Principal Edwards Magic Theatre

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Principal Edwards Magic Theatre
Origin Exeter, England
Genre(s) Psychedelia
Years active 1968-1975
Label(s) Dandelion Records
Deram
Associated acts Principal Edwards
Former members
Les Adey
Bindy Bourquin
Terry Budd
Root Cartwright
Eva Darlow
Lance Dunlop
Lyn Edwards
Jeremy Ensor
Gillian Hadley
John McMahon Hill
Michael (Harry) Housman
David Jones
Richard Jones
Vivienne McAuliffe
Chrissie Morris
Monica Nettles
Geoff Nicholls
Nick Pallett
Joe Read
Chris Runciman
Martin Stellman
Roger Swallow
Beth Wood
Dave Yoell

Principal Edwards Magic Theatre was a 14 member communal performance art collective of musicians, poets, dancers and sound and lighting technicians originally formed at Exeter University in the late 1960s, and later based at a farmhouse in Kettering, Northamptonshire. Principal Edwards were signed to John Peel's Dandelion Records, releasing a single "The Ballad of a Big Girl Now" in 1969 followed by two albums for the label, Soundtrack and The Asmoto Running Band, the second of which was produced by Nick Mason of Pink Floyd.

The sometimes whimiscal, sometimes epic verging on prog rock writing style of guitarist Root Cartwright was matched by the eclectic lyrical contributions of David Jones, Gillian Hadley and Monica Nettles and sung with striking crystal clarity by vocalist Vivienne McAuliffe, easily one of the finest singers of the era. The violin and recorders of Bindy Bourquin were another key element of PEMT's trademark sound.

John Peel once claimed he used to play "The Kettering Song" to drive away visitors who'd overstayed their welcome at Peel Acres, but the title track of "The Asmoto Running Band" and songs like "Enigmatic Insomniac Machine", "Freef(R')All", "The Death of Don Quixote" and "Weirdsong of Breaking Through at Last" reveal there were some rare talents at work in the band.

With a smaller nucleus including new bassist Richard Jones from The Climax Blues Band, and now simply called Principal Edwards, they recorded acouple of singles and a third album "Round One" for Deram Records. Most of the Deram recordings were also produced by Nick Mason.

Since the 1970s members' fortunes have varied greatly, ranging from singer Martin Stellman directing Denzil Washington in For Queen and Country, David Jones running a community centre, and Root Cartwright becoming a gardener and photographic artist. Bindy Bourquin and Richard Jones married and both went into teaching. Richard plays in two bands: The Climax Ceilidh Band and Meridian. Jeremy Ensor toured (as sound engineer/tour manager) with the likes of Deep Purple, Fleetwood Mac, and Greenslade (co-producing two of their LPs) and then worked as an A&R man for CBS and Phonogram Records. He currently lives in North London and is an IT Consultant. Les Adey was lighting man for Genesis. Serious illness and breakdowns have befallen some of the other former members, and dancer John McMahon Hill and the angelic voiced Vivienne McAuliffe have both died.

Though much of their time, Principal Edwards were a fascinating early multi-media experiment and produced a very individual-sounding (love-it/hate-it) body of recorded work.

[edit] Discography

> The track 'The Asmoto Running Band (HOU’ẪHIH)' also appears on an untitled sampler , EP, 1971 Dandelion Records, DS7001.

> The track 'Autumn Lady Dancing Song' from the LP of The Asmoto Running Band is omitted from this CD release.

> The 'Ballad..'/'Lament for the Earth' single features as bonus tracks on this CD release.

  • as Principal Edwards
    • Round One, LP, 1974, Deram, SML1108
    • 'Captain Lifeboy' / 'Nothing', single, 1973, Deram, DM391
    • 'Weekdaze' / 'The Whizzmore Kid', single, 1973, Deram, DM398

[edit] External links