Mick Softley -

Mick Softley (Sept. 26, 1939 — Sept. 1, 2017) was an English folk guitarist–singer who first appeared with the 1965 Columbia album Songs for Swingin’ Survivors. He reemerged as a CBS singer–songwriter with the 1970–72 albums Sunrise, Street Singer, and Any Mother Doesn’t Grumble. On self-press Doll Records, he made the 1976–78 albums Capitol and Mensa.

Background

He was born Michael Softley on September 26, 1939, in South Woodford to an Irish mother and English father. He grew up in Essex near Epping Forest, where he took up trombone and practiced trad jazz. As a teenager, he got into blues via Big Bill Broonzy and started singing. He bought his first guitar in a mail-order catalog and taught himself to play with a book tutorial.

In 1959, Softley embarked on a motorbike trek around Europe, where he busked for a time in Paris with fellow up-and-comers Clive Palmer and Wizz Jones. Upon his return to England, he started a folk club at The Spinning Wheel in Hemel Hempstead. After one year in business, police shut it down due to safety concerns over its layout (one small basement room with a single, narrow exit).

Some time later, he got a residency at The Cock, a St Albans beatnik haunt attended by numerous folkies, including Donovan, who Softley tutored on guitar. When Donovan got signed, he told record company execs about Softley.

Softly issued his debut single, the original “I’m So Confused” (b/w “She’s My Girl”), in 1965 on Andrew Loog Oldham’s Immediate Records. It was produced by Donovan manager Peter Eden, who wrote the b-side.

Songs for Swingin’ Survivors

Mick Softley released his debut album, Songs for Swingin’ Survivors, in 1965 on Columbia (EMI).

The album presents Softley’s topical and observational songwriting in a stripped acoustic folk setting rooted in the solo voice-and-guitar tradition. Recorded in mono with no additional instrumentation, the record aligns stylistically with early British interpretations of the emerging U.S. singer/songwriter idiom.

Though often aligned with Donovan due to shared themes and overlapping material, Softley’s work here adopts a starker, more subdued tone. The set includes both original material and three covers: “Strange Fruit” (popularized by Billie Holiday), “The Bells of Rhymney” (set to music by Pete Seeger from an Idris Davies poem), and Woody Guthrie’s “Plains of the Buffalo.”

A1. “After the Third World Is Over (Or How I Learnt to Live Without Myself)” (1:49)
A2. “The Bells of Rhymney” (3:59)
A3. “Strange Fruit” (3:47)
A4. “Blues for Cupid Green” (1:48)
A5. “All I Want Is a Chance” (2:28)
A6. “The War Drags On” (3:52)

B1. “Keep Movin’ On” (2:39)
B2. “Jeannie” (3:47)
B3. “What Makes the Wind to Blow” (1:43)
B4. “I’ve Gotta Deal You Can’t Turn Down” (2:15)
B5. “West Country Girl” (2:40)
B6. “Plains of the Buffalo” (3:46)

Softley recorded the album in London under the co-production of Peter Eden and Geoff Stephens, who also worked with Donovan during his early sessions. Columbia issued the album in mono only. Despite its pioneering role in the UK singer/songwriter movement, the album was not promoted with singles at the time of release and remained obscure for decades.

Songs for Swingin’ Survivors saw no immediate follow-up as Softley resigned himself to the folk circuit. On December 2, 1966, CBS released his only standalone single, co-credited to The Summer Suns: “Am I the Red One” backed with “That’s Not My Kind of Love.” This marked his final release of the decade.

Sunrise

Mick Softley released his second album, Sunrise, in November 1970 on CBS.

The album marked Softley’s return after a five-year absence from longform releases, expanding his sound from solo acoustic folk into a wider singer/songwriter format that incorporated electric instrumentation, light jazz touches, and flourishes of Indian classical influence.

Guitarist Jerry Donahue appears on multiple tracks alongside fellow Fotheringay bandmates: bassist Pat Donaldson and drummer Gerry Conway. Keyboardist Tony Cox handles piano and arrangements, with contributions from saxophonist–flutist Lyn Dobson and tabla player Ned Balen. Guest musicians include guitarist Barry Clarke, synthesist Mike Vickers, and backup vocalists Lesley Duncan, Sue Wheatman, and Sunny Wheatman.

A1. “Can You Hear Me Now” (2:46)
A2. “Waterfall” (2:09)
A3. “Eagle” (4:25)
A4. “Julie Argoyne” (2:30)
A5. “Caravan” (3:03)
A6. “If You’re Not Part of the Solution, You Must Be Part of the Problem” (2:50)
A7. “Ship” (6:07)

B1. “You Go Your Way, I’ll Go Mine” (3:56)
B2. “Birdie Birdie” (4:05)
B3. “Time Machine” (4:57)
B4. “On the Road Again” (1:43)
B5. “Love Colours” (8:23)

Sessions took place at Sound Techniques in London with engineer Vic Gamm and assistant engineers Jerry Boys, Roger Mayer, and Tod Lloyd. Producer Tony Cox also arranged and played piano on select tracks. Island Records handled Softley’s direction under executive producer credit, and Quality Stationery Ltd. printed the sleeve. Campbell McCallum photographed the front and inner right panels of the gatefold sleeve, with Picturepoint credited for the back cover.

CBS issued “Can You Hear Me Now” backed with “Time Machine” as a single on August 7, 1970 (CBS S 5130). Sunrise gained collector value in later decades due to its scarce original pressing and involvement of musicians associated with the British folk–rock underground.

Street Singer

Mick Softley released his third album, Street Singer, in 1971 on CBS.

The album broadened Softley’s approach to songwriting and arrangement, building on the fuller production style introduced on Sunrise. It spans electric folk-rock, acoustic balladry, and rhythm-driven numbers with extended instrumentation and layered vocals.

Guitarist Jerry Donahue contributes again alongside Fairport Convention’s Richard Thompson. Bassist Pat Donaldson and drummer Gerry Conway reprise their roles, joined by keyboardist Tony Cox, who also served as producer, arranger, and conductor. David Horowitz adds additional piano and harmonium parts, while Steve Hayton plays harmonica and acoustic guitar. Frank Ricotti and Tony Carr handle percussion and marimba. Saxophonist Lyn Dobson contributes soprano and tenor saxophone, with Dudu Pukwana on alto and Karl Jenkins on baritone. Vocal backing comes from Doris Troy, Jimmy Thomas, Liza Strike, and the Smiley Brothers.

A1. “Goin’ Down the Road” (4:25)
A2. “Ragtime Mama” (4:11)
A3. “Water Sister, Water Brother” (3:46)
A4. “Just Flew in on a Jet Plane” (2:36)
A5. “Shucks Blues” (2:01)
A6. “I Seen Good Times, I Seen Bad” (4:15)
A7. “Peoples Talkin’ About Hard Times” (2:56)

B1. “Hope” (2:28)
B2. “Hey Mama” (2:03)
B3. “Gypsy” (3:17)
B4. “Goldwatch Blues” (2:54)
B5. “Went Down to the Sea” (2:28)
B6. “New Day, New Way” (6:56)

Recording took place at Sound Techniques, London, engineered by staff credited as “The Gnome.” CBS handled international release and publishing through April Music Ltd. and Meteor Music. Pete Frame provided sleeve notes, and Island Records facilitated Richard Thompson’s guest appearance under courtesy credit.

CBS issued “Goin’ Down the Road” backed with “Gypsy” as a UK single on July 23, 1971 (CBS S 7377). Street Singer has since gained notice for its personnel roster and broader stylistic reach within Softley’s discography.

Any Mother Doesn’t Grumble

Mick Softley released his fourth album, Any Mother Doesn’t Grumble, in 1972 on CBS.

The album deepened Softley’s exploration of arranged folk with light electric backing and multi-instrumental color. Retaining his core collaborators from earlier CBS sessions, he worked again with guitarist Jerry Donahue, bassist Pat Donaldson, and drummer Gerry Conway. Keyboardist Tony Cox returned as producer and arranger, also contributing piano and other keyboard textures. Lyn Dobson augmented the arrangements with flute, soprano and tenor saxophone, and harmonica, while Barry De Souza provided additional percussion. Softley sang and played acoustic guitar across all tracks.

A1. “The Song That I Sing” (4:49)
A2. “Hello Little Flower” (2:04)
A3. “Sing While You Can” (3:17)
A4. “The Minstrel Song” (2:31)
A5. “Magdalene’s Song” (1:40)
A6. “Traveller’s Song” (2:32)
A7. “From the Land of the Crab” (3:14)

B1. “Lady Willow” (3:22)
B2. “Great Wall of Cathay” (2:59)
B3. “If Wishes Were Horses” (4:21)
B4. “Have You Ever Really Seen the Stars” (7:17)
B5. “I’m So Confused” (3:06)

Recording took place between Sound Techniques in London and The Manor Studio in Oxfordshire, engineered by Vic Gamm. CBS pressed the LP at Aston Clinton and issued it in a laminated gatefold designed by Ian Beck. Shorewood Packaging manufactured the sleeve. Softley’s compositions were published through April Music Ltd., with Southern Music handling the publishing rights for the closing track.

CBS issued “Lady Willow” backed with “From the Land of the Crab” as a UK single on July 28, 1972 (CBS S 8269). Any Mother Doesn’t Grumble marked the final album in Softley’s 1970s CBS run.

Capital

Mick Softley released his fifth album, Capital, in August 1976 on Doll.

The album marked a shift in setting and tone, recorded outside the UK and issued by a Swiss independent label. Softley retained full authorship of the material and performed in a stripped-down arrangement, emphasizing acoustic textures and introspective pacing across a sequence of meditative folk songs. Guitar formed the foundation of the album, with voice and minimal instrumental layering shaping its overall atmosphere.

A1. “Ode to the Air” (3:16)
A2. “Les Eaux de Finance” (2:59)
A3. “El Señor” (2:50)
A4. “The Anti Gravity Device” (5:11)
A5. “Silence” (2:59)
A6. “Transylvanian Highway” (8:27)

B1. “Lady May” (3:11)
B2. “Knighthood” (4:48)
B3. “The Fair Rose” (2:58)
B4. “Le Monde des Amants” (2:41)
B5. “Sand” (6:17)
B6. “Star Drive” (3:39)

Softley recorded Capital on May 4–6, 1976, at a session held in Wedesbüttel, West Germany. Mastering took place on May 19, 1976, in Heemstede, Holland. Doll Records produced and released the album on August 1, 1976, in Zürich. Publishing was handled by Space Techniques. The album appeared without a lead single and did not receive promotion in major markets. Capital remained unavailable outside of its limited Continental European pressing.

Mensa

Mick Softley released his sixth album, Mensa, in 1978 on Doll.

The album continued Softley’s association with the Swiss-based label and reflected his late-decade move toward a softer, introspective folk-rock blend with stripped arrangements and solo-centered performances. The stylistic presentation aligned with his prior album Capital, favoring a minimalist production framework that placed emphasis on lyrical delivery and personal mood.

A1. “Flower of Orange”
A2. “Dragon in the Sky”
A3. “Pride of Pearl”
A4. “She Says”
A5. “Lady’s Looking Good Today”
A6. “Telephone Call”

B1. “Supernatural Woman”
B2. “How I Wish I Were”
B3. “The Power House”
B4. “Introducing My Lady”
B5. “People”
B6. “That’s All”

Doll Records released Mensa on December 26, 1978, in the Netherlands under catalog number RCS 419. Track durations were not printed on the sleeve or label. The album appeared in a small regional pressing and was not promoted with a lead single. Mensa circulated primarily through private collectors and secondary markets.

Discography: