Incredible String Band Mike Heron
Mike Heron
James Michael “Mike” Heron was born on December 27, 1942. Heron, with Robin Williamson and Clive Palmer, founded The Incredible String Band in 1965 as a folk-song group which evolved to produce an emerging “world music” sound.
From a 2017 The List piece about the band, Heron said, “When they asked me to join the band I was really thrilled…. I joined very much as an apprentice in my mind; I’d been admiring them for ages. I was trying to be accepted by the alien beatniks. It took a little while!’
Incredible String Band Mike Heron
Incredible String Band
The Incredible String Band produced over 10 albums including “Five Thousand Spirits or the Layers of the Onion”, the Grammy nominated “The Hangman’s Beautiful Daughter”, and “Wee Tam and The Big Huge”.
Their sound and success and “underground” radio’s fondness for their songs led to an invitation to perform at the Woodstock Music and Art Fair. After a Friday night postponement, the band appeared on Saturday inconveniently placed between the blues-oriented Keef Hartly Band and Canned Heat.
Incredible String Band Mike Heron
Solo
In 1971 Heron released his first solo album, Smiling Men with Bad Reputations. Sitting in were such luminary musicians as John Cale, Pete Townshend, Richard Thompson, Elton John, Jimmy Page, Steve Winwood, Keith Moon, and Ronnie Lane. It featured a much more rock sound very different than Incredible String Band.
Incredible String Band Mike Heron
Mike and daughter Georgia
More recently Mike has been performing with his daughter, Georgia Seddon.
In 2008 Mike and Georgia were invited to perform at The Hollywood Bowl, collaborating with American band The Album Leaf for an evening of World music.
His site lists the nine solo albums Mike has released.
Mike and Georgia are now performing with Mike Hastings, and the multi instrumentalist Nick Pynn. Here is a video of Mike Heron & Georgia Seddon playing Mike’s “Feast of Stephen” accompanied by Trembling Bells at The Glad Cafe, Glasgow. October 2013.