Formed in Cheltenham, England 1968. Decameron played contemporary folk-rock music, much of which was written by key members Dave Bell and Johnny Coppin. The group recorded for a variety of British labels during the early seventies and later on also performed some American doo wop tracks under the name The Magnificent Mercury Brothers.
The band fused together rock and folk in their own individual and distinguishable style.
Band Members:
Dave Bell: Vocals, bass and guitar. One half the great songwriting team Bell/Coppin.
Johnny Coppin: Vocals, piano and guitar. Other half the great songwriting team Bell/Coppin.
Al Fenn: Lead guitar, mandolin, bass, vocals .
Geoff March: Cello, violin, organ, whistle, saxophone and vocals.
Dik Cadbury: Lead guitar, acoustic guitar, violin, bass and vocals. Joined after the first album
Bob Critchley: Drums. Joined for the last album in 1976
Timmi Donald: Drums on the first album. Never a permanent member.
Pat Donaldson: Bass on the first album. Never a permanent member.
John Halsey: Drums and percussion on the second and third albums. Never a permanent member.
Discography:
1. Say Hello to the Band - Vertigo DE LUXE 6360 097 - 1973 Tracks:
1. Say Hello to the Band / 2. Byard´s Leap/ 3. Judith / 4. Innocent Sylvester Prime / 5. Crows / 6. The Moon´s in A / 7. Stoats Grope / 8. Ride a Lame Pony / 9. Shine Away / 10 Friday Night at the Regal * / 11. Half Asleep* / 12. Call it Sleep* / 13. Prelude * / 14. England* / 15. Parade* / 16. The Englishman* / 17. Faraway Anne * / 18. Rock and Roll away - (*) bonus-tracks on CD reissue
Rating : 8
2. Mammoth Special - Mooncrest CREST 19 - 1974
Tracks:
1. Mammoth Special / 2. Rock And Roll Woman / 3. Just Enough Like Home / 4. A Glimpse Of Me / 5. Late On Lady Day / 6. Breakdown Of The Song / 7. The Cheetah / 8. Jan / 9. The Stonehouse / 10. Parade / 11. The Empty Space / 12. Twinset And Pearls*
Rating : 7
3. Third Light - Transatlantic TRA 304 - 1975
Tracks:
1. Rock and Roll Away / 2. All The Best Wishes / 3. The Strawman / 4. Saturday / 5. Wide As The Years / 6. Journey's End / 7. Road To The Sea / 8. Trapeze / 9. The Ungodly / 10. Morning Glory
Rating : 8
4. Tomorrow´s Pantomine - Transatlantic TRA 325
Tracks:
1. The Deal / 2. Fallen Over / 3. Ask Me Tomorrow / 4. Tomorrow's Pantomime / 5. The Shadows On The Stairs / 6. So This Is God's Country / 7. Peace With Honour / 8. Dancing / 9. Single-Handed / 10. Crazy Seed.
Rating : 7
5. Parabola Road, compilation - Castle 2005
Tracks:
1. Mammoth Special / 2. Rock And Roll Woman / 3. Just Enough Like Home / 4. A Glimpse Of Me / 5. Late On Lady Day / 6. Breakdown Of The Song / 7. The Cheetah / 8. Jan / 9. The Stonehouse / 10. Parade / 11. The Empty Space / 12. Rock And Roll Away / 13. All The Best Wishes / 14. The Strawman / 15. Saturday / 16. Wide As The Years / 17. Journey's End / 18. Road To The Sea // 1. Trapeze / 2. The Ungodly / 3. Morning Glory / 4. The Deal / 5. Fallen Over / 6. Ask Me Tomorrow / 7. Dancing / 8. Tomorrow's Pantomime / 9. Single-Handed / 10. Crazy Seed / 11. The Shadows On The Stairs / 12. So This Is God's Country / 13. Peace With Honour / 14. Postcards From Cornwall* (Live) / 15. About Time* (Live) / 16. Cheltenham Ladies* / 17. Twinset And Pearls* / 18. New Girl In School* / 19. What About Us* / 20. Why Do Fools Fall In Love?* (*) Not on original albums!
Rating : 9
Essential Albums!
Original albums as listed and rated on “Rate Your Music” - April 16 - 2006
601 Mammoth Special - 1974
639 Third Light - 1975
729 Tomorrow´s Pantomime - 1976
Check and Rate Here!
April 16 - "rateyourmusic.com"
My Suggestion For a 80 minutes (app.) Best Of Compilation:
1. Rock´n Roll Away ( Bell) Third Light
2. Say Hello to the Band ( Bell/Coppin ) Say Hello to the Band
3. Shine Away ( Bell/Coppin ) Say Hello to the Band
4. Parade ( Bell/Coppin ) Mammoth Special
5. The Deal ( Bell/Coppin ) Tomorrow´s Pantomime
6. Ride a Lame Pony ( Bell/Coppin ) Say Hello to the Band
7. Mammoth Special ( Bell/Coppin ) Mammoth Special
8. Saturday ( Cadbury/Bell) Third Light
9. Trapeze ( Coppin/Bell) Third Light
10. The Ungodly ( Coppin/Bell) Third Light
11. Byard´s Leap ( Bell/Coppin ) Say Hello to the Band
12. Just Enough Like Home ( Bell ) Mammoth Special
13. Late on Lady Day ( Coppin/Bell ) Mammoth Special
14. Breakdown of the Song ( Bell ) Mammoth Special
15. The Empty Space ( Coppin/Bell ) Mammoth Special
16. All the Best Wishes ( Coppin/Bell) Third Light
17. Wide as the Years ( Coppin/Bell) Third Light
18. Road to the Sea ( Coppin/Bell) Third Light
19. Tomorrow´s Pantomine ( Bell/Coppin ) Tomorrow´s Pantomime
20. Ask Me Tomorrow ( Bell/Coppin ) Tomorrow´s Pantomime
21. Innocent Sylvester Prime ( Bell/Coppin ) Say Hello to the Band
22. The Moon´s in A ( Bell/Coppin ) Say Hello to the Band
23. Stoats Grope ( Bell/Coppin ) Say Hello to the Band
24. Stonehouse ( Bell ) Mammoth Special
25. Journey´s End ( Coppin/Bell) Third Light
26. Fallen Over ( Bell/Coppin ) Tomorrow´s Pantomime
27. So This is God´s Country ( Bell/Coppin ) Tomorrow´s Pantomime
28. Judith ( Bell/Coppin ) Say Hello to the Band
29. Peace With Honour ( Bell/Coppin ) Tomorrow´s Pantomime
30. Twinset and Pearls ( Bell/Coppin ) 74 single - Parabola Road
Lyrics and Chords
LINKS:
Official Decameron
Johnny Coppin