from http://timdisney.co.uk/music/merlins-wake-1969-72/ (this site no longer exists)

TIM DISNEY

Merlin’s Wake / Badger (1969 – 72)

Harold Burgon: Guitar
Tim Disney: Vocals, Harp
Al Gascoigne: Guitar
Stevie Otter: Drums
Mick Wheat: Bass

Merlin’s Wake

Merlin’s Wake was formed around the summer of 1969 and was the first of many times that Tim would play in a line-up with Al Gascoigne, Stevie Otter and Mick Wheat. Al had been playing with Colin Staples Blues Band, Steve Otter had been in “Life Without Mother”, another progressive blues band and Mick Wheat had been in Woody Kern who recorded for PYE records.

Merlin’s Wake played regularly downstairs at The Milton’s Head in Nottingham, a great music venue at the time, to a very crowded, hot and steamy cellar. Great atmosphere and loud music. In 1972, Merlin’s Wake changed their name to Badger and moved to London. They lived for a while in an old transit van which was parked up in the grounds of the Phillipa Fawcett College student residence on Crown Lane in Streatham Hill. Anna (Rowat) was a student there and did their washing and cooking without complaint!

Thanks to Sophie Straw for these photos. (The original website had “Scraw” but surely that is a mistake and I guess she was Raw Straws brother or wife maybe).