Spontaneous Combustion were an English
progressive rock band formed in 1968 in
Poole, Dorset,[1][2] with brothers Gary Margetts (guitar, Mellotron, lead vocals) and Tris Margetts (bass, VCS3, vocals), and
Tony Brock (drums, piano, vocals).[3][4] The band released three albums and four singles working with producers
Greg Lake,
Robert Fripp,
Robert Kirby, and
Conny Plank before ending in 1981 when Tris Margetts became bassist in the
Greg Lake Band with
Gary Moore.[5][6] In 2012 their albums and singles were remastered and released as deluxe reissues with reproductions of artwork, and singles that weren't previously on albums; additional deluxe reissues have released in the decade since. Their original records and artwork are collector's items.[7][8]
History
The band was originally formed as Transit Sound in 1968 by friends Gary Margetts and Steve Evans, joined by Tris Margetts and Tony Brock.[9] Initially they played cover songs in local Dorset clubs but began adding their original music. In August 1970 Evans left and the band continued as a trio.
In 1970
Greg Lake, who lived in the same town, and at the time had achieved success as a member of
King Crimson and had recently formed
Emerson, Lake & Palmer,[10] offered to produce the band and encouraged
EMI Records to sign them.[11][12] Lake also suggested a name change to Spontaneous Combustion.[13]
The band opened for Emerson, Lake & Palmer several times in 1971-72. Their first album, Spontaneous Combustion, which was produced by Lake, was released in 1972.[14] Their single "Sabre Dance", covering the classical composition by
Aram Khachaturian, featured a guest appearance by
Robert Fripp.[15] The band's second album Triad was released later in 1972,[16][17] and they supported the album with a headline appearance at the Harvest Mobile Tour Fall '72 promoted by EMI.[18]
Drummer
Tony Brock left the band in 1973 and later formed
The Babys.[19] The Margetts brothers continued the band with new drummer Jode Leigh and guitarist/singer Alec Johnson. This lineup recorded the album Time in 1975.[20]
The live recording has been released multiple times with various titles (including London '81), sometimes featuring songs recorded at other concerts during the band's 1981 tour of the UK, U.S. and Canada, and some releases include Greg's
King Crimson song "
In The Court Of The Crimson King" and other selections such as Greg's
Emerson, Lake & Palmer song "
C'est la Vie".[24]
In 2012, interest in Spontaneous Combustion was revived when their first recording "Just a Dream", produced by Greg Lake during recording sessions of Emerson, Lake & Palmer's 1971 album Tarkus, was inadvertently included in the 2012 deluxe reissue of Tarkus as a bonus track titled "Unknown Ballad". This unlabeled recording was discovered in the ELP archives by reissue producer
Steven Wilson, who erroneously believed it to be an unreleased ELP song from the Tarkus sessions (in fact, the song featured Lake playing Keith Emerson's piano and singing harmony vocals on the chorus).[25] After the origin of the recording came to light, the reissue was withdrawn. In 2016, Lake produced another reissue of Tarkus with the Spontaneous Combustion song included, along with an explanation of the 2012 error.[26]
In 2020, rock historian
Brett Milano included the debut Spontaneous Combustion album in his list of "Classic Albums By Young Musicians: 25 Age-Defying Greats".[27]
^Burridge, Alan (2009). Bournemouth Rocks! : A Brief History of Rock Music in Bournemouth, Boscombe and Poole, 1960–1980. Natula Publications.
ISBN978-1-897887-77-6. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
^Spontaneous Combustion band members.
EMIHarvestSpontaneous CombustionTriad full-page advertisement in
Melody Maker, reprinting Melody Maker's review of Triad 11 November 1972. Melody Maker, November 1972. (Date and page number blurry in image.) Retrieved 24 February 2020. "Working in a tight network of drums, bass and lead guitar ... heightened by fine production... Their material apparently written jointly by Gary Margetts (guitar, lead vocal), Tris Margetts (bass guitar, VCS3, vocals) and Tony Brock (drums, percussion and vocals) contains some imaginative lyrics. Melody Maker, Nov 11, 1972. See them on the Harvestmobile tour. New single: Gay Time Night. Harvest Records."
^Artist biography and album reviews, album credits, track list with music samples, 1997 two-CD reissue of Spontaneous Combustion debut album Spontaneous Combustion (1972) and second album Triad (1972).
AllMusic.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/triad-spontaneous-combustion-mw0000608715 . Retrieved 16 March 2020. AllMusic Review by Steven McDonald.
^Welch, Chris (December 1981). "Birth of a Band".
International Musician and Recording World: pages 28-29, 31. Archived from the original:
http://ladiesofthelake.com/cabinet/birth.html . Retrieved 18 March 2020. "[Greg] began the difficult task of trying to create the Greg Lake Band. 'I wanted one I'd be happy with, and it was not easy! My standards were high, and there just aren't that many people out there who are good musicians and nice guys. There are a lot of good players, but I couldn't begin to work with them. And there's some nice guys around, but they're not such good players. It's a rare combination to find. I have to work with people I respect.' Tris Margetts on bass is an old friend, and Greg likes his style. 'He's a clean, thoughtful bass player.'"
^Grishin, Yuri (2007). The Famous British Collectable Record Labels, Volume 2: Harvest Label 1969 - 1980. Limited Edition. Available in .pdf.
https://eil.com/shop/moreinfo.asp?catalogid=651937 . Retrieved 7 March 2020. "Artists & groups: ... Adam Faith, The Beatles, The Hollies, ... Deep Purple, ... Pink Floyd, ... Spontaneous Combustion, ..."
^Epstein, Dmitry M. (May 2013). "Interview with Greg Lake". DMME.net.
https://dmme.net/interview-with-greg-lake . Retrieved 28 February 2020. "... the record business had become such a big money business and some artists were just not able to get into it. If you didn’t get a big record deal, you just couldn’t compete, and I knew a few really great artists, like the ones you’ve just mentioned [Spontaneous Combustion], and I didn’t want them to go by without having a career."
^Cherry, John (2020).
"Spontaneous Combustion". Bournemouth Beat Boom. Retrieved 4 July 2022. "Greg Lake, another Oakdale resident, ... used to live in Dale Valley Road a stone’s throw from the Margetts family home in Nansen Avenue. Greg pulled a few strings by introducing the band to EMI’s Nick Mobbs ... He also offered to produce their debut album and gave the band a new name, Spontaneous Combustion, after a Cannonball Adderley number."
^Melody Maker review
of Spontaneous Combustion's second album Triad (11 November 1972), reprinted in
EMIHarvestTriad full-page advertisement in
Melody Maker. Melody Maker, November 1972. (Date and page number blurry in image.) Retrieved 24 February 2020. "Working in a tight network of drums, bass and lead guitar ... heightened by fine production... Their material apparently written jointly by Gary Margetts (guitar, lead vocal), Tris Margetts (bass guitar, VCS3, vocals) and Tony Brock (drums, percussion and vocals) contains some imaginative lyrics. Melody Maker, Nov 11, 1972. See them on the Harvestmobile tour. New single: Gay Time Night. Harvest Records."