Babe Ruth | |
|---|---|
 Babe Ruth in 1973 | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Hatfield, Hertfordshire, England |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 1970–1976, 2002–present |
| Labels | Harvest Records |
| Members | Jenny Haan David Hewitt Alan Shacklock Dave Punshon |
| Past members | Jeff Allen Dick Powell Ed Spevock Chris Holmes Steve Gurl Bernie Marsden Ellie Hope Ray Knott Simon Lambeth |
Babe Ruth are an English rock band from Hatfield, Hertfordshire, England. They were initially active in the 1970s and reformed in 2002.
In 1971 after graduating from Royal Academy of Music, Alan Shacklock formed "Shacklock" with David Hewitt on bass, Dave Punshon on piano, Dick Powell on drums, and Jenny Haan as vocalist.[2] Roger Dean later introduced Shacklock to Nick Mobbs, vice president of A&R to the EMI Harvest label, who got them a show at Marquee Club before signing the band on to the EMI Harvest label.[2]
In 1972 Shacklock was renamed to Babe Ruth after the baseball player, Babe Ruth.[2] In 1972 Rupert Perry signed Babe Ruth for the United States, and their first album, First Base, was released.[2]
In 1973 Ed Spevock joined Babe Ruth, replacing Powell on drums.[2] Babe Ruth appeared twice on BBC Two's The Old Grey Whistle Test in 1973 on 2 January and 2 August.[2][3][4] Shacklock, Haan, Punshon, Hewitt and Spevock survived a near fatal car crash on the M1 motorway coming home from a 1973 performance at Liverpool University.[2] Chris Holmes then joined Babe Ruth on keyboards.[2] Amar Caballero, Babe Ruth's second album, was released in 1973.[2] During a 1973 performance Shacklock electrocuted himself.[2]
In 1974 Babe Ruth's first album, First Base, was certified gold in Canada.[2] Steve Gurl joins Babe Ruth, replacing Chris Holmes on keyboards.[2] Babe Ruth appeared again on BBC Two's The Old Grey Whistle Test, this time getting banned from BBC by Bernie Andrews.[2] Babe Ruth was unbanned from BBC in 1975.[2]
The next two albums, Babe Ruth and Stealin' Home," were released in 1975. In 1975 Babe Ruth received the Gold Leaf Award for outstanding sales of their first album, First Base.[2] Babe Ruth's concert in Jardin des Étoiles, Montreal, Quebec, Canada on 9 April 1975, was filmed for television.[5]
With none of the original members left, Babe Ruth released their 5th album, Kid's Stuff, in 1976.
In 2002 Punshon, Haan, Shacklock, Spevock, and Hewitt started working on the 6th album, Que Pasa.
Que Pasa was completed in September 2006, and after being made available in digital form via the band's official website, was released on Revolver Records in 2009.
The band embarked on a successful reunion tour of Canada in July 2010, playing three concerts at Ottawa Bluesfest, Metropolis Montreal, and Festival International du Blues de Tremblant.
On 28 June 2014, Babe Ruth played their only show of 2014 at Milwaukee's Summerfest where over 7,000 attended.
Past Members
