England (band)

England were a progressive rock group active in the late 1970s, and briefly reformed in 2006. The band is notable for their album Garden Shed released on Arista Records, and for keyboardist Robert Webb playing a Mellotron sawn in half.[1]

England
OriginMaidstone, Kent, England
Years active1975–1978, 2006
LabelsArista Records
Past membersMartin Henderson
Frank Holland
Jode Leigh
Robert Webb
Mark Ibbotson
Jaffa Peckham
Jamie Moses

Biography

The band was formed in 1975 by drummer Mark Ibbotson, and, after a variety of prototype groups, stabilised around a line-up of himself, bassist Martin Henderson, guitarist Jamie Moses and keyboardist Robert Webb.[2] Moses and Webb had previously collaborated on an unreleased album.[3] Ibbottson owned a Mk II Mellotron, which Webb took an interest in, later saying "it opens up possibilities. It's having control like the conductor of an orchestra."[4] To make the instrument portable, Webb sawed the instrument in half, rehousing the left-hand manual and the right-hand tapes (which contained the lead sounds on a Mk II model) in a new case.[5] After a number of gigs at the Hazlitt Theatre in Maidstone, Moses quit and was replaced by Frank Holland. In March 1976, immediately following a showcase gig that resulted in a contract with Arista Records, Ibbotson quit the band and was replaced by Jode Leigh.[2]

The band spent most of 1976 rehearsing and recording material for Arista. The single "Paraffinalea" was released in February 1977. Anne Nightingale gave a positive review of the single, saying the band was "destined for great things."[6] This was followed by the album Garden Shed, but by this time, punk rock was popular, and this, combined with a general lack of interest in promoting the band, meant that it was a commercial failure. Melody Maker described the album as "Yes in toyland". The band split from their management and moved into a music shop in Hastings[7] but the financial situation didn't improve and the group split in autumn 1978.[2]

A resurrected version of the band, featuring Mark Ibbotson and (apparently) Frank Holland, but without Robert Webb, appeared in 1983-84 long enough to record two singles for Jet Records (the label of ELO from 1976-83, Ozzy and Black Sabbath from 1980-82, and a handful of other minor acts). Little is known of this incarnation of the group beyond what can be gleaned from the singles themselves.

Henderson later became touring bassist for Jeff Beck,[2] while Moses later became a touring guitarist for Queen + Paul Rodgers.[3] Ibbotson became the Pretty Things' manager in 1985, while Holland joined that band as a guitarist,[8] positions they retain to this day. The band continue to receive critical praise, with Music Mart magazine describing a CD reissue of Garden Shed "as good as prog could get in the '70s."[9] Webb and Henderson reactivated the band in 2006 for a brief tour,[2] including an appearance at the Baja Prog Fest in Mexicali.[10] In March of 2019, three of the original members, Webb, Henderson and Holland, along with Jordan Brown, Russ Wilson, Andy Thompson and several members from prog band The Gift (Mike Morton, Dave Lloyd & Gabrielle Baldocci), performed a one-off reunion gig at Fusion Festival 2 in Stourport. This performance also featured a brief vocal performance from the band's original drummer, Jode Leigh.[11]

Discography

Studio albums
  • Garden Shed (1977)
  • The Last of the Jubblies (1997)
  • Box of Circles (2018)

Singles & EPs
  • "The Imperial Hotel" (EP) (1975)
  • "Victoriana" b/w "Hearts Made of Glass" (1983), Jet Records
  • "London Story" b/w "Under the Pier" (1984), Jet Records

Live albums
  • Live in Japan: Kikimimi (2006)[12]
gollark: Although I haven't looked very hard.
gollark: The current consumer DNA test things seem to not be very privacy friendly.
gollark: You would probably know about *most* of the preexisting conditions.
gollark: Well, that sounds vaguely ominous.
gollark: You can do that to some extent, but if everyone else is spreading disease constantly (and you can't work from home etc., because not all companies actually allow this) there are limits to what you can do yourself.

References
  1. "The Restoration Of The Mellotron - Half'A'Tron". www.soundonsound.com. Retrieved 4 October 2015.
  2. Strik, Henri (2005). "Nostalgia: 'Garden Shed' by England". Background Magazine. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  3. Awde 2008, p. 358.
  4. Awde 2008, p. 361.
  5. Awde 2008, p. 363.
  6. Nightingale, Anne (22 February 1977). "Paraffinalea (review)". Daily Express. Retrieved 2 September 2003.
  7. Awde 2008, p. 365.
  8. "Pretty Things Rage on in New Set". Billboard. 13 March 1999. p. 15. Retrieved 2 September 2013. pretty things frank holland.
  9. Etheridge, Dave (September 2005). "Garden Shed (review)". Music Mart. Retrieved 2 September 2013. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  10. Awde 2008, p. 372.
  11. "Fusion Festival". www.fusionprogfestivals.com. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
  12. "England : Discography". Allmusic. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  • Awde, Nick (2008). Mellotron : The Machines and the Musicians that Revolutionised Rock. Bennett & Bloom. ISBN 978-1-898948-02-5.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
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