Holyground Records, almost certainly the first independent recording studio and record label in the UK if not the world, was formed by Mike Levon and a group of friends in Wakefield in 1966. In 1967 it released its first LP Number Nine Bread Street blazing a trail to be followed by countless other alternative and indie labels.

In 1969 A to Austr was released. This has become a classic: a holy grail for many collectors. The Penguin Price Guide of Record and CD Collectors (by Nick Hamlyn) has as its first entry:

A-AUSTR It is appropriate that the first record listed in this guide should be one that typifies exactly what collecting rare records is all about. Produced as a labour of love on an independent label created for the purpose, the record came complete with lavish packaging and sold hardly at all! The music which is thoughtful and pastoral, is interesting enough to give the record a cult reputation, and the mystique is enhanced for record collectors today by the album being reissued in a very limited facsimile edition, itself being sold at something of a collectors' price.

Guided by producer / engineer, Mike Levon, Holyground released a range of albums, variously described as folk, rock, progressive, but all capturing the psychedelic mood of the time. During this period Mike recorded a wide variety of musicians including Bill Nelson who appeared with Chris Coombs on many Holyground tracks. Bill's signature first solo LP Northern Dream was recorded at Holyground.

The problem of being an independent record label manifested itself in difficulties with distribution. This resulted in Holyground only producing relatively short runs of records.By the mid seventies, this was almost terminal. Overwhelmed by these difficulties, and Mike and Shirley's desire to start a family, in 1975 Holyground went into hibernation.

There it stayed until 1989 when a distributor, Magic Mixture riding on the interest for 'real music' approached the studio to re-release some of the albums on vinyl. The relationship with the wonderful Hugo Chavez of Magic Mixture blossomed and an LP of previously unreleased material was pressed under the title Gagalactyca and a double compilation LP, Loose Routes, was also released.

Hugo also suggested to Mike that it was time for Holyground start recording again. And Strangeness And Charm is the result of this suggestion. In the early 1990's, with CDs replacing vinyl, almost all the Holyground titles were released on this new format, either on the Background or original Kissing Spell labels. The later Kissing Spell label collaborated with Holyground in releasing all the early albums, and as bonus tracks, just about every existing Holyground recording made in and around these times. This was the series Holyground, The Works.

IN BRIEF

1966 Holyground set up - work started on Number Nine Bread Street.

1967 Number Nine Bread Street released.

1968 A to Austr started, songs eventually released on Gagalactyca were recorded.

1969 Jumble Lane started. Bill Nelson's Global Village recorded live in Wakefield's Thornes Park.

1970 A to Austr released. Astral Navigations started

1971 The rest of Astral Navigations was recorded. Jumble Lane released. Bill Nelson's Northern Dream recorded.

1972 to 1974 Gygafo's Legend Of The Kingfisher, and Ode recorded. Many local bands were recorded.

1975 Tears On The Console released. Holyground sleeps till 1988.