Incredible String Band resources?

TG&Y · May 7, 2014

I'm wondering if there's a pot of gold somewhere that has ISB song chords compiled. Chordie has some, Ultimate Guitar some, and the usual other suspects, but I have a notion there's a jackpot out there I haven't yet found, given the loyalty of some of their fans. Any links?

I knew them in real time, but am appreciating them even more lately.

TG&Y · May 8, 2014

Leon? I missed that. He's my hometown boy. Lived not far from his Maple Ridge Tulsa house in high school and later, just around the corner from the Church Studio. Leon had a much deeper influence on the music of the day, before he became the big star, than is easily noticeable. Name just about any song of the 60's that has a piano or organ on it and Russell will likely have been sitting at the keyboard. Seriously, just about any song you can name from the Beach Boys to the Byrds to Aretha to Frank Sinatra. Then he came into his own in 1970 with the Blue album.

I don't do Kindle, but thanks for the head's up and a direction to look.

earth water fire and air
met together in a garden fair...

kypfer · May 8, 2014

"... back in the 1960's, yes, you made your own amusements then" ... well, maybe it was the early '70's, "Music Sales Corporation" published a book entitled "The Incredible String Band, Music Edited and Transcribed by Happy Traum". I'd only ever seen one copy until recently, when I managed to find one for myself on eBay. 36 tunes from their earlier albums, transcribed for guitar, mostly just melody line, chord symbols and lyrics, but does include some tuning details and picking patterns where deemed appropriate. A brief resume of the band's early days and a few b&w photo's, about A4 size, a book well worth finding if you enjoy their music and are trying to emulate some of the more esoteric stuff

TG&Y · May 8, 2014

Whoa...that sounds like exactly what I'm looking for. Thanks! You wouldn't have the ISBN would you? The search begins.

To emulate the more esoteric stuff would probably require more acid...

kypfer · May 8, 2014

You wouldn't have the ISBN would you?

My copy is ISBN 0-8256-6009-2 and contains most of the music from the eponymous "Incredible String Band" and everything from "5000 Spirits" and "The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter". The front and back cover artwork are the cover photo's from "Hangman's ..". The text on the front cover mentions "Words, music and chords for 34 songs", but there are 36 entries in the index!

Hope this all helps ... and good luck

Barbablanca · May 8, 2014

I am an old string head and would also appreciate a copy of that if anyone ever feels like scanning it. I am almost certain it has not been printed for 40 years and is not likely to ever be again. I remember drooling over it in a music shop in Liverpool in the 1970s, but it cost more than most of the String Band's albums put together - so I didn't buy it. One of life's regrets. ISB were very special and very divisive. You either got them or you didn't - most of my family didn't and would scream at me to take off that awful noise

. Saw them live many times and have real fond memories. Met them personally at the Forum in Barcelona (2004) (minus Robin, who I met at an Albion Fayre in the 80s). At the Forum gigs Mike famously described them thus: "We are our own tribute band!"

kypfer · May 8, 2014

would also appreciate a copy of that if anyone ever feels like scanning it

... sorry, but you can count me out on that idea. I appreciate the book's not been in print for a long time (mine's priced at $2.95 / £1.25, significantly less than what I paid for it) but I've got a great deal of respect for the copyright of artists' material, however difficult it may be to find an original copy

TG&Y · May 8, 2014

Yes, it has been helpful - and expensive. I found and ordered a copy this morning. Yow!
Thanks for the tip. Now if we can just find Licorice...

kypfer said:
My copy is ISBN 0-8256-6009-2 and contains most of the music from the eponymous "Incredible String Band" and everything from "5000 Spirits" and "The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter". The front and back cover artwork are the cover photo's from "Hangman's ..". The text on the front cover mentions "Words, music and chords for 34 songs", but there are 36 entries in the index!

Hope this all helps ... and good luck

kypfer · May 10, 2014

So Googling around ... I found this http://www.angelfire.com/biz3/ISB/ISB4.html

Not all of the links work, but the zip file is good ... some stuff from Wee Tam

TG&Y · May 10, 2014

Much appreciated. In a misty twisty way.

(edited to add: the songs in the zip file need to be altered by adding .doc to the end of each song/file name for them to open properly - at least they needed that on my windows machine)

kypfer said:
So Googling around ... I found this http://www.angelfire.com/biz3/ISB/ISB4.html

Not all of the links work, but the zip file is good ... some stuff from Wee Tam

TG&Y · Jun 8, 2014

Its a bitter injustice that Christina was cropped from the back cover photo. Sayin'.

Incredible String Band resources?

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