Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

BEVIS FROND, The

One-man psychedelic band. While still in school '68 multi-instrumentalist Nick Saloman formed the Bevis Frond Museum (named by schoolmate Julian Temple, later a film director); later played in North London small- time bands Boxweed, Oddsocks (quartet album Men Of The Moment '75 on Sweet Folk label), Von Trap Family, Room 13. He worked in advertising, was partially disabled in a motorcycle accident '82, used a settlement to build a home studio, made a cassette of demos reviving his favourite band name and describing himself as 'the resident egomaniac ... on all guitars, bass, drums, organ, vocals, woodzither, effects, musical hairbrush, etc'. The response encouraged revival of his own Woronzow label: first pressing of album Miasma sold out, followed by Inner Marshland, Tryptych and Bevis Through The Looking Glass '86--8. The Auntie Winnie Album '89 collected out-takes; Acid Jam was a roster showcase (the Outskirts of Infinity is led by old friend guitarist Bari Watts with Nick on bass); Any Gas Faster '90 was followed by two-disc set New River Head '91; A Gathering Of Fronds '92 was a CD compilation. Ageing psychedeliacs should know that Any Gas Faster (made in a better studio) was praised by Rolling Stone as the real thing rather than a revival of clich‚s. Saloman started fanzine Ptolemaic Terrascope late '80s, has also provided fanzine singles, flexidiscs etc; two- CD North Circular 'posits a parallel universe where punk never happened' (Stewart Lee).