DAVE COUSINS R.I.P.
Strawbs - Selected Discography [1969-2006] (26 x CDs)
Dave Cousins, who passed away on July 13, 2025, at the age of 85, was more than the founding voice of the Strawbs, he was their compass, their poet, and their enduring soul. From the band’s earliest incarnation as the Strawberry Hill Boys in 1964 to their final performance at Cropredy Festival in 2023, Cousins remained the one constant across decades of shifting lineups, genres, and cultural tides.
The Strawbs’ discography is vast, spanning 23 studio albums, 11 live albums, and numerous compilations and box sets. But taken as a whole, it’s not just a catalog, it’s a chronicle of Cousins’ artistic evolution. Early folk-rooted releases like All Our Own Work (recorded with Sandy Denny in 1967) and Dragonfly (1970) showcase his lyrical sensitivity and acoustic storytelling. By Grave New World (1972) and Hero and Heroine (1974), the band had embraced progressive rock, with Cousins’ voice guiding listeners through spiritual introspection and social commentary.
Box sets like A Taste of Strawbs (2006) and Halcyon Days (1997) offer a deeper dive into the band’s rarities, demos, and alternate takes, revealing Cousins not just as a performer, but as a meticulous craftsman. These collections highlight his ability to shape mood and meaning across formats, whether through the haunting “The Hangman and the Papist” or the elegiac “Ringing Down the Years,” his tribute to Sandy Denny.
Cousins’ songwriting was literary, often mystical, and always emotionally resonant. His voice, fragile yet commanding, became the band’s signature, threading through collaborations with Rick Wakeman, John Ford, and Dave Lambert. Even his solo work, like Two Weeks Last Summer (1972), echoes the Strawbs’ thematic depth.
The Strawbs’ albums and box sets now stand as a monument to Cousins’ legacy. They chart not just a band’s journey, but a life devoted to musical exploration, poetic truth, and cultural reflection. His passing marks the end of an era, but the music remains, rich, layered, and timeless.
Raise a glass of “vino collapse,” as he would say, and let the records spin. Dave Cousins may be silent now, but his songs still ring down the years. (B)
Included in this box are the following:
Strawbs - Strawbs - [1969]
Strawbs - Dragonfly - [1970]
Strawbs - Just a Collection of Antiques and Curios - [1970]
Strawbs - From the Witchwood - [1971]
Strawbs - Grave New World - [1972]
Strawbs - Bursting at the Seams - [1973]
Sandy Denny & The Strawbs - All Our Own Work - [1973]
Sandy Denny & The Strawbs - All Our Own Work: The Complete Sessions Remastered - [1973]
Strawbs - Hero and Heroine - [1974]
Strawbs - Ghosts - [1975]
Strawbs - Nomadness - [1975]
Strawbs - Deep Cuts (Remastered & Expanded) - [1976]
Strawbs - Burning For You (Expanded & Remastered) - [1997]
Strawbs - Deadlines - [1978] CD1
Strawbs - Deadlines - [1978] CD2
Strawbs - Heartbreak Hill (1978) - [1995]
Strawbs - Halcyon Days - The A&M Years [1998] CD1
Strawbs - Halcyon Days - The A&M Years [1998] CD2
Strawbs - Strawberry Music Sampler No.1 - (1969) [2001]
Strawbs - The Collection - [2002]
Strawbs Acoustic - Full Bloom - [2005]
Strawbs - A TASTE OF STRAWBS [2006] CD1 Eyes Wide Open
Strawbs - A TASTE OF STRAWBS [2006] CD2 Changing Places
Strawbs - A TASTE OF STRAWBS [2006] CD3 Inside Out
Strawbs - A TASTE OF STRAWBS [2006] CD4 Further Down the Road
Strawbs - A TASTE OF STRAWBS [2006] CD5 Tastebuds
This set was kindly shared with me by K. (Thanks to K)
==========================================================
Pt.1 
Pt.2
OR
Pt.1 Pt.2
===========================================================
===========================================================
Music weaves itself into the fabric of our emotions, dances through the corridors of memory, and whispers to the soul of who we are. Sharing these stories deepens the connection, turning the experience into something timeless and profound.
=============================================================
=============================================================
RIP. I was just listening to his Dave Cousins - Two Weeks Last Summer , so good.
ReplyDeleteHi D.
Delete"Two Weeks Last Summer" really does capture Dave Cousins at his most poetic and introspective. There’s something haunting about listening to it now, knowing he’s gone. His voice carried stories that still linger.
Cheers.
Mammoth collection! Thanks.
ReplyDeleteAn unrelated comment - Have you made a compilation of "Torch Songs?"
Cheers,
Mike M
Hi Mike,
DeleteAppreciate the nudge. It’s been on my radar, and your interest just gave it a well-deserved promotion. I’ve got a few others near the finish line, but once those are wrapped, I’ll be diving into this one. Looking forward to exploring it properly.
Cheers.
I feel were losing genuine artists & they're not being replaced - thanks BB
ReplyDeleteYou're not alone in feeling that Dr Robert.
DeleteAnd it’s a sentiment that resonates deeply, especially in light of recent passings like that of Dave Cousins.
And the loss of voices like Dave Cousins, who poured poetry into the cracks of his records, makes that absence feel heavier.
Cheers.