| John Lees | |
|---|---|
| Background information | |
| Birth name | John Lees |
| Born | 13 January 1947 |
| Origin | Oldham, Lancashire, England |
| Genres | classic rock progressive rock |
| Occupations | musician |
| Instruments | guitar |
| Years active | 1960's – present |
| Labels | Harvest, Polydor |
| Associated acts | Barclay James Harvest |
John Lees (born 13 January 1947, Oldham, Lancashire) is an English musician who founded the rock band Barclay James Harvest.[1][2][3]
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Educated at Robin Hill Secondary Modern and Breeze Hill School, Lees had no formal musical education, but took up playing the guitar when he was fourteen. Lees went on to study at Oldham School Of Art, where he met Stuart 'Woolly' Wolstenholme in 1964. They played together in The Sorcerers, playing Eddie Cochran-style rock and roll, and in The Blues Keepers, before forming Barclay James Harvest in 1967. He recorded a solo album, A Major Fancy, in 1972, but the release of this was tied up when the band changed record label. It was not released until 1977.[1] He also recorded a solo single for Polydor in 1974, a cover of The Eagles track "Best of My Love".[1]
In 1998, musical differences saw the members of Barclay James Harvest agree to take a sabbatical. Lees again met up with Wolstenholme and formed Barclay James Harvest Through The Eyes of John Lees, and this band became John Lees' Barclay James Harvest.
Lees is now working as a Music Technician at Crompton House Church of England High School, involved with the production of the GCSE and A Level students' Music and Music Technology coursework and is often involved in musical productions.
| John Lees' Barclay James Harvest | |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Barclay James Harvest through the eyes of John Lees |
| Origin | Saddleworth, Lancashire, England |
| Genres | Art rock, progressive rock, psychedelic rock, folk rock |
| Years active | 1998–present |
| Associated acts | Barclay James Harvest Barclay James Harvest featuring Les Holroyd Maestoso |
| Website | http://www.barclayjamesharvest.com/ |
| Members | |
| John Lees Craig Fletcher Kevin Whitehead Jez Smith |
|
| Past members | |
| Stuart "Woolly" Wolstenholme Jeff Leach Mike Bramwell |
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This derivative of Barclay James Harvest features John Lees, bassist Craig Fletcher, drummer Kevin Whitehead, and keyboard player Jez Smith.[4] The band originally featured "Woolly" Stuart Wolstenholme on keyboards before his death in December 2010. The group formed in 1999 to record the album "Nexus". Craig Fletcher and Kevin Whitehead were from Wolly Wolstenholmes band "Maestoso" and John and Woolly were members of the original Barclay James Harvest. The band toured in the UK and Europe in 2006 and recorded the live album "Legacy" at the Shepherd's Bush Empire in London. Since then the band has played at venues in the UK but more so in the rest of Europe where they achieve good success. The band toured again around the UK in 2009. They played at the Berlin Wall anniversary festival at the Brandenburg Gate, Bad Homburg in Germany with JLBJH's best attendance of 17500 people and more recently in Porto, Portugal with an attendance of 5000. The band recently visited America and played in Philadelphia. John Lees' Barclay James Harvest is currently signed and managed by Esoteric Recordings. Mark Powell, founder of the label, works as the band manager. The band also formerly featured Jeff Leach and Mike Bramwell as guest musicians.[5]
A Major Fancy (recorded 1972, released 1977) Best of My Love/You Can't Get it (solo single released 1974)
Lees also enjoys reading, his favourite books being Graham Greene’s "A Burnt Out Case", science fiction novels (especially those of Ray Bradbury) and poetry. His hobbies include photography and amateur radio.
Lees currently lives in Saddleworth, a civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham with his wife, Olwen, and they have two children, Esther Jane (born 28 July 1980) and John Joseph (who shares his father’s birthday, being born on 13 January 1986), plus various pets including an African Grey Parrot called Fritz.[6]