Whatever happened to Tim Staffell?

1968: Smile
Aug/September Brian May, Tim Staffel and Roger Taylor form Smile. (Start Of Imperial College Autumn semester). Keyboards: Chris Smith (founder member?). Roadie Pete Edmunds.

October 26th First public gig supporting Pink Floyd, Imperial College.

October 1968 Various Imperial College gigs.
Bookings via the Rondo Agency, High Street, London
Tour of Cornwall including: PJ’s, Truro
Flamingo Ballroom, Redruth

White Queen: draft version written by Brian May (originally about a blind girl), Brian retains original home recording - but never recorded by Smile.

1969
February Richmond Athletic Club supporting Yes.

February 27th National Council For The Unmarried Mother And Her Child, Royal Albert Hall, supporting Free, Joe Cocker, Spooky Tooth, and the Bonzo Dog Dooh Dah Band. Broadcast Live BBC Radio One, compered by John Peel. Video extract released Champions Of The World video. Set included:
If I Were A Carpenter
Earth
Mony, Mony
See What A Fool I’ve Been

April 19th Discovered by US producer Lou Reizner, Mercury Records, Revolution Club, London.

Pre-Mercury Unofficial Pye acetates cut by Terry Yeadon and Geoff Calver (disc cutting engineer) at Dea Lane Lea. Pre-Mercury recordings.
Step On Me/ Polar Bear

May (month of!) Sign deal with Mercury Records.

June Earth/ Step On Me: Recorded at Trident Studios. Produced by John Anthony.

August Earth/ Step On Me: Released 7” promo US only. Mercury 72977

August – Dec Booked into Dea Lane Lea Studios Wembley with producer Fritz Freyer.
Persuaded to record previously written April Lady, before own material. Polar Bear, Blag (semi stereo) and Doing All Right (stereo) complete the session. Doing All Right later re-vamped and featured on eponymous Queen debut album, as well as Tim's 2003 privately pressed Amigo CD.

December Final gig: Marquee Club, Mercury label Showcase, Wardour Street, London.
Supporting Kippington Lodge featuring Nick Lowe.

1970: Humpy Bong
Feb/March Tim Staffell joins Humpy Bong along with ex-Bee Gee’s drummer Colin Peterson, releasing Don’t You Be To Long/ All Right Till Then (Parlophone R5859). Tim Also appears on Top Of The Pops to promote the single.

1972: Morgan - Nova Solice
July 7th 1972 Nova Solice RCA Victor LISP 3454
Theme
Floating
Take – Off
Asteroid
Earth (Old Smile track)
Hyperspace
Nova Solice
May I Remember

1975: Kieran White - Open Door
1975 UK LP White Door: Gull GULP 1011
1993 Germany CD White Door: Repertoire Records REP 4361-WY
Open Up Your Door
Cajun Moon
Cold City Night
I May Be Wrong
Lay Your Love Down
Cadillac
Stone Ground
Janie
Dark Star
Cargo County

1976: Morgan - Brown Out
1976 USA LP Brown Out: Import Record IMP 1006
1978 UK LP Reissue – The Sleeper Awakes: Cherry Red ARED 1
1999 UK CD The Sleeper Awakes: Angel Air SJPCD 049
Fire In The Head
The Sleeper Wakes
The Right
What Is - Is What

1977: UK 7" Tailfeather - Don’t Count Your Chickens
1977 UK 7" Tailfeather: RCA Victor PB 5030
Don't Count Your Chickens
Absolutely Right

1982: Smile - Getting’ Smile
1982 Japan LP – Gettin' Smile: Mercury 18 PP1 – M
October Mercury Records officially release Japanese Gettin Smile mini LP, but without band approval, the disc is deleted shortly afterward.

Getting Smile Mercury 18 PP1 – M Japan
Doing All Right
Blag
April Lady
Polar Bear
Earth
Step On Me

1992
December 21/22 Smile re-union concert (Cross live at the Marquee)
Earth,
If I Were A Carpenter,
Mony Mony

2003: Amigo - Amigo
UK CD Private Pressing
Features: Brian May, Snowy White and Morgan Fisher amongst others. Available from www.timstaffell.com
Stray
Country Life
Love Of The People
Sudden Moves
Earth (Old Smile track)
The Land
Just Couldn't Say
Why Can't We Be Free?
U 8n't Kewel
Amigo
Doin' Alright (Old Smile Track)

Guest guitarist Amigo: Brian May.
Amigo can be ordere

Great info, John!

Btw, Tim also joined The Cross on 21st december 1992, and he played in more tracks on both nights, as far as I can remember...

That's what I meant 21/22 accordingly. I have changed it now!

But what about post-2003?

:p

I have it on very good authority that his solo material is temporarily on hold and for the time being, he has gone back to teaching to pay the bills.

We are contcting him with the hope of getting a quick chat on'Queen Radio'in the not so distant future so please do keep an eye open on our schedule www.queentribute.co.uk

John: Tim also provided backing vocals for Happy Xmas (War Is Over) during the second night and NOT on Money during the first. I´m sure about the first statement, but not 100% about the second.

He is also featured in the Freddie "Solo" DVD documentary being interviewed and even playing some verses of "Earth" with an acoustic guitar! Would that count too? :)

Edit: Roger was originally planned to guest on Amigo as well, but his busy schedule didn´t allow him to do so... therefore a second version of the album was meant to be released featuring him... unfortunately it never happened... I was told this back in 2003 by the people from Tim´s website while ordering the Amigo CD.

John , in your post , you mention that the Smile , 27th February 1969 gig , where the band supported Free et al at a charity gig was "Broadcast live BBC Radio one " . Do you mean the Smile set was aired , as part of the broadcast ? and does ( any )of this gig still exist in the Beebs archives ?

Dracula: Sorry, but the only thing that survives is the B&W silent footage.

Thanks John - but what I meant was , despite the fact that all that remains now , is the b&w footage on the magic years videos was the smile set actually broadcast over the airwaves ? Thanks in advance .

'aMIGO' Any one heard his album ?

aMIGO is an excellent album and can be officially purchased @ www.timstaffell.com


Tim Staffell: aMIGO
Recorded 2002/Released 2003
Earth (Duet with Brian May)
Doin’ Alright (Duet with Brian May)
Features Brian May guest guitar/vocals
UK CD aMIGO Records aMOO 1
Private Pressing can be ordered directly from Tim's website: www.timstaffell.com

Stray, Country Life, Love Of The People (Solo guitar: Snowy White), Sudden Moves (Piano: Chris Smith), Earth (Solo guitar: Brian May, also featuring Morgan Fisher), The Land, Just Couldn't Say (Solo guitar: Snowy White), Why Can't We Be Free?, U 8n't Kewel, Amigo, Doin' Alright (Guitar: Brian May)

Tim Staffell, Richard Lightman, John Webster, Andrew Staffell. Special guests: Brian May, Snowy White, Morgan Fisher. Chris Smith, Peter Hammond, Dave O’Higgins, Corrina Silvester, Johnny Griggs, Rob Tolchard, Peter Hammerton, Martin Shaw, Keith Johnson.
Backing tracks recorded at Aftertouch Studios, Twickenham, January 2002. Main Production at Meringue Studios, Twickenham throughout 2002 – early 2003. Engineered by Richard Lightman. Arranged and produced by Tim Staffell and Richard Lightman. All songs by Tim Staffell except Stray and Country Life by Staffell/Lightman. The Land by Staffell/Tolchard, and Doin’ Alright by Staffell/May.

John S Stuart wrote:

aMIGO is an excellent album and can be officially purchased @ www.timstaffell.com

Have previously visited his site and did see the order page. Just wanted some feed back on the content which you have now kindly given. Will be ordering today.

A good article about Tim Staffell:
http://home.no.net/mott/love_staffell.html

He played at the convention in 2002.
Did some solo material and some Smile tracks.
(And it did not sound too good, I'm afraid...)

vivival wrote:

I am a smelly poohead called Mr. Stinky Poo. Poopy Pants.

Hmmm. That's nice, feel like uploading any rare Innuendo material, Vivival?
---

To be on topic - Tim Staffel is great! I like Blag and April Lady especially, an interesting look at what would have been if they'd just told Freddie to sod off.
Kind of glad they gave Tim the flick though.