Steeleye Span concluded their latest tour with a packed performance at Cadogan Hall in London. They opened the tour with a song called “The Green Man,” written by their former guitarist Bob Johnson, which addressed environmental issues. The song had been lost for 40 years and was never before performed or recorded until 2023. This served as a poignant tribute to Johnson, who passed away at the age of 79. Johnson played a significant role in Steeleye’s extensive journey as a band that brought folk-rock to the forefront of the charts and to audiences in large concert venues worldwide.
Johnson, a rock guitarist with a background in blues and folk, combined these influences to create fresh melodies and arrangements for classic traditional ballads like Thomas the Rhymer, Long Lankin, and Tam Lin. These songs were essential to Steeleye’s unique sound and ultimate success.
In 1972, upon the recommendation of Steeleye Span’s fiddle player Peter Knight, Johnson joined the band during a challenging period. The group had recently lost two well-respected and beloved members, Ashley Hutchings and Martin Carthy, and both Johnson and the new bass player, Rick Kemp, were relatively unknown at the time. As lead singer Maddy Prior stated, their addition “completely changed” the band’s sound, making them more akin to a rock band.
Below the Salt, the first album from the new lineup, featured Johnson’s fresh version of the traditional song King Henry, along with Gaudete, an a capella carol that he had heard sung in church, and which became a hit single, reaching No 14 in the charts. The new Steeleye brought traditional songs to a new audience around the world as they toured extensively in the US backing major rock bands including Procol Harum, Jethro Tull and the Beach Boys.
They gained the services of Tony Secunda, a manager in the rock scene known for his affinity for publicity stunts. While touring Australia in 1975, he caused controversy by organizing a contest exclusively for women, with the grand prize being the chance to spend 12 hours with a male member of the band of their choosing after a show. This sparked outrage in the media and a government official attempted to cancel the concert, but it proceeded as planned – and the winner selected Johnson. However, there were no scandalous events to report afterwards: she brought her boyfriend along and the three of them simply enjoyed a few drinks and had a civil conversation.
After becoming tired from touring, Johnson departed from the band to collaborate with Knight on a concept album in 1977. Titled “The King of Elfland’s Daughter,” the album was based on Lord Dunsany’s fantasy novel from 1924. Johnson and Knight enlisted a talented group of artists, such as Christopher Lee and blues legend Alexis Korner, but unfortunately, the album did not achieve commercial success. Knight recalls that it was a passion project that Johnson had initiated, but the record company did not prioritize its promotion.
In 1980, Johnson rejoined Steeleye to work on their album Sails of Silver. However, folk-rock was no longer popular as punk and disco had taken over. This allowed him to have a less busy schedule and pursue a degree in clinical psychology at Warwick University. He then went on to get his MA at the University of Hertfordshire and also worked occasionally as an occupational therapist in Harley Street. Due to his poor health, Johnson had to leave Steeleye once again in 2002. However, he made a comeback in 2013 to contribute two songs and provide guest vocals for the band’s concept double-album, Wintersmith, which was inspired by the works of Terry Pratchett, a fan of Steeleye.
Bob grew up in the neighborhood of Clapham in the southern part of London. His parents were Chella, a music instructor, and Leonard Johnson, a salesperson who had been discharged from the military due to injury. Bob attended Westminster City grammar school where he became friends with Wally Demel, a friendship that lasted a lifetime. Together, they frequented folk clubs and sang whenever they had the chance. After finishing his O-levels in the early 1960s, Bob played in various bands, including one with Paul Raven (later known as Gary Glitter) and PJ Proby. He also met Knight, who moved into the flat in Maida Vale that he shared with Demel. In 1968, they started performing as a duo at folk clubs while Bob worked as a cleaner during the day.
After Knight departed to join Steeleye in 1970, their collaboration came to an end. However, Johnson continued to play and in early 1972, he made a record with dulcimer player Roger Nicholson.
At that time, he was wedded to his initial spouse, Jane Loveless, and, aware that the music business was not yielding him a satisfactory salary, had obtained a new job as a computer coder.
The man had a good job at an office, so he didn’t want to join Steeleye when they invited him. Loveless convinced him and he eventually joined. This was a good choice because Steeleye combined traditional music and rock, which he was interested in. After joining, he didn’t want to do anything else.
He is survived by his second wife, Mandy (nee Horlock), an artist whom he married in 2001, and by his children, Holly and Barnaby, from his first marriage, which ended in divorce in 1996.
Source: theguardian.com
