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Brotherhood / Revised Brotherhood


Hamilton, 1969-1973

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Brotherhood was an appropriate name for this band of Hamilton high schoolers. The band was led by a Black lead singer/keyboard player while the other members were white. The band wrote songs that dealt with issues of the day including mixed race relationships. They were ambitious enough to release a 45 and LP on their own.

The band was started and led by John Hurd, the keyboardist. He was a student at Badin High School. The band was supposedly playing in late 1969, but seems to have taken off in the summer/fall of 1970. The original name was the Revised Brotherhood.

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A 1971 article lists the members as Hurd, Jim Greene, Don Hoskins, Tim Quincy, Jan KIdd, Lee Evans, and Bruce Benton.

The band recorded the 45 in June 1971, and according to the article in the local paper, they used student-operated facilities at Badin HS, although the record says the recording was done at Taggart Brothers studio in nearby Fairfield. THe school studio could have been for some video advertisement. The main side of the 45 was "Tragedy", John's song about an interracial relationship. It's a powerful and well done recording with strong Blood Sweat and Tears influence. The flip side is a soul/rock instrumental, "Those Things"

The band played locally, including a number of school dances, and early 1972, shortened their name to Brotherhood. They changed members and sound, going with a ,more rock-oriented sound with minimal horns. The new band was Hurd (keyboards, bass), Hoskins (drums), Jeff Hanson (guitar), Bill Fairbanks (bass, keyboards), and Michael Coe (flute, acoustic guitar). The band put together a whole LP of original songs and recorded at Rite. The original title and centerpiece song was "Uncle". A couple months later when the LP was released (pressed by Rite), the title was now "Stavia". 

The LP sold locally, and garnered a review in the Hamilton newspaper. The band described the sound as "Funky Neil Young". The LP, like the 45, is very accomplished and tight, considering the members were still in high school or recent graduates. The writing, and lead vocals, is distributed among Hurd, Fairbanks, and Hansen. The LP included a re-recording of "Tragedy".

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September 1972 album review

The band didn't seem to last long after the LP was released. The band probably felt they gave it their best shot and with the band members at that age when life decisions needed to be made, called it.

As with so many other Ohio private LPs from the late 1960s/early 1970s, the LP (and 45) is sought after in the collector market and has been legitimately reissued.

A November 1970 ad lists John Hurd and the Soul Searchers playing the Walnut Inn (the Brotherhood also played there). The Soul Searchers were a well known Hamilton band that goes back to 1968. John was in two bands or the Brotherhood was on a hiatus, maybe?

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Was there a 'TV commercial' for the 45? Band member Bill Fairbanks in the story.

Discography:
Those Things / Tragedy - Heard 101 (QCA master 106229), June 1971
LP - Stavia - no label 501, Sept 1972