the official web site...

who said if you can remember the sixties........you were't there....... Mandrake Paddle Steamer were a band formed in 1967 by vocalist Brian Engel and guitarist Martin Briley, I was asked to join them as bassist a few days before their first gig at Walthamstow Art College we were supporting Pink Floyd I think Sid Barret was playing with them then. It lead to the start of me becoming a professional musician.We gigged up and down the country mainly colleges and clubs. We done some fantastic gigs some of which I will never forget headlining and supporting the likes of Santana, Free, King Crimson, The Nice, Spirit and Vanilla fudge. We eventually signed to E.M.I. and were all set to be part of there Harvest Label but someone at EMI thought we were to commercial so the put us on Parlaphone, we were really disappointed. still we got to record our fist single - Strange Walking Man at Abbey Road. I occasionally get asked about mandrake paddle steamer ...the steamers..I have also found a few mentions of the band on various web sites...and copies of demos we recorded are changing hand for large sumes of money....(the likes of which the band will never see).. on this page, as a member of the band until their break up in 1971.....I have compiled as much material as I can, and hope to add any information that might be passed on to me by anyone that may have been a fan of the band or even a member ! ...included are some audio clips of our only released single plus some tracks I discovered recently, taped from some early John Peel sessions.......enjoy.... ^ENTER^ or go straight to audio clips this site is maintained by Paul Riordan at :  [email protected]