Biography
In the middle years of the 1960s, the Quiet Five emerged as one of the lesser-known British Invasion ensembles that achieved modest placements on the British record charts. Between 1965 and 1967, the ensemble put out six 45 rpm records—though only one appeared stateside—demonstrating a range of approaches that highlighted their skillful group singing. Their initial effort stood out among these releases: guitarist and vocalist Kris Ife composed "When the Morning Sun Dries the Dew" with Marianne Faithfull in mind. The song's ethereal folk character aligned well with Faithfull's initial style, yet the Quiet Five issued the track under their own name, allowing it to creep into the upper half of the British Top Fifty. A later rendition of Simon & Garfunkel's "Homeward Bound" likewise reached that level, though its impact diminished once the composers' own recording climbed into the British Top Ten. Additional releases saw the musicians experiment across multiple genres: energetic rearrangements of traditional pop numbers, solid examples of rock shaped by the Merseybeat sound, and compositions reflecting the layered vocal approach popularized by U.S. groups like the Beach Boys. Their adaptability may have worked against them, as it did for other harmony-focused outfits of the era. Traces of resemblance appeared in their output to fellow British Invasion pop groups including the Fortunes, Peter & Gordon, and the Tremeloes, yet the Quiet Five failed to carve out a distinctive persona. Regrettably, they also committed few original compositions to tape, even though Kris Ife demonstrated songwriting talent both during his time with the band and afterward.
Formed during the early 1960s in London, the musicians began under the name Trebletones before adopting the Vikings moniker. In that phase they secured a single instrumental side titled "Space Walk," later retitled "Gemini" for its Columbia release. The transition to Quiet Five occurred in 1964 upon becoming the support unit for vocalist Patrick Dane, taking the place of a prior ensemble that had employed the same name. Following lineup adjustments, the group parted ways with Dane to pursue independent work and secured a contract with Parlophone under the production guidance of Ron Richards, also responsible for the Hollies. Fittingly, given the origin of "When the Morning Sun Dries the Dew," they provided accompaniment for Faithfull on a 1965 extended play record that additionally featured her guitarist Jon Mark. Despite sharing bills with the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Donovan, the Byrds, and the Ronettes, commercial breakthrough remained elusive. Ife departed in 1967 for a solo career on the MGM label; he gained recognition primarily through his late-1960s interpretation of Joe South's "Hush," the recording that prompted Deep Purple's major hit version of the same composition. A 2005 compact disc collection titled When the Morning Sun Dries the Dew gathered both sides of the six Quiet Five singles together with seven previously unheard recordings.
Formed during the early 1960s in London, the musicians began under the name Trebletones before adopting the Vikings moniker. In that phase they secured a single instrumental side titled "Space Walk," later retitled "Gemini" for its Columbia release. The transition to Quiet Five occurred in 1964 upon becoming the support unit for vocalist Patrick Dane, taking the place of a prior ensemble that had employed the same name. Following lineup adjustments, the group parted ways with Dane to pursue independent work and secured a contract with Parlophone under the production guidance of Ron Richards, also responsible for the Hollies. Fittingly, given the origin of "When the Morning Sun Dries the Dew," they provided accompaniment for Faithfull on a 1965 extended play record that additionally featured her guitarist Jon Mark. Despite sharing bills with the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Donovan, the Byrds, and the Ronettes, commercial breakthrough remained elusive. Ife departed in 1967 for a solo career on the MGM label; he gained recognition primarily through his late-1960s interpretation of Joe South's "Hush," the recording that prompted Deep Purple's major hit version of the same composition. A 2005 compact disc collection titled When the Morning Sun Dries the Dew gathered both sides of the six Quiet Five singles together with seven previously unheard recordings.
Albums