Characters - The Band
Ross McGeeneyVocals, 6-string Electric & Acoustic Guitars
Ross McGeeney and Tony Poole had known each other since they were 6 years old, eventually ending up at a boarding school in Bedford, where McGeeney learned guitar from Clive Budd. He taught Poole his first D chord around the time of The Byrds' Mr. Tambourine Man, and they formed a group called The Chymes.
105b.jpg "Tony Poole (Photo:Bob Parsons)")
Tony Poole
Vocals, 12-string Electric & Acoustic Guitars, Organ, Synthesizer
TP played bass in The Chymes, with Pete Warren on Rhythm Guitar and Mick Roope on drums. On graduation, after spells in San Francisco for McGeeney and Europe, Africa and India for Poole, they re-convened in London and began busking and playing folk clubs, eventually landing a residency at The Duke of Clarence in Shepherds' Bush.
Iain WhitmoreVocals, Bass Guitar, Percussion
Iain Whitmore had played in Patches (with Leo Sayer), who recorded a single for Warner Bros. After a chance hearing of a SE&L tape at the office while waiting to audition for Dorris Henderson's Eclection - who shared their management - he went on the road with them for 2 weeks, learned the songs and joined the band.
Michael Wackford (1953 - 2016)
Vocals, Drums, Percussion, Glockenspiel, Congas
Michael Wackford had played with Whitmore in August when they were teenagers, with Roger Kelly on Guitar. He'd just auditioned for Wings when he got the call from Whitmore to try out for SE&L, joining after a single rehearsal a mere 16 hours before their first recording session for CBS.