BILL LAKE

If we are going to do a history of bands connected to eelman then Mammal, Original Sin and Rough Justice had a major influence on bands that developed the EELMAN sound and subsequently influenced Nick Bollinger, Steven Jessup, and later on Andrew Clouston and other members notably John Niland. There is a lineage starting with these bands that lead to the Rodents and Hulamen.

Bill Lake wrote his first few songs with Mammal largely the music to which other members added lyrics. 'The music just came to me', 'I just played these ideas to the band and we jammed them'. 'Masquerade was the name of one song that comes to mind - it was pyschedelic funk, quite progressive for its day'. 'The covers were more 'rootsy' and included Stones, The Band, The Temptations and later on Little Feat.

Some of the earlier musical ideas turned up later in the Pelicans - 'Curiosity' and The Living Daylights - 'Second Skin'.

Original Sin members included: Rick Bryant, Bill Lake, Simon Morris, Geoff Kennedy and played 1967 thru 1969.

Mammal members included: Rick Bryant, Bill Lake, Tony Backhouse, Robert Taylor( later DRAGON), Mark Hornibrook, Kerry Jacobsen (later DRAGON) and played 1969 thru 1973.

Rough Justice members included: Rick Bryant, Nick Bollinger, Steven Jessup,Peter Kennedy, Tony Backhouse, Mike Gubb, Martin Highland, Peter Boyd, and played 1973 thru 1975. Bill Lake did occasional guest spot.

Bill Lake is currently playing with the Windy City Strugglers who have just released another 3rd CD on Red Rock Records. This features all original material written by Lake and Bryant and Baysting. The material has the 'down home' feels of earlier Strugglers cd's and performances. The lyrics take the material into more modern, contemporary directions.

Bill has a group of songs that have emerged for a further solo album.

Email lakejulian@hotmail.com