TalkAwhile - The Folk Corporation Forum

There wasn't a dry eye in Peel Towers during Fairport's performance of Matty Groves and Meet on the Ledge, at the Radio 2 Folk Awards.

I feel short-changed, though, about the decision NOT to televise this important milestone in the long history of Folk-Rock's supremos.

It was fitting that the award should be presented by Stuart Maconie -'the best thing to come out of Wigan since the A58 to Bolton' according to Peter Kay.  I've just finished reading Maconie's auto-biography 'Cider with Roadies' and it was a page-turner of immense insight, humour and downright good sense.  I thought he did a good job of explaining the reasons why Fairport touched us and still endure in our affections. 

My lower lip started to wobble, though, when Georgia Lucas received the Award.  Breathless and emotional, she had just a few minutes to express her gratitude to the ordinary members of the public who keep her parent's memory alive. It was very affecting and apt. It followed, seamlessly, from an acceptance speech of Ashley Hutchings - a reflective, wise and poignant observation on the vagaries of fame, celebrity and popular music taste.

A lump appeared in my throat when the line-up was announced.  I imagined that my dear Talkawhile friend, Carey Hancock, would be whooping it up in Another Place as the names were announced - Nicol, Swarbrick, Mattacks, Thompson and Hutchings.  He'd have thought it a master-stroke of genuius that Sandy's baton would be passed to the wonderful Chris While. The rendition of 'Matty Groves' was head-and-shoulders above anything that had gone before on the Show and yet, it was totally different to the version on Liege and Lief.  That's what you get with Fairport old and new - they never stand still and they constantly reinvent the songs and improve them.

I'll admit that the tears welled as the grand finale was prefaced by young Simon and when the cast of dozens was introduced by Mike Harding.  My life flashed before me.  My adolescence, my adult-hood, my working life, my family, the tragedies, the joys and the connections with other Fairport fans.  There were gigs in London, gigs in Burnley, gigs in Manchester and Banbury and there was Cropredy.

And there would be many more. 

I switched off the radio and felt uplifted.  The story goes on.  We go on.  There's plenty more where that came from and even more to discover.  I raise a glass of sherry to you all.

Sir Robert Peel

 

According to Chris While there was a Newsnight team present and there is likely to be an item on tonight's (Thurs.) programme. Any confirmations?

I'll second that Sir Bob... congratulations to all the Fairports (and the others winners ans nominees)

It was a crime though that it wasn't televised... :o

Great post.  I was chatting to Simon on Tuesday evening and he also mentioned that there should be a snippet of the awards on Newsnight.

You can "Listen Again" to the Mike Harding show special edition on the Radio 2 Website. The "L&L" lineup play Matty Groves and L&L style and then all join in for MOTL.

Matty starts about 1 hour 40 mins into the recording.

Great to hear Swarb playing again.

SteveK

I was alone.  The house was still.  Having just received a crash course in how to carry out the proposed recording of the show, I settled down to review my instructions.

I felt quite matter-of-fact about the whole affair.  After all, I am a relative latecomer to Fairport Convention - late 1990s.  This Liege and Lief thing was beyond my direct experience, except in terms of the back catalogue.  I have no memories of the early Fairport.  Why should I?  I was just a child at the time.

And then it happened.  Just as Simon's voice faultered, ever so slightly (or so it seemed to me) as he sang, "And now I see ..."  I couldn't stop myself.  The emotion welled up inside and the tears began to flow.

In a few short years, this band has become immensely important to me.  Their music has rejoiced with me when I was happy, comforted me when I was sad and in a strange way helped me to come to a better understanding of who I am and the world in which we live.

I suppose what I am trying to say is that Fairport Convention has huge significance not only for the people who were there at the beginning but also for those of us who have joined along the way.  Bringing the current band on stage to perform Meet On The Ledge reinforced perfectly the link between the old and the new.  There is a continuity about this remarkable family and a sense of belonging for all of us who come into contact with it - again highlighted by the throng who supported the singing of that final song.

In the words of Sir Bob, who wrote so eloquently in a previous post, and who has been much missed during the last couple of months, by me at least ...

Sir Robert, Katy's Mum et al: Your words say much, what inspired you to write them says more. Thank you, on behalf of us all. I am moved....

Just "listened again " for the second time  - the whole show was excellent  ....... but FC Matty and MOTL were absolutely brilliant. And what a line up of Folk legends joined FC on stage for MOTL.

yours, in Fairportness,

Paul

I thought I had a halcyon view of Fairport, but after listening to the recording and admittedly enjoying the thrill of the "reformation" (Swarb exceeded my expectations) I did feel as though time had moved on but the Fairport spirit had moved on too. This is a good thing.

Perhaps the youngsters ( :D ) could adapt a few more traditional songs, but they are Fairport now, albeit part of a lovely extended family.

Hi All,
I was there....and it was indeed something that i wouldn't have missed for the world.
As i said in another thread.....not only was Georgia there, but also Joe Boyd was stood side stage.

I chatted to Jon Boden, of Spires and Boden fame, and he also thought it was fab.

I was also very chuffed for Ashley to recieve The Good Tradition Award.

Nice one chaps

Simon Care (see you all at Cropredy)

You people say it all so eloquently - nothing I can add, except it was all very moving. Fairports have been part of my life since 1968, its been a wonderful journey and long may they continue. Now you may understand partly why I was so determined to create my book, to share my experience in a way that so many others would recognise and be able to join in with and enjoy.

Must go & play the tape again!!
cheers
Joss

I reckon there is a good chance there will be a report tonight.
There was nothing on weds. programme. and as I mentioned on pauled's thread I was luck enough to be there on Monday.Next morning the BBC2 Newsnight report was being scheduled for Thursday at 10.30 pm.
Hope this is right, but it is a shame that the whole event wasn't shown.
It would have dove-tailed perfectly in the current BBC4 series of programmes.

No report on Thursday...apologies!
As mentioned in another thread it may be tonight on Newsnight Review.
(a clash with  BBC4 ?)

I listened to the first part of the show on my way to see the chaps at Milton Keynes on Wednesday and the rest last night. When I heard Fairport's songs I sat there with a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes

Katy's mum,  I'm with you - although they were the first band I ever saw live.............

............ this band has become immensely important to me.  Their music has rejoiced with me when I was happy, comforted me when I was sad and in a strange way helped me to come to a better understanding of who I am and the world in which we live.

A colleague's husband said 'They're not a band, they're a community'

That's how it feels to me......thanks chaps.

delfini

Residing in an entirely different continent, I was pleased to be able to listen to the broadcast via the BBC website.  It's true what others have said, that the version of Matty that was played was a) the highlight of the event, b) a faithful but not too strict interpretation of the recording - it existed in its own space too, and c) entirely contemporary sounding still.

What I wonder is - with so many people involved, who gets to keep the actual award??  I know Georgia accepted it which was a nice touch, but does she get to keep it as well, or is there some sort of roster involved?   :)

MH

Which it wsn't. Looks as though that got trashed....

   Obviously, with a mega-star like Leo Sayer on they thought it'd be too much of a good thing!  >:(

  Not that I actually have much against Leo Sayer, mind..........

As another latecomer to appreciating Fairport, I just wanted to add to what Katy's mum wrote above. I was at my desk (supposedly marking exercise books), but in reality listening to the Folk Awards. (Like others, I wish there had been tv coverage; would have loved to see the expressions on peoples' faces).

It was great to hear the different versions of Matty Groves and Meet on the Ledge, especially after hearing them so recently in Basingstoke. It's only a year since I started listening to FC, and I'm completely hooked. As Katy's mum said, there's something for every mood; if I've had a bad day at work, I listen to the title track of "Over the next hill" on the way home.

I can't understand how I managed to avoid this music for so long. I'm 45, and over the years have been to see Leonard Cohen, Dick Gaughan, Martin Carthy and Dave Swarbrick, and possess Richard Thompson albums from the 80's. Somehow there was a big gap in my education - perhaps I was scared off "folk rock" as a teenager by "All around my hat". Punk rock seemed more enticing.

Anyway, I'm making up for it now. Part of me is disappointed to think what I've been missing all these years - but the upside is, I've now got the huge back catalogue to explore. I'm doing it bit by bit, trying not to overdose.

I keep thinking I can't possibly find any more gems, then I do. Last week I bought "Full House" and can't stop playing "Sloth" - just brilliant.

I know it sounds corny, but it really has changed things for me and opened up whole new vistas. I'm loving listening to all the old stuuf, and the current stuff is great too. (What a voice Simon Nicol has - I nearly melted when he sang "Who Knows Where the Time Goes" in Basingstoke). I've even borrowed a guitar from my son's bedroom and started strumming (very badly - not tried for 20 years now!) By the way, is there a FC songbook anywhere out there?

I'm even going to take the music to work with me! Been doing ballads with Year 7 English, Tennyson  and so on. I really think we need to study "Sir Patrick Spens" next...

Very sorry to ramble on a such length (if anyone has got this far), but I'm so pleased to have found this board - I can't inflict the zeal of the converted on the people in my day to day life!

Looking forward immensely to Cropredy,
Anne T

Hallo Anne T and welcome

You've certainly come to the right place to natter about Cropredy and Fairport and Ralph McT and, well, just about any music that can be tenuously connected to anything really........ ;D

Jude

Welcome Anne,


You'll love it  [;-)

Anne.. take a look at http://www.maartinallcock.com/ and go the Shop link and you will find all sorts of Allcock goodies including an FC songbook

Nutts

Just listened to Fairport's performance on the Folk Awards (via Listen Again). Hairs on the back of the neck or what? Please tell me it was filmed, someone.

And what a natural Ms While is at the front of that band. I wouldn't want to give them any ideas, but. . .

Thank you, Nutts. I have had a look, and will be requesting the Fairport songbook for my birthday. (The rest of the family will be requesting earplugs though).

Excellent post! Quite had the strepsils out to deal with aforesaid lump in gullet... The very mention of the words "Mattacks, Hutchings, Swarbrick, Thompson, Nicol" is enough to set me blubbing with barely controlled nostalgia. How great were they at Cropredy 2002? How great were they in 1969? I think I'll head off to the Salle de la Musique and crank up dee volume on Tam Lin... NB Yoiu are so right aout the lack of BBC imagination in not screening this on TV. A seriously missed opportunity, particularly at a time when we have the really very good "Folk Britannica" on TV. Typical Beeb.

Been saving the 'listen again' till I could do it in one- and it was a very enjoyable evening, then... Kerpow!! As others have said already, and better than I can, I was just knocked sideways. Lots of tears, but I've been singing to myself ever since. Coming up 39 years and still the music catches me by surprise and carries me away! Thank you!! August....

There are more photos from the evening here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ledgard/page4/) and on the folllowing two pages.

This appears to be folk photographer Brian Ledgard's photo-blog site - so may well be worth bookmarking....

There's a short article, pictures and brief quotes from RT, Swarb and Simon in the new Word magazine.