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Alex Machin (vocals)
Hughie Leggat (bass, acoustic guitar, vocals)
Paul Naumann (guitar, vocals)
Bob Horne (keyboards)
Danny Taylor (drums, percussion)
Former late 1960's prog-rock act, Nucleus, failed to break the American market with their 1969 debut LP and so, by 1970 found themselves in a state of flux. Founding members John Richardson and Greg Fitzpatrick took off for the sunny climes of California while Horne, Leggatt and Taylor attempted to pick up the pieces as a distilled version of Nucleus.
In 1971 Alex Machin and Paul Naumann of the Toronto band Leather were struggling along with a new act called Island (which also included Ed Clemens and future Zon drummer Kim Hunt). The members of Nucleus heard about Machin and Naumann, auditioned them at their farm in Pickering and soon the new five-piece were searching for a record deal. They soon signed with Frank Davies' Daffodil Records who rechristened the group A Foot In Coldwater -- which is an old English term meaning 'bad luck'. They recorded their self-titled debut in 1972 and the band's first single "(Make Me Do) Anything You Want" reached the Canadian charts as Top-25.
Later came other moderately successful singles such as "Isn't Love Unkind (In My Life)", and "Love Is Coming" which were both released in 1972 and would end up on the band's sophomore release 'The Second Foot In Coldwater' LP in 1973.
The disappointment in what should have been initial success was re-thought and the band proceeded with a third album, 1974's 'All Around Us', which was padded with their three charting singles -- "Isn't Love Unkind (In My Life)", "Love Is Coming" and a shortened version of "(Make Me Do) Anything You Want". The latter tune being re-issued as a single and climbing, this time, to Canada's Top-10.
Despite the revived success of the band, Daffodil was in financial trouble and AFIC only managed one more single, "Midnight Lady" b/w "All Around Us", in 1975 before Daffodil went bankrupt and the band were searching for a new label. It would be nearly a year of internal band turmoil (resulting in Bob Horne's departure in the summer of 1976) before A Foot In Coldwater would land back on deck again. Rush's Anthem label grabbed the new four-piece unit for the Paul Naumann produced 'Breaking Through' LP in 1977.
A single release of the title track did nothing as Anthem focused on its marquee act, Rush, and the band soon folded.
Hughie Leggat formed Thunderoad and then Private Eye with brother Gord, who released a self-titled album in 1981. Private Eye evolved into the eponymous Leggat, featuring the Leggat Brothers and associate Danny Taylor for their 1982 Capitol Records double LP 'Illuminations'.
Alex Machin did some songwriting in L.A. as well as solo singing projects and jingles for television. He attempted a solo comeback of sorts with a project called Champion who released one album on Solid Gold/CBS. By the late 1980's he had moved to a quiet retreat in the Canadian Rocky Mountains. Most recently he appeared on Capitol Hill in Ottawa during Canada Day 2000 celebrations performing "(Make Me Do) Anything You Want" as part of a Canadian classic rock revue with Keith Hampshire, The Stampeders, Ian Thomas and others.
Danny Taylor did session work and also owned a furniture/carpet-cleaning business; Paul Naumann, who has lived in Texas and Toronto, continues playing and producing music in his own company Best Foot Forward from Santa Fe, New Mexico; Bob Horne moved to Las Vegas and is an award winning pool designer and builder.
The band reunited in 1988 for a southern Ontario tour, featuring Taylor, Machin, Naumann, and Leggat. They took a break in the fall of that year but continued doing short tours thereafter with keyboardist Rick Lamb (ex-Hellfield) who unfortunately died of cancer in 2004; singer Alex Machin became the new lead vocalist for fellow classic rock act Moxy; the Leggat Brothers now play in a new act called The Mississippi Hippies.
Paul Naumann died unexpectedly of liver failure on October 20, 2009.
With notes from Doug Lippay, Cam Atkinson, Peter Akerboom, Chris Bodegraven, Paul Naumann, Danny Taylor, Gord Leggat.
Singles
1972 (Make Me Do) Anything You Want [Part 1]/[Part 2] (Daffodil/Capitol) DFS 1017
1972 (Isn't Love Unkind) In My Life/Deep Freeze (Daffodil) DFS 1028
1972 Lady True/In Heat (Daffodil) DFS 1033
1972 Love Is Coming/How Much Love Can You Take (Daffodil) DFS 1040
1974 I Know What You Need/He's Always There (Watching You) (Daffodil/A & M) 1216-1065
1974 (Make Me Do) Anything You Want/Alone Together (Daffodil/A & M)
1975 Midnight Lady/All Around Us (Daffodil) 1216-1068
1977 Breaking Through (Anthem/Polydor)
Albums
1972 A Foot In Coldwater (Daffodil/Capitol) SBA 16012
1973 A Second Foot In Coldwater (Daffodil) SBA 16028
1974 All Around Us (Daffodil) DAF 10048
1977 Breaking Through (Anthem/Polydor) ANR-1008
1977 Footprints Vol.1 (Daffodil/Capitol)
1984 Footprints Vol.2 (Daffodil/Capitol)
1984 Footprints Vol.1 [re-issue](Capitol)
1984 Footprints Vol.2 [re-issue](Capitol)
1991 Footprints Vol.1 (BEI/MCA) BEIBD-25
1991 Footprints Vol.2 (BEI/MCA) BEIBD-26
1998 A Foot In Coldwater (Unidisc) AGEK-2158
1998 A Second Foot In Coldwater (Unidisc) AGEK-2159
1998 All Around Us (Unidisc) AGEK-2160
1998 The Very Best Of A Foot In Coldwater [2 CDs] (Unidisc) AGEK2-2161
Video
Compilation Tracks
1973 "How Much Can You Take" on 'Concept [Gold Cover]' (Arc) PRP 208
1973 "Love Is Coming" on 'Star Brite' (Capitol) SPRO-104
1974 "All Around Us" and "He's Always There (Watching You)" on 'Naturally' (Daffodil/A & M) DAF 20049
1990 "(Make Me Do) Anything You Want" on 'Made In Canada - Volume Two: Into The '70's' (BMG) KKL-7157
1996 "(Make Me Do) Anything You Want" on 'Oh What A Feeling - Disc 1' (MCA) JUNO-25
Official A Foot In Coldwater Website
