Mike Heron

A multi-instrumentalist who had previously performed with several U.K. beat-era ensembles, Mike Heron joined Robin Williamson and Clive Palmer to establish the psychedelic folk group the Incredible String Band. His initial solo release, Smiling Men with Bad Reputations, appeared in 1971 on Island Records and featured contributions from the Who and John Cale, yet it preserved the core character of his primary band. Once the Incredible String Band disbanded in 1974, Heron created Mike Heron's Reputation, an ensemble that took a rock-oriented direction and issued only one self-titled album on Neighbourhood Records. He later recorded numerous additional solo projects for various labels, although none reached the level of success achieved during his earlier work with Williamson.

In 1997 the two former colleagues came together again for a limited run of concert dates, one captured on the excellent Bloomsbury 1997 release. Two years later Palmer rejoined the lineup for a series of Incredible String Band performances throughout the U.K. and Europe; the group, completed by Williamson's wife Bina and Lawson Dando, continued its regular schedule until Williamson withdrew from touring to focus once more on solo work.