Forest-band in the late sixties

Subject: Forest
From: woodsie
Date: 19 Jul 06 - 03:02 PM

This was a band in the late sixties. Very folky. I saw them at a free concert at parliament hill field with Procul Harum, Yes, Soft Machine and others. They released two albums on the harvest label which are now on a double CD re-issue. Has anybody got any more info on them

Subject: RE: Forest
From: Alba
Date: 19 Jul 06 - 03:15 PM

Hi Woodsie, I remember Forest:)
Hadn;t heard anything for a long time then read somehwere that a CD was being released with their Music remixed ect.
I just looked in Amazon and found a Forest double CD that was released sometime this Year called "Full Circle"
I don't know where you are located so if your in the UK you could look it up on Amazon UK.
I am on the other side of the puddle these days.
Good luck and I hope you get more info on the band.
Jude

Subject: RE: Forest
From: ClaireBear
Date: 19 Jul 06 - 03:16 PM

From the Yahoo shopping site:

The Incredible String Band was nothing more than a cult act in the U.S., so it may come as a surprise to American listeners that the ISB actually spawned imitators on their home turf. Forest was the most faithful of these, releasing a couple albums of medieval-hippie minstrelsy in 1969-1970. Each member of the trio (Martin Welham, Derek Allenby, and Hadrian Welham) was a multi-instrumentalist, playing not just the expected guitars, but harmonium, harpsichord, pipes, whistle, organ, and mandolin. If the group lacked the electricity and drums associated with rock, at the same time they could not be associated with the straight folk scene; their lyrics were too strange, and their approach too eclectic.

Through the recommendation of top British DJ John Peel, Forest found a home on Harvest, the pioneering U.K. progressive rock label. Their first, self-titled LP was an Incredible String Band clone; while it may have been somewhat less grating than the ISB at their most excessive, it also was not as innovative or imaginative as the ISB at their best. Their second and, as it turned out, final effort (Full Circle, 1970) was an improvement, finding their songwriting skills improving substantially, and their arrangements becoming more diverse and original.

- Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide

Subject: RE: Forest
From: woodsie
Date: 19 Jul 06 - 03:23 PM

Thanks for that - Jude I have the CD it's really good stuff.

I wouldn't call it a ISB clone though I can see why Americans would. It is definitlt an English sound.

I was just wondering what became of them, if any of them are still around?

Subject: RE: Forest
From: ClaireBear
Date: 19 Jul 06 - 03:40 PM

Martin Welham seems to have some connection to a Santa Cruz, California band called Whysp -- see the bottom of the page you'll get to from the first link on the site's "Press" page and see if you can figure out just what).

Aha! Found a Myspace page with contact info for Martin and updated info on all three: look here.

Subject: RE: Forest-band in the late sixties
From: Amos
Date: 19 Jul 06 - 03:56 PM

IMHO, Unterberger doesn't know what he's talking about as regards the ISB; they were ground breaking, and more than a cult by far even over here.

A

Subject: RE: Forest-band in the late sixties
From: Barry Finn
Date: 20 Jul 06 - 01:52 AM

They (ISB) were more than a cult band here in the US, they were fairly ell known, with a decent following.

Barry

Subject: RE: Forest-band in the late sixties
From: mindblaster
Date: 25 Jul 06 - 02:44 PM

Bloody Underpantsburger is a prat alright. How dare he belittle the great ISB.