Grave New World
Encyclopedia
Grave New World is a studio album
by English
band Strawbs. It was the first album to be released after the departure of Rick Wakeman
, under circumstances about which band leader Dave Cousins
was very bitter. Cousins has admitted that the track "Tomorrow" was written about Wakeman. Happily their friendship survived and the two have since performed and recorded together, releasing an album Hummingbird in 2002.
Wakeman's departure to join prog-rockers
Yes
caused a lot of predictions of Strawbs demise. Cousins was into the I Ching
at the time and he asked the book what he should do. The answer was used in the lyrics for the first track on the album, "Benedictus
".
Blue Weaver
, late of Amen Corner
, was recruited and considered by most fans to be a more than adequate replacement for Wakeman.
The album depicts the story of one man's life. For instance, the track "Hey Little Man" represents an older man giving advice to his young son. The songs themselves show the continuation of the movement away from Strawbs' original folk
leanings. Founding member Tony Hooper
began to be increasingly uncomfortable with this and left after the recording sessions of this album.
The original vinyl
album had lavish artwork and included a pamphlet showing the lyrics of each track together with details of instrumentation. The front cover is a reproduction of William Blake
's Glad Day.
The album reached number 11 in the UK Album Charts.
1998 reissue CD.
"I'm Going Home" originally appeared on Dave Cousins's solo album Two Weeks Last Summer
. This track is the first occasion on which Dave Lambert
recorded with the band. He had occasionally been appearing on stage for encores but after this album and the departure of Tony Hooper, Lambert joined the band full-time.
with
The track "Ah Me, Ah, My" credits "The Gentlemen of the Chorus" with vocals and "Tony Visconti's Old Tyme Dance Orchestra" (actually the Ted Heath Orchestra) as musicians.
with additional work at Island Studios and Landsdowne Studios.
Produced by Dave Cousins, Richard Hudson, John Ford, Blue Weaver and Tony Hooper
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
by English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
band Strawbs. It was the first album to be released after the departure of Rick Wakeman
Rick Wakeman
Richard Christopher Wakeman is an English keyboard player, composer and songwriter best known for being the former keyboardist in the progressive rock band Yes...
, under circumstances about which band leader Dave Cousins
Dave Cousins
Dave Cousins has been the leader, singer and most active songwriter of Strawbs since 1967.-Career:...
was very bitter. Cousins has admitted that the track "Tomorrow" was written about Wakeman. Happily their friendship survived and the two have since performed and recorded together, releasing an album Hummingbird in 2002.
Wakeman's departure to join prog-rockers
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
Yes
Yes (band)
Yes are an English rock band who achieved worldwide success with their progressive, art, and symphonic style of rock music. Regarded as one of the pioneers of the progressive genre, Yes are known for their lengthy songs, mystical lyrics, elaborate album art, and live stage sets...
caused a lot of predictions of Strawbs demise. Cousins was into the I Ching
I Ching
The I Ching or "Yì Jīng" , also known as the Classic of Changes, Book of Changes and Zhouyi, is one of the oldest of the Chinese classic texts...
at the time and he asked the book what he should do. The answer was used in the lyrics for the first track on the album, "Benedictus
Benedictus (Strawbs song)
"Benedictus" is a song by English band Strawbs featured on their 1972 album Grave New World.After the departure of Rick Wakeman, band leader Dave Cousins consulted the I Ching asking what to do next...
".
Blue Weaver
Blue Weaver
Blue Weaver is a British keyboard player, session musician, songwriter and record producer.-Biography:...
, late of Amen Corner
Amen Corner (band)
Amen Corner were a successful Welsh rock group, formed in late 1966 in Cardiff, Wales.-Career:The band was named after The Amen Corner, a weekly disc spin at the Victoria Ballroom in Cardiff, Wales, where every Sunday night Dr...
, was recruited and considered by most fans to be a more than adequate replacement for Wakeman.
The album depicts the story of one man's life. For instance, the track "Hey Little Man" represents an older man giving advice to his young son. The songs themselves show the continuation of the movement away from Strawbs' original folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
leanings. Founding member Tony Hooper
Tony Hooper
Tony Hooper is an English singer-songwriter and musician. He is best known as a founder-member of Strawbs together with Dave Cousins. He left Strawbs in 1972 after their album Grave New World, when it became obvious that the band was moving further away from its folk roots towards rock and...
began to be increasingly uncomfortable with this and left after the recording sessions of this album.
The original vinyl
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
album had lavish artwork and included a pamphlet showing the lyrics of each track together with details of instrumentation. The front cover is a reproduction of William Blake
William Blake
William Blake was an English poet, painter, and printmaker. Largely unrecognised during his lifetime, Blake is now considered a seminal figure in the history of both the poetry and visual arts of the Romantic Age...
's Glad Day.
The album reached number 11 in the UK Album Charts.
Side one
- "BenedictusBenedictus (Strawbs song)"Benedictus" is a song by English band Strawbs featured on their 1972 album Grave New World.After the departure of Rick Wakeman, band leader Dave Cousins consulted the I Ching asking what to do next...
" (Dave CousinsDave CousinsDave Cousins has been the leader, singer and most active songwriter of Strawbs since 1967.-Career:...
) – 4:24 - "Hey Little Man ... Thursday's ChildHey Little Man ... Thursday's Child"Hey Little Man ... Thursday's Child" is a song by English band Strawbs written by Dave Cousins. The track is to be found on the Grave New World album and the lyrics depict a father talking to his son. The song can be considered to be continued on a later track from the same album – "Hey Little Man...
" (Cousins) – 1:06 - "Queen of DreamsQueen of Dreams"Queen of Dreams" is a song performed by English band Strawbs and written by Dave Cousins. The track first appeared on the 1972 Grave New World album.-Musical content:...
" (Cousins) – 5:32 - "Heavy DisguiseHeavy Disguise"Heavy Disguise" is a song by English band Strawbs written by bassist John Ford. The track first appeared on the Grave New World album and features just John Ford from the band singing and accompanying himself on the acoustic guitar backed by "The Robert Kirby Silver Band" – i.e...
" (John Ford) – 2:53 - "New WorldNew World (Strawbs song)"New World" is a song by English band Strawbs written by Dave Cousins. The track first appeared on the Grave New World album.-Lyrical and musical content:...
" (Cousins) – 4:11 - "Hey Little Man ... Wednesday's ChildHey Little Man ... Wednesday's Child"Hey Little Man ... Wednesday's Child" is a song by English band Strawbs written by Dave Cousins. The track is to be found on the Grave New World album and the lyrics depict a father talking to his son. The song can be considered to be a continuation from an earlier track from the same album – "Hey...
" (Cousins) – 1:06
Side two
- "The Flower and the Young ManThe Flower and the Young Man"The Flower and the Young Man" is a song by English band Strawbs written by Dave Cousins. The track first appeared on the Grave New World album.-Lyrical and musical content:...
" (Cousins) – 4:17 - "TomorrowTomorrow (Strawbs song)"Tomorrow" is a song by English band Strawbs credited as a band composition with the main idea by Dave Cousins. The track first appeared on the Grave New World album.-Lyrical and musical content:...
" (Cousins, Tony HooperTony HooperTony Hooper is an English singer-songwriter and musician. He is best known as a founder-member of Strawbs together with Dave Cousins. He left Strawbs in 1972 after their album Grave New World, when it became obvious that the band was moving further away from its folk roots towards rock and...
, Ford, Blue WeaverBlue WeaverBlue Weaver is a British keyboard player, session musician, songwriter and record producer.-Biography:...
, Richard HudsonRichard Hudson (musician)Richard Hudson is an English singer-songwriter and musician.-Career:Richard Hudson was a member of Elmer Gantry’s Velvet Opera, in which he played drums and sitar and sang. In 1970, he and band-mate John Ford joined Strawbs...
) – 4:49 - "On Growing OlderOn Growing Older"On Growing Older" is a song by English band Strawbs written by Dave Cousins. The track first appeared on the Grave New World album, although it was written and recorded a few years earlier...
" (Cousins) – 1:56 - "Ah Me, Ah MyAh Me, Ah My"Ah Me, Ah My" is a song by English band Strawbs written by Tony Hooper. The track first appeared on the Grave New World album, although it was written and recorded a few years earlier...
" (Hooper) – 1:24 - "Is It Today, Lord?" (Hudson) – 3:07
- "The Journey's End" (Cousins, Weaver) – 1:46
Bonus tracks
The following were featured as bonus tracks on the A&MA&M Records
A&M Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that operates under the mantle of its Interscope-Geffen-A&M division.-Beginnings:...
1998 reissue CD.
- "Here it ComesHere It Comes (song)"Here It Comes" is a song by the English band Strawbs. It did not appear on any of their studio albums, but it was included on two compilation albums: Strawbs by Choice and Halcyon Days...
" (Cousins) – 2:42 - "I'm Going Home" (Cousins) – 3:14
"I'm Going Home" originally appeared on Dave Cousins's solo album Two Weeks Last Summer
Two Weeks Last Summer
-Track listing:All songs written by Dave Cousins#"Two Weeks Last Summer" – #"October to May" – #"Blue Angel" – #:"Divided"#:"Half Worlds Apart"#:"At Rest"#"That's the Way It Ends" – #"The Actor" –...
. This track is the first occasion on which Dave Lambert
Dave Lambert (British musician)
Dave Lambert is an English singer-songwriter and musician, who was a member of The Strawbs in the 1970s.-Career:...
recorded with the band. He had occasionally been appearing on stage for encores but after this album and the departure of Tony Hooper, Lambert joined the band full-time.
Personnel
- Dave CousinsDave CousinsDave Cousins has been the leader, singer and most active songwriter of Strawbs since 1967.-Career:...
– lead vocals, backing vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
, acoustic guitarAcoustic guitarAn acoustic guitar is a guitar that uses only an acoustic sound board. The air in this cavity resonates with the vibrational modes of the string and at low frequencies, which depend on the size of the box, the chamber acts like a Helmholtz resonator, increasing or decreasing the volume of the sound...
, electric guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
, dulcimerAppalachian dulcimerThe Appalachian dulcimer is a fretted string instrument of the zither family, typically with three or four strings. It is native to the Appalachian region of the United States...
, recorderRecorderThe recorder is a woodwind musical instrument of the family known as fipple flutes or internal duct flutes—whistle-like instruments which include the tin whistle. The recorder is end-blown and the mouth of the instrument is constricted by a wooden plug, known as a block or fipple... - Tony HooperTony HooperTony Hooper is an English singer-songwriter and musician. He is best known as a founder-member of Strawbs together with Dave Cousins. He left Strawbs in 1972 after their album Grave New World, when it became obvious that the band was moving further away from its folk roots towards rock and...
– lead vocals, backing vocals, acoustic guitar, autoharpAutoharpThe autoharp is a musical string instrument having a series of chord bars attached to dampers, which, when depressed, mute all of the strings other than those that form the desired chord. Despite its name, the autoharp is not a harp at all, but a chorded zither. -History:There is debate over the...
, tambourineTambourineThe tambourine or marine is a musical instrument of the percussion family consisting of a frame, often of wood or plastic, with pairs of small metal jingles, called "zils". Classically the term tambourine denotes an instrument with a drumhead, though some variants may not have a head at all.... - Blue WeaverBlue WeaverBlue Weaver is a British keyboard player, session musician, songwriter and record producer.-Biography:...
– organOrgan (music)The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
, pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, harmoniumHarmoniumA harmonium is a free-standing keyboard instrument similar to a reed organ. Sound is produced by air being blown through sets of free reeds, resulting in a sound similar to that of an accordion...
, mellotronMellotronThe Mellotron is an electro-mechanical, polyphonic tape replay keyboard originally developed and built in Birmingham, England in the early 1960s. It superseded the Chamberlin Music Master, which was the world's first sample-playback keyboard intended for music...
, claviolineClaviolineThe clavioline is an electronic keyboard instrument, a forerunner to the analog synthesizer.It was invented by Constant Martin in 1947. It consists of a keyboard and a separate amplifier and speaker unit. The keyboard usually covered three octaves, and had a number of switches to alter the tone of... - John Ford – lead vocals, backing vocals, bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, acoustic guitar - Richard HudsonRichard Hudson (musician)Richard Hudson is an English singer-songwriter and musician.-Career:Richard Hudson was a member of Elmer Gantry’s Velvet Opera, in which he played drums and sitar and sang. In 1970, he and band-mate John Ford joined Strawbs...
– backing vocals, drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, sitarSitarThe 'Tablaman' is a plucked stringed instrument predominantly used in Hindustani classical music, where it has been ubiquitous since the Middle Ages...
, tablaTablaThe tabla is a popular Indian percussion instrument used in Hindustani classical music and in popular and devotional music of the Indian subcontinent. The instrument consists of a pair of hand drums of contrasting sizes and timbres...
s
with
- Trevor LucasTrevor LucasTrevor George Lucas was an influential folk artist, a member of Fairport Convention and one of the founders of Fotheringay...
and Anne Collins – backing vocals on "Benedictus" - Robert KirbyRobert KirbyRobert Kirby was a British born arranger of string sections for rock and folk music. He is best known for his work on the Nick Drake albums, Five Leaves Left and Bryter Layter, but has also worked with Elton John, Ralph McTell, Strawbs, Paul Weller and Elvis Costello.-At Cambridge:Patrick...
arranger ("Heavy Disguise") - Tony ViscontiTony ViscontiAnthony Edward Visconti is an American record producer and sometimes a musician or singer.Since the late 1960s, he has worked with an array of performers; his lengthiest involvement with any artist is with David Bowie: intermittently from Bowie's 1969 album Space Oddity to 2003's Reality, Visconti...
arranger ("Ah Me, Ah My")
The track "Ah Me, Ah, My" credits "The Gentlemen of the Chorus" with vocals and "Tony Visconti's Old Tyme Dance Orchestra" (actually the Ted Heath Orchestra) as musicians.
Recording
Recorded mainly at Morgan Studios, LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
with additional work at Island Studios and Landsdowne Studios.
Produced by Dave Cousins, Richard Hudson, John Ford, Blue Weaver and Tony Hooper
- Tom AllomTom AllomTom Allom is an English sound engineer and record producer, mainly active in the 1970s and 1980s. Allom is known for his work on seminal albums by Judas Priest, Black Sabbath, Def Leppard, KIX, and Rough Cutt...
– engineer at Morgan Studios - Martin Levan – assistant engineer
- Frank Owen - engineer at Island Studios
- John MackswithJohn MackswithJohn Anthony Mackswith is a British Sound engineer.Since the late 1960s, he has engineered the recordings of an array of notable performers at Landsdowne Studios & Utopia Studios in London and at various studios in Israel, New York, Canada and the Netherlands....
- engineer at Landsdowne Studios - Tony ViscontiTony ViscontiAnthony Edward Visconti is an American record producer and sometimes a musician or singer.Since the late 1960s, he has worked with an array of performers; his lengthiest involvement with any artist is with David Bowie: intermittently from Bowie's 1969 album Space Oddity to 2003's Reality, Visconti...
- producer, "Benedictus" - Gus DudgeonGus DudgeonAngus Boyd Dudgeon , most commonly known as Gus Dudgeon was an English record producer, most notable for production of many of Elton John's recordings.-Early career:...
- original producer, "Ah Me, Ah My"
Release history
| Region | Date | Label | Format | Catalog |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom 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... |
A&M A&M Records A&M Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that operates under the mantle of its Interscope-Geffen-A&M division.-Beginnings:... |
stereo Stereophonic sound The term Stereophonic, commonly called stereo, sound refers to any method of sound reproduction in which an attempt is made to create an illusion of directionality and audible perspective... LP Gramophone record A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove... |
AMLH 66078 | |
| United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
A&M | stereo LP | SP 4344 | |
| 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... |
A&M/Canyon | CD Compact Disc The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,... |
D32Y3578 | |
| South Korea South Korea The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south... |
Si-Wan | CD | SRMC 0075 | |
| Worldwide | A&M | remaster Remaster Remaster is a word marketed mostly in the digital audio age, although the remastering process has existed since recording began... ed CD |
540 934-2 |