Legendary British Soul Blues Rockers Medicine Head are back with a few select live dates in the UK after some time away from the scene. These days the band is still fronted by founding member, guitarist, vocalist and songwriter John Fiddler plus a few new additions including Dzal Martin (No Dice, Terry Reid, Box of Frogs/Yardbirds, The Equals, Rick Wakeman, Nazareth) on guitars, Paul Edwards on drums, Andre Shapps on bass and Belinda Campbell on backing vocals. John was persuaded by his good friend Dave ‘Bucket’ Colwell (Bad Company, The Jones Gang) to get back on stage again. His first live shows in many years were supporting Robert Hart’s Bad Company Legacy at the famous Half Moon Putney in November 2023 and again in April this year. With the success of those shows John returned tonight for a Medicine Head ‘unplugged’ headline show with Belinda and Dzal.

Medicine Head were formed by John Fiddler (vocalist, guitarist, pianist and drummer) and Peter Hope-Evans (harmonica, Jew's harp, guitarist) in 1968. After seeing the duo playing live in a Birmingham club Radio DJ John Peel immediately signed them to Dandelion Records. The duo's first album, ‘New Bottles Old Medicine’ was released in 1970 and was recorded in a single two-hour session. Their second album, ‘Heavy on the Drum’ was released the following year being produced by Keith Relf, formerly of The Yardbirds. Their third single ‘(And The) Pictures in the Sky’ reached number twenty-two on the UK Singles Chart in 1971 and was the first hit on the Dandelion label. After their initial success Hope-Evans left the band for over a year, leaving Fiddler to assemble other musicians to accompany him on the band's third album and last on the Dandelion label, ‘Dark Side of the Moon’, released in 1972, the year before the Pink Floyd album of the same name.

With the return of Hope-Evans in 1973 the band signed to Polydor Records and released the ‘One & One Is One’ album. The title track became the band's biggest hit, reaching number three in the UK. The band released two more albums ‘Thru' A Five’ in 1974 and ‘Two Man Band’ in 1976 before disbanding. Hope-Evans went on to a lucrative session career most notably with Pete Townshend, Robbie McIntosh and Noah Francis, whilst Fiddler went on to join members of Mott to form British Lions in 1977. They release only two albums, ‘British Lions’ in 1978 and ‘Trouble with Women’ in 1980 before disbanding due to lack of commercial success.

John’s next project was a collaboration with former Yardbirds members Chris Dreja, Paul Samwell-Smith, and Jim McCarty called Box Of Frogs. They formed in 1983 and released two studio albums ‘Box of Frogs’ in 1984 and ‘Strange Land’ in 1986 before disbanding. The albums didn’t really sell well despite featuring many high-profile guests including Graham Parker, Ian Dury, Roger Chapman, Rory Gallagher, Earl Slick, Steve Hackett, Mark Feltham, Max Middleton, Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page. When the Box Of Frogs project ended, Fiddler went on to record several solo albums, including the critically acclaimed 1995 album, ‘Return of the Buffalo’, before reviving the Medicine Head name in 2011 for the ‘Fiddlersophical’ album. Further Medicine Head releases followed including 2021's ‘Warriors of Love’ and this year’s ‘Heartwork’ albums.

The Half Moon in Putney, Southwest London is one of the longest running music venues on the circuit hosting live music since 1963. The venue has had a few facelifts over the years and several different owners, but the ethos has always been to continue the tradition of supporting live music. Entering the hallowed ground of the Half Moon is always a special moment, as the atmosphere remains vibrant with anticipation. At this gig we had a tables and chairs set up, so a chilled relaxed evening was in store for the select few that were present. I would say no more than forty people were in attendance.

I was particularly looking forward to seeing John again as it has been almost fifteen years since I last saw him live! To kick start the evening’s soiree John got straight down to business with the hard-hitting John Lennon classic ‘Working Class Hero’, a song Fiddler recorded for his brilliant 1995 solo album, ‘Return of the Buffalo’. Sticking with that album and the protest sentiment we got the intensely spirited ‘Let The Kids Know’ - a wonderfully anthemic song and one of John’s best compositions. To lighten the mood came the joyous ‘Who’s Havin’ Fun’ from Medicine Head’s 2011 ‘Fiddlersophical’ album. It was clear to see that John was having fun, as were we.

Keeping proceedings right up to date with the first airing from this year’s brand-new Medicine Head album ‘Heartwork’, the reflective introspection of ‘Everybody Has The Blues Sometimes’ was lustrously sedulous. John likes to involve the audience, making them feel part of the occasion, so there were many opportunities for us all to join in with some singing, the next song was no exception, the 1971 hit single ‘Pictures In The Sky’ had us all ‘ohing’ at the appropriate moments. I have to say, collectively, we, the audience gave a very poor effort! John was not for giving up on us and so there were many more occasions during the set for us redeem ourselves!

At this point in the show John invited vocalist Belinda Campbell and guitarist Dzal Martin to join him for the next six songs. First up was the beautifully tender ‘It’s All About The Love’ from the 2024 ‘Heartwork’ album - a soothingly heartwarming song with a harmoniously delectable arrangement. As a certain Mr. Lennon once said, “All you need is love”. If only that were true, the world would undoubtedly be a more peaceful place to live in! Sticking with the endearingly comforting theme of love came the serenely calming ‘Dancing In The Rain’ from the 2021 ‘Warriors of Love’ album. Radiant backing vocals from Belinda added to the salubrious resonance.

Interestingly the next song ‘Dark Side Of The Moon’ doesn’t actually appear on the 1972 Medicine Head album of the same name. However, it does feature on the 2005 Medicine Head compilation album ‘Don’t Stop The Dance’. A melodiously mellifluent song that gave the audience another opportunity to join in with the chorus “If your lover leaves you in the night, it’s much too soon, feel like you’re livin’ on the dark side of the moon.” It was then back to the latest ‘Heartwork’ album for the Dylanesque yearning of ‘Gotta Hold On’ before the sublimely uplifting ‘Rising Sun’ from the 1974 ‘Thru' A Five’ album was warmly received. More audience participation ensued. Sadly, our vocals hadn’t improved much! “Come on down the road before the sun, Get high in your heart and have some fun, Hey, cravin’ like the way you look, You're open like a child’ s first book, Oh, when you speak it's just like a symphony, Oh, your fingers touch me with poetry, Don't underestimate what you mean to me, You’re like a constant glimpse of the rising sun.”

One more from the latest album, also a single release, ‘Alibi’ was divinely eloquent. A Bossa Nova styled tune with a Gospel-tinged chorus exquisitely delivered by Belinda. John then asked the audience what they wanted to hear next to which I hollered out for my favourite John Fiddler song ‘Strong Heart’. To my surprise and delight, he duly obliged! An emotionally moving track from his excellent 1995 ‘Return of the Buffalo’ solo album, performed with fiery sentiment and potent ardor, “Gotta have a strong heart, built to last, look to the future, don’t hold on to the past, got a crazy heart, not made of stone, I can’t live in this exclusion zone.” Superb stuff. Thanks John!

Further opportune moments for audience participation came on the next tune, and another highlight of the set, the sensationally irresistible ‘Back Where I started’ from the 1984 ‘Box Of Frogs’ album - a driving Blues Rock boogie similar in style to Canned Heat’s 1968 ‘On The Road Again’. We all joined in with the Yardbirds style chanting during the chorus, with a few dry runs we were improving slightly in the vocal department! A cathartically meditative and hypnotically charged experience. Back to the 2011 ‘Fiddlersophical’ album for the suave Country tinged ‘Cadillacs And Diamonds’. Another affectingly soul-stirring Fiddler composition tastefully performed. Next up it was back to 1974 for the slinky ‘Slip And Slide’ from the ‘Thru' A Five’ album. Elegantly awash with shimmeringly spacey guitar chords and gravely harmonica runs.

Another set highlight followed in the form of the vehemently heart-wrenching ‘Only The Roses’ from John’s 2019 ‘State Of The Heart’ solo album. “Well, I was livin’ in suicide city, watchin’ the days roll by, feeling wasted, I can’t take it no, no, no, no, slowly I realized sweet little sister, new decision teaching herself to pray, no press could ever start the healing of the wounds in my heart, she went away, only the roses make them feel sad.” A poignantly exposed and divinely arresting performance had the tears welling up!

Taking us into the encore John treated us to the Ben E. King 1961 classic ‘Stand By Me’ followed by Bob Dylan’s 1973 classic ‘Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door’. Everybody was getting into the spirit of the occasion and joining in. Concluding the evenings musical delights came Medicine Head’s biggest chart hit from 1973, ‘One And One Is One’. A mellifluously mellow, heartfelt and tranquil track, “So let it ride yeh let it be, In this old world just you and me, We'll go flying each and every night, Carry your picture through every flight. Oh one and one is one, Little darling now, One and one is one.” A profoundly sincere way to end a truly inspirationally captivating evening of spiritually enchanting music.

Steven C. Gilbert