Born Doug Gibbons, Thane Russal made his debut as a balladeer on England's Decca Records in 1965. His recording debut didn't set the charts on fire but did put him in the position of being noticed by the Rolling Stones, who saw something more than ballads in his future. It was through his association with the Stones, as part of their entourage, that he got a new contract with British CBS in 1966. It was at this point that Russal reinvented himself as a soul singer with an powerful single, "Security," produced by Paul Raven (better known in the 1970s as Gary Glitter). A second single, also produced by Raven, "Drop Everything and Run," appeared that same year, but despite strong performances from the singer on each, neither dented the charts. Apparently his prospects on the continent were more promising than they were in England, because he next turned up in Italy, where he cut the single "Adesso Tardi" b/w "If I Were a Carpenter" for Italian CBS in 1967 and a follow-up record the next year. He fronted two bands during his time in Italy, The Electric Heart and Beggars Farm. ~ Bruce Eder