Biography
Bakerloo came together in 1967 under the name Bakerloo Blues Line, coinciding with the blues surge led by Cream. Operating as a power trio modeled on that group yet infused with more experimental pop touches of the era, the lineup featured Dave “Clem” Clempson on forceful blues-rooted guitar while he also handled harpsichord, piano, and mouth harp; Terry Poole on bass; and Keith Baker on drums. Their manager Jim Simpson, who simultaneously guided Black Sabbath (then performing as Earth), secured a nationwide U.K. trek called “Big Bear Ffolly”—a title that later supplied the name of one of the band’s own songs—featuring Bakerloo alongside Earth, Locomotive, and Tea and Symphony. On 18 October 1968 the group served as support at London’s Marquee Club the evening Led Zeppelin made its first appearance there.
Among the initial acts signed to EMI’s Harvest imprint, Bakerloo issued its debut single “Driving Backwards” backed with “Once Upon a Time” in July 1969. That autumn the self-titled album arrived, showcasing the group’s jazz-tinged electric blues—comparable in approach to Blodwyn Pig—under producer Gus Dudgeon’s supervision; the November release stood among the more aggressive entries in Harvest’s early catalogue. Despite this sophistication, the trio’s refined take on blues may have limited its commercial reach, and any chance to develop further along the lines of Ten Years After vanished when the band dissolved late in 1969 after Clempson departed for Colosseum. From there he moved to Humble Pie as Peter Frampton’s replacement and later contributed to projects with Roger Daltrey, Tom Waits, and the Records, among other prominent artists. Poole spent time in Graham Bond’s ensemble during the early-to-mid 1970s, while Baker eventually joined Uriah Heep; the two later reunited, and Clempson has remained an active session musician for decades.
Among the initial acts signed to EMI’s Harvest imprint, Bakerloo issued its debut single “Driving Backwards” backed with “Once Upon a Time” in July 1969. That autumn the self-titled album arrived, showcasing the group’s jazz-tinged electric blues—comparable in approach to Blodwyn Pig—under producer Gus Dudgeon’s supervision; the November release stood among the more aggressive entries in Harvest’s early catalogue. Despite this sophistication, the trio’s refined take on blues may have limited its commercial reach, and any chance to develop further along the lines of Ten Years After vanished when the band dissolved late in 1969 after Clempson departed for Colosseum. From there he moved to Humble Pie as Peter Frampton’s replacement and later contributed to projects with Roger Daltrey, Tom Waits, and the Records, among other prominent artists. Poole spent time in Graham Bond’s ensemble during the early-to-mid 1970s, while Baker eventually joined Uriah Heep; the two later reunited, and Clempson has remained an active session musician for decades.
Albums
Singles
