Stuart John Wolstenholme was a founder-member of Barclay James Harvest, together with John Lees, Les Holroyd and Mel Pritchard, in 1967. He remained with BJH until 1979, when he became frustrated and unhappy at the direction their music was taking. He recorded a solo album, Mæstoso, in 1980, with guest musicians Steve Broomhead on guitar and Kim Turner on drums. With the addition of bassist Terry Grady, this trio formed a new band, also called Maestoso, and toured as support to Judie Tzuke and Saga. A projected second album, Black Box, was shelved and Woolly lost interest in the music business, preferring instead to farm, initially in Lancashire and later in west Wales. Tapes from the sessions for his second album were finally issued in 1994, along with the complete Mæstoso album, as Songs From The Black Box.
Woolly returned to the music business in 1998 with John Lees in Barclay James Harvest Through The Eyes Of John Lees. In between working with John, Woolly also reconvened the Maestoso band, with new bassist Craig Fletcher and drummer Kev Whitehead, and a new studio set, One Drop In A Dry World, followed in May 2004. A limited, warts and all live CD, Fiddling Meanly, with Kim Turner back in the drum seat, was released in February 2005. This is proving to be one of Woolly’s most creative periods, with another Mæstoso studio album, Grim, appearing in October 2005.
In 2006 Woolly not only toured with John Lees’ Barclay James Harvest, including the first full-scale UK tour by any members of Barclay James Harvest since 1992, but also found time to begin recording another new studio album with Mæstoso. The album, Caterwauling, was completed by the following spring, but held up in the transition of Eclectic Discs into their new identity as Esoteric Recordings as part of the Cherry Red group of labels, and was finally released on 19th November, 2007.
Woolly Wolstenholme’s Maestoso's Friend Space (Top 9)
Hi Woolly Wolstenholme’s Maestoso, Thank you for taking the time to send off and email. We will listen to your Music and take a look at your page. I wish you a great day! Cheers, Barris Jahn of 'Champagne Talking'.
I AM DO REALLY ENJOYING YOUR WONDERFUL PLAYING! SO BEAUTIFUL AND IMPRESSIVE... LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING MORE RECORDINGS AND GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR GIGGING AND MUSIC IN GENERAL! WITH BEST WISHES, ALIAS GUITAR
Just wanted to say a long overdue hello. Take another listen and to say how much I appreciate your Brilliant Music. Thank you so much for sharing it with us. How are you doing? Wishing everything is alright in your neck of the woods. Take care my friend and God bless you and yours. Have yourself an excellent week full of inspiration.
~LONG LIVE PROG!!
Stay well, warm and happy! With Respect and Admiration from Toronto, Canada.
thanks for add... and you are a very good musician, and singer! i remember all years with BJH. that's my favorit group when i'm a adolescent, and always ....
Have a lovely Christmas and a very happy & prosperous New Year! Be safe! Be good! Be a better human! Be loved and loves well.
Jorge Albuquerque (Prog Noise) International magazine & Laboratorio Pop
BRAZIL
See you in 2009!!!
"It is difficult not to believe that the next year will be better than the old one! And this illusion is not wrong. Future is always good, no matter what happens. It will always give us what we need and what we want in secret. It will always bless us with right gifts. Thus in a deeper sense our belief in the New Year cannot deceive us". Kersti Bergroth (1886-1975), Finnish writer and playwright
Ich wünsche euch allen ein Frohes Weihnachtsfest und ein gutes Neues Jahr 2009
Thank you for your friendship and Thank you for the add. Wish you a merry Christmas and a rockin' new year 2009 ! Your great! Love and peace and all good things for the future, Keep rocking @ bluesing @ ballading & & &
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