At the start (and at the heart) of the so-called Canterbury Music scene was The Wilde Flowers, a band which was an outlet for the rock ambitions of several musicians who grew-up together, among them Robert Wyatt, Mike Ratledge and the Hopper brothers - Brian and Hugh. Jazz improvisation and many other musical forms preceded this venture in their early playing careers, but the 'lure' of the sixties revolution tempted them to look in a more 'commercial' direction (or that is what they imagined in those far-off, heady days !).
Brian Hopper: "My own part in those early years and beyond into the Wilde Flowers period was, besides being a playing and writing member of the group, somewhat unusual in that being slightly older and the only one with a 'regular' job, I was able to afford transport of sorts. I was able to provide a certain stability and direction to the group and in a more practical sense move it around for rehearsals and gigs".
The Wilde Flowers, as with many bands, underwent a series of personnel changes whilst building up a small but dedicated local following with their self-penned material and made a few demo records along the way (since released on Voiceprint VP123CD). Brian on guitar and saxes and Hugh on bass (and later, saxophone) were the only constant factor through their three-year life, with Robert Wyatt, Richard Sinclair, Kevin Ayers and Graham Flight moving on to pastures new and others including Pye Hastings, Richard Coughlan, Dave Lawrence and Dave Sinclair joining at various stages.
Another band Brian Hopper was involved in at the time was Beggars Farm, consisting of ex-Earl Gutheridge Explosion members John Lawrence (guitar) and Dave Smith (drums), and ex-Crimson Lace Blues members John Tilley (lead vocals and flute) and Dave Holman (bass). Recordings of original compositions (most of them by Lawrence) made in late 1969/early 1970 were converted to a limited vinyl LP run, and several record companies approached, unfortunately to little interest. As part of Brian's subsequent Canterbury archive series of projects, the tracks were released on Voiceprint in 1997 under the title Brian Hopper with Beggars Farm. Beggars Farm split up in May 1970 following the tragic death of John Tilley in a road accident as the band was returning from a gig at Toft's, Folkestone.
Beggars Farm (John Tilley, John Lawrence, Dave Holman, Dave Smith and Brian Hopper) was one side branch on the Canturbury scene's family tree. Who knows what might have blossomed if this group of musicians had been able to follow the promising line of original writing and performing that shines through on this album.
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