Welcome to the Splinter Legacy website at www.splinterlegacy.com, where you can find out all that you would want to know about Splinter, and their fantastic musical legacy venture.

When the duo split in 1984, they both went to pastures new, and have been kept busy in their separate lives. They are still friends, although they now live in separate countries. Bobby Purvis lives in his native Newcastle in the North of England, and Billy Elliott resides in the sunny climes of Portugal. Now the first question that you all are probably going to ask is,

“So why come back now after all these years”?

The answer to that question is that it’s not that easy, but here we go. “Until very recently, when their first five albums were quietly re- released, there had been no general releases of Splinter material for their fans to purchase or download since the early 1980’s”

Any of their songs were indeed very hard to come by, either via “YouTube” or by purchasing one of those dreaded bootlegs, which do the musicians no credit at all, either by using inferior recordings or bad packaging”. To add even more to that answer, “Both members felt that they have in their own archives, a stash of excellent quality material, which deserves to be heard. Coupled with that, there has been this long gap (nearly 39 years), with no new releases, and very little or concerted fan contact, which resulted in no place in the market.

So quite clearly something had to occur for things to change, and that new product needed to be released and other things put into motion”.

“In 2018, after rejecting offers to return to the music scene in some way, a position was reached that it would be best for “A Legacy Project” be undertaken, to capitalise on the re-release of those 5 albums. Those early releases alone make a brilliant platform for the unheard gems to be given the best opportunity for reaching out to you, the real fans who have not only been very patient, but have also been so very loyal to them. There are a lot of you out there, and you have the thanks of both Splinter members for being so very loyal”

So, after putting things in order, this “Legacy Project” commenced, and this website will be the only source website for this entire project. This website will contain, (all in good time), photographs updates, reviews, experiences, and perhaps the most important thing, — information on recordings for their legacy. We have begun to look over and grade the vast archives of unreleased material, and there are many, many great recordings that have been kept in boxes on dusty shelves, and we have decided that now is the time to bring all of the facets together, and encase them all within this “Legacy Project”. It is we feel going to be exciting, revealing, not to mention hard work too, but ultimately fulfilling to be able to at last have this outpouring of material, (or shall we say songs) from Splinter. Perhaps the most important thing is that we will have links to an “on line shop”, where all of this fantastic legacy material can be purchased. Yes – Splinter are truly back and well into the 21st Century!!

So finally for this introduction, may I say once again welcome to the source “Splinter Legacy Website” – www.splinterlegacy.com, and as we grow and expand, you will also find a history of them, including their previously released albums, with lyric details, recording information, and above all information that is exclusive here and right up to date!!….. Thank you and Welcome Aboard.

Yes they have been a long time away,
But now they are back, back this time, and “Here to Stay”!!

The Six Previous Splinter Albums
– A Basic Outline

1 – The Place I Love. 1974

Standout Tracks – Costafine Town, China Light, Gravy Train, Situation Vacant, Somebody’s City.

Which Way Will I Get Home is an exquisite offering and sums up so much about those past days, at times it can literally make you cry, because it could be about anywhere, and anyone, at any time – A truly superb song indeed. The track Lonely Man was produced by George again, and used in the Apple Records film “Little Malcolm and his Struggle against the Enuchs” starring the late John Hurt. It is now available on DVD and Blue Ray Format.

Standout Tracks – Green Line Bus, Which Way Will I Get Home, Lonely Man, Harder To Live.

3 – Two Man Band

1977 saw the duo begin to plot and move in a different direction, and this album shows definite signs of a duo searching for that new avenue. It is an important album in their development, and yet remains so obscure. By this time, Splinter had begun to spread their wings drawing influences from further afield and it showed. Yet they still had their feet planted firmly to their very own roots.

Standout Tracks – Silver, Love Is Not Enough, New York City (Who am I).

5. Splinter

This is the last album Splinter made before ultimately splitting in 1984. Recorded for Bellaphon Records, this album and Splinter together suffered badly when the record company went into liquidation, just prior to a major promotional tour, and album release.

This was indeed a real hammer blow to their future aspirations as they had both really worked hard at getting the duo into a great position to bounce back into the limelight. Things were not right though, and in the end it all seemed to them that things were perhaps a little rushed and muddled. Sadly those things proved to be right. In 1984 the duo finally split and thus went their separate ways.

Its just pure acoustic magic! and it has not been heard like this for a very long time. The few who saw them live would only have distant memories, everyone now has it fresh in their ears and minds, lingering long in the mind long after the album has ended! It does what great music should do, the songs hang around for a very long time. Its been a long time coming 39 years in fact, now you need wait no longer!!  Listen to some sample segments of some tracks.

Tracks are as follows 1. Passing Through 2. Don’t Leave Me Now 3. Another Time Another Place 4. Sail Away 5. Pull On Your Heart Strings 6. Fixing To Stay 7. Too Far Down The Line 8. Never Went Back. 9 Take It or Leave It 10. A Plane Leaving Tokyo. 11. Innocent

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1 – The Place I Love. 1974

This is the first incarnation of Splinter on vinyl, and it’s now on CD. First released in 1974, it contained the hit single Costafine Town, and the B side Elly May. The single did very well reaching the top twenty in several countries including Great Britain, Canada, Australia – No 2, USA, and Japan to say the least.

Recorded at Friar Park in Oxfordshire and produced by George Harrison, this gave the duo an instant link to The Beatles. The album was excellently produced, and drew praise from many, many people complimenting the duo on their ability to write songs that seemed to sum up the listeners very own inner feelings. Sounding very rich in depth and scope, it has lost none of its original musical direction or vision at all – in fact it has matured so very well over the passing years –it still sounds so fresh.
Standout Tracks – Costafine Town, China Light, Gravy Train, Situation Vacant, Somebody’s City.

2 – Harder To Live – 1976

The duo’s next release was a further display of their natural talent, but ran into some problems due mainly to the single at the time “Drink All Day” being denied BBC radio air play in the UK, and sadly it did harm album sales and their progress, despite having some excellent songs within its covers.

It remains an enigma, as it is highly sought after by fans simply because it was very soon to become scarce. – A much underrated album release in 1976.

Which Way Will I Get Home is an exquisite offering and sums up so much about those past days, at times it can literally make you cry, because it could be about anywhere, and anyone, at any time – A truly superb song indeed. The track Lonely Man was produced by George again, and used in the Apple Records film “Little Malcolm and his Struggle against the Enuchs” starring the late John Hurt. It is now available on DVD and Blue Ray Format.

Standout Tracks – Green Line Bus, Which Way Will I Get Home, Lonely Man, Harder To Live.

3 – Two Man Band

1977 saw the duo begin to plot and move in a different direction, and this album shows definite signs of a duo searching for that new avenue. It is an important album in their development, and yet remains so obscure. By this time, Splinter had begun to spread their wings drawing influences from further afield and it showed. Yet they still had their feet planted firmly to their very own roots.

It was an excellent mixture, and should have signposted the way to much bigger and better things. The cover shows two very happy faces, as if symbolising that Splinter in fact were (at heart), just a two man band. This new direction was re-enforced by the group winning the Outstanding Song Award at the Popular Song Festival held at the Budakan Hall in Tokyo in Japan. Worthy winners indeed!!

Standout Tracks – Silver, Love Is Not Enough, New York City (Who am I).

4 – Streets At Night

This offering is the odd one out when you first listen to the material. It shows a completely different direction, and a stamp of independence from their roots. It certainly does take getting used to, and that it shows the true talent they the duo possess.

The duo mastered completely the sounds of the 80’s, but not with standing that, by now they had begun to cement a real hard core national following in Japan, and in the end they opened up new markets for Western music to be interfaced with Eastern Themes. A real masterpiece of a move, but hardly any – one outside the realms of the band really knew it or understood at the time.

Standout Tracks – Evergreen, Flyin’ Blind, When Will You Let Go? Took My Breath Away.

Two cover photos for Streets At Night – the top one is for the Standard UK Release.

5. Splinter – The Last Album

This is the last album Splinter made before ultimately splitting in 1984. Recorded for Bellaphon Records, this album and Splinter together suffered badly when the record company went into liquidation, just prior to a major promotional tour, and album release.

This was indeed a real hammer blow to their future aspirations as they had both really worked hard at getting the duo into a great position to bounce back into the limelight. Things were not right though, and in the end it all seemed to them that things were perhaps a little rushed and muddled. Sadly those things proved to be right. In 1984 the duo finally split and thus went their separate ways.

6. Splinter – The New Album –  Never Went Back

After some 39 years we have a new stunning album from Splinter. Thursday October 29th sees the release of this never heard album from 1981, kept in the can until now, and it catches them as no other producer has ever managed to do! This album shows the entire world what they always were a brilliant two man band! Full of energy and direction, displaying beautiful harmonies, and having the ability to work off either member taking the lead vocal and the other harmonising effortlessly.

Its just pure acoustic magic! and it has not been heard like this for a very long time. The few who saw them live would only have distant memories, everyone now has it fresh in their ears and minds, lingering long in the mind long after the album has ended! It does what great music should do, the songs hang around for a very long time. Its been a long time coming 39 years in fact, now you need wait no longer!!  Listen to some sample segmentss of some tracks.

Tracks are as follows 1. Passing Through 2. Don’t Leave Me Now 3. Another Time Another Place 4. Sail Away 5.All On Your Heart Strings 6. Fixing To Stay 7. Too Far Down The Line 8. Never Went Back. 9 Take It or Leave It 10. A Plane Leaving Tokyo. 11. Innocent

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Legacy Briefing