The Foundations were a British soul band primarily active between 1967 and 1970. The group's background was West Indian, White British, and Sri Lankan. Their 1967 debut single "Baby Now That I've Found You" reached number one in the UK and Canada, and number eleven in the US. Their 1968 single "Build Me Up Buttercup" reached number two in the UK and number three on the US Billboard Hot 100. The group was the first multi-racial group to have a number one hit in the UK in the 1960s.
They were one of the few British acts to imitate successfully what became known as the Motown Sound, and signed to Pye, at the time one of only four big UK record companies (the others being EMI, which included the His Master's Voice, Columbia and Parlophone labels, Decca, and Philips, which also owned Fontana).
Background The Foundations attracted much interest because of the size and structure of the group, with members of diverse ethnic backgrounds, ages, and musical backgrounds. The oldest member of the group (at 38) was Mike Elliott, and the youngest was Tim Harris, who at 18 was barely out of school. The West Indian horn section consisted of Jamaican-born Elliott and Pat Burke, both saxophonists, and Dominican-born Eric Allandale on trombone. They were all highly experienced musicians who came from professional jazz and rock-and-roll backgrounds.
Eric Allandale had led the New Orleans Knights in the early 1960s,Jazz News, Wednesday 5 April 1961 - Page 16 Eric Allandale's New Orleans Knights releasing two singles, including "Enjoy Yourself (It's Later than You Think)".Music Metason - ArtistInfo, Eric Allendale He also played with Edmundo Ros, and was a former member of the Terry Lightfoot and Alex Welsh bands.Eel Pie Island Museaum - 1962 Roll-call July 1962 He was also a member of Romeo Z, who recorded the title song for the 1966 film KaleidoscopeKaleidoscope THE ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK ALBUM (Amazon) - Back cover notes by Stanley Myers and an Irving Martin produced single "Come Back, Baby Come Back", released on CBS in 1967.1960s British Beat Music Producers & Labels - Discographies - CBS Records - UK and European Singles Discography (1965-1969) Martin Roberts UK family home page - IRVING MARTIN PRODUCTIONS, 60s Productions by Irving Martin on 45 Pat Burke had been in groups since arriving in the UK at age 15,Disc and Music Echo, 4 November 1967 - Page 11 Eight faces that laid the FOUNDATIONS of a hit! and studied music at the London Music Conservatorium.The History of British Rock and Roll: The Psychedelic Years 1967 - 1969, By Robin Bell · 2017, - Chapter Four: The Summer of Love "A man of few words", according to Bob Farmer of Disc and Music Echo (who also described him as "a dormant Desmond Dekker"), Burke's first love was jazz. He played with jazz groups, but as the jobs did not pay much, he joined The Foundations.Disc and Music Echo, 5 July 1969 - Page 15 Disc Special, Digging the Foundations By BOB FARMER, Pat Burke -in love with jazz Clem Curtis was born in Trinidad, and was an interior decorator and professional boxer.Noise 11, 28 Mar 2017 - R.I.P. Clem Curtis of The Foundations 1940–2017 by Roger Wink, VVN MusicThe Guardian, Tue 28 Mar 2017 - Foundations lead singer Clem Curtis dies aged 76 He had a background in wrestling and weight-lifting.Melody Maker, 31 August 1968 - Page 4 Clem to quit Foundations?Disc and Music Echo, 4 November 1967 - Page 11 Eight faces that laid the FOUNDATIONS of a hit!, * Clem Curtis Mike Elliott came to the group after he had heard from one of the members that they were looking for a tenor saxophonist. He had played in various jazz and rock and roll bands, as well as the ensembles of Tubby Hayes and Ronnie Scott,Inlay notes to Baby Now That I've Found You CD, Sequel Records NEECD 300 the Cabin Boys (led by Tommy Steele's brother, Colin Hicks), and others. He had recorded under his own name for Sonny Roberts' Planetone label, which issued early ska and reggae records, and he was a member of Rico's Combo, the label's house band led by Rico Rodriguez.Tapir's Reggae Discographies - PLANETONE 7"STighten Up!: The History of Reggae in the UK, - Page 19DJ Mag, Tuesday, 25 July 2023 - NEWS, Sonny Roberts, Jamaican producer who opened Britain’s first Black-owned recording studio, to be honoured with blue plaque - MARISSA CETIN Tony Gomez, the keyboard player, was a former clerk who had worked in County Hall in the architect's department.Disc and Music Echo, 5 July 1969 - Page 15 DISC SPECIAL, Digging the Foundations By BOB FARMER, Tony Gomez -once a 'stinker'Disc and Music Echo, 4 November 1967 - Page 11 Eight faces that laid the FOUNDATIONS of a hit!, * Tony Gomesz Drummer Tim Harris, who was born in St. John's Wood, London, had two brothers, including his twin, Nick.Disc and Music Echo, 4 November 1967 - Page 11 Eight faces that laid the FOUNDATIONS of a hit!, * Tim Harris According to an article, "Digging the Foundations", by Bob Farmer in the 5 July 1969 issue of Disc and Music Echo, Harris had joined the merchant navy as a deckhand on a timber ship and had travelled to various parts of the world, including Siberia. He came back to the UK and became involved with groups.Disc and Music Echo, 5 July 1969 - Page 15 DISC SPECIAL, Digging the Foundations By BOB FARMER, Tim Harris -seagoing drummer Bassist Peter Macbeth was a former teacher who had taught English and draughtsmanship in SingaporeDisc and Music Echo, 5 July 1969 - Page 15 DISC SPECIAL, Digging the Foundations By BOB FARMER, Peter Macbeth -intellectual and worked for a paperback publisher.Disc and Music Echo, 4 November 1967 - Page 11 Eight faces that laid the FOUNDATIONS of a hit!, * Peter Macbeth Guitarist Alan Warner had been in bands the Skeletones and the Line-up, a popular Dublin-based group. Warner turned down an offer to join the Black Eagles, which included Phil Lynott and Brian Downey.It's Psychedelic Baby! Magazine, 22 July 2011 - Pluto interview with Paul Gardner & Alan Warner, You were in The Foundations and recorded four albums.Irish Rock.org - Black Eagles
Origin The origins of the Foundations go back to an R&B and ska outfit called the Ramong Sound, aka Ramongs. The band had two lead singers, Raymond Morrison (aka Ramong Morrison) and Clem Curtis.Alan Warner Website - The Foundations Curtis had come to the group by way of his guitar-playing uncle, who was impressed by his nephew's voice and told him that there was a band called the Ramongs looking for singers. Curtis auditioned and joined the band,40 Hits, 40 Stories Behind Top Songs of the 1960s and 1970s, by Rick Simmons (2023) (ebook) - Page 183 #33 (R&B Charts), "Baby, Now That I've Found You" (1967), THE FOUNDATIONS and rose from being a backing singer to sharing the lead with Raymond Morrison.Noise 11, 28 March 2017 - R.I.P. Clem Curtis of The Foundations 1940-2017 by ROGER WINK, VVN MUSIC
At some stage Morrison was imprisoned for six months. In his absence, a friend of the band called Joan who ran a record store, suggested future psychedelic shock rocker Arthur Brown as a replacement.2NUR FM103.7, Wednesday 23 August 2023 - Vinyl Vibes by Jack Hodgins - Alan Warner - Original Guitarist of the Foundations 16:35Centre Stage Promotions - The Foundations Brown was straight and clean living, and did not drink, smoke or take drugs.The Little Box Office - The Foundations, Story of The Foundations By Ralph Gowling, Deputy Editor of The Beat magazine Decades later, Brown recalled when he walked into the Westbourne Grove bar for an audition, he saw Curtis holding a spear to the throat of the drummer, bent backwards over the bar.Louder, 15 January 2004 - Arthur Brown: Fire Starter by Hugh Fielder Brown and Curtis each performed solo numbers as well as duetsIt's Psychedelic Baby! Magazine, 22 Jan 2012 - Arthur Brown first came to prominence in swinging London. He is most well-known for The Crazy World of Arthur Brown and Kingdom Come. and one of the band members recalled later that they had experimented with "underground-type music" when Brown was with them.New Musical Express, 22 March 1969 - Page 12 FOUNDATIONS WERE SINGING WAITERS
The group had unsuccessfully tried to recruit Rod Stewart as a singer. They had a jam session with him, but he turned down their offer as he preferred other musical styles. Alan Warner recalled decades later that Stewart's then girlfriend, Dee Harrington, had ended up being secretary for the Foundations' management.Alice Randall RadioShows channel, 4 February 2022 - Alan Warner original guitarist of The Foundations interview by Alice Randall 9:00Mixcloud - The3decadesshow - Alan Warner radio feature part 2
The Foundations are said to have formed in Bayswater, London, in January 1967.An Avid's Guide to Sixties Songwriters, by Peter Dunbavin, 2017, (e) - 47 . Tony Macauley They practised and played in a basement coffee bar club called the Butterfly Club, which they also ran.Melody Maker, 21 October 1967 - Page 7 OUT OF JAZZ, TAMLA, R&B COME THE FOUNDATIONS The premises were at one time `used as a gambling den. While managing the club themselves, they played music nightly and handled the cooking and cleaning. They would get to bed around 6am or 7am, sleep until 4pm, and open again at 8pm. Sometimes they barely made enough money to pay the rent, occasionally living off leftovers and a couple of pounds of rice.Beat Instrumental, Dec 1967 - Page 28 Foundations never thought they'd make the charts by Crotus Pike Gomez recalled in 1969 that he, MacBeth, Allandale and Harris were living on £2 per week and could not afford a packet of razor blades. His mother would come and tell him off for leaving his job in the County Hall architect's department. The situation of saxophonist Mike Elliott was also not ideal. He had been staying in a top floor flat, in a condemned house, where the roof had been removed. Elliott was still paying rent. Clem Curtis recalled going to see him one morning, knocking on his door which got Elliott out of bed. He asked him, "Hey, Mike, where's your roof gone?", to which Elliott replied, "I don't know, man, they just came and knocked it off."Record Mirror, No. 347 Week ending Nov.11, 1967 - Page 3 "Before this record, WE were just what you'd call 'bums' say the Foundations"
Career 1967 The 4 February 1967 issue of Melody Maker shows a booking for the Ramong Sound (mis-spelt as Ramog Sound) to play at the All-Star Club on Sunday, 5 February.Melody Maker, 4 February 1967 - Page 13 CLUBS, THE NEW ALL-STAR CLUB