Audio retrieved and digitised from 1970 demo by Roger Lomas
Site created and managed by Trev Teasdel.
..
Influences
Nice, Pink Floyd, Who and much more
Sounds Like
ABOUT THE AUDIO
The audio was retrieved from a 1970 acetate produced in London while the band were promoted by John Peel and is not a professional recording but the only surviving record of the band we have. The audio was kindly digitised and cleaned up by Roger Lomas.The acetate is obviouslyt old and not in the best condition but it gives a glimpse of this early Coventry band who, but for fate, might have made it back in the early 70's. Here's their story...
ASGARD (whose name was inspired by Norse mythology, land of the gods). were one of Coventry's top progressive bands in a Pink Floyd vain c 1969 - 70. Neol Davis (later of Two Tone band Selecter) sometimes guested on Sitar, John Peel took the band under his wing for a while and the band began to play more widely around the country.
..
As bassist Richard Kibride explains -
"The band was formed as a school pal band in 1966. We were then called Union Jack and were a modish four piece Guitar, bass, farfiza and drums. We performed Who type material (hence the awful name). The three of us that became Asgard all lived within 200 yds of each other at Eastern Green and as Bill had a good shed behind his Garage that became our rehearsal studio, (every night). We soon started writing our own New wave or Psychedelic type music and did cover Nice and Pink Floyd. We played a lot at the Umbrella Arts Club and the International Centre under the Cathedral as well as the usual haunts that all the bands played in. We played Warwick University Arts Festival with Pink Faries, Whistler, Sorrows etc. and Peter Waterman's progressive music venue - The Walsgrave and Coventry police social club on a 'Penny Tour' with Comus (fantastic!) and Demon Fuzz..We were taken under the wing of John Peel for some time, through the efforts of Paul Padun our manager, We played with Peel on his new band spot at 'Mothers' - Erdington in Birmingham and also appeared at Torquay Town hall with him at a Blues festival as support to Blodwyn Pig who failed to turn up! So we improvised a set to fill their spot. He also put us on a C.N.D festival in Victoria park (with a huge audience), headlined by The Crazy world of Arthur Brown and The Liverpool Scene. We also did many Gigs with Principal Edwards Magic Theatre in St. Ives, who were also his protogies.
The band moved to Devon to re write and re format the band, but doing so in a cottage we rented that had no electric, defeated the project and Bill went off to Uni, Terry went back with Bob to Coventry and myself and Adrian Watton (the bands light show and effects member) stayed, seduced by the area.
I later formed a 6 piece band called Bo-Speak that had a good run of support playing throughout Devon, This band was a fusion band playing self written sets in the Talking heads, Brian Eno type stuff."
"Asgard gigged at Mothers on our own accord not long after the Victoria Park gig (At which we replaced the then relatively unknown Black sabbath) as we impressed John Peel and he invited us to perform at his regular Friday night radio slot live from Mothers. Just as an aside Paul (our manager) went to live with John Peel in his mews appartment in Upper Harley street whilst working for bands such as Roxy Music, Pink Floyd, Principal Edwards Magic Theatre and Chicargo Blus Band (as did Terry when the band (Asgard) split up)"
From Asgard Roadie - Bob Mansfield - A bio of drummer Terry Westwood (sadly now ill with cancer.
"When the band went their merry ways Terry toured with Climax Blues Band along with Paul Padum for a short while after leaving Tialta Cottage in Westwood Ho, Devon. He then married Janet and lived with me in Coventry for a while until he got himself a house in Coventry. They have two sons, Neil and Lee, both of whom live near to him now in Kings Lynn. (Which is a great help at this present time). He left the heating industry (we originally both met as apprentice gas fitters in 1967) and became a lecturer in welding at Lloyds training school and got into education (technical). He joined CITB and moved back down to Westwood Ho to become regional manager for the local CITB moving finally to their head office in Kings Lynn to write their quality control system and become their health & safety director (I think). He was made redundant a number of years ago but remained on the payroll as an independent consultant, setting up his own business in the process. In between all of that he took an open university Masters Degree."
"Terry Westwood was the drummer (very much on the Nick Mason vogue) and whom the band met on the road actually jamming with them one wet wednesday night at Mothers in Erdington."
" unfortunately Bill Walker had a fatal heart attack weeks after he married circa 1975/8 ish, as did their manager Paul Padum (Coventry lad, lived in Foleshill of Ukrain family) and knew Neol Davis (Black Cat Bones) who actually never really played with Asgard as a member, more of a guest line up when he was into the Sitar"
"Paul Padun died in Bahrain whilst working with Charles Aznavour circa 1980"
hi from Fruits de Mer Records - and thanks for the add. Hope you like our latest single - new versions of classic Caravan + Zombies tracks by The Flaming Gnomes ( playing now at www.myspace.com/fdmer2 ) - a lovely 7" slab of UK pop-psych although we say it ourselves! (and on swirly purple vinyl too!) coming very soon...Mark Fry covers his own acid-folk classic 'Dreaming With Alice' - only 300 pressed (on vinyl of course) for worldwide distribution.
Thank you for your friendship. I hope our humble offerings
bring a bit of happiness to you. That is the reason for their creation. I wish
you a joyful day!
Peace,
Griff Kinsey
Greetings,
Thanks for your friendship. Our only mission on My Space is for people to enjoy
what we've created. We have no expectations of ever being rock stars. We just
want to brighten up the corner where we live. Please let us know if our mission
has been accomplished.
Regards,
Griff
Kinsey
Yo!!!! What a fantastic bolt from the past. I vividly remember those Umbrella Club days and who could forget the Cornwall gig when we stayed in a caravan on a campsite. I was lucky enough to play with you guys on a couple of dates, the other time being that huge Victoria Park gig at which John Lennon sent his regards via a telephone link. As you'll no doubt be aware, Trev has done an immense job of chronicling these times and so look forward to exchanging reminiscences. (Blind Faith gig at Hyde Park with Neol?)
I'm playing a gig at the Sovereign pub in Canley on Friday April 3rd with my band 'PRESAGE', and also doing an ambient set as 'ZEN DAD'. Admission is free. Hope you can make it
Waterboarding President Obama elect Will Kidnap torture abuse and wreck Hitler would be pleased with the method Jackboot on liberty and freedom roughshod
No change there then!
Fly 'em out put the electrodes on Your now a member of a CIA prison Not a person
Do unto others as they would do unto you Human rights for some but not for a few kidnap, Abduction call it Rendition! A fascist state needs the power to function
No change there then!
Fly 'em out put the freezer on Your now a member of a CIA prison Not a person
Business class second or torture class Ticket ready and bloody boarding pass As the Auswitz train stopped at many stations Air America flys to many destinations
No change there then!
Fly 'em out and turn the bath on Your now a member of a CIA prison Not a person
Sensory deprivation your dead son The clanking chain of slavery has shone Slavery comes not just in black and white People stolen in the dead of night
No change there then!
Fly 'em out put the chains on Your now a member of a CIA prison Not a person
Fly 'em out and turn the bath on Your now a slave of Obama's prison Fly 'em out put the chains on Your now a slave of Obama's prison Not a person