Formed in the mid-1960s as The Cortinas in Hatfield (Hertfordshire), a region north of London that also produced other Beat greats such as The Zombies and The Gods. Through numerous live performances, the four-piece Beat band built up a local fan base and released a single in 1968. Their rebranding as Octopus in November, led by the two brothers Nigel Griggs (bass, vocals) and Paul Griggs (guitar, vocals), marked a shift towards more progressive influences. Various tours as the support act for well-known acts, including Cream, brought them growing recognition on the British live music scene, despite several line-up changes. This eventually led to a record contract with the English independent label Penny Farthing.

Together with drummer Malcolm Green and keyboardist John Cook, the two Griggs brothers recorded their debut album in 1970 at De Lane Lea Studios in London. The producer was Tony Murray, who played bass on Chris Britton’s only LP, As I Am. The resulting LP, entitled Restless Night, features British-style pop – a Beatles-inspired blend of pop and psychedelia – complemented by a few heavier tracks dominated by fuzz guitar and organ. Although the album enjoyed great popularity in Hatfield, it never found a significant audience outside the region. Their three singles also failed to achieve success. Consequently, the band split up in 1972. As an original UK first pressing on the legendary Penny Farthing label, the album is now regarded as an absolute rarity and an extremely hard-to-find collector’s item.