The Bevis Frond
Encyclopedia
The Bevis Frond is a British
musical group whose range covers hard edge to melancholy vintage indie rock
to poetic, "classic-rock" songcraft with a thick Walthamstow
accent. Nick Saloman is the band's frontman and songwriter. They have recorded many single and albums out on various independent labels.
/Wipers
/Byrds
sound but with a distinctly British feel." Subsequent albums were also recorded in a home studio and released on Woronzow until 1988, when he signed a deal with Reckless Records for the UK and USA. All the early albums were finally re-released on CD and Reckless financed the recording and release of his sixth album, Any Gas Faster, using a professional studio for the first time, reuniting him with Drummer Martin Crowley. This is also the point that he began touring. Another 1990 album, Magic Eye, was a collaboration with Twink
of the Pink Fairies
. In 1990 he returned to the studio to record his next album, New River Head, which featured guest musicians including Barry Dransfield and David Tibet. The next year he recorded London Stone, but Reckless were less than happy with the album, and in the ensuing friction, Nick decided to release the Album on Woronzow again. All his subsequent albums have appeared on Woronzow.
Prolific as ever, Nick continued to release albums regularly until the release of Hit Squad in 2004. A couple of years earlier he signed a deal with Past and Present in the UK and Rubric Records in the US and most of the early albums were remastered and re-released with bonus tracks. This initiative faltered after a couple of years, and all the early albums up to and including London Stone were re-released (Except Any Gas Faster).
In February 2010, a download site was set up for the Bevis Frond. The aim of this project is to make all the Bevis Frond material available for download in the best possible quality, and to make digitally available unreleased tracks and vinyl only tracks from throughout Saloman's career. Recent additions include all the studio sessions by the Von Trap Family. This project was completed in September 2010.
Early albums were usually entirely recorded by Saloman, although most later albums have been recorded by the contemporary touring band. For performances, the Bevis Frond usually has Adrian "Ade" Shaw on bass. Bevis Frond material is typically released on Woronzow Records label
, and is frequently featured in the Ptolemaic Terrascope
magazine and accompanying records and CDs. The Bevis Frond also record with and write much of the material for US singer Mary Lou Lord
. The song "Lights Are Changing" was chosen for inclusion on Children of Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the Second Psychedelic Era, 1976–1995.
After seven years without the appearance of new material, The Bevis Frond released a new album, The Leaving of London, on October 10th, 2011. Recorded at Golddust Studios, it features a new drummer, Dave Pearce, formerly of Woronzow artists Psycho's Mum, along with regular contributors Adrian Shaw and Paul Simmons. Live shows in Europe and the UK to promote the album are scheduled for late 2011 and early 2012.
's game show Countdown
. He, other than pro footballer Neil MacKenzie
is probably the nearest the show has come to having a 'celebrity' as a contestant outside of the occasional deliberate celebrity editions of the game. Nick has long hair
. He is a supporter of Queen's Park Rangers F.C.
The Recording and Touring Band has included at various times:
In addition, Nick has also released three Bevis Frond CDs that were made available exclusively to the Yahoo! Bevis Frond community group. These CDs, titled Valedictory Demos, The Long Ones, and Clocks, were packed full of demos and unreleased songs.
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...
musical group whose range covers hard edge to melancholy vintage indie rock
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
to poetic, "classic-rock" songcraft with a thick Walthamstow
Walthamstow
Walthamstow is a district of northeast London, England, located in the London Borough of Waltham Forest. It is situated north-east of Charing Cross...
accent. Nick Saloman is the band's frontman and songwriter. They have recorded many single and albums out on various independent labels.
Information
Saloman was originally in a band known as the Bevis Frond Museum in the late 1960s and in the 1970s whilst at college he played guitar with a duo called Oddsocks, they released one album, Men of the Moment. In 1979 he formed a band called the Von Trap Family, who released the first single on his own Woronzow Records label. The early Von Trap Family recordings, comprising three sessions, were released on the Bevis Frond Bandcamp site for the first time in May 2010. The next release on Woronzow was in 1982, a 12" single by Room 13 with Saloman on guitar and future Bevis Frond drummer Martin Crowley. After Room 13 reached the end of its natural life, Nick Saloman had a bad motorbike accident, which left him with a constriction of movement in his left arm. True to form, he had the arm set so that he could continue playing guitar. With the proceeds from a damages claim he bought a 4 track recorder and recorded some music which he decided to press as a limited release of 250 albums, more for the sake of just releasing an album than anything else. He was very surprised when Funhouse records in Kent phoned him up and asked for a couple of hundred copies as they'd been selling the album quite briskly. Saloman's desire was to "record the kind of music I'd like to listen to… I wanted a HendrixJimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
/Wipers
Wipers
The Wipers were a punk rock group formed in Portland, Oregon in 1977 by guitarist Greg Sage, drummer Sam Henry and bassist Dave Koupal. Wipers were one of the earliest American purveyors of the genre, and the group's tight song structure and use of heavy distortion has been hailed as extremely...
/Byrds
The Byrds
The Byrds were an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles, California in 1964. The band underwent multiple line-up changes throughout its existence, with frontman Roger McGuinn remaining the sole consistent member until the group disbanded in 1973...
sound but with a distinctly British feel." Subsequent albums were also recorded in a home studio and released on Woronzow until 1988, when he signed a deal with Reckless Records for the UK and USA. All the early albums were finally re-released on CD and Reckless financed the recording and release of his sixth album, Any Gas Faster, using a professional studio for the first time, reuniting him with Drummer Martin Crowley. This is also the point that he began touring. Another 1990 album, Magic Eye, was a collaboration with Twink
Twink (musician)
John Charles Alder , better known as Twink, is an English drummer, singer and songwriter who was a central figure in the English psychedelic movement, and an actor.-Early life and career:...
of the Pink Fairies
Pink Fairies
Pink Fairies were an English rock band active in the London underground and psychedelic scene of the early 1970s. They promoted free music, drug taking and anarchy and often performed impromptu gigs and other agitprop stunts, such as playing for free outside the gates at the Bath and Isle of Wight...
. In 1990 he returned to the studio to record his next album, New River Head, which featured guest musicians including Barry Dransfield and David Tibet. The next year he recorded London Stone, but Reckless were less than happy with the album, and in the ensuing friction, Nick decided to release the Album on Woronzow again. All his subsequent albums have appeared on Woronzow.
Prolific as ever, Nick continued to release albums regularly until the release of Hit Squad in 2004. A couple of years earlier he signed a deal with Past and Present in the UK and Rubric Records in the US and most of the early albums were remastered and re-released with bonus tracks. This initiative faltered after a couple of years, and all the early albums up to and including London Stone were re-released (Except Any Gas Faster).
In February 2010, a download site was set up for the Bevis Frond. The aim of this project is to make all the Bevis Frond material available for download in the best possible quality, and to make digitally available unreleased tracks and vinyl only tracks from throughout Saloman's career. Recent additions include all the studio sessions by the Von Trap Family. This project was completed in September 2010.
Early albums were usually entirely recorded by Saloman, although most later albums have been recorded by the contemporary touring band. For performances, the Bevis Frond usually has Adrian "Ade" Shaw on bass. Bevis Frond material is typically released on Woronzow Records label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
, and is frequently featured in the Ptolemaic Terrascope
Ptolemaic Terrascope
Ptolemaic Terrascope is a magazine covering old and new music, usually of a psychedelic nature. It has been published irregularly since 1989...
magazine and accompanying records and CDs. The Bevis Frond also record with and write much of the material for US singer Mary Lou Lord
Mary Lou Lord
Mary Lou Lord is an indie folk musician, busker and recording artist.-Biography:Mary Lou Lord first gained notice playing acoustic guitar and singing in and around Boston's subway stations Lord became friends with...
. The song "Lights Are Changing" was chosen for inclusion on Children of Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the Second Psychedelic Era, 1976–1995.
After seven years without the appearance of new material, The Bevis Frond released a new album, The Leaving of London, on October 10th, 2011. Recorded at Golddust Studios, it features a new drummer, Dave Pearce, formerly of Woronzow artists Psycho's Mum, along with regular contributors Adrian Shaw and Paul Simmons. Live shows in Europe and the UK to promote the album are scheduled for late 2011 and early 2012.
Personal life
In 1991, Nick Saloman was a contestant on the UK television station Channel 4Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
's game show Countdown
Countdown (game show)
Countdown is a British game show involving word and number puzzles. It is produced by ITV Studios and broadcast on Channel 4. It is presented by Jeff Stelling, assisted by Rachel Riley, with regular lexicographer Susie Dent. It was the first programme to be aired on Channel 4, and over sixty-five...
. He, other than pro footballer Neil MacKenzie
Neil MacKenzie
Neil David MacKenzie is an English football midfielder who plays for St Neots Town in the Southern Football League Division One Central....
is probably the nearest the show has come to having a 'celebrity' as a contestant outside of the occasional deliberate celebrity editions of the game. Nick has long hair
Long hair
Long hair is a hairstyle. Exactly what constitutes long hair can change from culture to culture, or even within cultures. For example, a woman with chin-length hair in some cultures may be said to have short hair, while a man with the same length of hair in some of the same cultures would be said...
. He is a supporter of Queen's Park Rangers F.C.
Personnel
The Bevis Frond is essentially Nick Saloman - Guitar, Bass, Drums, Keyboards and VocalsThe Recording and Touring Band has included at various times:
- Adrian Shaw (bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
) - Bari Watts (guitarGuitarThe 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...
) - Ric Gunther (drums)
- Paul Simmons (guitarGuitarThe 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...
) - Rod Goodway (guitar, vocal) (born Rodney Goodway, 21 October 1946)
- Andy Ward (drums)
- Jules Fenton (drums)
- Martin Crowley (drums)
- Debbie Saloman (vocals)
- Dave Pearce (drums)
Albums
| Year | Album | Label | Additional information |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Miasma | Woronzow Records | |
| 1987 | Inner Marshland | Woronzow Records | |
| 1987 | Bevis Through the Looking Glass | Woronzow Records | |
| 1988 | Acid Jam | Woronzow Records | |
| 1988 | Triptych | Woronzow Records | |
| 1989 | Auntie Winnie Album | Reckless Records | |
| 1990 | Any Gas Faster | Reckless Records | |
| 1990 | Ear Song | Reckless Records | studio/live album |
| 1991 | Magic Eye | Woronzow Records | |
| 1991 | New River Head | Woronzow Records | |
| 1992 | A Gathering of Fronds | Reckless Records | |
| 1992 | London Stone | Woronzow Records | |
| 1993 | It Just Is | Woronzow Records | |
| 1994 | Sprawl (album) | Woronzow Records | |
| 1995 | Superseeder | Woronzow Records | |
| 1996 | Son of Walter | Flydaddy Records | |
| 1997 | North Circular | Flydaddy Records | |
| 1999 | Vavona Burr | Flydaddy Records | |
| 1999 | Live At The Great American Music Hall | Flydaddy Records | live album |
| 2000 | Valedictory Songs | Woronzow Records | |
| 2002 | What Did For The Dinosaurs | Woronzow Records | |
| 2004 | Hit Squad | Woronzow Records | |
| 2011 | The Leaving Of London | Woronzow Records |
In addition, Nick has also released three Bevis Frond CDs that were made available exclusively to the Yahoo! Bevis Frond community group. These CDs, titled Valedictory Demos, The Long Ones, and Clocks, were packed full of demos and unreleased songs.
Singles
- Sexorcist (1990) Clawfist (split with WalkingseedsWalkingseedsWalkingseeds were an alternative rock band from Liverpool, England, formed after the Mel-o-Tones split up in 1986.-History:Frank Martin , Bob Parker , and John Neesam had previously worked together in the Mel-o-Tones, who released a mini-LP and an EP on Liverpool label Probe Plus...
) - Snow EP (1991) Woronzow (free with Ptolemaic Terrascope magazine)
- High in a Flat (free with Bucketful of Brains magazine, split with Dream SyndicateDream SyndicateThe Dream Syndicate was an alternative rock band from Los Angeles, California active from 1981 to 1989. The band was associated with the Paisley Underground music movement.-History:...
) - Summer Holiday EP (1993) Woronzow
- Let's Live For Today (1994) Helter Skelter
- Dolly Bug (1995) Damaged Goods
- Little Town Pier (1997) Spare Me
- African Violet (b-side by The Steppes) (199?)
Related releases
Bevis Frond/Nick Saloman pseudonyms and collaborations:- The von Trapp Family - Brand New Thrill single (1980) Woronzow
- Room 13 - Murder Mystery single (1982) Woronzow
- Magic Muscle - Gulp album (1992) Woronzow
- Fred Bison Five - Beatroots album (1993) Woronzow
- Todd Dillingham & Nick Saloman - Art Into Dust CD (1993) Voiceprint
- Doctor Frond - Doctor Frond album (1998) Magic Gnome
- Country Joe McDonaldCountry Joe McDonaldCountry Joe McDonald is an American musician who was the lead singer of the 1960s psychedelic rock group Country Joe and the Fish.-Personal life:...
and The Bevis Frond - Eat Flowers and Kiss Babies album (1998) Woronzow - Scorched Earth - Fed To Your Head album (2001) Woronzow
- Mary Lou Lord - "Lights To Change" song from "Mary Lou Lord"
- Mary Lou Lord - "Baby Blue" album 2004 (Rubric Records) Writing and production credits, plus guitar bass and harp.
External links
- Fan Site
- Download Site
- http://www.trouserpress.com/entry.php?a=bevis_frond Thorough biography by Trouser PressTrouser PressTrouser Press was a rock and roll magazine started in New York in 1974 as a mimeographed fanzine by editor/publisher Ira Robbins, fellow Who fan Dave Schulps and Karen Rose under the name "Trans-Oceanic Trouser Press" ...
- Psychotropic Zone interview with Nick Saloman
- The Boston Phoenix music review of Nick Saloman
- Blurt interview with Nick Saloman Part 1
- Blurt interview with Nick Saloman Part 2
- Dusted Magazine feature on Nick Saloman
- Perfect Sound Forever interview with Nick Saloman
- Aural Innovations interview with Nick Saloman