revolution Club in Bruton Place in Mayfair, West End on 5 October 1968.

One of the gigs they were playing at the time was broadcast on BBC Radio Jazz Club. Ronnie Scott, heard a recording of the show and subsequently agreed to manage them. He also agreed to give them regular bookings at his world-famous jazz club.

From this point on they received much live work in London's discotheque and club scene and on the college circuit. They also toured in Europe and Scandinavia and some festivals. They appeared on TV spots, including ''Disco 2'' which was the forerunner to ''The Old Grey Whistle Test''. They recorded the theme for a Shredded Wheat commercial series ("There are 2 men in my life..."). They released an eponymously titled album on the Vertigo label in 1970.

They received many rave reviews, most for the band, but some for individual members,Mills, Jon " Affinity Biography, ''Allmusic'', Macrovision Corporation and from Derek Jewell of ''The Sunday Times'', who commented "Naiff is already a virtuoso, soul-style, and the whole group is probably the best new thing heard in the jazz-pop area this year." Billboard Magazine described Naiff as "a musician of great promise". Naiff and Foster had to write a second album when Hoyle announced that she'd had enough and wanted to quit both the band and the music business. Her last concert with Affinity was due to have been in Cardiff on 8 February 1971, but the show was cancelled. The actual last performance was 10 February 1971 in Bournemouth's Winter Gardens theatre.

Between February and June that year the remaining members, along with their new keyboard player Dave Watts, continued to play a mini tour with Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band.

In June 1971, it was announced that Affinity were reforming, with original members Jopp, Foster and Serpell plus new recruits Vivienne McAuliffe on vocals and ex-Geno Washington organist Dave Watts (Naiff was by now in Abednego, and by the year's end had joined Toe Fat). A five-day tour of the Netherlands beginning late June and work on a new album were announced. However, a few weeks later Jopp, Foster and Serpell had all been enlisted by ex-Manfred Mann singer Mike d'Abo to back him on his upcoming US tour, alongside sax/flautist Jack Lancaster.

Personnel

;Former members
* Linda Hoyle – vocals (1968–71, 2006, 2011)
* Mike Jopp – guitar (1968–72, 2006, 2011)
* Gary Husband – organ, piano (2011)
* Mo Foster – bass guitar (1968–72, 2006, 2011; died 2023)
* Grant Serpell – drums, percussion (1968–72, 2006, 2011)
* Vivienne McAuliffe – vocals (1971–72; died 1998)
* Lynton Naiff – organ, piano (1968–70)
* Dave Watt – organ, piano (1971–72)
* Geoff Castle – organ, piano (2006)
Timeline

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PlotArea = left:110 bottom:120 top:0 right:30
Alignbars = justify
DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy
Period = from:01/01/1965 till:01/06/2006
TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy

Colors =
id:Vocals value:red legend:Vocals
id:Guitar value:green legend:Guitar
id:Keyboards value:purple legend:Keyboards
id:Bass value:blue legend:Bass
id:Drums value:orange legend:Drums
id:Album value:black legend:Studio_releases

Legend = orientation:vertical position:bottom columns:2

ScaleMajor = increment:2 start:1965
ScaleMinor = increment:1 start:1965

BarData =

bar:Hoyle text:"Linda Hoyle"
bar:McAuliffe text:"Vivienne McAuliffe"
bar:Jopp text:"Mike Jopp"
bar:Naiff text:"Lynton Naiff"
bar:Watts text:"Dave Watts"
bar:Castle text:"Geoff Castle"
bar:Nicholas text:"Nick Nicholas"
bar:Serpell text:"Grant Serpell"
bar:Foster text:"Mo Foster"

LineData=
at:01/07/1970 layer:back color:black

PlotData=

width:11 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from shift:(10,-4)
bar:Serpell from:01/01/1965 till:01/06/1966 color:Drums
bar:Serpell from:01/01/1968 till:01/06/1972 color:Drums
bar:Serpell from:01/05/2006 till:01/06/2006 color:Drums
bar:Foster from:01/01/1966 till:01/01/1967 color:Drums
bar:Foster from:01/01/1968 till:01/06/1972 color:Bass
bar:Foster from:01/05/2006 till:01/06/2006 color:Bass
bar:Nicholas from:01/01/1965 till:01/01/1967 color:Bass
bar:Naiff from:01/01/1965 till:01/01/1967 color:Keyboards
bar:Naiff from:01/01/1968 till:10/02/1971 color:Keyboards
bar:Watts from:01/02/1971 till:01/06/1972 color:Keyboards
bar:Castle from:01/05/2006 till:01/06/2006 color:Keyboards
bar:Hoyle from:01/03/1968 till:10/02/1971 color:Vocals
bar:Hoyle from:01/05/2006 till:01/06/2006 color:Vocals
bar:McAuliffe from:01/06/1971 till:01/06/1972 color:Vocals
bar:Jopp from:01/01/1968 till:01/06/1972 color:Guitar
bar:Jopp from:01/05/2006 till:01/06/2006 color:Guitar

Discography

Although Affinity only actually ever recorded one album at the time they existed, archived tapes have been compiled and released in four Affinity-related albums.

Studio albums

*''Affinity'' — (1970, Vertigo), (2002, Angel Air)
*'' 1971–1972'' — (Recorded 1971–72, released 2003, Angel Air)

Other releases

*''Live Instrumentals 1969'' — (2003, Angel Air)
*''Origins 1965–67'' — (2004, Angel Air)
*''Origins: The Baskervilles 1965'' — (2007, Angel Air)

In 2006 a 5-CD limited issue, collectors edition of the Affinity collection was released on the Japanese AMR "Archive" label. It was in a special packaging consisting of a reproduction of the original LP cover, with an expansive write up on the history of Affinity including a Pete Frame-type family tree diagram designed by Mo Foster and Kurt Adkins.

Album ''1971–1972''

''1971–1972'' was meant to be the second studio album by Affinity. It was, eventually, released by Angel Air thirty years later, in 2003.

Track listing

Personnel

* Vivienne McAuliffe - vocals
* Dave Watts - Hammond B3 organ, piano, percussion
* Mo Foster - bass guitar, double bass, percussion
* Mike Jopp - electric, acoustic and 12-string guitars, percussion
* Grant Serpell - drums, percussion

References

* All music guide to rock: the definitive guide to rock, pop, and soul by Vladimir Bogdanov, Chris Woodstra, Stephen Thomas Erlewine - Music - 2002 - 1399 pages - Page 473
*

External links

Angel Air websiteAMR official website
(in Japanese)
*Mills, Jon " ''Affinity'' Review, ''Allmusic'', Macrovision Corporation

{{DEFAULTSORT:Affinity
English jazz-rock groups
Musical groups established in 1968
Vertigo Records artists
Articles which contain graphical timelines