Barnabus - "Beginning to Unwind" 1971

Rock band Barnabus formed in 1970, in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, England when the pop-cover band The Jay Bee Kay Pee's split up. Lead guitarist John Storer and bass guitarist Kieth Hannock, enrolled drummer Tony Cox from the also recently defunct Rocking Chair Blues Band.

Barnabus started out playing covers from such bands as Black Sabbath, Trapese, and Deep Purple to name a few. But before long they progressed to writing their own material with help from a young lyricist/poet called Les Bates. They played all throughout London, and were the support for several bigger bands of the time: Man, Edgar Broughton, Trapese, they even supported Hawkwind at the Coventry Locarno, and in 1971, recorded an album at Monty Bird's studio in Snitterfield in Stratton upon Avon. Barnabus won the Midlands Heat of the Melody Maker Rock and Folk contest where the judges were Ozzy Osbourne and Toni Iommi.

The band eventually split up a year later, but reformed for a few charity gigs in 2009. All members now play in other bands, but Barnabus still occasionally play the odd gig here and there.
You can read an interview and brief history of the band with band member Tony Cox, as well as check out footage from their reunion gig HERE