Although this band was originally based in London, it is seminal to the Canterbury progressive/psychedelic family tree, as all of the members save for vocalist
Carol Grimes fanned out to various Canterbury groups upon its untimely demise.
Delivery was formed as a R&B band by two boyhood chums, guitarist
Phil Miller and drummer
Pip Pyle, during the English blues boom of the late '60s. The band usually backed visiting American blues acts with a fluctuating lineup until singer
Carol Grimes joined.
Soon acquiring a record contract, things seemed to be going well for
Delivery until its label rushed the band through its recording sessions, then delayed the album's release for months. Upon the release of Fool's Meeting, the record company attempted to promote
Grimes as a solo act, the English equivalent to
Janis Joplin. The company also fed silly rumors to the press such as
Grimes making a habit of eating gravel!
Despite favorable reviews, the band fell apart due to poor record sales and lack of steady financial backing.
Grimes went solo and the rest of the members joined various Canterbury-related groups.
Pip Pyle became
Gong's drummer,
Phil Miller became a founding member of
Matching Mole with
Robert Wyatt, pianist Stephen Miller joined
Caravan, bassist
Roy Babbington joined
the Soft Machine, and
Lol Coxhill played saxophone with
Kevin Ayers. In 1972, the
Miller brothers and
Pip Pyle attempted to reform
Delivery with
Caravan bassist
Richard Sinclair. Stephen Miller declined joining the band, and with
Dave Stewart as keyboardist, the reformed
Delivery instead took the name
Hatfield and the North.
Delivery's sole album has recently been reissued. ~ Jim Powers