So how did YOU get into Fairport?

[Steve J W]

Amazing the number of people who got into Fairport because of "Sloth" - still don't understand the song or the title though 

What do you think was the best "Sloth" - recorded and live?

[johnallen]

It was the summer of '97. My wife had traveled East to visit her Dad for a few days and I was at home on a Saturday evening wondering what to do. The newspaper read -"Fairport Convention-Aladdin Theater-Portland, Oregon-USA- Tonight". I had heard of this band but had never listened to any of their music or knew anything about them. So I went alone. Take a chance. Four guys walked out with fiddles, guitars and chairs. They told stories, joked, and played a style of music I had never heard before. What I noticed mostly about this band was that they really seemed to enjoy what they were doing. I ran out and purchased "Who Knows Where the Time Goes". Since, I have accumulated twelve FC CD's. We went to our first Cropredy Festival in '01 and had the good fortune to camp next to and meet Nick. We haven't missed a festival since.

johnallen

[Paul JM UK]

Already posted on here, but been having a think about it. 

In addition to the reasons I have given already, I think that Fairport was in the blood a lot earlier.  Was telling my mother about Cropredy and in particular Morris On / Hutch and all that.  She is no music freak but she did remind me that my very first 45 single I bought as a child of about 6, with my pocket money, was All Around My Hat by Steeleye Span.  That obviously set my wiring for the next 25 years!

In addition, strangely, good mate of mine at College, who was from Carlisle, was good family friends with Maddy Prior.  In fact his father, who is a Doctor, delivered one of her babies.

[capers]

johanna/ulla said her Biology teacher got her into it.  Strangely, so did mine.  Well, this was a few years after I'd left school, and I was already doing Morris - so he suggested that I ought to see them.  Went along to Guildford & thoroughly enjoyed them (this was before Chris Leslie).

Mark

[bcfc dave]

I can't remember why but I bought my Brother the "History of Fairport Convention" in the mid 70's and naturally recorded it to a dodgy old reel to reel machine before handing it over. I loved it, so gradually bought the albums, most second hand from a very early Virgin shop in the haymarket, Bristol. - (also bought Blodwyn Pig, T.Rex albums second hand and have still got 'em, they used to stamp them as 2nd hand too, presumably so you couldn't tape them and re-sell.) The reel to reel of "History" has long since disapppeared as has the machine but I remember it was a good compilation.
I then saw FC live in 1973/74/erm...76/77/78/79 - loads anyway...wherever was within striking distance. I loved the Rowland/Swarb/Nicol/Pegg line-up, they always had a great time and they were fantastic gigs. A memorable one was at Dudley where the management turned the lights on at the end of the evening (presumably had over-run) but the band still did a hatful of encores.
I was also into the punk scene of the late 70's but still went along to FC gigs (also Rory Gallagher/Bad Company/Led Zep/Clapton etc), I could never dismiss any good music at that time (or now) despite derision from my mates!
Apart from a period in the 80's when I lost touch a bit (Didn't even realise Cropredy was going 'till '89! astoundingly amazing, I know! and what a shame!!!- I've attended every year for the last ten years from when my daughter was 5 -  that's since '95)
Thank you Fairport Convention - all members past and present - for some wonderful music/memories and here's to loads more!

[mikemush]

  As a wee small boy I used to hear a lot of Incredible String Band due to one of my sisters,and I suppose that planted the seed....
  Veered more towards Zep and Sabbath in teenage years,although went with a couple of school mates to see Steeleye at Hammersmith Odeon(I think) in about'76,but didn't encounter Fairport until starting college in '79.....new town,new friends,new music 
   One mate was a Fairport freak (and is these days a damn good brewer!! )and Nine quickly became a favourite album.....along with the Incred's which I'd since bought myself.Dave and I first went to Cropredy in...er...was it '80 or '81? Camping by the railway bridge.Been going since......missed about 5 over the years,I suppose,although the Eighties in general are a bit of a blur......... 
   My daughters have been going since birth and these days are persuading their friends along too.At the V festival last year,on the second day I overheard one say to the other "not as good as Cropredy so far,is it?" to immediate agreement 
   All being well,we'll all still be going when I'm in my blurry eighties   
Better stop there........Fairport on the radio in a few mins!   
 Cheers,
Mike

[Keith]

Can't believe I haven't posted in this thread yet, it's been going for 5 months...

My folks came back from the Farewell, Farewell festival in 1979, but I don't even remember them going. They showed me the programme, but I wasn't really interested.

In the mid-80s I was exploring their album collection and noticed lots of FC albums along with lots of Steeleye Span. Listened to a few of them and made a compilation tape, which was mainly Babbacombe Lee and Gladys' Leap. Didn't really like the earlier stuff.

Then Red and Gold came out, which at the time was wonderful to me (some of it still is). I then bought Expletive and went off to Uni.

In December last year, after about 12 years of everything except Fairport (despite my folks lending me various new CDs) I decided to go to Cropredy, came across Talkawhile, and started to really listen to FC. Copied lots of the aforementioned LPs onto the computer, and learnt to love much of the older stuff (but still no time for most of the Dylan covers).

Now going to see Phil Beer, Fairport Acoustic, Show of Hands and David Hughes up to the end of November, despite having hardly any spare time. I think it's the eco-warrior in me that makes folk so attractive; real music for real people (or something like that).

[Paul]

Hey Mikemush, which Hammersmith Odeon concert did you see Steeleye at? The one where they dropped fivers from the ceiling? I was at the one after that. No fivers though

Paul

[mikemush]

Hi Paul
   I don't remember any fivers,but there was a bit of Ian Dury style "Oi Oi" calling bouncing round the place between songs..........never did know why,though 

[Barzaz]

After a seventies-full of prog and heavy rock I had been dabbling on the Celtic fringes (with the likes of Planxty and Alan Stivell) in search of something I could really call my own. Working one summer in Jersey I was lent a cassette version of an album called Liege and Lief, and gave it the premier-with-volume-up on the walkman as I ambled one sunny afternoon around St. Helier. I still dip my toe in the celtic fringes - Silly Wizard, Tri Yann, Dan Ar Bras etc - but once I had been "Tam-linned" in the Channel Islands and especially once I'd been to my first Cropredy (1986) there was only one band in it, and has been ever since.

[SteveK]

I "discovered" Fairport just a few years ago.

For many years, my brothers interest in Ralph McTell's music had rubbed off on me. For him, it was what he could play, for me it was the songs and lyrics (I don't play - at least not any reasonable definition of the word - Quite a literal case of "the right hand not knowing what the left hands doing" unfortunately!).

A few years ago, my exploration of other folk music bought me across the recent incarnations of Fairport. Immediately I was hooked - on the likes of "Close to the Wind" and "The Wood and the Wire"

The "through the ages" approach of the 30th Anniversary box set gave me a deeper insight into the bands history. Whilst my favorite Fairport lineups are the more recent ones, I can't help feeling that I really missed out by not paying attention in the Swarb era.

SteveK

[Delfini (Diane)]

When I went off to college in (cough) 1975, I was already drifting away from the mainstreamchart music etc and met friends who had already been listening to/seen Fairport.....I heard Rosie and Rising for the Moon.........and then went to see them - first live gig ever - at DeMontfort Hall in Leicester in the autumn of '75...........

[Leila]

My dad introduced me to FC, he dragged me and my brother off to Cropredy one year, can't remember why. But I remember not wanting to leave every time I've been since, and I think this was the year that got me truly hooked. I kind of got interested in one of the people in the party I was with, and FC music brought back memories of Cropredy, so.. it just went from there, really. I've been going since I was about 10 though. Now I'm 15 and can't wait for the next..
Currently addicted to The Youngest Daughter, Dangerous, The Golden Glove, Walk Awhile.. and so on.

Leila

[KeithP]

When I bought my first Fairport album (and in my opinion, still the best, even though some others have come close): 'What We Did On Our Holidays' (2nd: Liege and Lief, 3rd: Gladys' Leap')
Lots and lots of concerts and several Cropredy's later and I'm still here - so they must be doing something right!

KeithP

[jude]

Usually I used to ring the doorbell...................................................................................hee hee hee

I've been longing to say that

 

Jude

[Tasha]

nice one jude! 

[YaBB Master (Colin)]

I've been waiting for Simon to say something along the lines of - It was his ball. 

[jude]

Nah. Simon had a key!

JUde

[Tasha]

Key of " D" perhaps as all good folkies should know!!!!

[Marcus]

Saw them back in the 80's opening for Tull, thought they were awesome then.  Then my band opened up for them in Cleveland
in sept. completely blown away by the set and now I cannot get enough of them.
www.cuyuga.net