Stretch - You Can't Beat Your Brain For Entertainment (1976)

Stretch were a 1970s British rock band that grew from the collaboration between Elmer Gantry (real name Dave Terry) and Kirby (real name Graham Gregory). Gantry was previously the frontman of Elmer Gantry's Velvet Opera. Kirby was previously a member of Curved Air.
The band was put together in 1974 with help from Fleetwood Mac manager Clifford Davis and drummer Mick Fleetwood, to perform as Fleetwood Mac on a US tour because the existing Fleetwood Mac were not in a position to fulfil outstanding contractual obligations. However, Fleetwood did not join the tour as planned, and later denied any knowledge or involvement, and partway through the tour it became obvious to audiences that there was no original member of Fleetwood Mac in the band, and the tour collapsed. Bass player Paul Martinez claimed, "Mick Fleetwood pulled out at the last minute claiming not to know who we were!"
Stretch rose from the ashes of this debacle, and soon had a No. 16 hit single in November 1975 with "Why Did You Do It?", the lyric of which was a direct attack on Mick Fleetwood for his failure to join the band on the ill-fated Fleetwood Mac tour. They followed this up with an album, titled “Elastique”. During the recording of this album, bass player Paul Martinez was sacked, and drummer Jim Russell left before the recording of the second album “You Can't Beat Your Brain for Entertainment” due to musical differences. He was replaced by future Status Quo drummer Jeff Rich. Two more albums were made, but Gantry left before the last album, “Forget the Past”.
Another blow came in 1979 when manager Davis decided to withdraw his financial input, and the band eventually split up.

Track listing

01. "Fixin' To Die"  (Bukka Wyatt)  - 3:34
02. "If The Cap Fits"   (Gantry)  - 3:25
03. "The Way Life Is"  (Kirby)  - 4:02
04. "That's The Way The Wind Blows"  (Gantry, Kirby)  - 3:42
05. "Hold Up The Light"  (Gantry, Kirby)  - 3:21
06. "Can't Get Enough"  (Gantry, Kirby)  - 3:40
07. "Hold On"  (Gantry, Kirby)  - 3:22
08. "Put Your Hands Up"  (Gantry)  - 4:06
09. "Love's Got A Hold On Me"  (Kirby)  - 3:59
10. "Feelin' Sad"  (Jones)  - 5:23

Credits
Lead Vocals, Electric Guitar, Backing Vocals, Harmonica – Elmer Gantry
Bass Guitar, Backing Vocals – Steve Emery
Drums – Jeff Rich
Guitar [Lead, Slide], Acoustic Guitar, Backing Vocals – Kirby
Illustration [Front Cover Drawing] – Jonathan Hooper 
Mastered By [Cut] – George "Porky" Peckham
Other [Special Thanx] – Phil McDonnell, Ritchie Riggs
Other [Thanx Also] – Bunt, Magnet, Pete, Terry
Photography By [Back Cover] – Alan Messer
Producer – Elmer, Kirby
Recorded By – Louie Austin, Simon 
Recorded By, Mixed By – Victor (This Won't Take A Minute) Gamm

Notes
Recorded at Kingsway Recorders, at K.P.M. at Sound Techniques
Remixed at Sound Techniques. Cut at the master room
Genre: Blues Rock
Length: 39:00
Label: Anchor Records

© 1976