Steve Broughton, of the Edgar Broughton Band, dead at 72

Steve Broughton, who played drums with the Edgar Broughton Band and on Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells, has died, aged 72, his brother Edgar has confirmed on social media.

In a post on the band's Facebook group Edgar stated that his brother had passed away on Sunday. No cause of death has been reported.

"It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved comrade and fellow traveller Steve Broughton on Sunday 29th May 2022. R.I.P.

"Edgar Broughton, Luke Broughton and Art Grant.

"In the darkest corner of them all
A spark that never wanes
A love that feeds the greatest fire
Still burns in twilights fade."

The Egdar Broughton Band began life as a blues-based trio featuring both Edgar and Steve and bass player Arthur Grant. The band moved to Notting Hill in London and were signed by by Blackhill Enterprises, who also looked after the fortunes of a fledgling Pink Floyd and later Syd Barrett, Kevin Ayers, Marc Bolan and Roy Harper, and who also organised the original Hyde Park free concerts in the late 60s.

Blackhill secured the band a deal with Harvest Records, for whom they recorded the more psychedelic influenced debut album Wasa Wasa (1968) and followed this up with Sing Brother Sing (1970) and the self-titled Edgar Broughton Band (1971), both of which charted in the UK and on the latter early guitarist Victor Unitt returned to the line-up.

The band's live performances were frequently eventful and on occasion attracted police intervention, such as a show at Keele University where the band gave paint out to the audience who promptly vandalised the venue.

The group relocated to Devon where they recorded fourth album In Side Out and released Oora in 1975, after which they split with the Harvest label and Unitt left once again. A sixth album, Bandages, appeared on the NEMS label and featured Australian-born guitarist 'Creepy' John Thomas.

There were sporadic reunions in the ate 70s and early 80s and also in 1989 but the band reformed properly in 2006 with Edgar's son Luke on guitar and keyboards following the reissue of their back catalogue. That proved to be the final reunion, with Edgar Broughton choosing to go solo in 2010.

Prog Magazine sends its condolences to Broughton's family.

Writer and broadcaster Jerry Ewing is the Editor of Prog Magazine which he founded for Future Publishing in 2009. He grew up in Sydney and began his writing career in London for Metal Forces magazine in 1989. He has since written for Metal Hammer, Maxim, Vox, Stuff and Bizarre magazines, among others. He created and edited Classic Rock Magazine for Dennis Publishing in 1998 and is the author of a variety of books on both music and sport, including Wonderous Stories; A Journey Through The Landscape Of Progressive Rock.