The Bevis Frond
The Bevis Frond is Nick Salomon, a neo-psychedelic renaissance man and the sole writer, performer and producer behind the cottage industry bearing the Frond name. The head of his own label (Woronzow) as well as the co-publisher of his own underground magazine (the highly regarded Ptolemaic Terrascope), Salomon is a quintessential English eccentric, a frighteningly prolific talent and a true anachronism purveying an archaic musical genre while simultaneously pioneering the lo-fi aesthetic.
Live at Terrastock, 1997 Salomon (11-03-1953) cloaked his formative years in mystery; according to legend, he formed his first band, the Bevis Frond Museum, during his school years, covering stuff by Cream, Hendrix, Doors, Blue Cheer, etc. After the group disbanded he performed solo acoustic sets throughout the London area known as Walthamstow. After founding the Von Trapp Family, later known as Room 13, Salomon was sidelined in 1982 following a motorcycle accident. With the money he received as compensation for his injuries, he revived the Bevis Frond name and during his recuperation period assembled 1986's Miasma, a slice of twisted, latter-day psychedelia issued on Woronzow in an original pressing of 250.
Much to Salomon's shock, the record sold out; realizing an audience existed for his brand of time-warped pop, he quickly issued Inner Marshland, another underground success which encouraged him to raid his extensive archives for more material. With the floodgates opened, new Bevis Frond material -- much of it written and recorded at Salomon's home long before it ever saw release -- appeared constantly; in 1988 alone, Woronzow issued three separate collections, Triptych, Bevis Through the Looking Glass and Acid Jam, all spotlighting Salomon's surreal wit and acute social commentary.
In the late 80s and early 90s Nick Saloman also played and recorded as a member of Magic Muscle (with Rod Goodway), and with the Outskirts of Infinity (with Bari Watts).
Beginning with 1990's Any Gas Faster, Salomon was secure enough financially to begin recording in an outside studio; as the new decade dawned, he also made his live debut, appearing sporadically with an ever-changing group of backing musicians. After 1990's Magic Eye, a joint collaboration with former Pink Fairy Twink, the Bevis Frond issued its acknowledged masterpiece, 1991's double-LP set New River Head; erratic and eclectic, Salomon's output continued on without concession to trends or consumer tastes, with new albums appearing annually with clocklike precision. Among the strongest were 1993's It Just Is, 1995's Superseeder and 1996's Son of Walter.
The Bevis Frond has become England's premier psychedelic rock band. Nick still continues to record as a solo artist (under the name of Bevis Frond), mostly writing, playing and producing everything himself. His latest album, the sublime North Circular is perhaps the best example of Nick's talents. Live the Bevis Frond tours as a three piece band includes ex-Hawkwind bassist Adrian Shaw and ex Camel drummer Andy Ward.