It was with considerable excitement that I recently learned that the classic lineup of the Strawbs — one of my favorite bands from the seventies prog-rock era — would be heading out on tour this summer. You may recall me writing a bit about the Strawbs in a previous Rockologist column, where I talked about some of my favorite bands from those years who remain largely unknown or forgotten today.
Late last year, the Strawbs celebrated their twenty-fifth anniversary as a band by releasing A Taste Of Strawbs, a massive four-disc box set containing over five hours of Strawbs music. For those lucky enough to get their hands on one of the first thousand sets pressed, there is also a fifth disc containing rarities.
The Strawbs started out in the sixties as The Strawberry Hill Boys, a mostly acoustic English folk group in the same tradition as such Brit-folkies as Fairport Convention and Pentangle. However, by the seventies they had morphed into the more electric prog-rock oriented outfit the world came to know as The Strawbs.
The Strawbs songs back then — mostly written by the group's creative leader David Cousins — were often characterized by Cousins distinctly British, yet often gloomy world view. Consider for example, these decidedly apocalyptic lyrics, from the title track of the album Grave New World:
There is hate in your eyes,
I have seen it before.
Planning destruction behind the locked door,
Were you the coward who fired the last shot?
May you rot.
May you rot.
May you rot,
in your grave,
new world.
There is death in the air,I mean holy Armageddon, right? Somebody get this guy a chill-pill quick.
with the lights growing dim.
As those who survive,
sing a desperate hymn.
Pray that God grants you one final request,
May you rest.
May you rest.
May you rest,
in your grave,
new world.
But beyond all the gloom and doom of some of Cousins' lyrics (and in fairness, not all of his songs were that dark), many of the Strawbs songs were absolutely drenched in washes of choir-like vocals created by an instrument called the mellotron. A keyboard instrument that serves mainly to synthesize symphonic sounding things like strings and voices, today the mellotron has — sadly, in my opinion — mostly gone the way of that other staple of sixties and seventies rock, the wah-wah pedal.
Since keyboards, and the mellotron in particular, were central to the Strawbs sound, the band went through keyboard players like Spinal Tap goes through drummers. Some of the band's more celebrated alumni include Rick Wakeman, who went on to join Yes; and Blue Weaver who would tickle the ivories for the Bee Gees during the Saturday Night Fever years.
But it was neither of these guys who manned the keys in what I consider to be the classic lineup of the Strawbs. That man was John Hawken, and he is back touring this summer with that same lineup who produced such albums as the classic Hero And Heroine. That lineup also includes Cousins; guitarist/vocalist Dave Lambert; bassist Chas Cronk; and drummer Rod Coombes.
Article comments
1 - K Gersen
Actually, the Strawbs celebrated their thirtieth anniversary in 1998. That would make them 39 this year and 38 last year.
Great review, though!
2 - Glen Boyd
True. I got this information off of Amazon's overview for the box and took it to be accurate. But just tonight as I gave the booklet that comes with the set a more thorough read, I discovered that the band has in fact been together far longer. So I stand corrected and thank you for pointing it out. Glad you liked the review, and thanx for the comment.
-Glen
3 - Dave Rankine
I managed to catch the Strawbs twice in one year, just a few years ago - as an acoustic trio in London Ontario and then the classsic Hero and Heroine line up in Toronto. Both shows were glorious!
Having listened to them since the early 70's, I now realize what a massive impact they have had on my own music making. True, Dave Cousin's lyrics could be dark, but given the period, quite understandable (darkest moments of the Cold War). At the same time so many of their songs had a wonderful sense of transcendence to them.
I was always attracted to the underlying elements of trad. English Folk music that keep popping up - weird little rhythms that spoke of hop-step country dances. What an amazing fusion of traditional music and rock.
...and what an inspiration!
Dave
4 - Mike Souza
I have seen several incarnations of the Strawbs around 11 times in the past 4 years and will see them on Friday at the Regent. I first saw them as the third of three bands in Providence in 1974 or so (the other bands were Blue Oyster Cult and Rod Stewart if you can believe it!). This was the first show for their tour. I saw the last show a few months later in Boston where they were the opening act for ZZ Top (yes, ZZ Top). I've spoken with both Dave's at one of their acoustic shows in Easton Ma about thast show. They had a rather raucous party that actually started on stage with their last few songs. (My friend and I left about two songs into the ZZ Top show.) The Acoustic lineup with Brian W., Dave C. and Dave L. was really great. The lineup with Chas replacing Brian is even better. I saw the electric lineup (the one touring now as opposed to the English one that toured three years ago right after the present one toured the US and Canada. I saw them in Toronto (Hugh's room) sitting with Dick Greener. My wife and I were in the same hotel as the band and Dick (this actually also happened on Long Island and New York, a small world i'd say).The new album released two years ago by the present lineup is terrific with Dave's typical aversion for many variations of music. I also have one of the first of the compilation sets and it is also fantastic. Great for long car trips. I could go on and on, but suffice it to say that all versions of this band past and present never fail to put on great shows. By the way, the acoustic version toured your area twice a couple of years ago when their US booking agent was "Real Good Music" in Arizona(?).
5 - Andy L
I have been fan since just before Grave New World came out & I heard Benedictus on Alison Steele's show on WNEW. Rember getting on my.bike & picking up both From theWitchwood & Grave New World at platerpus records as 2 for $7. Been a fan ever since & have seen them live about a dozen times from Mid 70's on Long Island's Calderone & in NYC & continuing thru 2008 in Phili & DC (both acoustic & electric.
Also can relate to the inebriated youthful listenings with friends & I still keep some of those relationships based a lot on shared music taste.
The one thing I always loved was the way the wound NOT just reproduce the album on stage. Several equally amazing versions of Round & Round over the years.
Hopefully new generations will learn to appreciate this fine music. I have tried to expose various nieces with mixed results, but prog does seem more of a male loved genre.