Jim Pryal tells us ” There was a change in lineup in Acorn and a band emerged with Derrick McConkey on bass and Mick Smitham on guitar.  More on Mick in a while. It was  called ‘Liberation’ and played a mixture of covers and originals. Many ‘broken down van’ tales ensued and all being on the dole except Phil, it disintegrated after about a year. We did a support slot with Johnny Johnson and the Bandwagon, remember ‘Riding on the Pony Express’?”