Comus (band)
Comus | |
---|---|
General information | |
origin | United Kingdom |
Genre (s) | Psychedelic folk , progressive rock |
founding | 1969, 1974, 2008 |
resolution | 1972, 1974 |
Website | comusmusic.co.uk |
Founding members | |
Roger Wooton | |
Glen Goring | |
Current occupation | |
Roger Wooton | |
Guitar, percussion
|
Glen Goring |
Andy Hellaby | |
Colin Pearson | |
Singing, percussion |
Bobbie Watson |
Flute , percussion |
Jon Seagroatt |
former members | |
Flute |
Michael Bammi Rose |
Flute, oboe , percussion |
Rob Young |
Lindsay Cooper | |
Percussion |
Philip Barry |
Gordon Caxon | |
Didier Malherbe | |
Keith Hale | |
Tim Kraemer |
Comus is a British psychedelic folk / progressive rock band that was formed in the late 1960s.
history
Roger Wooton and Glen Goring met in 1967 at the age of 17 at Ravensbourne College of Art in the London Borough of Bromley . During appearances in smaller clubs they made the acquaintance of David Bowie , who booked them for regular performances in an alternative cultural center in Beckenham .
In Ravensbourne, fellow student Colin Pearson finally joined the band , and Chris Youle, their later manager, suggested the band name based on John Milton's mask play Comus or the mythological figure Komos . Wooton began writing songs for a first album and the band was gradually completed with Andy Hellaby, Bobbie Watson and Michael Bammi Rose. The latter, however, soon left the band and was replaced by Rob Young.
In 1970, after supporting David Bowie, Comus was signed to Pye Records . The first album, First Utterance , was released in 1971. Although Comus had become well known for their live qualities, First Utterance was not a success. Young left the band as a result and was replaced by Lindsay Cooper . But after the manager Youle split from Comus, the band broke up in 1972. Two years later, Wooton, Hellaby, Watson and Cooper came together again for a short time to record the second album, To Keep from Crying , with Philip Barry, Gordon Caxon, Didier Malherbe , Keith Hale and Tim Kraemer . Since this did not bring the band any success either, they broke up again.
In 1995 and 2005 the recordings of Comus were re-released and in 2008 the band finally re-established. The line-up was almost the same as on the debut album, only Rob Young was replaced by Jon Seagroatt. In March of the same year they performed at the Swedish Melloboat Festival , the recording was released on DVD and CD . In 2012 Comus released the third studio album, Out of the Coma .
Discography
- 1971: First Utterance
- 1974: To Keep from Crying
- 2005: Song to Comus (re-release of the first two albums)
- 2009: Live at Melloboat 2008 (DVD)
- 2010: The Forum (split EP with Rameses III and Simon Finn )
- 2011: East of Sweden (Live)
- 2012: Out of the Coma
- 2013: Live in Japan 2012
Web links
- Official website
- Comus at Allmusic (English)
- Comus on the baby blue pages
Remarks
- ↑ In 1998 the album was finally listed in The Wire's "100 Records That Set the World on Fire (While No One Was Listening)" .