WARHORSE was formed by Simper when he was ousted from DEEP PURPLE in 1969. The band toured hard and was even supported on occasion by the fledgling JUDAS PRIEST and IRON MAIDEN. Simper had set the wheels in motion after his stint with DEEP PURPLE by teaming up with the MARSHA HUNT BAND. Before Marsha had (allegedly!) become pregnant by The ROLLING STONES vocalist Mick Jagger the bassist had drafted guitarist Jed Peck. With The MARSHA HUNT BAND over Simper and Peck created WARHORSE giving the position of vocalist to Ashley Holt.

The singer had crossed paths with Simper before in the formative years of DEEP PURPLE when Holt, then with THE RONNIE SMITH BIG BAND (which also included latter day YES keyboard player Rick Wakeman) had auditioned for DEEP PURPLE before the band settled on Rod Evans.

The inaugural WARHORSE line up comprised of Holt, Simper, Peck, drummer Malcolm Poole and for a brief spell Wakeman on keyboards. The latter position being made more permanent by the inclusion of former VELVETT FOGG man Frank Wilson. Scoring a deal with Vertigo Records WARHORSE's debut, recorded without Wakeman, made an impact and the band were constantly on the road, particularly on mainland Europe where the band commanded headline status.

Peck drifted away to study Jazz and in came guitarist Peter Parks, previously with Heavy Metal outfit BLACK AUGUST. Poole succumbed to an offer to join GONG and in his stead on the drums came Barney James. In November of 1971 Simper appeared as part of an 'all star' band led by Screaming Lord Sutch at London's Marquee Club. This assembly, which included RITCHIE BLACKMORE, Noel Redding and Keith Moon, was recorded for the LORD SUTCH & HEAVY FRIENDS album 'Hands Of Jack The Ripper'.

After 1972's 'Red Sea' album WARHORSE, although still much in demand on the touring circuit, found themselves without a record deal. Negotiations were undertaken with Wakeman once more to produce a projected third album, the keyboard player by this juncture having achieved huge success with his 'Journey To The Centre Of The Earth' solo album. In the meantime Wakeman wished to borrow Holt and James for an American tour. The liaison became permanent and WARHORSE subsequently folded.

Simper and Parks later founded an outfit titled DYNAMITE with vocalist James Royal releasing a solitary single in Italy, a re-work of 'St. Louis' before they formed FANDANGO during 1978, releasing a further brace of albums. At this same juncture, Simper would tour as a member of FLYING FOX, this band also issuing a single credited as NICOLODEON. Parks and Simper then performed on the live circuit as THE GOOD 'OLE BOYS. By 1997 Simper was a member of the resurrected QUATERMASS. Simper turned up again in 2003, sessioning on the Rock n' Roll album 'Ragg Moppin' by WEE WILLIE HARRIS & THE ALABAMA SLAMMERS.