I mentioned elsewhere that I had interviewed Dai Rees guitarist in Sassafras a few years back. As the start of the interview has botanical content I'll print an excerpt here:
StEvil: Is it correct that you?ve played in all line-ups of Sassafras?
Dai: Not quite, for the first 3 months the band was a 3-piece. 99% of its life perhaps.
StEvil: I was wondering about the origin of the name of the band ? Sassafras. I know it?s a North American tree. But is there any truth in the rumour that I?ve just started that the name is taken from Winnie the Pooh. I must explain ? I did an Internet search for the words ?Sassafras? and album title ?Expecting Company? and a quote from Winnie the Pooh came up!
Dai: (Laughs). No, I?m afraid not. Yes, Sassafras is an American tree, the bark of which has a number of medicinal properties. Did you know that the mucilaginous pith from the twigs has been used as a poultice or wash for eye ailments and is also taken internally as a tea for chest, liver and kidney complaints?
StEvil: No, I didn?t. Fascinating. I have a Sassafras tree in my garden???