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Spirogyra Spirogyra "a fair definition of vibrations radiating from an energy source thinly disguised as a straight talking, straight dealing, straight forward maniac called Martin Cockerham" is still very much alive. A mountain of new material from the original 2 band members - Martin and Mark Francis is soon to hit the akashic records. Spirogyra are a British progressive folk, rock, pop - band that recorded 4 albums between 1970 and 1974. And then suddenly reappeared main stream in 2008 having never gone anywhere all along and still being entirely true to their original mandate. To push the boundaries of folk and pop to the furthest point and beyond.... hell the world needs something. We are officially dispensing with the Grammies and the Brits which have wasted all our time for the past lost 20 years till all the Spirogyra music throufgh those dark times surfaces.

Martin Cockerham (vocals/guitar) and Mark Francis originally formed Spirogyra as a duo in Bolton, Lancashire in the summer of 1967. When Martin went to University in Canterbury in 1969 he expanded the band to include fellow students Barbara Gaskin (vocals), Steve Borrill (bass), and Julian Cusack (violin). They were soon spotted by student union entertainments officer Max Hole, who offered to manage them and got them a deal with September Productions(B&C Records).

Their debut album, St. Radigunds , was named after the street that their student house was on. It established them as a cult act on the underground club circuit, and sold respectably. Its follow-up, 1972's Old Boot Wine , appeared on Peg Records and showcased a harder-edged sound than their predominantly acoustic debut.

After the release of Old Boot Wine , the band was pared back to the duo of Martin Cockerham and Barbara Gaskin. Their final album, Bells, Boots and Shambles, appeared on Polydor in April 1973. Widely regarded today as one of the great classics of British 'acid folk' - It has been called "The Magnus Opus of British Psychedelic Folk" by Pop Author David Wells - it featured guest appearances from the band's former members, as well as contributions from Henry Lowther on trumpet. Copies of all three original albums are rare and highly collectable today, with Bells, Boots and Shambles almost impossible to acquire. All three also appeared on Brain Records in Germany, with gatefold sleeves (unlike their UK counterparts).

All 3 albums are thankfully available on individual CDs or as a 2xCD compilation on Castle Music, through Sanctuary Records, released in 2005. In addition, 1999 saw the release of a "best of" compilation CD We Were A Happy Crew on Mooncrest. Finally, in 2000 there was the release of Burn The Bridges - the demo tapes 1970 - 1971. This 17-track CD made available songs never before released and included their live-show favourite The Forest Of Dean.

More information about what happened to the members of Spirogyra to follow

Thanks to Stephen Green for setting up this page.