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Archive News: 2005
Now In Stock - The BJH Book
28th October, 2005
Published today, The Barclay James Harvest Story is the definitive 340-page biography of the band from schooldays to the present day. Now in stock for immediate despatch, the paperback book is illustrated throughout, and is based on decades of research.
Please note that pre-orders for the hardback version (now completely sold out) will be fulfilled once John, Woolly and Les are all back in the UK and available to autograph this special limited edition, probably around mid-November.
For more details and ordering information, please see the secure order form on this site.
Woolly Album Out Now!
9th October, 2005
The new album from Woolly Wolstenholme's Maestoso, "Grim", is now in stock. It will be given a wider release in November by Eclectic Discs, when it will be distributed throughout Europe, but for now it is exclusively available from us. Orders may be placed online, or by cash or cheque made payable to "International BJH Fan Club" at the address below. The CD costs £14.50 including postage and packing in the UK (£15.50 elsewhere in Europe and £16.50 elsewhere).
International BJH Fan Club, Hamble Reach, Oslands Lane, Lower Swanwick, Southampton SO31 7EG, UK
BJH Box Set
3rd December, 2005
Announcing the release of the first ever career overview Barclay James Harvest box set, covering the band's history from 1968 to 1997. This five CD set will include material from their time with the Harvest label as well as the later years with Polydor UK and Germany, plus a whole CD of rare demos and unreleased versions.
The set, entitled All Is Safely Gathered In, also features a lavishly illustrated full-colour 60-page book.
The set was released at the beginning of December by Eclectic Discs, and is now available at a discounted price of £33.00 (including UK postage and packing) through the secure order form on this site.
This 5 CD anthology makes the ideal companion to the new book, The Barclay James Harvest Story.
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CD ONE:
"With words and with pen I write…"
Total Time: 79:43
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CD TWO:
"Round and round now we go…"
Total Time: 79:09
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CD THREE:
"Miles away in endless flight…"
Total Time: 77:19
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CD FOUR:
"Silver drifting on high…"
Tracks 13 & 14 previously unreleased outside of Germany, Austria and Switzerland Total Time: 78:51
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CD FIVE:
"The wheat and the chaff…"
2. Medicine Man 5:21
6. The World Goes On (live) 6:22
7. Capricorn - single edit 3:25
8. Love on the Line - Live 6:30
9. For Your Love - Live
10. Lady Macbeth - Demo 5:09
13. Three Weeks to Despair 6:00
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"Glasnost" and "Victims" on DVD
16th November, 2005
Universal have announced the forthcoming release of a single DVD comprising BJH's Victims Of Circumstance and Glasnost, scheduled for January 23rd, 2006. It is not known whether any bonus material will be included, although it seems likely that the DVD will be a straight transfer from the two original video releases (see the Video page on this site for details). We will be stocking the DVD, and it is now available for pre-order through the secure order form on this site.
John and Woolly in Italy
9th October, 2005With work about to commence on their new studio album, John and Woolly will make their first public appearance together since the Bloomsbury concert last November, at an event to launch the Eclectic record label in Italy.
The launch party will take place at the appropriately named MEL Megastore in Firenze on October 27th. A number of artists from the Eclectic roster will perform live, including John and Woolly, who will play an acoustic set of fifteen minutes or so.
There's a good chance that the event will be broadcast live on Italian radio and over the Net, and we'll publish details in news bulletins and on the web site as soon as we can.
BJHFLH European Tour
2nd October, 2005One of the French concerts on the current Barclay James Harvest featuring Les Holroyd tour, at Avignon, was cancelled after the audience had been admitted to the hall. Here is an extract from the message which Les's manager, Alex Rose, sent us to explain what happened:
"The situation in Avignon was one that could have been avoided if the right information had been given to us in advance. The venue was small - we knew that; the stage was too small to fit the band on - the dimensions we were given were tight but were incorrect; the sound equipment was not up to putting on the band.
We looked at options once the promoter arrived, including possibly putting on a reduced equipment set but by the time that option was being considered, many fans had already been told that the show was off and had gone home.
Finally, we decided that we would come back again next year when the stage and sound issues had been resolved and a suitable date could be found.
We all understood how hard it was for many who had travelled a long way to see the band and can only apologise for the trouble they went through. The decision was not taken lightly but it was seen as the only option given the circumstances.
Kind regards.
Alex"
Barclay James Harvest Featuring Les Holroyd will appear on German TV station Kabel 1 on the show Formel Eins (Formula 1) on Wednesday, November 9th at 20.15 (19.15 UK time), performing their version of "Hymn".
There are plans for further BJHFLH dates in Europe next year, including some concerts with a 36-piece orchestra, and for a live album and DVD to follow.
Charlie Kidd
26th September, 2005We're sorry to report the death of Charlie Kidd, who worked for BJH for many years as Mel's drum technician, on September 22nd. Charlie had lived in Portugal for some years, but travelled to England for Mel's funeral in February 2004. He died in Portugal following a long battle with cancer, aged 53.
Woolly Album Now Available to Pre-Order
16th September, 2005
The new album from Woolly Wolstenholme's Maestoso, Grim, is now available for pre-order through the secure form on this site. The CD will be released by Eclectic Discs in November, but we will have it exclusively in stock around the end of September.
Please note that 80% of all profits from copies sold through the BJH/Woolly Wolstenholme web sites will go directly to Woolly and the band.
You can now hear a preview of one track, "Hebden Bridge", on Woolly's web site, at www.woollywolstenholme.co.uk.
BJHFLH Live Dates
4th September, 2005Barclay James Harvest Featuring Les Holroyd will play the following live concerts:
SEPTEMBER:
29 VERVIERS (BELGIUM), Club Spirit of 66 (sold out)
30 VERVIERS (BELGIUM), Club Spirit of 66 (sold out)
OCTOBER:
01 PRATTELN, Z7 (tickets from www.z-7.ch)
02 AVIGNON, le Rouge Gorges
04 ALENÇON, la Luciole
05 BREST, le Surcouf
06 LILLE, le Splendid
07 BOULOGNE SÛR MER, Théâtre Monsigny (tickets from
www.ville-boulogne-sur-mer.fr)
08 CLEON, la Traverse
09 RIS ORANGIS, le Plan
Tickets for French shows from www.francebillet.com or www.fnac.fr
20 BADEN, Nordportal (Switzerland)
21 NABBURG, Kitchen Club
22 FELDBACH (Austria)
23 RANKWEIL, Altes Kino (Austria)
25 STEINNEGG Festival (Italy)
26 REICHENBACH, H2O
27 PADERBORN, Capitol
28 BÜNDE, Stadtgarten
29 FLENSBURG, Roxy
30 WORPSWEDE, Musichall
NOVEMBER:
01 BOCHUM, Zeche
02 ROSTOK, Mau Club
03 BERLIN, Columbia Club (www.columbiaclub.de)
04 MAGDEBURG, Amo
05 BAD SALZUNGEN, Kallewerk
06 LEER, Zollhaus
07 VERVIERS (BELGIUM), Club Spirit of 66 (sold out)
"Barclay James Harvest Live" Remastered
21st July, 2005
A remastered CD of the classic 1974 album, Barclay James Harvest Live, was released by Eclectic Discs on July 25th. The limited autographed edition is now completely sold out, but the standard version can be ordered through the secure order form on this site.
Les Interview
20th May, 2005Les has been interviewed by the BBC World Service for their "Top of the Pops" show that goes out this weekend. The show can be heard in the UK on Saturday mornings at 10.00 am (09.00 GMT) and again Sunday 00.00 (Sat 23.00 GMT). The BBC World Service can be heard in the UK on 648 medium wave, DAB Digital Radio, Sky Digital Channel 865 and Freeview Channel 80. The broadcast can also be heard live on the BBC website and will be available for replay for 7 days after the broadcast at http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/programmes/top_of_the_pops.shtml.
Barclay James Harvest Featuring Les Holroyd Festivals
29th April, 2005Barclay James Harvest Featuring Les Holroyd will be appearing at the following festivals in Germany and Austria:-
June:
(with 10cc feat. Graham Gouldman, The Flaming Groovies, Focus, Hatfield & the North, Man, Robin Trower, Tom Constanten from The Grateful Dead etc.)
Tickets for June shows from www.kultopolis.de
July:
A French tour is planned to run from 1st October, and German dates are expected from about the third week in October.
Statement from John Lees
3rd March, 2005JOHN LEES' BARCLAY JAMES HARVEST
In a statement today, John Lees has announced his plans for 2005/2006 with Woolly Wolstenholme to record a new album and to tour.
"As was well documented a few years ago, following the release of the albums "Nexus" and "Revival" on which I worked with Woolly Wolstenholme, I had planned to collaborate with Woolly on a second studio album, with the working title "North". We began work at my studio in Saddleworth, but I reflected on my inspirational muse and didn't feel ready to make an album that was worthy of what I felt Woolly and I could deliver. Woolly embarked on his solo album project and kindly invited me to join him at Maestoso's concert opening for Caravan at the Bloomsbury Theatre in London last year. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and now feel that the time is right for me to make plans for the next year. I intend to concentrate on completing some new songs in April and plan to go into the studio with Woolly soon after to record a new album. The album will be followed by a tour of the UK at the very end of 2005 with the possibility of concerts in Europe being investigated soon after".
On the timing of this announcement John states; "I think the time is now right to work once more and I feel more inspiration to make music now than I have done for the past few years. I want to make an album that draws on the best music Woolly and I created in the past, but music that is also relevant in 2005".
On the recent claims in some quarters that John left Barclay James Harvest in 1998, John states; "I can only say that this is totally untrue. I felt that I could no longer go on working with Les in the way that we had been and I wasn't happy about our moving so far away from what I saw as the original musical ideals of Barclay James Harvest. Our manager at the time, David Walker, suggested that both Les and I record and tour with our own visions of Barclay James Harvest and the "Through the Eyes of…" moniker was a way of doing that. David's statements to the press at the time clearly stated this. It wasn't a case of me "leaving" Barclay James Harvest or trying to "oust" Les from the proceedings, it was simply an equal parting of the ways due mainly to an increasing gulf in the way the three of us were making music. When sessions began for "Nexus", Woolly and I invited Mel Pritchard to participate, but on reflection, he felt less sympathy for our musical direction and decided to work with Les. As far as I'm concerned all that is in the past and I am only looking forward to concentrating on the positive, making some new music and performing concerts once more".
Over recent confusion over the billing of concerts by Barclay James Harvest featuring Les Holroyd, John commented; "Woolly and I have been aware that some fans have attended concerts in Germany recently and were unhappy about the shows not featuring any songs that I had written such as "Hymn", "Child of the Universe" or "Poor Man's Moody Blues". In order to avoid any such confusion, future work will be billed as "John Lees' Barclay James Harvest". I think that states quite clearly the sort of music people can expect to hear, both on record and in concert". Further announcements will be made once the new album is nearing completion and tour plans are confirmed.
Les Interview on Total Rock
20th February, 2005
Satellite and Internet radio station Total Rock will be broadcasting an interview with Les by DJ and long-time BJH fan Malcolm Dome on Saturday 26th Feb at 8.00 p.m. UK time. The station can be heard on Sky Digital channel 938 or over the web at www.totalrock.com. [This interview will be re-broadcast by Total Rock on Saturday, March 5th at about 8.15 p.m. UK time].
Mæstoso Live CD Imminent
10th February, 2005
Woolly Wolstenholme's Mæstoso have a live CD, Fiddling Meanly released through Eclectic Discs soon. The official release date is February 21st, but we expect to have copies in stock a week before that, autographed by the whole band (Woolly, Steve Broomhead, Kim Turner, Craig Fletcher and Jeff Leach). The CD is a raw live recording from last May's concert at the Mean Fiddler in London, taken straight from the desk, with no remixing or overdubs. This means that the sound quality is less than perfect, but the CD is an authentic record of a superb live performance, including great versions of BJH classics such as "Early Morning", "Poor Wages" and "The Poet"/"After The Day". For ordering information, please see the secure order form on this site.
UK Concerts for Barclay James Harvest Featuring Les Holroyd
11th January, 2005Barclay James Harvest Featuring Les Holroyd will be playing three UK concerts as special guests of Asia, with Dare third on the bill, in March. Dates are as follows:-
15th March NOTTINGHAM Rock City (tickets £16.50 advance, see http://www.rock-city.co.uk/)
16th March WOLVERHAMPTON Wulfrun Hall (tickets £16.50 advance, see http://www.wolvescivic.co.uk/)
18th March MANCHESTER Academy (tickets £17.00 advance, see http://www.manchesteracademy.net/)
20th March LONDON Astoria (tickets £17.50 advance, see Astoria web site)
New BJHFLH Web Site
5th January, 2005Barclay James Harvest Featuring Les Holroyd now have their own official web site, run by Les's manager, which you can find at www.barclayjamesharvest.co.uk. Our own site will continue to cover all aspects of the band, including the history of BJH and the current activities of John, Woolly and Les.
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