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Cupid's Inspiration

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Cupid's Inspiration
OriginStamford, Lincolnshire
GenresPop music, rock music
Years active1968—1985, 2014—2021
Past membersMembers
WebsiteRoger Gray's Cupid's Inspiration: http://www.cupidsinspirationuk.com
Terry Rice-Milton's Cupid's Inspiration: http://www.cupidsinspiration.co.uk

Cupid's Inspiration are a British pop group formed in Lincolnshire in 1968. The band are best known for their two hit singles, "Yesterday Has Gone" (UK #4) and "My World" (UK #33), both released in 1968.

The current version of the band consists of a group formed by original member Roger Gray in 2014, who allowed the band to carry on after he retired in 2021; this band features veteran member Paul Shanahan and vocalist Paul Thomas.

Career

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Original history

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Originally from Stamford, Lincolnshire, the band were at first called The Ends[1] (no relation to The End).

The group scored two Top 40 hits on the UK Singles Chart in 1968. "Yesterday Has Gone", originally a hit for Little Anthony and The Imperials,[1] reached No. 4 in July of that year, and "My World" went to No. 33 in October.[2] The lineup on both of these records was Terry Rice-Milton on lead vocals, Wyndham George on guitar, Laughton James on bass, Garfield Tonkin on keyboards and Roger Gray on drums.

After "My World" was released, the band realising they could not achieve commercial success with mainstream music forever changing, disbanded in October 1968. A few months later, in early 1969, Rice-Milton and Gray reformed the band with Bernie Lee on guitar and Gordon Haskell on bass and released their only album to date.

In 1970, lead singer Terry Rice-Milton the vocalist on the hit singles left, replaced by John Lynch and then Martin Cure. Rice-Milton had his third hit with "You're My World" in 1970 (a song that had previously been a hit for Cilla Black),[1] while bass player Gordon Haskell later joined King Crimson.[1]

The band continued to tour without Terry and until early 1972 still featured Roger Gray, who left the band to spend more time with his wife and daughter.[3] After Gray left, the band still toured without any of its original members.

By 1978, the band began writing and recording heavier rock songs. These were performed under a different name, initially '4 Wheel Drive', which they soon changed to 'Chevy', to avoid alienating Cupid's Inspiration fans. They recruited Steve Walwyn, later of Dr. Feelgood to give a "twin guitar" sound. As 'Chevy' they toured supporting bands such as Alvin Lee, Hawkwind and Gillan.[4] Chevy recorded two BBC In Concert Programmes, issued three singles: "Too Much Loving" / "See the Light", "The Taker" / "Life on the Run" and "Just Another Day" / "Rock On" and one album The Taker, released in September 1980.[5]

The band's hit single, featuring Terry-Rice Milton, "Yesterday Has Gone" (written by Teddy Randazzo[6] and Victoria Pike) has featured on many compilation albums, including Sixties Power Ballads – The Greatest Driving Anthems in the World... Ever! (2007) as well as their original album Yesterday Has Gone (1969).

Wyndham George died in 2022.

Separate bands

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In more recent years, there were two bands that toured as "Cupid's Inspiration", one that featured original drummer Roger Gray and another that featured original singer Terry Rice-Milton and bassist Laughton James:[7]

One of these bands was formed in 2010 by Paul Shanahan, Bob Poole (both members of the band in the 1970s), with Paul Thomas and Rick Medlock, Medlock then being replaced by original member Roger Gray in 2014, who toured until 2021 when Gray retired. However he gave his blessing to Shanahan, Poole and Thomas to hire a new drummer and keyboards member to carry on the band.

Another Cupid's Inspiration band, formed by original members Terry Rice-Milton and Laughton James, was formed in the mid-2010s and lasted for a few years. Rice-Milton now sings solo, performing the songs of Cupid's Inspiration.

Members

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  • Terry Rice-Milton (born Terence Bull, 5 June 1946, Stamford, Lincolnshire) – lead vocals (1968—1970)
  • Laughton James (born James Laughton, 21 December 1946, Stamford, Lincolnshire) – bass guitarist (early—October 1968)
  • Garfield Tonkin (born John Sharpe, 28 September 1946, Stamford, Lincolnshire) – keyboards (1968—1969)
  • Wyndham George (born Geoffrey Wyndham Hart, 20 February 1947, Stamford, Lincolnshire; died 4 June 2022)[8] – guitar (early—October 1968)
  • Roger Gray (born 29 April 1949, Stamford) – drums (1968—1972, 2014—present)[3][9]
  • Bernie Lee (born July 1943, North Wales) – lead guitar (October 1968—1970)
  • Gordon Haskell (born Gordon Hionides, 27 April 1946, Verwood, Dorset, England) – bass (October 1968—1969)
  • David Morris – electronic organ (1969—1971)
  • Derek Needham (born 10 October 1945, London) – bass (1969—1971)
  • Paul Shanahan (born 28 June 1951) – lead guitar/vocals (1970—1985, 2010—present)[3][10]
  • John Lynch – lead vocals (1970—1971)
  • Graham Amos – bass (1970)
  • Bob Poole – bass guitar/vocals (1970—1985, 2010—present)[3][10]
  • Martin Cure – lead vocals (1971—1985[11])
  • Andy Chaplin – drums (1972—1981)[3]
  • Eamonn Carr – guitar/vocals (1972)
  • Steve Walwyn – guitar (1978—1981)
  • Barry Eardley – guitar (1981—1985)
  • Ted Duggan – drums (1981—1983)
  • Paul Brooke – drums (1983—1985)
  • Paul Thomas – vocals (2010—present)

Timeline

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Years Band Name Lead singer Guitarist Bassist Keyboardist Drummer
Early 1968—October 1968 Cupid's Inspiration Terry Rice-Milton Wyndham George Laughton James Garfield Tonkin Roger Gray
October 1968—early 1969 Disbanded
Early 1969—late 1969 Cupid's Inspiration Terry Rice-Milton Bernie Lee Gordon Haskell none Roger Gray
late 1969—1970 Derek Needham David Morris
1970 John Lynch Paul Shanahan
1970 Martin Cure Graham Amos none
1970—1972 Bob Poole
1972 Eamonn Carr Andy Chaplin
1972—1978
1978 4 Wheel Drive Steve Walwyn
1978—1981 Chevy
1981—1982 Barry Eardley Ted Duggan
1982—1983
1983—1985 Red on Red Paul Brookes
1985—2014 Disbanded
2014—2021 Cupid's Inspiration Paul Thomas Paul Shanahan Bob Poole none Roger Gray

Discography

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Albums

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Year Label Title
1969 NEMS Yesterday Has Gone[12][13]

Singles

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Year Label A-side B-side UK[14][15]
1968 NEMS "Yesterday Has Gone"[16] "Dream" 4
"My World"[16] "Everything Is Meant To Be" 33
1969 Bell "The Sad Thing"[16] "Look At Me" X
1970 CBS "Without Your Love"[16] "Different Guy" X
"Are You Growing Tired Of My Love"[16] "Sunshine" X
1974 DJM "Yesterday Has Gone"[16] "My World" X
1987 MBS "Yesterday Has Gone"[16] "My World" X

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Colin Larkin, ed. (1997). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Sixties Music (First ed.). Virgin Books. p. 137. ISBN 0-7535-0149-X.
  2. ^ Search for "Cupid's Inspiration" performed at Everyhit.com Archived 12 October 2008 at the Wayback Machine database on 24 April 2008.
  3. ^ a b c d e "History". Cupidsinspirationuk.com. Retrieved 21 September 2025.
  4. ^ Poole, Bob. "The Chevy Story". En-gb.facebook.com. Retrieved 10 January 2013.
  5. ^ "Credits for Chevy's The Taker". AllMusic. Retrieved 13 January 2013.
  6. ^ Discography – songs, AllMusic
  7. ^ "Trade Marks and a Bands Name". Yesterdayhasgone.com. Retrieved 21 September 2025.
  8. ^ "Sandi Hart, wife of Geoff Hart, confirms his passing". YouTube. 30 April 2020. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
  9. ^ "Drums". Cupidsinspirationuk.com. Retrieved 21 September 2025.
  10. ^ a b "Andrew Lock Sounds and Visions: GIG REVIEWS". Andrewlocksoundsandvisions.co.uk. Retrieved 21 September 2025.
  11. ^ "CUPID'S INSPIRATION | Coventry Bands 1960's to Now". Artsrainbow.com. Retrieved 21 September 2025.
  12. ^ "Cupids Inspiration". 45cat.com. Retrieved 21 September 2025.
  13. ^ "Cupid's Inspiration Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bi..." AllMusic. Retrieved 21 September 2025.
  14. ^ "CUPID'S INSPIRATION". Official Charts. 25 June 1968. Retrieved 21 September 2025.
  15. ^ "Cupid's Inspiration Top Songs - Greatest Hits and Chart Singles Discography – Music VF, US & UK hit charts". Musicvf.com. Retrieved 21 September 2025.
  16. ^ a b c d e f g "Cupid's Inspiration". 45cat. Retrieved 21 September 2025.
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