Toby

(c’71-’72) Adrian Fisher (guitar / piano), Andy Fraser (bass), and Stan Speake (drums).

On leaving Free, Fraser formed Toby in his house in Horsell’s High Street, where they wrote and rehearsed. Fraser had originally contacted Chris Spedding, in July ’71, to discuss playing in Toby, but Spedding, who would be found playing with Farnborough Firework Factory the following year, declined and Fisher stepped in. There were plans for a single in time for Christmas ’71 and an LP in the New Year, after a three-week tour of Europe.

Toby’s version of “Traveling Man” was released on some of the early German vinyl pressings of The Free Story, on the Island Records label, in ’73. It also appeared on another Free compilation in ’75, called Pop Chronik 19, again on Island Records, and once again released in Germany. It was never included in the UK version of The Free Story. Toby did record more tracks, but it seems only “Traveling Man” made it to any form of release – the promised single and LP never materialized.

When interviewed for Psychedelic Baby Magazine in 2012, Fraser said “Toby was my first start at learning to get confidence in my voice. A long process, which I chose as opposed to forming a ‘supergroup’ to cash in. A feeling of starting again at the bottom.” When Toby folded, Fraser joined Spedding in Sharks. Fisher went on to play in Boxer and Sparks, passing in 2000. Fraser died in 2015 from a heart attack.

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