The merging of folk and rock in the UK can tentatively be traced back to a number of sources and, as ever, the historical actuality is a fuzzy, blurred-around-the-edges affair. It’s not an exact science, but there’s no denying that The Byrds’ Beatles-fied version of Dylan’s Mr Tambourine Man in 1965 was a pivotal release. Not only did it kick-start the folk-rock movement in the US, but it gave a budding generation of British folk musicians the encouragement to plug in their guitars.
Before the shift, the folk-rock pioneers this side of the pond were for the most part involved in the folk revival of the late 50s and early 60s. Pioneering folk-rock bands such as Fairport Convention and Pentangle blazed a trail by adding new layers of musical and lyrical complexity, while solo artists such as John Martyn and Roy Harper introduced the singer-songwriter’s introspection. The movement peaked in the mid-70s and it’s this glorious heyday that we are concerned with here. British folk rock was given a considerable kicking when punk rock put its steel-capped boot in, and was conspicuous by its absence in the 80s, only to revive again later.
This round-up of essential British folk-rock vinyl releases sweeps up several overlapping sub-genres, with the best of psychedelic, acid and progressive folk also included. There are also some offerings from the occasional rock dinosaurs thrown in for good measure. To keep the range of artists as broad as possible, we’ve decided against multiple entries for bands or solo artists.