song IDs (Moths - Heron's Daughter)

While idly leafing through the catalogue of a mail-order secondhand record dealer recently, I was amazed to find that a record label called Kissing Spell had released a CD of my old University band THE MOTHS no. KSCD 9470-f ‘Heron’s Daughter’. I have a 12” LP of the unreleased album we recorded at the time. Kissing Spell (whoever they are) must have got hold of one of the other copies- I think we had about a dozen done- and run off a CD from it, very shoddily as there is an uncorrected record-needle jump on the first track. The proprietor of the mail-order company (Rockin’ World, PO Box 88, Northampton, Massachusetts 01061 USA, website http://www.rockinworld.com) had just bought it in a job lot on a visit to London so could not help. The CD insert says that Kissing Spell releases hard-rock/underground LPs and CDs from 1968-1978, and that the subsidiary ‘Erewhon’ label (i.e. Nowhere backwards, man) is the folk-rock subsidiary. It also gives the FAX number of Kissing Spell, 0728830477. In the modern format this would be 01728 830477, indicating dialling code 01728 which is the Saxmundham/ Leiston/ Aldeburgh/ Framlingham area of Suffolk. The Erewhon label also features such household names as Midwinter, Stone Angel, Mourning Phase, Shide& Acorn, and Caedmon. The CD is dated 1994 and says MCPS, which is the body which collects and distributes royalties! Can I have the money now, please!

I was the bass guitarist of The Moths. I was a second-year undergraduate at Hull University at the time, and I think all of the others were too. We didn’t do many gigs, but unexpectedly were offered some recording time in the studio at the University’s theatre building.

John Ellis - vocals & guitar
Mike Jones - vocals & guitar
John Dunn - vocals & bass
Neil Cawley - flute
John Beazer - bongos

The album was recorded in the Gulbenkian Centre, Hull University, England, 23 June 1970 and transferred to disc by Deroy Sound Service, Carnforth, Lancashire. We recorded two of John Ellis’s songs, plus others by Bert Jansch, Dylan, Tim Buckley, David Ackles and Clive Palmer from the original Incredible String Band.

I Am Lonely (Jansch) - vocal, JE (with MJ)
The Heron (Ellis) - JE.
Travelling Song (Jansch) - MJ (with JE)
I Shall Be Released (Dylan) - JD (with MJ)
Phantasmagoria In Two (Buckley) - MJ
Empty Pocket Blues (Clive Palmer) - JE
Running From Home (Jansch) - MJ and JE
A Stupid Song (Ellis) - JE
Dreams Of Love (Jansch) - MJ and JE
Be My Friend (David Ackles) - MJ

That‘s my bass guitar on all the tracks, plus my hesitant singing on ‘I Shall Be Released’. I enjoyed the gigs, but the recording was not pleasant. I banged my head as I went in, and did the recording in a state of mild concussion. On listening to the album, I realised that my bottom E string was out of tune. The only one of us with any recording experience was Neil, who had played flute (pseudonymously) on a couple of early Ralph McTell tracks. John Beazer was the contact with Deroy’s Sound Service and had an impressive collection of LP’s he’d played on - all pressed by Deroy’s. I’m sure I’ve got a practice tape of ‘The Heron’ (recorded in Hull University kitchen) but I’ll have to search for it. I haven’t seen or heard any of the other members since I graduated in 1971. I’ve put the word out on the Hull alumni website and magazine, to try to contact them, but nobody has responded. The American guy from the mail order company says he’ll finance another CD if I can find some other members. I’m tempted to use some other Norwich hacks instead ! Most of them are still living in 1970 anyway.

i LOVE the internet. thanks for posting, john, this answers a lot of questions my girlfriend and i had about the album.

Just thought you'd be interested - John Ellis recently contacted me and gave me Mike jones's address. He also thinks he can trace Neil Cawley. So it's not impossible that the Moths will have a reunion or even do some more recording. I'll keep in touch.Regards JD