Beau

Beau is the recording pseudonym of Christopher John Trengove Midgley, a pivotal figure in the British folk underground of the late 1960s and early 1970s. Signed to John Peel's legendary Dandelion Records, Beau released two seminal albums, Beau (1969) and Creation (1971), which are hallmarks of the 'chamber folk' and 'protest folk' movements.

His sound is defined by a virtuosic use of the 12-string acoustic guitar and a distinctive, steady baritone vocal style that eschews melodic flourish for narrative clarity. Historically, he is noted for the song '1917 Revolution', which achieved unexpected commercial success in Lebanon. His work sits at the intersection of the UK folk revival and the more experimental, stripped-back singer-songwriter movement of the era. Critical consensus views him as a 'songwriter's songwriter', prized for his literate lyrical themes and the stark, intimate quality of his recordings. After a long hiatus, his catalog was rediscovered by psych-folk and 'forgotify' enthusiasts, leading to the release of archival material in the 2010s.