I guess I never really heard about Stretch, but they sound like the logical extension of Elmer Gantry's Velvet Opera if you dropped them right down in the mid-70's when bands like Humble Pie or Average White Band were big. Of course it's the same vocalist, whose real name before he changed it to Elmer Gantry, I forget.
I guess I had heard a song from this in the movie "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels" and liked it without knowing who did it.
Before hearing this I thought the Hudson-Ford and the Strawbs were the main 70's connection to Elmer Gantry's Velvet Opera.
I do have the Velvet Opera album and the final 45 which featured the guy from Tintern Abbey (MacTavish, I think....not easy to find that one!) but I'm wondering why Stretch don't even get a mention in Galactic Ramble, (although they get a short entry in Tapestry of Delights). Maybe they just considered it too "average" or commercial for the time, but I think it works pretty well in its own genre. Probably a mistake not to put the band name on the album cover, just the album title.
It alternates between funky and rock, but in a good way. Anyone else enjoy this album?

I found out that "Elmer Gantry" is really Dave Terry. Sort of a recognizable voice. So, any fans of Stretch? I failed to mention the first album is called "Elastique."
Or any fans of Elmer Gantry's Velvet Opera? I guess they opened for Pink Floyd at one point. I know, Stretch aren't particularly psych, but I figured the Velvet Opera connection counts:grinning: :grinning:

Hi Joe, Thanks for sharing the Stretch connection, I've always loved the Elmer Gantry's Velvet Opera album but hadn't heard of Stretch. There's a 2012 Stretch reunion gig on YouTube, the guitar playing is superb. There's also a splendid clip of Elmer Gantry doing 'I was cool' on foreign TV which is worth a watch too