Edwards Hand (formerly known as Picadilly Line) was a musical group formed by Welshman Rod Edwards (keyboards and vocals) and Englishman Roger Hand (acoustic guitar and vocals). After a 1968 album released under their former name, in 1969 Edwards Hand released an eponymous album produced by George Martin who, taking a break from working on The Beatles' White Album, described their music as "exceptional". The online CD vendors Freak Emporium (UK) and Forced Exposure (US) tentatively compare it to certain works by Kaleidoscope and Fairfield Parlour.
A further album, Stranded, came in 1970. Also produced by Martin, for this they were backed by James Litherland on electric guitar, former Tornados drummer Clem Cattini and John Wetton – who was later to find fame with King Crimson and Asia – playing bass. Forced Exposure and Freak Emporium describe Stranded as...
...a superb blend of styles that is very hard to categorise. Short West Coast influenced rock tracks sit alongside all out progressive anglophile pop symphonies that at times utilise the kind of 'everything including the kitchen sink' tactics employed by Brian Wilson.
Their final album, Rainshine, was again produced by Martin in 1971 but, rejected by the band's RCA Victor label. For this album, the line-up included the Americans Les Brown Jr. on drums and percussion and David Dowd on guitar, as well as Harry Reynolds on bass.
In 1975 Edwards and Hand set to music the poems of a best selling 1973 children's picture book, illustrated by Alan Aldridge (famous for his work with the Beatles), called The Butterfly Ball and the Grasshopper's Feast which was loosely based on a poem called "Butterfly's Ball, and the Grasshopper's Feast" written in 1802 by William Roscoe. This album featured the voices of Dame Judi Dench and Sir Michael Hordern. It was originally released on the Argo label and has been re-released by wizardpresents. It features Edwards on keyboards and vocals and Hand on guitar and vocals, with Gerry Conway on drums and Bruce Lynch on bass.