:Draft:Oracle (band)

In October 1966 in London, King’s College students Harold Bico and Joseph Davidson joined the psychedelic rock band Tyer with drummer Bradley Woll and keyboardist Leo Leonsi. Tyer mostly played covers of psychedelic and blues rock artists such as Cream, Jimi Hendrix, Muddy Waters, and The Beatles. However, the band had trouble getting good gigs and Woll was called for military service in March 1967, so the band dissolved.

Guitarist Harold Bico and multi-instrumentalist Joseph Davidson went on to form their own band called Ceres. Originally a duo, they became involved in the British Psychedelic Music Scene. On May 3, the band met Moly Jones who joined the band on second guitar. The band needed a drummer, and after auditioning four, Isaac Parks joined the band. They became regulars at "The Piano Works", a music bar in London, gaining a small fanbase. Parks left the band to finish schooling in October 1967. Over the course of five months the band cycled through three drummers, including Mathew Dallum, who would later become the drummer and vocalist for the band Vines. Eventually the band found Adam Tucker, former drummer of Majestic Frog, who would become their permanent drummer. Also, Daniel Robinson (a friend of Bico's) would join on bass, mainly because Davidson was more focused on vocals and flute. The group had been writing original music for a while now, and their sets became more full. Bico and Davidson would become the groups main two songwriters and vocalists, Jones, Robinson, and to a lesser extent tucker all wrote and sung. The band then changed their name to Oracle, a named suggested by Tucker, with him explaining that "The name represents our music", stated in an interview in 1974.

Throughout 1968, the band played shows around southern England. They started working on a song titled “Oblivious”, written by all band members in April 1968. Some live versions clocked in at over seventeen minutes, with extended jams and solos. The song became a staple of their live shows. Their eccentric live shows gained the attention of Columbia agent John Davies, who helped get them signed to the record label. Oracle recorded "Oblivious" and its b-side "Walking In A Garden", and Columbia released it on 12 January 1969.

Oracle recorded their self-titled debut record in Iron Studios in 1969 and released it on 16 May of the same year by EMI Columbia in the U.K and Columbia Records in the U.S. The album is considered psychedelic rock, but with elements of experimental rock and proto-prog. The album received some success in Britain but had barely sold at all in America. Regardless, the group toured around the U.K. and Ireland in support of the album.

The band (specifically H. Bico and Jospeh Davidson) started to write longer and more profound songs. Previously, the Bico twins, and Davidson would play keyboards, but the nature of the new songs called for a standalone keyboardist. After auditioning five of them, the band picked Richard Wallace, another King’s College student. Wallace had classical training and brought a new sense of virtuosity to the group, also writing and singing. At the end of 1969, the band came together to record their sophomore album In The Land Of Profane Ways. The album was released on January 9, 1970. The album peaked at 65 on the U.K Albums Chart, much higher than their debut.

After a European tour in support of In The Land Of Profane Ways with another progressive rock band Gentle Giant, the group convened in the studio again. The album, recorded in the autumn of 1970, would feature even more complex songs than the two albums before. The band’s third studio album, Continental Drift, was released on November 24, 1970. The albums closer “Landform” is widely considered moment where the band’s “classic period” began. The album skyrocketed the group to success, peaking at 5 on the U.K. Album Charts. Also, the group saw some recognition in America, with the album being 32 on the Billboard Hot 100 list. They began the Drift Tour in 1971, which saw them playing in auditoriums around Europe and North America.

The follow up to Continental Drift was Fade, released on October 7, 1971 by Iron and EMI. It was a double album, the band’s first and only of the type. After the tour for the former album, the group assembled in the studio to record. The album contains more influences from classical and folk. The album’s title track, written by Davidson and Wallace, is 20 ½ minutes and takes up the entire first side of the record. The album did not perform as well in the U.K, but did way better in the United States, and hit no. 1 in Canada. As a result of the success in North America, the band toured relentlessly there. The tour resulted in rifts forming within the band, particularly with Moly Bico and Adam Tucker, who were known to have an affair with each other.

The Fade Tour of North America ended early, as the group wanted to get back in the studio. They recorded throughout 1972, with sonic experimentation. The band increased their arsenal of instruments available to them, using EMS VSC-3s and tape effects. Also at this time the group formed their own record company to release their own material, called Odyssey Records. In the words of Wallace, “We all had so many ideas, we just clicked.” Their fifth studio album The Last Age was released by Odyssey on December 9, 1972. The album’s cover art contains three mythological figures from what H. Bico calls “an ancient and unknown religion.” The album was a massive success, becoming their first no 1. In Great Britain and hitting no. 3 in the U.S. The following tour saw massive success, although the band only toured in Europe.

After a break following the overwhelming popularity of The Last Age, the band went back to the studio to record. The following was their sixth studio album The Moonlight Shadow released by Odyssey on April 12, 1974. The recording sessions were filled with disagreements and squabbles regarding the albums direction. As a result of this, the band never toured to support the album, and instead opted to take a break to recuperate.

The band recorded their seventh studio album, Sunset, throughout 1975 after the short hiatus. The bands fights were at a minimum while recording. The record contains audible jazz fusion influences. Odyssey released the record on September 10, 1975. The subsequent tour was very successful, with the band steamrolling of the success of their previous two albums. It would be the last tour where they would perform The Last Age in its entirety. The album peaked at no. 11 in the U.K. and no. 19 in America. While not as popular, the album has since gained a cult following among fans.

The band recorded their eighth studio album through January and April 1977. Odyssey released Salvation on May 24, 1977. The record, released at the height of the punk rock movement, was rejected by critics, but remained popular by fans. The album draws more influences from hard rock with its musical content.

Following the tour for Salvation, the band took a short hiatus in 1978. Their ninth studio album Divisions was released on February 14, 1980. The album moved away slightly from the progressive rock they were known for. Most consider it art rock with influences from pop and hard rock. The title track, however, is still very lengthy clocking in at over twelve minutes. The album hit no. 45 in both the U.K and U.S.

The Examining was released on 23 September 1981, and takes influences from new wave and pop, but remaining a progressive rock album. The album was trashed by critics and was not as popular with fans than previous albums.

The follow up to The Examining was Repeater. The album was released by EMI Columbia in June of 1983 after bankruptcy in Odyssey Records. The album marks a massive shift in style, with use of synthesizers. The album draws mainly from the new wave movement. The album was their highest charting since Sunset, and was praised by critics. The group however, specifically Davidson and Harold Bico, disliked the album. The band didn’t play many live shows in support of the album.

=Band Members=

Final Lineup:

• Harold Bico- vocals, lead and rhythm guitar, keyboards. 1967-2021
• Joseph Davidson- vocals, bass, flute, rhythm guitar, tape effects, drums. 1967-2021
• Moly Jones- rhythm guitar, cello, vocals. 1967-2000 (died 2016)
• Rick Wallace- keyboards, piano, organ, vocals. 1969-2021
• Adam Tucker- drums, percussion, vocals. 1967-2002, 2018-2021

Additional and Former Members:

• Tommy Armstrong- production, engineering, mixing, keyboards.
• Jamie Siegel- production, engineering.
• Isaac Parks- drums, percussion. 1967 (died 1995)
• Daniel Robinson- bass, vocals. 1967-1969 (died 2023)

= Discography =

Studio albums

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• Oracle (1969)
• In The Land Of Profane Ways (1970)
• Fade (1971)
• Continental Drift (1971)
• The Last Age (1972)
• The Moonlight Shadow (1974)
• Sunset (1975)
• Salvation (1977)
• Divisions (1979)
• The Examining (1981)
• Repeater (1984)
• Vivace (1986)
• Blue (1993)
• Green (1997)
• Colours Of Many Days (2005)
• Beige (2019)

Live Albums

• The Oracle's Strange Foresight (1970)
• Live In London (1974)
• The Light (1990)
• Live At The Sapphire Theatre (2002)
• The Early Gigs (2012)

= References =

{{reflist}}