A Bermudian band’s only album is being re-released more than five decades after its debut.

The Invaders recorded Spacing Out in 1970. Its title track was the No 1 song in Bermuda for weeks and was even played internationally.

Ralph Richardson, who started the band as a teenager in 1967, recalls the Phillips Recording Company, which recorded the album in Bermuda, offering them a contract and a six-month European touring opportunity.

He explained: “The band broke up at that time because we were all committed to our daily lives, three of us wanted to do it and three of us didn’t.”

Mr Richardson, the band’s trumpeter, later learnt that pirated copies of the album were sold in Europe, but was contacted by a California record company, which he chose not to identify, last year.

He said: “The man said ‘your album was the best of its genre and we’d like to get legal rights to distribute it’.

“He spoke to the group and they sent us a contract … the group signed it.”

Mr Richardson and every other member of the band — guitarist John Burch, bassist Stan Gilbert, drummer Michael Stowe, conga player Sturgis Griffin Jr and saxophonist/flautist Lloyd Williams — each received $500 and two copies of the album on a vinyl record, after the contract was signed.

Approximately 540 albums have been sold as of about a month ago and one song could be featured in upcoming films.

Mr Richardson explained: “One of the songs on the album was chosen by a company that seeks music for movies and they have a particular scene where they would like Spacing Out to be.

“They are sourcing a bunch of their products and it’s going to be three or four months before they know which ones they’re going to choose, but it got their attention.

“These are the things we just didn’t expect, we were taken aback by it.”

Ten albums will soon be available to purchase at Music Box on Reid Street but more could be ordered if there’s enough interest.

It is not yet known when the albums will arrive or how much they will sell for once on the island.

Mr Richardson and Mr Stowe, who were neighbours and friends before The Invaders was formed, fondly remember their days with the band and both had decades-long music careers afterwards.

Mr Richardson pursued gospel music and Mr Stowe performed with Jaz, the house band for the now closed Hubie’s jazz bar on Angle Street, and with local music icon Hubert Smith.

Mr Stowe reflected: “I worked in every major hotel in Bermuda, when tourism was tourism and the hotels were thriving, as opposed to what it is now.

“I enjoyed it immensely because I met a lot of influential musicians from overseas that used to come to Hubie’s.”

Mr Richardson said: “I was playing trumpet in pretty much every denomination of churches but I wanted to do something a little more aggressive, so my son started a jazz gospel group, really serious jazz stuff, but with gospel pieces.”

While Mr Stowe and Mr Richardson appreciate the contests local entertainers can compete in now, both would like to see more venues for them to perform.

Mr Richardson said: “I think many people see these facilities an expenses, not as benefits, but I think if you have the right musicians or even good comedians, you could make it work.”

Mr Stowe added: “At one point, I could say certain guys are performing over here, certain guys over there — I can’t do that now, because I honestly don’t know.”