New Donovan Single, 50th Anniversary Retrospective And 2015 Tour

New 2-CD, 29-track anthology, Retrospective, including brand new recording, ‘One English Summer’, due from Salvo/Union Square on June 8th. World tour and BBC Radio 2 documentary to follow 

Poet, pop star, psychedelic troubadour and Shindig! favourite Donovan celebrates his 50th anniversary as a recording artist this year (his debut, ‘Catch The Wind’, was released in March 1965) with a new anthology spanning the groundbreaking music he made with Mickie Most between ’66 and ’69, selected by Don himself.

Alongside the iconic run of hit singles Don released between ‘Sunshine Superman’ in ’66 and ‘Barabajagal (Love Is Hot)’ three years later, Retrospective adds a satisfying spread of US-only singles and album tracks, including the less routinely-comped likes of ‘Oh Deed I Do’, ‘Writer In The Sun’ and ‘Ballad Of Geraldine’.

Of special interest to Don fans is the inclusion of one brand new recording, ‘One English Summer’, which will be simultaneously released as a single. Shindig! had the pleasure of hearing the new song and is pleased to report that it recalls the bouncy, Caribbean rhythms and quintessentially English lyrics (“crumpet everywhere” / “Jumbo in the air”) that Don dallied with on ’68’s Hurdy Gurdy Man album.

Meanwhile, a world tour kicks off with dates in the UK and Ireland in October, commencing with a show in Don’s home town of Glasgow at The Pavilion Theatre on October 3rd. BBC Radio 2 will join the celebrations with a one-hour special being broadcast at around the same time.

Donovan performing ‘Season Of The Witch’ live on French TV in 1967

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3PRkOZvAa0