PRINCIPAL EDWARDS MAGIC THEATRE was an artistic cooperative formed by a group of student musicians and artists at Exeter University in 1968. The group’s original plan to establish a magazine for artistic expression was abandoned in favour of a touring.

While tensions and business difficulties led to the breakup of the group in December 1971, members Root Cartwright and Belinda Bourquin formed a follow-on project known simply as PRINCIPAL EDWARDS. That band would remain active for another three years under management by future POLICE manager Miles Copeland and included future CLIMAX BLUES BAND bassist Richard Jones. PRINCIPAL EDWARDS would release an additional album and record another (‘The Devon Tapes’) which would remain unreleased until rediscovered and targeted for release in November 2007.

The band’s varied acoustic and electric instrumentation, theatrical stage shows, extemporaneous poetry readings and colourful lighting predated the Glam movement and have similarities to such acts as BEGGARS OPERA and even a little bit of THE NICE; and their eclectic and inspired live performances could even be compared to any number of seventies Canterbury acts.