Unit 4 + 2

Unit 4 + 2 were a British pop band, who had a number one hit in the UK Singles Chart in 1965 with the song "Concrete and Clay".[1] The track topped the UK chart for one week.[1]

Contents
[hide]
 * 1 Career
 * 1.1 Early days
 * 1.2 Success
 * 1.3 Later years
 * 2 Band member details
 * 3 Discography
 * 3.1 Singles
 * 3.2 Albums
 * 4 See also
 * 5 References
 * 6 Bibliography
 * 7 External links

Early days[edit]
Brian Parker was a guitar player and songwriter in The Hunters in 1962, and he decided to form a vocal harmony group. He asked his friend 'Buster' (David) Meikle to join him. Tommy Moeller, then in his last year at school, had a reputation as a singer. Meikle and Parker asked him and Peter Moules, who was also at school with Moeller, to join their vocal harmony group called Unit 4.

Unit 4 were later joined by Russ Ballard on guitar and (Robert) 'Bob' Henrit on drums (forming the + 2) for a now six piece, four part vocal harmony group. Moeller was lead singer and frontman, from the first show as the Unit 4 vocal group to the last show as Unit 4 + 2 as vocal group with instruments. Due to ill-health and a dislike of performing live, Brian Parker left the band, but remained involved as co-songwriter with Tommy Moeller for all original Unit 4 + 2 recordings.[2] His place at live performances was taken by Howard 'Lem' Lubin. In around 1967 when the second album was recorded, Rodney Garwood replaced Peter Moules on bass (who had taken up bass when the band changed from a vocal group to a pop band) and Hugh Halliday replaced Bob Henrit. As Unit 4 + 2, they issued their debut single, on Decca Records. "The Green Fields" (which included the only performance with the band of banjo player Nigel Snook), reached number 48 in the UK in 1964.[1] Their second single release "Sorrow and Pain" was less successful.[2]

Success[edit]
Unit 4 + 2's song "Concrete and Clay" became a big hit the following year, reportedly thanks to exposure on the pirate radio stations of the day, most notably Wonderful Radio London. The radio station's music director, Tony Windsor, later recalled in an interview that he had initially rejected the song for the station's playlist, but was persuaded to change his mind by DJ Kenny Everett. The disc was recorded using session musicians Russ Ballard and Bob Henrit (who had played with the Roulettes).[2] As well as reaching the top of the UK chart, "Concrete and Clay" was popular worldwide.[2] In America, a competing cover version byEddie Rambeau (produced by Bob Crewe) split sales, with Rambeau reaching No.35 on the Billboard Hot 100 and Unit 4 + 2 peaking at No.28. Cashbox bracketed the two competing versions together on its chart, and they reached a combined peak of No.12.

Decca released a hastily put together album, entitled 1st Album.[2] The next single release, "(You've) Never Been in Love Like This Before", reached the Top 20 in the UK,[2] and No.95 on the Billboard Hot 100 in theUS. "Concrete and Clay" returned to the Top 20 of the UK Singles Chart in 1976, courtesy of Randy Edelman's cover version.[3] More recently, the original song appeared in the soundtrack to the film, Rushmore(1998).

The band underwent two changes when bass player Rodney Garwood joined the band in 1964, and on Brian Parker's departure Howard 'Lem' Lubin joined. The next change came in 1967, when Russ Ballard (who went on to form Argent) joined full-time, having already played some of guitar work with Brian Parker on the original recording for "Concrete and Clay".

Later years[edit]
Unit 4 + 2 released ten singles on Decca, between 1964 and 1967 including one four track EP, and many of the songs ended up on their first album called, 1st Album.[4] it was later changed in title, cover art and track listing and then re-released as #1 featuring Concrete And Clay. Also, singles that became hits like the fifth single "(You've) Never Been in Love Like This Before", were not on the 1st Album, but were added on the re-released version.

Hugh Halliday replaced 'Bob' (Robert) Henrit for the second and final album in 1967 on the Fontana Records, record label. With Ballard and Henrit on board as full-time members, the Unit 4 + 2 sound had gelled, but their cover of Bob Dylan's "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere" was outsold by a cover version by The Byrds.[2] Their last single, "3.30", used harpsichords and other orchestration .[2] The song appears on the 1984 compilation album, The 49 Minute Technicolor Dream. The B-side, "I Will," appeared on the 1984 compilation album The Psychedelic Snarl. "3.30" failed to chart, and with another album Unit 4 + 2 quickly following suit, the group broke up in 1970.[2]

The label change was a result of Decca being acquired, its new owners also owned Fontana. Unit 4 + 2 released six more singles on Fontana up to 1969, disbanding in 1970 and have never reformed. One of the Fontana releases was for Spain, and was a reissue of the four tracks from two previous singles, as one EP.

Band member details[edit]

 * Brian William Parker (born 1940, Cheshunt, Hertfordshire died 17 February 2001): vocals, guitar; later taught guitar playing in his local area, but died whilst playing tennis in 2001.[5] Co-writer of "Concrete and Clay".[6]
 * Thomas John George 'Tommy' Moeller (born 23 February 1945, Liverpool): lead vocalist, guitar, piano; was the brother of Billy Moeller, who became public face of the one-hit wonder, Whistling Jack Smith, and took "I Was Kaiser Bill's Batman" to number five in 1967.[6] Tommy Moeller was lead singer, frontman and main songwriter in Unit 4 + 2 with Brian Parker with their biggest hit being "Concrete and Clay".[6]
 * 'David Ian 'Buster' Meikle (born 1 March 1942, Goff's Oak, Hertfordshire): vocals, guitar; former lead singer of Buster Meikle & The Day Breakers, (which included Russ Ballard, Roy Ballard, Russ's older brother on keyboards and Bob Henrit) and a founding member of Unit 4 + 2. Left in 1967 and had chart success overseas as half of Bill & Buster, along with Billy Moeller. Now living in Norfolk.
 * Peter Charles Moules (born 14 October 1944, Barnet, Hertfordshire): original member and bass vocalist and later bass guitarist. He was replaced by Rodney Garwood on bass for the second Unit 4 + 2 album on Fontana.
 * Rodney 'Humble' Garwood (born 27 March 1944, Diss, Norfolk): bass guitar; joined in 1967.
 * Howard 'Lem' Lubin (born 20 January 1944, Hampton Court, Middlesex): replaced Parker (above) in the group's early days. Was a member of Satisfaction and then Christie, before becoming a record producer.
 * Hugh Maitland Halliday (born 29 December 1944): drums; joined in 1965, replacing original drummer Bob Henrit. He subsequently became a dancer, and then an opera director with English National Opera,Victoria State Opera, and other Asian, Australian and New Zealand opera companies.
 * Nigel Ian Norman Snook (born 26 February 1944, Poole, Dorset - died 5 November 2007): He played banjo on the first single "The Green Fields".
 * Russ Ballard (Russell Glyn Ballard), who came from Waltham Cross, joined in 1967 from Adam Faith's one-time backing ensemble, The Roulettes.[6] He later joined Argent and became and remains a successful songwriter performer.
 * Bob Henrit (Robert John Henrit) performed as a session drummer on "Concrete and Clay". He joined as a regular member in 1967, also from the Roulettes.

Albums[edit]

 * 1st Album - released by Decca (LK 4697) in 1965[4] (later re-released on London label with new artwork as album title #1 featuring Concrete And Clay, with "500 Miles", You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" and "Swing Down Chariot" being replaced by "Tell Somebody You Know", "(You've) Never Been in Love Like This Before" and "Woman From Liberia".[7]
 * Unit 4 + 2 - 1969[8]