Comus (band)

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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

Remarks

  1. In 1998 the album was finally listed in The Wire's "100 Records That Set the World on Fire (While No One Was Listening)" .