The Web were a British
jazz
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...
/
blues
Blues is a music genre and musical form that originated among African Americans in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues has incorporated spiritual (music), spirituals, work songs, field hollers, Ring shout, shouts, cha ...
band, with a style simultaneously related to America's West Coast groove and UK's
proto-prog movement. Hailing from the British psychedelic scene, their style is often described as atmospheric, moody, melancholy, and dark.
They were originally fronted by African-American singer
John L. Watson, with whom they released two studio albums, ''Fully Interlocking'' (1968) and ''Theraposa Blondi'' (1970). The band increasingly delved into a progressive rock sound with which Watson's vocal style was incompatible, so they set Watson up with a solo career and replaced him with keyboardist/vocalist Dave Lawson. Shortening their name to simply Web, the band fully embraced their new jazz-prog sound on their third LP, ''I Spider'' (1970). Following the departure of saxophonist/flautist Tom Harris, the band changed names again, to Samurai.
A final, self-titled album followed in 1971. With the band losing steam due to financial struggles and lack of recognition, Lawson accepted an invitation to join
Greenslade.
Members
*John L. Watson – vocals (1968-70)
*Dave Lawson – vocals/keys (1970-71)
*Tom Harris – woodwind
*John Eaton – guitar
*Tony Edwards – guitar
*Dick Lee-Smtih – bass
*Lennie Wright – drums/percussion
*Kenny Beveridge – drums/percussion
Discography
Singles
* "Hatton Mill Morning" / "Conscience" - Deram DM 201 - 1968
* "Baby Won't You Leave Me Alone" / "Mcvernon Street" - Deram DM 217 - 1968 –
UK #52
* "Monday to Friday" / "Harold Dubbleyew" Deram DM 253 - 1969
Albums
* ''Fully Interlocking'' - Deram SML 1025 - 1968
* ''Theraphosa Blondi'' - Deram SML-R 1058 - 1969
* ''I Spider'' - Polydor 2383 024 - 1970 (as Web)
* ''Samurai'' - Greenwich Grammophone Co. GSLP 1003 - 1971 (as Samurai)
References
External links
The Web Myspace
{{DEFAULTSORT:Web, The
British blues musical groups
British jazz ensembles
Deram Records artists