NEWS: Bobby Harrison: The Journey From Psych to Funk

From Freedom to SNAFU via his soulful solo albums, Singsong Music is delighted to be tasked with administering the recording and publishing copyrights of Bobby Harrison.

London-born singer/songwriter and drummer/vocalist, Bobby Harrison’s career dates back to the late fifties and local band The Rockefellas.

He moved on to join Golden Apples Of The Sun, signed to Immediate Records to release single, “Monkey Time” in 1965. More singles followed with Powerpack in 1966 and 1967, and, backed by jazz giant Ronnie Scott, a debut solo 45 in a cover of “Sonny”.

Bobby (centre) with Procol Harum

Harrison was a founder member of Procol Harum, leaving shortly after smash hit ‘”A Whiter Shade of Pale” to form his first own band Freedom in 1968 with Procol Harum guitarist Ray Royer, recording five well-received albums.

Freedom

In 1973, Bobby formed SNAFU with future-Whitesnake guitarist Micky Moody, scoring a further three acclaimed releases.

He released additionally a solo album in 1975’s ‘Funkist’ as guested on albums by Procol Harum keyboardist Matthew Fisher and UK Nirvana’s Patrick Campbell Lyons.

In 1977, Bobby formed supergroup Nobody’s Business with Joe Jammer (ex-Olympic Runners), Tony Stevens (ex-Savoy Brown and Foghat), and drummer Jerry Frank and released one album.

In the early eighties, Harrison moved to Iceland and released an album with local supergroup Mezzoforte in 1987, recording ‘Solid Silver’, a local market Top 20 hit.

In later years a member of Christian rock group, Journey, Bobby died on January 10^th, 2022 at the age of 82.

Look out for more news of the reissues of Bobby Harrison’s recordings catalogue at Singsong Music …

For record labels, these potent essays in psych and later soulful rock and funk are ripe for release to full album and compilations. Likewise, they have their place on the screen, both big and small, marking as they do the sound of the seventies.