On leaving the Moody Blues, Denny Laine formed the Electric String Band in December 1966, with himself on guitar and vocals, Cliff Barton on bass, Viv Prince (ex-Pretty Things) on drums, and a cello/violin string quartet of ex-Royal Academy players. Denny recalled « It was exhausting and expensive. Everyone had to be paid and the bit of money I’d saved up ran out eventually. So there I was again – happy but broke! » Roy Wood was inspired by the Electric String Band’s sound in setting up his Electric Light Orchestra (the Move covered one of the group’s songs in their live shows).
