Bluesology was a 1960s English R&B group, best remembered as being the first professional band of which Reggie Dwight – later known as Elton John – was a member.
From about 1960, organist Reggie Dwight – then aged 13 – and his neighbour, singer and guitarist Stewart "Stu" Brown, performed with a local group, the Corvettes, in Pinner, Middlesex, a suburb of London. After that group split up, the pair formed a new group, Bluesology, with Rex Bishop (bass), and Mick Inkpen (drums). According to Dwight the band's name was in homage to the Django Reinhardt album Djangology.There had also been a 1956 piece named Bluesology by John Lewis of the Modern Jazz Quartet. By 1962 they had begun playing local pubs, and in 1963 they won a regular weekly slot at the Establishment Club in London, playing tunes by Muddy Waters, Jimmy Witherspoon and Memphis Slim, among others. In 1965, they turned professional, and signed a contract with an agency which began hiring them out as a backing band for visiting American performers, including The Isley Brothers, Doris Troy, Billy Stewart and Patti LaBelle.
After recording a demo they were signed by Fontana Records, and recorded their first single, Dwight's song "Come Back Baby", in July 1965. In November 1965 they released a second single, "Mr. Frantic", again written and sung by Dwight, and again unsuccessful. After a tour of Germany the band returned to England to work as the backing band for Major Lance with an expanded line-up of Dwight, Brown, Pat Higgs (trumpet), Dave Murphy (saxophone), Fred Gandy (bass) and Paul Gale (drums).
In September 1966 the band was invited by vocalist Long John Baldry to become his regular band.Only Dwight and Brown agreed, thus forming with Baldry a new version of Bluesology, along with Fred Gandy (bass), Pete Gavin (drums), Neil Hubbard (guitar), Elton Dean (saxophone), Marc Charig (cornet), and Alan Walker (vocals), and, for a brief spell, singer Marsha Hunt.As Stu Brown and Bluesology, they recorded the single "Since I Found You Baby" for Polydor Records, produced by Kenny Lynch.On 11 December 1966 there was a recording session at Abbey Road Studios with Little Richard; four songs were recorded, two were released.
As Baldry's music drifted more towards the cabaret market, Dwight became disenchanted with the band, and so simultaneously began to develop songwriting skills in collaboration with Bernie Taupin whilst working as a session musician. Dwight, Brown and Dean all quit Bluesology in late 1967, Brown's replacement being Caleb Quaye, only for the band to call it a day the following year.
Bluesology was a 1960s English R&B group, best remembered as being the first professional band of which Reggie Dwight – later known as Elton John – was a member.
From about 1960, organist Reggie Dwight – then aged 13 – and his neighbour, singer and guitarist Stewart "Stu" Brown, performed with a local group, the Corvettes, in Pinner, Middlesex, a suburb of London. After that group split up, the pair formed a new group, Bluesology, with Rex Bishop (bass), and Mick Inkpen (drums). According to Dwight the band's name was in homage to the Django Reinhardt album Djangology.There had also been a 1956 piece named Bluesology by John Lewis of the Modern Jazz Quartet. By 1962 they had begun playing local pubs, and in 1963 they won a regular weekly slot at the Establishment Club in London, playing tunes by Muddy Waters, Jimmy Witherspoon and Memphis Slim, among others. In 1965, they turned professional, and signed a contract with an agency which began hiring them out as a backing band for visiting American performers, including The Isley Brothers, Doris Troy, Billy Stewart and Patti LaBelle.
After recording a demo they were signed by Fontana Records, and recorded their first single, Dwight's song "Come Back Baby", in July 1965. In November 1965 they released a second single, "Mr. Frantic", again written and sung by Dwight, and again unsuccessful. After a tour of Germany the band returned to England to work as the backing band for Major Lance with an expanded line-up of Dwight, Brown, Pat Higgs (trumpet), Dave Murphy (saxophone), Fred Gandy (bass) and Paul Gale (drums).
In September 1966 the band was invited by vocalist Long John Baldry to become his regular band.Only Dwight and Brown agreed, thus forming with Baldry a new version of Bluesology, along with Fred Gandy (bass), Pete Gavin (drums), Neil Hubbard (guitar), Elton Dean (saxophone), Marc Charig (cornet), and Alan Walker (vocals), and, for a brief spell, singer Marsha Hunt.As Stu Brown and Bluesology, they recorded the single "Since I Found You Baby" for Polydor Records, produced by Kenny Lynch.On 11 December 1966 there was a recording session at Abbey Road Studios with Little Richard; four songs were recorded, two were released.
As Baldry's music drifted more towards the cabaret market, Dwight became disenchanted with the band, and so simultaneously began to develop songwriting skills in collaboration with Bernie Taupin whilst working as a session musician. Dwight, Brown and Dean all quit Bluesology in late 1967, Brown's replacement being Caleb Quaye, only for the band to call it a day the following year.