In the early 1970s two lesser-known British rock guitarists joined forces intending to assemble a four-piece guitar lineup they dubbed the Guitar Orchestra, envisioning a heavy rock ensemble. Ray Fenwick, whose résumé already included stints with the Syndicats, Holland’s Tee Set, and the Spencer Davis Group after Stevie Winwood’s departure, partnered with Mick Grabham, formerly of Plastic Penny and later a mainstay of Procol Harum throughout much of the decade. Although they tracked an album, Fenwick and Grabham ultimately handled nearly all the guitar overdubs themselves, enlisting occasional assistance from Tim Renwick, then a member of Quiver and later a sideman for Pink Floyd. The project stalled before release because the pair could not secure clearance for the copyright on “Pomp and Circumstance,” a centerpiece of the proposed track list. When the recording finally appeared in 1997 it exemplified typical early-1970s hard rock, juxtaposing bombastic and occasionally pretentious instrumentals with softer, more melodic passages on its pop-leaning selections.
