Medicine Head

thumb|300px|right

English blues rock band based around the duo of John Fiddler and Peter Hope-Evans, active from 1968 to 1977. Other musicians included former Yardbirds vocalist Keith Relf, who produced the band's second album and then joined on bass.

Medicine Head's first three albums were released by Peel's Dandelion Records and the band scored the label's only chart single with "(And the) Pictures in the Sky", which reached number 22 in 1971. They achieved greater success after leaving Dandelion, however, with "One and One is One" (No. 3, 1973).

As Peel was known to point out, the band's Dark Side Of The Moon album was released before the well-known Pink Floyd LP of the same name.

After the band broke-up, Fiddler formed British Lions with former members of Mott The Hoople including Morgan Fisher and Dale Griffin, later producer of many Peel sessions.

Festive Fifty Entries
None

Sessions

 * Ten sessions, none of which appear to have been commercially released.Peel_presents_Medicine_Head.jpg

1. Recorded: 1969-12-15. First broadcast: 10 January 1970. Repeated:
 * His Guiding Hand / Walkin' Blues / Be Blessed To Your Heart / Close Baby / (& Goin' Home 1970-05-09)

2. Recorded: 1970-10-13. First broadcast: 24 October 1970. Repeated:
 * But The Might Is Young / Sing With The Drum / Hungry Eye / To Train Time (& Once There Was A Day 1971-01-23)

3. Recorded: 1971-05-24. First broadcast: 12 June 1971. Repeated:
 * Pictures In The Sky / You Get The Rockin' And Rollin' / Don't You Worry / Medicine Pony (& But The Night Is Wrong 1971-07-24)

4. Recorded: 1971-12-21. First broadcast: 14 January 1972. Repeated:
 * Kum On / Rain / You And Me / Only To Do What Is True

5. Recorded: 1972-04-25. First broadcast: 02 May 1972. Repeated:
 * Back To The Wall / Magic Prize / You're Not Here

6. Recorded: 1972-08-14. First broadcast: 25 August 1972. Repeated:
 * Not Like A Soldier But Like An Old Love Song / Approximately Blue Suede Shoes / Rock & Roll Kid / Through A Hole

7. Recorded: 1973-08-21. First broadcast: 18 September 1973. Repeated:
 * Rainy Day Blues / In The Palm Of Your Hand / Be My Flier / How's It Feel

8. Recorded: 1974-11-28. First broadcast: 05 December 1974. Repeated:
 * Walkin' Blues / It's Got To Be Alright / I Just Wanna Make Love To You / Can't Live A Lie

9. Recorded: 1976-06-29. First broadcast: 15 July 1976. Repeated:
 * Over You / It's Natural / Sun Sinking Low

10. Recorded: 1977-04-27. First broadcast: 03 May 1977. Repeated:
 * His Guiding Hand / Slip And Slide / Pictures In The Sky / It's Natural

(Please correct mistakes and add any missing info)

Live

 * 1) His Guiding Hand
 * 2) Home's Odyssey
 * 3) Fiddle Dee Dee
 * 4) Two Men Now
 * 5) When The Night Falls

Except for the final track, the Medicine Head set is available, with Peel links, streamed at the John Fiddler homepage. From Ken Garner's "Peel Sessions", the broadcast appears to have been 25 April 1970 ("Sunday show" concert, with Black Sabbath). Recording date not known.

Other shows featured

 * 04 July 1970: Coast To Coast (And Shore To Shore) (single) Dandelion
 * 08 December 1975: In Your Eyes (LP - Dark Side Of The Moon) Dandelion
 * 08 January 1979: Walkin' Blues (LP - New Bottles, Old Medicine) Dandelion
 * 21 June 1979: Coast To Coast
 * 30 August 1979: His Guiding Hand (single) (Dandelion) - 40th birthday show
 * 18 November 1990: 'Next Time The Sun Comes Round (CD-New Bottles Old Medicine)' (Repertoire)
 * 12 July 2001: Only To Do What Is True (LP - There Is Some Fun Going Forward) Dandelion
 * 23 April 2003: His Guiding Hand (7")' (Dandelion)
 * 18 March 2004: 'Kum On' (7") (Dandelion)

(Please add additional information as it becomes available)

Releases on Dandelion Records
Albums
 * New Bottles Old Medicine
 * Heavy On The Drum
 * Dark Side of the Moon

Singles
 * His Guiding Hand / This Love of Old
 * Coast to Coast / All For Tomorrow
 * (And the) Pictures in the Sky / Natural Sight
 * Kum On / On the Land
 * Only To Do What Is True / Sittin' in the Sun
 * How Does It Feel / Morning Light

John Peel's Record Box
The band's first two Dandelion singles were found in John Peel's Record Box:


 * His Guiding Hand / This Love of Old
 * Coast to Coast / All For Tomorrow