Robin Trower

In a rehearsal room with Jude

Many thanks to Bill Lordan, who sent this great photograph – a Chrysalis promo shot, apparently – to BtP. Does anyone know of any recordings of Jude ?

Jim Dewar, bass; Frankie Miller, voice; Clive Bunker, drums; Robin Trower, guitar

Not easy to identify any of the instruments (spare guitar or bass visible far right, propped against the fire-bucket). Hiwatt cabs by the look of it. The characteristic church-hall piano, tenantless on the stage, emphasises that this is a post-Procol band!

Goldmine referred to Jude as ' ... a Zeppelin-influenced four-piece called Jude, featuring ex-Jethro Tull drummer Clive Bunker, bassist James Dewar (of Stone the Crows) and then-unknown pub-rocker Frankie Miller ...' Read more here

In RT Raves (1975) it is stated that "Jude, his first group venture, was, in his words, 'a non-event.'" The one salvageable product of Jude was Robin's discovery of bass player Jimmy Dewar, former Stone the Crow ... " Read more here

As Trower explained in Guitar magazine (1993): ' I got together with Frankie just to write with him. Where we went wrong was trying to put a band together. The original idea was the best idea - I was going to be a bit like a Steve Cropper with Otis Redding. Frankie brought in Jimmy Dewar on bass and Jimmy joined me later when I did the three-piece thing.' Read more here

Jude may be alluded to in New Lamps for Old (read here) ... though some might not agree.