Strawbs

Strawbs is an English rock band from London, formed in 1964 and active from 1964 to the present. The group works in folk, folk rock, progressive folk and progressive rock, and it is led by Dave Cousins. It first performs under the name Strawberry Hill Boys and begins as a bluegrass group before moving towards original songs, most of them written by Cousins.

Early years and line-up changes

The band is among the first UK acts signed to A&M Records, the label founded by Herb Alpert. Its first single is Oh How She Changed, and its debut album is Strawbs. After the folk-tinged Dragonfly, Rick Wakeman joins on keyboards with Richard Hudson on drums and John Ford on bass. The live set Just a Collection of Antiques and Curios, recorded at the band’s London debut, becomes its first US release. Wakeman remains for From the Witchwood before leaving for Yes, and Blue Weaver replaces him.

This line-up records Grave New World, which is often regarded as a key Strawbs album. Founding member Tony Hooper later leaves and Dave Lambert joins, bringing a harder rock sound. With Lambert, the band has chart success with Lay Down, which reaches number 12 in the UK, and Part of the Union, which reaches number 2. These songs appear on Bursting at the Seams, the band’s highest-charting album, which reaches number 2 in the UK.

Later 1970s and hiatus

After extensive touring, tensions during a US tour lead Hudson and Ford to leave and form Hudson Ford, while Weaver also departs. Cousins and Lambert rebuild the band with John Hawken on keyboards, Rod Coombes on drums and Chas Cronk on bass. This line-up records Hero and Heroine and Ghosts, which achieve notable success in North America, especially in Canada, where Hero and Heroine goes platinum. The band later leaves A&M Records. On the Deep Purple-owned Oyster label, it releases two albums with keyboardists Robert Kirby and John Mealing, then Deadlines on Arista.

Plans for Heartbreak Hill stall when Cousins leaves in 1980, and the band goes on hiatus. A reunion in 1983 on Rick Wakeman’s television show leads to a return for the Cambridge Folk Festival. Through the 1980s and 1990s, different line-ups perform intermittently in the UK, US and Europe.

Reunion era and later releases

A 30th-anniversary concert in 1998 revives the band and leads to regular touring. Acoustic Strawbs, the trio formed by Cousins, Lambert and Willoughby, tours widely and records Baroque & Roll in 2001. Willoughby is later replaced by Chas Cronk. The electric band’s classic Hero and Heroine line-up returns in 2004 and releases Deja Fou, the first new Strawbs album in 25 years.

From 2007, Strawbs tours both as an acoustic trio and as the full electric band with the Hero and Heroine/Ghosts line-up. Oliver Wakeman, son of Rick Wakeman, joins on keyboards for tours from 2009. The band releases The Broken Hearted Bride in 2008 and Dancing to the Devil's Beat in 2009. Later touring personnel include Tony Fernandez on drums and John Young on keyboards. In 2017, Strawbs releases The Ferryman's Curse, recorded by a line-up including Cousins, Lambert, Cronk, Fernandez and Dave Bainbridge.

Final years and related acts

Strawbs tours the US in 2019 as part of its 50th-anniversary celebrations, including a three-day event in Lakewood, New Jersey with former members and guests such as Annie Haslam, Larry Fast, Tony Visconti and Wesley Stace. The band releases Settlement in 2021 and The Magic Of It All in 2023, the latter recorded in Cape Town in 2022 and featuring David Cousins, Blue Weaver and John Ford. Strawbs gives its final live show at Fairport's Cropredy Convention in 2023.

Associated spin-offs include Hudson Ford and The Monks. The Monks score a UK hit with Nice Legs, Shame About The Face in 1979 and also gain significant popularity in Canada.