SHARKS – FIRST WATER LP – Nr MINT UK 1973 CHRIS SPEDDING FREE ISLAND

Sharks – First Water
(Island Records  1973  ILPS9233)
Matrix No’s: A3/B2 – UK Pressing

Sleeve in Nr MINT condition
– a little light rubbing top & bottom

Vinyl in Nr MINT condition

Sharks were a British rock band, formed in November 1972, by the ex-Free bass player, Andy Fraser, upon his second (and final) departure from Free. They were signed to Island Records, and were rated by critics, especially for Chris Spedding’s guitar work. The initial line-up consisted of Fraser (bass, piano), Snips (real name; Steve Parsons) (vocals), Chris Spedding (guitar) and the American, Marty Simon (drums).

Career

At the start of 1973, they embarked on a UK tour and also made an appearance on the BBC Two programme, Old Grey Whistle Test. The band had their own car, the “Sharkmobile”, an old Cadillac with the radiator grille made up of shark’s teeth.

On the 19 February 1973, on the way back to London from a gig in Cleethorpes, the band’s car skidded and hit a tree. Fraser suffered injuries to his wrist and, during recuperation, had second thoughts about the band. The tour continued to the end of April but Fraser had some difficulties playing with the injury. Sharks’ debut album, First Water, was released in April 1973 but Fraser left shortly afterwards and the band began searching for a replacement. Those considered included Tom Robinson, Rick Grech and Boz Burrell. Mick Jagger then recommended a bass player from Memphis, Tennessee, Busta Cherry Jones, who joined in July 1973, along with the ex-Audience keyboard player, Nick Judd.

A new UK tour with this line-up began in September 1973 and ran through until March 1974, when their second album, Jab It in Yore Eye, was released. The band then toured the United States during April and May 1974. On their return to the UK, the band began recording their third album, to be entitled ‘Music Breakout’. However, Simon was replaced by Stuart Francis and Jones returned to the States. With Island Records not keen on the original master recordings for the third album, the band folded in October 1974.

Spedding continued his session work and solo career, whilst Snips joined Ginger Baker in the Baker Gurvitz Army and then went solo himself.

In 1993, Spedding and Snips began recording together again as Sharks, although the album, Like a Black Van Parked on a Dark Curve…, was not released until 1995. There was a one-off gig in London, in December 1995, featuring Snips, Spedding, Jackie Badger (bass), Blair Cunningham (drums) and Nick Judd (keyboards) but the band has not re-surfaced.

“First Water” was the debut album on Island Records by British Rock band Sharks – Andy Fraser (bass, piano), Snips (real name; Steve Parsons) (vocals), Chris Spedding (guitar) and the American, Marty Simon (drums).