Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube
    Nostalgia Central
    • Home
    • Blog
      • Lists
    • Television
      • TV by Decade
        • TV – 1950s
        • TV – 1960s
        • TV – 1970s
        • TV – 1980s
        • TV – 1990s
      • Comedy
      • Drama
      • Kids TV
      • Variety
      • News & Sport
      • Advertisements
    • Music
      • Music by Decade
        • Music – 1950s
        • Music – 1960s
        • Music – 1970s
        • Music – 1980s
        • Music – 1990s
      • Artists – A to K
        • Artists – A
        • Artists – B
        • Artists – C
        • Artists – D
        • Artists – E
        • Artists – F
        • Artists – G
        • Artists – H
        • Artists – I
        • Artists – J
        • Artists – K
      • Artists – L to Z
        • Artists – L
        • Artists – M
        • Artists – N
        • Artists – O
        • Artists – P
        • Artists – Q
        • Artists – R
        • Artists – S
        • Artists – T
        • Artists – U
        • Artists – V
        • Artists – W
        • Artists – X
        • Artists – Y
        • Artists – Z
      • Artists – 0 to 9
      • Genres
      • Music on Film & TV
      • One-Hit Wonders
      • Playlists
      • Online Radio
    • Movies
      • Movies by Decade
        • Movies – 1950s
        • Movies – 1960s
        • Movies – 1970s
        • Movies – 1980s
        • Movies – 1990s
      • Movies – 0 to 9
      • Movies – A to K
        • Movies – A
        • Movies – B
        • Movies – C
        • Movies – D
        • Movies – E
        • Movies – F
        • Movies – G
        • Movies – H
        • Movies – I
        • Movies – J
        • Movies – K
      • Movies – L to Z
        • Movies – L
        • Movies – M
        • Movies – N
        • Movies – O
        • Movies – P
        • Movies – Q
        • Movies – R
        • Movies – S
        • Movies – T
        • Movies – U
        • Movies – V
        • Movies – W
        • Movies – X
        • Movies – Y
        • Movies – Z
    • Pop Culture
      • Fads
      • Toys & Games
      • Fashion
      • Decor
      • Food & Drink
      • People
      • Technology
      • Transport
    • Social History
      • 1950s Year by Year
      • 1960s Year by Year
      • 1970s Year by Year
      • 1980s Year by Year
      • 1990s Year by Year
      • Events
    Nostalgia Central
    Home»Music»Artists - L to Z»Artists - S
    Artists - S Music - 1970s 4 Mins Read

    Strawbs, The

    Share
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Reddit Email

    One of the better British progressive bands of the early 1970s, The Strawbs differed from their more successful compatriots (The Moody Blues, King Crimson, Pink Floyd etc) principally in that their sound originated in English folk music, rather than rock.

    Founded in 1967 as a bluegrass-based trio called The Strawberry Hill Boys by singer/guitarist Dave Cousins, the group at that time consisted of Cousins, guitarist/singer Tony Hooper and mandolin-player Arthur Philips, who was replaced in 1968 by Ron Chesterman on bass.

    That same year, the group – now rechristened The Strawbs – briefly became a quartet with the temporary addition of Sandy Denny, who stayed long enough to record a relative handful of tracks with the group on the Hallmark label before joining Fairport Convention.

    In 1969 The Strawbs were signed to A&M Records and recorded their first album, the acoustic-textured Strawbs. The LP was lavishly produced and dominated by Cousin’s mournful, droning voice.

    For their second album, Dragonfly (1970) the group broadened their sound with a group of session musicians, including pianist/organist Rick Wakeman.

    Soon after the release of their second album, the group became a full-fledged band with the addition not only of  Wakeman but also Richard Hudson and John Ford, on drums and bass, respectively.

    These changes, coupled with Cousins’ increasing dexterity on electric guitar, gave The Strawbs a much more powerful sound that was showcased on their next album. the live Just a Collection of Antiques and Curios (1970). The LP sold well and was followed up the next year with From The Witchwood.

    Wakeman left in 1971 to join Yes and was replaced by Blue Weaver – formerly of Amen Corner.

    Grave New World (1972) showed the band entering its strongest period, with Cousins’ songwriting augmented by the new prowess of the composing team of Hudson and Ford. The record became their best-selling album to date.

    strawbs_062

    Unfortunately, its release also heralded the exit of Tony Hooper, who was replaced by Dave Lambert – a more aggressive, rock-oriented guitarist. Lambert’s addition brought the group into its peak period.

    The Strawbs’ 1973 album, Bursting At The Seams, featured two Top Ten UK hits, Lay Down and Part Of The Union, and one album track, Down By The Sea, which racked up substantial airplay on American FM radio. It was all too good to last – and it didn’t.  Weaver departed after one more tour, while Hudson and Ford left to form Hudson-Ford, also signed to A&M.

    The Strawbs regrouped in 1974 with Hero and Heroine, recorded with a new line-up consisting of Cousins, Lambert, keyboardist John Hawken, bassist Chas Cronk, and drummer Rod Coombes. The new album was a critical and commercial failure in England but proved popular in America.

    Their next two albums, Ghosts (1975) and Nomadness (1976), both did better in the US than they did in the UK, but none of this was enough to sustain the group, who continued to lose members.

    Two more albums on the Oyster label were poorly distributed and received, and one album for Arista, Deadlines (1978), was a failure, while a second record for the label was never released.

    The group ceased to exist at the end of the 1970s, and Cousins embarked on some solo projects in association with guitarist Brian Willoughby.

    That might have been the end of the group’s history if it hadn’t been for an invitation to play the 1983 Cambridge Folk Festival. The Strawbs responded, in the guise of Cousins, Hooper, Hudson, Ford, Weaver and Willoughby, and the response was so favourable that a tour was scheduled, which, in turn, led to their return to America in the mid-80s.

    2004’s Déjà Fou saw a return to form which has thankfully continued. The Broken Hearted Bride (2008) merged their past ups and downs to pleasurable effect.

    Dave Cousins
    Vocals, guitar
    Tony Hooper
    Guitar, vocals
    Arthur Philips
    Mandolin
    Ron Chesterman
    Bass
    Sandy Denny
    Vocals
    Rick Wakeman
    Keyboards
    Richard Hudson
    Drums
    John Ford
    Bass
    Blue Weaver
    Keyboards
    Dave Lambert
    Guitar
    John Hawken
    Keyboards
    Chas Cronk
    Bass
    Rod Coombes
    Drums

    Video



    Related Posts

    • Sandra Barry
      Sandra Barry
      Sandra Alfred showed a talent for entertaining at an early…
    • Band Of Light
      Band Of Light
      Band of Light was a blues-based group formed in October…
    • Steeleye Span
      Steeleye Span
      With the exception of Fairport Convention, Steeleye Span were the most…
    • Brewers Droop
      Brewers Droop
      Brewers Droop formed around High Wycombe in 1971. They played…
    • Strawberry Alarm Clock, The
      Strawberry Alarm Clock, The
      Originally called The Sixpence, Strawberry Alarm Clock were a Californian…
    • Meal Ticket
      Meal Ticket
      Who would expect a Canadian actor to be working with…
    • Rick Wakeman
      Rick Wakeman
      An in-demand session musician, the classically trained pianist Rick Wakeman…
    • Curved Air
      Curved Air
      Sonja Kristina started out by wanting to be a folk…

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Reddit Email
    Previous ArticleStrawberry Switchblade
    Next Article Stray Cats, The

    Comments are closed.

    Follow us
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
    • Instagram
    You May Also Like
    • Fox, The (1968)
      This study – based on a novella by D H Lawrence – of […]
    • Deadfall (1968)
      Michael Caine plays recovered alcoholic cat burglar Henry […]
    • Brannigan (1975)
      “Detective Lt. Brannigan is in London . . . God Save the […]
    • Lost Boys, The (1987)
      “You’re a creature of the night, Michael. Wait till […]
    • Alabama
      Before Alabama, bands were usually relegated to a supporting […]
    • 8:15 from Manchester, The
      1 9 9 0 – 1 9 9 2 (UK) Debuting on BBC1 on 21 April 1990, […]
    Twitter Feed
    Please note


    Nostalgia Central covers the period 1950 to 1999 and contains some words and references which reflect the attitudes of those times and which may be considered culturally sensitive, offensive or inappropriate today.
    Popular Tags
    1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 Action Figures Amicus Arcade games Australia Beach movies Beatles Blaxploitation Board games Britpop Canada Crime Disney Doo-Wop Elvis Presley Girl groups Glam Goth Hammer Heavy Metal Irwin Allen Labels Merseybeat Mod revival Motown New Romantic New Wave NWOBHM Oi! One-hit wonders Power Pop Pub rock Punk Radio Scotland Ska Soul music Surf music
    Search Nostalgia Central
    Copyright © 1998, 2022 Nostalgia Central
    • About
    • Contact
    • FAQ

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.