Gryphon - Midnight Mushrumps
Transatlantic, 1974Gryphon is one of those bands that started out blissfully doing their own thing, mixing krumhorns and bassoons with bubbly prog rock sounds of the day. Over time they toned down the medieval and folk instrumentation a tad to pursue a more straightforward prog approach, ostensibly to gain more mainstream acceptance. They were never hugely popular, but it´s the earlier uncompromising albums that remain strong in my opinion...
Wikipedia:
"Multi-instrumentalist Richard Harvey and his fellow Royal College of Music graduate Brian Gulland, a woodwind player, began the group as an all-acoustic ensemble that mixed traditional English folk music with medieval and Renaissance influences. Shortly after this, the duo was joined by guitarist Graeme Taylor and drummer/percussionist Dave Oberlé. After their self-titled debut, they expanded their sound to include electric guitars and keyboards as well as wind instruments, such as bassoons and krumhorns, not previously used in rock music. Gryphon's music often sounded as much like rural English folk or renaissance chansons as it did rock, at least on their early recordings. After their third album (Red Queen to Gryphon Three) and the subsequent tour as a supporting act for Yes, their instrumentation became more conventional and the use of non-standard instruments was reduced. Fans and critics generally regard Midnight Mushrumps and the all-instrumental Red Queen to Gryphon Three as their finest albums.
In 1974, the group's publicist Martin Lewis arranged for the band to be commissioned to write and record the music for a major stage production of Shakespeare's The Tempest at Britain's National Theatre, directed by Sir Peter Hall. It opened at the historic Old Vic Theatre in April 1974. The music the band wrote and recorded for the stage production inspired the 21-minute fantasia "Midnight Mushrumps" (named after a phrase mentioned in The Tempest) which became the title track of their second album. Following the successful premiere of the play and acclaim for its music, Lewis arranged for Gryphon to give a Sunday evening concert at the Old Vic in July 1974 - the first-ever and to date only rock concert held at Britain's National Theatre. At the concert, the band performed "Midnight Mushrumps". The concert was considered a major breakthrough for progressive rock music. Audio tapes of the fabled concert exist, but none have yet surfaced publicly. The band's sound engineer at the time, Richard Elen, recorded the event on a 4-track machine (2 tracks PA feed, 2 tracks stereo acoustic sound picked up at the balcony) and subsequently mixed it to stereo. He has cassette copies of the master tape (which have some technical issues), but Martin Lewis is believed to have the master itself. It is not known whether the master is of releasable quality."
It would be nice indeed to hear that July 1974 concert tape.
Midnight Mushrumps Lineup:
Brian Gulland- bassoon, Bass Krumhorn, Tenor Recorder, Vocals, LaughRichard Harvey - recorders, Krumhorn, Harmonium, Pipe Organ, Grand Piano, Harpsichord, Electric Pianos, Toy Piano, Keyboard Glockenspiel, Mandolin, Vocals
David Oberlé - Drum kit, drums, percussion, timpani, lead vocals
Graeme Taylor - Electric & Acoustic Guitars, Vocals
Philip Nestor - Bass Guitar, Vocals
Here´s an image of the back cover. This is some Japanese CD issue, but the image is the same as the back of the LP cover.
FILL YOUR EARS
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