The Herd are best known for being one of the starting points for future Humble Pie guitarist and future mega-solo star Peter Frampton. The Herd were actually quite popular in Europe for a year or two, Frampton even replaced The Move’s Ace Kefford as the teen pin-up FACE of 1968.

The Herd issued several worthwhile 45’s such as the minor classics “I Can Fly” and “From The Underworld.” A Herd album was rush released in 1968, this album was very spotty but it did contain a few inspired tracks.
Much better was a 45 they issued late in 1968 which featured “Sunshine Cottage” backed by “Miss Jones.” The A side is a fabulous piece of psych-pop which lyrically shares the sentiments of Traffic’s “Paper Sun” and Caravan’s “A Place Of My Own.” Everything about the song is first class, from Frampton’s vocals and melodic guitar to bassist Gary Taylor’s great Scott Walker impersonation during the song’s mid-section.The flip “Miss Jones” is actually a pretty decent stab at UK freakbeat.

There are rumors that The Herd recorded an entire second album during the sessions for this 45 that remains in the can due to Frampton’s decision to leave the group and join Humble Pie. If this is indeed true then I certainly hope some enterprising individual rescues the tapes and issues it one of these days.

On the subject of Peter Frampton, I met the man briefly years ago and he was truly one of the nicest people I have ever met, one of the real good guys of Rock & Roll.