Starting out as a five-piece, Bristol high-school band around 1960, Rickey Forde & The Cyclones secured gigs all over South West England before moving, as so many UK bands back then, to Hamburg during 1962 & 1963.

That was quite obviously the ‘in place’ to be back then.

It was happening, man.

Later in ’63, though the band broke up, leaving vocalist / guitarist Eddie King to carry on a a three-piece with Freddie Allan and Julian Bailey.

Information on the band, from what I’ve gleaned, is either scarce or contradictory. However, it is known that following a chance meeting, the three were invited to become the backing band for Peter & Gordon, whose big hit of course was ‘A World Without Love.’

When work dried up with the popular duo, The Kytes recorded the first of their three singles. ‘Blessed’ has a kind of jangly, Simon & Garfunkel feel to it. It’s all a bit too downbeat and dramatic for me personally, but was a stepping stone to better things, in my opinion.

The follow-up, also in 1966, ‘Frosted Panes,‘ has a more relaxed feel about it. It still edges a bit too much towards the folk-pop side of things for my personal taste, but it’s certainly catchy and is a definite ‘grower.’

It’s the 1968, third and final release though that caught my attention and led me to try find out what I could about The Kytes … which as you can see, was very little!

I love this track. ‘Running in the Water,’ has prominent Hammond organ solos, which is always a good thing; nice harmonies; reversed tape instrumentation and altogether more of a Mod / Psychedelia feel to it

The B-side, ‘End of the Day,‘ has a chipper, sunny, pop feel to it, again featuring Hammond organ. As far as I can make out, the band played a few gigs after this and then just faded away without any fuss.

Which is a great shame. It sounds to me very much like they were initially influenced by their time with Peter & Gordon, but eventually found their own identity towards the end of the ’60s with their final single.

I would certainly liked to have hear how their sound further developed down the Mod or even Rock route.

THE KYTES

Eddie King – Vocals / Lead Guitar
Julian Bailey – Drums
Freddie Allen – Guitar (?)
Dave Gillis – Bass

TITLE	FORMAT	YEAR	LABEL	NOTES
Blessed	7″ single	1966	Pye
Frosted Panes	7″ single	1966	Pye
Running in the Water	7″ single	1968	Island