Family Dogg
Formed in the UK in 1969, the original line-up comprised Steve Rowland, Albert Hammond, Mike Hazelwood, Doreen De Veuve and Zooey. Rowland already had a chequered history as a film-maker, actor and continental recording artist before forming the Double R production company with Ronnie Oppenheimer. With the backing of Fontana A&R head Jack Baverstock, Rowland produced a string of hits for Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick And Tichand the Herd, while his company also recorded such artists as P.J. Proby, the Magic Lanterns and Amory Kane.After assembling a talented back-up crew, Rowland launched Family Dogg and soon scaled the charts with Way Of Life, written by Roger Cookand Roger Greenaway. Specializing in high harmony and classy covers, the Dogg followed up unsuccessfully with Paul Simon's Save The Life Of My Child and recorded an album of hit standards with backing by several members of the newly-formed Led ZeppelinAlthough the Dogg had considerable commercial potential they were clearly a studio group with a tendency to lose members at short notice. In July 1969, De Veuve was replaced by the glamorous ex- CHARLIE GIRL star Christine Holmes, and several months later Ireen Scheer took over Zooey's role. With Hammond and Hazelwood busy writing the 13-piece suite OLIVER IN THE OVERWORLDfor Freddie And The Dreamers, Rowland was forced to explain that his group was a concept which only came together occasionally before dissipating into individual projects. The UK music press, unconvinced by such rhetoric, made such sarcastic news item remarks as ‘No change in Family Dogg line-up this week’. Nobody was too surprised when the Dogg ceased operations early in the new decade.