Canticle

(c’67-’72) Frank Press (guitar/mandolin/backing vocals), Pete Lambert (violin), Howard McDermott (guitar/lead vocals) and Howard Fulbrook (guitar/backing vocals).

This Farnborough based, Press had attended Salesian College, folk group appeared at folk clubs across the Southeast and into London, including Basingstoke and Fleet.

On 5 September ’69, there was a gig at the Town Hall, Farnborough headlined by Canticle that also featured Bill Boazman, Diz Disley, Graham Butterfield, Fiona, Johnny Silvo, and Dave Moses. A couple of weeks later, on 27 September ’69, they appeared at the Farnborough Folk Club’s second concert held at the Memorial Hall, Hawley. They were joined by Jon Betmead, Roger Nutbeam, Fiona, Borderers & Chris Jant.

The next year, on 7 February ’70, the Technical College, Basingstoke held a concert headlined by Wiz Jones, who was supported by Gasworks, Canticle, and others. Robert Reiter approached them, following a floor spot at The Troubadour, London offering some recording time to lay down a couple of tracks. This resulted in the release of “Like a Rolling Stone” as a single on RCA across the US and Canada in 1970. Produced by Peter Eden, Donovan’s co-discoverer and manager, the B-side carried “My Mind’s Eye”, and “…Rolling Stone” which featured blues slide guitarist Mike Cooper to boost the layers.

The group disbanded in ’72, about the time a South African trio of the same name started to appear. In August 2019, Grapefruit Records released the compilation “New Moon’s in the Sky (The British Progressive Pop Sounds Of 1970)” [CRSEGBOX059] and included the folk-rock cover of the Small Faces’ “My Mind’s Eye” from the B-side of “Like a Rolling’ Stone”. The following year the compilation “Strangers in the Room: A Journey Through the British Folk Rock Scene 1967-73” on Cherry Red included “Like A Rolling Stone”.

Press passed in February 2000. In August that year the remaining members held reunion gigs at Press’ local in Bawburgh, Norfolk and The Fox & Hounds, Fleet.

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