Genres Pop Genre Pop music | Years active 1969–1971 | |
![]() | ||
Past members Tony NewmanSteve JonesSam KempeStuart ColmanPaul WilkinsonTroy Adam Jones Albums Broken Earth, The Best Of Flying Machine, The Flying Machine, Smile a Little Smile - EP Similar Pinkerton's Assorted Colours, Tony Macaulay, Edison Lighthouse, Crazy Elephant, The Cuff Links |
The Flying Machine was a British pop band who are best known for their 1969 American #5 hit, "Smile a Little Smile for Me".
Contents

Career

The Flying Machine first rose out of the ashes of British band Pinkerton's Assorted Colours. Pinkerton's (as they were often known, for short) had scored a major UK hit with "Mirror Mirror" in 1966 and continued recording over the next few years. However, by 1969, singer/guitarist Tony Newman, singer/autoharpist/original frontman Sam Kempe, and bassist Stuart Colman from Pinkerton's had teamed up with lead guitarist Steve Jones and drummer Paul Wilkinson to form a new iteration of the group and, with Newman now assuming lead vocal/frontman duties, took the name The Flying Machine.

They are best known for their single in 1969, "Smile a Little Smile For Me", which peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart (on Kapp Records' Congress record label) Their first LP, which was self-titled, was released by Janus Records in 1969. By 12 December that year the record had sold a million copies and was awarded a gold disc by the R.I.A.A. The song was written by Tony Macaulay and Geoff Stephens. Despite being released by Pye Records in the band's home country of England, the record did not appear on the UK Singles Chart.
A follow-up single, a cover version of "Baby Make It Soon", first recorded by Marmalade, achieved the U.S. Hot 100 the following year.. A final single, "The Devil Has Possession Of Your Mind", was released, after which the Flying Machine split up.

Bassist Colman went on to a successful career as a session musician, record producer and BBC Radio disc jockey.
Band members
Ancillary members
Singles
Albums
Songs
Smile A Little Smile For MeThe Flying Machine · 1969
Send My Baby Home AgainThe Flying Machine · 1969
Hanging On The Edge Of Sadness2011