High Tide

E

nglish heavy metal band High Tide was formed in 1969 by Tony Hill (guitar/vocals), Simon House (violin/keyboards), Peter Pavli (bass) and Roger Hadden (drums). High Tide made their first recordings as the backing band on Denny Gerrard's album Sinister Morning who returned the favor by producing their first album, Sea Shanties, released in October of 1969. Though it met with a scathing review in Melody Maker, reviews in the underground press were universally positive, and sales were just enough to convince the 'Liberty' label to give them a chance at a second album.

Their second album, High Tide (1970) followed, but a third album was being recorded in 1970, however Hadden, had been suffering from chronic mental instability and depression. It was a long time conditions he had been suffering since before joining High Tide, and ended off suffering a mental breakdown to the point he had to be hospitalized before the album could be finished. Unable to continue without Hadden, the group split.

Hill and House recorded Interesting Times (1986) as a duo, taking turns playing bass and using a drum machine to replace Hadden. The album featured heavy use of synthesizers, which to an extent supplanted the use of House's violin. The album was originally released as a mail order cassette, and issued on vinyl and CD in 1989 and 1990.

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