Fruupp
One of the hardest-working progressive bands to end up languishing in relative obscurity, Fruupp was begun in 1971 by guitarist Vince McCusker. After a brief musical apprenticeship in London, McCusker returned to Belfast and quickly pulled together a group of largely classically trained musicians; the lineup was unusual in that keyboardist Stephen Houston doubled on the oboe. (The unusual band name was taken from a Lectreset sheet.) The band's resulting sound is not unlike Spring or early Genesis, with primary composers McCusker and Houston acting as foils for each other: Houston's cello, oboe, and violin typically lend dark folk textures beneath McCusker's aggressive guitar parts and Peter Farelly's Celtic-influenced vocals. After two years of gigging, they shopped their demo tape around and were picked up by Pye Records for their Dawn label. Between 1973 and 1975, Fruupp released four albums, the last of which was produced by King Crimson alum Ian McDonald; the band also toured in support of Crimson. Despite playing hundreds of gigs per year throughout the U.K. and Europe during this period, their record sales never quite took off, and the band closed up shop after a final London gig at the Roundhouse in 1976.
© Paul Collins /TiVo
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Discography
5 album(s) • Sorted by Bestseller
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Future Legends
Progressive Rock - Released by Sanctuary Records on 5 Oct 1973
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
It's All Up Now - Anthology
Rock - Released by Castle Communications on 1 Jan 2004
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Modern Masquerades
Progressive Rock - Released by Sanctuary Records on 14 Nov 1975
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Prince of Heaven's Eyes
Progressive Rock - Released by Sanctuary Records on 4 Nov 1974
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Seven Secrets
Progressive Rock - Released by Sanctuary Records on 19 Apr 1974
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo