Stackridge was a rock band from the West Country, formed in 1969: an earlier incarnation was the group Grytpype Thynne, and they were originally known as Stackridge Lemon. Original members were: Andy Creswell-Davies (lead guitar, keyboards); Mike "Mutter" Slater (flute); Mike Evans (violin); James Warren (guitars, bass); Billy "Sparkle" Bent (drums); and Jim "Crun" Walter (bass). There were a large number of touring musicians and a plethora of lineups, all documented on Wikipedia. The first four shared vocal duties. Their first major gig was opening and closing the first Glastonbury festival in 1970.
Throughout their career, Stackridge mainly stuck to a progressive rock sound, and explored and added elements of folk, power pop, and psychedelic rock. They have been described as a precursor to Britpop music. Their third album, The Man In The Bowler Hat (1974) was produced by George Martin, and featured Andy Mackay (Roxy Music). They disbanded in 1977, with Creswell-Davis and Warren going on to form the Korgis, only to reform in 1997 on the back of an album of Radio 1 sessions and split for good after a farewell tour in 2015.
They were described by AllMusic as "an oddity, a bucolic rock troupe with dancehall leanings. They were warm when the public wanted cool, intricate when brash was praised, illuminating when obscurity was in vogue."
Links to Peel[]
Stackridge were the only Bristol-based band of the era to appear regularly on John's programmes, recording seven sessions in the 1970s. Let It Rock noted that "though their only radio recognition so far has come from the benefactor of imaginative bands, John Peel, Stackridge's new single (Anyone For Tennis) and album (Friendliness) should help to change that." However, despite their frequent plays on Peel, John Walters included them amongst a list of groups that "weren't terrible, but not great" on Peeling Back The Years, and JP seemed to concur. They also appeared with reasonable frequency on In Concert, but were never introduced by John.
Nonetheless in an 2020 interview with Casey Chambers of The College Crowd Digs Me website, Andy Cresswell-Davies acknowledged the importance of Peel to the band: [1]
Casey Chambers: "The monster Slark came in to view." (laughs) That's such a great song. I think I got on board the Stackridge train after hearing that song featured as a KSHE Klassic about 10 years ago. All 14 minutes of it. Were radio stations in the UK receptive to the music you guys were doing back then?
Andy Creswell Davies: Well, not really...apart from the John Peel Show and one or two others. We didn't even have commercial radio at that time when we started. If you can believe that. There was the BBC and that was about it. You had local radio stations, but the music played was very middle of the road. Straight-laced, ya know? And the pop shows were very, very commercial pop. So, it was only the John Peel Show really, which was on once a week, to get any airing at all.
Casey Chambers: Now John Peel...I've heard he was very eclectic with his music choices but was an important DJ for a lot of bands over there.
Andy Creswell Davies: Oh, very important. Yeah, very important.
Casey Chambers: What was it like doing John Peel's show?
Andy Creswell Davies: Well, it was a great privilege at the time. It was a thrill. The band's played live. John Peel was a great guy and had a wry sense of humor. He really was carrying the flag for all sorts of progressive music at that time. I think it's difficult for people to remember how restricted it was then. And let's face it, it was prog-rock. That sound took the country by surprise really. There was no radio station that could cope with it. A band that played a song that was 15 minutes long ruled it out straight away for any airplay.
Festive Fifty Entries[]
- None
Sessions[]
- Seven sessions. #1 available on The Radio 1 Sessions (Strange Fruit).
The Three Legged Table, Pt. 3 (Live, BBC Radio One, John Peel Top Gear Session, 21 September 1971)
1. Recorded: 1971-09-21. First broadcast: 20 October 1971. Repeated: 15 December 1971
- Three Legged Table Part 3 / Slark
2. Recorded: 1972-03-20. First broadcast: 04 April 1972. No repeats.
- Lummy Days / The Story Of My Heart / Syracuse The Elephant
3. Recorded: 1972-10-09. First broadcast: 12 October 1972. Repeated: 09 November 1972.
- Anyone For Tennis? / There Is No Refuge / Friendliness / Teatime
4. Recorded: 1973-01-15. First broadcast: 25 January 1973. Repeated: 22 February 1973.
- Keep On Clucking / Fourposter Bed, Orange Blossom Special / Do The Stanley / Purple Spaceships Over Yatton
5. Recorded: 1973-11-19. First broadcast: 22 November 1973. Repeated: 20 December 1973.
- McGregor, Zorgon's Daughter / The Laughing Policeman / February In Shropshire / The Volunteer
6. Recorded: 1975-01-22. First broadcast: 30 January 1975. Repeated: 03 April 1975.
- Dancing On Air / Spin Around The Room / No One's More Important Than The Earthworm / Benjamin's Giant Onion
7. Recorded: 1976-02-19. First broadcast: 02 March 1976. Repeated: 30 April 1976, 15 July 1977.
- Hold Me Tight / Hey Good Looking / Save A Red Face / Steam Radio Song
Other Shows Played[]
- 1971 Mix Reel: Three Legged Table (album - Stackridge) MCA MDKS 8002
- 25 April 1972: Slark (single) MCA
- 09 May 1972: Slark (single) MCA
- 05 March 1974: Dangerous Bacon (7") MCA MCA 124
- Radio Luxembourg Tracklistings 4: Slark (single) MCA
- 26 February 1974: The Last Plimsoll (LP - The Man In The Bowler Hat) MCA
- 24 February 1975: Highbury Incident (Rainy July Morning) (album - Extravaganza) The Rocket Record Company
- 22 February 1979: 'Anyone For Tennis (LP-Friendliness)' (MCA) (JP: 'If I was any good at imitations and I hadn't got a cold, I'd now do an imitation of Anne Nightingale dedicating that to six students in Sussex called Stephen, but as it is, I won't....A couple of Stackridges have gone on, as I say, to become Korgis.')