 Through his previous band, McKelvey had befriended former King Curtis sideman, drummer Ron Frankel (born in April 1947 in Montreal), who had previously played in The Soul Mates (and with his wife Mary Lou Gauthier) in the lounge band, Five of a Kind before joining King Curtis & The King Pins in early 1968.In July, McKelvey returned to England for six months and reunited with his colleague drummer/singer Malcolm Tomlinson (born on June 16, 1946, in Isleworth, Middlesex, England), from early 1960s band, Jeff Curtis & The Flames.Tomlinson was currently playing with Gethsemane (featuring future Jethro Tull guitarist Martin Barre), and had recently done a BBC radio session with Elton John.