Barclay James Harvest

Barclay James Harvest
Also known as John Lees' Barclay James Harvest (since 1998)
Barclay James Harvest featuring Les Holroyd (since 2002)
Origin Manchester, England
Genres Art rock, progressive rock, psychedelic rock, folk rock
Years active 1966–present
Labels Parlophone. Harvest, Sire, Polydor, Esoteric Recordings
Website Barclay James Harvest Home Page
Members John Lees' Barclay James Harvest
John Lees
Craig Fletcher
Kevin Whitehead
Jez Smith
Barclay James Harvest featuring Les Holroyd
Les Holroyd
Colin Browne
Steve Butler
Michael Byron-Hehir
Louie Palmer
Past members See "Former members"
Notable instruments
Mellotron

Barclay James Harvest are an English progressive rock band. They were founded in Manchester, in September 1966 by:

History

After signing with EMI's Parlophone label in the UK for one single in early 1968, they moved to the more progressively inclined Harvest label. Their self-titled debut album was released in mid-1970 to positive reviews, but few sales. Their second album, Once Again, gained more favourable reviews, and the tour that followed was conducted with a full orchestra under the guidance of Robert John Godfrey. Their third album Barclay James Harvest and Other Short Stories was an even greater achievement, though Martyn Ford was brought in to supervise the orchestral work after Godfrey departed over writing issues behind "Mocking Bird" – one of the group's most consistently popular tracks. By the release of their fourth album, Baby James Harvest, in 1972, the pressures of touring were beginning to have an impact on the band, and the album's inconsistency was noticed by both fans and critics alike.

After this album, they departed from EMI, moved management to Harvey Lisberg,[2] and signed to Polydor, the move immediately resulting in greater sales. The next album, Everyone Is Everybody Else (1974), is viewed by many as their artistic high point. This was shown by the album being played extensively on Radio Caroline,[3] and by its appearance in their Top 100 All Time Albums Chart.[4] It also led to the band being invited to a BBC Radio 1 session for John Peel.[5] The double live album, Barclay James Harvest Live, which followed in late 1974, built on their solid fanbase, and was the first to chart in the UK, reaching No. 40.[6] Time Honoured Ghosts (1975), which has the well known "Titles", recorded in the USA, followed and this also charted in the UK reaching No. 32.[6] Octoberon followed in 1976 and reached number 19 in the UK.[6] They finally broke into the mainstream European market with their 1977 set Gone to Earth, which contained the song "Poor Man's Moody Blues", a homage to that band's "Nights in White Satin", and also an appellation foisted upon Barclay James Harvest by press critics in the early 1970s.

Wolstenholme – whose mellotron playing was a trademark of the band's sound in the 1970s – left in 1979 after the album XII (1978). He pursued a short solo career fronting the band Maestoso, before retiring from the music industry to pursue farming.

The remaining three members continued. At the height of their success, they played a free concert in front of the Reichstag in West Berlin, with an estimated attendance of 250,000 people (30 August 1980). They were also the first Western rock band to play an open-air concert in pre-Glasnost East Germany, playing in Treptower Park, East Berlin on 14 July 1987 to a 170,000+ audience.

The band continued as a trio with regular guest musicians until 1998. One album, Welcome to the Show, released in 1990, was released under the abbreviated name BJH. However, because of criticism from fans, the full Barclay James Harvest name was restored, albeit with the inclusion of the BJH moniker.

In 1998, musical differences amongst members of BJH saw the band essentially split into two different groups, each of which retained "Barclay James Harvest" as part of its name. John Lees released an album mixing new songs and BJH classics, entitled Nexus, under the name "Barclay James Harvest Through the Eyes of John Lees". Woolly Wolstenholme played in (and composed for) this band, subsequently resurrecting Maestoso to record and tour with new material, as well as back-catalogue favourites. Les Holroyd and Mel Pritchard teamed up to record under the name "Barclay James Harvest featuring Les Holroyd". In 2006/7 Lees and Wolstenholme toured under the slightly modified band title "John Lees' Barclay James Harvest".

Mel Pritchard died suddenly of a heart attack in early 2004. Woolly Wolstenholme took his own life in December 2010, having apparently struggled with depression for many years.[7]

The two derivatives of Barclay James Harvest continue to record and tour to this day, and enjoy ongoing popularity, particularly in Germany, France, and Switzerland.

John Lees' Barclay James Harvest (since 1998)

This derivative of Barclay James Harvest features John Lees, bassist Craig Fletcher, drummer Kevin Whitehead and keyboard player Jez Smith.[8] 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 Wolstenholme's 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 17,500 people, and more recently in Porto, Portugal with an attendance of 5,000. 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. In October 2013 JLBJH released "North", a studio album of all-new material, recorded at John's own Friamere Studios, on limited edition vinyl, CD and deluxe CD with a bonus disc recorded live at the Buxton Opera House.[9] "North" was very well received, going on to become Cherry Red's biggest selling album of the fourth quarter of 2013.[10] The band played nine gigs on a UK tour to promote the album, followed by a live radio concert for Christmas on German station SWR1.

The band also formerly featured Jeff Leach and Mike Bramwell as guest musicians.[11]

Barclay James Harvest featuring Les Holroyd (since 2002)

In 2001, Les Holroyd and Mel Pritchard returned to the studio to record the album 'Revolution Days' along with former Sad Cafe members Ian Wilson and Michael Byron-Hehir, as well as Steve Butler, Steve Pigott (Cher, Mike and the Mechanics), and Rabbit Bundrick (The Who). 'Revolution Days' was released in 2002, and a touring band was put together with Holroyd and Pritchard; Michael Byron-Hehir on lead guitar and vocals; Ian Wilson on guitar and vocals; Steve Butler on keyboards, percussion, and vocals; Chris Jago on drums; and former BJH sideman Colin Browne on keyboards and vocals. The first show was at the Colmar Wine Festival in August 2002. In October and November of that year, they undertook their first European Tour. More tours and festivals followed in 2003.

In January 2004, the band performed at the 'Art on Ice' spectacular at the Zurich Hallenstadion with Roger Hodgson, John Helliwell and Bob Siebenberg of Supertramp, Justin Hayward of The Moody Blues and Jeremy Spencer of Fleetwood Mac.

Upon returning to the UK, Mel Pritchard died from a suspected heart attack.

In January 2005, BJHFLH toured with Asia featuring John Payne as support, returning the favour on four UK shows in March of the same year. In 2006, they undertook the Classic Meets Rock Symphonic Barclay Tour with the 25-piece Prague Philharmonic Orchestra. In July 2007, they toured the UK. Les Holroyd and Michael Byron-Hehir also worked on Alan Simon's Excalibur II album, Les joining the stage show in 2010. Les also performed in the live show of Simon's Anne de Bretagne. In 2011, Les joined the Rock Meets Classic Tour along with Ian Gillan, Lou Gramm, Dan McCafferty with The Bohemian Symphony Orchestra, performing four BJH songs: "Hymn", "Mockingbird", "Ring Of Changes", and "Life Is For Living".

Still touring Europe, the band have a large following who enjoy hearing the music of BJH and new songs like "Fly Away" and "Tonight's Gonna be The Night". The band introduced an acoustic spot into the set, showcasing their vocal harmonies with old favourites like "Poor Boy Blues", "Friend of Mine", and "Crazy City".

In 2012, they recorded their winter tour. There are plans to release a new studio album in 2014, and also to tour once more with an orchestra.[12]

External works

The band released a single "Breathless"/"When the City Sleeps" under the pseudonym of "Bombadil" in 1972. "Breathless", an instrumental, was credited to "Terry Bull" (actually John Lees). The B side "When the City Sleeps" was credited to "Lester Forest" (actually Woolly Wolstenholme), who also played every instrument and sang. This obscure track made an appearance on the soundtrack in the 2007 series Life on Mars, although it was not featured on the CD release.[13]

Members

Barclay James Harvest

John Lees' Barclay James Harvest

Current members
  • John Lees – vocals, guitars (1998–present)
  • Craig Fletcher – bass (1998–present)
  • Kevin Whitehead – drums, percussion (1998–present)
  • Jez Smith – keyboards (2009–present)
Former members
  • Stuart "Woolly" Wolstenholme – vocals, mellotron, keyboards, guitars (1998–2010)
Guest musicians
  • Jeff Leach – keyboards (1998–2006)
  • Mike Bramwell – keyboards (2006–2009)
  • John Joseph Lees – cornet (2006, 2009)
  • Liz Fitzpatrick – trumpet (2009)

Barclay James Harvest featuring Les Holroyd

Current members
  • Les Holroyd – bass, guitars, keyboards, vocals (2002–present)
  • Colin Browne – keyboards, guitars (2002–present)
  • Steve Butler – guitars, keyboards (2002–present)
  • Michael Byron-Hehir – lead guitars (2002–present)
  • Louie Palmer – drums, percussion (2011–present)
Former members
  • Mel Pritchard – drums, percussion (2002–2004)
  • Ian Wilson – guitars (2002–2009)
  • Chris Jago – drums, percussion (2002–2003, 2004–2005)
  • Roy Martin – drums, percussion (2003–2004, 2006–2007)
  • Paul Walsham – drums, percussion (2005–2006, 2007–2011)

Discography

Studio albums

Barclay James Harvest
John Lees' Barclay James Harvest
Barclay James Harvest featuring Les Holroyd

Live albums

Barclay James Harvest
John Lees' Barclay James Harvest
Barclay James Harvest featuring Les Holroyd

Compilation albums

Barclay James Harvest
Barclay James Harvest featuring Les Holroyd

References

  1. ↑ "Barclay James Harvest". Progarchives.com. Retrieved 19 February 2013.
  2. ↑ Johnny, Rogan (1988). Starmakers and Svengalis. Macdonald Queen Anne Press.
  3. ↑ "Andy Archers Web". Adroberts.net. Retrieved 19 February 2013.
  4. ↑ "1977 Radio Caroline Listeners Album 100 – All Time Top 100 Albums". Timepieces.nl. Retrieved 19 February 2013.
  5. ↑ "Radio 1 – Keeping It Peel – 01/08/1974 Barclay James Harvest". BBC. Retrieved 19 February 2013.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 UK Chart Stats
  7. ↑ Stuart Greer (16 December 2010). "Barclay James Harvest star commits suicide | Manchester Evening News". menmedia.co.uk. Retrieved 2 May 2012.
  8. ↑ "John Lees' Barclay James Harvest Biography". Barclayjamesharvest.com. Retrieved 19 February 2013.
  9. ↑ Keith Domone. "John Lees' Barclay James Harvest Photos". Barclayjamesharvest.com. Retrieved 19 February 2013.
  10. ↑ "Cherry Red Records – Top 51". Cherryred.co.uk. 8 November 1978. Retrieved 19 March 2014.
  11. ↑ "John Lees' Barclay James Harvest Biography". Barclayjamesharvest.com. Retrieved 19 February 2013.
  12. ↑ "The Band". Barclayjamesharvest.co.uk. Retrieved 3 January 2012.
  13. ↑ "Drama – Life on Mars – Series 2: Episode 3". BBC. 13 March 2007. Retrieved 2 May 2012.

External links