TalkAwhile - The Folk Corporation Forum

He prowled onto the stage. A diminutive but muscular troubadour dressed in black jeans, white t-shirt and a smart, black tuxedo with satin piping. The gold hoops in his ear-lobes, his tanned face, and his Gary Rhodes hair-cut, made him look part Matador and part Marine.

The audience was a bit different to the ones that I am used to. They were attentive and studious, with some taking notes, and one making charcoal drawings of Le Simpson. They were guitar buffs and aficionados of the Tradition. At half-time they discussed tunings and stuff like that. This old duffer was out of his depth.
  Of course, your correspondent made a complete exhibition of himself. The first piece was a delightful instrumental and at the conclusion I began to show my appreciation in the customary manner. How was I to know that Simpson was merely tuning up?  :-[

Can anyone make a guitar speak in the way that Martin Simpson does? His playing is, quite simply, astonishing and breath-taking. It is rich, bluesy, heart-rending and heart-quickening. But the distinctive thing about Simpson is that he possesses a voice to match his guitar. It’s a voice that does more than justice to the traditional songs and the compositions of people like Tawney, Thompson, and Dylan. His self-penned songs, too, bore the same hallmarks of quality and timelessness.

We had two sets. The first was given over to tales of Crime and Punishment and Migration/movement. Tales of piracy, highwaymen, acts of violence, voyages, executions, separation from lovers and birth-places, bent coppers, murder, robbery and such stories as would make you hang on every word. The second set was devoted to Love, in all it’s varieties, and all it’s attendant joys, miseries, disappointments and longings. The encore saw Mr. Simpson seated with a banjo on his knee, playing the mesmerising ‘House Carpenter.’

The people who had sat quietly throughout the recital suddenly went bonkers. A roaring trade was done at the CD stall and they snaffled the Simpson posters from the walls and carried them off as mementos. If he comes within 100 miles of the Greater Manchester conurbation, I will make it my business to see him again. And again. And again.  He could be addictive.

Sir Robert Peel
Roving Reporter

Very good review, M'Lud.

He was on top form in Vancouver last August and was most affable after the gig, signing CDs, chatting with the guitar moonies etc.  His version of Dylan's "Masters of war" was superb that night, as were the trad arr. English things.

Excellent review from our roving reporter.

Saw Martin Simpson in Southport last year and was mightily impressed. All I wanted after that was to be able to play as well as he tuned up  ;)

MikeC

I've had this picture on my various walls over the years. I took it in Band On The Wall in Manchester as a student. I think it is Martin Simpson. (It could be Martin Carthy though. I'm not sure  :-[ )

Anyway, he's a fine guitarist whatever.

Cheers

Nick

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Missed seeing him at the West End Centre  a couple of weeks ago, got home from work totally knackerd and had tooth ache. 

Saw him there a few years ago though!

More fool me - he was playing here on thursday - and guess who missed him!!!!??? :'( >:(

Nicks photo looks like martin simpson to me.esp as hes playing a resonator and i dont remember martin carthy playing one

I'd agree - Martin Simpson often plays a resonator - but Mr Carthy (in my knowledge) only plays his Martin or a Fylde (and a  telecaster with Steeleye many eons ago).  So it must be M Simpson.

Has anyone got the Ramble to Cashel compiliation - he's pretty damn good on that.

He also pitched up in support of the BBC4 sessions recording featuring in Dick Gaughan's band last night.....more in another thread later on that....but it'll be worth watching when it airs sometime in June! ;D

Martin Simpson : Barrow in Furness, Forum 28

Martin battled against poor support acts and poor sound, generally poor venue, and was absolutely astounding, also made me want to go home and smash my guitar. Archie Fisher on two weeks before, fantastic, Dick Gaughan on next week marvelous, and Spiers and Boden two weeks after that, does Barrow really deserve this, I think not.

Brendan

Well, guess who missed Martin Simpson with June Tabor tonight...I've really got to stop making a habit of this, next time there's an opportunity, I'm there  >:(