by the end of 1968, the bonzos wanted to be successful in the us. their manager gerry bron however thought they should be consolidating their success in england before rushing off to conquer the states, and this difference of opinion led to a parting of the ways (although the two parties amicably retained their publishing and agency deals). the band had recently been courted by tony stratton-smith who was more sympathetic to their desire to crack america and promised to deliver what they wanted, and by christmas he was their new manager.