A To Austr was a very short-lived studio project, conceived by Holyground Records label manager Mike Levon in 1969 and disbanded in 1970. They became a hippie commune to which Brian Calvert, Chris Coombs, and a young Bill Nelson joined it was then successful with Be-Bop Deluxe. Given the short duration of the project, the information and events are not many to tell, except for the only album “A To Austr” released by the same label in 1970. The music proposed is based on Acid-Folk, with tracks by different nature ranging from Proto-Prog to pure Psychedelia and with Folk influences. Released on a white Holyground label (spelled there as ‘Holy Ground‘) There are 99 copies of this release.
The original cover was a plain white card sleeve. This may (or may not) have been glued to the white inside of a folded bronze card sheet. On the bronze side was a black screen print (you can feel the ridges). On the inside left side was a photo montage, printed with a very large dot size rendering the pictures hard to make out. Inside was photocopied set of sheets, white, stapled together. Each song was written out in the author’s own handwriting and signed. At the end was a printed list of who played on the album.
The label’s website reports: A to AUSTR is partly about King Arthur, England’s “once and future king,” and the Knights of the Round Table and their Ladies. An amazing synchronicity was the appearance of a Holy Grail-like chalice on a billboard behind Bill Nelson when the cover photos were being taken, see center spread of the CD booklet.
Most session musicians were from nearby Bretton Hall college. John Perfect, a lecturer there, later appeared in Fleetwood Mac with his sister Christine McVie. A to Austr was also Bill Nelson‘s recording debut. Chris Heinitz, (French horn on the Walker Brothers ’The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine’), supervised the original brass. The album was subsequently reissued in the 90s by Kissing Spell under the agreement and supervision of Holyground, with the addition of some bonus tracks.
Discography
[1970] A To Austr (Holyground)
Lineup
Chris Coombs / Vocals, Guitar, Piano, Lead Guitar, Glockenspiel, Vox Horn, Harmonica, Organ, Recorder, Percussion
Mike Levon / Mosquito Box, Triangle, Effects, Electronics
Brian Wilson / Bass, Vocals, Buzz Guitar, Organ, Mandolin Harp, Glockenspiel, Clarinet
Brian Calvert / Lead Guitar, Guitar, Vocals, Lute, Vox Horns
Ted Hepworth / Drums, Water Drum
Helped by:
Bill Nelson / Guitar, Hawaiian Guitar
Mike Gould / Trumpet
John Perfect / Tenor Sax
Lyn Cavell / Alto Sax
George Mabon / Lute
Gill Green / Cello
Al Green / Organ
Dave Wood / Goüd
Yvonne Carrodus / Vocals, Triangle
Denise Calvert / Vocal, Piano, Harpsichord
Gill Maudsley / Spoken Vocal
Cath Wood / Raspberry Saw