Strawbs

Strawbs is a British band that dates from the sixties and in 2010 still music albums and making occurs. Strawbs is subject to many personnel changes, the cause probably lies in the character of bandleader Dave Cousins ​​, a situation comparable to King Crimson leader with Robert Fripp .

Contents

 * 1 The beginning
 * 2 Age Hooper
 * 2.1 Strawbs 2
 * 2.2 Strawbs 3
 * 2.3 Strawbs 4
 * 2.4 Strawbs 5
 * 2.5 Strawbs 6
 * 2.6 Strawbs 7
 * 2.7 Strawbs 8
 * 2.8 Strawbs 9
 * 3 Age Lambert
 * 3.1 Strawbs 10
 * 3.2 Strawbs 11
 * 3.3 Strawbs 12
 * 3.4 Strawbs 13
 * 3.5 Strawbs 14
 * 3.6 Strawbs 15
 * 3.7 Strawbs 16
 * 4 After 1980
 * 5 Discography
 * 5.1 Singles
 * 5.2 Studio Albums
 * 5.3 Live Albums
 * 6 Acoustic Strawbs
 * 7 DVDs
 * 8 Box
 * 9 Bootleg
 * 10 Radio 2 Top 2000

The start
The foundation consists of Strawbs Dave Cousins ​​and Tony Hooper, who know each other from school. Their first band The Gin Bottle Four consists Cousins, Hooper, Jim Welsh, John Dalgliesh. Cousins ​​and Hooper remain. After countless gigs in their home environment Strawbs starts when Cousins ​​and Hooper with the mandolin player Arthur Phillips give their band called The Strawberry Hill Boys, named after an area in Twickenham . They play bluegrass and folk . Phillips soon go abroad and was replaced by John Berry.

By maintaining Cousins ​​one gets the opportunity to make music for radio broadcasts and one comes into contact with other musicians, including drummers John Marshall of Soft Machine and Terry Cox of Pentangle. Cousins ​​is therefore a much sought after accompanist, among others, by Leonard Cohen and Joni Mitchell . When around 1966 Ron Chesterman replaces John Berry and called The Strawberry Hill Boys is shortened Strawbs is a fact.
 * MK1 1963-June 1967.

Strawbs 2
After the name change Strawbs makes a short tour of Denmark . In 1967 met Cousins ​​singer Sandy Denny in Earls Court and asks her if she wants to strengthen his group. Which group? she asks: Strawbs. They take some friends with a number of demos that end up at Karl Emil Knudsen from an obscure Danish label Sonet Records. They may in Copenhagen to record an album and performed there still under the name of Sandy Denny and The Strawbs.
 * MK2 (July 1967-March 1968): Dave Cousins, Tony Hooper, Ron Chesterman, Sandy Denny.
 * Album 1968: All Our Own Work also Sandy Denny and the Strawbs.

Strawbs 3
Back Denny is approached in England by the producer of Fairport Convention, which tells her that Strawbs is not suitable for her; she comes more under the Convention. She then gets on Fairport Convention.Meanwhile Knudsen had forwarded the recordings to A & M Records that actually does not continue with the band wants without Denny. Ultimately it comes from anyway. Strawbs turns yet equally Sonja Kristina as singer (one night), but they are again a trio. They take two compositions and that the first single "Oh How She Changed" B-side "Or Am I Dreaming" and the second single The Man Who Called Himself Jesus . Then follow the recordings for their first LP .
 * MK3 (April 1968-August 1969): Cousins, Hooper and Chesterman.
 * Album 1968 Strawberry Music Sampler No. 1
 * Album 1969: Strawbs

Strawbs 4
Cousins ​​had during the production of the Strawbs album disagreement with producer Gus Dudgeon, hence remained for the next album only Tony Visconti. Strawbs was thrown back on their base, but pulled Claire Deniz, a classically trained cellist to. The recordings for Dragonfly took place in Copenhagen, familiar from their first album. For one track again Rick Wakeman hired, his name comes first on this album.
 * MK4 (August 1969-December 1969): Cousins, Hooper, Chesterman, Deniz
 * Album: 1970 : Dragonfly.

Strawbs 5
After releasing Dragonfly Deniz leaves the Strawbs again and will continue studying; Lindsay Cooper takes its place.
 * MK5 (January 1970-February 1970): Cousins, Hooper, Chesterman, Cooper.

Strawbs 6
Wakeman, the group really strengthen and professionalize the band; Chesterman does not feel comfortable with and go there.
 * MK6 (March 1970-April 1970): Cousins, Hooper, Wakeman, Cooper.

Strawbs 7
Cooper also go and Cousins ​​needs to find a rhythm section. Meanwhile Cousins ​​runs the Hounslow Arts Lab; a place where unknown bands occur. One evening there occurs Velvet Opera on with Richard Hudsonand John Ford . Who are unhappy with the price of their band and move to Strawbs. After only six weeks of rehearsals they perform in the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London call for very tough especially Wakeman steals the show. On December 21, 1970 they perform at the Royal Albert Hall, along with Hardin & York (remnant of The Spencer Davis Group ) and Al Stewart . The composition MK7 by most people who are dealing with Strawbs, considered the definitive starting point. The album From the Witchwood shows a definite turn towards symphonic rock with folk influences rather than vice versa. Witchwood would also end the name of their own record label to be.
 * MK7 (May 1970-July 1971): Cousins, Hooper, Wakeman, Ford, Hudson.
 * album 1970: Just a Collection of Antiques and Curios
 * album with recordings from 1970: Recollection (2006)
 * album in 1971: From the Witchwood .

Strawbs 8
The composition MK7 was thought that it would last for a while; but Rick Wakeman has thus played into the picture, he sees an opportunity to join Yes ; already more famous than Strawbs, which are only at the beginning of their careers. Wakeman is replaced by Blue Weaver, though no stranger to the keys. For the first touring Strawbs by the United States .
 * MK8 (August 1971-August 1972): Cousins, Hooper, Weaver, Ford, Hudson.
 * album 1972: Grave New World

Strawbs 9
Hooper thinks the music is not going in the right direction; he loves folk and leaves. If replacement is Dave Lambert of the band Fire, after he first performed together with Cousins ​​and has played on the first solo album from Cousins: Two Weeks Last Summer . Make two camps in Strawbs; on the one hand with newcomer Cousins ​​Lambert, on the other hand, Hudson and Ford (The Brothers). Hudson and Ford wrote the biggest hit: Part of the Union and are demanding more influence, against the wishes of Cousins. The American tour is a dud and the band is actually lifted.
 * MK9 (August 1972-May 1973): (Cousins, Lambert, Ford, Weaver, Hudson)
 * album 1973: Bursting at the Seams .
 * album with music from 1973: Strawbs in Concert Part 1

Strawbs 10
Removal of no show like Cousins ​​and Lambert again recruit new musicians. The band then comprises of: This composition (June 1973-May 1975) would record two of Strawbs' most successful albums: It is the time that distinction in pop music between single and album bands; Strawbs falls into the latter category. Their popularity in the US and Canada is rising, they play together including Lynyrd Skynyrd , Ten Years After and King Crimson . During an outdoor concert in Phoenix (Arizona) are 80,000 people watching. At the same time shrinking their supporters in England.
 * Cousins
 * Lambert
 * Chas Cronk - a buddy of Wakeman;
 * John Hawken - from the band Renaissance ;
 * Rod Coombes - the band Stealers Wheel .
 * album 1974: Hero and Heroine
 * album with music from 1974: Strawbs in Concert Part 2
 * album 1975: Ghosts .

Strawbs 11
The growing success would depend on the management contract with A & M Records. However, it had to follow a contractual one album. Cousins ​​and Hawken suffered from the hard work Strawbs is offered in their success period; Hawken retiring. John Mealing comes from If and Robert Kirby (which they knew from the period Strawbs 9) turns it; both on the keys. Nomad Ness sounds like a Moetje and success is correspondingly. Cousins ​​is in divorce proceedings thus also the compositions of the album are less. Nomad ness by the group itself and by fans as one of the worse albums. The keyboards are largely played by Mealing but Wakeman and Tommy Eyre and John Saville Lumley- play; a fragmented album.
 * MK11 (June 1975-September 1975): Cousins, Lambert, Cronk, Mealing, Coombes
 * album 1975: Nomad Ness .

Strawbs 12
Actually Strawbs dying, if they come up with yet another album in 1976: Deep Cuts . The album Nomad Ness sounded dull music and text; Deep Cuts (referring to the divorce) sounds fresh. It will be released by their new label Polydor, sub-label Oyster (of Deep Purple Even the album cover looks fresh,. an album is spun using the thorn of a rose, a trail of blood on the sheet leaves.
 * MK12 (October 1975-June 1977)
 * album with recordings from 1975: Strawbs Live in New York 75
 * album 1976: Deep Cuts
 * album in 1977: Burning for You .

Strawbs 13
After two LPs for Polydor get Strawbs over to Arista . There comes a symphonic album, but the album Arista promotes bad. Deadlines comes out as the punk in England, knows his heyday and few still interested in symphonic rock music. Both factors lead to a decline in their success. Coombes left and Tony Fernandez from the band of Wakeman joins the group; He has been playing along on some tracks by Burning for You.
 * MK13 (June 1977-November 1977): Cousins, Lambert, Cronk, Fernandez loose members Mealing and Kriby;
 * album, 1977: Deadlines.

Strawbs 14 [
The fans hit the track through many personnel changes lost. Strawbs is looking for a new keyboard; it is Andy Richards . During the recording of the next album, Lambert gives a solo career wanting to start and get off the band. Jo Partridge joins the ranks, but it is actually too late.
 * MK14 (December 1977-Novermber 1978): Cousins, Partridge, Cronk, Richards, Fernandez;
 * Music album 1977: Strawbs Concert Classics
 * recording album in 1978: Heartbreak Hill ; it is issued only in 1995!

Strawbs 15
It is quiet around the Strawbs; Management leaves burst Strawbs. Cousins ​​is passed themselves off and delivers a solo album: Old School Songs with a buddy from the past: Brian Willoughby . There follows a single The King called Maddy Prior and the Strawbs.
 * MK15: (Dec 1978- June 1980): Cousins, Brian Willoughby, Cronk, Richards, Fernandez
 * Single: The King

Strawbs 16
Strawbs simmering by some; one tries it with a new line, but it is provisionally ended. Cousins ​​is about to begin a successful radio career and is occasionally a solo album. Without Cousins ​​tries to keep alive Strawbs, which does not succeed. Lambert and Cronk do go into the studio, but the result is not until 2007, as a kind collector's item: Touch the Earth .
 * MK16 june / juli1980: Lambert, Cronk, Roy Hill, Richards, Fernandez, Willoughby, John Knightsbridge from Illusion and Bimbo Acock (sax).

After 1980
Only in 1985 there is a new album Don't Say Goodbye and tries in vain again. Only the hardy fans still continue to follow Strawbs; the remainder is dropped. So occasionally come there albums and toured one per row in varying combinations. A revival in interest in the symphonic rock Strawbs gives the opportunity to continue as a kind of hobby band go. The Strawbs is an acoustic version, The Acoustic Strawbs, also touring, but it all does not have much more to the body. If true apotheosis list is made ​​up: A Taste of Strawbs, with recordings lie or alternate shots. It is funded in 500 copies for subscription by the fans, who want to have the album; a successful concept that Marillion also sometimes used. This financing used the band back in 2008 with the publication of The Broken Hearted Bride . To promote the album for the synthesizers Oliver Wakeman attracted the son of . He also plays on the 2009 -album Dancing To The Devil's Beat

Singles

 * "Oh How She Changed" ·
 * "The Man Who Called Himself Jesus" ·
 * "Forever" ·
 * "Benedict" ·
 * "Here It Comes" ·
 * "Lay Down" ·
 * " Part of the Union "·
 * "Shine on Silver Sun" ·
 * "Hero and Heroine" ·
 * "Hold on to Me (The Winter Long)" ·
 * 'Grace Darling' ·
 * "Lemon Pie" ·
 * "I Only Want My Love to Grow on You" ·
 * "Charmer" ·
 * "Back in the Old Routine" ·
 * "Keep on Trying" ·
 * "Heartbreaker" ·
 * "Joey and Me" ·
 * "New Beginnings" ·
 * "I Do not Want To Talk About It" ·
 * "The King" ·
 * "Alice's Song"

Studio Albums

 * All Our Own Work
 * Strawberry Music Sampler No. 1
 * Strawbs
 * Dragonfly
 * From the Witchwood
 * Grave New World (album) and Grave New World (movie)
 * Bursting at the Seams
 * Hero and Heroine
 * Ghosts
 * Nomad Ness
 * Deep Cuts
 * Burning for You
 * Deadlines
 * Heartbreak Hill
 * Touch the Earth (Strawbs without Cousins)
 * Do not Say Goodbye
 * Ringing Down the Years
 * Blue Angel
 * Déjà fou
 * The Broken Hearted Bride (2008)
 * Dancing to the Devil's Beat (2009)
 * Live at the BBC: Volume One: In Session (2010)
 * Live at the BBC: Volume Two: In Concert (2010)
 * Hero and Heroine in Ascencia (2011)

Live Albums

 * Recollection
 * Just a Collection of Antiques and Curios
 * Strawbs in Concert
 * Strawbs Concert Classics
 * Strawbs Live in New York 75
 * Strawbs Greatest Hits Live!
 * The Complete Strawbs (Chiswick '98 Live) ·
 * Strawbs Live at NEARfest
 * Lay Down With Strawbs
 * Strawbs 40th anniversary celebration Vol. 1: Strawberry Fayre (2009 reunion concert)

Acoustic Strawbs

 * Baroque & Roll
 * Full Bloom
 * Painted Sky
 * Acoustic Gold - 2011

DVDs

 * Acoustic Strawbs Live in Toronto
 * Strawbs Live in Tokyo 75 DVD, plus Grave New World, the movie ·
 * The Complete Strawbs : The Chiswick House Concert
 * Acoustic Strawbs - Live at Hampton Court ( 2009 )

Box

 * A Taste of Strawbs

Bootleg

 * Heroes are forever ( Italy )