Forest [UK] 1968-1971

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Starting out as school friends in 1966, the Foresters of Walesby began singing unaccompanied vocal harmony folk tunes in Lincolnshire folk clubs. Dez Allenby, Martin and Adrian Welham soon progressed to writing within the burgeoning psychedelic folk movement in the wake of the Incredible String Band's mid 60's beginnings, finally changing their name to FOREST.

The rare single 'Searching For Shadows' was released in 1969, followed by Forest's debut eponymous album which featured a colourful mix of acoustic instrumentation and rich harmonies, evoking pastoral sound scapes of misty, smoke-filled worlds of olde. 'Full Circle' was released a year later, a more eclectic mix of tracks which saw each member venturing down their own unique avenues. Titles such as 'Bluebell Dance', 'Midnight Hanging of a Runaway Serf' and 'Graveyard' portend the darker offerings explored. By the early 1970's the Harvest label no longer looked to invest in such esoteric musical genres, and in 1972 the trio disbanded.

The seminal albums have since been reissued both on vinyl and CD. Recently the track 'Graveyard' featured on psych-folk compilation 'Gather in the mushrooms' and 'Fading Light' on the 'Strange Folk' compilation CD. Thirty years on, Forest are as moving, stirring and haunting as ever.

Martin is now back as part of psych-folk duo THE STORY with his son Tom. Dez is now recording with his wife Cathy as Southernwood, and Adrian is still writing and adding to his canon of songs to this day.

http://www.myspace.com/forest70

http://linksave.in/11169395274b00c67a8ace3
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