Week of December 17, 2006
Personnel:
Keith Bonsor - Vocals, Keyboards, Bass, Flute
Peter Brewer - Drums, Piano, Harmonica
Barry Skeels - Bass, Vocals
John Truba - Guitar, Vocals
Albums:
Zior (Nepentha 6437 005) 1971
CD: Zior Plus See For Miles SEE 276 & SEE CD 276, 1989; MR56455, Mason
Records, 2006 feat. 8 bonus tracks
Every Inch A Man (Global) 1972
CD: Germanophon HF 9553; Akarma AK242, 2003
45s:
Za Za Za Zilda/She's A Bad Bad Woman (Nepentha 6129 002) 1971
Cat's Eyes/I Really Do (Nepentha 6129 003) 1971
An obscure progressive/heavy rock group whose debut album has few memorable
moments but has become quite collectable because of the label it's on. The pick
of the batch are: 'I Really Do', 'Za Za Za Zilda' (also released
as a 45), 'Love's Desire' and 'Oh Mariya', but all four were in a
similar heavy rock style.
The See For Miles album reissue includes five previously unreleased tracks from
a second projected album which never saw light of day. The best of these was 'Strange
Kind Of Magic', which had a good voodoo beat and some distorted guitar.
Overall, the songs were stronger than the material on the original album. 'Cat's
Eyes' had some decent heavy rock guitar riffs.
Zior had their roots in Southend's early sixties R&B scene. Kevin Bonsor
had previously been in a local R&B outfit, The Essex Five, and then
classical/rock fusion outfit, Cardboard Orchestra. Pete Brewer had been
in another Southend R&B band, The Night Riders. He and Bonsor were
Zior's founding members recruiting Truba and Skeels (who'd once played in a
London band called The Bum) via a Melody Maker advert.
Zior did have a reputation as a wild live band. They were heavily into
Black Magic and Satanic Mass, etc. They recorded an album on the Beacon label,
later in 1971, which was credited to Monument, though, in fact, it
featured all four members of Zior.
Pete Brewer eventually ended up a successful musical instrument/equipment dealer
in Southend. Skeels sells dress jewellery in his native Newcastle. Bonsor worked
for many years as an engineer/producer at Tin Pan Alley Studios and also became
a DJ in the late 70s, hosting 'Capital's Big Night Out' at The Lyceum in
London's Strand.
Taken from The Tapestry of Delights - The
Comprehensive Guide to British Music of the Beat, R&B, Psychedelic and
Progressive Eras 1963-1976, Vernon Joynson
ISBN 1 899855 04 1