Simon Dupree & The Big Sound

There's a curious pattern in popular music where bands that brandish the word "big" in their title seldom achieve lasting prominence, and Simon Dupree & the Big Sound proved no exception. Although the outfit lacked both an actual member named Simon Dupree and widespread appeal, its musicianship remained solid; like Big Country or the Big Bopper before them, the group simply never connected with a broad audience.

The name "Simon Dupree" belonged to vocalist Derek Shulman, the eldest of three brothers from Portsmouth, England. Along with siblings Ray and Phil, Derek had formed his first band in 1964 after years of devotion to American R&B. Early monikers such as the Howling Wolves and the Road Runners reflected those enthusiasms, yet the brothers' set lists leaned far more toward material by Wilson Pickett, Don Covay, and Otis Redding than toward blues or rockabilly. The eventual switch to Simon Dupree & the Big Sound arose simply from a desire for a more eye-catching handle.

Locally the rebranding succeeded. The band earned as much as £300 per night on the club circuit, money divided after expenses among Derek (vocals, bass, saxophone), Ray (bass, guitar, violin), Phil (sax, trumpet), drummer Tony Randell, and bassist Pete O'Flaherty. In 1966 the group signed with EMI's Parlophone imprint under producer Dave Paramor and issued two vigorous R&B cuts, "I See the Light" and "It Is Finished." Club popularity, however, failed to translate into record sales; follow-up singles "Reservations" b/w "You Need a Man" and "Day Time, Night Time" b/w "I've Seen It All Before" likewise made little commercial impact. Their debut album, Without Reservations, appeared in August 1967 and showcased the first tentative original compositions, only to be eclipsed by the prevailing psychedelic wave led by Sgt. Pepper's and Magical Mystery Tour.

In October 1967 management and the label steered the group toward psychedelia, perhaps hoping to replicate the Moody Blues' abrupt commercial ascent from R&B roots. The result was "Kites," cut at Abbey Road in early fall. Though the musicians disliked the stylistic pivot, they embraced new tools, deploying a Mellotron as effectively as their Birmingham counterparts. The melody carried an Asian inflection, heightened by actress Jackie Chan's spoken poetry, which reinforced the track's Eastern atmosphere. The single reached the British Top Ten, delivering the band's first genuine breakthrough, yet subsequent attempts at psychedelic follow-ups, including early Shulman brothers songwriting efforts, faltered. Simon Dupree & the Big Sound disbanded in 1969.

By then their musical outlook had shifted decisively. In 1970 the Shulmans resurfaced at the center of the progressive-rock ensemble Gentle Giant.