Smokie (band)

History

The Yen came together after Ron Kelly and Alan Silson bumped into each other at Moore's Music Shop in Bradford in October 1963. Chris Norman joined them for practice two days later, but the group spent a year rehearsing without a bass player. Terry Uttley filled that role at the start of 1965, and The Yen played their first show at Birkenshaw School that February. The lineup featured Norman on lead vocals and rhythm guitar, Uttley on bass and vocals, Silson on lead guitar and vocals, and Kelly on drums.

They changed their name to The Sphynx, then Essence, and played small clubs around Bradford until they broke up in 1966. Kelly then joined The Black Cats at Dewsbury College in September 1966, a band that already included Peter Eastwood and Arthur Higgins. Silson and Eastwood came aboard, but Eastwood soon left and Norman replaced him. In November 1967, the group became The Four Corners.

Manager Mark Jordan suggested the name The Elizabethans in April 1968, and they started playing full-time. Uttley replaced Higgins that June after Higgins left to continue his education. Their first TV appearance came on Yorkshire Television's Calendar on 9 December 1968. After performing on BBC's High Jinx in August 1969, they cut their first demo tape.

RCA Records showed interest in January 1970 and advised them to use the name Kindness. Their double A-side single "Light of Love"/"Lindy Lou" came out on 3 April 1970.