Windsong (band)
Encyclopedia
Windsong were a British folk-rock band of the 1970s, best known as one of the groups in which Annie Lennox
was involved before becoming famous with The Tourists
and the Eurythmics
.
The group was founded by Frank Underwood
in London
in the early 1970s, and received much press exposure at that time. Gigs in the early days consisted mainly of wine bars and festivals. Its personnel varied during its two years, with Lennox involved during 1975 as singer and flute
player. A number of tracks were recorded at Chalk Farm Studios at this time, remembers Alida Hazelgrove who was a member of the band during its early period (tambourine
and triangle
).
entitled A Sampler seems eventually to have been released in July 1978 on the Tank record label
, incorporating the songs:
appears to encompass the following people:
While Lennox certainly appeared on demos
and private recordings of the band, it would seem from the sleeve listing that her involvement had ceased by the time of this public release.
September 1978
Annie Lennox
Annie Lennox, OBE , born Ann Lennox, is a Scottish singer-songwriter, political activist and philanthropist. After achieving minor success in the late 1970s with The Tourists, with fellow musician David A...
was involved before becoming famous with The Tourists
The Tourists
The Tourists were a British rock and pop band, but are better known for two of their members who went on to achieve great success as Eurythmics...
and the Eurythmics
Eurythmics
Eurythmics were a British pop rock duo, formed in 1980, currently disbanded, but known to reunite from time to time. Consisting of members Annie Lennox and David A...
.
The group was founded by Frank Underwood
Frank Underwood
Frank Underwood is a folk and blues musician, also known for work in the early music field, who presently lives and works in Oxfordshire.He was the leader of the 1970s band Windsong, which featured Annie Lennox prior to her involvement with The Tourists and fame with the Eurythmics...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in the early 1970s, and received much press exposure at that time. Gigs in the early days consisted mainly of wine bars and festivals. Its personnel varied during its two years, with Lennox involved during 1975 as singer and flute
Flute
The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
player. A number of tracks were recorded at Chalk Farm Studios at this time, remembers Alida Hazelgrove who was a member of the band during its early period (tambourine
Tambourine
The tambourine or marine is a musical instrument of the percussion family consisting of a frame, often of wood or plastic, with pairs of small metal jingles, called "zils". Classically the term tambourine denotes an instrument with a drumhead, though some variants may not have a head at all....
and triangle
Triangle (instrument)
The triangle is an idiophone type of musical instrument in the percussion family. It is a bar of metal, usually steel but sometimes other metals like beryllium copper, bent into a triangle shape. The instrument is usually held by a loop of some form of thread or wire at the top curve...
).
Discography
Although the band toured and performed widely, only one EPExtended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
entitled A Sampler seems eventually to have been released in July 1978 on the Tank record 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,...
, incorporating the songs:
- "What Colour is the Wind" (Underwood)
- "Summer Come Along" (Underwood)
- "Highway Song" (Underwood)
- "My Baby Keeps Staying Out All Night Long" (trad arr. Ralph McTellRalph McTellRalph McTell is an English singer-songwriter and acoustic guitar player who has been an influential figure on the UK folk music scene since the 1960s....
)
Personnel
The line-up on the recordingSound 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...
appears to encompass the following people:
- Frank Underwood (guitar, harmonica, vocals)
- Helene Winsor (violin)
- Paul Crew (keyboards, flute, oboe, cor anglais)
- Larry Barton (cello)
- Ian Anderson (bass)
While Lennox certainly appeared on demos
Demo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
and private recordings of the band, it would seem from the sleeve listing that her involvement had ceased by the time of this public release.
Further line-ups
August 1978- Frank Underwood, Kristine Anderson, Helene Winsor, Paul Crew, Larry Barton and Lenny Clarke.
September 1978
- Frank Underwood, Beverley Manning, Helene Winsor, Paul Crew, Lenny Clarke, Mike Haynes.