Editing Donovan (section)

==== Open Road band ====
Donovan said he wanted to record with someone else, and he and Most did not work together again until ''[[Cosmic Wheels]]'' (1973). After the rift, Donovan spent two months writing and recording the album ''[[Open Road (Donovan album)|Open Road]]'' as a member of the rock trio [[Open Road (band)|Open Road]]. Stripping the sound of Most's heavy studio productions down to stuff that could be played by a live band, Donovan dubbed the sound "[[Celtic Rock]]". The album peaked at No. 16 in the U.S., the third-highest of any of his full-length releases to date, but as his concert appearances became less frequent and new artists and styles of popular music began to emerge, his commercial success began to decline. Donovan said:

{{blockquote|I was exhausted and looking for roots and new directions. I checked into Morgan Studios in London and stayed a long while creating Open Road and the ''HMS Donovan'' sessions. Downstairs was McCartney, doing his solo album. I had left Mickie after great years together. The new decade dawned and I had accomplished everything any young singer-songwriter could achieve. What else was there to do but to experiment beyond the fame and into the new life, regardless of the result?<ref name="Lorne Murdoch 2005"/>}}

Donovan's plan for ''Open Road'' was to tour the world for a year, beginning with a boat voyage around the [[Aegean Sea]], documented in the 1970 film ''[[There is an Ocean]]''. This was partially on the advice from his management to go into [[tax exile]], during which he was not to set foot in the UK until April 1971, but after touring to France, Italy, Russia and Japan, he cut the tour short:

{{blockquote|I travelled to Japan and was set to stay out of the UK for a year and earn the largest fees yet for a solo performer, and all tax-free. At the time the UK tax for us was 98%. During that Japanese tour I had a gentle breakdown, which made me decide to break the tax exile. Millions were at stake. My father, my agent, they pleaded for me not to step onto the [[BOAC]] jet bound for London. I did and went back to my little cottage in the woods. Two days later a young woman came seeking a cottage to rent. It was Linda.<ref name="Lorne Murdoch 2005"/>}}

The band would continue without Donovan, adding new members, touring and releasing the album ''Windy Daze'' in 1971 before disbanding in 1972.<ref name="BIIR, 1971">{{cite news|title=The Post-Donovan High|agency=Beat Instrumental & International Recording|date=1971}}</ref><ref name=Dazenotes>{{cite AV media |people= |date=2021 |title=Windy Daze |type=CD Liner |publisher=Cherry Red Records Ltd.}}</ref>