Biography
The breakthrough achieved by Fourmyula represented a decisive shift in the evolution of rock music across New Zealand. Long reliant on renditions of overseas successes, the local scene witnessed tangible evidence that homegrown songwriting from a Hutt Valley five-piece could secure national chart placement. The group coalesced in the first months of 1967 out of the Insect, regulars at regional secondary-school dances and similar events. Its original lineup featured Martin Hope on vocals and guitar, Wayne Mason on keyboards, Alistair Richardson on bass, and Chris Parry on drums. Momentum built sharply once the ensemble claimed victory in the National Battle of the Sounds, yet observers agreed a more commanding frontman was required. Carl Evensen, previously of Kal-Q-Lated Risk, was brought in to handle lead vocals, allowing Hope to concentrate exclusively on guitar.
Having purchased a manual on composition, Mason and Richardson created Fourmyula’s debut original number, “Come with Me.” Intended originally as the B-side of the band’s first single, the 1968 release “Honey Child”—a version of the Martha & the Vandellas track—the label HMV instead elevated the new song to A-side status. It climbed to number two on the Kiwi listings, instantly elevating the musicians to star status. The pair then supplied twelve further compositions that filled the self-titled debut album issued the same year. So great was demand that HMV simultaneously launched the singles “Alice Is There” and “I Know Why,” both of which entered the Top Ten. After completing the follow-up LP Green B. Holiday, the group embarked on a British tour and cut the track “Lady Scorpio” inside Abbey Road studios.
Four months abroad exposed the musicians to performances by Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, and Spooky Tooth. Recognizing that their prevailing mod style no longer aligned with shifting fashions, they lengthened their hair and developed a louder, more aggressive approach they planned to unveil back home. Domestic listeners, however, reacted with confusion to the heavier, metal-leaning incarnation, prompting an immediate retreat after a single ill-fated concert to the ensemble’s familiar four-part vocal blend and gently psychedelic material. The third album, Creation, surfaced toward the close of 1969, accompanied by the chart-topping single “Nature.” By this stage Mason had become the sole writer, and his subsequent pieces resumed a harder edge during another European excursion. To sidestep confusion with an act sharing the same name, the group adopted the moniker Pipp. A modest success arrived with the 1970 single “Otaki,” yet interest soon faded, leading to dissolution the following year. Parry later established Fiction Records.
Having purchased a manual on composition, Mason and Richardson created Fourmyula’s debut original number, “Come with Me.” Intended originally as the B-side of the band’s first single, the 1968 release “Honey Child”—a version of the Martha & the Vandellas track—the label HMV instead elevated the new song to A-side status. It climbed to number two on the Kiwi listings, instantly elevating the musicians to star status. The pair then supplied twelve further compositions that filled the self-titled debut album issued the same year. So great was demand that HMV simultaneously launched the singles “Alice Is There” and “I Know Why,” both of which entered the Top Ten. After completing the follow-up LP Green B. Holiday, the group embarked on a British tour and cut the track “Lady Scorpio” inside Abbey Road studios.
Four months abroad exposed the musicians to performances by Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, and Spooky Tooth. Recognizing that their prevailing mod style no longer aligned with shifting fashions, they lengthened their hair and developed a louder, more aggressive approach they planned to unveil back home. Domestic listeners, however, reacted with confusion to the heavier, metal-leaning incarnation, prompting an immediate retreat after a single ill-fated concert to the ensemble’s familiar four-part vocal blend and gently psychedelic material. The third album, Creation, surfaced toward the close of 1969, accompanied by the chart-topping single “Nature.” By this stage Mason had become the sole writer, and his subsequent pieces resumed a harder edge during another European excursion. To sidestep confusion with an act sharing the same name, the group adopted the moniker Pipp. A modest success arrived with the 1970 single “Otaki,” yet interest soon faded, leading to dissolution the following year. Parry later established Fiction Records.
Albums
