Discussing playing in his first post-Free band, Toby

Andy Fraser had originally contacted Chris Spedding, in July 1971, to discuss playing in his first post-Free band, Toby. When Fraser formed Sharks a year later, he contacted Spedding again and, this time, they agreed to work together. Fraser had already recruited his friend Marty Simon , so auditions were held for a singer to complete the line-up. Robert Palmer and Leo Sayer were turned down in favour of an unknown 21-year-old from Yorkshire, Steve Parsons , also known as Snips, originally spotted by Island A&R man Muff Winwood . Snips had previously fronted a Hull-based band called Nothingeverhappens. Parsons “played one song of his, “Snakes and Swallowtails” and he was in”, Spedding later told Melody Maker .