TalkAwhile - The Folk Corporation Forum

I really think someone should have a word with Swarb and point out his 'discussion' with Nigel Schofield about the recent book on FB is effectively in public.

All he's done is to point out some inaccuracies and that he has found parts of the book hurtful. I think he's earned the right to say something in public if he wants to, especially given that he was not consulted at all before the book was published.

Nigel's replies illuminate some of the reasons for the book's shortcomings. Which is interesting for onlookers.

Where is this taking place? Not on Swarb's page as far as I can see.

Take a look on Nigel Schofield's page.

There seem to be several Nigel Schofields on FB. Can you narrow it down a bit or IM me please?

It is an interesting series of expressions of opinion, isn't it? I imagine that very many people will be drawing their own conclusions on many of the issues raised, depending on which door they came into this party through - not least that Mr Swarbrick (hello Dave, if you're watching) decided to open the exchange in public in the first place.

I know which side of the fence I'm on too, but the criticism is also aimed strongly at Peggy and Simon.. I may be old fashioned but I just hate to see old bandmates falling out in public..it was bad enough in 2009, but this looks worse. It'll all come out in the wash I suppose..

Not all that public as it turns out as it seems you can only see it if you are a "friend" or a friend of a friend, which I am not. But I get the gist.

https://www.facebook.com/nigel.schofield.52

im with Swarb on this, its simple enough to get the facts right, memories play tricks on all of us, but to write a book about FC and not interview or contact the man without whom FC would have finished in 1972 seems a bit daft

Agreed.

Seconded.

I wish I could see that FB page, but as a non-user I cannot.

Jules

Then join Facebook. The extent you use it is up to you.

I'm scared to.  It might suck me in!   :o

Jules

As I read it the proposal from the publishers meant that he (Nigel) relied principally on interviews he'd already conducted with ex-members of the band.
And who's to say whose memory is playing tricks?

I'm a user and I still can't see it. Not sure why everybody else can.

Like where Maart comes from?


If you're "friends" with Swarb, you'll be able to see the comments on Nigel's page.

I'm sorry Andy, I was trying to follow up on Jim's (possibly accidental) pointing out of the difference between facts and memories. The example you give here (I'd say) is clearly something that can be verified without ringing Maart up and asking him, and so begats that old "Well, if he's got that wrong, what else has he missed?" conundrum. On the other hand I've read many different versions of the night Led Zeppelin jammed with FC at The Troubadour in LA, which Swarb on the other hand swore never happened. Unless, of course, that's my memory playing tricks on me..?  ::)  

History is written by the survivors and is seldom wholly and all-encompassingly factual.

I got the book as a present at Christmas. read it immediately.
 It's on my book shelf and i haven't returned to it.
I commented on it at the time.
On reflection my thoughts are that it was marketed as something it isn't.
 It certainly isn't fairport by fairport. It certainly isn't a signed copy.
It would be harsh to say it was aimed at long term fans to make a few quid but it felt like that, rather like innumerable dubious quality dvd's , cd's. tapes(!) of Cropredy performances.
I think Dave S has every right to make his comments public. How can it be fairport by fairport if you haven't talked to Swarb or at least run it past him?
Ok, if it's just about the present band don't mention anything before 1986.
Compared to Mike Scott's ,'Adventures of a Waterboy. F by F is not in the same league.
The acid test is that I return to Mike Scott's book a lot.
Must go now as I in the middle of writing up my steamy night of passion with Chrissy Hynde behind the 101 club in 1976, .....I think it was Chrissy Hynde, it certainly looked like her .....a bit........it could have been 75, it may have been behind the Old Cock pub in Didsbury......i may be disremembering......
 

I look forward to Swarb's long-mooted autobiography. I'm sure it'll clear a few things up.

I largely agree. I gave my copy away.

Anybody else want to give theirs away?   ;)

Jules

Bloody hell. Steady Andy. We're agreeing again! ;D

Do you need to prop a door open? Use a shoe.

Oh, it's that bad, eh?

Jules

It's not that bad, but apparently a few of the 'facts' are a little awry...  ;)

Can I just point out that Swarb has now stated on his own FB page in response to a comment:

"The inaccuracies are not worth not buying the book I feel. There are great passages that are 'pre swarb' and good stuff from all times, my beef is that I could have corrected the errors given the chance. The proof reading was bad I feel. And of course the book is out there for ever. But please don't let my gripe put you off reading what is in a lot of cases untold. I was a cog in the great wheel. But just that mate, a cog. Buy it and have a good read."

Donna

If it was Chrissie there would have been no meat involved. ;D ;)

My opinions are readily available in earlier postings here.

Folkcast announced on their facebook page a Cropredy preview podcast coming later in the summer. They were in conversation with Peggy about the festival.

Latest Facebook status from Swarb: "Is looking for a piano player for gigs,must drive, singer if possible and aware of the kind of stuff I do."

It's a dirty job but someone (lucky) will have to do it... :)

A report from the Dylan Americanarama tour of RT joining Wilco for a couple of numbers, one of which was "Sloth".  :)


http://www.examiner.com/article/bob-dylan-s-americanarama-indiana-richard-thompson-joins-wilco-for-two-songs

Would like to hear/see that  :)  There's a photo on Twitter https://twitter.com/Wilco/status/353321693915271168/photo/1

I wonder if he'll get to play with Bob too?  I have vague recollections of some big charity bash (Montreaux?) from the 90's with Richard sharing a stage with Bob (and about a hundred others) but I might have imagined that...

Not imagined at all. It was a guitar festival in Spain in 92, or '93. Only saw it at the time & it was a bit of a shambles. Either they hadn't rehearsed, or Bob changed his mind on what to play & forgot to mention it. Neither Bob nor RT's finest moment, but great fun to watch.  :)

That's the one...it's reassuring to note that not all of my memories are imagined...  :)

From David Hepworth's blog - an amusingly inaccurate assessment of L&L from Karen Buck MP via The Independent :

http://whatsheonaboutnow.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/why-mps-really-should-lay-off-rock.html

A rather lovely article about Who Knows Where The Time Goes from the Herald: http://www.heraldscotland.com/arts-ents/music/not-fade-away-1967-who-knows-where-the-time-goes-sandy-denny.2013075255

The great David Hepworth (Word, Mojo, Q etc. etc.) provides a suitable riposte to an idiotic MP:

http://whatsheonaboutnow.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/why-mps-really-should-lay-off-rock.html

No more to be said really.

See Dan O's post two above yours :-)

Whoops!  It was on the previous page of my display.  Didn't check it, should have  :-[

Download of "Honour & Praise" from last year's Cropredy.  :)

http://www.fairportconvention.com/downloads.php

Are those harmony vocals live?

Certainly sounds that way. Fairport actually harmonize nicely these days (for example on Cell Song from JBL live). Plus didn't hurt having Maart on this one as well.

Sounded too good to be live to me.  That's a compliment by the way!

Does sound good alright  :D Must remember to play these at home, I honestly forgot about those downloads on the FC site.

It was during this track that Radio Oxford lost the sound
Hopefully we may get the other missing tracks up to John Gaudie when their podcast came back on

One of my favourite FC tracks! Will be downloaded later from my home PC  :)

Dylan covers "Vincent BL"?  :o

http://www.theoaklandpress.com/articles/2013/07/15/entertainment/doc51e3f6e3d8dec154024239.txt

I liked this sentence - "A cover of Thompson's "1952 Vincent Black Lightning" was a welcome surprise — seemingly for Dylan's band, too"
It'd be interesting to actually hear what it sounded like, as well.

Maybe this is old news to everyone else...

I had my Jesus Christ Superstar LP out today for the first time in quite a few years. I was looking through the book that came along (trying to remember the names of a couple vocalists) and saw that on drums was no other than good ol' Bruce Rowland. I get a kick out of knowing that a member of my favorite group played on one of my favorite all-time albums from my childhood!

In the Fairport scheme of things, Australian singer-songwriter GLENN CARDIER would be best known for having written "All The Dance Numbers" on Dave Pegg's 'Cocktail Cowboy' solo album.  Glenn has written many other equally fine songs over the decades, of course.

He has recently issued a double collection of previously unreleased songs from the 1970s, entitled "Old Haunts".

Not only does it feature the original Glenn Cardier solo demo of All The Dance Numbers (which you can hear in full on his page) - but also a band version featuring both Dave Pegg and Dave Swarbrick!   Glenn explains: "This demo was made at Peggy's place. They added the overdubs later, then Peggy went on to cover it himself."

With 46 tracks altogether, there is much to explore.  All the details can be found at http://www.glenncardier.com/glenn-cardier-music.htm#haunts

Interesting RT interview via his FB page;

http://www.rockol.com/news-521873/Richard-Thompson-%27Dylan-played-my-song.-I-thought-it-was-a-joke

Apparently, according to one of the very first Cropredy programmes (1981? I can't be bothered to look) Bruce was sweeping A L W's chimney when he asked 'know any good drummers?'
Bruce owned up and did the album.
A L W asked if he wanted a fee or a percentage (remember that Tim Rice and A L W were relatively unknown in those days) and Bruce took a fee.
If he'd taken a precentage, well.

 ;D That's a fantastic tale!!! I like to imagine Bruce drumming away up the chimney, ash flying around all willy-nilly. Thanks for sharing that!!

Apologies if this has been mentioned elsewhere, but The Bunch's "Rock On" looks set for another reissue. Rejoice!  :)

http://www.propermusic.com/product-details/The-Bunch-Rock-On-153751?Image&utm_source=Sign-Up.to&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=14047-224957-PMC+Newsletter+-+%23075b+%28Forthcoming%29+-+Fri+-+Vers.2

I know so many who adore this album.  It's just never done anything for me... I guess, ultimately, I'm just not a 50's rock'n'roll fan...  My loss, of course.

Bought it when it came out, Swedsih papers seemed to concentrate on the old rock n`rock numbers and not so much on the happy-go-lucky versions of old standards.
Sorry, old fans : "Let there be drums" is an nice enough anomaly, but I look forward to something more substantial----

I have to agree with David MJS..I am not a big fan of John Lennon's Rock and Roll or Paul McCartney's album of rock and roll era stuff either and the less said about the rock and roll medley on the Uriah Heep live album, the better.  It must have been fun to record and one or two numbers thrown in to a live performance can be entertaining too, but no need for a full studio album, regardless of the quality of the musicians..

I don't adore it, but I don't despise it either. There are some real gems that stand out, like When Will I Be Loved, Learning The Game and Twenty Flight Rock, and a few mediocre covers like Dont Be Cruel and My Girl In The Month of May. Its a side project, nothing more, just like The G.P.'s, The Dylan Project and about a million one-off Ashley Hutchings projects.

Oh god the horror that is the uriah heep rock'n'roll medley. That has tp be one of the most awful things ever recorded,although to be fair to heep, there were many,many bands who took t he easy option of murdering a handful of 50's classics. ladies and and gentlemen i give you led zeppelin and their r'&'r medley usually found skulking in the middle of "whole lotta love".

I liked the bunch lp/cd but having it on vinyl and cd feel no need to shell out the hard earned again

Got the original LP + flexidisc, but will probably buy the new issue.

I bought it on the last CD reissue a few years ago, Fledg'ling, and I think I'v e
only played it 3 or 4 times. I too feel i ought to like it, given the prevalence of people called Denny and Thompson featured, but it obviously hasn't grabbed me.  Strange, as the version of 'When will I be Loved' when I first heard it on the very original Sandy LP box, used to give me the good old spinal shivers. Something to do with a whole album of that sort of thing, maybe. :-\

It is a mark of the times that a bunch of musicians from various bands who were not, relatively speaking, selling many records for their label, were allowed to make a vanity album of covers of old rock n roll standards and the record company still released it.

It wouldn't/couldn't happen today, at least not in the same way.

This may be of interest. It also may be posted in the wrong place, but as Fairport are number 1 on the list, I've placed it in here

http://www.mojo4music.com/4369/britfolk-treasures-playlist/

Nice link thanks! Judging from my involuntary 'ooh yes' to most of the list I shall definately be tracking down the others!

Nice one..  :)

Somewhat annoyingly, given that just about every other show on the tour has cropped up, so far there's no sign of Uncle Bob's version appearing yet. Let's hope it does soon.

Preview of a new track from Linda Thompson.  :)

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/linda-thompson-laments-being-never-the-bride-song-premiere-20130806

That will do me.  Nice  :)

Agreed, featuring as it does Kami, Teddy & John Kirkpatrick & a Muldour. Plus David Mansfield (Rolling Thunder Revue & Bruce Honsby) & a cast of several others, I'm not familiar with. Bodes well for the album. ;D

Certainly does.  I hoped it was JK, not 'just' someone who sounded like JK...

Nope; from Linda's FB page:-

David Mansfield: Mandolin
George Javori: Drums
Rob Burger: Hammond Organ
James Walbourne: Electric slide guitar
Jenni Muldaur: bv's
Kami Thompson: bv's
Susan McKeown: bv's
Zak Hobbs: acoustic guitar
Jason Crigler: acoustic and electric guitars & bv's
Teddy Thompson: acoustic guitar and bv's
Jeff Hill: electric bass
John Kirkpatrick: button accordion.

And apologies, I didn't realize there was already a thread on the album. Keep up Ian. :-[

Wot, no solo Sandy?   It's a travesty I say.  :o :)

In view of the selection criteria I'm not sure I really agree...  A friend of mine has taken offence at Nick Drake being included for similar reasons.  Not sure we need another 'what is folk?' debate, mind  ;) :)

That's true David.  ::)

I used to have a cassette called From Past Archives which had a version of John The Gun with RT on lead vocals recorded at Cropredy in 1984. I've since lost this and no longer have the means to play cassettes anyway. Is this track available legally anywhere?

I think I have this as a CD. It came out around early 90's. I got it from a legitimate outlet but it was described as a semi-bootleg. Vintage technnicolour pic on the sleeve with Sandy looking uncharacteristically frumpy.

Yes I have that CD too. Bought at Cropredy as it happens but I don't recall that version of John The Gun being on it. I must dig it out and check the track listing. I haven't listened to it for many years because much of the content has subsequently appeared on official releases as bonus tracks or the BBC set.

I have a feeling there is more than one version of "From Past Archives" I too bought mine at Cropredy,I would check up on the CD but the cat is on my lap,and is very intent on being there for some time!

I think to remember hearing, or just dreamed it, that "From Past Archives" was originally a bootleg that was hi-jacked & given an officially sanctioned, if limited, release. The two final tracks are from Cropredy 1984. Here's the track list:

Nottamun Town
Meet On The Ledge   
You're Gonna Need My Help
Sir Patrick Spens
Tam Lin
Reynardine
Open The Door Homer
Sloth
Sickness And Diseases
She Moves Through The Fair
Like An Old Fashioned Waltz
Rising For The Moon
Down In The Flood
No More Sad Refrains
John The Gun
Doctor Of Physick )

I thought I might have dreamt it too but I'm sure thats the one. I guess most tracks are available on the Sandy and Fairport BBC sets, but not the Cropredy 1984 tracks. AT2 was obviously 1982, Boot and the Other Boot 86/87? Was nothing officially released from Cropredy 1984?

Looks like this is the CD version - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/From_Past_Archives. May have to see if it's available on an internet auction site. Thanks for the replies.

I have just been looking into that very question. The only other track I can find from 1984 is I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight on the Cropredy Capers box. Nothing from 1985 either.

I also wonder whether the version of Sloth from the Fillmore in 1970 appears anywhere else?

I have just read the latest Q&A on RT's website which contains the phrase,

"I am as baffled as a centipede in a shoe shop!"  ;D ;D

Marvellous.

I've got the complete '85 set.  Have to check elsewhere but pretty certain I don't have '84.  I'd like it though...as it was my first Cropredy.

'84 was my first Cropredy, too. It would be great to have something from then (the t shirt's long gone, I'm afraid, and was a tad on the 'snug' side before its untimely demise!)

Steve Wilson, who did such a magnificent job on Tull's Aqualung, is doing this:

The process will start in September, when XTC are to have the 1992 album Nonsuch reissued by the Ape House imprint in CD/DVD-A and CD/Blu-ray formats. This will have bonus tracks, plus new stereo and surround sound mixes from Steven Wilson.

This of course features DM on Drums. Nice.

Mick Houghton's biography of Sandy is already being listed on Amazon, with a publication date of May 2014:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ive-Always-Kept-Unicorn-Biography/dp/0571278906/
They need to sort out the blurb, though. To claim that she was "the first female singer-songwriter to produce a substantial and enduring body of original songs" is absurd.

And, er, 'interesting' to discover that Swarb wasn't interviewed for this one either, eh?  :-\ :)

For God's sake, don't tell him!   :o   :D

Jules

It wasn't me, it was Philip (on the above FB thread!)  :)

I'm looking into that. I suspect Swarb is mistaken and he was interviewed. MH is writing "with the assistance of more than sixty of her friends, fellow musicians and contemporaries" - I can't see him leaving Swarb out of that number.

Why can't everyone be nice to each other, just like on Talkawhile?  ;)

It didn't stop a certain other author.....

(God I sound like Swarb!)

Jules

I bet you wish you played the fiddle like him!   ;D  

Indeed.  But then he doesn't get my 6 foot 2 stature.   ;)

Jules

I thought you were supposed to be tall Jules?   ;) :)

In my day, that was tall.

Jules

http://www.kevindempsey.co.uk/gigscms/gigs.php

Go right to the bottom of the page and look at the last thing on the gig list.

Nice one.

2015?

Yeah, I don't know if it's a mistake or whether they genuinely know this far in advance. If they did, it would suggest the band already have someone booked for next year.

They have.. It's Edwina Hayes surely?

Just checked Edwina's FB, and yes you're right. I could be wrong, but it seems Fairport themselves have yet to announce it, which is why I wasn't aware of it.

Er... I've never heard of Edwina Hayes. Any info?

http://www.edwinahayes.com/

Singer/songwriter, she recorded a song for the film My Sister's Keeper, she has performed at Cropredy twice before, once on her own in 2005 and again in 2007 with Hummingbird.

Don't know whether this is a joke

http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/arts-entertainment/gta-5-features-wildly-incongruous-folk-soundtrack-2013091779531

It's the Daily Mash - they don't post true articles!

having just spent the day slaving over a hot xbox the i can conffirm the article is gods honest truth

Not bad as I recall but a tad Minnie Mousey some said.

Great singing voice,slightly odd (Lancastrian) talking voice!  [;-)

Ah, Hummingbird. Now you're talking. I thought they were great and I really like their album too. I must have seen her in 2005 as well but I have no recollection of that.

Brought up in Preston and later the east coast of Yorkshire. That's enough to make anyone talk a bit odd!   ;)

After Unhalfbricking was released there was a review about it in a Dutch music paper, the reviewer liked the album and also wrote that their sound was very English and this Englishness was also to be found on the back cover according to the reviewer. A picture of the band having a meal, nothing special but what had caught the reviewer's eye was the bottle of HP sauce.

"...what had caught the reviewer's eye was the bottle of HP sauce"
Which, ironically is currently produced by Heinz in The Netherlands  :)

Funny, but I think only a regular user would know this. :)

Ronald, at the time when it was relocated to the Netherlands there was a minor outcry at the loss of the manufacture of a national emblem at the whim of global enterprise

Went to see Tonypandemonium, the first play from Dylan Thomas Prize winning author Rachel Trezise (from Tonypandy in The Rhondda) last night, and was delighted to see one of the lead characters wearing a 1996 Cropredy top! (Sort of a blush orange colour)

I've tried to resize a photo of it on my iPad but I have no idea how you do this, so I can't post a photo sorry

Found this old review of Fairport of a concert in December 1975 in the South of The Netherlands:

Of all the bands in the field of folk-rock, there is really only one true one: Fairport Convention. That was Sunday night in the city theatre in Sittard again underlined by a dazzling concert given by the band. One and a half hours of fresh swinging folk-rock music, interspersed with some beautiful ballads played by a bunch of spontaneous musicians. The line- up of Fairport Convention is as follows: singer and pianist Sandy Denny, for years the pivot around which the group revolved, Trevor Lucas (acoustic guitar), Dave Pegg (bass guitar), Jerry Donahue (electric and slide guitar), Bruce Rowland (drums) and of course the harlequin group of violinist Dave Swarbrick. Dave Swarbrick who acts - at least on stage - as the new leader of the band. Stoned out of his mind and chain smoking (or rather " eating " as the quiet Trevor Lucas let slip) he hops around the stage with his electric violin leaving no room for the others. The only one that could be heard above him was drummer Bruce Rowland.

LOUD

Sandy Denny is no longer the pivot of Fairport Convention. The only thing that was left for her to do was to try to rise vocally above the loud sound of the band. Something she had difficulty with. Some songs were played so loud that Sandy Denny could only shake her head. Her voice also seemed already to have suffered severely during this European tour which was just five days old. Fairport Convention began the concert with Dirty Linen. Dave Swarbrick demonstrated immediately that he would be the main man. After this they played some older songs like Matty Groves, which was played much too loud, Fiddlestix and Bring him down, then came a number of tracks from their new lp Rising from the Moon, Restless, Stranger to himself and Dawn. Highlight of the evening was a beautiful long version of Sloth.


Stoned out of his mind?????
If it was too loud I guess it was not the fault of the band but the sound engineer.

Interesting!
I went to the Gothenburgh concert on the same tour,  December 8, if I remember correctly. It was a Sunday evening and I have vague memories, but had it been as loud and "erratic" then,  as the Netherlands review implies, I guess it would have stuck in my mind.
On the contrary, I remember a very tight, concentrated band fronted by a relaxed Sandy Denny in a long dress.
Is memory playing tricks with me?  ;)

Well, he has been known to inhale, you know... allegedly (actually, I'm pretty certain he's in 'print' on that score...but...)

The Fairport member who suggested that they sang Bob Dylan's If you gotta go in French would not have dreamed that it would also end up on this person's cd. I do not know if he used the same lyrics but he certainly did use their arrangement.

http://www.lastfm.fr/music/Hugues+Aufray/Aufray+Trans+Dylan

Here an exerpt of the song:

http://www.amazon.fr/gp/dmusic/media/sample.m3u/ref=dm_sp_smpl?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B0060CMDU2&catalogItemType=track

Or that their version would be used on these compilation cd's, it is number 20 on dics 4.

http://www.northendhaarlem.nl/a-25976162/verzamel/vive-la-france-top-100-5cd/

That certainly wasn't a Marlboro Light hanging from his lips for the duration of Sloth the first time I saw Fairport, at Glastonbury '84.

This month's Prog magazine describes the chaps as "British Folk Prog Legends".  Ha ha ha.

The 1/2 page ad (in the Grauniad Guide) for the 2014 Wintour includes the legend: "First & Foremost Folk Rock".

Hope this means more "welly"!

(not a Merseybeat tribute segment...  ;) )

Some badly informed reporters write strange/droll reviews like the one I found of a Fairport concert in October 1973 in The Netherlands.

First he started by saying that Dave Swarick and Dave Mattacks were the only two members of the old Fairport  ???

Then he goes on by saying that Swarbrick with his Paganini like performance dominated the two hour concert and that the few times he let Trevor Lucas sing the quality dropped significantly ??? ???, but he saved the best for the last. According to the reporter the American style guitar work of Jerry Donahue did not really fit the music they played because they are not really a Rock band or can play American Country music. As an example he gave Dylan's Country Pie because in that song it was evident that there is a difference between the British and American way of building up solos and that Fairport could use a real American guitarist??????

[Photo over 400 days old. Removed by Admin.]

Nothing like research huh?  ???                  ;)

We were at Spalding Folk club last night and saw posters for Fairport at The South Holland Centre 29th May 2014 £20, could not see it on the Fairport website gig page so thought you might like a heads up.

The first of the May acoustic tour gigs....

It is funny to read some of these old reviews and it also corrects your memory. I saw Emmylou Harris once in Amsterdam and could have sworn it was in the Concertgebouw, in fact I would have staked my life on it but after reading the review I saw that it had been in another place, how is that for memory failure, and that only after 35 years or so  :-[



I do live in the part of Holland called South Holland but unfortunately that centre is in England.

So lot's of people who saw Fairport at GBFF are saying it was the best they have seen them for a while.  Can you expand a bit on what made it so good for those of us who missed out?

For me it was a combination of things. A very appealing setlist. Some terrific singing from everyone (except Ric) with glorious harmonies. Really robust, muscular and dare I say rocking performances. Hilarious banter (no Simon, we are not all from Skegness) and a general sense of bonhomie both within the band and between band and audience. The crowd were up for it from the first number. It didn't hurt that the first number was a crunchy Sir Patrick Spens. A big meeting of old friends. Everybody on top form.

I saw your report earlier Al and wanted to ask the same question Will did. That makes me really happy to hear!

This was my intro to the song - never heard Dylan's:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dg6zg-bu5Oc

So what does everyone think of the brand spanking new album from Chris Leslie, purchased last night at the Aggies Bury gig?

Here's Bob's, Bob:-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYfYy362wHs

Jules

Just seen on Proper's web site that Simon Nicol's 2 solo albums are to be re-issued in January http://www.propermusic.com/artist/Simon-Nicol-68915

At full price?.....hmmm

16 years after they were last released, too. As I already have 'em, I wouldn't buy 'em anyhow, but even if I didn't, I wouldn't at this price. All due respect and everything, but....

We love em, but the last(?) reissue in a 2 for 1 CD was the best idea. We originally had the first on vinyl and the second on cassette so the reissue was welcomed then.

When Fairport wanted another female singer Sandy Denny also did an audition, did she know Fairport then or did she only audition because she had heard Fairport was looking for a female singer in other words had there been another band looking for a female singer like Traffic, Lindisfarne or Jethro Tull to name a couple would she also have tried those? Or was her choice for Fairport a deliberate one? Does anyone know?

As I understand it, they asked her....wasn't she 'stolen' from the Strawbs?

This is what I found on Wiki:

After making the Saga albums with Alex Campbell and Johnny Silvo, Denny looked for a band that would allow her to stretch herself as a vocalist, reach a wider audience, and have the opportunity to display her songwriting. She said, "I wanted to do something more with my voice." After working briefly with the Strawbs Denny remained unconvinced that they could provide that opportunity, and so she ended her relationship with the band.

Dave Cousins might have something to add to that....

A prog rock instrumental passage maybe?   ;D

Jules

Yes, Dave's never backward about coming forward on this issue. Mind you, I've never heard him say anything uncharitable about SAndy.

Nor me....!

Surely the timing is wrong for that to be the case. Sandy's work with the Strawbs was in 1967. Her audition for/of (!) FC was in summer 1968. In between she was a solo performer.

I suspect the Strawbs would have recorded another album if she's stayed around....

That's my understanding of it too. I think she left during the period when Dave Cousins was trying to get a label deal for the album, which would have been towards the end of '67. Polydor showed interest but insisted that it would have to be re-recorded with better production, which Sandy declined to be involved in. This would have been when she started to plan for a solo album with Joe Boyd as her manager. The Strawbs continued with Sonja Kristina, later of Curved Air, for a very short time before reverting to a three piece. They signed with A&M in April '68, a month before Sandy auditioned for Fairport.

Those who are following Kami Thompson's musical adventures may like to know that she and partner James have renamed themselves from Dead Flamingos to The Rails. Not sure why. Maybe there's another group called Dead Flamingoes out there.

If you want to, you can 'like' them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/TheRailsOfficial

Ooh, described as Folk/Rock band, EP coming in the spring on Island Records no less.

Looking forward to their live dates

dead flamingos was a terrible name.
You can go off the rails though

Class. ;D

Get 'em on a double bill with Sleeper!  ::)

Do I get "points" for that?  ;)

Back on track (sorry!) - I wonder if the chaps will give any new material a debut on the Wintour?

After watching a clip of Fairport doing Mercy Bay at GBFF coupled with reports from some here about the performance, can I say how good and inspired they are sounding. Quite loud and aggressive, and Gerry in particular sounding great. Well done chaps.

IMHO Gerry is awesome  :) I've always had a soft spot for drummers and take a keen interest in their performance, whatever the band. Whilst I wouldn't put him in the swoon category (sorry mate), he is technically one of the best drummers I've seen. IMHO as I say.

Being a big Mattacks fan, I remember when Gerry joined I had no reservations whatsoever about him. Notwithstanding his connection to the Fairport family for years before, his drumming has always been enjoyable to me, and I love how he has incorporated percussion instruments over the years as well.

There may or may not be another Dead Flamingos out there, but there is definitely another band called 'The Rails'.  I think they are Canadian?    ::)

I think you are on the right track there

Did that not come across in my review?  ;D

Just to augment your joke Jim, I found this.....     http://www.therails.ca/

Must have been lost somewhere in between "I" and "enjoyed it"  ;D I blame the hat!

And the two playing together are awesome.

Joke? Joke!

I didn't get it right away, its a bit of a sleeper.

Cripes.  http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2013/12/saturn-rings-peggy/

I wonder if it's an obelisk like in 2001 (in the book version it orbits Saturn rather than Jupiter in the movie - or is it 'tother way round?).
Fascinating.

Yes, Jupiter in the movie.

Jules

(Funnily enough,I bought the DVD of the movie at the weekend,but I haven't watched it yet.)
I wonder if there's a close up of this anomaly,and it turns out to be The Monolith...you'll see the Angel Delight line up surrounding it having a widdle.

 Good to see Iain Matthews involved in this: http://pitchfork.com/news/53198-beach-house-fleet-foxes-walkmen-grizzly-bear-members-to-perform-gene-clarks-no-other-on-tour/   ....and I do hope recordings of the shows are made available  :D

Weird bit of trivia,for no obvious reason I was thinking about the first time I saw Fairport,Leeds Astoria 1985 (Gladys' Leap tour). Does anyone else recall the slide show that accompanied "The Hiring Fair" more or less following the story of the song. Does anyone else recall this and does anyone know if it has been seen/heard of since then? They may also have been another series of photos accompanying another song but can't recall which one.  

There was a slide show used on one of the live videos instead of live footage, could it be the same one . Off to the footie soon, so cant check it out for a while.

Yes I remember it ...  But don't know if it's been seen or used since then...

I do indeed remember the Hiring Fair slide show.  It seems to me it was used for a year or two then retired.  I have a vague memory that there was another one that accompanied Portmeirion, with pictures of the village, but wouldn't swear to it.  That must have been mpre short-lived (if it existed at all outside my mind!).

Did they not have something like that on the big screen during HF a few years ago? (possibly the year there was a screen on the back of the sound tower?) I certainly remember a picture of the moon during the song, can't recall if there was a whole slideshow.

I seem to recall the young lady was played by Peggy's daughter Steph.

Yes I have this same memory too

That slideshow appeared on the Cropredy 1986 VHS that came out - 'Cropredy Capers' as I recall...

As I recall (but I may be mistaken), the pictures were taken by Peggy's (then) wife?

The Times has a feature today, "Pop School: 20 Best Voices", by Bob Stanley. Sandy takes the number 2 spot, after Elvis and ahead of Marvin Gaye and Dusty...

Not available online without subscription (Mr Murdoch doesn't believe in giving anything away free).

We are all probably aware that this year is the 45th anniversary of 'Liege and Leaf' but never mind that - it's first and foremost the 10th anniversary of 'Over the Next Hill'  ;D

Ahem... Lief...   ;)

OTNH... already??

WKWTTG???

Whoops!

10 years ago next month I went to see FC for the first time in 13 years and was disappointed no Maart (I didn't know he's left) but rather taken with the young man who replaced him... from that we decided to go to Cropredy for the first time and we've never looked back!

OTNH is one of my favourite FC albums   :)

I see from the FC site that the chaps are in the studio working on the next album; so, can we assume they're playing/recording together this time, rather than separately as per The Festival Bell? I'm sure Johnny Gale will elicit the best possible sound however they record...

I wonder if they will invite any guests to play/sing on it?  Edwina's voice meshes so well...

and I am available to provide backing vocals should they require someone with a similar range to Simon's. Hey, I can dream...

Gawd knows who is playing bass. It isn't Peggy, he isn't ready yet. And Matt is off on tour with Procol Harum.

I know they're together in the studio, but do you think they'll add the bass parts later so Peggy can play for the album?

I think they may have to.

I wonder if all of them being in the studio together is to do the guide work for the new album, deciding what songs are going to be on the album, what instruments, etc. Then the individual parts can be added, i.e. Peggy on bass. Though I am sure Peggy's bass will be what we hear on the CD lets not forget that Simon is not too shabby on bass and Chris has played it as well over the years.

And Ric's played Peggy's bass uke.

(And DM used to play the bass on "Bridge Over the River Ash" when they played it live).

Ditto Bruce on the same number and Flatback Caper (at least on the version on the Farewell, Farewell album). I assume that was the number being played that the inner fold photo showed with Simon on guitar, Peggy and Swarb on mandolins, and Bruce on bass.

If you lot carry on like this you'll have everyone thinking Peggy is expendable!   :o

Jules

True enough Jules. Lets face it there are bass players and then there is Dave Pegg who brings it to a completely different level. Though I was already a fan of his work when I heard Richard's Guitar, Vocal, my jaw absolutely dropped when I heard what he did on It'll Be Me. Practically played a rhythm guitar part and bass part simultaneously on that one so I will be very happy when I see him strap that bass back on  :)

With Matt depping, Peggy's bass playing wasn't missed by many that I spoke to at Pontardawe. But without his vocals, a chunk of Fairport was definitely missing.

Peggy who?????????  :)

Hmmm, a brilliant bass player who can provide decent backing vocals?

Maart anyone?

Every now and then you find yourself bowled over by something that had passed you by ages ago .For example. ----
 I have just been stunned by the utter brilliance of "Eastern Rain" from "What we Did on our Holidays " .

I'm astounded .Its a shockingly good track and I've only just realised it .  .

Gosh yes.  'She Moves etc.' too. That whole album, really. Remains just about my favourite Fpt.  8)

Reading through this thread tells me that it is high time I re-visited my collection of Faiports CDs, some of which have not seen the light of day for quite a while.  :o

Fairport's original lady singer is currently on her way northwards to play for Farnsfield Acoustic this very evening...

Judy Dyble will be delighting us this evening with her wonderful band  :)

The venue is Wellow Memorial Hall, mr Ollerton , North Nottinghamshire..  NG220EF.. There are still a few tickets left..

The doors open at 7pm for an early start at 7.30....

See you there!  :)

Eastern Rain??? I know that record by heart, but had long since forgotten what the tracks are actually called! It was only a couple of years ago I identified Book Song... but then it's in that category of record that I always play through, it's a whole not a collection of tracks (apart from MOTL of course)

I put WWDIOH ahead of Liege and Lief for content and performance, but that's just MHO.  

 No it's not!! (not just YHO  ;) )

So nice to not feel alone.  :)

A couple of intriguing Tweets from one @JohnWilson14 this morning...

"Richard Thompson once described to me exact location of big tree he sang about in Meet Me On The Ledge. If I imagined the right tree then..."

"..the Ledge has broken off"   :o



[Photo over 400 days old. Removed by Admin.]

Indeed, you beat me to posting this....

That's the brother of Arsenal ex-goalie, Bob Wilson, that was!

He's actually Bob Wilson's son  :)

oops, that's what I meant to say!

Fans of The Shell Collector might like today's Google home page.

You beat me to it, Al  :)...today's Google doodle celebrates the 215th anniversary of the birth of palaeontologist Mary Anning (The Fossil Hunter as commemorated in song by Chris Leslie)

Indeed. The Fossil Hunter. Doh! My memory really is appalling at the moment.

The Fossil Hunter is a bit of a Marmite song in the FC catalogue. I quite like it, but it breaks the 6 minute mark and could comfortably be shortened by about 2 minutes and not lose a lot. Peggy plays particularly fine bass on it, though...

I'm not going to repeat them here because I'm not even sure they were meant to be made in public (I do wonder sometimes if some people realise how Facebook works) but there's some pretty gritty comments from Swarb about the current band on his Facebook thread... don't think he'll be at Cropredy any time soon, sadly...  :-\

I just attempted to access Swarb's Facebook page only to find I could no longer get in, so it seems I may have been blocked.
The only thing I can think of that may have upset Swarb is the fact that my name is one of those shown at the back of the"Fairport by Fairport" book.
Surely he hasn't scoured the book un-friending all those listed has he?
I'd be interested to see if this has happened to anyone else.

I'm on that list, but I'm not banned from Swarb's page.

I think I saw something about that in this week's Melody Maker - "Non founder member still narked at band he left thirty years ago" was the headline, IIRC.  ::)

Harsh(ish) but funny  :)

ps Melody Maker!  Bless!

Crikey, it's still going then.  :o

Not very nice about the "two old boys who run it". A real shame. He was for a very long time a personal hero.

As a non-FBer, I can't see it, but something clearly went south in the Swarb and Peggy relationship some time ago.  They were very close once, and you can't help but feel that it's all a big, big shame.

Jules

This must be fairly recent, he was only on the Cropredy stage a few years ago.

It is a shame  :(

I was blocked some time ago as well. It must have been because of comments about the Fairport by Fairport book (which I never actually bought) and the comments from Swarb towards the current band. Very disappointed at the time that one of my favorites had taken that action for speaking my mind, just as he does, but I have moved on. I don't think anything I said could be construed as disparaging towards anyone involved but obviously he felt otherwise.  ???

Interesting Robert!
I really can't think of anything I might have said which would have made Swarb want to block me, but obviously it's his choice.
The whole thing is very sad.

Agreed.

Well, you can always send him an email and ask!

Perusing the copious notes included with King Crimson's "Larks Tongues" box set, I spotted the following:

1st Jan 1972; from a piece by Ray Telford in "Sounds":

'Bill Bruford cites Fairport Convention, Pete Townshend and maybe King Crimson as "laying down some kind of permanent roots for contemporary British music"'.

BB was still a member of Yes at that time.  Yes & KC had played on the same bill at the Van Dyke Club in Plymouth (13/5/69) - a benefit gig for FC following the crash.
 

 Had a bit of a surprise yesterday: Working, as I do, in a Care Home for elderly people (mostly in their 80's and 90's) I'm used to the kind of publications that the residents or their families bring in - The likes of 'Woman's Own', 'Woman's Realm', 'Saga' and the depressingly ubiquitous 'Daily Mail'. So seeing one very venerable lady reading a copy of the equally ancient and chintzy 'People's friend' was no surprise - what was surprising was that it was open at a full page article about Fairport Convention  ;D

Goodness gracious, is that still going??? -(People's Friend, not the Chaps    ;) )

Yes, my Mum reads it. 8)

My granny always read it...  But she didn't know anything re Fairport!

Do they still have those really **** watercolours on the front?

Jules

Judging by their website... yes indeed. :o

Marvellous!

Jules

I suppose as People's Friend's traditional readership starts to die off they are doing what they can to entice 60-something baby-boomers and getting more rock n roll...

Did anyone spot the cameo appearance by an ex-Fairporter on this week's re-run of Top of the Pops on BBC4?

I am currently wading my way through the Paul McCartney Complete Recording Sessions 1969 - 2013 book and discovered the following interesting tidbit which I did not know.

There is a short section about the making of Mike McGear's McGear album in 1974 (a wonderful record which I am still desperate to find a reasonably priced CD copy of). Gerry Conway plays drums on the album and says in a short, new interview specially conducted for the book that after the recording he was invited by Paul McCartney to join Wings (Denny Seiwell having recently departed) but he had to decline because he was already committed to a Cat Stevens tour.

Gerry should of course be celebrated for many things but I would rank his presence on The Man Who Found God On the Moon very highly amongst them.

My Mum did ring me to tell me Fc / Cropredy featured in the Peoples Friend - that's been going longer than FC..............

She did cut it out to keep for me - but may have mislaid it.

She said it all seems "very nice dear"....................

Richard Thompson's Acoustic Classics in the top 20 of the album chart! I didn't see that coming.

Book Song on Radio 6music just now...  :)

I love Book Song... can I put it on the rareties wish list please?

Hello all - I've just booked to see the chaps in Hertford on 24 October but can see that gig listed anywhere, including the FC website. Is it a one-off?

What venue is it at? Not the Corn Exchange....

Alas no - they put a great show there a couple of years back. This is at the Hertford Theatre on 24 October

Hot news - the Canadians claim to have found one of Franklin's ships! Chris had better add an extra verse!

Swarb was part of an Only Connect question yesterday:

Connect the following:

Steve Jobs, Marcus Garvey, Dave Swarbrick, Mark Twain

DW

....and none of them knew the answer, nor indeed who Swarb is!

and was there an answer?

To be fair, one of the contestants thought 'he used to be in a band'.

They all had premature obituaries published, Stephen.  Mr Swarbrick's was, I believe, in the Telegraph.

Lengthy (8pp) article about Bruce Lacey in the October 2014 (Fripp on the cover) edition of The Wire magazine...

He's a one-off.

Victoria Coren repeated Swarb's quote: 'It's not the first time I've died in Coventry...'

'twas bollox' is what Swarb wrote on a copy of his obituary when he signed it for me a few years ago  ;D

He should be in the Guinness Book of Records for the number of signed obituaries that exist.  ;D

Oh please.....no!  :o

Mine is signed and in the downstairs loo  ;D

Yesterday I happened to visit 2 shops and a restaurant in Muswell Hill. I also happened to be wearing a Cropredy T shirt (1992 as it happens). In all 3 there was somebody who commented and had been to Cropredy. Godd to see the Chaps so well known back where it all began.

We have a new kitchen, which apparently means the Cropredy 1979 Farewell/Farewell poster,happily living in our downstairs toilet is having to be framed!!
Had to explain to a framer yesterday that the 2 small holes were where it used to hang on a Cropredy telegraph pole!

 ;D

Happy Birthday Mr Nicol.' When I get older losing my hair.'....

....I'll still have more than Peggy

FC website sez they're hoping to get Cropredy 2015 tickets on sale in December for those who wish to buy them as Yuletide prezzies... more info to be posted there shortly.

Swarb and Peggy get a brief mention

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/nov/14/ali-campbell-my-family-values

New Albion Christmas Band live album- http://www.fairportconvention.com/general_news.php#news1

The NME has noticed that today would have been Sandy's birthday:
http://www.nme.com/blogs/nme-blogs/why-we-mustnt-forget-sandy-denny-the-folk-rock-hero-who-influenced-laura-marling-florence-welch-and

I just saw this mentioned on another forum. I can't help wondering, once again, what she would have achieved if she'd lived.

For me, it's not even a question of what she might have achieved.  It may well have been that her greatest work was already done.  No matter, I just wish she hadn't died so young, and in such a way as she did.  It's the absence of her in our present day lives that causes the most regret.

Jules

I celebrate that she didn't train her voice for the opera/give up in favour of nursing ; that she said yes to FC in 68 ; that she wrote many wonderful songs ; that she had a superb voice for the English song tradition ; that I saw her in 1975 with FC, they were fantastic ; that her career is remembered. Her best recordings are timeless.

 I also suspect that she spurred Richard Thompson on to great things.

I didn't mean the music she might have recorded is  the thing I miss her for. That's usually my second thought, and in a way it's unrelated to her untimely death, if that makes  sense. My first thought is always how awful she only reached  the age she did.Then I think about the music, and then I wonder, in relation to that, how her career would have continued. I feel it's important I clarify this.

Perhaps she'd have done like some others, and just gone over into family stuff, having more children??

FC will be on Loose Ends on Radio4 this Saturday (6.30pm) chatting & playing a track (or 2?) from the new album.

I think it was Joe Boyd who said that it was her respect for RT that encouraged her to fit in with the band. He had been concerned that she would "eat them for breakfast" otherwise.

Actually I was thinking more about where RT was as a songwriter in early 1968 and where he was say three or four years later with the material for Henry and Bright Lights. A long time I know and who can say what would have happened anyway but here are a couple of quotes from Patrick Humphries whose book is good on the 60s and 70s.

' The arrival of Sandy Denny gave Richard the confidence to begin writing....... Slowly they realised that if Fairport was to have any real future, it had to come from the dynamics within the group rather than relying on material from outside.'

and, of Genesis Hall  ' It is his chilling ability to ally the style of a C17 Scottish Border ballad with a rock n roll sensibility which still astounds.'

I think a switch was flicked and a direction taken.

Although Richard was already writing before that time and the band had begun to realise that they needed to write for themselves.

7 out of the 12 tracks on the first album were written by members of the band so they had already started to go down that track..

My missis can take or leave Fairport, except for Dave Swarbrick and "That girl singer they had before Sandy Denny".

I wonder what happened with her?

 ;D ;D :-*

Rather appropriately we listened to this in Cropredy itself. We were driving back from visiting a friend in Rugby and passing the turning as the announcement came on so Mrs Will (who's never been before) suggested we go. So we listened to Myths and Heroes and Simon's interview in the village before going for a chilly walk around in the dark.

I thought the song sounded good and the interviewer was obviously something of a fan too.

Nikki Bedi. Nice, gentle, knowledgeable interview. Knows how many verses there are in Matty Groves, (I think she said RT played it for her once). Simon sounded his usual unassuming self.

Not that knowledgeable, though, given that she badly misquoted a line from one of those 19 verses ....

I couldn't decide whether Simon sounded a little nervous, which admittedly would have been weird.

Simon was definitely nervous. A live interview with no advance knowledge of the questions doesn't help.

Chris' voice came across the airwaves as incredibly thin.

 Just listened. Good interview I think. Got want they wanted over..new album...tour...Cropredy.
I thought Myths sounded better  acoustic, ie  with Gerry playing cajon , than when they tried to 'rock' it up on the album or at Cropredy last yr. if they play it electric Simon needs to play electric gtr and turn it up!
Didn't hear Simon as nervous, just thoughtful and Andy I didn't hear Chris's voice as thin, although it did get stronger. A one off song in a radio studio is difficult. Nice, pleasant, interview.

Track from the new album had more life in it than I expected. As an old reactionary where Fpt is concerned, my response to a new album from the old codgers is to yawn and pass on by.

Dont you just love to spot the (deliberate ?) mistake, In that very fine publication know as the 2015 wintour Calegram I draw your attention to the dates for the 2015 Summer tour, well May /June anyway, and to June 7th WHITBY, Oh No it's not, its actually the Whitby sports and Social Club just outside Ellesmere Port (Wirral Folk Festival) and although it is only 156 miles away from Whitby I thought it worth a mention.

Wolf Hall - that's The Bones of All Men I can hear, isn't it?

Yes - yes it was. I recognised it too, My Lady Careys Dompe, to be precise. For those who didn't see it, it wasn't the RT/PP version, though.

Ah - but has anyone ever seen Chris Leslie and Anton Lesser/Thomas More in the same room?

I knew he reminded me of someone  ;D

GAME OFF!!!


Sorry, don't know where to put this being a newb and all, but....

Is there any chance of FC returning to play North America....ever?

Again, most sincerest apologies.


GAME ON!!!

I imagine others on the board will be able to answer this question better than I could, but, if Fairport ever hits North America again, I'll be happy as a jaybird (or, perhaps, as a lark in the morning  ;) ).

I can't quote the exact source but I remember reading a few years ago, in an official publication, that they would not tour USA again. The distances, economics and transport costs were quoted as reasons.

I've a feeling it was a Cropredy programme in an interview with Simon.

Their last US tour didn't exactly go well.

article on bbc news http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hereford-worcester-31538490, about Frank Freeman's Dancing School in Kidderminster, has photos of a couple of fairporters

Interesting - apart from a mention and picture of Jude, there is the usual misspelling of Simon Nicol's surname. Also, if you scroll down there is a photo of the 'rock-folk band Eclectic' which, if I'm not mistaken is actually Eclection, early band of Trevor Lucas and Gerry Conway.

Frank Freeman and his wife were lovely people. They ran a ribbon bow contest when we played there. I had to choose the winner from the girls who were wearing ribbons in their hair, one of the hardest things I've ever done  ;D

I have recently found an old cassette tape, recorded from a radio 4 programme a few years back. It starts with Martin Driver talking about the band and the Cropredy festival. I have listened to it again today, the band members talk about their love of the festival, its ambience and the music. It also features David Hughes telling the tale of a fan who had died and wished to attend one more festival, so his ashes were put on the stage only to be 'mislaid'. The end of the radio programme talks about Chris and Dave Pegg's marriage split and leaves the cliffhanger of 'will there be another Cropredy?' The fan who appeared on 'Mastermind' as his specialist subject chats away and much more.

Does anyone else remember hearing this years ago? There maybe a few who would like to hear this, we may have to ask a 'teccy' to help unless it is available still online somewhere?  {:-)

 

I do indeed remember it. Is it that long ago?! About 11 years if it was Chris Pegg's last Cropredy!

I also remember a several-part Radio 2 history of Fairport narrated by Simon. Might still have the cassettes somewhere. That would have been 1997. Who knows where the time goes?

I well remember when that David Hughes left Colin's ashes on stage and they were almost taken off to Germany or somewhere by another band...

His surname escapes me for the minute, sorry.

David wrote a song about it called Where is Colin.

Lennox.. Colin Lennox!

I have a copy (slightly different version) of the programme. Email me if you'd like one, since it's no longer available anywhere online. I'm away at a funeral the next couple of days, but will sort when I return.

Thanks all. I can now safely consign the old cassette tape to the bin!  ;)

I think  I remember this. I didn't tape it, but did tape similar stuff like the McTell narrated History of English Folk Rock and the Sandy Denny Documentary. Both Radio 2 (I still run tapes in my trusty Nakamichi). If it's not too late, I can give a home to the tape.

It's not too late, its sitting here gathering dust and would love someone to have it, send me an IM and it shall be yours...  ;)

The Fairport site reports a rare Maart gig in this neck of t'woods:

23/03/2015    Salford    The Eagle Inn. M3 7DW    martingzzz@hotmail.co.uk 07760 430577

From Maart's Facebook feed: (there is a poster too but I can't resize it on my phone at work)

Next month I'll be playing my first solo gig for 35 years! The last one was in Lerwick in Shetland in 1980. Since then I've travelled the world and played to a LOT of people, with many great artists, but always as a sideman all this time. When I was a teenager in Middleton, I used to go to the Ring O'Bells Folk Club, which was run by me old chum Martin Gittins, and I guess it's where I did my apprenticeship.
Martin has now asked me to play a solo gig, and I thought, "Yes, why not? It's probably time..."
So I've decided that I shall play the first half acoustic, then the second half electric, with the aid of a laptop. It's a small but charming venue, limited to just 80 tickets, so if you fancy it, best get in quick.
8pm, Monday 23rd March, 2015 at The Eagle Inn, 19 Collier Street, Greengate, Salford, M3 7DW
Tickets are £6.50, available from Martin Gittins, either at martingzzz@hotmail.co.uk or on 07760 430 577

Anyone going to this tonight?

Loads - it's sold out!   8)

I meant from here....

I know  :) Anyone know how it went?

Yes.  All the people that were there.   ;D

Jules

touché!  ;D

A couple of bits of Fairport on Vintage TV last night, apparently. First piece starts about 12.20 in.

http://www.vintage.tv/catch-up/video/the-vintage-tv-sessions-13/

Nice version of Ledge!  Harmonies and fiddle solo are terrific.

Jules

Nice clip - mind you Mark Wynter isn't exactly the most clued up interviewer........

He had some facts at his fingertips....and then managed to fumble them all!

Jules

Great clips. Ditto Jules' comment on Ledge. Thought Myths and Heroes sounded brilliant too. Tight sound and Simon was clearly enjoying himself.

The radio station I'm involved with has a weekly chart, based on airplay of the previous week.  There are no playlists, everyone plays what they want within certain quotas.  Look who's at #12.  :)

http://www.threedradio.com/top21/2015-4-24/

But what number would it have been at if you weren't there, Michael?   ;)

Jules

An unanswerable question, methinks!

Swarb's flogging some signed Sandy stuff.... Me want.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/251988006834?ssPageName=STRK%3AMESELX%3AIT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

Swarb appears to be flogging off everything he has that is Faiport-related.  ???

He's either strapped, severing all ties with anything Fairport...or both.   :(

Jules

I think money has long been an issue for Swarb.  He missed out on Fairport's journey into financial security, of course.  

There are many comments around the '79 'break up' about them having made virtually no money at all at that point...

It's very sad that someone of Swarb's talent has not been able to make a good living from his music. When you think of the ridiculous money even minor pop celebs can make there is little justice when you compare ability that Swarb has. I really wish he could build some bridges with Fairport but I guess I'm not party to the personal stuff that has happened and it may take a really good mediator (RT?) to get them on the same page again.

As I understand it, the 1979 break up was the most financially lucrative move (the then) FC ever made.

Quite a bit of the stuff seems to be pre & post Fairport as well so I expect he is just having a bit of a clear out TBH.

Not a lot of items selling right now, see http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/ji.161/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from=

That's my take on it, too. I guess Swarb reckons there could be more ebay browsers likely to be searching on "fairport convention" than on "dave swarbrick"?

I still think it's a crying shame that he & the band haven't been reconciled, though.

Don't forget Richard played with Swarb only a few days after the Barbican show in 2009 at which the latter had been a rather stroppy no show...

I don't think Swarb and Richard have fallen out.  Not this time around at least.

Jules

I've never heard either say a bad thing about the other.

There was a period of time when seemingly every Fairport member played on Richard's albums except Swarb, and that always made me wonder if the relationship was one that Richard preferred to keep at arm's length.

Jules

I wondered the same when I saw the Cropredy 87 concert on TV. Both Swarb and RT were present but nothing was broadcast with the two of them playing together.

Maybe it was just a question of Swarb's availability for the Shoot Out The Lights and Hand of Kindness sessions? Or maybe RT didn't want the publicity and expectations which would surround a Full House line-up reunion his solo albums?

Or maybe he just didn't feel that a fiddle was needed on the music he was writing back then?

But Simon and the two other Daves would get the call regularly.  I always got the impression that Swarb was harder to hire as a sideman, that he'd be too difficult in some way.  Merely conjecture on my part.

Jules

Don't think that washes.  The Full House lineup played together at Cropredy many times in the 80's and 90's.

The other thing to remember is Swarb's hearing in the 80's.  He was always struggling on stage (in the early 80's at least) and that is one of the main reasons (or at least stated reasons) as to why he formed the acoustic Whippersnapper and left the mothership.....

I guess that's most likely!

I was thinking more of the 70s.

Jules

Not really - there's fiddle on quite a few of RT's albums in the 70's & early 80's.  Richard tended to mostly use Aly Bain on fiddle back then (Hokey Pokey, Jet Plane in a Rocking Chair (with Nic Jones as well), Devonside etc).

Adding to the thought process here is how Smiddyburn/Flittin' came about with the reunited Full House lineup? That would seem to be a case of Swarb making the call to all concerned.

Yes, I'd presume the call came from Swarb rather than from, say, Richard.

Jules

Sorry if it has been mentioned elsewhere and I have missed it but Roger Davies has announced he will be opening for Fairport Wintour 2016 .

Roger is a lovely man and a great songwriter from Yorkshire, we used one of his songs in our wedding and it will be great for him to get some more gigs http://rogerdaviesmusic.com/  ;D ;D

That is good news. I saw him a few years back supporting Johnathan Kelly, I think he'll be appreciated by the FC crowd.

That's the first I've heard, Zoe - Thanks

Los Lobos star David Hidalgo talks about his love of Richard Thompson and Fairport.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/worldfolkandjazz/11701842/David-Hidalgo-interview-I-was-inspired-by-Fairport-Convention.html

IIRC, Los Lobos played at RT's wedding. Good choice.  :)

And they've just passed through London...

Never a good sign when you get a mail from Fairport with a reminder about tickets.......with 4 weeks to go.

You recall correctly, and a splendid time was had by all..

I disagree, it has been common procedure the last few years. I seem to remember saying this last year as well-if it was a non-stop barrage of notices via email, Facebook and Twitter twice a day I might agree. Strikes me as just normal promotion. Could be a little slow but as has been discussed on here many times before, I suspect the organization has reached the minimum, now they can push for the maximum.

Looks like "Beyond The Ledge" is being reissued.  :)

http://www.propermusic.com/product-details/Fairport-Convention-Beyond-The-Ledge-Cropredy-98-DVD-201698

I was glad to have that when it first came out as I had packed up and gone home on the Saturday afternoon, feeling unwell. I always feel somewhat rueful when I wear my '98 T shirt but at least I got to see a large chunk of the Fairport set via the DVD.

I loves me some David Hidalgo (February 4, 2012, One World Theater, Austin, Texas):

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Still gets regularly viewed by me. Good song choices and that camera boom thing was good for a few chuckles.

 ???

Jules

Jules for the filming of the DVD they used one of those special light weight cameras on a special boom operated by some sort of remote that was able to swoop up and over parts of the crowd and the band on stage, or move right in front of the guys. There is one point in it where Ric saw it moving and looks directly at the camera whilst playing, and another time when Simon and Peggy were making funny faces at it. Fairport makes mention of it on the back of the DVD as I gather it was probably not cheap at the time. If that helps explain my comment.

Perfectly.  Thanks!

Jules

 ;D

1998.
Those look like my photos. I didn't realise I was doing them that early.

THere's at leastr one of mine used too - they sent me a copy of the DVD as a thank you....

Good old Rick, eh?  Sigh...........

Does he play Spanish guitar on their homage to Barcelona "John Gaudi"?

The k is silent.  ;)

The plug for FC's 2016 Wintour date in Worthing  : "This quintessential English folk-rock band gain a new lease of life..."

A new lease of life, eh ? Wonder what that could be ?  ;)

http://worthingtheatres.co.uk/events-by-date/february/name,134759,en.asp?utm_source=Worthing+Theatres+e-shots&utm_campaign=1163d3db34-Now+on+sale+june_2014&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_8975331cc4-1163d3db34-93901133

The title of their next album? :-)

No. The full quote is "This quintessential English folk-rock band gain a new lease of life and a new portfolio of great songs and tunes as every year passes them by. Delivered with supremely professional musicianship yet liberally dosed with humour and anecdotes, their concerts are as much about having a huge party with friends as dipping into their rich musical archives".

So, just marketing.

Perhaps they are trying to beat "Sir B. McKenzie's Daughter's Lament for the 77th Mounted Lancers Retreat from the Straits of Loch Knombe, in the Year of Our Lord 1727, on the Occasion of the Announcement of Her Marriage to the Laird of Kinleakie"
Just saying ;)

Unexpected mention of Fairport on "The Wright Stuff"

In a discussion about Jeremy Corbyn, one of the panelists (Murray Lachlan Young) stated that Corbyn seems a very nice man and looks like he shouLd be in Fairport Convention!

Well, if he doesn't get voted in as leader....   8)

Well Chris Leslie is already a politician, and the rest of the M.P's seem to be on the fiddle....

Local to us.. Made me laugh when I first found out!

Well Jeremy does have a passing resemblance to Richard Thompson.... ;D



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Today is the 36th anniversary of Fairport playing their "farewell" gig at Cropredy.

But apparently Chris Leslie doesn't like him http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-33756608, so if Corbyn joins FC, Chris Leslie will be on the way out?

Ah yes - I remember it well - an evening of Theakstons bitter - then kipping in the car in what I thought was a layby, but turned out (in the cold light of dawn) to be the entrance to a water treatment plant. Nice.

 :)


I didn't drive in those days & my driver had to get home & couldn't drink. I definitely got the best of the deal. The Old Peculier was particularly nice that day.  :)

The programme is my official Cropredy teeshirt now. Four of hitched down from Blackpool pitched two tents near the edge of the field. Halfway through the day there was a big rumpus, as a tree had fallen down on one of our tents. There was a pair of wellies sticking out from the zip-up of the tent. But luckily everyone breathed a sigh of relief when they realised there was no-one attached to them. IIRC there was a tanker of Marston's Pedigree as well.

Fine music, Martston's Pedigree, youthful exuberance and a bit of high tension - who could want more?

Swarb's sale of the family silver continues... http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/-/252050704595?ul_ref=http%253A%252F%252Fr.ebay.com%252Fec48dg%253Fsrcrot%253D710-127635-2958-0%2526rvr_id%253D880961552699

Pretty sure it wouldn't fit me.   ;D

Maybe his belt though:-
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/fairport-convention-interest-swarbs-stage-clothes/252050656872?_trksid=p2047675.c100009.m1982&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20140328180637%26meid%3D820c47235abc4095a68440bb06740e71%26pid%3D100009%26rk%3D4%26rkt%3D10%26sd%3D252050704595

Jules

Arf, Mrs Q almost did a shirt swap with Swarb for this at Cropredy around 1980. Alas, negotiations broke down at an early stage.  :)

There is an article about Jerry Donahue, and Fotheringay in the month's Guitar and Bass magazine.

Paul

Two weeks after Fairport's Cropredy festival there is another Fairport music festival:

http://www.fairportmusicfestival.com

I have just noticed this in the Radio Times, for the insomniacs amongst us:

Sunday morning @ 3am

"Bob Harris

With a live set by folk-rock giants Fairport Convention, who discuss their 2015 album Myths & Heroes."

3am! Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

That's a recorded live set I presume!

Listen again! I find I listen to very few progs as they're broadcast but listen to a bunch of folk progs from around the country on line, on catch up during the week.

Found this on the Fairport website:

http://ashleyhutchings.com

It seems even Bod Dylan has heard about Fairport.

I'd be more surprised if he hadn't!

Yeah, that Bod Dylan knows what's going down.

Bob Dylan, on the other hand, needs a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.   ;D

Jules

Does everyone know the fantastic story about Bob Dylan calling round to Dave Stewart's house (or so he thought)?

Bod Dylan :-[

The only excuse I have is that is was written about 7 in the morning when I was waiting for my wife to get ready so that we could take a two hour train journey to the east of our country to go cycling there.

No... do tell...

http://theglamourcave.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/bob-dylan-in-crouch-end.html

Jules

Thanks, Jules!

Yes.

Well, they do now. Sorry for not answering the query myself ... been rather out of circulation.

In situations like these, I miss a "like"- button!  ;)
Great story, true or not. The story has taken on a life of its own. :D
Thanks.

Finally getting around to checking Ashley's site out. First I think it looks great, I love the overall look and feel of it but in the biography I had a question about something and was wondering if anyone perhaps knew-

"It is 1989 and the Albions are delivered to a South Atlantic mountaintop by a Chinook." Knowing that Ashley has been a reluctant flyer, where did they go? Falklands?

Had to look this up : according to Always Chasing Rainbows, the Brian Hinton & Geoff Wall biography, The Albion Band (at the time Ashley Hutchings, Phil Beer, Simon Care, John Shepherd and Trevor Foster) did a short tour of The Falklands and the Ascension Islands, however this took place in July 1990, not 1989. There's even a picture of the guys in the Chinook en route to a gig !

According to the biography's tour dates, Ashley was nowhere near the South Atlantic in 1989 - a proof reading error on the website perhaps ?

Thanks for that Dan, appreciate it! Now that is an interesting couple of places to have played some shows for sure!

Many items of interest to me in the new issue of Mojo that has just plopped through my letter box including, so the front cover trails, Fairport Convention.

You will have to turn to the back page to find the article, an account of how Iain Matthews came to join and then leave tha band, in his own words.

What a coincidence, yesterday I found this interview, do not know if it is the same:

http://www.richieunterberger.com/matthews.html

Richie does write for MOJO, so it may be?

Mojo article 'is as told to Mike Barnes'

Simon Nicol is labelled as Dave Pegg in the main photo!

So probably different. Wonder how alike they are?

Knew i'd read the words Jefferson Airplane somewhere!😮

Stop being such a wind-up merchant, Hendo!

Jules

Absolutely seriously, with Judy I would never dream of winding her up. I like her and respect her far too much.

Hmm, that makes me wonder why it's OK for you to wind me up then!   ;)

Jules

Fish and barrell.

Does Ian in the Mojo interview also tell of the rather tactless/hurtful remark by Ashley Hutchings?

Remind me.

Jules

"As it was, Joe (yeah, again) wanted to move on to phase 3 quickly and sentiments had no place in his plan. I was asked to leave and dumped on the same day. Presuming that he meant soon, I got in van to go to the show, Ashley turned to me and said ,"Where do you think you're going." Sandy bless her, turned to him and said, "You heartless bastard." I got out and away they sped."

Yeah, that's pretty shitty behaviour.

Jules

That's hilarious.

Interesting in the circumstances that Iain turned up for the Joe Boyd curated "1969" show at the Barbican a few years back. Given his treatment you would think he would have as much or more right to hold a grudge against Mr Boyd than a certain other ex band member who did not turn up.

On the other hand, he got a number 1 record out of it which nobody else in this sorry story can claim.

No there is no mention of anything said by Ashley Hutchings.
Iain seems quite philosophical about it all.

I was rather surprsed when I read what Ashley Hutchings had said and also by the acceptance of the other bandmembers of what (apparently) Joe Boyd had decided for them.

Maybe I am too naive, here I was thinking that there would be a band meeting to decide what direction the band would take and everybody would have a chance to say what he thought about it and  could then decide what he or she would do.

Maybe having a number one hit was a very sweet unexpected revenge.

When teenagers make decisions it seldom works out for someone, I think this is all so far in the past nobody cares anymore apart from those who have not managed to grow up.

 ;D ;D

Ronsld, if u haven't already, Joe Boyds book White Bicycles, is a really good read on his working relationship with bands in the late 60's.
He ran UFO and was seen as a hippy but he became a businessman out to make a few bob.

"I gave employment to several of the Fairport people".  ::)

That's exactly what happens. You all get together without the party you're considering booting out, and then tell them it was the manager's idea. See also Pete Best, Mick Jones, and my mate Paul.

Or you don't even blame the manager, you give them the old "either they leave or I go" line.  See Lou Reed when wanting John Cale out of the Velvets.

Jules

Iain was heavily featured at that show, and his duet with Kelly While on "I'll Keep It With Mine" was transcendent.  He was pure class throughout.

Fairport's official site is all poshed up, isn't It ?

It is rather different, and easier to navigate on a touchscreen.

It's not updated yet for me, still loads the 'We are just doing some work on our website' message.

Probably the mobile version is there but the rest isn't, yet.

It was there until about 09:45.
Since then just a holding page.
I suspect they didn't mean to let it go live just yet.

It is up now, albeit with missing sections that will be filled in shortly. Looks great, and I especially love the YouTube channel

It was and still is working for me on my desktop, I don't do the net on my mobile. (I don't even take selfies, text or make calls on my mobile - I use it as an alarm clock. :) )

Ah, a modern man I can relate to!   ;D

Jules

I'd love to have the ability to be able to set the alarm.

What do we want ? LUDDITE SOLIDARITY !
When do want it ? TWO HUNDRED YEARS AGO !

Haven't FC normally announced some acts for next year's Cropredy by now, in a bid to game some pre Xmas sales?

*gain some

Beginning of December I thought typically though it might vary from year to year depending on contracts.

I was thinking the same today myself. I like to sort my tickets early so I have plenty of time to lose them....  ::)

repeat after me Bridg ;) Clock ? Mirror? Notice Board ? Knicker Drawer? That Drawer?  :o ::)

Never again Dave - I have made provisions (Mike looks after them) :)

Some fairly strong hints a couple of months ago that Gryphon might be asked....but, in all honesty,they are unlikely to pull in huge crowds.

Let's face it, 2016 is unlikely to be a vintage year with all the friends and associated acts turning up for the 2017 extravaganza (a phrase bandied about last August by someone who should know).

As always, we shall shuffle along for the craic.

And what great craic it always is!

I first mentioned this in the Radio Times section before the event, but now it is more appropriate afterwards here...

I had my 30th anniversary radio show last night.  It went very well - lots of local acts coming in for some live to air music, and also some pre-recorded messages from elsewhere.

Including a song especially written for the occasion by Ken Nicol.  :)  And... a new instrumental gifted to the show by Mr Maartin Allcock!  "Nonesuch Electronica" is the name and the description.  There's only one place you can hear it, on the show's blog:

https://rootsandbranchesaustralia.wordpress.com/live-to-air/30th-anniversary-part-1-2015/

 NB a nice quote from Swarb too!  ;D

Congratulations from me to one of Fairport's original newscasters....

Back in the days pre-internet, info was hard to come by!

... and 'cut and paste' meant literally just that.  :)  cheers

Excellent work, Michael, here's to many more years!

ps - good to hear the "Nonesuch" tune - I used to have a Pyewackett album with that on.

Driving home after a duathlon at Bedford autodrome yesterday, I "just happened" to stop to take a photo of a certain field...



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A dark and stormy day.

I see the 2016 Cropredy tickets go sale tonight and the first line up announcements are due today as well. I suppose it'll soon be time for us all to indulge in the usual 'yay' 'boo' discussion regarding bands who are/aren't on the list..... [;-)

http://www.fairportconvention.com/

Announcement due at 8pm tonight. Not sure how many bands will be announced, though as I'm at a gig won't find out until later.

Snap!  Though I suppose I could ask Simon Nicol...   :)

"yay" "boo" - they've been announced!

^ Ah, now that's news. When's the album? 8)

GRYPHON!!

Yaaayyyyyy

Tickets ordered! I've missed Steeleye on their recent tours so I'm looking forward to that.

Lovely to see a familiar face smiling out at me from page 9 of the new issue of Mojo that has just dropped onto my doormat.  :)

I'd forgotten about that!!  ;D

Love your reply to "Which musician, other than yourself, have you ever wished to be"!

 :D ;D

It's just been pointed out to me that today would have been Sandy's 69th Birthday.

David, have a look at my fb page.

I just found this out this morning, on facebook.

I think - sadly - that's when you realise online forums like this are relics of the past.  Social Media is where it's at... Not saying I like that, but I do think it's true.

Dinosaurs, we are.  All of us... ;D

... somebody is digging our bones!  ;)

I think this one is a lot healthier than several I've took part in over the years.  I feel that it very much still has legs.

Jules

- although I do get messages from the Fb pages, this is so much more user-friendly, and I don't get bombarded with so much rubbish stuff.
I also feel that Fb is always trying to point me in directions I don't want to take, whereas here I can easily search back through comments I want to re-visit.

Are you absolutely sure?   ;) :) :D

 ;) Absolutely!
Please don't leave me here by myself...

The implant in the back of my neck tells me when I have a f/book or t/awhile message which I can read on my visual cortex implant.

Post of the day  :D !

Nobody posted on t/awhile after 7pm, today , thurs!

Real time inter-personal activity (accompanied by liquid refreshment) - in my case morris practice.

Yep, I was out at an open mic. Life eh?

I was cooking, doing the laundry, loading the dishwasher, changing a lightbulb, working on some music files, and taking delivery of my new guitar amp.

 :D

Jules

Ooh, is there a picture of "new guitar amp" to go in the new guitar thread ?  :)

(We'll get back on topic soon, honest !  ;) )

I can do that for you, Dan.

Jules

A man who can multitask... I must marry you immediately  {:-)

I may have given a false impression here.  I only did the cooking and the light bulb changing at the same time.  Everything else was sequential and ordered (though not alphabetically).   ;)

Besides, Bridge, think of the terrible political rows we'd have!   :o

Jules

My wife can multitask. She can forget where her phone is, forget where her keys are, forget where her coat is, and forget the names of our sons all at the same time.

I agree. Though I use facebook now because a couple of friends are on there a lot, I prefer my forums because there's less dross to screen out : after all, music is my main interest.  

The politics I can cope with, but not dealing with tasks alphabetically?   :o Tsk. It's off!  >:(

Awww!
Bridge!
Crying.
Depressed.
Everything's
Fecked.
Gutted.
Hurt.
Inconsolable.
Jilted.
Knifed.
Low.
Miserable.
Nauseous.
Oh!
Pity!
Questioning
Reality.
So
Twisted
Up.
Vulnerable
Wreck.
X-rated
Yowling.
Zonked.

It's very early in the season but this could be post of the year!

*bows*

And now it is time to stop please  O0

Sorry Dad  :-[

But I did like Jules's post  ;D ;D

From Swarb on Facebook.  Great venue in a great town...

"Tomorrow the 16th of January. There is a benefit concert for the refugees at the tabernacle at Machynlleth. I only gig now and then and haven't played in public since Octobe Last, But I wI'll be playing a set for this worthy event. " (sic)

You can always rely on Swarb.

RT appeared at Joan Baez's 75th birthday bash

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/joan-baez-shines-at-all-star-75th-birthday-show-20160128?page=2


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And another one. That's a trio I'd like to see.  :)

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Thanks for those, Ian!

Jules

David Crosby! I want to hug him  :-*

Many women have done so...   ;)

Jules

Often at the same time.  :o

I'd never have seen Crosby as a babe magnet.  Hope for us all, then!  ;)

[Orders a truckload of pies and starts to grow a walrus 'tache]

He used to have to fight them off with a shitty stick, Paul.

Jules

Reading some of the tweets by his admirers, I think that even now he may need that shitty stick occasionally! Lucky ol' Croz I say.

Again, for the curious, I'd say that Graham Nash's autobiography has quite a lot of detail in this area.

You've sold me!   ;D

Jules

However it's quite a difficult read to get through the self-congratulatory tone. Interesting all the same.

It seems he has a lot to be self-congratulatory about. The sections about Croz are interesting.

I have Nash's book and enjoyed it but more balance can be gained from , the biog, 'Crosby, Stills and Nash' by Dave Zimmer. Also on my bookshelf.

The St David's Hall, Cardiff (where Fairport are playing tomorrow night) stuck an ad on facebook about the concert and one of the comments underneath was from someone who didn't know Sandy Denny was dead.

Obviously a casual fan.........

It happens. A few years ago, Matt Pegg was manning the merch stall, and he told me that someone had come up to him during the interval the previous night and complained that the band they were watching "..can't be Fairport Convention, where's Trevor and Sandy ?"

Apparently, when Sandy's big box set was released a couple of years back, an inexperienced journalist contacted Island Records to enquire if she was available for interviews !

Slightly off topic Dan but Stewart Maconie once wrote a review of Jefferson Airplane gig and said how good Grace Slick was. She had left the band 2 yrs earlier. He had stayed drinking in a bar nr the venue and hadn't bothered going to the gig.

He's twinkly, naughty and has heeps of charisma  :-*

On facebook, Boo Hewerdine is asking who is producing the new Fairport album. A serious question, he says. Anyone know?

Pardon the obvious, but why doesn't he ask Simon or Peggy?

Some years ago the Fairports played a gig in Frankfurt and I worked at the merch stall. This guy showed up and said: "I am a big Fairport fan, but I didn´t see them for a while. Is Sandy Denny still with the band?"
I answered: "Prepare yourself for a shock: She died 20 years ago." The guy started to cry   :-\

Off to a meeting in Muswell Hill this afternoon.  I wonder if I will have time to make the pilgrimage to the Fairport house.  Looks like it is only a 5-10 min walk away.

I think there's a pub with a Kinks bar nearby too.....Oooh I've just realised that could be interpreted somewhat differently!!!!!

Cheers,

Slippy
 ::)

The Archway Tavern?  It's where the front cover photo for Muswell Hillbillies was taken.

Jules

It's the Clissold Arms ... http://clissoldarms.co.uk/index.html

A bit more upmarket than than when The Kinks were setting out.

Spotted on the BBC red button news service yesterday - another FC/Eric Morecambe link (to add to the Roses, Tewkesbury - Eric's final appearance and FC's Wintour opener).

In 1968, Eric bought a Jensen Interceptor, which he rarely drove & kept in its garage; years later, it was sold on, and the current owner is putting it up for sale... having had it reconditioned/refurbished by Jensen specialists - Cropredy Bridge Motors. £150k apparently, if anyone's feeling flush. £"You can't see the join"... ;)

Well, I made my pilgrimage (though no time to pay homage at the Kinks bar as well!), and can now say I have seen the cradle of our favourite band!

Bit cheeky having the Muswell Hillbillies sign up there in the wrong pub!

Jules

But is the other one still standing  Or is it still apub?

Cheers,

Slippy
 8)

It's still standing but not sure how much of a going concern it is.

Yes on both counts.

Jules

"Liege & Lief" tee shirts, anyone? I'll say no more.  :)


https://www.burningshed.com/store/rockpots/multiproduct/449/5926/

THIRTY QUID???!!!

For shipping in TWO MONTHS time?!!

Simpn Hart strikes again!

I'm glad I'm not  a 'band t-shirt' person if this is how much they are. Nice design, mind.

They're being sold on the 'Sandy Denny and Friends' Facebook page I notice.  
I presume that they aren't for sale on FC's Facebook page?!

Is he the fellow that used to run Terrapin Trucking?

Terrapin Trucking! Crikey, that takes me back!

And Road Goes on Forever.

The very same.

Thanks.

He used to offer splendid bargains on music & (imported Garcia / Dead) tee shirts. Now bolstering the pension fund, I suppose.

FC are the main attraction on the first day of the St Ives festival in September. Guess where we will be on holiday! Tickets booked.

Sandy is being inducted into the Hall of Fame at tomorrow's BBC Folk Awards, according to FC's Facebook page

There is a liege and life T on sale on f book for under £10

I bought a Liege & Lief t-shirt for under a tenner once.  It's shite.

Jules

It didn't feel right plugging this in the RIP post so I'll put it here.

Here's my previously unpublished interview with Dave Swarbrick in March 2007.  Topics include his illness and donor cards /  Alistair Hulett and politics in music / the BBC folk awards / touring Australia and much more.  It also has a link to some audio from his Adelaide gig with Alistair.  

https://rootsandbranchesaustralia.wordpress.com/interviews/dave-swarbrick-2007/

Thanks Michael. That's the Swarb I loved - feisty!

I just got one. I agree.

Paul

Here's a lengthy RT/FC and friends discography/critique which I hadn't seen before and which might interest those of a disposition which enjoys both idling away a lunch break and/or taking the author to task...
See if you can identify the albums from these snippets before you check the answers. [;-)

Includes some competent but not terribly exciting performances.

Finally, Fairport cuts a record that dispenses with gushy lyrics and ponderous vocals.

A deadly dull New Age folk rock record co-produced by Mattacks and Nicol.  

A reunion record that somehow manages to be both less experimental and less entertaining than their first effort.

A record so brilliant I can't even explain it.

It's a huge letdown.

http://warr.org/thompson.html

2.5 stars for 'guitar, vocal'?  Sorry, I'm not wasting time on this....  ;D

He probably knocked a couple of stars off for the "...three exhaustingly long-winded tracks".  ;D

'A deadly dull New Age folk rock record co-produced by Mattacks and Nicol.'

This was the only one I got right...

"We listen to the lousy records so you won't have to" indeed....

Wow! There is so much to disagree with there , it is overwhelming to know where to start.

Even on the records he likes he rubbishes most of the best songs (Withered & Died, A Heart Needs A Home).

Maybe it was his "well considered and perfectly acceptable reflection" eh?