Posted on 07/13/2025 8:17:44 AM PDT by P.O.E.
One of my all-time favorite bands (in its many incarnations). Got to see them several times, even got to buy them a few rounds at a couple of gigs.
RIP and thanks for the years of great music, profound lyrics, and fun times.
More from the website:
We will all wish to celebrate the life of this incredible singer-songwriter, relation, colleague and/or special friend at this time.
We, therefore, ask you to enjoy listening to your favourite Cousins song as the sun goes down, in whatever part of the world you are, enjoying what he would refer to as a glass of vino collapse (wine)…
As more information becomes available, you will be informed on his and Strawbs’ Facebook pages and on Strawbsweb.
Meanwhile, we ask you to join in remembering a wonderful, talented man, whose life has touched us all.”
Born David Joseph Hindson on January 7, 1940, Cousins formed Strawbs out of bluegrass band Strawberry Hill Boys, moving first into folk and later progressive rock. An early singer was future Fairport Convention member Sandy Denny, with whom Strawbs recorded All Our Own Work in 1967. The band were the first UK group signed to A&M Records and Tony Visconti worked with the band on their self-titled 1969 release, which was produced by Gus Dudgeon.
Rick Wakeman joined the band for 1970’s Just A Collection Of Antiques And Curios but would leave following the next year’s From The Witchwood to join Yes. Although best known for their 1973 No. 2 hit Part Of The Union from that year’s Bursting At The Seams album, 1972’s Grave New World and 1974’s Hero And Heroine represent the classic Strawbs sound.
Cousins made an unlikely cameo on Def Leppard’s 1980 debut album, On Through The Night, his speaking voice can be heard at the beginning of When The Walls Came Tumblin’ Down.
In more recent years’s the band toured with both acoustic and electric line-ups, which at various times have featured both Adam and Oliver Wakeman, John Young and Dave Bainbridge, as well as recording albums for the Esoteric label such as The Ferryman’s Curse (2017), Settlement (2021) and The Magic Of It All (2023).
Cousins, who has faced a number of health issues in recent years, including a major cancer operation, stent replacements and a full knee replacement, quit touring in 2021 and Strawbs performed their final show at Fairport Convention’s Cropredy Festival on August 11, 2023.
Let’s call it the “Great Passing”—all these artists from our youth are leaving this plane, as will we.
The only thing similar was back 40-50 years ago when all the big band and swing musicians were dropping the final notes and heading off to a different gig. We may not have cared then as they were just “old fogeys” but our parents might have cared.
Thanks to recording devices of the 20th century, we have Dave Cousins in all his glory, as well as all his brethern and fellow musicians to still enjoy. The notes will not be stilled.
How coincidental. Just last night is saw a poster from the 70’s advertising for some venue or event called the Locamotive. On the billing of the minor acts in small print next to each other were Genasis, Billy Joel, and this group, The Strawbs of which I’ve never heard.
Who?
Lemme guess...a huge fan of Ho Chi Minh and his northern master,Mao Tse Tung?
I THINK I remember. Not sure abt it.
All things ‘Strawberry’ stand in line after J. Lennon’s
Strawberry Fields. That’s always been my #1. Strawberry.
There was the Strawberry Alarm Clock;
Who can forget “Incense & Peppermint”?
RIP.
I think I’ll put on “Lay Down” in memoriam.
Very fitting.
Hero and Heroine my favorite album.
The Strawbs were such a great rock group of the early 1970s, but kept recording for 50 tears. Bursting at the Seams, Hero and Heroine and Grave New World were 3 amazing albums in a row. Such musicianship. Powerful drums and guitar riffs. Dave Cousins was Welsh, I think, and gave the vocals a unique sound.
Listen to ‘Lay Down’, ‘Down By the Sea’ and ‘Part of the Union’ among others.
Check this. One of the hauntingly beautiful songs ever made.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJzgGl7VXMw&pp=ygUad2hlbiB3ZSB3ZXJlIHlvdW5nIHN0cmF3YnM%3D
Always liked Bursting At The Seams, Grave New World and the great Hero & Heroine.
Always liked Bursting At The Seams, Grave New World and the great Hero & Heroine.
The number of celebrities exploded in the 60s, and we are just now at the point where we start losing a lot of them.
Who can forget “Incense & Peppermint”?
Hard to believe the same guy that wrote that also wrote “Sweet Home Alabama”, Ed King.
Great trivia. Didn’t know that one. That is a lot of range those two songs could not be more different
Most likely.
Great choices. The "Antique Suite" from "Antiques and Curios" and the "Blue Angel" suite from his solo album "Two Weeks Last Summer" are faves of mine, too.
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