TalkAwhile - The Folk Corporation Forum

I was listening to Fairport's Cropredy set on BBC Radio Oxford Listen Again yesterday and was really struck by how well (IMHO, lets just qualify that!) the current band cover Full House material, which then got me wondering whether they could play the entire album on a Wintour as they did with Babbacombe Lee? The instrumentals would be no problem, and they have already played Walk Awhile, Doctor of Physick, Sir Patrick Spens and Now Be Thankful (I know its not on the album, but same line-up), but have they ever tackled Sloth with the current line up? Would any version of Poor Will be complete without RT's guitar break?

Are there any other albums you'd like to see performed in their entirety on a Wintour? Or is it best to have the usual format with songs from all eras?

We have had some discussion of this before and I think the conclusion was that it hasn't been played by the touring band since the late 80s (a version I am yet to hear and desperate to do so). My opinion is that I would love the current band to give it a go, based on the acoustic arrangement that Simon & Swarb played as a duo some years back but I don't think it will ever happen. I don't think Simon is especially keen on the song, based on a couple of slightly disparaging comments here and there so it seems to get saved for significant Cropredys.

I guess a Cropredy run through of the whole album is not out of the question as per L&L in 2007 & Babbacombe Lee a few years back but I think it would be with Chris stunt doubling for Swarb and a guest guitarist (Maart? Martin Barre?)

The Witchseason show at The Barbican in 2009 showcased extracts from Full House featuring 4/5ths of that lineup with Chris subbing for Swarb (actually Chris was the only fiddler present that night), and it was excellent, so a Cropredy presentation of the album is entirely plausible and possible.

I think it was in this year's "Cropredy" issue of R2 that Simon was asked if FC would do another "entire album" project a la JBL; I've lost my copy, so can't quote exactly, but it was along the lines of "not a likely scenario".  I'm sure someone will have the correct response somewhere.

I thought they did Sloth at Cropredy not too many years back (but my memory is getting on)

I'm more than happy for them to just do the material from it that they do as part of the regular live repertoire. Their versions of Sir Pat and Doctor of Physick are as good as the originals, but as much as I love the current line-up, I can't imagine them doing Poor Will or Sloth.

I've seen Plainsong do Sloth, but an acoustic version without much soloing. I can't see the current FC line-up do Sloth as its structured on Full House because there's no one to take the guitar solo (a mandolin solo just wouldn't cut it IMO), unless Ric plays two solos and turn it into a PDM style tour de force, or go the Plainsong/acoustic route. Poor Will I'm not sure about; I think they'd do a fine job of it, especially vocally, its just the guitar solo. Then again, their recent reinterpretations of Farewell, Farewell and Fotheringay on By Popular Request surpassed my expectations, and the version of Reynardine from a few years ago was a treat.

They did Sloth 2007 with Jerry Donahue doing some great guitar work.
 Not quite sure what the line-up was.

Sloth is the easiest piece on the whole album to play (by a mile!!!), but the temperament of the current lineup would make doing so somewhat like attending a formal wedding at a tractor pull.

.....and I could dig that, but I'm not sure they would!  

They should do it - and get Martin Barre in as guest guitarist for the tour.

Oh wouldn't it be marvellous to have a lead guitarist (who actually wants to be one, as opposed to Simon who does not a bad job at all, but reluctantly) AND a song writer in the band at the same time, for the first time since...Rising For The Moon,I guess ?
(And Spanish Main would be rather splendid with Mr Barre on it.)

I'm sure the economics are based around it being a 5 piece unit and not a 6 piece one.  There are ways and means of keeping it at 5 but probably best if we don't go there....  

It won't happen.  And MB is not the guitarist I'd get in even if it did.  Personally, I don't like that 'metallic' shredding sort of noisy solo sound he suddenly decided he needed to be making in the early 80's.  Then again, I do quite like the sound of him playing with them this year.  Wouldn't have minded seeing those bits of the set.

You're no doubt right on the financial aspect,unless they came up with a really strong album that boosted demand for tickets and so on....but back to reality.

No...back to fantasy....get Orianthi on guitar,I'll pay her fees and she'll be so impressed with my generosity that she asks me to marry her and father her children and then.......I'll just go and have a lie down...

Sloth was played last year with the Full House line up plus Jerry.
I remember wondering at the time whether this would be the last time it would ever be played by the Full House line up. Given Swarb's recent comments, I guess it will be.
Glad I was there to witness it.

It was indeed the Full House line up plus Jerry in 2007. I remember being totally overwhelmed by hearing it again, live. It is a song that has meant a lot to me over the years and also has been a live favourite, not only for me I guess. Glad it was played last year, too, but I would be very sad if it - if Poor Will is right in his prediction - couldn't be repeated, at least the important years, to me 2017 next time!  8)

I love the album version of Sloth finding it very moving and haunting, I have yet to hear a live version that I have enjoyed,as much I would love to see the current line up play it, it may be different to all previous versions but that in itself is a good reason to hear it.

Here are my videos od Sloth from Cropredy 2007 (two parts, it was too long for YouTube at the time when I upoladed it):
Pt 1 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xP-mR1rZk3s
Pt 2 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuS89AWhjvE