Help Yourself transpired in 1969 as backup for Malcolm Morley, under the management of ‘Famepushers’. The completed Help Yourself comprised ex Monday Morning Glory Band Richard Treece (guitars/vox) ex Sam Apple Pie Dave Charles (drums/vox), ex Growth Ken Whaley (bass) & ex Sam Apple Pie Malcolm Morley (guitars/keyboards/vox). Help Yourself recorded their self titled 1971 debut completely written by Morley exuding the intrinsic “To Katherine They Fell”, magnificently lavished with artistic time signatures.The CSN folk nexus washed superbly over “Old Man”, while “Running Down Deep” spills out shimmering twin lead breaks. The highlight was a solace ballad called “Deborah”, right up there with the gifted Lennon & McCartney. Whaley left the band after the debut, replaced by ex Eire Apparent Ernie Graham (guitars) who started out in the early sixties with Tony & the Telstars.
Help Yourself was actually experiencing financial difficulties thus teaming up with Brinsley Schwarz who had just cashed in on ”(What’s So Funny Bout) Peace Love And understanding”. They all moved into a rented house in Headley called the ‘Grange’, where Zeppelin had recorded SOZO. It was here that that The Helps recorded Strange Affair, now including Jonathan (Jojo) Glemser who left with Ernie to form Clancy alongside Colin Bass, ex Brinsley Schwarz Ian Gomm and ex Twice As Much / Uncle Dog keyboardist David Skinner. They were replaced by former Sam Apple Pie roadie Paul Burton. The Affair was orgasmic with chiming Gibsons that trembled through “Brown Lady”. Treece & Morley came to the fore on the lyrically rich “Movie Star” while gems like “Deanna Call And Scotty” fell straight out of the trough of Irish heritage. The wah wah Gibson stirs daringly on “Heaven Row” reaching maximus on “Excerpts From The All Electric Fur Trapper”. The lineup of Burton, Morley, Treece & Charles now recorded the colorful Beware of the Shadow which conceived their opus “Reaffirmation”, a track that became a live platform for blowing.
After the Shadow Whaley formed Ducks Deluxe.The Shadow leaned toward folk rock in the realm of Gypsy, confirmed by wooden excursions “She’s My Girl”,“Passing Through” “Calapso” and riffing “American Mother”. Whaley returned for The Return of Ken Whaley, released in sync with the bonus Happy Days. (live tour with Flying Aces). The return paid dividend on “Pioneers Of The West In The Head”, a Gibson homage to Hank B. Marvin. The self help magic was very evident in “Amy”, the Gibson wah wah “Blown Away”, spirit filled “It Has To Be” and dimensional time signatures of “The Golden Handshake”.Happy Days was a surreal affair, almost Bonzo Dog, but drips solidly through the folky “Virginia” and psychedelic “Seashell”. Morley & Whaley joined Man while remaining members joined Deke Leonard's Iceberg, a guitarist that reach impeccable heights on “Out Of My Tree”. Treece later joined the Flying Aces.
