String Driven Thing

String Driven Thing
Origin	Scotland
Genres	Folk rock, progressive folk
Years active	1967–1975 1991 2001–present
Labels	Concord Records Charisma Records ozit morpheus Records Backshop Records
Website	www.stringdriventhing.co.uk
Members	Pauline Adams Graham Smith Robin Adams Andy Allan Dick Drake
Past members	Chris Adams John Mannion Colin Wilson Billy Fairley Bill Hatje Colin Fairley Kim Beacon Andy Roberts James Exel George Tucker John Bradley Bob Cairns

String Driven Thing are a folk rock band from Scotland, originally formed in the 1960s and led by husband and wife Chris Adams and Pauline Adams. The band also featured the electric violin of Graham Smith.

String Driven Thing formed in Glasgow in 1967 as a three part harmony folk band with the Adamses and guitarist John Mannion. After paying their dues on the Scottish folk circuit they put out an eponymous album on the independent Concord label (copies of which are collectable and difficult to find) although a long way from their later Charisma label output. The group moved to London in 1972 and Chris Adams began to steer the band towards the electric folk-rock genre where his song writing abilities, which often feature hard-bitten and bitter observations capturing the harsher side of life, would be seen to better effect. By 1972 he had recruited classically trained violinist Graham Smith and guitarist Colin Wilson on bass, but soon afterwards Mannion left, citing musical differences.

Adams then secured a deal with Tony Stratton-Smith's Charisma label and another eponymous album came out, produced by Shel Talmy at London's IBC Studios, with the songs "Circus", "Jack Diamond" and "Easy To Be Free" among the standout tracks. With Smith's high octane violin and Pauline Adams' distinctive lispy vocals, the band toured the UK and Europe with Charisma stablemates Lindisfarne and Genesis. This exposure raised their profile and led to TV appearances and an American tour. A second album, The Machine That Cried, was recorded in February 1973 at IBC, but now with the addition of a drummer, Billy "The Kid" Fairley. This was a much bleaker and rockier offering and though reviews were mixed at the time, it is now regarded as a forgotten classic. Standout tracks include "Heartfeeder", "The Machine That Cried" and "Sold Down The River". The song "Night Club", which opened Side Two, was inspired by the cover of their first Charisma album, designed by Hipgnosis, famous for their work with Pink Floyd. Recorded while Chris Adams was suffering health problems, including a collapsed lung and depression, the album is on the whole a very dark affair. Despite its cult status, it did not sell well at the time.

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