John Verity Band

John Verity Band

John Verity Band is a blues rock group associated with guitarist and singer John Verity. Verity begins his music career in the early 1960s in Bradford, Yorkshire, playing guitar in local groups before joining the professional band the Richard Kent Style. That band tours widely across the UK and Europe, plays as a six-piece with brass section, and includes R&B material and Chicago blues in its set.

Early development and first line-up

By spring 1970, the Richard Kent Style evolves into Tunnel. Verity then lives and works in the United States, where Tunnel takes support slots with major acts including Jimi Hendrix, Mountain, Canned Heat, Savoy Brown and Janis Joplin. Later in 1970, Tunnel becomes the first John Verity Band, formed in Miami. After Verity returns to England in 1971, he signs a recording deal with producer Steve Rowland and records his first solo album for ABC/Probe Records, released as John Verity Band in spring 1973.

Later work and related projects

While promoting the album, Verity is recruited by Rod Argent and joins Argent in late 1973. He remains with the group through intense recording and touring until it stops touring in late 1976 and later disbands. After that, he works on a series of projects as an artist and record producer. He forms Phoenix with Bob Henrit and Jim Rodford; the band signs to CBS Records, records its first album, tours Europe, adds Ray Minhinnet for guitar duties on the second album planned for Rocket Records, and later records In Full View as a trio for Charisma Records after Rodford leaves for the Kinks.

During this period Verity produces the Phoenix albums, Charlie’s Good Morning America, and the first Saxon album. He also works in studios around the world as a producer, guitarist, and backing vocalist with Motorhead, Tank, Ringo Starr, Russ Ballard, Colin Blunstone, Brian Connolly, John Parr, BowWowWow and The Searchers, among others. In late 1981, PRT Records managing director Matt Haywood asks him to record a comeback album.

Solo releases and touring

Living back in Yorkshire, Verity builds his own 38-track studio by synchronising 24-track and 16-track tape machines and moves into full-time production. Interrupted Journey, issued under the name Verity in 1982, relaunches his performing career and leads to further albums including Truth Of The Matter and Rock Solid. He is later approached by MSG, Ted Nugent and Asia, but declines those offers and instead records with the newly reformed Zombies, mainly at Mountain Studios in Montreux and later in London.

He then tours with John Coghlan's Diesel Band in the UK and Europe before reforming his own band for similar venues and recording in the UK. In 1992 he relocates to rural Bedfordshire, closer to friends from the Argent years, and the JV Band continues to perform with changing line-ups selected from a pool of musicians.

Guest appearances and live activity

Verity appears at the 1994 Manchester Festival Fender Stratocaster 40th Anniversary concert, where he performs with other rock figures including Sonny Curtis, Frankie Miller and Rory Gallagher. His version of Stay With Me Baby is one of the event’s notable performances. He also records vocals for three episodes of Granada’s Full Stretch in 1991 and appears with the Strat Pack for Australia Day celebrations in London in 1995.

In 2000 he takes part in a 32-date UK tour opening for Jools Holland’s Sex Jazz and Rock 'n' Roll tour, with shows at venues including Manchester Opera House, Birmingham Symphony Hall and the London Albert Hall. He continues to tour festivals across the UK and mainland Europe, while also recording and writing. After Cambridge Rock Festival in 2009, he and the band return to the studio for recordings issued as Verity – A Phoenix Still Rising.