Kenneth Stephen Nicol is a British guitar player, vocalist and songwriter. He was a member of The Albion Band for many years and for eight years played in British folk rock band Steeleye Span.
Early years
Nicol was born in 1951 in Preston, Lancashire. He grew up in Deepdale, close to Preston North End's ground, but was educated from the age of eleven at Penwortham Secondary Modern. Nicol didn't like school, experiencing the discipline as brutal. These were the days when teachers inflicted physical punishment. Nicol rebelled against the notion of grown men being able to hit boys across the buttocks with canes and slippers. He didn't flourish academically, in spite of his intelligence, but made good friendships. His musical abilities weren't recognised by the school. He received his first guitar at the age of twelve, but did not start playing seriously until the age of fifteen. He did, however, exchange musical ideas with fellow pupils and friends, though his talent was superior. He got to know Kevin Brown, a Preston guitarist of about the same age, now an established musician. Aged 17, he began performing on the regional folk club circuits, and at the age of twenty moved to London where he lived for nine years.
Breakthrough
Nicol formed the band Nicol & Marsh with his then brother-in-law Peter Marsh in 1974, and it wasn't long before they landed their first major record contract with CBS. Together with Richard James Burgess, the band became Easy Street. They went on to produce a total of four albums on the CBS/Epic and Polydor labels; the last album, titled Nicol and Marsh, being recorded in Los Angeles. Working there prompted Nicol to make his home in the USA, moving there in 1979. He performed as a solo artist, and later as lead singer and co-writer for the band Versailles. Nicol's career floundered during what turned out to be a turbulent and unsettling period in America. As a result of this he decided to return to England in 1988, and went back to work on the club circuit as a solo performer, releasing the albums Tidings, Living in a Spanish Town and 2 Frets from the Blues.
Later years
In the 1990s, Nicol became a member of The Ashley Hutchings Dance Band. He later joined The Albion Band as lead guitarist and singer, writing much of the band's material himself, though also co-writing with Ashley Hutchings. The Albion Band produced four albums during Nicol's time in the band: Happy Accident, Before Us Stands Yesterday, The Christmas Album and Road Movies. In December 2002, Nicol successfully joined forces with the legendary folk-rock band Steeleye Span on their 'UK Reunion Tour'. In 2004, Steeleye Span released two albums: They Called Her Babylon and Winter. This was also the year of Steeleye Span's 35th Anniversary World Tour which took the band to Australia, New Zealand, Denmark, and to theatres and festivals throughout the UK. They released the album Bloody Men in 2006, and in October 2009 the album Cogs, Wheels and Lovers. In June 2010, he announced that he was leaving Steeleye Span. He continues to write, tour and record as a solo artist, releasing the albums Thirteen Reasons in 2005 and Initial Variations in 2008. He also regularly appears in duos with comedian/musician Phil Cool and with Albion Band/Steeleye Span founder Ashley Hutchings. In November and December 2010 he is to perform as "special guest guitarist" with Lancashire folk group The Houghton Weavers. Nicol also co-hosts a folk and roots music podcast called "". In recent years, Nicol has formed a trio with Steeleye Span bass player Rick Kemp and 10cc drummer Paul Burgess.
