Barclay James Harvest
Wikimp3 information about the music of Barclay James Harvest. On our website we have 61 albums and 70 collections of artist Barclay James Harvest. You can find useful information and download songs of this artist. We also know that Barclay James Harvest represents Rock genres.
Biography
[Edit]Barclay James Harvest was, for many years, one of the most hard luck outfits in progressive rock. A quartet of solid rock musicians — John Lees, guitar, vocals; Les Holroyd, bass, vocals; Stuart "Wooly" Wolstenholme, keyboards, vocals; and Mel Pritchard, drums — with a knack for writing hook-laden songs built on pretty melodies, they harmonized like the Beatles and wrote extended songs with more of a beat than the Moody Blues. They were signed to EMI at the same time as Pink Floyd, and both bands moved over to the company's progressive rock-oriented Harvest imprint at the same time, yet somehow, they never managed to connect with the public for a major hit in England, much less America.
The group was formed in September of 1966 in Oldham, Lancashire. Lees and Wolstenholme were classmates who played together in a band called the Blues Keepers; that group soon merged with a band called the Wickeds, which included Holroyd and Pritchard. They became Barclay James Harvest in June of 1967 and began rehearsing at an 18th century farmhouse in Lancashire. The psychedelic era was in full swing, and the era of progressive rock about to begin — the Moody Blues, in particular, were beginning to cut an international swathe across the music world. BJH cut a series of demos late in the year, and by the spring of 1968 they were signed to EMI's Parlophone label; in April they issued their first single, a folky, faux-classical song called "Early Morning." The group got caught up a year later in a corporate change at EMI, and it was decided to move the more progressive-sounding groups on the label onto a new label, coincidentally named Harvest. Their first release on the new label was the single "Brother Thrush."
In 1970, they released their first album, Barclay James Harvest, which included several of the early songs and displayed the group's strengths: filled with strong harmony singing, aggressive electric guitar, and swelling Mellotron parts, it set the pattern for their subsequent releases, with Lees and Holroyd handling most of the songwriting. The album failed to chart, and a subsequent tour was a financial disaster. Their second album, Once Again (1971), was an artistic letdown, made up of rather lethargic songs, although it did contain the superb, "Mockingbird." The band recorded two more albums for Harvest, Short Stories (1971) and Baby James Harvest (1972), and spent much of 1972 on the road, including an unsuccessful tour of the U.S. They also released a pair of singles, "When the City Sleeps" and "Breathless," under the pseudonym "Bombadil" (a name taken from a J.R.R. Tolkien short story), all to no avail. 1973 saw them part company with EMI after one last single, "Rock and Roll Woman."
Later in 1973, the band signed with Polydor, and their fortunes began turning around, though only very gradually. Their first album for the new label, Everyone Is Everybody Else, seemed promising: it was a more powerful and coherent work than the group had ever released for EMI, with Lees' guitar dominating on songs like "Paper Wings" and "For No One." The album also presented the first example of the group consciously paying tribute to (and satirizing) another group's hit song — "Great 1974 Mining Disaster" was a very heavy sounding tribute/satire of the Bee Gees' "New York Mining Disaster 1941." (They would later do work in this vein involving the Moody Blues.) The album failed to chart, however, as did the single "Poor Boy Blues," with its gorgeous harmonies.
It seemed at first as though BJH was locked once again into a cycle of failure. Finally, in late 1974, their double-album Barclay James Harvest Live broke through to the public — the group was rewarded with a Top 40 placement in England and more sales activity on the European continent than they'd previously seen. Their next album, Time Honoured Ghosts, recorded in San Francisco, continued this gradual breakthrough when it was released in 1975, reaching number 32 in England. A year later, Octoberon reached the Top 20. An EP containing live versions of "Rock 'N Roll Star" and "Medicine Man" became another chart entry in the spring of 1977. By this time, EMI had begun to take advantage of the success of the group's Polydor work, and released A Major Fancy, a John Lees' solo album that had sat on the shelf for five years.
In 1977, they released Gone to Earth, their most accomplished album to date, and by the end of the year the group found themselves playing to arena-sized audiences. The release of XII in 1978 — which managed to just miss the British Top 30 — was followed by the group's first (and only) personnel shake-up. In June of 1979, Wolstenholme announced his exit from the band in favor of a solo career; the group's final tour with Wolstenholme was recorded and later released by Polydor under the title The Live Tapes. He was replaced by two new members, singer-keyboardman-saxophonist Kevin McAlea and singer-guitarist-keyboardman Colin Browne; Wolstenholme released one solo album, 1979's Maestro, to little success and then retired from the music business for a time.
Their 1979 album Eyes of the Universe was a modest hit in England, but its release marked a flashpoint in Barclay James Harvest's career in continental Europe, especially Germany; on August 30, 1980, the band performed a free concert in front of nearly 200,000 people at the Reichstag in Berlin, which was filmed and recorded. A subsequent live album, Concert for the People, became the group's biggest-selling album in England, rising to number 15 in 1982. Turn of the Tide (1981) and Ring of Changes (1983) were less successful, although the latter did spawn their last charting single, "Just a Day Away." Their subsequent Polydor albums, Victims of Circumstance, Face to Face, and Welcome to the Show, charted ever lower in England, even as the group's popularity grew in Europe. In 1988, they released a new live album, Glasnost, cut at a concert in East Berlin.The group marked the 25th anniversary with a concert in Liverpool, and toured to support a British Polydor compilation, The Best of Barclay James Harvest.
Title: Victims Of Circumstance (CD2: Live At Wembley Arena)
Artist: Barclay James Harvest
Genre: Soul, Rock, Progressive Rock
Title: Once Again (40th Anniversary Edition)
Artist: Barclay James Harvest
Genre: Rock, World Music, Songwriter/Lyricist
Title: BBC In Concert 1972 (Mono)
Artist: Barclay James Harvest
Genre: Rock, World Music, Songwriter/Lyricist
Title: Barclay James Harvest: Remastered & Expanded Edition
Artist: Barclay James Harvest
Genre: Rock, Progressive Rock, Punk Rock
Title: And Other Short Stories (Expanded)
Artist: Barclay James Harvest
Genre: Progressive Rock, Progressive
Title: 25th Anniversary Concert
Artist: Barclay James Harvest
Genre: Rock, World Music, Alternative, Songwriter/Lyricist
Title: Victims Of Circumstance (CD1)
Artist: Barclay James Harvest
Genre: Soul, Rock, Progressive Rock
Title: Centenary Collection: The Best of Barclay James Harvest
Artist: Barclay James Harvest
Genre: Rock
Title: The Compact Story Of Barclay James Harvest
Artist: Barclay James Harvest
Genre: Progressive Rock, Progressive Metal
Title: The Best Of Barclay James Harvest
Artist: Barclay James Harvest
Genre: Progressive Rock, Progressive Metal
Title: Child OfThe Universe (The Essential Collection) (CD2)
Artist: Barclay James Harvest
Genre: Progressive Rock, Progressive
Title: Child OfThe Universe (The Essential Collection) (CD1)
Artist: Barclay James Harvest
Genre: Progressive Rock, Progressive
Title: Once Again
Artist: Barclay James Harvest
Genre: Rock, Progressive Rock, Punk Rock, World Music, Songwriter/Lyricist
Title: Barclay James Harvest And Other Short Stories
Artist: Barclay James Harvest
Genre: Rock, Progressive Rock, Punk Rock
Title: The Harvest Years
Artist: Barclay James Harvest
Genre: Rock, Folk Rock, World Music, Pop, Songwriter/Lyricist, Psychedelic
Title: Classic Meets Rock (Live)
Artist: Barclay James Harvest
Genre: Rock, World Music, Songwriter/Lyricist
Title: Baby James Harvest
Artist: Barclay James Harvest
Genre: Rock, Progressive Rock, Punk Rock, World Music, Songwriter/Lyricist
Title: All Is Safely Gathered In: An Anthology (CD1)
Artist: Barclay James Harvest
Genre: Rock, Progressive Rock
Title: Mocking Bird: The Best of Barclay James Harvest
Artist: Barclay James Harvest
Genre: Rock, World Music, Songwriter/Lyricist
Title: Taking Some Time On (The Parlophone-Harvest Years 1968-73) (CD 4)
Artist: Barclay James Harvest
Genre: Rock
Title: Taking Some Time On: The Parlophone-Harvest Years (1968-73)
Artist: Barclay James Harvest
Genre: Rock
Title: Time Honoured Ghosts
Artist: Barclay James Harvest, John Lees, Les Holroyd, Woolly Wolstenholme
Genre: Rock
Title: Taking Some Time On (The Parlophone-Harvest Years 1968-73) (CD 5)
Artist: Barclay James Harvest
Genre: Rock
Title: Darwin The Evolution
Artist: Barclay James Harvest, Ian Gillan, Suzi Quatro, Colin Blunstone, Bolland & Bolland, Rob Bolland, Falco, Ferdi Bolland, Peter Hofmann, The Bolland Project, Robert Pot
Genre: Pop Rock
Title: Taking Some Time On (The Parlophone-Harvest Years 1968-73) (CD 2)
Artist: Barclay James Harvest
Genre: Rock
Title: Taking Some Time On (The Parlophone-Harvest Years 1968-73) (CD 3)
Artist: Barclay James Harvest
Genre: Rock
Title: Turn of the Tide
Artist: Barclay James Harvest
Genre: Rock, Folk Rock, World Music, Alternative, Songwriter/Lyricist, Psychedelic
Collections
Title: Balearic Soft Rock
Genre: Rock
Title: Feed Your Head - Essential Progressive Rock
Genre: Rock
Title: Gems from the Vault, Vol. 1
Title: Rock Hearts CD1
Title: Rock Hearts CD4
Title: Love Rocks Collection CD4
Genre: Rock
Title: 101 Power Ballads (CD5)
Title: Love Ballads 2013 (CD4)
Title: Love Ballads - 60 Super (CD2)
Genre: Pop
Title: Great British Rock (CD2)
Title: Essential Soft Rock (CD2)
Genre: Rock, Alternative Rock
Title: Das Beste Aus Dem Musik Laden
Genre: Pop
Title: Happy Days Are Back Again Volume 1 (CD1)
Genre: Pop
Title: The Pop Classics Collection - Volume 1
Genre: Pop, Instrumental
Title: Rock Hearts Collection 2011 (CD1)
Genre: Blues
Title: Het Beste Uit De 70ies Top 700 Van Joe FM (CD4)
Genre: Rock, Dancefloor, Pop, Retro
Title: Magic Of The Seventies (CD3)
Title: 120 Greatest Rock Songs (CD3)
Genre: Rock
Title: RTL Ultimative Chart Show (CD6)
Genre: Dancefloor, Pop
Title: Rock Ballads Forever (CD1)
Genre: Rock
Title: Love Ballads (CD1)
Genre: Rock
Title: 80s Mind Falling (CD1)
Genre: Alternative
Title: Favorite Rock Ballads (CD2)
Title: Kuschelrock Vol. 2 (CD1)
Genre: Rock
Title: Grandes Baladas Rock (CD3)
Genre: Rock
Title: Grandes Baladas Del Rock 1 (CD1)
Genre: Rock
Title: Kuschelrock 2 (CD1)
Title: Classic Rock # 003: Classic Cuts No. 3
Genre: Rock
Title: Top 100 Of Rock Ballads (CD1)
Genre: Rock
Title: Best Pop Ballads (CD1)
Genre: Pop
Title: The Original Rock Meets Classic
Genre: Rock, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal
Title: Hot Dance Retro Vol. 12 (CD1)
Genre: Rock, Dancefloor, Pop, Dance Pop
Title: Best Of Retro Dance (CD1)
Genre: Rock, Dancefloor, Pop, Dance Pop
Title: The Ultimate Collection - Rock 100 Hits
Genre: Rock
Title: The Best Of 70's 1970-1980 (Cd1)
Genre: Pop Rock
Title: The Best Of 70's 1970-1980 (Cd2)
Genre: Pop Rock
Title: My Favourite Hits Of 1970 (CD3)
Genre: Blues, Rock, Alternative Rock, Folk Rock, Hard Rock, Progressive Rock, Heavy Metal, Progressive Metal, Pop, Pop Rock, Acoustic
Title: My Favourite Hits Of 1975 (CD4)
Genre: Soul, Soul Jazz, Rock, Glam Rock, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, Reggae, World Music, Country, Pop, Pop Rock, Folk
Title: My Favourite Hits Of 1975 (CD9)
Genre: Rock, Hard Rock, Progressive Rock, Heavy Metal, Progressive Metal, Disco, Pop, Pop Rock
Title: My Favourite Hits Of 1974 (CD9)
Genre: Soul, Soul Jazz, Rock, Progressive Rock, Progressive Metal, Country Rock, Pop, Pop Rock, Funk, Acoustic
Title: My Favourite Hits Of 1971 (CD6)
Genre: Rock, Blues Rock, Folk Rock, Hard Rock, Psychedelic Rock, Symphonic Rock, Heavy Metal, Country Rock, Pop Rock
Title: My Favourite Hits Of 1977 (CD13)
Genre: Electronica, Rock, Blues Rock, Hard Rock, Symphonic Rock, Heavy Metal, Disco, Pop, Pop Rock, Synth Pop
Title: My Favourite Hits Of 1979 (CD02)
Genre: Rock, Progressive Rock, Symphonic Rock, Progressive Metal, Disco, Pop
Title: My Favourite Hits Of 1979 (CD14)
Genre: Rock, New Wave, Progressive Rock, Symphonic Rock, Progressive Metal, Country Rock, Disco, Pop, Pop Rock, Country Pop
Title: My Favourite Hits Of 1983 (CD02)
Genre: Rock, New Wave, Progressive Rock, Heavy Metal, Progressive Metal, Disco, Pop, Pop Rock, Synth Pop
Title: My Favourite Hits Of 1983 (CD06)
Genre: New Age, Electronica, Rock, Disco, Pop, Pop Rock, Synth Pop
Title: My Favourite Hits Of 1978 (CD03)
Genre: Rock, Symphonic Rock, Reggae, Disco, Pop Rock, Acoustic
Title: My Favourite Hits Of 1978 (CD11)
Genre: Electronica, Rock, Blues Rock, Symphonic Rock, Reggae, Disco
Title: Seventies Power Ballads (CD2)
Genre: Rock
Title: The Ultimate Collection Rock 100 Hits (CD4)
Genre: Tech House, Hip Hop/R&B
Title: WDR 4 - Ab In Die 70er
Genre: Hip Hop/R&B, Soul, Jazz, World Music, Disco, Funk, Folk
Title: 100 Hits Rock Nostalgie (CD2)
Genre: Rock
Title: 40 Rock Power Ballads
Genre: Rock
Title: Greatest Ever! Rock The Collection Vol. 2 (CD1)
Genre: Rock