Sweaty
ThE OtHeR rAmOnE
The band was named after Comus, a masque by John Milton and is also from the name of the Greek god Comus. David Bowie appreciated them and used them as support band for a 1969 concert at London's Purcell Rooms.
Their first album, First Utterance, appeared in 1971. The music is largely acoustic art rock that blends elements of Eastern percussion, early folk and animal-like vocals. The music evokes many feelings, but the most dominant are fear, confusion, despair, with occasional passages of tranquil beauty such as can be found in "The Herald". The lyrics are dramatic, involving violence, murder, and mental disorder. Apart from three tracks on First Utterance ("The Herald", "Diana" and "Bitten"), most of the songs were written by Roger Wootton and arranged by Glenn Goring. The group disbanded after this album, but they reunited with new members for their second album, which was to be their swansong, To Keep from Crying, in 1974.
In 2005, a complete box set was released which featured both studio albums, their only single, "Diana", and a previously unreleased track called "All the Colours of Darkness". The liner notes feature an exclusive interview with some members of the band. They reformed for the Mellotronen Festival in Sweden in March 2008. According to their website, they have reformed and are working on new material.
On 21 March 2009 the Equinox Festival announced that Comus will perform for the first time in the UK in 37 years, during its three day festival in June.
Wootton also appears on some recordings by Slapp Happy.
Their first album, First Utterance, appeared in 1971. The music is largely acoustic art rock that blends elements of Eastern percussion, early folk and animal-like vocals. The music evokes many feelings, but the most dominant are fear, confusion, despair, with occasional passages of tranquil beauty such as can be found in "The Herald". The lyrics are dramatic, involving violence, murder, and mental disorder. Apart from three tracks on First Utterance ("The Herald", "Diana" and "Bitten"), most of the songs were written by Roger Wootton and arranged by Glenn Goring. The group disbanded after this album, but they reunited with new members for their second album, which was to be their swansong, To Keep from Crying, in 1974.
In 2005, a complete box set was released which featured both studio albums, their only single, "Diana", and a previously unreleased track called "All the Colours of Darkness". The liner notes feature an exclusive interview with some members of the band. They reformed for the Mellotronen Festival in Sweden in March 2008. According to their website, they have reformed and are working on new material.
On 21 March 2009 the Equinox Festival announced that Comus will perform for the first time in the UK in 37 years, during its three day festival in June.
Wootton also appears on some recordings by Slapp Happy.
