The Incredible String Band

The Incredible String Band (sometimes abbreviated as ISB) were a Scottish psychedelic folk band formed by Clive Palmer, Robin Williamson, and Mike Heron in Edinburgh in 1966. Following Palmer's early departure, Williamson and Heron continued as a duo and were eventually augmented by other musicians such as Licorice McKechnie, Rose Simpson, and Malcolm Le Maistre. The band split up in 1974. They reformed in 1999 and continued to perform with changing lineups until 2006.

The band built a considerable following in the British 1960s counterculture, notably with their albums The 5000 Spirits or the Layers of the Onion (1967), The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter (1968), and Wee Tam and the Big Huge (1968). They became pioneers in psychedelic folk and, through integrating a wide variety of traditional music forms and instruments, in the development of world music.

Birth and Death Data: Born Founded 1966, Died Ceased 1974

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1971

Roles Represented in DAHR: Musical group

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Decca L 15606 approximately early 1971 Air The Incredible String Band Musical group  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "The Incredible String Band," accessed January 19, 2026, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/346748.

The Incredible String Band. (2026). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved January 19, 2026, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/346748.

"The Incredible String Band." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2026. Web. 19 January 2026.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/346748

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