The Move was formed at the Cedar Club in Birmingham, England in 1966. Though they did not know it at the time, they were to become the finest and most significant band to have their genesis in England at the end of that decade. Despite the fact that they did not make a marked dent in the American market, their sound and their influence lives on in British culture, and has since been given the recognition it deserves by American critics. The group was formed around guitarist and songwriter Roy Wood, whose incredible skill was something that took the group to top status among England's greats. Also in the band were Bev Bevan, Carl Wayne, Chris "Ace" Kefford and Trevor Burton.

The group presented a sound on stage that featured four and five-part harmonies, and intense performances. Their music was fresh and energetic, making the group the most exciting live act of their day and creating a feeling of excitement around the board. Tony Secunda came on the scene as the boys began to grow in fame, as a music manager Secunda knew all the right tactics to take the group from popularity on the Birmingham music underground, to national stars. Most famously he dressed the group up as American gangsters from the ‘20s and staged a signing of the contract on the back of a topless model, Liz Wilson.

The group's music ignited controversies and their publicity brought them further and further into the public eye through the outrage of dignitaries, eventually landing them in the High Court along with their manager. The group ended up getting blamed for the outrage, despite the fact that it was really Secunda's publicity stunts that had gotten them into trouble. Eventually the pressure and the direction that the management was taking the group caused them to split, with most of the band going with Roy Wood to do the Electric Light Orchestra - a pioneering concept that Wood had come up with.