in Hit Parader December 1968, but also with the MacLeod link being mentioned): In addition to the above article, Donovan also confirmed the genesis of the "Hurdy Gurdy Man" song to Melody Maker in July 1968, during an interview with Tony Wilson. Donovan had written the song before going to India with The Beatles, and handed a demo tape to MacLeod to work from; he had originally wanted the song to be gentle and angelic but what Hurdy Gurdy played was more like heavy metal. It was during this time in India that Donovan taught John Lennon and Paul McCartney the fingerpicking styles he had learned from MacLeod; this resulted in songs like "Julia" and "Blackbird" being recorded for the so-called White Album (The Beatles). Donovan has also stated that George Harrison added an extra verse to the "Hurdy Gurdy Man" song while they were in India. MacLeod encountered problems with work permits for the Danish members of the group during their stay in England, so the other members went back to Denmark, still under the name Hurdy Gurdy, and recorded an album for CBS Records. From Skye to Soft Cloud After the demise of Hurdy Gurdy, MacLeod recorded with the post-The Zombies: Argent whose song "Telescope" was a lost classic until released on MacLeod's Anthology. Macleod also played bass on two other Argent tracks, "To Julia" and "Girl Help Me". At the end of the 1960s MacLeod was reunited with Donovan who whisked him off, with a group of other old friends, to the Isle of Skye. MacLeod was asked to be a sideman once more for Donovan's US tour with Candy Carr, which was to be the prototype 'Open Road' band. After several weeks of rehearsals all was well acoustically, however when the band went electric it did not work out as well as Donovan hoped. Rather than rehearse the new electric approach, Donovan had a change of heart and went to the U.S. alone. MacLeod returned to St Albans and formed Soft Cloud-Loud Earth with Mick Softley, 'Candy' John Carr (who also went to Skye for Donovan's U.S. tour line-up) and Mike Thomson. Due to the erratic behaviour of Softley, Carr and Thomson jumped ship and soon formed Open Road with Donovan, leaving MacLeod to continue with Softley in the duo Soft Cloud. After Soft Cloud had evaporated MacLeod formed a new band, the sitar-drenched Amber with