In the spirit of past box sets such as Love, Poetry and Revolution which spotlighted the British underground psychedelic scene circa 1966-1972, Cherry Red's Grapefruit label has just released Dust on the Nettles, a new 3-CD compendium of British underground folk in roughly the same time period (1967-1972).

This new mini-box set, subtitled A Journey Through the British Underground Folk Scene, boasts 63 tracks and a running time of nearly four hours.  The emphasis is on the genre sometimes referred to as "acid folk," or contemporary folk music inspired by the psychedelic experience much as "acid rock" was for the heavier rock idiom.  This countercultural style of folk particularly blossomed in the United Kingdom, incorporating both acoustic and electric sounds, traditional and newly-written tunes, and everything from religious-oriented to pagan-inspired lyrics.  The array of artists here pushed the envelope even if most weren't rewarded with considerable commercial success.

Tracks have been drawn from a wide variety of labels including CBS, RCA Victor (and its progressive-minded Neon imprint), Pye (and its Dawn subsidiary), Andrew Loog Oldham's Immediate, and John Peel's Dandelion Records.  A number of rare and previously unissued demos also are brought together to tell the story.  Naturally, many "heavy hitters" feature on the diverse track list, most notably Fairport Convention (a 1969 demo of "Fotheringay"), Pentangle (1968 single "Let No Man Steal Your Thyme"), The Incredible String Band (a 1967 demo of "First Girl I Loved"), Vashti Bunyan ("Winter is Blue"), Joan Armatrading (1972's "Visionary Mountains"), Steeleye Span (1970's "All Things are Quite Silent"), Tyrannosaurus Rex (the duo's 1967 recording of "Highways (Misty Mist)," and the recently-rediscovered cult hero Bill Fay (an early 1969 demo of "Garden Song").

Steve Peregrine Took, one-half of Tyrannosaurus Rex, is also represented with "Amanda," a 1969 track from his post-Rex group Shagrat, founded with Larry Wallis and Tim Taylor.  Incredible String Band founding member Clive Palmer gets a solo cut here with 1967's "Stories of Jesus," an adaptation of a 19th century hymn.  (There are actually more hymns on this collection than one might expect!)  Palmer also reappears on "Music of the Ages" from his band C.O.B., or Clive's Original Band.  "Curious Crystals of Unusual Purity" is reprised from Bridget St. John's time on Dandelion; her entire output for the label was recently collected on a box from Cherry Red.  Bias Boshell, who went on to later fame as the writer of "I've Got the Music in Me" for Kiki Dee, wrote "The Garden of Jane Delawney" which he performs with his early band Trees.

This collection, packed with surprises. Rarities and five previously unreleased tracks, includes a lavishly-illustrated 36-page booklet with an introduction by compilation producer David Wells and track-by-track liner notes for each and every track.  Simon Murphy at Another Planet Music has remastered all songs and Andy Morten has handsomely designed the set.  The three discs are housed in individual paper sleeves within the box.

Dust on the Nettles is available now from Grapefruit Records and can be ordered at the links below!

Various Artists, Dust on the Nettles: A Journey Through the British Underground Folk Scene 1967-1972 (Grapefruit CRSEGBOX030, 2015) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)

CD 1

1. LET NO MAN STEAL YOUR THYME - The Pentangle (Transatlantic TRA 162, 1968)
2. WILLOW'S SONG (FROM THE WICKER MAN) - Magnet (rec. 1972, first issued 1998)
3. COME ALL YOU TRAVELLERS - Wight (French Festival SPX 147, 1970)
4. LOVE IS A FUNNY THING - Spirogyra (B&C CAS 1042, 1971)
5. IMAGES OF PASSING CLOUDS - Gary Farr (rec. 1968, previously unreleased)
6. PEEK STRANGELY AND WORRIED EVENING - Synanthesia (RCA Victor SF 8058, 1969)
7. GLASS OF WATER - Bob & Carole Pegg (Galliard GAL 4017, 1972)
8. WINTER IS BLUE - Vashti Bunyan (Instant INL 002, 1968)
9. WINTER IS A COLOURED BIRD - Comus (Dawn DNX 2506, 1971)
10. THE SEAGULLS SCREAM - Chrissie Quayle (Sentinel SENS 1001, 1970)
11. STORIES OF JESUS - Clive Palmer (rec. 1967, first issued 1999)
12. AMANDA - Steve Peregrin Took's Shagrat (rec. 1969, first issued 1990)
13. CURIOUS CRYSTALS OF UNUSUAL PURITY - Bridget St. John (Dandelion 63750, 1969)
14. ROSES FOR COLUMBUS - Mark Fry (Italian ZSLT 70006. 1972)
15. TILL THE MORNING COMES - Dando Shaft (RCA Neon NE 5, 1971)
16. BLACK GIRL - Mary-Anne (Joy JOYS 162, 1970)
17. THE GARDEN OF JANE DELAWNEY - Trees (CBS 63837, 1970)
18. WEIRDSONG OF BREAKING THROUGH AT LAST - Principal Edwards Magic Theatre (Dandelion DAN 8002, 1971)
19. MINAS TIRITH - Oberon (Acorn OBE LPS 1, 1971)
20. PRISONERS, VICTIMS, STRANGERS, FRIENDS - Paper Bubble (rec. 1970, previously unreleased)

CD 2

1. PILGRIM - Gerald Moore (rec. 1972, first issued 1999)
2. RIVER LANE - Melton Constable (rec. 1972, previously unreleased)
3. WAY OUT HERMIT - Moonkyte (Mother SMOT 1, 1071)
4. ALL THINGS ARE QUITE SILENT - Steeleye Span (RCA SF 8113, 1970)
5. UPON REFLECTION - Heron (Dawn DNLS 3010, 1970)
6. LOVE IS COME AGAIN - Parchment (Pye NSPL 18388, 1972)
7. STARGAZER - Shelagh McDonald (B&C CAS 1043, 1971)
8. THERE ARE NO GREATER HEROES - Tony Caro & John (private label, no cat. no., 1972)
9. VISIONARY MOUNTAINS - Joan Armatrading (Cube HIFLY 12, 1972)
10. GLOW OF THE FIRELIGHT - Tuesday (rec. 1972, previously unreleased)
11. SEARCHING FOR LAMBS - Warm Gold (Sentinel SENS 1011, 1972)
12. SAMANTHA CAROL FRAGMENTS - Benjamin Delaney Lion (Hollick & Taylor, no cat. no., 1969)
13. FOTHERINGAY - Fairport Convention (rec. 1969, first issued 2000)
14. YOU KNOW WHAT HAS TO BE - Frozen Tear (RA 5001, 1969)
15. MEANWHILE BACK IN THE FOREST - Hunt Lunt & Cunningham (Pye 7N 45125, 1972)
16. FIRST GIRL I LOVED - The Incredible String Band (rec. 1967, first issued 1998)
17. HALFDAN'S DAUGHTER - The Moths (Deroy LP, no cat. no., 1970)
18. THE MUTANT - Trader Horne (Dawn DNLS 3004, 1970)
19. MEETING BY THE MOONLIGHT MILL - Dry Heart (rec. 1970, previously unreleased)
20. HIGHWAYS (MISTY MIST) - Tyrannosaurus Rex (rec. 1967, first issued 1991)
21. GABILAN - Duncan Browne (Immediate IMS 018, 1968)
22. SAND ALL YELLOW - Kevin Coyne (Dandelion 2310 228, 1972)

CD 3

1. GARDEN SONG - Bill Fay (rec. 1969, first issued 1999)
2. MUSIC OF THE AGES - C.O.B. (CBS 69010, 1971)
3. A SONG FOR THE SYSTEM - Everyone Involved (Arcturus ARC 4, 1972)
4. THE COLOUR IS BLUE - Country Sun (Dandelion 2485 021, 1972)
5. SILENT VILLAGE - Wild Country (Trafalgar TRAF1, 1970)
6. WELCOME TO THE CITADEL - Marc Brierley (CBS 63478, 1969)
7. THE EVIL VENUS TREE - The Occasional Word (Dandelion DAN 63753, 1970)
8. STANDING ON THE SHORE - Anne Briggs (CBS 64612, 1971)
9. KIND SIR - Agincourt (Merlin HF 3, 1970)
10. EAGLE - Mick Softly (CBS 64098, 1970)
11. ROSEMARY HILL - Fresh Maggots (RCA SF 8205, 1971)
12. THE HAPPY KING - Music Box (Westwood MRS 013, 1972)
13. ME AND MY KITE - Fuchsia (Pegasus PEG 8, 1971)
14. WIZARD SHEP - The Sun Also Rises (Village Thing VTS 2, 1970)
15. SCARBOROUGH FAIR - Folkal Point (Midas MR 003, 1972)
16. PRISONER - Marie Celeste (no label, no cat. no., 1971)
17. PATRICE - Simon Finn (Mushroom 100 MR 2, 1971)
18. GIRL OF THE COSMOS - Shide & Acorn (Solent SM 011, 1971)
19. ELEGY TO A DEAD KING - Chimera (rec. 1968, first issued 2004)
20. SILENCE RETURNS - Beau (Dandelion DAN 8006, 1971)
21. ORANGE DAYS AND PURPLE NIGHTS - Mother Nature (B&C CB166. 1971)