Bronco (English band)


Bronco were an English five piece rock and country band, who were signed to Island and Polydor Records between 1969 and 1973. They released three albums during their existence, Country Home, Ace of Sunlight and Smoking Mixture.

History

Bronco were formed in August 1969 by Jess Roden following his split from The Alan Bown Set. They were signed to Island Records by Guy Stevens and, after initially recording tracks at Olympic Studios with him, recorded their first album, Country Home, at Island's own Basing Street Studios during 1970, with the final mix being overseen by Paul Samwell-Smith. One of the album's tracks, "Love" was included on Bumpers, an Island sampler album. The group similarly recorded their second album Ace of Sunlight at Basing Street which was produced by the band and Richard Digby Smith. Singer-songwriter Clifford T. Ward guested on their debut album Country Home. Trevor Lucas sang back-up vocals on Ace of Sunlight, and both Ian Hunter and Mick Ralphs from Mott The Hoople also guested on that album. In January 1971, Bronco appeared on BBC Two's Disco 2.
Following a serious motorway accident between Cheltenham and Bristol and a later, ill-fated West Coast of America tour, Roden left the band after a final British tour with label-mates Mott The Hoople and John Martyn in the early 1972, to start a solo career. Guitarist Robbie Blunt soon followed and the remaining members drafted in Paul Lockey on vocals and Dan Fone on guitar. This incarnation of Bronco signed to Polydor and released one album, Smoking Mixture.
Bronco's bass player John Pasternak died of a heart attack in September 1986. Led Zeppelin's Robert Plant fronted a tribute event for Pasternak in December of that year, that featured Plant and The Big Town Playboys, and concluded with an ensemble band featuring Plant, Jimmy Page on guitar and Jason Bonham on drums.
Two Bronco tracks are featured on Island records compilation albums: "Love" appeared on Bumpers released in 1970 and "Sudden Street" was on El Pea. "Time Slips Away" was included on the Island Records compilation Meet on the Ledge, released as part of Island's 50th anniversary in 2009.

Members

''Country Home'' (1970)

Label: Island ILPS 9124
  1. "Civil Of You Stranger" – – 3:54
  2. "Love" – – 4:31
  3. "Misfit On Your Stair" – – 3:12
  4. "Bumpers West" – – 5:51
  5. "Home" – – 4:08
  6. "Well Anyhow" – – 7:02
  7. "Time " – – 5:13
;Personnel
Label: Island ILPS 9161
  1. "Amber Moon" – – 4:02
  2. * Jess Roden – lead vocals, acoustic guitar
  3. * Kevyn Gammond – electric guitar
  4. * Robbie Blunt – electric guitar
  5. * John Pasternak – bass
  6. * Pete Robinson – drums
  7. * Ian Hunter – piano
  8. * Mik Ralphs – organ
  9. "Time Slips Away" – – 6:05
  10. * Jess Roden – vocals
  11. * Robbie Blunt – electric and acoustic guitars, vocals
  12. * Kevyn Gammond- electric guitar
  13. * John Pasternak – bass
  14. * Pete Robinson – drums
  15. * Paul Bennett – vocals
  16. * Trevor Lucas – vocals
  17. "Some Uncertainty" – – 3:39
  18. * Jess Roden – lead vocals, harmonica
  19. * Kevyn Gammond – rhythm acoustic guitar
  20. * Robbie Blunt – lead acoustic guitar
  21. * John Pasternak – bass
  22. * Pete Robinson – drums
  23. * Paul Davenport – piano
  24. "4 Woman" – – 4:18
  25. * Jess Roden – lead vocals
  26. * Kevyn Gammond – electric guitar
  27. * Robbie Blunt – electric guitar
  28. * John Pasternak – bass
  29. * Pete Robinson – drums
  30. "New Day Avenue" – – 6:39
  31. * Jess Roden – lead vocals, acoustic guitar, percussion
  32. * Kevyn Gammond – electric guitar
  33. * Robbie Blunt – electric guitar
  34. * John Pasternak – bass
  35. * Pete Robinson – drums, congas
  36. "Discernible" – – 3:47
  37. * Jess Roden – lead vocals
  38. * Kevyn Gammond – electric and acoustic guitars
  39. * Robbie Blunt – electric and acoustic guitars
  40. * John Pasternak – bass
  41. * Pete Robinson – drums
  42. * Terry Allen – organ
  43. "Sudden Street" – – 6:23
  44. * Jess Roden – lead vocals, acoustic guitar
  45. * Kevyn Gammond – lead electric guitar
  46. * Robbie Blunt – rhythm electric guitar
  47. * John Pasternak – bass
  48. * Pete Robinson – drums
  49. * Paul Bennett – backing vocals
  50. "Joys & Fears" – – 3:39
  51. * Jess Roden – special guitars, lead vocals, piano

    ''Smoking Mixture'' (1973)

Label: Polydor 2383 215
  1. "Steal That Gold"
  2. "Tennessee Saturday Night"
  3. "Tell Me Why"
  4. "Attraction"
  5. "Southbound State Express"
  6. "Turkey In The Straw"
  7. "Zonker"
  8. "Blueberry Pie"
  9. "Strange Awakening"

    ''Hidden Masters : The Jess Roden Anthology''

Label: HiddenMasters HM 3001 – contained a number of previously unreleased tracks by Bronco