Beau
Encyclopedia
Beau is a specialist twelve-string guitar
player who first became known in the late 1960s through his recordings for John Peel
's Dandelion Records label. He released two albums on Dandelion
- Beau (1969) and Creation (1971) which featured Jim Milne and Steve Clayton from Tractor as backing musicians on some tracks, plus the single "1917 Revolution" which had greater success abroad than it did in the UK. "1917 Revolution" is said to have been the inspiration for America's
"A Horse With No Name
".
His best known song however is probably "The Roses Of Eyam
" (written under the name of John Trevor) which folk singer Roy Bailey
took around the world and which he recorded on his Hard Times LP in 1985. This version was subsequently re-released on Bailey's Past Masters CD in 1998. Beau himself released the song officially for the first time as a bonus track on the 2007 UK reissue of the original Beau disc (Cherry Red
), and on the 2008 Japanese release of the same album (Airmail Recordings).
A CD of eighteen previously unissued songs - Edge Of The Dark - was issued on the Angel Air
label in 2009, followed in 2011 by the Cherry Red
download albums The Way It Was and Creation Recreated. The latter is a remastered, partially remixed and much expanded version of 1971’s Creation.
Beau has produced several hundred songs, and has also recorded under the names of John Trevor and Trevor Midgley. Though mostly known as a "folk" performer, his writing has also been strongly influenced by blues
and rock
. He co-wrote "WARHOL
- The Musical" with Steve Clayton of the band Tractor
.
Twelve string guitar
The twelve-string guitar is an acoustic or electric guitar with 12 strings in 6 courses, which produces a richer, more ringing tone than a standard six-string guitar...
player who first became known in the late 1960s through his recordings for John Peel
John Peel
John Robert Parker Ravenscroft, OBE , known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey, radio presenter, record producer and journalist. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly from 1967 until his death in 2004...
's Dandelion Records label. He released two albums on Dandelion
Dandelion Records
Dandelion Records was a British record label started in 1969 by the British DJ John Peel as a way to get the music he liked onto record. Peel was responsible for "artistic direction" and the commercial side was handled by Clive Selwood of Elektra Records and his wife Shurely...
- Beau (1969) and Creation (1971) which featured Jim Milne and Steve Clayton from Tractor as backing musicians on some tracks, plus the single "1917 Revolution" which had greater success abroad than it did in the UK. "1917 Revolution" is said to have been the inspiration for America's
America (band)
America is an English-American folk rock band that originally included members Gerry Beckley, Dewey Bunnell and Dan Peek. The three members were barely out of their teens when they became a musical sensation during 1972, scoring #1 hits and winning a Grammy for best new musical artist...
"A Horse With No Name
A Horse with No Name
“A Horse with No Name” is a song written by Dewey Bunnell and originally recorded by the band America. It was the band's first and most successful single, released in early 1972, topping the charts in several countries...
".
His best known song however is probably "The Roses Of Eyam
Eyam
Eyam is a small village in Derbyshire, England. The village is best known for being the "plague village" that chose to isolate itself when the plague was discovered there in August 1665, rather than let the infection spread...
" (written under the name of John Trevor) which folk singer Roy Bailey
Roy Bailey (folk singer)
Roy Bailey MBE , is a British socialist folk singer. Roy began his singing career in a skiffle group in 1958.Colin Irwin from the music magazine Mojo said Bailey represents "the very soul of folk's working class ideals.....
took around the world and which he recorded on his Hard Times LP in 1985. This version was subsequently re-released on Bailey's Past Masters CD in 1998. Beau himself released the song officially for the first time as a bonus track on the 2007 UK reissue of the original Beau disc (Cherry Red
Cherry Red
Cherry Red is a London-based independent record label formed in 1978.-History:Cherry Red grew from the rock promotion company founded in 1971 to promote rock concerts at the Malvern Winter Gardens...
), and on the 2008 Japanese release of the same album (Airmail Recordings).
A CD of eighteen previously unissued songs - Edge Of The Dark - was issued on the Angel Air
Angel Air
Angel Airlines, trading as Angel Air, was an airline based in Bangkok, Thailand, which was operational between 1997 and 2006.-Fleet:Over the years, Angel Airlines operated the following aircraft types:...
label in 2009, followed in 2011 by the Cherry Red
Cherry Red
Cherry Red is a London-based independent record label formed in 1978.-History:Cherry Red grew from the rock promotion company founded in 1971 to promote rock concerts at the Malvern Winter Gardens...
download albums The Way It Was and Creation Recreated. The latter is a remastered, partially remixed and much expanded version of 1971’s Creation.
Beau has produced several hundred songs, and has also recorded under the names of John Trevor and Trevor Midgley. Though mostly known as a "folk" performer, his writing has also been strongly influenced by blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
and rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
. He co-wrote "WARHOL
Andy Warhol
Andrew Warhola , known as Andy Warhol, was an American painter, printmaker, and filmmaker who was a leading figure in the visual art movement known as pop art...
- The Musical" with Steve Clayton of the band Tractor
Tractor (band)
Tractor is a band founded in Rochdale, Lancashire, England by guitarist/vocalist Jim Milne and drummer Steve Clayton in 1971. Both had been members of a beat group, The Way We Live since 1966. They are notable both for their appreciation by John Peel and Julian Cope, but also for their longevity...
.