Netflix has announced an upcoming documentary series chronicling the rise, revolution, and resonance of one of the most enigmatic and influential psychedelic folk groups of the 20th century: The Incredible String Band.
Titled “Painted Light: The Incredible String Band Story,” the series is set to premiere on October 11, taking viewers deep into the mystical and mind-expanding world of the Scottish folk duo that reshaped the boundaries of modern music and culture during the 1960s and early 1970s.
Formed by Robin Williamson and Mike Heron in Edinburgh in 1966, The Incredible String Band (ISB) defied genre, convention, and expectation. Fusing Celtic folk, Eastern instrumentation, whimsical lyricism, and experimental structure, their music became a cornerstone of the British counterculture movement. Albums such as The Hangman’s Beautiful Daughter, Wee Tam and the Big Huge, and The 5000 Spirits or the Layers of the Onion are now considered cult classics.
The Netflix series will trace the band’s origins from smoky Scottish folk clubs to their peak appearances at landmark festivals like Woodstock, where their unconventional style both captivated and confounded audiences. Through rare archival footage, restored live performances, and never-before-seen interviews, Painted Light promises to offer an intimate, unfiltered look at the band’s creative alchemy and the spiritual undercurrents that defined their art.
A key focus of the documentary will be the band’s communal lifestyle, explorations of mysticism and Eastern philosophy, and their creative partnership with then-girlfriends Licorice McKechnie and Rose Simpson, who were also integral parts of the band during its most experimental years.
Executive producer Clare Moore, known for her work on Echoes of the Canyon, called the band’s story “one of the most underappreciated and magical musical odysseys in modern history.”
“People often talk about Dylan, The Beatles, or Pink Floyd when they discuss the evolution of the 1960s sound,” Moore said. “But The Incredible String Band was on a parallel journey—more acoustic, more intimate, more eccentric—and equally transformative.”
The series also explores the band’s later years, internal tensions, and the eventual splintering that came with shifting tastes and changing times. Yet what emerges most vividly is their legacy: an uncompromising artistic vision that helped sow the seeds of the New Age, world music, and progressive folk movements.
Whether you’re a lifelong fan or discovering ISB for the first time, Painted Light will invite you to see the 1960s not just as a moment, but as a state of mind—through the kaleidoscopic lens of one of its most mystical voices.
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