Sandalspring
Encyclopedia
Sandalspring was a Canadian Folk Rock band that was formed in 1968 and performed extensively at a number of Vancouver clubs until early 1970.
In 1969 they met Mark Wilson
who worked at Bill Lewis Music, a local music and guitar store. He liked their music and often attended their performances, and after a while offered to become their manager. He found them a series of gigs which included La Place, a local teen club where they played a number of shows. During that time, the band auditioned to play at The Big Mother and played on the same stage as Papa Bear's Medicine Show; a performance which received a good review in The Province
newspaper and introduced a larger audience to their music.
The band continued to perform regularly at The Big Mother and it was during one of their performances there that they were approached by the owner of The Village Bistro, a well-known club on Fourth Avenue. As this was one of the most popular clubs in Vancouver at that time, Sandalspring eagerly accepted this lucrative opportunity and continued to perform there frequently throughout 1969.
Throughout 1969 and 1970, Sandalspring performed with a number of groups including Mock Duck
, Mother Tucker's Yellow Duck, Black Snake Blues Band, Hydro-Electric Streetcar, High Flying Bird, Seeds Of Time
, Django
, Yellow Brique Road, Tomorrow's Eyes and Gingerbox,.
In April 1970, Robert G. Anstey left the band, citing disappointment with the direction the band had taken musically, and the music industry in general. As the group's only singer and songwriter, and with no one to replace him, the group disbanded.
History
Sandalspring traces its roots to 1966 when Robert G. Anstey formed The Scene with his brother Bruce on guitar, Soren Rasmussen on drums, Doug Hicks on bass and Jim Fisher on lead vocals. Most of their original material was written by Robert G. Anstey and Jim Fisher, but the group did play a number of cover songs as well. Jim Fisher was only with the group a short while, and after his departure the group continued on until the spring of 1967 when Doug Hicks was replaced by Ken Ogilvie and the band changed its named to Toad.Sandalspring
In the spring of 1968 the band took on a new direction and sound when Don "Horse" Ogilvie replaced Bruce Anstey as lead guitarist. At that time Robert G. Anstey changed the band's name to Sandalspring to fit in more with the changing times. In January 1969 Soren Rasmussen left the band and was replaced by Sean Burne. Ken Lerner was added on saxophone and flute which gave the group's sound a distinct jazzy feel.In 1969 they met Mark Wilson
Mark Wilson
Mark Wilson may refer to:* Mark Alan Wilson , American murder victim* Mark Wilson , American football offensive tackle* Mark Wilson...
who worked at Bill Lewis Music, a local music and guitar store. He liked their music and often attended their performances, and after a while offered to become their manager. He found them a series of gigs which included La Place, a local teen club where they played a number of shows. During that time, the band auditioned to play at The Big Mother and played on the same stage as Papa Bear's Medicine Show; a performance which received a good review in The Province
The Province
The Province is a daily, tabloid format newspaper published in British Columbia by Postmedia. It has been a daily newspaper since 1898.According to a recent NADbank survey, The Provinces average weekday readership was 520,100, making it British Columbia's most read newspaper...
newspaper and introduced a larger audience to their music.
The band continued to perform regularly at The Big Mother and it was during one of their performances there that they were approached by the owner of The Village Bistro, a well-known club on Fourth Avenue. As this was one of the most popular clubs in Vancouver at that time, Sandalspring eagerly accepted this lucrative opportunity and continued to perform there frequently throughout 1969.
Throughout 1969 and 1970, Sandalspring performed with a number of groups including Mock Duck
Mock duck
Mock duck is a gluten-based vegetarian food. It is generally made from wheat gluten and is thus high in protein. Its distinctive flavor and artificial "plucked duck" texture distinguish it from other forms of commercially available gluten products. Mock duck can be found in some Chinese grocery...
, Mother Tucker's Yellow Duck, Black Snake Blues Band, Hydro-Electric Streetcar, High Flying Bird, Seeds Of Time
Seeds of Time
Seeds of Time is an album by bassist Dave Holland's Quintet recorded in 1984 and released on the ECM label.-Reception:The Allmusic review by Scott Yanow awarded the album 4 stars stating "The all-star musicians pack plenty of music and concise solos into each performance , and the unique group...
, Django
Django (film)
Django is a 1966 Italian spaghetti Western film directed by Sergio Corbucci and starring Franco Nero in the eponymous role. The film earned a reputation as being one of the most violent films ever made up to that point and was subsequently refused a certificate in Britain until 1993, when it was...
, Yellow Brique Road, Tomorrow's Eyes and Gingerbox,.
In April 1970, Robert G. Anstey left the band, citing disappointment with the direction the band had taken musically, and the music industry in general. As the group's only singer and songwriter, and with no one to replace him, the group disbanded.
Recordings
During the summer of 1969, Sandalspring recorded a series of demos with Robin Spurgin at Vancouver Recording Studios. Although the group broke up shortly thereafter, these recordings - among others - are in the possession of Don "Horse" Ogilvie, and there is speculation by some that these recordings will be released someday on CD.External links
- Sandalspring on Pacific Northwest Bands