Wednesday, August 1, 2012

They found the truth in the flowering tree: "Glastonbury" by People (Deram, 1971)


"Glastonbury" by People, included on the compilation Staircase to Nowhere, Volume 12 in Bam Caruso's Rubble series.  Per the liner notes on the inner sleeve:

"People were essentially a squeaky-clean folk group, but something of [Glastonbury's] atmosphere must have touched them for this flipside, where they suddenly sounded so at ease with ley lines and King Arthur."

(image via 45cat)

A cursory web search has not turned up a way to listen to the A-side, which is entitled "In Ancient Times," presumably a reference to Blake.  When I first noticed the writing credit given to "Oliver" I got excited thinking it might be the same fellow who released the 1974 private press classic, Standing Stone.  But I doubt it.  Seems like both sides of the single would have been appropriate for the London 2012 Olympics Opening Ceremony, though, no?  If the powers that be had heard the B-side, they might not have been able to resist those funky breaks.

I-Spy: Trees

"Pagans worshipped the trees because wood was a magical substance, feeding the fires that cooked their food, supplying materials to make weapons and construct shelter."-- Rob Young, Electric Eden: Unearthing Britain's Visionary Music.

I came upon a large number of undated (possibly 1970s) I-Spy books in a charity shop in England in May, but I left with only one: Trees.


The front cover invites you to enter the grove.  But the inside cover beckons further:

"This country is famous for its beautiful trees; just to stand and look at them gives us great pleasure.  But how many of us know them and can name them ?  This book will help you do that, so you'll enjoy them all the more"

I've only scanned a few chosen pages, but I quite enjoy the color and layout.  And, of course, my blog banner comes from an image that illustrates the Wych Elm entry.

Mountain Ash or Rowan Tree / Sallow (or "Goat Willow")
Common Elm / Wych Elm