Mac MacLeod

Keith MacLeod (known as Mac MacLeod) is a British musician. An important part of the Hertfordshire Folk and Blues scene from 1959 onwards. He played in St Albans along side Mick Softley, Maddy Prior and toured with John Renbourn.

Sweden, Denmark and Back Again

MacLeod's Odyssey was to take him around Britain, and across Sweden and Denmark, where he first formed Hurdy Gurdy. The group became an underground favourite and went on to headline at Middle Earth, supporting Pink Floyd at the same venue. The anthology Mac MacLeod - The Incredible Musical Odyssey Of The Original Hurdy Gurdy Man on RPM /Cherry Red records contains many rare recordings, from the acoustic folksy beginnings through a succession of one-off groups like The Other Side (with Boz Scaggs) and Exploding Mushroom to the legendary Hurdy Gurdy (with producers Rod Argent and Chris White) and the post-The Zombies: Amber The Argent song Telescope was a lost classic until released on MacLeod's Anthology.

Related Topics:
Hurdy Gurdy - Pink Floyd - Boz Scaggs - Rod Argent - The Zombies - Amber - Argent

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At the end of the 1960's MacLeod was reunited with Donovan who whisked him off, with a group of other old friends, to the Isle of Skye. MacLeod was asked to be a side man once more for Donovan?s U.S. tour. After several weeks of rehearsals all was well then Donovan had a change of heart and went to the U.S. alone.

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He returned to St Albans and formed Soft Cloud-Loud Earth with Mick Softley, 'Candy' John Carr (who also went to Skye for Donovan's U.S. tour line up) and Mike Thomson. Due to the erratic behaviour of Softley, Carr and Thomson jumped ship and soon formed Open Road with Donovan leaving MacLeod to continue with Softley in the duo Soft Cloud. After Soft Cloud had evaporated MacLeod formed a new band, the sitar-drenched Amber with Julian McAllister and Ray Cooper. Amber had some tracks produced by former The Yardbirds singer Keith Relf.

Related Topics:
Donovan - Amber - The Yardbirds - Keith Relf

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