Linda Nicholas(bornLinda Hoile,13 April 1946), known by her stage nameLinda Hoyle,is a singer, songwriter andart therapist.She is best known for her work with the bandAffinity(1968–1971), as well as for her collaboration withKarl Jenkinson her albumPieces of Me,produced in 1971. Hoyle's latest album,The Fetch,produced byMo Foster,was released byAngel Airon 7 August 2015.[1]In 2018, she was co-lyricist on a chamber opera,Look! An Opera in 9 Paintings– about a couple on an awkward date at an art gallery – which debuted on June 3, 2018, to sold-out performances[2]at Museum London, Canada.
Linda Hoyle | |
|---|---|
 Hoyle at first Affinity reunion in 2006 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Linda Hoile |
| Born | 13 April 1946 London, England |
| Genres | Jazz rock |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter,art therapist |
| Instrument | Vocals |
| Years active | 1968–1972 1984–present |
| Labels | Vertigo,Repertoire,Angel Air |
| Website | lindahoyle |
Early life and influences
edit
Wendy Hoile, Linda's younger sister, was able to sing in harmony from a very young age. She played guitar and sang in a band, Blanch Carter and the Lounge Lizards, in the late 1960s and early 70s.[3]Both Linda and her sister learnt first to play theukuleleand then the guitar. They performed together often at family gatherings and parties, sometimes using the family convector heater, a Valor, as a primitive piece of echo and reverb equipment, singing into it even when it was lit.[4]
Musical career
edit
Foster, in many ways the most enterprising member, introduced the band toRonnie Scott's management, who at the time were looking for new bands to play Upstairs at their renovated club. Almost immediately signed, they spent three years under contract, starting early in 1969. By the middle of that year, Scott's decided that Affinity should also play Downstairs, opposite such jazz musicians as Les McCann and Stan Getz. This encouraged them to become more demanding of their own musical creativity. At the time of Affinity's appearance opposite McCann in July 1969, Hoyle was interviewed by Melody Maker and spoke about her musical influences and her time with the band.[5]
During this time Affinity were managed by Chips Chipperfield, who later producedThe Beatles Anthology,a documentary series for television.
The albumAffinitywas released in 1970. Affinity's contract with Vertigo, a branch of Philips Records, included an advance payment, which allowed them to buy new equipment and a more comfortable six-wheel vehicle, and to employ a roadie. The band were busy with TV appearances, and touring in the UK and Europe; even so they were finding it hard to live on their earnings. In her interview with Jackie magazine in December 1970, Hoyle talked about the upsides and downsides of life on the road.[6]
The same year Hoyle recorded the jingle for aShredded Wheattelevision commercial"There are two men in my life"with Foster and Mike Jopp, both playing acoustic guitars. The commercial achieved much attention in the UK[7]and Hoyle performed the song on theMichael Parkinson Show.
Annie Nightingale,aBBCpresenter, travelled with the band in January 1971, making a film about their life on the road for TV.[8]However, at this time Hoyle's three-year relationship with Naiff was coming to an end and she was ready to quit the band.
In 1971Ronnie Scottsuggested that Hoyle work withKarl Jenkinson a solo album. They wrote many of the songs together and Jenkins invitedChris Spedding,John Marshall,andJeff Clyne,all fromNucleus,among others to play on the album. Only 300 copies of the album,Pieces of Me,were pressed. It is one of Vertigo's rarest albums.[9][10]
Hoyle emigrated to Canada in 1972, where she continued to sing, mostly jazz, with various musicians. During a sabbatical year in England in 1980, Hoyle performed and sang with thePeople Show.People Show No 84 (The Bridge), was staged at theRoyal Court Theatre,London and theCrucible,Sheffield.[11]Since 1984, Hoyle has sung and worked withOliver Whitehead. Hoyle's return to writing and recording was sparked by an Affinity reunion at a private party in 2006. After performing again with Foster atSussex University's 50th anniversary celebration in 2011 (this performance released asThe Baskervilles Reunion 2011[12]), work onThe Fetchbegan. The songs on this album are all original, composed by Foster or Whitehead, with lyrics by Hoyle. The musicians includeRay Russell,Gary Husband,B. J. Cole,Peter Van Hookeand Julian Littman. The album was released in 2015 by Angel Air.
Art therapy
editHoyle received an Honours BA in psychology in 1975, and a master's degree in Biomedical Ethics in 1982, both from theUniversity of Western Ontario.She worked as a therapist in various agencies, and trained inArt Therapywith Irene Dewdney (1914–1999). They remained colleagues and co-workers for the rest of Dewdney's life. With Dewdney and others, she started The Ontario Art Therapy Association[13]in 1979. In 1988 Hoyle was invited to establish the Post Graduate Diploma in Art Therapy at the University of Western Ontario, running the programme and teaching. She co-authored, with Dewdney an art therapy textbook, Drawing Out The Self: The Objective Approach in Art Therapy,[14]which was published in 2011, together with an accompanying Web site.[15]
Discography
editAlbums
edit- Affinity(1970) (Vertigo 6360 004) – by Affinity[16]
- Pieces of Me(1971) (Vertigo 6360 060) – withKarl Jenkins,Chris Spedding,Jeff ClyneandJohn Marshall[17]
- The Baskervilles Reunion 2011(Angel Air 2012) – with Mo Foster, Grant Serpell, Ray Russell, Glyn James, John Carter, Mike Jopp, Gary Husband, Andy Brentnall and Brian Davis[12]
- The Fetch(Angel Air 2015) – solo album[1]
Album re-issues
edit- Affinitywas re-issued in 2006 under the nameAffinity Mark-2: Linda Hoyle Yearsas part of a 5-CD limited collectors edition by the Japanese AMR "Archive" label[18][19]
Compilations and remixes
edit- "Lonely Women" fromPieces of Mewas reproduced onSassafras & Moonshine: The Songs of Laura Nyro(2012)[20]
- "Morning for One" fromPieces of Me,"Three Sisters" and "I Am and So Are You" fromAffinity,were used byAndy Votelin his remix albumVertigo Mixed[21]
Singles
editTelevision appearances
edit- 1970 onwards – The UK Shredded Wheat commercial"There are two men in my life"
- 1970, 21 June –Disco 2with Affinity
- 1971 – Annie Nightingale's programme about Affinity[8]
- 1971 –Sez Les(Series 3)
- 1971 –Michael Parkinson Show
- 1972, 2 May –The Old Grey Whistle Test(singing "Marty Mole", "Black Crow" and "Paper Tulips" )[24]
References
edit- ^ab"LINDA HOYLE The Fetch - Angel Air Records".Retrieved8 August2015.
- ^"A museum. An opera. A unique London experience".The London Free Press.19 June 2018.Retrieved15 July2018.
- ^"Put The Lime in the Coconut".YouTube.Retrieved27 July2014.
- ^Foster, Mo (1998).Seventeen Watts?: The First Twenty Years of British Rock Guitar, the Musicians and their Stories.Sanctuary Publishing.ISBN978-1860741821.
- ^"Linda Hoyle – the next most likely girl".Melody Maker.5 July 1969.
- ^"Their rooms were bugged in Spain".Jackie.19 December 1970.
- ^"Putting A Face to the Voice Millions Love".Parade.4 April 1970. Archived fromthe originalon 8 August 2014.Retrieved5 August2014.
- ^ab"AFFINITY – The Band segment on Annie Nightingale Programme".YouTube.Retrieved29 July2014.
- ^"6360 060 Linda Hoyle – Pieces of Me".Worldwide Vertigo Swirl Guide.Retrieved6 August2014.
Rarity scale: R4.
- ^"Explanation of the General Structure of the Site".Worldwide Vertigo Swirl Guide.Retrieved6 August2014.
The rarity-scale [is] the usual one from COMMON [...], through SC (scarce) and further getting ever rarer from R1 to R5 [...].
- ^"Theatre: West End Plays & Shows".Time Out.8 February 1980.
- ^ab"The Baskervilles Reunion 2011".Angel Air.Angel Air Records.2012.Retrieved29 July2014.
- ^"Ontario Art Therapy Association".Retrieved6 August2014.
- ^Dewdney, Irene; Nicholas, Linda (2011).Drawing Out The Self: The Objective Approach in Art Therapy.London, Ontario, Canada: Ontario Art Therapy Association.ISBN9780986573002.
- ^"Drawing Out The Self".Retrieved9 August2014.
- ^"Affinity".Rare Record Collector.Retrieved5 August2014.
- ^Linda Hoyle - Pieces Of Me,1971,retrieved2 August2023
- ^アフィニティー『アフィニティー - hoàn toàn bàn -』.Air Mail Recordings(in Japanese).Retrieved5 August2014.
- ^"Affinity" affinity – full board "".Air Mail Recordings.Retrieved5 August2014.
- ^"Sassafras & Moonshine: The Songs Of Laura Nyro".Ace Records.Ace Records. 2012.Retrieved29 July2014.
- ^Vertigo Mixed by Andy Votel @ARTISTdirect,retrieved8 August2015
- ^"I Wonder If I Care As Much".Rare Record Collector.Retrieved4 August2014.
- ^"Eli's Coming".Rare Record Collector.Retrieved4 August2014.
- ^"The Old Grey Whistle Test".BFI.2 May 1972. Archived fromthe originalon 10 August 2014.Retrieved5 August2014.
