Archive of the former Yahoo!Groups mailing list: Mellotronists

I talked to Dave Cousins for a half an hour prior to the acoustic Strawbs gig Friday night in Covington, Kentucky across from Cincinnati concerning mellotronic matters. Cousins himself was very charming and affiable. Some significant poiints I learned:
1. I was correct about the MK II strings and flutes on "Pieces of 79 and 15" off the first Strawbs self titled album. The tron was played by Tony Visconti who worked as a production assistant to Gus Dudgeon on that album. Cousins could not remember which studio this was recorded at.
2. The mellotron on "The Shepherd's Song" off "From the Witchwood" played by Rick Wakeman was a M400, probably his first recorded use of this model according to the recording date of 1971.
3. The Strawbs owned a twin keyboard M500 in the later stages of their career. Cousins said this particular keyboard was a bitch to drag around but was the only way the string, brass, flutes, and choir sounds could be fully duplicated in a live setting without switching tape frames.
4. There is M400 or M500 choir on "Heartbreak Hill." I forgot which song he told me it was on but I am in the process of obtaining a copy and will let you know in the future.
5. Confirmed mellotron flute played by Blue Weaver on the new Strawbs cd "Blue Angel" on the title track, a remake of an epic off Cousins 1972 solo album "Two weeks Last Summer."
6. As to the total abandonment of mellotron on the 1975 "Nomadness" album. Cousins related to me that Rod Coombes, the Strawbs drummer at the time, convinced the rest of the band that the mellotron was no good and that it should not be used on that follow up album to "Ghosts." The lack of enthusiasm the public felt for that particular album made Cousins realize how important the tron was to the Strawbs sound thus it returned with a vengeance on "Deep Cuts."

Also, there was no mellotron involvement in Dave Lambert's prior group Fire although tron does appear on one track in Dave Lambert's 1979 solo album "Framed" played by Robbie Buchannan. Cousins did not know who played the tron on the Elmer Gantry Velvet Opera eponoymous album which featured Hudson & Ford. Overall the concert was very nice, tellingly there were no songs off the current "Blue Angel" album. Cousins at 58 and Lambert at 54 are still in great voice. I would highly reccomend you see them if you get the opportunity. In June I am seeing Fairport Convention and will confer with Simon Nicol regarding the inaudible mellotron on "Throwaway Street Puzzle."

A word of advance warning concerning Spocks Beard. The gentleman working the sound boards during the Strawbs show works closeley with progressive bands like Spock's Beard and the Flower Kings. He told me that he has heard the new Spocks Beard album in full and said that it will disappoint progressive rock fans. Since Neck D'Virgillo is also apparently involved with Fates Warning this might be metal, hopefully not.

Thanks again for everything and everybody, keep up the great communications.

Chris Haley