Poppy Fields is being released on November 5th in time for Remembrance Day this year - one hundred years after the guns fell silent at the end of the First World War.
Its lyrics inspired by a love letter from a young war bride which Tim Fisher from Van Rockman’s Honeybus found back in 1969 in an old herdsman’s cottage in the West Midlands.
Back in 1991, The Honeybus toured the UK extensively with Tim Fisher (from Van Rockman) on bass and vocals. As a part of the touring band, they became very close with and played many dates together.
The Honeybus had many hits - and you may remember 'I Can't Let Maggie Go’ which was Top 10 in 1968.
Tim Fisher on how Poppy Fields came about:
"In 1969 I went to give a friend a hand to renovate an old remote herdsman's cottage, near Earlswood in the West Midlands. No one had lived in for over 50 years"
On entering it was like stepping into a time capsule and we stumbled upon a beautiful war time love letter, clearly from a young war bride who was expecting her first child:
"if you could see how the summer rose has bloomed if you could see the golden sun shine kiss the morning dew
I know that some day soon my love that it will all come true and we will walk on through the poppy fields again
no matter what conflict you find yourself in, I hope my letters ease your pain
and when the fighting is done and war is through I am waiting oh so far away with open arms for you
and we will walk on through the poppy fields again - but there will be three of us because I am with child”.
Tim continues: "I like to think that her husband returned home safely from World War One, so...sit back and listen to her words 100 years on.."
More about Van Rockman:
South Birmingham’s Van Rockman released their debut album ‘The Lost Tapes’ last year.
It was an album that took 42 years to come to light after frontman, Tim Fisher found the original demo tape in his mother’s attic whilst helping her to move.
With the discovery of this tape, Tim pulled the original members back together so they could finally record the album. All the tracks on that album were written between 1969 and 1974 and they were spotted at a gig on Curzon Street in Birmingham by EMI Records who took the band’s demo tape that night, with a view to signing them.
The band actually went along to EMI H.Q and were told: "We know who you are but the A&R guys haven't sent the tape...”. These were the days when time, effort and expense meant re-recording the demo was too daunting a task for a fledgling rock band and Van Rockman’s chance was gone.
Back in the day, Van Rockman supported Spencer Davies, The Troggs and had the pleasure of meeting Mick Jagger whilst at Wembley.
Band Members:
Tim Fisher - Lead Vocals + Bass Guitar
John Lowry - Lead Guitar + Backing Vocals
Dave Lynn - Keyboards
Harvey Eggington - Drums and Percussion
Links to Van Rockman
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VanRockman/
Website: http://www.vanrockman.co.uk
Twitter: https://twitter.com/VanRockman