Toe Fat

In late 1969, Cliff Bennett appeared to have exhausted his prospects as a figure from the British Invasion period. To pursue a fresh sonic direction and persona, he connected with vocalist and keyboardist Ken Hensley, bassist John Glascock, and drummer Lee Kerslake—all prior members of the Gods, a band later noted for including Greg Lake before his time with King Crimson. The ensemble adopted the name Toe Fat and secured recording deals first with Parlophone, followed by Regal Zonophone in the UK, while their releases reached American audiences via the Rare Earth imprint. Although blending blues with progressive rock, their music lacked broad appeal, and the unsettling artwork adorning their pair of albums discouraged buyers. Hensley departed in 1970 to collaborate with David Byron and Mick Box in forming Uriah Heep, soon joined by Kerslake. Replacing them were Brian Glascock on drums and Alan Kendall on guitar, who participated in a single American tour before the band's dissolution in 1972. Kerslake later reunited with Hensley in Uriah Heep. John Glascock eventually became a member of Jethro Tull, and Alan Kendall affiliated with the Bee Gees—starting as a session player before becoming a full-time member until the early 1980s. The duo of Toe Fat albums saw re-release as a combined CD during the mid-1990s on the Beat Goes On label. On September 19, 2020, drummer Lee Kerslake passed away at 73 years old.