Mike Hurst

Mike Hurst might not be a name that is instantly recognisable to most people, yet during his 40-year career he has been involved with some very famous music indeed. Unfortunately, Hurst's solo career will always be overshadowed by his time in the Springfields, and even then the spotlight was usually given to Dusty Springfield. Still, that didn't stop him from releasing two solo albums in the early '70s before embarking on a very successful career as a producer for the likes of Cat Stevens and Marc Bolan. Historically, both albums might have a certain amount of importance, or even curiosity, but his material just isn't that memorable. Home (from 1970) is dominated by strings, lots of strings, and stark arrangements, while In My Time (from 1971) has a strong country influence that doesn't always merge comfortably with his usual style. These days, Hurst is involved with radio and education in music history, and he does still perform from time to time, although I'd imagine that most of the songs here are not amongst his most popular.