▁Dup ree ▁and ▁the ▁Big ▁Sound ▁and ▁was ▁purs uing ▁more ▁of ▁a ▁soul / pop ▁direction . ▁As ▁lead ▁singer ▁and ▁front man , ▁D erek ▁Sh ul man ▁took ▁on ▁the ▁' Sim on ▁Dup ree ' ▁pseud onym ▁while ▁Phil ▁played ▁sa x oph one ▁and ▁tr ump et , ▁and ▁young est ▁brother ▁Ray ▁played ▁guitar ▁and ▁viol in . ▁( B oth ▁Ray ▁and ▁Phil ▁also ▁played ▁tr ump et ▁and ▁sang ▁backing ▁vocals ▁for ▁the ▁group ▁which , ▁during ▁its ▁lifetime , ▁briefly ▁featured ▁the ▁future ▁El ton ▁John ▁as ▁pian ist ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁recording ▁a ▁single ▁with ▁D ud ley ▁Moore ▁as ▁guest ). ▁Sign ing ▁to ▁the ▁E MI ▁record ▁label , ▁Simon ▁Dup ree ▁and ▁the ▁Big ▁Sound ▁produced ▁several ▁non - chart ing ▁singles ▁before ▁being ▁pushed ▁by ▁their ▁management ▁and ▁label ▁in ▁the ▁direction ▁of ▁psych ed elia . ▁This ▁resulted ▁in ▁the ▁UK ▁Top ▁ 1 0 ▁hit ▁" K ites " ▁in ▁the ▁aut umn ▁of ▁ 1 9 6 7 ▁( and ▁the ▁release ▁of ▁the ▁Without ▁Res ervation ▁album ▁later ▁in ▁the ▁year ). ▁ ▁Success ▁only ▁served ▁to ▁fr ustr ate ▁the ▁Sh ul man ▁brothers , ▁who ▁considered ▁themselves ▁to ▁be ▁blue - ey ed ▁soul ▁sing ers ▁and ▁felt ▁that ▁their ▁change ▁of ▁style ▁was ▁ins inc ere ▁and ▁in subst ant ial . ▁D erek ▁Sh ul man ▁was ▁later ▁to ▁describe ▁" K ites " ▁as ▁" utter ▁sh it ." ▁The