Caravan

Caravan are an English band from the Canterbury area, founded by former Wilde Flowers members David Sinclair, Richard Sinclair, Pye Hastings and Richard Coughlan in 1968. The band have not achieved much commercial success, but are considered a key part of the Canterbury scene, blending psychedelic rock, jazz and classical influences to create a distinctive sound.

The band were originally based in Whitstable, Kent, near Canterbury, but moved to London when briefly signed to Verve Records. After being dropped by Verve, the band signed to Decca Records, where they released their most critically acclaimed album, In the Land of Grey and Pink in 1971. David Sinclair left after the album's release and the group split up the following year. Hastings and Coughlan added new members, notably viola player Geoffrey Richardson, continuing on before splitting in 1978.

The band reformed several times in the following decades, and Caravan still remain active as a live band in the 21st century, despite Coughlan's death in December 2013.

Links To Peel
Peel discovered the group in the late 60's and invited them for their first session in December 1968, which got broadcast on 5th January 1969. The group did 8 sessions for Peel's show, whose last session took place in 1977, just when punk started to dominate the alternative scene.

Sessions
Session tracks are available on the following: Ether Way (1998, CD, Hux), Green Bottles For Marjorie (The Lost BBC Sessions) (2002, CD, BBC Music), The Show Of Our Lives: Live At The BBC 1968-1975 (2007, 2xCD, Deram) and The World Is Yours - An Anthology 1968-1976 (2010, 4xCD Compilation Boxset, Deram) 1. Recorded: 1968-12-31. Broadcast: 05 January 1969. Repeated: 16 February 1969 2. Recorded: 1970-11-02. Broadcast: 14 November 1970 3. Recorded: 1972-04-11. Broadcast: 02 May 1972. Repeated: 04 July 1972 4. Recorded: 1973-08-20. Broadcast: 30 August 1973 5. Recorded: 1974-02-07. Broadcast: 14 February 1974 6. Recorded: 1975-06-26. Broadcast: 03 July 1975. Repeated: 28 October 1975 7. Recorded: 1976-05-06. Broadcast: 17 May 1976 8. Recorded: 1977-05-02. Broadcast: 10 May 1977
 * Green Bottles For Marjorie / A Place Of My Own / Feeling Reeling And Squealing / Ride
 * Golf Girl / For Richard / Hello Hello
 * Waterloo Lily / Love In Your Eye / The World Is Yours
 * Head Loss / Memory Iain Hugh / L'Auberge Du Sanglier / A Hunting We Shall Go / Pengola / Backwards
 * Love In Your Eye / Virgin On The Ridiculous / Mirror For The Day / For Richard
 * The Show Of Our Lives / Stuck In A Hole / Dabsong Conshirto
 * All The Way / A Very Smelly Grubby Little Oik / Bobbing Wide / Come On Back / Grubby Little Oik (Reprise)
 * Behind You / The Last Unicorn / Better By Far / Nightmare

Live
1. Recorded: Unknown. Broadcast: 11 October 1970

2. Recorded at the Paris Theatre, London: 1971-05-06. Broadcast: 16 May 1971
 * Hello Hello
 * If I Could...
 * And I Wish I Were Stoned/Don't Worry
 * For Richard
 * Nine Feet Underground
 * In The Land Of Grey and Pink
 * Feelin', Reelin', Squealin'

Other Shows Played
1968 1970 1972 1973 2001
 * 22 December 1968: Place Of My Own (single) Verve [Folkways/Forecast] VS
 * 12 September 1970: With An Ear To The Ground You Can Make It / Martinian / Only Cox / Reprise (LP – If I Could Do It All Over Again, I'd Do It All Over You) Decca
 * 06 June 1972: Waterloo Lily (LP - Waterloo Lily) Deram
 * 02 August 1973: 'As I Feel I Die / Medley: With An Ear To The Ground You Can Make It - Martinian - Only Cox - Reprise (LP-If I Could Do It All Over Again, I'd Do It All Over You)' (Decca)
 * 10 May 2001: The Show Of Our Lives (LP - Ether Way The Peel Sessions 1975-1977) Hux Records