Chapman released Hybrid & Lowdown and the Strong Songs retrospective before opening the Hybrid tour in Oldenburg on 11 October. Jim Cregan began an important production chapter with the Quireboys' hit debut. The year also brought the death of founding Family bassist and violinist Ric Grech on 19 March, a central alumni milestone amid another wave of Family and Streetwalkers catalogue reissues.
The Quireboys released their debut album A Bit of What You Fancy, produced by Jim Cregan and George Tutko. The record reached number two on the UK Albums Chart and marked an important new production chapter for the former Family guitarist.
Family's founding bassist and violinist Ric Grech died at Leicester Royal Infirmary on 19 March 1990, aged 43. During his 1966-69 Family tenure he played on Music in a Doll's House and Family Entertainment and wrote or co-wrote “Second Generation Woman,” “Dim” and “How-Hi-The-Li” He left during Family's first US tour to join Blind Faith, later recording with Traffic and Ginger Baker's Air Force before withdrawing from the music industry.
