Tyne-Tees Television, Probably 1964 Or 1965

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Pre-First Album Demos, Early/Mid 1966

1. Maybe Someday (Heron)
2. October Song (Williamson)
3. ****** Unknown Title ******

They [the ISB] also made their first demo in Edinburgh in Alan Coventry's house. Alan Coventry was a schoolmate of Mike's and he played bass with the Boston Dexters. Mike invited me up - I knew him and Alan because of selling records and generally knowing people in groups. Alan was a very funny guy who had a Revox tape recorder, so they went in there and made their first set of demos. A few weeks later Mike came back to the stall and I asked how it was going. He said great, they had serious interest from two record companies - Transatlantic and Elektra. I said it had to be Elektra - they were cutting edge - but I was teaching them to suck eggs. They already knew. To be absolutely honest, I can't remeber what was on that demo, I was probably out of my face! I just remember being excited at being there. I think maybe 'Maybe Someday' was on it. I don't know what happened to the tape - of course they didn't have a cassette machine to do copies on!

"However, he [Joe Boyd] did eventually catch up with them and was suitably impressed. They had already recorded an album with a small label in Glasgow, which Joe bought the rights to, and he suggested they should record more of their own material, thinking that Elektra boss Jac Holzman would be unlikely to be impressed with a Scottish band playing American jug band music, no matter how well."

Joe sent the band's demo tape to Jac Holzman, the boss of Elektra who, like Joe, was knocked out by Robin's October Song in particular. The demo tape had been recorded using equipment belonging to Alan Coventry, an old school mate of Mike's and formerly bass guitarist with the Boston Dexters.

One of many unsubstantiated rumours about the early days of the ISB is that they recorded an album for a small Glasgow label, to which Joe Boyd was forced to buy the rights to block its release. Mike has mentioned this in at least one interview. Clive later confirmed that he half-remembers something similar happening. Robin remembers that the label in question was Lismor, and thinks that there were certainly negotiations about them recording an album, though he cannot remember for certain if they actually got as far as going into a studio. Both Joe Boyd and Ronnie Simpson, who has run Lismor Records since 1980, know nothing about any album recordings. Ronnie: 'I'm sure there is/was only ever one Lismor. The first release was in 1973, so anything before that would have been with someone else. When we took over Lismor I recall that four record labels were going down and four more had just started. The ones going down were Scotia, Thistle, Waverley and Scottish Records. Scotia operated out of a garage in Paisley, and had a very sparse release schedule, mostly of local talent. Thistle specialised in country dance, song and fiddle music. Waverley was based in Craighall studios in Edinburgh (where the Edinburgh Folk Festival albums were recorded) and went on to become a Scottish music production house for EMI. Scottish was run by a writer and broadcaster called Douglas Gray, who released everything from Early Music to Jean Redpath and Para Handy, folk song, fiddle music and spoken word. Knowing the make-up of all these people I cannot see them getting excited about the ISB. The hippy culture would have made all of them run a mile. I was heavily involved in the music scene then and can think of nowhere or no-one that would have done more than talk about an album. There were no real studios.'

Unless these tapes ever actually turn up, it is probably reasonable safe to assume that the recording session in question was the one with Alan Coventry. There seem to have been six songs on the tape, definitely including October Song and possibly Mike's Maybe Someday. Again memories are vague, but it is likely a copy was sent to Nat Joseph, as well as one to Joe Boyd.

Fortunately, when Holzman heard an acetate of Robin's 'October Song', he said, 'Yeah, this is pretty good, go sign them'. I then had to deliberately misunderstand his instructions and add £50 to the advance to beat out Nat Joseph at Transatlantic Records for their signature.'

Julie Felix 'Once More With Felix' Pilot Show, Summer/Autumn 1967

1. Little Cloud (Heron)
2. ****** Unknown Title ******

Regional Television, Norfolk, Probably 1968

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What about the String Band and TV? Besides the three Julie Felix shows you appeared on there doesn't seem to much else for a band of such stature at the time. Was there anything else?

The most wonderful one we ever did was for a regional station in Norfolk and that was was quite fantastic. Just me and Robin. We went in the afternoon and met this guy who'd just got the job as presenter - he usually did the weather or something - he was really nervous and uptight. Anyway, so Robin laid out all his instruments on the table in preparation for the interview later and then we would do a couple of songs.

Then Robin and I went out by the river and had an enormous joint, and came back in, and the guy presenting was really nervous and he'd made loads of mistakes already, and he got to us and took us over to the table, telling the viewershow he was going to interview us and then we would do a song. So he said, "Robin, tell me, how many instruments do you play?" And Robin said, "I don't know".

Children's TV Show, Yorkshire, Probably 1968

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Julie Felix 'Once More With Felix', 3.2.68

Royal Festival Hall, London, 30.3.68

Live In The Studio Recordings, Sound Techniques, Chelsea, Early 1969

U, The Roundhouse, London, 8 to 18.4.70

1. ****** Unknown Titles ******

Birmingham Town Hall, 8.10.71

Southampton Guildhall, 25.2.72

Southampton University, 17.2.73

1. Cousin Caterpillar (Heron)
2. Log Cabin Home In The Sky (Heron)
3. Dumb Kate (Heron)
4. Raga Tune (Williamson)
5. Circus Girl (Williamson)
6. At The Lighthouse Dance (LeMaistre)
7. Second Fiddle (Duke Reid)
8. Cold Days Of February (Williamson)
9. Elite Syncopations (Scott Joplin)
10. Maker Of Islands (Heron)
11. Saturday Maybe (Williamson)
12. Tear The Silk (Williamson)
13. Medley: Douglas Traherne Harding (Heron)/You Get Brighter (Heron)/Dust Be Diamonds (Heron/Williamson)/White Bird (Heron)/Ducks On A Pond (Williamson)/Sleepers, Awake! (Heron)

'Midnight Special', 11.5.73

1. Black Jack David (Heron)
2. The Old Buccaneer (Williamson)

Granada TV Show, Manchester, 18.2.74

1. ****** Unknown Titles ******