Rare Bird is a British progressive rock band formed in London in 1969 by keyboardist Graham Field and singer-bassist Steve Gould. From the outset, the band distinguished itself by the absence of a lead guitar and an instrumentation centered on keyboards, notably the Hammond organ, electric piano and Mellotron, which contributed to an original, atmospheric sound. Their debut album Rare Bird, released the same year by Charisma Records, contains their biggest hit, the melodic and melancholy song "Sympathy", which reached No. 27 in the UK and sold over a million copies worldwide, including in France (No. 3), Italy (No. 1) and Germany. The band followed this up with As Your Mind Flies By (1970), a more ambitious and complex record, marked by longer compositions and a more symphonic feel. After Graham Field's departure in 1971, Rare Bird changed musical direction, integrating guitars and a more classic rock sound. Subsequent albums, Epic Forest (1972), Somebody's Watching (1973) and Born Again (1974), mark this transition to a more accessible style, albeit one still imbued with elegance and sophistication. Despite generally positive reviews, the band never recaptured the success of "Sympathy " and broke up in 1975. The band's second keyboardist, Dave Kafinetti played the role of Viv Savage in the comedy This Is Spinal Tap (1984). He died on July 11, 2025 at the age of 79.
