iconoclast
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
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Hello all...like most of us I think, I got hooked on cold cases after running across Cali on the Net (more about her later, perhaps). But this one is my running obsession, and while I've just begun, here is what I have so far...
Where is Licorice?
Her name was Christina, but people called her Licorice. Friends and family members described her as a lovely young woman, with a unique combination of strength and innocence. Her fans say she was a talented singer/songwriter. Others, that she was a wanna-be and a victim of the social change that came after the 60s. And thats all anyone knows for sure.
We also know that shes been missing for nearly 20 years.
Today, only the true aficionado of 1960s popular music remembers the Incredible String Band. But in 1967, they were on the cutting edge of the folk revival then going on in the UK. Led by Robin Williamson and Mike Heron, ISBs folk-rock sound and creative songwriting practically defined the hippie culture, according to Wikipedias entry on the band.
In mid-1967, Williamson invited his then-girlfriend, Christina Licorice McKechnie, to join the band as harpist/keyboardist and singer. Like many musicians of that era, Licorice learned her instruments as she performed and was often inexpert in her playing. Soon, however, her vocals gave the band a new stage presence. When Licorice started writing her own songs, the ISB sound began to gel.
In 1969, ISB was set to take America by storm. Then they played a short set at Woodstock and were so badly received by the rocker audience that their performance was left off the album and out of the documentary film. Also around this time, the key band members were introduced to Scientology® while in New York. Williamson and Heron became devout Scientologists®. There are conflicting stories about whether Licorice also converted, but the consensusand evidence from her later song lyrics and bandmember accountsis that she did. Then, the bands epic double album and elaborate tour, known simply as U, bombed. Tension between the band members increased. The bands song lyrics increasingly revolved around Scientology philosophy and jargon. ISB made several more records, but the writing was on the wall. Following her breakup with Williamson, Licorice left the band in 1972. By 1974, there was no more Incredible String Band.
Everything that is known about Licorice from this point is shrouded in myth. She had a boyfriend named David Zimian and is said to have performed with him for a while in Woody Woodmanseys band U-Boat, though neither Zimian nor Licorice appear on the credits for the bands sole album. A Google search on Zimian turned up only his connection to Licorice, and the fact that in 1976 a David Zimian was ordained as a minister in Scientology. According to the church Web site, Woodmansey also is now a Scientology minister.Licorice moved to Los Angeles within a few years after leaving ISB. The year may have been 1976 or 1977, but this is uncertain. There are anonymous reports that she worked as a waitress and coatroom attendant while occasionally performing in bars. At some point she married Brian Lambert, who played guitar in Robin Williamsons new band. (However, a check of California marriage records revealed nothing). She performed with Lambert on Williamsons solo album in 1977 under the name Likky Lambert.
The 1980s brought profound change to many people, and Licorice was no exception. She and Lambert were divorced around this time. By all available accounts, the divorce was a friendly one. In fact, Licorice and Lambert remained in contact.Then they were not.
The year is not certain. Most Web site accounts say Licorice left Los Angeles in 1987. A few have her living in Arizona two years later, and two in Sacramento after that. One source claims she had a history of depression. In any case, she has not been seen or heard from since the late 1980s.We know that Christina McKechnie was born in Scotland. She pronounces her first name Christ-EYE-nah. She was in her late teens when she joined the band, which would put her birth year around 1950. She also went by the nickname Likky. Other than that, what is remarkable is that so little is known. Her name is often misspelled McKenzie, which further complicates things.
Many people still remember the delicate-looking young woman who sang in ISB. She has a sister who has tried to find her over the years. Many would like to find her, but her trail (if any) has long gone cold. She is said to be on LAPD's Missing Persons list, but this information is not on the LAPD Web site, and detectives are reluctant to speak with civilian amateurs. Former ISB members Williamson and Heron recently re-formed the band for a reunion tour, but neither has heard from Licorice. The closest the band has to an official Web site makes little mention of her. Her royalties remain unclaimed.The 1960s and early 70s were a time of great social change. Many young people took to the road in journeys of self-discovery. Many of them were never heard from again. But most were not musicians with a substantial cult following. Is there a Scientology connection to Licorices disappearance? It is not my intent to allege any wrongdoing by the Church of Scientology®. However, the sheer number of connections means that any inquiry into Licorices disappearance must include an inquiry of the place of Scientology in her life. According to the bands unofficial Web site, Licorice was the first band member to go clear or complete the first level of the Churchs training. She is also said to have been disillusioned with the Churchs teachings early on. Williamson and Heron allegedly left Scientology in the early 80s, but there is conflicting information regarding this. According to Church Web pages, Williamsons wife Bina completed a Scientology rundown in 1990. A check of the Churchs Web site turned up references to Zimian and Woodmansey, but no mention of Licorice under any of her names.
Some examples of the sketchy information available online:
http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=8816
http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/ISB/ Search the group on "Licorice (or Likky) missing"
http://www.angelfire.com/biz3/ISB/likkie.html
Ironically, another Scottish folk singer, [size=-1]Shelagh [/size]McDonald, who vanished in 1973, recently walked into a newspaper office and granted an interview. She had, she said, feared the pressure that goes with fame and just wanted to get away.
Any interest in this case?
Where is Licorice?
Her name was Christina, but people called her Licorice. Friends and family members described her as a lovely young woman, with a unique combination of strength and innocence. Her fans say she was a talented singer/songwriter. Others, that she was a wanna-be and a victim of the social change that came after the 60s. And thats all anyone knows for sure.
We also know that shes been missing for nearly 20 years.
Today, only the true aficionado of 1960s popular music remembers the Incredible String Band. But in 1967, they were on the cutting edge of the folk revival then going on in the UK. Led by Robin Williamson and Mike Heron, ISBs folk-rock sound and creative songwriting practically defined the hippie culture, according to Wikipedias entry on the band.
In mid-1967, Williamson invited his then-girlfriend, Christina Licorice McKechnie, to join the band as harpist/keyboardist and singer. Like many musicians of that era, Licorice learned her instruments as she performed and was often inexpert in her playing. Soon, however, her vocals gave the band a new stage presence. When Licorice started writing her own songs, the ISB sound began to gel.
In 1969, ISB was set to take America by storm. Then they played a short set at Woodstock and were so badly received by the rocker audience that their performance was left off the album and out of the documentary film. Also around this time, the key band members were introduced to Scientology® while in New York. Williamson and Heron became devout Scientologists®. There are conflicting stories about whether Licorice also converted, but the consensusand evidence from her later song lyrics and bandmember accountsis that she did. Then, the bands epic double album and elaborate tour, known simply as U, bombed. Tension between the band members increased. The bands song lyrics increasingly revolved around Scientology philosophy and jargon. ISB made several more records, but the writing was on the wall. Following her breakup with Williamson, Licorice left the band in 1972. By 1974, there was no more Incredible String Band.
Everything that is known about Licorice from this point is shrouded in myth. She had a boyfriend named David Zimian and is said to have performed with him for a while in Woody Woodmanseys band U-Boat, though neither Zimian nor Licorice appear on the credits for the bands sole album. A Google search on Zimian turned up only his connection to Licorice, and the fact that in 1976 a David Zimian was ordained as a minister in Scientology. According to the church Web site, Woodmansey also is now a Scientology minister.Licorice moved to Los Angeles within a few years after leaving ISB. The year may have been 1976 or 1977, but this is uncertain. There are anonymous reports that she worked as a waitress and coatroom attendant while occasionally performing in bars. At some point she married Brian Lambert, who played guitar in Robin Williamsons new band. (However, a check of California marriage records revealed nothing). She performed with Lambert on Williamsons solo album in 1977 under the name Likky Lambert.
The 1980s brought profound change to many people, and Licorice was no exception. She and Lambert were divorced around this time. By all available accounts, the divorce was a friendly one. In fact, Licorice and Lambert remained in contact.Then they were not.
The year is not certain. Most Web site accounts say Licorice left Los Angeles in 1987. A few have her living in Arizona two years later, and two in Sacramento after that. One source claims she had a history of depression. In any case, she has not been seen or heard from since the late 1980s.We know that Christina McKechnie was born in Scotland. She pronounces her first name Christ-EYE-nah. She was in her late teens when she joined the band, which would put her birth year around 1950. She also went by the nickname Likky. Other than that, what is remarkable is that so little is known. Her name is often misspelled McKenzie, which further complicates things.
Many people still remember the delicate-looking young woman who sang in ISB. She has a sister who has tried to find her over the years. Many would like to find her, but her trail (if any) has long gone cold. She is said to be on LAPD's Missing Persons list, but this information is not on the LAPD Web site, and detectives are reluctant to speak with civilian amateurs. Former ISB members Williamson and Heron recently re-formed the band for a reunion tour, but neither has heard from Licorice. The closest the band has to an official Web site makes little mention of her. Her royalties remain unclaimed.The 1960s and early 70s were a time of great social change. Many young people took to the road in journeys of self-discovery. Many of them were never heard from again. But most were not musicians with a substantial cult following. Is there a Scientology connection to Licorices disappearance? It is not my intent to allege any wrongdoing by the Church of Scientology®. However, the sheer number of connections means that any inquiry into Licorices disappearance must include an inquiry of the place of Scientology in her life. According to the bands unofficial Web site, Licorice was the first band member to go clear or complete the first level of the Churchs training. She is also said to have been disillusioned with the Churchs teachings early on. Williamson and Heron allegedly left Scientology in the early 80s, but there is conflicting information regarding this. According to Church Web pages, Williamsons wife Bina completed a Scientology rundown in 1990. A check of the Churchs Web site turned up references to Zimian and Woodmansey, but no mention of Licorice under any of her names.
Some examples of the sketchy information available online:
http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=8816
http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/ISB/ Search the group on "Licorice (or Likky) missing"
http://www.angelfire.com/biz3/ISB/likkie.html
Ironically, another Scottish folk singer, [size=-1]Shelagh [/size]McDonald, who vanished in 1973, recently walked into a newspaper office and granted an interview. She had, she said, feared the pressure that goes with fame and just wanted to get away.
Any interest in this case?
