Editing Dave Walker (section)

===The Idle Race (1970–1971)===
In early 1970, [[Jeff Lynne]] left his original band, [[The Idle Race]], to join [[The Move]] with former Idle Race guitarist [[Roy Wood]]; just prior to its evolution into the [[Electric Light Orchestra]]. Idle Race had built a substantial cult following in the Birmingham area, and wanted to continue after Lynne's exit. This resulted in the remaining members of the band (rhythm guitarist Dave Pritchard, drummer Roger Spencer, and bassist Greg Masters) recruiting Walker as lead vocalist and Mike Hopkins as lead guitarist.<ref name="The Idle Race">{{cite web|url=http://www.brumbeat.net/idle.htm |title=Idle Race band |website=Brumbeat.net |access-date=2016-07-23}}</ref>

In 1970 this new line-up recorded two singles for [[Liberty Records]]; a cover of [[Mungo Jerry]]'s skiffle hit "[[In the Summertime (Mungo Jerry song)|In the Summertime]]", (which reached number one in [[Argentina]]) backed by an Idle Race original "Told You Twice". Their second single was a cover of [[Hotlegs]]' "[[Neanderthal Man (song)|Neanderthal Man]]" backed by another Idle Race original number "Victim of Circumstance".

Also in 1970, Idle Race recorded an album ''[[Time Is]]'' for [[Regal Zonophone]], however Walker was incorrectly credited as "''Richie'' Walker". Walker wrote two tracks ("I Will See You", "And The Rain") and co-wrote two others ("Alcatraz", "We Want It All") on this album. The album was a commercial failure and in 1971 all members of the incumbent line-up with the exception of Masters (Walker, Hopkins, Pritchard, and Spencer) departed the band. Masters' initially put together another line-up of The Idle Race, but he too soon departed, and the remaining members' soon reformed as the [[Steve Gibbons (musician)|Steve Gibbons]] Band.<ref name="The Idle Race"/>