Trees (band)

Last updated

Trees
Trees band 1970.jpg
Trees, circa 1970.
Left to right: Bias Boshell, Celia Humphris, Barry Clarke, Unwin Brown, and David Costa
Background information
Origin London, England
Genres Folk rock, psychedelic folk, progressive folk, progressive rock
Years active
  • 1969-1972
  • 2008
Labels CBS, BGO, Sony BMG, Sunbeam, Habla
Past members Celia Humphris
Barry Clarke
David Costa
Bias Boshell
Unwin Brown
Barry Lyons
Alun Eden
Chuck Fleming

Trees was a British folk rock band recording and touring throughout 1969, 1970 and 1971, reforming briefly to continue performing throughout 1972. Although the group met with little commercial success in their time, the reputation of the band has grown over the years, and underwent a renaissance in 2007 following Gnarls Barkley's sampling of the track "Geordie" (from Trees’ second album On The Shore ) on the title track of their multi-million selling album St. Elsewhere.

Contents

Formation

The original band comprised five members – bass and keyboard player Bias Boshell, lead guitarist Barry Clarke, acoustic guitarist David Costa, drummer Unwin Brown and singer Celia Humphris.

David Costa, son of British singer and radio presenter Sam Costa, was reading Fine Arts at the recently opened University of East Anglia when he met Barry Clarke (who had been working at Royd's advertising agency in London) through a mutual girlfriend who had suggested, as they were both guitar players, that they should connect. In David's words, following their first meeting—"I never went back to University, and Barry never went back to his office." Barry Clarke was living at the time in a house in Barnes, shared with Bias Boshell.

Bias Boshell and Unwin Brown had both attended Bedales School in Petersfield, Hampshire, and within a short time, all four were sharing their diverse musical experiences, exploring their different tastes and bringing together what they each enjoyed in common with each other. Lacking a singer, Costa suggested they audition the sister of an acquaintance of his and introduced Celia Humphris into the mix, who had just left Arts Educational where she had studied dance, drama, and singing. Humphris' father was the painter and illustrator Frank Humphris (e.g. for the Riders of the Range strip in the boys' comic The Eagle ).

The five of them began rehearsing in the early spring of 1969, starting to do their first gigs and early demo tracks throughout June and July of the same year.[ citation needed ]

Career

Signed to CBS in August 1969, Trees produced two studio albums in relatively quick succession, The Garden of Jane Delawney (released April 1970) and On The Shore (released January 1971), both recorded at Chelsea's Sound Techniques studios, and both produced by Tony Cox. On The Shore featured cover artwork by Storm Thorgerson of the Hipgnosis studio. Like other folk contemporaries, Trees was compared with Fairport Convention, but regarded as delivering with a more psychedelic edge. The group's material was divided between adaptations of traditional songs and original compositions, primarily by Bias Boshell. In a 2020 interview, Costa commented: "We got labelled as a folk-rock band, full stop, but our influences were generally far more American than British." [1]

The original group disbanded in 1971 after recording the two albums. A second Trees incarnation formed in 1972 and played until 1973; this group featured Celia Humphris, Barry Clarke, Barry Lyons (ex-member of Mr Fox), Alun Eden (also ex-member of Mr Fox) and Chuck Fleming (ex-member of the JSD Band). Recordings by this line-up can be found on bootleg releases.[ citation needed ]

This latest formation also contributed to Phil Trainer's solo album Trainer [2] (BASF, 1972)

Performance

Trees performed extensively throughout their career, predominantly on the university circuit but appearing twice at Fairfield Halls and at the Queen Elizabeth Hall on London's South Bank, with varying degrees of success and at times recognised with significant critical praise. [3] [4] [5] Throughout their touring career they supported acts including Fotheringay, Fairport Convention, Matthew's Southern Comfort, Fleetwood Mac; Free and Faces on the same bill, Genesis, Family and Yes, and appeared at the Evolution Music Festival [6] in Le Bourget, Paris in 1970 alongside Ginger Baker's Air Force, Pink Floyd and Procol Harum. A very early gig in London's Notting Hill had them appearing with a virtually unknown David Bowie. The band were often accompanied on the road and supported by singer-songwriter Marc Ellington. They were originally managed by Douglas Smith and Clearwater Productions, a Notting Hill Gate company who also managed contemporaries such as High Tide, Cochise and Skin Alley and went on to manage Hawkwind and Thunderclap Newman.[ citation needed ]

Trees achieved ongoing support from early in their performing and recording career by radio DJs John Peel and Bob Harris, for whom they were later to appear twice in his Sounds of the Seventies TV series, and also Pete Drummond, who was later to marry singer Celia Humphris.[ citation needed ]

Post-Trees

Following the demise of the original lineup, Bias Boshell went on to work as a keyboard player and songwriter with The Kiki Dee Band, writing her hit song "I've Got the Music in Me", before joining Barclay James Harvest and subsequently The Moody Blues, replacing keyboard player Patrick Moraz. He now lives in North Wales. Barry Clarke went on to join the Vigrass and Osborne band, subsequently to rejoin David Costa in the 1973 band and eponymous album Casablanca [7] (Rocket Records). David Costa went on to become art director and designer for many notable artists such as Elton John, George Harrison, Eric Clapton, the Rolling Stones and the Beatles. Costa and Boshell performed together as the "reunion" On The Shore Band in 2018. [1] Barry Clarke continued into the jewellery business, now living part-time in France. After a brief spell as drummer with the pop foursome Capricorn, Unwin Brown went on to enjoy a long career as a teacher, eventually at Thomas's School in Kensington until his death in 2008.[ citation needed ]

Celia Humphris continued with Trees' second lineup. She provided guest vocals for several songs on Judy Dyble's Talking With Strangers album in 2009, Dodson and Fogg, a folk-rock project released in 2012, and as guest vocalist on Galley Beggar's 2017 album Heathen Hymns, released on Rise Above Records. Outside of music, she became a sought-after voice-over artist, providing voices for many different environments, notably train announcements on the British railway network. She later lived in Provence, France. She died on 11 January 2021. [8]

Personnel

Discography

YearAlbumLabel
1970     The Garden of Jane Delawney     CBS Records, 2007 Sony Rewind, Sunbeam Records
1971 On the Shore CBS Records, 2007 Sony Rewind, Sunbeam Records
1989Trees LIVE! (Italian)Habla (bootleg)
2020Trees (50th Anniversary Edition) Fire Records

Both The Garden of Jane Delawney and On the Shore have been continuously available since their original release in either vinyl, cassette or CD formats. A deluxe two-disc edition of On the Shore was released in 2007, containing previously unreleased and remixed material. A new edition of The Garden of Jane Delawney followed in 2008, also containing previously unreleased material as well as some new recordings. Both double packages featured an extensive essay by comedian, director and writer Stewart Lee.

A four-album box set of Trees' recordings, including demos, remixes, plus live recordings from the Trees' 1998 "reunion" On The Shore Band, was released in 2020 to mark the band's fiftieth anniversary. [1] [9]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Byrds</span> American rock band

The Byrds were an American rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1964. The band underwent multiple lineup changes throughout its existence, with frontman Roger McGuinn remaining the sole consistent member. Although their time as one of the most popular groups in the world only lasted for a short period in the mid-1960s, the Byrds are today considered by critics to be among the most influential rock acts of their era. Their signature blend of clear harmony singing and McGuinn's jangly 12-string Rickenbacker guitar was "absorbed into the vocabulary of rock" and has continued to be influential.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Moody Blues</span> English band

The Moody Blues were an English rock band formed in Birmingham in May 1964. The band initially consisted of drummer Graeme Edge, guitarist/vocalist Denny Laine, keyboardist/vocalist Mike Pinder, multi-instrumentalist/vocalist Ray Thomas, and bassist/vocalist Clint Warwick. Originally part of the British beat and R&B scene of the early–mid 1960s, the band came to prominence with the UK No. 1 and US Top 10 single "Go Now" in late 1964/early 1965. Laine and Warwick left the band by the end of 1966, being replaced by guitarist/vocalist Justin Hayward and bassist/vocalist John Lodge. They embraced the psychedelic rock movement of the late 1960s, with their second album, 1967's Days of Future Passed, being a fusion of rock with classical music that established the band as pioneers in the development of art rock and progressive rock. It has been described as a "landmark" and "one of the first successful concept albums".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Quicksilver Messenger Service</span> American psychedelic rock band formed in 1965

Quicksilver Messenger Service is an American psychedelic rock band formed in 1965 in San Francisco. The band achieved wide popularity in the San Francisco Bay Area and, through their recordings, with psychedelic rock enthusiasts around the globe, and several of their albums ranked in the Top 30 of the Billboard Pop charts. They were part of the new wave of album-oriented bands, achieving renown and popularity despite a lack of success with their singles. Though not as commercially successful as contemporaries Jefferson Airplane and the Grateful Dead, Quicksilver was integral to the beginnings of their genre. With their jazz and classical influences and a strong folk background, the band attempted to create an individual, innovative sound. Music historian Colin Larkin wrote: "Of all the bands that came out of the San Francisco area during the late '60s, Quicksilver typified most of the style, attitude and sound of that era."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Youngbloods</span> American folk rock band

The Youngbloods were an American rock band consisting of Jesse Colin Young, Jerry Corbitt, Lowell "Banana" Levinger, and Joe Bauer (drums). Despite receiving critical acclaim, they never achieved widespread popularity. Their only U.S. Top 40 entry was Chet Powers' "Get Together".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Felix Pappalardi</span> American music producer and musician (1939–1983)

Felix A. Pappalardi Jr. was an American music producer, songwriter, vocalist, and bassist. He is best known as the bassist and co-lead vocalist of the band Mountain, whose song "Mississippi Queen" peaked at number 21 on the Billboard Hot 100 and has become a classic rock radio staple. Originating in the eclectic music scene in New York's Greenwich Village, he became closely attached to the British power trio Cream, writing, arranging, and producing for their second album Disraeli Gears. As a producer for Atlantic Records, he worked on several projects with guitarist Leslie West; in 1969 their partnership evolved into the band Mountain. The band lasted less than five years, but their work influenced the first generation of heavy metal and hard rock music. Pappalardi continued to work as a producer, session musician, and songwriter until he was shot and killed by his wife Gail Collins in 1983.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Hollies</span> English pop group formed in the early 1960s

The Hollies are an English rock and pop band formed in 1962. One of the leading British groups of the 1960s and into the mid-1970s, they are known for their distinctive three-part vocal harmony style. Allan Clarke and Graham Nash founded the band as a Merseybeat-type group in Manchester, although some of the band members came from towns further north, in east Lancashire. Nash left the group in 1968 to form Crosby, Stills & Nash, though he has reunited with the Hollies on occasion.

Spectrum are an Australian progressive rock band which formed in April 1969 and broke up in April 1973. The original line-up was Mark Kennedy on drums, Lee Neale on organ (ex-Nineteen87), Bill Putt on bass guitar, and Mike Rudd on guitar and lead vocals. In August 1970 Kennedy was replaced by Ray Arnott on drums. These members also performed under the alter ego, Indelible Murtceps, from 1971 to 1973. Spectrum had a number-one hit, "I'll Be Gone", on the Go-Set National Top 60 singles chart. After Spectrum and Indelible Murtceps disbanded, Putt and Rudd formed Ariel. In 1999 the pair formed Spectrum Plays the Blues, which later trimmed their name back to Spectrum. On 7 August 2013 Bill Putt died, after a heart attack.

Rare Bird were an English progressive rock band, formed in 1969. They released five studio albums between 1969 and 1974. In the UK, the organ-based single track "Sympathy" reached number 27 in February 1970, selling an estimated one million globally.

Mr Fox were an early 1970s British folk rock band. They were seen as in the 'second generation' of British folk rock performers and for a time were compared with Steeleye Span and Sandy Denny's Fotheringay. Unlike Steeleye Span they mainly wrote their own material in a traditional style and developed a distinct 'northern' variant of the genre. They demonstrate the impact and diversity of the British folk rock movement and the members went on to pursue significant careers within the folk rock and traditional music genres after they disbanded in 1972 having recorded two highly regarded albums.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Allan Clarke (singer)</span> British rock singer and songwriter

Harold Allan Clarke is an English rock singer, who was one of the founding members and the original lead singer of the Hollies. He achieved international hit singles with the group and is credited as co-writer on several of their best-known songs, including "On a Carousel", "Carrie Anne", "Jennifer Eccles" and "Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress". He retired from performing in 1999, but returned to the music industry in 2019. Clarke was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010.

<i>The Garden of Jane Delawney</i> 1970 studio album by Trees

The Garden of Jane Delawney is the debut album of British folk rock band Trees.

<i>On the Shore</i> 1971 studio album by Trees

On the Shore is the second, and final, album by British folk rock band Trees. It was recorded in October 1970, and released in January 1971 on CBS Records (64168). It was later released on CD by the BGO label.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bias Boshell</span> British singer (born 1950)

Tobias Boshell is an English songwriter and musician, best known as the founder of the folk rock band Trees.

Dr. Music was a Toronto jazz group founded in 1969 by producer, arranger and performer Doug Riley. The band recorded three albums and toured across Canada. The personnel of the band changed throughout its history, with Riley remaining at the core of the group.

Chain are an Australian blues band formed as The Chain in late 1968 with a line-up including guitarist and vocalist Phil Manning and lead vocalist Wendy Saddington. Saddington left in May 1969 and in September 1970 Matt Taylor joined on lead vocals and harmonica. During the 1990s they were referred to as Matt Taylor's Chain. Their single, "Black and Blue", is their only top twenty hit. It was written and recorded by the line-up of Manning, Taylor, Barry Harvey on drums and Barry Sullivan on bass guitar. The related album, Toward the Blues, followed in September and peaked in the top ten. Manfred Mann's Earth Band covered "Black and Blue" on their 1973 album Messin'.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wendy Saddington</span> Australian singer (1949–2013)

Wendy June Saddington, also known as Gandharvika Dasi, was an Australian blues, soul and jazz singer, and was in the bands Chain, Copperwine and the Wendy Saddington Band. She wrote for teen pop newspaper Go-Set from September 1969 to September 1970 as an agony aunt in her weekly "Takes Care of Business" column, and as a feature writer. Saddington had Top 30 chart success with her 1972 solo single "Looking Through a Window", which was written and produced by Billy Thorpe and Warren Morgan of the Aztecs. After adopting Krishna Consciousness in the 1970s she took the name Gandharvika Dasi. In March 2013 she was diagnosed with oesophageal cancer and died in June, aged 63.

Gregory Raymond Quill was an Australian-born musician, singer-songwriter and journalist. He lived in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, and was an entertainment columnist at the Toronto Star newspaper from the mid-1980s until his death in May 2013. In Australia he came to popular fame as a singer-songwriter for the country rock band Country Radio (1970–73). Their biggest hit, "Gypsy Queen", co-written by Quill with bandmate Kerryn Tolhurst, was released in August 1972 and peaked at No. 12 on the Go-Set National Top 40. After getting an arts grant, Quill travelled to Toronto in 1974 and by the mid-1980s had become a journalist with the Toronto Star. By 1983 he was married to Ellen Davidson, a public relations executive. Greg Quill died on 5 May 2013, at the age of 66, from "complications due to pneumonia".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Costa (graphic designer)</span> English graphic designer, art director and musician

David Costa is an English graphic designer, art director and musician. Notable design collaborations include those for Queen, Elton John, Eric Clapton, George Harrison, The Beatles, The Moody Blues, Genesis, The Rolling Stones and Phil Collins.

Carson was an Australian blues rock and boogie rock band, which formed in January 1970 in Melbourne as Carson County Band. They had a top 30 hit single on the Go-Set National Top 40 with "Boogie" in September 1972. The group released their debut studio album, Blown, in November on EMI and Harvest Records, which peaked at No. 14 on the Go-Set Top 20 Albums. Their performance at the second Sunbury Pop Festival in late January 1973 was issued as a live album, On the Air, in April but the group had already disbanded.

Celia Humphris, later known as Celia Drummond, was an English singer and voice artist. She is best known for her position as the lead singer of the folk rock band Trees, a position which she held throughout the band's active years.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Jim Wirth, "Trees", Uncut, No.283, December 2020, pp.40-43
  2. Trainer discogs.com, Accessed 16 February 2018
  3. "At Queen Elizabeth Hall third on the bill, and relatively unknown, were a group called Trees. They didn’t stay unknown for long. The capacity audience were won over by the group’s fine performance, and critics were full of praise." --Beat Instrumental, August 1970.
  4. "It’s good to know that some rare and collectable British rock albums are rare and collectable for all the right reasons – i.e. they’re bloody marvellous." --Peter Dogget, Record Collector, 1993
  5. "The importance of Trees is that, in addition to their undoubted musical excellence, their inspiration goes back independently to the folk and rock scenes of a few years ago, indicating that the long-awaited, long needed reconciliation between the folk and pop movements is actually beginning to happen." --Karl Dallas, Melody Maker, June 1970.
  6. Evolution Music Festival, 1970 Accessed 10 December 2017
  7. Casablanca discogs.com, Accessed 20 December 2017
  8. "Terrascope Online", Facebook, 11 January 2021
  9. "Trees: Trees (50th Anniversary Edition)". Pitchfork . Retrieved 7 November 2021.