The Bevis Frond - Bevis Through The Looking Glass (1987)

The Bevis Frond - Bevis Through The Looking Glass (1987)

Band: The Bevis Frond
Album: Bevis through the looking glass
Year originally released: 1987
Label: Woronzow
Year re-released: 2005
Label: Rubric

Compilation from The Bevis Frond of very early recordings, originally a double LP is here
re-released by Rubric records on cd.

Fan website:
http://members.chello.nl/cvanderlely/bfrond.html

Biography from fan website:
The Bevis Frond is Nick Saloman, a neo-psychedelic renaissance man and the sole writer,
performer and producer behind the cottage industry bearing the Frond name. The head of his
own label (Woronzow) as well as the co-publisher of his own underground magazine (the
highly regarded Ptolemaic Terrascope), Saloman is a quintessential English eccentric, a
frighteningly prolific talent and a true anachronism purveying an archaic musical genre
while simultaneously pioneering the lo-fi aesthetic.

Saloman (11-03-1953) cloaked his formative years in mystery; according to legend, he
formed his first band, the Bevis Frond Museum, during his school years, covering stuff by
Cream, Hendrix, Doors, Blue Cheer, etc. After the group disbanded he performed solo
acoustic sets throughout the London area known as Walthamstow. After founding the
Von Trapp Family, later known as Room 13, Saloman was sidelined in 1982 following a motor-
cycle accident. With the money he received as compensation for his injuries, he revived
the Bevis Frond name and during his recuperation period assembled 1986's Miasma, a slice
of twisted, latter-day psychedelia issued on Woronzow in an original pressing of 250.
Much to Saloman's shock, the record sold out; realizing an audience existed for his brand
of time-warped pop, he quickly issued Inner Marshland, another underground success which
encouraged him to raid his extensive archives for more material. With the floodgates
opened, new Bevis Frond material -- much of it written and recorded at Saloman's home
long before it ever saw release -- appeared constantly; in 1988 alone, Woronzow issued
three separate collections, Triptych, Bevis Through the Looking Glass and Acid Jam, all
spotlighting Saloman's surreal wit and acute social commentary.

In the late 80s and early 90s Nick Saloman also played and recorded as a member of Magic
Muscle (with Rod Goodway), and with the Outskirts of Infinity (with Bari Watts).
Beginning with 1990's Any Gas Faster, Saloman was secure enough financially to begin
recording in an outside studio; as the new decade dawned, he also made his live debut,
appearing sporadically with an ever-changing group of backing musicians. After 1990's
Magic Eye, a joint collaboration with former Pink Fairy Twink, the Bevis Frond issued its
acknowledged masterpiece, 1991's double-LP set New River Head; erratic and eclectic,
Saloman's output continued on without concession to trends or consumer tastes, with new
albums appearing annually with clocklike precision.
Among the strongest were 1993's It Just Is, 1995's Superseeder and 1996's Son of Walter.

The Bevis Frond has become England's premier psychedelic rock band. Nick still continues
to record as a solo artist (under the name of Bevis Frond), mostly writing, playing and
producing everything himself. His latest album, the sublime North Circular is perhaps the
best example of Nick's talents.

Live the Bevis Frond tours as a three piece band includes ex-Hawkwind bassist Adrian Shaw
and ex Camel drummer Andy Ward.

Source:
Jason Ankeny (All-Music Guide), Kees van der Lely.

Tracklist:

1. Intro
2. 1970 Home Improvements
3. Now You Know
4. Shrine, The
5. Rat In A Waistcoat
6. In Another Year
7. Expressman
8. Mudman
9. Song For The Sky
10. Purple Sline
11. I Can't Get Into Your Scene
12. Soot
13. Die Is Cast
14. Alistair Jones