Barclay James Harvest are an English progressive rock band. They were founded in Oldham, in September 1966 by guitarist/vocalist John Lees (b. 1947), bassist/vocalist Les Holroyd (b. 1948), keyboardist/vocalist Stuart “Woolly” Wolstenholme (1947–2010), and drummer/percussionist Mel Pritchard (1948–2004). After signing with EMI’s Parlophone label in the UK for one single in early 1968, they moved to the more progressively inclined Harvest label. The name for the band, according to The International Barclay James Harvest Fan Club, signifies nothing specifically. Having exhausted other possibilities, each of the band members wrote single words on pieces of paper which were drawn out of a hat one by one.
All were rejected until only three were left: James, a man who used to sing with the band, Harvest because they were living in a farmhouse, and Barclay after Barclays bank, because they aspired to make money. These were then rearranged to get the best-sounding name of Barclay James Harvest.
Their self-titled debut album featured backing by an orchestra organized by Robert John Godfrey. It was released in mid-1970 and was heavily touted by the musicians and the record label as the next big thing in orchestral rock, but met with overwhelmingly negative reviews and weak sales. Their second album, Once Again, was followed by a tour with a full orchestra under Godfrey’s guidance. Godfrey departed over writing issues behind “Mocking Bird” – one of the group’s most consistently popular tracks – so Martyn Ford was brought in to supervise the orchestral work for their third album, Barclay James Harvest and Other Short Stories. Years later Godfrey filed a lawsuit alleging he was owed composing credits and corresponding royalties on several of Barclay James Harvest’s songs. By the release of their fourth album, Baby James Harvest, in 1972, the pressures of touring were beginning to affect the band.
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Titles
Mocking Bird
Moongirl
Galadriel
Who Do We Think We Are?
Love on the Line
For No One
Play to the World
One Night
JcF
Berlin
Rock n Roll Star
Life Is For Living
Poor man’s moody blues
Eyes Of The Universe) 1979 Full Album
Barclay James Harvest – Once Again – 4.0 surround 2023