Natural Gas

Natural Gas was a supergroup consisting of guitarist and vocalist Joey Molland (Badfinger), drummer Jerry Shirley (Humble Pie), bassist and vocalist Mark Clarke (Colosseum, Billy Squier) and Al Stewart sideman Peter Wood on keyboards.

The members’ diverse histories coalesced into a Badfinger-esque power pop sound, with the dual lead vocals of Molland and Clarke reminiscent of the much loved harmony blend between Molland and Tommy Evans.

With a Felix Pappalardi (Cream, Mountain)-produced 1976 debut album and an opening slot on that summer’s hottest tour, "Frampton Comes Alive" (personally selected by Shirley’s former Humble Pie bandmate, Peter Frampton), Natural Gas had all the raw ingredients for success.

Yet poor management and intra band squabbling ensured that its debut album was a one off, a story told in detail for the very 1st time in Ralph Chapman’s 5 500 word liner notes essay which draws upon his newly conducted interviews with Shirley, Clarke, and Frampton, plus vintage quotes from Molland, who sadly passed away in March 2025.

Although poor sounding vinyl sourced CD reissues of Natural Gas’s sole album have previously appeared, Iconoclassic Records’ 2025 definitive edition is its first CD issue to be remastered from the recently located original ¼” analog masters. Iconoclassic also adds two bonus pre-album demos and a previously unreleased 8 song live soundboard recording including a cover of The Beatles’ “Birthday” performed in celebration of America’s Bicentennial.

Iconoclassic Records, May 30th, 2025.