Vashti Bunyan

"I wanted my songs to be heard-I didn't want to be a little disappearing person! Which is what I became, but it wasn't what I wanted to do"

With her ethereal voice, and gentle, story like lyrics Vashti Bunyan was largely unknown during the 1960s. It has been in more recent years that her music has seen a resurgence in popularity.

Vashti was born in England, 1945. In the early 1960s she briefly studied art at Oxford University, but was expelled for lack of attendance. She was inspired by the music of Bob Dylan and embarked on a music career. She wrote her own songs and was 'discovered' by The Rolling Stone's manager, Andrew Loog Oldham. Her first single, released in 1965, was penned by Jagger and Richards, 'Some Things Just Stick in Your Mind'. Vashti however didn't want to become the next Marianne Faithfull, and was determined to use her own material, rather than have others write it for her. Her next single was her own, the beautiful, 'Train Song' but it failed to make much of an impact. Instead Vashti decided to travel to the Hebridean Islands with her boyfriend, Robert Lewis, in a gypsy caravan. Their idea was to join a music commune being formed by fellow songwriter, Donovan. Though this never materialised they lived in the Hebrides with their two children in a tiny cottage. It was during this journey that Vashti began writing songs for her album, Just Another Diamond Day. Released in 1970, the album told the story of Vashti's journey through Britain, unfortunately however it failed to make an impact, and a discouraged Vashti gave music away in order to raise her children. 
Vashti disappeared from public view, however during this time her album became a cult classic and in the early 2000s was selling for astronomical fees on ebay. Encouraged by this new interest in her work Vashti has since released two new albums, Lookaftering and Heartleap, and a compilation album of her  previously unreleased sixties work. 

Vashti's songs are the hidden gems of 1960s music, they are beautiful and lyrical, she transports her listener to the wilds of Scotland, with her trusty companions, Bess the horse, and her dogs. Vashti has now become known as the godmother of 'Freak Folk' for her more experimental use of voice and instruments. 

As a young woman in the male dominated sixties world of music Vashti knew what she wanted and was determined to have her words at the forefront, she wanted to make her mark on the music industry using her own songwriting talents. She also experienced a different side of 1960s life travelling throughout Britain. She and Robert were often met with suspicion for being travellers, but they also met many kind people, it was a freer way of existence and influenced Vashti profoundly. 

"I came back to London with a certainty that there were momentous changes ahead. Though I could not articulate my thoughts. For myself I had big ideas of recording my own songs, dreams of freedom and fame-and absolutely no money"