Folk 1965                Folk 1966            

 

               Startside          Folk
 
Tekstboks: 1965 (dec.?) Single I'm a folksinger / Solid gone Storyville Folk Series A 45200 Tekstboks: 1966 Lp Thru' His Eyes A: Don't tell it to me - Virtue - Hangover song - The deserter - Lullaby of the rain - Black eyed girl B: The eternal Willie - Metal forest - Green eyed baby blues - Little girl crying - That's the way it goes - Noise of the silence Storyville Folk Series SLP 601 Produktion: Karl Emil Knudsen. Udover Rich St John (Vo, g) medvirker Cy Nicklin (g) på flere a numrene. Pladen er indspillet hhv. 10. aug. og 19. okt. 1965 hos Ivar Rosenberg Lydteknik, Kbh. Tekstboks: Samme som ovenfor, men på Polydor 623 034 fremstillet i Tyskland Tekstboks: Fra Lp'ens bagsidenoter: It's been exciting for me to wartch a new talent grow and reach a strong position among the young folkpoets. A position, that Rich. St. John undoubtedly will achieve with this first album, waxed during his six months stay in Copenhagen, where he became a central figure in the rapid acceleration of the Danish folk scene. I have known Rich in these six months, and have seen him improve. The number of friends he made among musicians, critics and audiences is countless. We all dig him for his "rich" sense of humor, his deep feelings for people he likes - and above all the personality he reveals in his sensitive music and flashing intelligent lyrics. His voice is not the fullest I have heard - but it is very expressive, and backed by the excellent guitarplaying it creates an exciting atmosphere. On stage he usually improves. Often he does not know what he is going to perform and just makes up the songs while singing. His stage act is crammed with crazy entertainmentship. Rich. St. John was born in London, August 7th 1946 and has grown up with music and writing. His father is a writer and publisher, his mother and sister played the piano. When he was 14 a friend of his started playing the guitar. - He taught me a few chords, and I went on, playing and listening. With that came the study of folkmusic. It's difficult for me to single out personalities, that have inspired my music, but in folk I like Guthrie, Jack Elliot, Doc Watson, Martin Carthy and the Danish-English-French folkteam Cy, Maia & Robert. Outside folk my favourites are Bob Dylan, Bert Jansch, Davy Graham, Sibelius and Bartok, just to name a few. But as I said, it's difficult for me to single out, and anyway, the people I dig most are my friends. Rich left school at 16, and after a restless year in art college quit and got his first job in the small filmbusiness. This was in October 1963. After two monts he left and found simultaneously that he had to leave his home. So he stuck out his thumb, carrying litterally only his guitar and went whereever the first car was heading. When he came back to London he started out cleaning cars, and until July 1964 Rich had 12 different jobs, in between travelling. On one of his trips to the Continent he met guitarist Robert of the previously mentioned folk-group Cy, Maia & Robert, who invited him to Copenhagen. Although a month late and having lost Robert's address he arrived. After two days without food and sleep he finally found Robert, and was introduced to Walther Klæbel of Folk Club of Denmark, who gave him his first jobs in Denmark, despite the fact that Rich hadn't got a work permit, and couldn't get it. Later the work permit problems caused a great deal of trouble, including one day in jail for Rich and a fine of 30 pounds for Walther Klæbel. But Rich kept on playing and was soon considered one of the leading artists on the scene. Karl Emil Knudsen of Storyville Records heard him several times and decided to sign him up. The result of the recording session is these twelve gentle, agressive, satirical and intelligent tracks, titled Thru' His Eyes. Of his music, Rich says: - What I want is to reach a point, where I like it. That's the important thing. If it's music, it comes across, otherwise it wouldn't be music. - I don't want to enter the folk music argument, but I love travelling, rain, docks, towns and people, no matter their kind, sex, colour or creed. I think that this generation in thought and position is the freest one ever. - When I don't get across to my audience, I get terribly depressed, knowing, that four out of five times it's my fault. I personally never have seen Rich lose contact with his audience! Carsten Grolin Tekstboks: Fra Beat november 1966 Tekstboks: Tekstboks: Tekstboks: Tekstboks: Tekstboks: Tekstboks: Rich.  St.  John   (7. aug. 1946-