Rose Simpson
Encyclopedia
Rose Simpson was, between 1968 and 1971, a member of the Incredible String Band
, in which she played bass guitar, violin and percussion as well as singing. She later became Mayoress of the Welsh
town of Aberystwyth
.
She was born in Otley
, Yorkshire
, and by the mid-1960s was studying at The University of York, where she was president of the mountaineering club. She met Robin Williamson
and Mike Heron
in 1968 when the Incredible String Band were performing there, and travelled down to London with Williamson. However, according to the band's producer Joe Boyd
, "in the middle of the night she left Robin's sleeping bag, crawled in with Mike, and stayed with him for the next three years".
She soon began performing with the band. Boyd wrote :- "The day Robin proposed that Licorice
join the group, Mike went out and bought Rose an electric bass. 'Learn this,' he said, 'you're in the group now, too.'" She learned to play the bass so effectively that Steve Winwood
asked her to play on a track of his, which she declined. She also sang, played violin and percussion. After brief affairs with both Boyd and David Crosby
, she left the group in 1971, planning to take up sound engineering, but instead starting a family.
In 1994, as partner of Liberal Democrat
councillor
Bob Griffin, she took on the largely honorary role of Lady Mayoress of Aberystwyth
in Wales
, an event which received wide publicity. During that period of her life, she lived with Bob Griffin in the Welsh village of Llanon
, in a house on the main A487 coast road.
In 2003 she was reported as living contentedly in a cottage near Aberystwyth.
Incredible String Band
The Incredible String Band were a psychedelic folk band formed in Scotland in 1966. The band built a considerable following, especially within British counterculture, before splitting up in 1974...
, in which she played bass guitar, violin and percussion as well as singing. She later became Mayoress of the Welsh
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
town of Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth is a historic market town, administrative centre and holiday resort within Ceredigion, Wales. Often colloquially known as Aber, it is located at the confluence of the rivers Ystwyth and Rheidol....
.
She was born in Otley
Otley
-Transport:The main roads through the town are the A660 to the south east, which connects Otley to Bramhope, Adel and Leeds city centre, and the A65 to the west, which goes to Ilkley and Skipton. The A6038 heads to Guiseley, Shipley and Bradford, connecting with the A65...
, Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
, and by the mid-1960s was studying at The University of York, where she was president of the mountaineering club. She met Robin Williamson
Robin Williamson
Robin Williamson is a Scottish multi-instrumentalist musician, singer, songwriter and storyteller, who first made his name as a founder member of The Incredible String Band.-Career:...
and Mike Heron
Mike Heron
Mike Heron is a Scottish singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, best known for his work in the Incredible String Band in the 1960s and 1970s.-Career:...
in 1968 when the Incredible String Band were performing there, and travelled down to London with Williamson. However, according to the band's producer Joe Boyd
Joe Boyd
Joe Boyd is an American record producer and former owner of the Witchseason production company. Boyd was instrumental in launching the careers of Nick Drake, Fairport Convention, and The Incredible String Band.-Career:...
, "in the middle of the night she left Robin's sleeping bag, crawled in with Mike, and stayed with him for the next three years".
She soon began performing with the band. Boyd wrote :- "The day Robin proposed that Licorice
Licorice McKechnie
Christina 'Licorice' McKechnie was a singer and songwriter in the Incredible String Band between 1968 and 1972....
join the group, Mike went out and bought Rose an electric bass. 'Learn this,' he said, 'you're in the group now, too.'" She learned to play the bass so effectively that Steve Winwood
Steve Winwood
Stephen Lawrence "Steve" Winwood is an English international recording artist whose career spans nearly 50 years. He is a songwriter and a musician whose genres include soul music , R&B, rock, blues-rock, pop-rock, and jazz...
asked her to play on a track of his, which she declined. She also sang, played violin and percussion. After brief affairs with both Boyd and David Crosby
David Crosby
David Van Cortlandt Crosby is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. In addition to his solo career, he was a founding member of three bands: The Byrds, Crosby, Stills & Nash , and CPR...
, she left the group in 1971, planning to take up sound engineering, but instead starting a family.
In 1994, as partner of Liberal Democrat
Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
councillor
Councillor
A councillor or councilor is a member of a local government council, such as a city council.Often in the United States, the title is councilman or councilwoman.-United Kingdom:...
Bob Griffin, she took on the largely honorary role of Lady Mayoress of Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth is a historic market town, administrative centre and holiday resort within Ceredigion, Wales. Often colloquially known as Aber, it is located at the confluence of the rivers Ystwyth and Rheidol....
in Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, an event which received wide publicity. During that period of her life, she lived with Bob Griffin in the Welsh village of Llanon
Llanon
Llanon is a village in Ceredigion, Wales. It adjoins the village of Llansantffraed on the coast of Cardigan Bay, five miles north of Aberaeron and south of Aberystwyth on the A487 road. It is built on a raised beach....
, in a house on the main A487 coast road.
In 2003 she was reported as living contentedly in a cottage near Aberystwyth.