Mike Heron (Incredible String Band)

Event information

Mike Heron of psychedelic folk legends The Incredible String Band plays a selection of old and newer material in an intimate library venue complete with bar amongst the books...

Together with Robin Williamson and Clive Palmer, Mike Heron was a founder member of The Incredible String Band, perhaps the most profoundly influential psychedelic folk ever to reach wider consciousness, a claim borne out by Rob Young’s eulogising of the group in his acclaimed book on UK folk culture “Electric Eden”, in which he describes how, above and beyond “the sounds of The Beatles, Dylan and The Rolling Stones sweeping around the world” The String Band “captured that elemental essence of music as an intimate rite in the flickering light, imparting sacred mysteries to rapt ears in the sapphire deep of night”.

Formed in Edinburgh in 1965, they soon broke from the folk club beginnings they shared with other emerging artists such as Bert Jansch, John Martyn, Davey Graham and Billy Connolly to pioneer an eclectic "world music" approach. The String Band produced over 10 seminal albums including "Five Thousand Spirits or the Layers of the Onion", the Grammy nominated "The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter", and "Wee Tam and The Big Huge". In 1969 they were the only Scottish band to appear at Woodstock. Two years later Island Records released Heron's first solo album. Smiling Men with Bad Reputations was produced by Joe Boyd and featured a stellar cast including John Cale, Pete Townshend, Richard Thompson, Elton John, Jimmy Page, Steve Winwood, Keith Moon, Dave Pegg, Ronnie Lane,and Dudu Pakwana.

In recent years Heron and his band has appeared at high-profile London events including a celebration of Syd Barrett and “Folk Brittania”, and has been touring with Robyn Hitchcock.