Trevor Lucas era - overlooked or over-rated

[Pat Helms]

While I'd have a hard time living without the Sandy albums and Full House, Nine is my favorite! 

Concerning Trevor tracks, nobody has mentioned, Possibly Parson Green.  To me, that's the coolest rocker of the whole album.  I like to play it for folks to let them hear those incredible time changes.....GAWD - they were a hot line up!

Nine is a clever and inventive album.  The heavenly ending of To Althea From Prison......you just can't get those kind of embellishments from a group unless their creative juices are flowing at maximum!

I'm also glad that the thread has given me the opportunity to comment on Trevor's string arrangements on the Sandy solo albums.  While I prefer the demos and unaccompanied broadcasts which chronicles that material, I've grown to appreciate Trevor's approach to the strings.  For the most part, they are tastefully done and lack the pretentious 'cheeze' factor that has destroyed so many fine compositions by other artists.

[Barry]

I don't know whether this come back to "this was the line-up that I first heard", but I love the Trevor era.  When I first saw (indeed, first heard) the band, Sandy had just rejoined and "Live Convention" just released.  As recorded on numerous occasions, I hated it!  It was very loud and I knew none of the music.  Then I had time to get used to "Nine", "Live Convention" and, subsequently, "Rising for The Moon" (still one of my all time favourites) and fell in love with the band.  Next time I saw them (Drury Lane on the "Rising" tour) I loved every second.

Trevor was, for me, a fine writer with a fine voice.  On the rare occasions that I pick up a giuitar to accompany myself, "The Plainsman" from "Rosie" is one that I sing.

And talking of "Rosie" - am I the only one who rates "Furs and Feathers"?

[Staffan]

And talking of "Rosie" - am I the only one who rates "Furs and Feathers"?

Definitely with you there, Barry. I find "Rosie"better than its rumour.
Talking of Trevor, I think he -to my mind - suited The Fairport mode more than Fotheringay ditto. In Fairport his songs and singing  helped to bring the albums to a collective high level, while his singing and songs in Fotheringay seemed out of place to me. Fotheringay was Sandy´s project and Trevor´s songs and singing didn´t seem to "fit" in that band.
Staffan

[davidmjs]

And talking of "Rosie" - am I the only one who rates "Furs and Feathers"?

Definitely with you there, Barry. I find "Rosie"better than its rumour.
Talking of Trevor, I think he -to my mind - suited The Fairport mode more than Fotheringay ditto. In Fairport his songs and singing  helped to bring the albums to a collective high level, while his singing and songs in Fotheringay seemed out of place to me. Fotheringay was Sandy´s project and Trevor´s songs and singing didn´t seem to "fit" in that band.
Staffan

Ummmm...a MAJOR disagreement with you about Fotheringay there....!

I actually prefer Trevor's stuff on there to Sandy's....and to me it's always sounded like a Trevor Lucas album with Sandy Denny vocals on it.  Strange how we all interpret the same thing in a very different way isn't it...

As I've just been admitting to someone offlist, I've completely revised my opinion of Rosie in about a week....having not listened to it for about 10 years.  I actually think there are a good 5 or 6 really strong songs on there...it's the production (sorry Trevor) that seems to be amiss...nowhere more so than on the title track...which is pretty high up in the Production hall of shame I'm afraid...

[Staffan]

As the years go by I more and more enjoy musical differences  .  It makes me see new things in music I´m very familiar to   .
Over the years I´ve come to rate Side 1 of the "Rosie" LP as one of my Fairport favourites.A couple of my favourite Trevor tracks and my favourite Peggy instrumental. I never saw the "Rosie" line-up live (only the Sandy-has-returned version) but the live tracks on the remastered CD the other year also suggests a very good live line-up.
Staffan

[James R Turner]

I've got the remastered set of Rosie,Nine, Live & Rising for the Moon, and I think that they represent a great era in the bands line up, from the strong material on Rosie, to the whole of Nine, and even material like One More Chance, Restless, Iron Lion, this is an era of Fairport ripe for rediscovery. As for Bring Em Down, the 16 minute plus live version on Before the Moon is stunning,with Trev's wonderful voice, mingling with Strawb and Sandy to create a great sound, DM and Peggy holding it all together like the powerhouse section they always were, and as for Jerry, wow. This is probably that era's definative track, and should be in every Fairport Fans top 10 track list. Would love to hear them resurrect this one for next years Croppers, with Simon on vocals, think he'd more than rise to the occasion (or indeed for the moon....groan!!)

[Nick the Stick]

I first heard Furs and Feather's on DM's Attic Tracks Cassette, which I bought in 1981 at the Broughton Castle Festival. Before then I knew only Babbacombe Lee.
I think it's a fantastic song, esp Swarb's vocals. Funilly enough, I've never heard thec studio version, so can't comment.
And it's always reminded me, vocally, of 'Something Got Me Started', by Simply Red.
No?
Just me then.

[Barry]

I first heard Furs and Feather's on DM's Attic Tracks Cassette,

Me too! 

can't comment on the Simply Red track as I haven't heard it.

[Jim]

And it's always reminded me, vocally, of 'Something Got Me Started', by Simply Red.
No?
Just me then.

i have heard it and cant figure out what on earth you mean
it is probably just you then

[Edthefolkie]

I too think Heylin's Sandy biog was unfair to Trev. So he was a bit of a larrikin  - well he was an Aussie wasn't he?

Anyway I treasure the memory (such as it is) of a totally legless four way conversation involving Trev, Peggy, my mate Roger and me at the Half Moon circa 1974. In memoriam, Young's Brewery......