Strawbs
Rod Coombes - Lulu's backing band the Luvvers was Rod's professional debut, followed by a stint with the Jeff Beck Band at the time of the hit "Hi Ho Silver Lining". He next worked in experimental jazz rock before joining Juicy Lucy in 1970. Onwards to Gerry Rafferty's Stealers Wheel for one album, including the hit "Stuck In The Middle With You". Joining Strawbs in Autumn 1973 as Cousins and Lambert rebuilt the band for Hero and Heroine, Coombes is said to have contributed much to the mid 70s band's arrangements, as well as a song for each album (his Ghosts contribution appeared as the b-side to "Grace Darling" but appears on the CD re-issue). He left the band after 1977's Burning For You.
Rod returned to add drums to a couple of tracks on Blue Angel, then toured with the electric Hero And Heroine line-up in North America and the UK in 2004/2005. Lyndsay Cooper - Experimental jazz influenced cellist and double bassist, who joined briefly to replace Claire Deniz, moving over to bass when Ron Chesterman also left. Played the oddest Strawbs gig on record at Rock'n'Roll Circus in Paris in April 1970 with newly-joined Rick Wakeman, where the band backed the circus acts, but left shortly after as Hudson and Ford were recruited for the classic 1970-71 line-up. Dave Cousins - Dave and Tony Hooper met at school in West London back in the mists of time. They started playing together, first as the short-lived Gin Bottle Four, later as the Strawberry Hill Boys (from which the Strawbs emerged sometime in late 1967/early 1968). Renowned in the mid 60s as the fastest UK banjo-picker around, Dave's own haunting compositions began to displace the bluegrass/ traditional material, and he developed a well-respected guitar playing style with a series of unusual guitar tunings which complemented them to perfection. Dave is undoubtedly the heart and soul of the Strawbs - as songwriter, front man and lead singer - and he has led the band throughout their many changes: from the early days through folk-rock with a progressive flavour, to the fully fledged rock band they are today. His complex epic songs are the cornerstone of the Strawbs' appeal both in the 70s and today - delivered in his inimitable vocal style with acoustic guitar accompaniment over a keyboard and rock band backing. In the 1980s/1990s he combined a highly successful career in TV and local radio with his musical activities, both with the Strawbs and as a duo with Strawbs guitarist Brian Willoughby. He was the driving force behind the Strawbs' 1998 Chiswick 30th anniversary show, which sparked an series of annual electric tours in 1999-2001. From 2002 to 2004, he concentrated again on musical activity and performed with the two Strawbs guitarists, Lambert and Willoughby as Acoustic Strawbs; in 2004 Willoughby was replaced by in the Acoustic line-up by Strawbs graduate Chas Cronk. And 2004 saw the revival of the electric line-up, in both its UK and US formats. Chas Cronk - As a sessions musician, Chas was responsible for getting Rick Wakeman his first session gig. He played in Philip Goodhand-Tait touring band and on Wakeman's Six Wives sessions. He joined Strawbs in Autumn 1973 for Hero and Heroine, and from Deep Cuts onwards, he forged a songwriting partnership with Dave Cousins until the dissolution of the band in 1980. Since then, Chas has played in various bands including the Steve Hackett Band, most notably forming Cry No More with Roy Hill - a band with a fiercely loyal local following even today in the Strawbs' West London heartland and which scored a hit in Germany with "Oh Sharon". Chas has now returned to the Strawbs in both acoustic and electric formats. Rod Demick - A former member of Wheels and pub-rockers Bees Make Honey, Rod was for many years bass player in David Essex's band before joining Strawbs to replace John Ford on bass in 1985. A prime mover in Strawbs' offshoot Turkey Leg Johnson, Rod made a first solo CD, Straight To The Heart and these days performs in various London-based bands, particularly Paul King and the King Snakes. Sandy Denny - A regular around the London folk scene in the mid 60s folk boom, where Dave Cousins heard her perform and, according to legend, asked her there and then to join his band. She travelled with them to Denmark, where they recorded an album's worth of soft folk-rock material in a recording studio based in a cinema. When the tapes failed quickly to find a record deal, Sandy went her own way, with a flourishing solo career taking off under Alex Campbell's patronage, and subsequently folk-rock superstardom with Fairport Convention and her own band Fotheringay. In the mid 70s, she was several times voted Top Female Vocalist in the music press. The Copenhagen tapes were later released on vinyl in 1973 (All Our Own Work) and on CD in 1991 (Sandy And The Strawbs). She died tragically in April 1978, prompting Dave's heartfelt classic "Ringing Down The Years". Claire Deniz - Principal cellist with Sadlers Wells, Claire joined the band between August and December 1969 to record the acoustic Dragonfly album which prominently features her accomplished cello playing. Sadly she had left the band to return to Sadlers Wells before the album was released and the band moved on into its Wakeman period. She also contributed cello to Ghosts. Tony Fernandez - Joining Strawbs in 1977, Fernandez played on Deadlines and the frustratingly unreleased (until 1995) Heartbreak Hill album before the band collapsed in July 1980. He plays on many of former Strawb Rick Wakeman's albums. John Ford - John's single debut was "Mistletoe Love" in 1964 with Jaymes Fenda and the Vulcans. He formed a long-term partnership with Hud which lasted through the Five Proud Walkers, Velvet Opera, Strawbs, Hudson Ford, The Monks and High Society and then back with the reformed Strawbs until he moved permanently to the US to live in 1985. "Heavy Disguise" was his notable contribution to Grave New World - a live favourite in later years. He co-wrote "Part Of The Union" with Hud and was mainly responsible for the Hudson Ford hits "Burn Baby Burn" and "Floating In The Wind". These days John works as either a solo artist or with a band in the New York area and has produced three excellent solo CDs of new material - Love Is A Highway, Heading For A High and Natural High and in 2004 a further CD Backtracking where he has re-recorded a range of his material. John Hawken - Joined the Nashville Teens in the early 60s, who backed Chuck Berry on his first UK tour and climbed the charts with "Tobacco Road". He next joined Jim McCarthy and Keith Relf's original Renaissance, then played in Spooky Tooth, Third World War and Vinegar Joe. Initially not very familiar with electronic instruments, on joining Strawbs in Autumn 1973 he contributed much to the big, gothic, mellotron-laden sound of the Hero and Heroine/Ghosts period much loved by North American fans, by then the Strawbs' main market. Leaving in Summer 1975, he regrouped with original Renaissance members in Illusion, before crossing the Atlantic to escape the onslaught of punk; he now lives in New Jersey. In 2001 he recorded again with Relf, McCarty and Cennamo as Renaissance Illusion, and, after a taster via an encore at a New Jersey acoustic gig, he stepped back behind the keyboard in 2004 and 2005 for the Hero and Heroine band tours, where we discovered he is an adept cartonist. Roy Hill - After he supported the Strawbs on their 1978 Deadlines tour, Chas Cronk and Tony Fernandez joined up with the Roy Hill Band to tour whilst Dave and Brian toured the folk clubs on their first duo tour in 1979. When Dave Cousins left the Strawbs, Roy brought saxophonist Bimbo Acock and guitarist John Knightsbridge from his band to join Cronk, Fernandez, Brian Willoughby and Andy Richards in the only Strawbs line-up without Dave - and probably the shortest-lived: two gigs only in July 1980. Later in the 1980s he formed Cry No More with Chas, recording several albums: the duo continue to perform a handful of gigs each year for their fans. Roy has begun to record solo material again. Tony Hooper - The other original Strawb, Tony played with the band from its earliest days up till 1972 when, uncomfortable with the trend away from folk-rock to out and out rock, he left after their first American tour. Contributing several songs towards the early Strawbs albums, the Cousins/Hooper vocal harmonies were a trademark of the early folk band. After trying his hand at record production, Tony has had a second career in publishing, which releases him from time to time for Strawbs activities - he rejoined the line-up for the Cambridge Folk Festival in 1983, staying with them for 10 years until after the 25th anniversary tour in 1993. Richard Hudson - After playing drums in North London bands, Hud ended up alongside John Ford in the Five Proud Walkers (soon renamed Elmer Gantry's Velvet Opera). The Opera released two albums and various singles before disbanding and Hud moved with John in May 1970 to join the Strawbs in time for their QEH concert, Hud originally was to play percussion only, but quickly moved back to a full drum kit. He contributed songs to several Strawbs albums, the best known being the Ford/Hudson composition "Part Of The Union". After Strawbs, he switched to guitar to front Hudson-Ford, again with John, and the duo quickly scored chart success with "Pick Up The Pieces" and went on to produce three albums for A&M. After dabbling with disco in the latter days of Hudson-Ford, the duo switched genres to punk as the Monks, again charting with "Nice Legs, Shame About The Face" and 1930s-style vocal harmony as High Society, in both cases with Terry Cassidy, who used to double as Strawbs' indefatigable sound man. He returned to the Strawbs for the Cambridge Folk Festival and has been a stalwart of the UK line-up ever since. Hud these days is concentrating on the revived High Society outfit, and plays with many varied bands in London and the South-East. Robert Kirby - A long-time Strawbs associate who arranged tracks for Grave New World, Bursting At The Seams and Ghosts, and was one of two sessions keyboard players recruited after Hawken left in 1975 to record and tour. Robert contributed strings to the 2001 Acoustic Strawbs album "Baroque & Roll" and recently arranged a CD of rare Nick Drake material to critical acclaim and commercial success. John Knightsbridge - Only briefly a Strawb, joining with Roy Hill for the two gigs after Cousins' resignation in 1980. Sonja Kristina - A few gigs with the Strawbs after Sandy Denny split. Later lead vocalist with Curved Air. Has released various solo CDS and as at 2005 performs in a duo called Mask. Dave Lambert - Dave started out in three piece Fire, with an Apple Publishing deal and a Decca contract to their name, who recorded one of the most collectable records around - the concept-based Magic Shoemaker album. After an acoustic period - he played a number of duo gigs with Dave Cousins - in 1971 he joined the King-Earl Boogie Band, whose album was produced by Cousins at the Manor at more or less the same time as Dave's own solo album Two Weeks Last Summer in 1972, on which Lambert guested. Dave's Townshend-influenced approach matched with Cousins' aspirations for rock stardom, and Lambert joined the band in September 1972 in time for "Lay Down". After the 1973 split, Lambert helped Cousins reform the band and the blend of their two differing vocal styles became a trademark of mid 70s Strawbs. A consummate lead guitarist, Lambert left the band at the beginning of the sessions for Heartbreak Hill in 1978 to pursue his own solo career, issuing one album Framed, which, disappointingly, was never released in the UK. For many years Lambert taught guitar in his beloved Kent, and rejoined the Strawbs again for the Chiswick extravaganza. After Chiswick, Lambert rejoined the band permanently, blending powerfully with Brian Willoughby's guitar work, whether in electric or acoustic mode. Dave produced a solo album, Work In Progress, in 2004. John Mealing - Formerly with jazz-rockers If, Mealing with Robert Kirby supported the band on keyboards between 1975 (when John Hawken left the band) and 1978. Chris Parren - Keyboard player in the Hudson Ford band, when Blue Weaver was unavailable for the reformed Strawbs' tours in the mid 80s, Parren was a natural choice as replacement. He contributed to both the Don't Say Goodbye and Ringing Down The Years albums, and left in 1993 to work full-time in the Rocky Horror Show. Arthur Phillips - Early recruit to the Strawberry Hill Boys, Phillips was a mandolin-player with transport - an attractive combination in those long ago halcyon days. Andy Richards - Another classically-trained import for the Strawbs, joining after Deadlines in early 1978, in time for the tour which followed. The first permanent keyboard player in the band since John Hawken, he remained with the band until its 1980 dissolution, when he went on to find substantial success as a record producer. Adam Wakeman - A chip off the old block, Adam helped the band out at Chiswick, depping for John Hawken who was unavailable, and again in 2000 for Blue. These days he pounds the keys for Travis. Rick Wakeman - From dance band to sessions king to rock superstar, Rick catapulted to fame in a very short time, his first break being the Queen Elizabeth Hall showpiece concert of the new look electrified Strawbs, which he joined in March 1970. Touted as the new keyboard superstar, he left to join Yes in July 1971, shortly after the From The Witchwood album was released, also carving out a successful solo career with countless albums to his credit, with his first - The Six Wives of Henry VIII - also featuring pals Cousins, Lambert and Cronk. He recorded a new album with Dave Cousins in 2002 - Hummingbird - and is reported to be keen to do another.... Blue Weaver - Founder member of teeny-bopper band Amen Corner, Blue has probably had more pop chart success than any other Strawb: after several hits with the Corner, he went on to join progressive offshoot Fairweather, which also hit the charts with "Natural Sinner" before joining the Strawbs for their chart-busting period - Grave New World to Bursting At The Seams. After the Strawbs fragmented in June 1973, Blue ended up with Mott The Hoople and the Bee Gees, neither band being any stranger to pop success. He rejoined the band when it reformed in 1983, but was replaced by Chris Parren during the later 80s, rejoining in late 1993 after Don Airey's departure. He played mellotron at Chiswick, courtesy of Streetley Electronics, and has played with the electric band since its' reformation in 1999, with Adam Wakeman filling in when, owing to his wife's illness, Blue was unable to travel. He returned to the UK line up for 2004's brief tour. Paul Wiffen - For one gig only, playing lead guitar along with the unusual line up of Cousins, Cronk, Hudson and Weaver at Melton Mowbray in 1994. Paul is a regular contributor to music technology magazine Sound On Sound. Brian Willoughby - Brian has played guitar for a wide variety of folk and pop stars, including Maureen Kennedy-Martin, Mary Hopkin, Roger Whittaker, New World. He joined Dave Cousins for an acoustic jaunt round the folk clubs in 1979 and the duo continued to perform throughout the 80s and 90s. Brian joined the Strawbs when they regrouped later that year for the Port Rush Festival and has delivered tasty lead guitar ever since, contributing two co-written songs to Ringing Down The Years. Dave and Brian's acoustic duo became three when Dave Lambert joined to form the Acoustic Strawbs. Brian left Acoustic and Electric Strawbs in 2004 to concentrate on his career outside the Strawbs.Brian had released a solo CD Black & White in 1998, a mainly acoustic outing with vocals by Cathryn Craig and Mary Hopkin, and completed a second with Cathryn Craig - I Will, released in March 2002, which reflects the material they play on their lengthy tours of the UK folk scene. Having built up a loyal folowing in the UK, the duo also intend to begin touring in the US. In 2005, Craig & Willoughby released a powerful peace song "Rumours Of Rain" which involved the great and good of the folk world, and Brian released a critically acclaimed solo instrumental set, Fingers Crossed.
