Bells Boots & Shambles

Digitally remastered edition of this 1972 album. Initially formed by duo Martin Cockerham and Mark Francis in Bolton in 1968, the band expanded when Cockerham was a student in Canterbury at the end of 1969. The expanded line-up featured Martin Cockerham (guitar, vocals), Barbara Gaskin (lead vocals), Steve Borrill (bass) and Julian Cusack (violin, keyboards) and secured a contract with B&C Records in 1970. In 1973 the band recorded their third album, released on Polydor Records. By this time Spirogyra had become a core of Martin Cockerham (guitar, vocals) and Barbara Gaskin (lead vocals) with Steve Borrill (bass) and guest musicians Dave Mattacks (drums), Julian Cusack (violin, keyboards), Henry Lowther (trumpet), John Boyce (cello), Stan Sulzman (flute) and Steve Ashley (whistle). The album is rightly hailed as a classic of the era and this Esoteric Recordings newly remastered edition celebrates this legendary album, featuring a booklet with new essay. Esoteric.