Introduction to Ashton, Gardner and Dyke
Ashton, Gardner And Dyke were formed in 1969, consisting of Tony Ashton (vocals and piano/keyboards), Roy Dyke (drums), Kim Gardner (bass guitar), and Mike Liber (guitar). Ashton and Dyke were members of The Remo Four, a Liverpool band formed in 1963 and disbanded in 1969. Their biggest accomplishment was backing George Harrison on his 1969 solo album “Wonderwall Music”. Tony Ashton and Roy Dyke then teamed with Kim Gardner to form Ashton, Gardner and Dyke. Former Python Lee Jackson band member Mike Lieber became the groups lead guitar player, but for whatever reason did not get his last name included in the band name. Ashton, Gardner and Dyke is considered to be a one hit wonder band since their only Billboard Hot 100 hit song, “Resurrection Shuffle,” (#40 Billboard Hot 100) was the only song to peak inside the Hot 100. They did, however, record three studio albums over their four years of existence as well as play on the soundtrack for the 1971 Joe Namath B-Movie, “The Last Rebel”. The movie’s score was written by band member Tony Ashton and Deep Purple band member Jon Lord. In 1971 the band made their last album, “What a Bloody Long Day It’s Been,” changing their name to Ashton, Gardner, Dyke and Co. They did this to include not only Mike Liber, but also brass players Lyle Jenkins and Dave Caswell, formerly of the band Galliard. The group disbanded in during the early 70s music era with Aston joining Jon Lord and Ian Payce in the band Paice, Ashton & Lord, while Dyke and Gardner joined the band Badger. Tony Ashton and Kim Gardner both died of cancer in 2001 at the age of 53. Other Ashton, Gardner and Dyke oldies music hit songs: “Maiden Voyage,” “See the Sun In My Eyes,” “Rolling Home,” “New York Mining Disaster 1941,” “Hymn to Everyone,” “Can You Get It,” “Delirium,” “Ballad Of The Remo Four,” “Let It Roll,” “Billy and His Piano With,” “I’m Your Spiritual Breadman,” “Why Did You Go?,” “The Falling Song,” “Oh Mathilda,” “Mamma’s Getting Married,” “What a Bloody Long Day It’s Been,” “I’m Dying For You,” “Paper Head Paper Mind,” “You, Me and a Friend of Mine,” “It’s Gonna Be High Tonight,” “Picture Sliding Down the Wall,” “Oh Lord,” “Don’t Want No War No More,” “Sweet Patti O’Hara Smith,” “Mister Freako,” Vaggsang,” “Billy and His Piano Without,” “Young Man,” “It’s a Drag, I’m a Drag” and “(The Old) Rock and Roll Boogie Woogie.”
Meet Ashton, Gardner and Dyke
Known by their only hit “Resurrection Shuffle in 1971, the power rock band Ashton, Gardner and Dyke was formed in 1968 in London, England. The trio consisted of founder Tony Ashton (born Edward Anthony Ashton on March 1, 1946 in Lancashire, England), bassist Kim Gardner (Christopher Gardner on July 27, 1948) and drummer Roy Dyke (born on February 13, 1945 in Liverpool).
Ashton and Dyke met at a show in Blackpool in 1963, while the Liveropool beat group The Remo Four invited Ashton to play with them, adding Dyke as a drummer. Prior to their split in 1968, The Remo Four became part of George Harrison’s Wonderwall Music album as backup musicians. Harrison later did guitar duties on the Ashton, Gardner and Dyke song “I’m Your Spiritual Breadman.” In 1968, Ashton and Dyke recruited Gardner, who had just finished working with small British bands The Birds and The Creation. Now calling themselves simply as Ashton, Gardner and Dyke, former Python Lee Jackson’s (an Australian classic rock band) Mick Liber became the trio’s lead guitarist.
Ashton, Gardener and Dyke’s recording journey and their lone hit “Resurrection Shuffle”
In 1969, Ashton, Gardner and Dyke got signed on Polydor Records, issuing their debut single “Maiden Voyage” b/w “See the Sun In My Eyes” but the record was a failure. Switching to Capitol Records, the group released their sophomore single “Resurrection Shuffle” and things started to click. It peaked at #3 on the UK Singles chart and enjoyed its stay for 14 weeks while in the US, it peaked at #40 on the pop chart. Resurrection Shuffle” was their only hit, making Ashton, Gardner and Dyke being generally regarded as one hit wonders. Their only hit featured the brass duties of the Lyle Jenkins and Dave Caswell from Galliard (a band from Birmingham).
After “Resurrection Shuffle”‘s success and their disbandment
Later in 1971, another single for Capitol was released, titled “Can You Get It,” but it failed to generate similar interest. In 1972, after releasing their third and last album, the group finally disbanded. Throughout of their career, Ashton, Gardner and Dyke had recorded three albums such as Ashton, Gardner and Dyke (Polydor, 1969), The Worst of Ashton, Gardner and Dyke (Capitol, 1971) and What a Bloody Long Day It’s Been (Capitol 1972).