Bridget St John
Encyclopedia
Bridget St John is a British
singer and songwriter
, best known for the three albums she recorded between 1969 and 1972 for John Peel
's Dandelion
label
. Peel produced her debut album Ask Me No Questions. She also recorded a large number of BBC Radio
and Peel sessions and toured regularly on the UK
college and festival circuit. Her popularity peaked in 1974 when she was voted fifth most popular female singer in that year's Melody Maker
readers poll.
An accomplished guitar player, she credits John Martyn as her guitar mentor.
The second album Songs for the Gentle Man, was produced by Ron Geesin
. St. John then recorded another album, Jumble Queen, for Chrysalis Records
in 1974. She emigrated to Greenwich Village
in 1976 and virtually disappeared from the public eye for over 20 years. She appeared at a Nick Drake
tribute concert in New York
in 1999, performing "Northern Sky" and "One of These Things First". She toured Japan
in 2006 with the minimalist French
musician Colleen.
Aside from work under her own name, Bridget St John has also recorded with Mike Oldfield
(on Amarok
), Kevin Ayers
and Robin Frederick. In 2007 she reunited with Kevin Ayers
to record on his album The Unfairground
in New York
. They duetted
on the song "Baby Come Home
".
She was described by John Peel
as "the best lady singer-songwriter in the country".
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
singer and songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
, best known for the three albums she recorded between 1969 and 1972 for John Peel
John Peel
John Robert Parker Ravenscroft, OBE , known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey, radio presenter, record producer and journalist. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly from 1967 until his death in 2004...
's Dandelion
Dandelion Records
Dandelion Records was a British record label started in 1969 by the British DJ John Peel as a way to get the music he liked onto record. Peel was responsible for "artistic direction" and the commercial side was handled by Clive Selwood of Elektra Records and his wife Shurely...
label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
. Peel produced her debut album Ask Me No Questions. She also recorded a large number of BBC Radio
BBC Radio
BBC Radio is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927. For a history of BBC radio prior to 1927 see British Broadcasting Company...
and Peel sessions and toured regularly on the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
college and festival circuit. Her popularity peaked in 1974 when she was voted fifth most popular female singer in that year's Melody Maker
Melody Maker
Melody Maker, published in the United Kingdom, was, according to its publisher IPC Media, the world's oldest weekly music newspaper. It was founded in 1926 as a magazine targeted at musicians; in 2000 it was merged into "long-standing rival" New Musical Express.-1950s–1960s:Originally the Melody...
readers poll.
An accomplished guitar player, she credits John Martyn as her guitar mentor.
The second album Songs for the Gentle Man, was produced by Ron Geesin
Ron Geesin
Ronald 'Ron' Geesin is a British musician and composer, noted for his quirky creations and novel applications of sound. He is probably best known as the orchestrator and organizer of Pink Floyd's "Atom Heart Mother" in 1970, after the band found themselves hopelessly deadlocked over how to...
. St. John then recorded another album, Jumble Queen, for Chrysalis Records
Chrysalis Records
Chrysalis Records was a British record label that was created in 1969. The name was both a reference to the pupal stage of a butterfly and a combination of its founders names, Chris Wright and Terry Ellis...
in 1974. She emigrated to Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village, , , , .in New York often simply called "the Village", is a largely residential neighborhood on the west side of Lower Manhattan in New York City. A large majority of the district is home to upper middle class families...
in 1976 and virtually disappeared from the public eye for over 20 years. She appeared at a Nick Drake
Nick Drake
Nicholas Rodney "Nick" Drake was an English singer-songwriter and musician. Though he is best known for his sombre guitar based songs, Drake was also proficient at piano, clarinet and saxophone...
tribute concert in New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in 1999, performing "Northern Sky" and "One of These Things First". She toured Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
in 2006 with the minimalist French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
musician Colleen.
Aside from work under her own name, Bridget St John has also recorded with Mike Oldfield
Mike Oldfield
Michael Gordon Oldfield is an English multi-instrumentalist musician and composer, working a style that blends progressive rock, folk, ethnic or world music, classical music, electronic music, New Age, and more recently, dance. His music is often elaborate and complex in nature...
(on Amarok
Amarok (album)
Amarok is the 13th record album by Mike Oldfield, released in 1990. It is considered by fans to be his most distinctive work: a single sixty-minute track of continuous, uninterrupted but constantly-changing music....
), Kevin Ayers
Kevin Ayers
Kevin Ayers is an English singer-songwriter and was a major influential force in the English psychedelic movement...
and Robin Frederick. In 2007 she reunited with Kevin Ayers
Kevin Ayers
Kevin Ayers is an English singer-songwriter and was a major influential force in the English psychedelic movement...
to record on his album The Unfairground
The Unfairground
The Unfairground is an acclaimed 2007 album by Kevin Ayers, recorded with members of Ladybug Transistor, Teenage Fanclub, Neutral Milk Hotel, Gorky's Zygotic Mynci and Roxy Music. It is his sixteenth studio LP and his first new set of recordings in fifteen years. It was recorded in New York,...
in New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. They duetted
Duet (music)
A duet is a musical composition for two performers. In classical music, the term is most often used for a composition for two singers or pianists; with other instruments, the word duo is also often used. A piece performed by two pianists performing together on the same piano is referred to as...
on the song "Baby Come Home
Baby Come Home
"Baby Come Home" is a Kevin Ayers single release taken from his album, The Unfairground. The song is a duet with folk singer Bridget St. John.-Track listing:7"#"Baby Come Home" #"Walk On Water" Download...
".
She was described by John Peel
John Peel
John Robert Parker Ravenscroft, OBE , known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey, radio presenter, record producer and journalist. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly from 1967 until his death in 2004...
as "the best lady singer-songwriter in the country".
Albums
- Top Gear (BBC) 1969 includes four tracks by Bridget
- Ask Me No Questions (Dandelion) 1969
- John Martyn (Guitar), Richard Sanders (Guitar), Bridget St John (Vocals, Guitar, Keyboards), Simon Stable (Bongos), Producer: John Peel
- "To B Without A Hitch"
- "Autumn Lullaby"
- "Curl Your Toes"
- "Like Never Before"
- "The Curious Crystals of Unusual Purity "
- "Barefeet And Hot Pavements"
- "I Like To Be with You in the Sun" (Song for the Laird of Connaught Hall)
- "Lizard-Long-Tongue-Boy"
- "Hello Again (Of Course)"
- "Many Happy Returns"
- "Broken Faith"
- "Ask Me No Questions"
- Songs for the Gentle Man (Dandelion) 1971
- Thank You For (Dandelion) 1972
- Jumblequeen (Chrysalis) 1974
- Take the 5ifth (Road Goes on Forever) 1996
External links
- Bridget St John
- Interview at The TerrascopePtolemaic TerrascopePtolemaic Terrascope is a magazine covering old and new music, usually of a psychedelic nature. It has been published irregularly since 1989...