For those unaware, Spirogyra was formed by duo Martin Cockerham and Mark Francis in Bolton in 1968, but the band expanded when Cockerham was a student in Canterbury at the end of 1969.

The expanded line-up featured Cockerham (guitar, vocals), Barbara Gaskin (lead vocals), Steve Borrill (bass) and Julian Cusack (violin, keyboards) and secured a contract with B&C Records in 1970.

The band’s impressive debut album, St Radigunds was issued in 1971 and featured guest drummer Dave Mattacks and Tony Cox on VCS3 Synthesiser.

In 1972 the band’s second album, Old Boot Wine, was released on the Pegasus label, a “progressive” imprint established by B&C. Prior to the recording of the album Mark Francis re- joined the group, and the sessions also saw contributions from guest musicians Dave Mattacks (drums), Julian Cusack (violin, keyboards), Rick Biddulph (mandolin), Alan Laing (cello).

With the demise of the Pegasus label, Spirogyra recorded their third album for Polydor, Bells, Boots & Shambles in 1973. By this time Spirogyra had become a core of Martin Cockerham (guitar, vocals) and Barbara Gaskin (lead vocals) with Steve Borrill (bass) and guest musicians Dave Mattacks (drums), Julian Cusack (violin, keyboards), Henry Lowther (trumpet), John Boyce (cello), Stan Sulzman (flute) and Steve Ashley (whistle).

Despite achieving critical praise, Spirogyra failed to enjoy commercial success which ultimately led to their demise. The trio of albums the band recorded between 1971 and 1973 featured music of innovation and originality and are arguably beyond classification. They remain highly regarded and are sought after by collectors and aficionados of the Progressive era.

This brand new 3CD collection The Future Won’t Be Long:The Albums (1971-1973) (out June 24th, 2022 via Esoteric Recordings) features four bonus tracks recorded during sessions for Old Boot Wine and the 1973 single release I Hear You’re Going Somewhere (Joe Really).

CD 1: St Radigunds (1971)
1. The Future Won’t Be Long
2. Island
3. Magical Mary
4. Captain’s Log
5. At Home In The World
6. Cogwheels, Crutches And Cyanide
7. Time Will Tell
8. We Were A Happy Crew
9. Love Is A Funny Thing
10. The Duke Of Beaufoot

In truth, this is a welcome return for Spirogyra, one of the more intriguing bands of the early ’70s. As aforementioned, the quartet of singer/guitarist/songwriter Martin Cockerham, singer Barbara Gaskin, violinist/keyboardist Julian Cusack, and bassist Steve Borrill were obviously short a member, with future Fairport Convention drummer Dave Mattacks coming on board for the recording of St. Radigunds, the group’s debut album.

The group’s sound was unusual, with Cockerham’s brittle, almost adenoidal vocals counterpointed by Gaskin’s crystalline tones. Musically, too, the band members played their instruments off against each other, with soaring, sometimes searing violin rocketing around strummed guitar and striking keyboard work.

Stylistically, Spirogyra were determined to clash genres as well, and although much of their sound was grounded in folk-rock, Spirogyra interlaced it with proggier elements and psychedelic leanings. Thus they never quite fit comfortably into the contemporary Canterbury scene, into which they were often lumped, and effectively drew in a much more diverse audience.

This eclectic approach was also reflected in the lyrics, heard in the working man’s view of WWII and its aftermath on the strident The Future Won’t Be Long and the -isms that infect Time Will Tell, notable in the acid-drenched imagery of Magical Mary, and found in the poetry-laced lyrics of Island.

With occasional use of unusual rhythms, intriguing blends of styles, innovative arrangements, and lyrics to ponder, St. Radigunds had it all, and quickly established Spirogyra as one of the most creative and innovative groups of the day.

CD 2: Old Boot Wine (1972)
1. Dangerous Dave
2. Van Allen’s Belt
3. Runaway
4. Grandad
5. Wings Of Thunder
6. World’s Eyes
7. Don’t Let It Get You 8. Disraeli’s Problem
9. A Canterbury Tale
10. Counting The Cars [Bonus track]
11. Window [Bonus track]
12. Turn Again Lane [Bonus track]
13. Melody Maker Man [Bonus track]

Although a couple of relatively big names were on this record (Barbara Gaskin, who’d collaborate with Dave Stewart for the number one British single It’s My Party in the early ’80s, and Fairport Convention drummer Dave Mattacks), sadly, it’s not a notable endeavor.

Martin Cockenham offers some not-bad wizened singer/songwriter ballads in a mellow but worn style, and Wings of Thunder has a fairly effective injection of pop into the folk-rock core, though the male-female dual vocals seem to be in need of retakes.

But there’s just not that much to hang onto in the ordinary material, and the lead vocals are much worse when handled by the male singers and not by Gaskin, in my humble opinion (although, the fact that there are now five bonus tracks added does make this a sought after fan must-have, of course).

CD 3: Bells, Boots & Shambles (1973)
1. The Furthest Point
2. Old Boot Wine
3. Parallel Lines Never Separate
4. Spiggly
5. An Everyday Consumption Song
6. The Sergeant Says
7. In The Western World
1) In the Western World
2) Jungle Lore
3) Coming Back
4) Western World (reprise)
8. I Hear You’re Going Somewhere (Joe Really) (A-Side of single) [Bonus Track]

This was their third and final album, and (once again) it is distinguished by Gaskin’s flitting vocals and Cockerham’s madcap delivery. At times, their tendency to drift resembles the Incredible String Band with Gaskin being the equivalent of Robin Williamson.

Spirogyra rocks with considerably more regularity than ISB but they’re equally esoteric, nevertheless. Cockerham even does a convincing imitation of Hunky Dory-era David Bowie on The Sergant Says, and his manic side is most evident in the middle passage of the three-part epic In the Western World. This is a difficult album to classify and was as problematic to promote, given its conspicuous absence in the U.S. market.

Official 3CD Purchase Link

www.cherryred.co.uk