TERRY CONNERS
Terry answered a Holyground advert for musicians around July 1968. By September of that year he had played bass on two of the original tracks for A to Austr: Essex Queen and Grail Search. Later he moved into the flat next door, and was frequently to be found at Holyground through the early 1070’s. (See the end for note from Bill Nelson).

Terry writes : On the original recording of Essex Queen, Gill Green from Bretton Hall college came to play cello. I remember when we were learning the song she suddenly stood up and said, “I can’t possibly play with someone as bad as him" - meaning me! She started to storm out, but when she reached the door she couldn’t contain herself and started laughing. It was all a wind-up! All the others, Mike Levon, Shirley, Chris Coombs, Brian Calvert, and Ted Hepworth were in on it.

I played bass on the early versions of Essex Queen and Grail Search, which were re-recorded for technical reasons later. I played other instruments too - weird ones like cardboard tubes with mikes stuck in the end, and a cardboard box played with drummer’s brushes. Mike played this on the second version, calling it a ‘mosquito box’.

I met Bill Nelson at Holyground when he was recording Northern Dream. He borrowed my Egmond acoustic guitar, which I still have. Bill went on to become a personal friend. I eventually married Shirley Nelson, Bill’s first wife, meeting her some time after their marriage was over. I was working at Yorkshire Purchasing, a council supplies organisation. Shirley came to work there, as I did, in the warehouse. After we married, Bill came often to pick up Julia, his first child.

I moved in to Cass Yard, next door at number 3 from 1971 so I remember all the recording of A to Austr, Astral Navigations, and Northern Dream. I remember Thundermother recording, especially the drummer, Fred Kelly, who went on to joined ‘Rare Bird’. The editor of the Underground newspaper, IT, (International Times), Richard Neville came to visit Holyground - but everyone was out, so he came up to my flat to wait. He eventually left - what did Holyground miss out on?

Later I came to record in my own band at Holyground: I joined my cousin in ‘The Michigan Four’. Ken Gardener was the vocalist, Ian Hill played guitar, my brother John was on drums, with me on bass. We recorded two songs.

Holyground did more than record music. One day I remember helping make sound effects for a local student theatre - the Little Theatre. We threw pieces of metal down from the studio window into the yard below.

There were always lots of people coming and going, and hanging round. Everyone who came to Holyground was given a nickname. One poor woman was called Arkle. My nick name was Gannet.

Shirley Levon was always making drinks and one day asked “What do you want: tea, coffee, milk, chocolate, orange juice”. Dave Wood simply said “Yes please”, so Shirley made him a glass of all these. (And Dave drank it! editor).

Bill Nelson adds:

To clarify a little: I met Shirley when we both were working at the West Riding County Supplies Department. Shirley was in the clothing warehouse and I had a desk job in the soft furnishings department. It was much later, (after I quit my position there to become a full-time musician,) that it was renamed the 'Yorkshire Purchasing Authority.' It must have been then that Terry began working there and met Shirley.