The JSD Band
Were one of the leading folk-rock bands of the seventies and have reformed due to the large amount of interest in their early albums. The band were very influential on the folk scene during the boom years.
It was John Peel who took a massive interest in the lads from Glasgow, who formed initially in 1969, before going their separate ways in 1974.
During those five years they were on a par with Fairport Convention, Lindisfarne and Steelye Span.
They packed out halls and theatres around the world including the Cambridge Folk Festival, the Albert Hall, the Royal Festival Hall, the Queen Elizabeth Hall, and a residency in New York’s Greenwich Village at the famous "Bitter End" Club.
There were numerous T.V.
and Radio shows including the Old Grey Whistle Test, Radio 1 "In Concert" and the John Peel Show.
When they started in 1969 the JSD Band played local folk clubs and venues in and around the Glasgow area alongside people like Billy Connolly, Gerry Rafferty, Chirsty Moore, Rab Noakes and Barbara Dickson.
Throughout their career they topped the bill with the likes of Status Quo, Sly and the Family Stone, Johnny Winter and Lou Reed and were supported by acts such as Joan Armatrading, The Average White Band and the Sensational Alex Harvey Band.
David Bowie invited them to support him on his first British Tour of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars in 1972, and individual members of the band played on David Bowie’s records at that time.
Their first album - "Country on the Blind" - came out on Regal Zonophone, a subsidiary of EMI, in 1970.
This album began to spread their reputation nationally and attracted the attention of Radio 1 DJ John Peel who wrote the sleaves notes for their next two albums. The album featured a combination of traditional Irish, Scottish, American and to a lesser extent English songs and instrumentals and original compositions. This combination was to feature on all their forthcoming recordings.
Their second album - "JSD Band" - was released in 1971 on the Cube record label and sold in excess of 20,000 copies. By now the band were living in London and touring extensively all over the place. They were especially in demand on the University circuit.
Their third and last album - "Travelling Days" - came out in 1973. By now the band were performing at major venues in the major cities and attracting large audiences everywhere they went. They had built up a large following.
After their third album they went on to release three singles - "Sarah Jane", "Sunshine of Life" and "Hayes and Harlington Blues".
At this time due to commercial pressures, musical differences, family commitments and just plain exhaustion, they decided to call it a day.
So in July 1974, having been together for 5 years, the JSD Band disbanded leaving behind some great music and memories.