History
The Story, 2007
English psychedelic duo Martin and Tom Welham began writing and recording together as The Story in 2002 in Somerset, England. The melody-rich songs ranges from psychedelic progressive pop/rock to stream-of-consciousness folk.
Martin was part of the 1960's/70s psych-folk trio Forest who released two albums on the Havest Records label Forest (1969) and Full Circle (1970).
The Story's first release was a 2004 vinyl split album, The Dawn is Crowned, with Californian band Whysp on Good Village Records, for which five esoteric acoustic tracks were recorded.
In 2005 first full-length album Tale Spin was released on Sunbeam Records. This psychedelic folk-pop album featured acoustic guitars, keyboards and light percussion combined with plentiful harmony vocals.
Follow-up album Arcane Rising was released in 2007 and was a stream of consciousness improvised song-cycle was all-acoustic and the guitar backings were augmented by flutes, melody harp, harmonica and hand percussion. Lyrically, the album celebrates life and nature through the changing seasons whilst contemplating humankind's ecological and spiritual footprint.
2011 saw psych-pop album Joy Ride on Memory Lane released on Rainbow Quartz Records. Touches of electric guitar lend the album a heavier, fuller sound than earlier albums.
For the next few years The Welham's played out as folk band The TimeLarks alongside Cherry Prado, releasing two albums Wheel of Stone and Grain of Light in 2016. These stripped back progressive folk tales featured all three members on lead vocals with interweaving stringed instruments providing the backdrop.
In 2018 The Story returned to release new album The Dawn is Crowned with Opium Tears, which combined the first ever digital release of their five tracks from the 2004 vinyl split release, with a curious set of five progressive psych songs.
Martin was part of the 1960's/70s psych-folk trio Forest who released two albums on the Havest Records label Forest (1969) and Full Circle (1970).
The Story's first release was a 2004 vinyl split album, The Dawn is Crowned, with Californian band Whysp on Good Village Records, for which five esoteric acoustic tracks were recorded.
In 2005 first full-length album Tale Spin was released on Sunbeam Records. This psychedelic folk-pop album featured acoustic guitars, keyboards and light percussion combined with plentiful harmony vocals.
Follow-up album Arcane Rising was released in 2007 and was a stream of consciousness improvised song-cycle was all-acoustic and the guitar backings were augmented by flutes, melody harp, harmonica and hand percussion. Lyrically, the album celebrates life and nature through the changing seasons whilst contemplating humankind's ecological and spiritual footprint.
2011 saw psych-pop album Joy Ride on Memory Lane released on Rainbow Quartz Records. Touches of electric guitar lend the album a heavier, fuller sound than earlier albums.
For the next few years The Welham's played out as folk band The TimeLarks alongside Cherry Prado, releasing two albums Wheel of Stone and Grain of Light in 2016. These stripped back progressive folk tales featured all three members on lead vocals with interweaving stringed instruments providing the backdrop.
In 2018 The Story returned to release new album The Dawn is Crowned with Opium Tears, which combined the first ever digital release of their five tracks from the 2004 vinyl split release, with a curious set of five progressive psych songs.