Martin Welham

Martin Welham

Martin Welham was part of the influential 1960's acid folk trio Forest. In the early 2000s, thirty years after Forest disbanded, he formed Somerset based band The Story with his son Tom and returned to recording music. The duo's sound has echoes of Martin's earlier work with authentic psychedelic songwriting at its core.
Driver Ping G20 The band's first release was a 2004 vinyl split album, The Dawn Is Crowned, with Californian freak folk band Whysp on Good Village Records. The Story's side features five broadly acoustic tracks that blend esoteric, dark imagery with powerful vocal harmonies resulting in an un-attributable psychedelic air.
In 2005 the band released their first full-length album Tale Spin on Sunbeam Records - the first contemporary artists released by the label. This psychedelic folk pop album features acoustic guitars, keyboards and light percussion combined with airy harmony vocals and wistful melodies.
Follow-up album Arcane Rising was released in 2007. Série de fers R11 A stream of consciousness conceptual song cycle, the album is made up of improvised melodies and acoustic guitar backings augmented by flutes, melody harp, harmonica and hand percussion. Lyrically the album celebrates life and nature through the changing seasons whilst questioning religious doctrines and humankind's ecological footprint. Driver Ping K15 Also in 2007, The Story's sinister track "The Wicker Man" featured on the dark folk compilation album John Barleycorn Reborn on Cold Spring Records.
The band's acclaimed third full-length album Joy Ride on Memory Lane was released in 2011 on Rainbow Quartz Records under the band name The Story UK.This confident, hook-laden psych album has a rockier sound than previous releases whilst continuing to incoporate the duo's warm harmonies and highly melodic aesthetic. Cold Spring Records 2011 dark folk compilation album John Barleycorn Reborn: Rebirth included The Story's ritualistic celebration piece "All Hallow's Eve".
Since 2011, Martin and Tom have also performed as part of the folk trio The TimeLarksand appeared at the 2012 International Pop Overthrow festival in Liverpool's Cavern Club.