Possibly opening a can of worms?

[David W]

Haven't listened to Gottle in ages but never really liked it, I thought the production was pretty awful and< heresy alert, a bit too much of Swarb singing for my liking. One of FC's strong points up till then was the multi vocalist aproach IMHO.

I agree that XXXV isnt one of the best, and I really loathe Madeleine as an opener,  but I do have a fondness for much ofWood and the Wire, but although I like many of the songs there is something about listening to it as a complete album that doesn't quite hang together.

Do folks think it an issue that an everage pre-CD album would be about 8 or 9 tracks whereas in the CD are we're looking at maybe 12 or 14. With a bit of pruning would XXXV or WatW have been better with only 8 or 9 of the best songs on them.

Jackdaw

[Bridgwit (Bridget)]

Cheers for the link, Mix!
Sorry, I had no idea In Real Time wasn't live. It's even got a picture of them performing on the front. Feel a bit cheated now. 

Blimey, it'll be lip-sync-ing at Cropredy next ....

... and I agree with jackdaw67 - many CDs these days just contain filler tracks that don't add any quality to your listening. Still, if you're downloading to an MP3 you can at least delete them off (that's what I do, anyway). I bought a copy of Ziggy Stardust with "bonus tracks" recently - they turned out to be Bowie singing 2 of the songs - badly - with an acoustic guitar. Not good.

[Nick]

In Real Time was put together for the US market to coincide with a big Fairport tour with Jethro Tull. It was really a record label exercise rather than a proper album (live or otherwise).

The album itself was recorded "As Live". That is, the tracks were recorded in a studio but were played through as if in a live setting - all players playing together from start to finish with no overdubs. The applause was then added to make it seem live (though this I reckon was a mistake and unnecessary.)

Fairport aren't the only band to have done this. Penguin Cafe Orchestra's Concert Program (in my opinion their best release) is similarly recorded As Live.

That said, I reckon In Real Time is still a great album. The performances are good and the sound is clear and atmospheric. It is a very good reflection of how Fairport sounded at the time. I would far rather have In Real Time than a Best Of compilation.

Cheers

Nick

[greglin (Gregg)]

Ditto - versionof Hiring Fair on in Real Time still my favourite....

And to stay on topic - have played GoG AGAIN in car on long trek this a.m - still can't find anything to endear it to me. Think i shall definitely recycle as pot holder ............oh, you can't do that with CDs as you used to with vinyl.

[Jack O Diamonds]

Best Live albums? Official - House Full.... fantastic Thompson powering through a class.... absolutely A1 class.... band! Mattacks kicking the living scheidt out of the drums... Peggy playing sumptuous bass... Swarb at hios most brillaint and misdchievous (who of us privileged enough to see that line up can forget the regular competitions to see who could get to the end fastest (Swarb nine times out of 10)...

Unofficial: Same line up at the Philadelphia Folk Fest 1970.... Bliss it was in those days etc etc

[red max]

I remember a friend telling me that he really didn't like Fairport, and I asked which albums he owned. It turned out he only had the debut album and Gottle. Not quite the finest examples of their worth, I pointed out to him.

If we're opening cans of worms then I admit I don't have any enthusiasm for any FC album that doesn't feature Swarb, but even I never really got into Gottle o'Geer

[Neil Morrell]

GoG is a great, although slightly odd album.  Gallagher and Lyle at the dizzy height of thier own success recording with "Fairport" (rather than "Fairport Convention")! 

You will always get people who criticise different albums.................  I know their are some Fairport Purists who always refer to "Rising for the Moon" as "Fotheringay II".  There are probably some on here!  AS LONG AS YOU ENJOY IT - who cares!!!

(Still don't think much of "In Real Time" though!  An Island anniversary "Cash Cow")

[Neil Morrell]

New ones (to me) Madeline,

mic

The only possible merits of that opener is to appeal to line-dancers.   And we know what THEY do to piglets, don't we.