5000 Spirits Screen Print- Be Glad for the Song has No Ending

5000 Spirits or the Layers of the Onion

Limited-edition screen prints

It is an iconic album cover that is perfectly suited to the delights to be found inside. The Fool were probably best-known for their involvement with the Beatles including the mural of the Apple boutique in Baker Street. However, the cover of the Incredible String Band's 5000 Spirits was also one of their works.

St Paul's Gallery in Birmingham has created a 195-only limited-edition screen prints of the cover signed by Mike, Robin and Simon of The Fool. These can be purchased on-line from the gallery's Web site. beGlad readers can obtain £50 discount by entering the code ISBFAN in the Get Discount box on the order form.

Order here

Symon of St Paul's Gallery tells how the prints came about:

"It was a chance meeting with the original artist Simon Posthuma in Amsterdam, the founder of the 60’s design company, The Fool. After discussions which primarily focused on the production of a fine art print of The Move’s album Move, the subject changed to other covers Simon had created. The Incredible String Band’s 5000 Spirits Or Layers Of The Onion being one of them.Again discussions ensued and the print eventually came in to being as a mixture of Giclee and screen printing processes.

At this point Simon flew from Holland to St Pauls Gallery in Birmingham UK where he signed the edition. Robin Williamson was then contacted and having viewed the finished article, he was happy to sign the edition too. This took place at one of Robin’s famous story telling events at a gathering in Birmingham. Finally, Mike Heron also saw the prints at a music festival he was playing at in Moseley, Birmingham and he too was delighted to be involved in the edition and duely signed away."