Woolly Wolstenholme
Encyclopedia
Stuart John Wolstenholme, usually known as Woolly Wolstenholme (15 April 1947 – 13 December 2010) was vocalist and keyboard player with the British progressive rock band Barclay James Harvest
.
, Lancashire on 15 April 1947, and went to school at North Chadderton Secondary Modern. His first instrument was a tenor banjo, which he took up at the age of twelve, and he also played tenor horn for the Delph band. He met John Lees at Oldham School of Art and Woolly played tambourine and sang with John in The Sorcerers, then The Keepers, where Woolly played whatever instrument was required, such as harmonica and twelve-string guitar.
The pair then founded Barclay James Harvest
, together with Les Holroyd
and Mel Pritchard
, in 1967. Woolly taught himself keyboards, first the Mellotron
and then adapting to organ
, piano and synthesisers. His musical influences range from Love
and Vanilla Fudge
through Mahler to UK
and Radiohead
. Woolly remained with Barclay James Harvest until 1979, when he became frustrated and unhappy at the direction their music was taking.
He recorded a solo album, Mæstoso, in 1980, and toured as support to Judie Tzuke
and Saga
, as well as writing film and TV music. A projected second album, Black Box, was shelved and Woolly lost interest in the music business, preferring instead to farm, initially in Lancashire
and later in west Wales. Tapes from the sessions for his second album were finally issued in 1994, along with the complete Mæstoso album, as Songs From The Black Box.
Woolly returned to the music business in 1998 after meeting John Lees again, and this resulted in the Eagle Records
album Nexus credited to Barclay James Harvest Through The Eyes Of John Lees. The album was followed by live shows in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Greece and the UK, the first English concerts by any members of Barclay James Harvest for nine years, and Eagle released a live album called Revival. A studio follow-up with the working title North was planned and recording began at John's Friarmere Studios, but after only a few days the project was shelved because John felt that due to a number of factors, the timing was not right to do justice to a new album.
A new CD of the Black Box sessions with previously unreleased material (including a brand new demo) was released in February 2004 as Black Box Recovered, and a new studio set, One Drop In A Dry World, followed in May 2004. A short UK tour was planned to promote the CD, but in the event only one concert, at London's Mean Fiddler
, went ahead, on 12 May. The live set, including rarely heard BJH classics as well as Mæstoso material, was captured for posterity and released on a limited, warts and all live CD, Fiddling Meanly, released in February 2005. On 27 November 2004 Mæstoso played again in London, this time as support to Caravan
at the Bloomsbury Theatre. At this show John Lees also made a surprise guest appearance for two songs.
This proved to be one of Woolly's most creative periods, with another Mæstoso studio album, Grim, appearing in October 2005, and a brand new album, Caterwauling, released in November 2007. Most of the Maestoso band also found time between recording commitments to perform as part of John Lees' Barclay James Harvest, including a full-scale UK tour in October and November 2006.
Wolstenholme committed suicide on 13 December 2010, after a battle with mental illness.
Barclay James Harvest
Barclay James Harvest are an English progressive rock band. They were founded in Saddleworth, Lancashire, in September 1966 by John Lees, Les Holroyd, Stuart "Woolly" Wolstenholme , and Mel Pritchard .-History:...
.
Biography
Wolstenholme was born in ChaddertonChadderton
Chadderton is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham, in Greater Manchester, England, historically a part of Lancashire...
, Lancashire on 15 April 1947, and went to school at North Chadderton Secondary Modern. His first instrument was a tenor banjo, which he took up at the age of twelve, and he also played tenor horn for the Delph band. He met John Lees at Oldham School of Art and Woolly played tambourine and sang with John in The Sorcerers, then The Keepers, where Woolly played whatever instrument was required, such as harmonica and twelve-string guitar.
The pair then founded Barclay James Harvest
Barclay James Harvest
Barclay James Harvest are an English progressive rock band. They were founded in Saddleworth, Lancashire, in September 1966 by John Lees, Les Holroyd, Stuart "Woolly" Wolstenholme , and Mel Pritchard .-History:...
, together with Les Holroyd
Les Holroyd
This derivative of the band featured Les Holroyd and Mel Pritchard after the schism in the original band. Pritchard remained with the group until his death in February 2004...
and Mel Pritchard
Mel Pritchard
Mel Pritchard was the former drummer with the British progressive rock band, Barclay James Harvest.-Biography:Melvyn Paul Pritchard was born in Oldham, Lancashire, England...
, in 1967. Woolly taught himself keyboards, first the Mellotron
Mellotron
The Mellotron is an electro-mechanical, polyphonic tape replay keyboard originally developed and built in Birmingham, England in the early 1960s. It superseded the Chamberlin Music Master, which was the world's first sample-playback keyboard intended for music...
and then adapting to organ
Organ (music)
The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
, piano and synthesisers. His musical influences range from Love
Love (band)
Love was an American rock group of the late 1960s and early 1970s. They were led by singer/songwriter Arthur Lee and lead guitarist Johnny Echols...
and Vanilla Fudge
Vanilla Fudge
Vanilla Fudge is an American rock band. The band's original lineup – vocalist/organist Mark Stein, bassist/vocalist Tim Bogert, lead guitarist/vocalist Vince Martell, and drummer/vocalist Carmine Appice – recorded five albums during the years 1966–69, before disbanding in 1970...
through Mahler to UK
UK (band)
U.K. were a short-lived British progressive rock supergroup active from 1977 until 1980.The band was composed of Singer/Bassist John Wetton, formerly of King Crimson, Bryan Ferry's band and Uriah Heep, Keyboardist/Electric Violinist Eddie Jobson, formerly of Curved Air, Roxy Music and Frank Zappa's...
and Radiohead
Radiohead
Radiohead are an English rock band from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, formed in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke , Jonny Greenwood , Ed O'Brien , Colin Greenwood and Phil Selway .Radiohead released their debut single "Creep" in 1992...
. Woolly remained with Barclay James Harvest until 1979, when he became frustrated and unhappy at the direction their music was taking.
He recorded a solo album, Mæstoso, in 1980, and toured as support to Judie Tzuke
Judie Tzuke
Judie Tzuke is an English singer/songwriter. She is most well known for her 1979 hit "Stay With Me Till Dawn", which reached no.16 on the UK Singles Chart.-Early life:...
and Saga
Saga (band)
Saga is a progressive rock quintet, formed in Oakville, Ontario, Canada. Jim Crichton and Welsh-born vocalist Michael Sadler have been the principal songwriters for Saga. Ian Crichton is the band's guitarist; apart from his work with Saga, he has recorded several solo albums as well as sessions...
, as well as writing film and TV music. A projected second album, Black Box, was shelved and Woolly lost interest in the music business, preferring instead to farm, initially in 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...
and later in west Wales. Tapes from the sessions for his second album were finally issued in 1994, along with the complete Mæstoso album, as Songs From The Black Box.
Woolly returned to the music business in 1998 after meeting John Lees again, and this resulted in the Eagle Records
Eagle Records
Eagle Records is a leading independent record label, a division of Edel Records. Also exists as Eagle Rock Entertainment.In the United Kingdom the label's managing director is Lindsay Brown, former manager of Van Halen, while in the United States the head is Mike Carden, formerly of CMC...
album Nexus credited to Barclay James Harvest Through The Eyes Of John Lees. The album was followed by live shows in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Greece and the UK, the first English concerts by any members of Barclay James Harvest for nine years, and Eagle released a live album called Revival. A studio follow-up with the working title North was planned and recording began at John's Friarmere Studios, but after only a few days the project was shelved because John felt that due to a number of factors, the timing was not right to do justice to a new album.
A new CD of the Black Box sessions with previously unreleased material (including a brand new demo) was released in February 2004 as Black Box Recovered, and a new studio set, One Drop In A Dry World, followed in May 2004. A short UK tour was planned to promote the CD, but in the event only one concert, at London's Mean Fiddler
Mean Fiddler
The Astoria 2, subsequently known as the LA2 then the Mean Fiddler, was a nightclub at 165 Charing Cross Road in London, England.The venue was connected to the London Astoria such that the two venues could function as a single venue where needed...
, went ahead, on 12 May. The live set, including rarely heard BJH classics as well as Mæstoso material, was captured for posterity and released on a limited, warts and all live CD, Fiddling Meanly, released in February 2005. On 27 November 2004 Mæstoso played again in London, this time as support to Caravan
Caravan (band)
Caravan are an English band from the Canterbury area, founded by former Wilde Flowers members David Sinclair, Richard Sinclair, Pye Hastings and Richard Coughlan. Caravan rose to success over a period of several years from 1968 onwards into the 1970s as part of the Canterbury scene, blending...
at the Bloomsbury Theatre. At this show John Lees also made a surprise guest appearance for two songs.
This proved to be one of Woolly's most creative periods, with another Mæstoso studio album, Grim, appearing in October 2005, and a brand new album, Caterwauling, released in November 2007. Most of the Maestoso band also found time between recording commitments to perform as part of John Lees' Barclay James Harvest, including a full-scale UK tour in October and November 2006.
Wolstenholme committed suicide on 13 December 2010, after a battle with mental illness.
Discography
- Maestoso Polydor 1980 (Released twice on CD (once in 2000) and Remastered and Re-released in 2006) Brimstone Records, Eclectic Discs
- Songs From the Black box 1994 Voiceprint RecordsVoiceprint RecordsVoiceprint Records is a company and record label based in England, founded in 1990 by Rob Ayling. They specialise in re-releasing old material, especially progressive rock, but also have new releases, all under the Voiceprint and other imprints....
- One drop in a dry world 2004 Eclectic Discs
- Fiddling meanly 2004 Eclectic Discs
- Black Box Recovered 2004 Eclectic Discs
- Grim 2005 Eclectic Discs
- Caterwauling 2007 Esoteric RecordingsEsoteric RecordingsEstablished in 2007, Esoteric Recordings is a UK independent record label specialising in 70s progressive rock, folk, psychedelic and jazz-rock reissues as part of the Cherry Red Records umbrella of imprints...
(formerly Eclectic Discs) - Uneasy Listening 2009 Esoteric Recordings, Compilation