Among all the unique bands to come out of The '60s, The Incredible String Band is one of the most unique ones. Starting out in 1966 as a trio of Scottish musicians Robin Williamson, Mike Heron, and Clive Palmer writing songs in a traditional folk style, they released their self-titled album, which was well received in the folk scene (Robin's "October Song" even caught the notice of a certain American folk singer who called it "quite good").
After Robin had spent some time (and all his money) in Morocco, he returned to Edinburgh, and reformed the band with Mike, and decided to incorporate the instruments he had picked up in Marocco. Between summer 1967 and November, they released three albums, The 5000 Spirits or The Layers of the Onion, The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter, and Wee Tam and The Big Huge (a double album that also saw release as two separate albums) that were characterized by increasing weirdness.
Basically, the ISB (as they are often abbreviated) are generally considered as the band that invented Psychedelic Folk, although that doesn't even begin to describe all the elements and influences that would be found in their music.
Discography:
- 1966 - The Incredible String Band
- 1967 - The 5000 Spirits of the Layers of the Onion
- 1968 - The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter
- 1968 - Wee Tam and the Big Huge
- 1969 - Changing Horses
- 1970 - I Looked Up
- 1970 - U
- 1971 - Be Glad for the Song Has No Ending
- 1971 - Liquid Acrobat as Regards the Air
- 1972 - Earthspan
- 1973 - No Ruinous Feud
- 1974 - Hard Rope & Silken Twine
The Incredible Tropes:
- Badass Creed: In "My Name is Death", for the titular Death:I am the question that cannot be answered,
I am the lover that cannot be lost,
Yet small are the gifts of my servant; the soldier,
For time is my offspring; pray, what is my name?
My name is Death. - The Something Song: Various songs they have done are titled to that effect, including "The Minotaur's Song", "The Mad Hatter's Song", "The Hedgehog's Song", "The Water Song" and "A Very Cellular Song".
- Take That!: Robin in "Way Back In the 1960s" with this little dig: 'There was one fellow singing in those days, and he was quite good, and I mean to say that his name was Bob Dylan.'
- Word Salad Lyrics: How their lyrics can come across, although there is usually at least one meaning to be found in each line.
