Spirogyra (band)
Encyclopedia
This article refers to the British folk band. For the American jazz fusion band, see Spyro Gyra
.
Spirogyra are a British
folk
/prog
band that recorded
three album
s between 1971 and 1973, with further original albums in 2009 and 2011.
) and Mark Francis originally formed Spirogyra as a duo
in Bolton
, Lancashire
in the summer of 1967, not to be confused with a similarly named 1980s American jazz group
.
When Martin went to the University of Kent
at Canterbury
in December 1969 he expanded the band to include fellow students Barbara Gaskin
(vocals), Steve Borrill (bass guitar
), and Julian Cusack (violin
). They were soon spotted by student union entertainments officer Max Hole, who offered to manage
them and got them a recording contract
with B&C Records. Their debut album, St. Radigunds, was named after the street that their student house was on. It established them as a cult act on the underground club circuit, and sold respectably. Its follow-up, 1972's Old Boot Wine, appeared on Peg Records and showcased a harder-edged sound than their predominantly acoustic
debut. After the release of Old Boot Wine, the band was pared back to the duo of Cockerham and Gaskin, who were by now romantically involved. Their final album, Bells, Boots and Shambles, appeared on Polydor
in April 1973 and sold poorly.
Widely regarded today as one of the classics of British 'acid folk', it featured guest appearances from the band's former members, as well as contributions from Henry Lowther
on trumpet
. Copies of all three albums are rare and expensive today. All three also appeared on Brain Records in Germany
, with gatefold sleeves (unlike their UK
counterparts). Dave Mattacks
of Fairport Convention
played drums on all three albums as a guest.
In March 1974 Spirogyra undertook their last tour, with Martin Cockerham (vocals and guitar), Barbara Gaskin (vocals and electric piano), Rick Biddulph (bass and guitars) and Jon Gifford (woodwinds). The new, rather experimental material was promising, but never made it on a fourth studio album. New titles were "The River", "Waves" and "Sea Song".
Cockerham lived abroad for many years but returned to England early in the new millennium. He began to issue privately new editions of old Spirogyra material and some previously unreleased work. He reunited with Mark Francis using their original Spirogyra name, and from 2004 to 2006 they recorded a new album which was finally released as a physical CD in 2009, entitled Children's Earth. At the same time another new album called Rainbow Empire, while officially a Martin Cockerham solo release, featured the same collaborations and is musically cognate. Both were made available, as are other releases, through his Rainbow Empire website, and were favourably reviewed in the Christmas 2009 edition of Record Collector
magazine.
On June 6th 2010 Spirogyra reunited for a 'A Pyschedelic evening with Spirogyra' at The Union Chapel Islington, hosted by Ron Brand and Tiffany Vivienne Brown of Ron Brand Management. The gig received positive reviews and Martin was well received amongst his long standing fans.
The duo of Cockerham and Francis, with several colleagues, combined for another Spirogyra album in 2011, calling it "Spirogyra 5". This album reunited Cockerham and the trumpeter Henry Lowther who had earlier contributed to the "Bells, Boots and Shambles" album.
Spyro Gyra
Spyro Gyra is an American jazz fusion band that was originally formed in the mid-1970s in Buffalo, New York, USA. With over 25 albums released and 10 million copies sold, they are among the most prolific as well as commercially successful groups of the genre...
.
Spirogyra are a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
/prog
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
band that recorded
Sound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
three album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
s between 1971 and 1973, with further original albums in 2009 and 2011.
History
Martin Cockerham (vocals/guitarGuitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
) and Mark Francis originally formed Spirogyra as a duo
Duet (music)
A duet is a musical composition for two performers. In classical music, the term is most often used for a composition for two singers or pianists; with other instruments, the word duo is also often used. A piece performed by two pianists performing together on the same piano is referred to as...
in Bolton
Bolton
Bolton is a town in Greater Manchester, in the North West of England. Close to the West Pennine Moors, it is north west of the city of Manchester. Bolton is surrounded by several smaller towns and villages which together form the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, of which Bolton is the...
, Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
in the summer of 1967, not to be confused with a similarly named 1980s American jazz group
Spyro Gyra
Spyro Gyra is an American jazz fusion band that was originally formed in the mid-1970s in Buffalo, New York, USA. With over 25 albums released and 10 million copies sold, they are among the most prolific as well as commercially successful groups of the genre...
.
When Martin went to the University of Kent
University of Kent
The University of Kent, previously the University of Kent at Canterbury, is a public research university based in Kent, United Kingdom...
at Canterbury
Canterbury
Canterbury is a historic English cathedral city, which lies at the heart of the City of Canterbury, a district of Kent in South East England. It lies on the River Stour....
in December 1969 he expanded the band to include fellow students Barbara Gaskin
Barbara Gaskin
Barbara Gaskin is a British singer who, with her musical partner, the keyboardist Dave Stewart, formed a duo in 1981. In September of that year they had a number one single in the UK with a cover version of the song "It's My Party"...
(vocals), Steve Borrill (bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
), and Julian Cusack (violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
). They were soon spotted by student union entertainments officer Max Hole, who offered to manage
Management
Management in all business and organizational activities is the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively...
them and got them a recording contract
Recording contract
A recording contract is a legal agreement between a record label and a recording artist , where the artist makes a record for the label to sell and promote...
with B&C Records. Their debut album, St. Radigunds, was named after the street that their student house was on. It established them as a cult act on the underground club circuit, and sold respectably. Its follow-up, 1972's Old Boot Wine, appeared on Peg Records and showcased a harder-edged sound than their predominantly acoustic
Acoustic music
Acoustic music comprises music that solely or primarily uses instruments which produce sound through entirely acoustic means, as opposed to electric or electronic means...
debut. After the release of Old Boot Wine, the band was pared back to the duo of Cockerham and Gaskin, who were by now romantically involved. Their final album, Bells, Boots and Shambles, appeared on Polydor
Polydor Records
Polydor is a record label owned by Universal Music Group, headquartered in the United Kingdom.-Beginnings:Polydor was originally an independent branch of the Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft. Its name was first used as an export label in 1924, the British and German branches of the Gramophone...
in April 1973 and sold poorly.
Widely regarded today as one of the classics of British 'acid folk', it featured guest appearances from the band's former members, as well as contributions from Henry Lowther
Henry Lowther
Henry Lowther may refer to:*Henry Lowther, 3rd Viscount Lonsdale *Henry Lowther, 3rd Earl of Lonsdale *Henry Lowther , British Conservative politician...
on trumpet
Trumpet
The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
. Copies of all three albums are rare and expensive today. All three also appeared on Brain Records in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, with gatefold sleeves (unlike their UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
counterparts). Dave Mattacks
Dave Mattacks
Dave Mattacks is a rock and folk drummer. Best known for his work with Fairport Convention, Mattacks has also worked both as a session musician, and as a performance artist...
of Fairport Convention
Fairport Convention
Fairport Convention are an English folk rock and later electric folk band, formed in 1967 who are still recording and touring today. They are widely regarded as the most important single group in the English folk rock movement...
played drums on all three albums as a guest.
In March 1974 Spirogyra undertook their last tour, with Martin Cockerham (vocals and guitar), Barbara Gaskin (vocals and electric piano), Rick Biddulph (bass and guitars) and Jon Gifford (woodwinds). The new, rather experimental material was promising, but never made it on a fourth studio album. New titles were "The River", "Waves" and "Sea Song".
Cockerham lived abroad for many years but returned to England early in the new millennium. He began to issue privately new editions of old Spirogyra material and some previously unreleased work. He reunited with Mark Francis using their original Spirogyra name, and from 2004 to 2006 they recorded a new album which was finally released as a physical CD in 2009, entitled Children's Earth. At the same time another new album called Rainbow Empire, while officially a Martin Cockerham solo release, featured the same collaborations and is musically cognate. Both were made available, as are other releases, through his Rainbow Empire website, and were favourably reviewed in the Christmas 2009 edition of Record Collector
Record Collector
Record Collector is the United Kingdom's longest-running monthly music magazine. It distributes both within the UK and worldwide. It started in 1979.-The early years:...
magazine.
On June 6th 2010 Spirogyra reunited for a 'A Pyschedelic evening with Spirogyra' at The Union Chapel Islington, hosted by Ron Brand and Tiffany Vivienne Brown of Ron Brand Management. The gig received positive reviews and Martin was well received amongst his long standing fans.
The duo of Cockerham and Francis, with several colleagues, combined for another Spirogyra album in 2011, calling it "Spirogyra 5". This album reunited Cockerham and the trumpeter Henry Lowther who had earlier contributed to the "Bells, Boots and Shambles" album.
Albums
- St. Radigunds - 1971
- Old Boot Wine - 1972
- Bells, Boots and Shambles - 1973
- Burn the Bridges - 1969-72
- Children's Earth - 2009
- Spirogyra 5 - 2011
Compilation albums
- We Were a Happy Crew - 1999 - Best of compilationCompilation albumA compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
- A Canterbury Tale - 2006 - 2 discDouble albumA double album is an audio album which spans two units of the primary medium in which it is sold, typically records and compact discs....
retrospective - Spirogyra Box Set Si Wan Records