Voyager (15)

English soft/pop/progressive rock band. After leaving the band 'Minstrel', Paul French (3) and Chris Hook formed 'The Paul French Connection'. To complete the line-up they were joined by the drummer Humberto "Bertie" Bradley, and guitarist Paul Hirsh. Shortly after signing with the manager Paul Walden, they changed their name to 'Voyager', and secured a record deal with Derek Nicol's Mountain Records (5). Close to completing their first album for Nicol, and taking the advice of their departing producer (Gus Dudgeon), it was decided to replace Bradley on drums, and from the ensuing auditions they chose to go with John Marter. Returning to Moonlight Studio, Marter replaced all of Bradley's drums and the album was finally released in 1979. However, this wasn't to be the only personnel change in the band's history, and for the third album Chris Hook was replaced by Dominic Telfer, on bass. Despite the failure of the third album in 1981, and being dropped by their label, they continued to release through Paul Walden's label (The Flying Record Company), but feeling that the impetus had been lost, they decided to move on to pastures new in 1983. The band reformed in the early-2000s, and a compilation album of their early work, entitled 'Travels In Time', was released in 2004. Their fourth studio album (Eyecontact), and their first in 25 years, was released in 2006, and in 2013 a second compilation album, 'Rest In Rock', was released. Tellingly, on the front cover of this compilation album is depicted a tombstone inscribed with 'RIP Voyager 1976-2006'.