Miller Anderson

For over three decades Miller Anderson has stayed at rock’s innovative forefront. The Scotland-born guitarist and vocalist has issued just two solo albums—Dream City in 1971 and Celtic Moon in 1988—yet he has worked alongside an array of pivotal musicians. He began sharpening his skills in early groups alongside Ian Hunter before Mott the Hoople and Bill Bruford before King Crimson and Yes, then moved through the Keef Hartley Band, Savoy Brown, T. Rex, Mountain, the Spencer Davis Group, and ensembles fronted by Deep Purple’s Jon Lord and the folk-rock balladeer Donovan. Anderson started his professional path in 1964 with the Royal Crests and stayed on when the lineup became Karl Stuart & the Profiles. He cut one single with the Voice—“Train to Disaster” b/w “Truth”—before exiting; Mick Ronson took his place. After crossing paths with Ian Hunter at Regent Sound Studios, Anderson and Hunter formed the Scenery, adding drummer John Verson Smith; the trio later expanded to a quartet with keyboardist Dante Smith and issued an EP in Japan. By 1967 the outfit served as the Freddie “Fingers” Lee Band behind pianist/vocalist Freddie “Fingers” Lee. Anderson briefly departed to join the Paper Blitz Tissue, where he encountered Bill Bruford, who replaced drummer Dave Dufort, yet he returned to Hunter and Lee in March 1968 to launch the awkwardly titled At Last the 1958 Rock ’n’ Roll Show. Following the single “I Can’t Drive” b/w “Workin’ on the Railroad,” the act renamed itself Charlie Woolfe. Anderson and Hunter briefly revived the Scenery before Anderson entered the Keef Hartley Band in late 1968. The group had already begun its debut album and had replaced its lead singer twice when Anderson arrived. He performed with them at the Woodstock Festival in August 1969 and appeared on five releases: Halfbreed, The Battle of North West, The Time Is Near, Overdrive, and the live album Little Big Band. Leaving to pursue solo work, Anderson assembled the Miller Anderson Band for live dates; the unit never toured but taped several BBC Radio sessions. He maintained his rapid band-hopping pace. After Hemlock opened for Savoy Brown in 1973, Anderson was asked to join Kim Simmonds and Stan Webb from Chicken Shack, forming a three-guitar configuration for Savoy Brown in January 1974. He contributed several songs to Boogie Brothers yet stayed only until December. A short stint with Blood, Sweat & Tears ended weeks later after lead singer David Clayton-Thomas departed. Subsequent ventures included Dog Soldier with Keef Hartley and a project organized by ex-Rolling Stones guitarist Mick Taylor that drew on former Stone the Crows members. Anderson entered T. Rex in August 1976, helped record Dandy in the Underworld, then toured with Donovan. Plans to rejoin T. Rex collapsed when Marc Bolan died in a car accident on September 16, 1977. Anderson continued with Donovan until 1978, when he and keyboardist Ronnie Leahy teamed with guitarist/vocalist Jimmy McCulloch to create the Dukes. The band scored a minor hit, “Hearts in Trouble,” before dissolving after McCulloch’s death. Anderson joined Stan Webb’s Speedway in 1982, then switched to bass in a revived Chicken Shack from September through December 1984. He next aligned with Mountain; originally slated to play guitar alongside original drummer Corky Laing and Ian Hunter, he moved to bass once original guitarist Leslie West returned. Anderson first collaborated with Spencer Davis in a re-formed Spencer Davis Group that included vocalist Chris Farlowe, bassist/vocalist Colin Hodgkinson, keyboardist Zoot Money, and drummer Pete York; they recorded the album Extremely Live at Birmingham Town Hall. He later worked with York in Pete York and Superblues, rejoining the Spencer Davis Group in 1995 and 1997. In September 1993 Anderson gave a solo performance at Blackhearth Concert Hall in South London on a bill with Bert Jansch, Davey Graham, and John Renbourn. He played several further shows with Jansch before resuming solo activity in January 1994. In June 1994 he formed a trio with Miller and Colin Hodgkinson. July 1995 brought two appearances with Deep Purple keyboardist Jon Lord’s Gemini Band; Anderson subsequently recorded the album Pictured Within with Lord. His debut solo album Bright City, issued in 1971, featured the late Gary Thain before Uriah Heep, Mick Weaver, and Peter Dines. His second, Celtic Moon, appeared in 1988 as a largely acoustic set recorded with the Spencer Davis Group.