Be Glad For The Song Has No Ending: An Incredible String Band Compendium

Adrian Whittaker (ed.) ★★★★

Strange Attractor Press, £25

ISBN 9781913689506, 704 pages An updated 20-year reprint for this vast, authoritative ISB history

“The Incredible String Band were arguably the most multi-faceted group in British popular music, and this book attempts to mirror the complexity of their story,” writes editor Adrian Whittaker in this new, updated edition of his long out-of-print collection of writing on ISB, and it’s hard to imagine a more comprehensive or lovingly-made book about a band.

Originally published in 2003, the book compiles research and documentation by the near-30 strong group of writers at the ISB fanzine BEGLAD, founded in 1992.

Spanning more than 700 pages, it’s a dense but fascinating read, featuring extensive, in-depth pieces about the history, music and musicianship of the band during their 1965-1974 lifespan, and plenty of imagery to set the scene.

Brief tribute words from Robert Plant, Bill Drummond, David Bowie and the former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams appear, and Billy Connolly fascinatingly contextualises the 60s Scottish folk scene, boldly claiming ISB were as influential as Dylan. There are interviews with bandmembers and collaborators, new words from fans Neil Tennant and Alasdair Roberts, and even a quiz, a crossword and an appendix entry about the band’s extensive instrumentation.

Throughout, ISB’S legacy as part of their era’s musical cutting edge is reinforced, as The Rolling Stones and Paul Mccartney looked to them and they were decades ahead of the game in seeking out world music for inspiration. This vast, authoritative document is the next best thing to being there. David Pollock