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728-Medicine Head-One and One Is One.

1973-Number 3 single.

Best Bit-At 1.35. In 1972 Medicine Head released their third studio Album called ‘Dark Side of the Moon.’ Pink Floyd had just recorded an Album with the same title, and to avoid confusion Pink Floyd changed it’s name to ‘Eclipse,’ when the Medicine Head Album turned out to be a commercial dud, Pink Floyd changed the title back to ‘Dark Side of the Moon,’ and the rest is history.

Medicine Head were formed in Stafford, England in 1968, and remained active through until 1977. For the majority of their career Medicine Head were the duo of John Fiddler, who was born on September 25th, 1947, in the Moxley area of Darlaston, Staffordshire, and Peter Hope-Evans, who was born on September 28th, 1947, in Brecon, Powys, Wales, the pair had first met while attending ‘Wednesfield Grammar School,’ in Wolverhampton, they would both later attend ‘Stafford Art School,’ before quitting, in order to begin performing music together. The duo got their big break when coming to the attention of the legendary DJ John Peel, (1939-2004) (see also best songs 435) who had seen them perform live in Birmingham, England, and he signed them to his recently founded ‘Dandelion Record’ label. Peter Hope-Evans left Medicine Head for over a year during the recording of ‘Dark Side of the Moon,’ and and was replaced by Keith Relf (1943-1976) (see also best songs 361) on bass, and John Davies on drums, Hope-Evans returned to Medicine Head in 1973 for the recording of their most successful Album ‘One and One Is One.’ After the break up of Medicine Head in 1977, John Fiddler became a member of the short lived British Rock band ‘British Lions,’ between 1977-1980, and then the English Rock band ‘Box of Frogs,’ between 1983-1986, he also released a solo Album called ‘Return of the Buffalo,’ in 1995. Peter Hope-Evans has since appeared as a session musician on many Albums, most prominently with Pete Townshend, and he has also played in several bands, including the ‘Rock/Pop’ group, ‘The Dance Band,’ who released the 1980 album ‘Fancy Footwork.’

Medicine Head released seven studio Albums between 1970-1976, the first three were for the ‘Dandelion Record’ label, but after that label fell in to financial difficulties, Medicine Head signed with ‘Polydor’ records. Medicine Head also released 13 singles between 1969-1976, and there has been a further five official compilation Albums issued between 2001-2011. In the UK, four of their singles have reached the top 40, with ‘One and One Is On,’ peaking the highest at Number 3 in 1973, their other three UK top 40 singles were (‘And The) Pictures in the Sky,’ (1971-Number 22) ‘Rising Sun,’ (1973-Number 11) and ‘Slip and Slide’ (1974-Number 22.)

‘One and One Is One’ was the the only single released from Medicine Head’s fourth studio Album of the same name from 1973, the song was written by John Fiddler, with the production being by Tony Ashton, (1946-2001.) who also played the piano, organ, and mellotron on the Album. Tony Ashton was born Edward Anthony Ashton, on March 1st, 1946 in Blackburn, Lancashire, England, he died of cancer on May 28th, 2001, at the age of 55. In 1962 Ashton became a member of the Liverpool based band ‘The Remo Four’ as an organist and vocalist, and although they had no chart success with any of their solo 13 singles, they did chart at Number 33 in the UK in 1964 with Tommy Quickly, on the track ‘Wild Side of Life,’ ‘The Remo Four’ are probably best remembered for backing George Harrison (1943-2001) on his 1968 debut solo Album ‘Wonderwall Music.’ After the demise of ‘The Remo Four’ in 1968, Tony Ashton co-formed the group ‘Ashton, Gardner and Dyke’ in 1969, releasing three studio Albums, and four singles between 1969-1972, and finding success in the UK in 1971 with ‘The Resurrection Shuffle, which reached Number 3. Tony Ashton also released three solo studio Albums between 1974-1984, and 10 singles/EP’s between 1971-1996.

‘One and One Is One’ which was written by John Fiddler is a love song, and a celebration of compatibility.

‘Don’t need nobody just me and you. Like the way you walk, like the things you do. Got no confusion with you by my side, and when it’s time to go I’m satisfied.’