Leaving Fairport

[Jules Gray]

Hi Swarb

With the benefit of hindsight, do you wish you'd managed to attend the sessions for what became Gladys Leap, or was it for the best that you were freed up to concentrate on Whippersnapper and that the band found a way to carry on without you?

Did it feel strange or sad to be ex-Fairport after so many years?

Jules

[Swarb]

lots of mixed emotions really, sometimes when you have been a member of an organisation for years, for your own good you are compelled to leave and refresh yourelf in the waters of new company and new ideas, however all partings, are tinged with sorrow,  and the camaraderie that you have shared with buddies who you have shared the last coin with becomes history. and even forgotten for a while in the mists of bitterness. In order to progress its imperative to not be bound by old songs ,its important to keep expanding ones repertoir otherwise your repertoir diminishes, soon all you know is the the last set you played. to play with all the power around you that some of the fairport line ups had was an experience that any normal musician would miss.tempered however by i hope my trying to better my playing continiously. the happy person is one who strives to be as good as one can get with the talent one has.  ableedingmen.

[David W]

as a kind of add on Swarb, people have seen you as a mentor to Chris Leslie through your work in Whippersnapper, and he seems to have been a natural successor to you in Fairport. Would you agree with this, especially as he is now singing not only his own songs but some associatred with you - especially the Babbacombe Lee stuff on the current tour, Banks of Sweet Primroses etc.

Does it feel that the singing / fiddle player role is in safe hands.

David W

[Swarb]

you would have to ask chris all that, not my place etc. but my songs are in safe hands i agree swarb

[Jules Gray]

Thanks for the sermon, uh, I mean reply there, Swarb!  

Kidding aside, interesting stuff.

Jules

[Swarb]

thanks

[Tasha]

interesting. I really felt that Chris did the john lee songs justice on the tour the other night. Normally my ear doesn't take kindly to others singing songs I associate with you, as i love your voice so much but he handled them well.Hadn't thought of him as a successor at all until that moment.  

[Swarb]

No I can understand that, i dnt feel anyone takes over from anybody else, i think were all our own person, Chris has a strong personality and it shines through, because he sings my songs doesnt mean he is influenced by me in any way.

[Pat Watson]

Hi Swarb,

All very interesting. Thanks for your honesty. I've been reading Joe Boyd's book and it seems that folk music in general was a labor of love as opposed to a sucessful financial endeavor. None of the bands/musicians seemed to be making any money. Was it the folk side of the business or the music business in general where it seemd like the musicians were the last to get paid.

Thanks,


Pat

[Swarb]

yes your correct    however  the j word is never mentioned in my house

[Pat Watson]

Hi Swarb,

Thanks for your answer. My apologies for the ''j'' word.

Pat

[Swarb]

accepted and then some

[Dr Clive]

 the happy person is one who strives to be as good as one can get with the talent one has.  ableedingmen.

Dave,

Thanks for answering all our questions, I particularly liked the sentiment expressed above - I'm not particularly talented musically, but do my best within my limits and the enjoyment is just great, especially as I've come to it relatively late in life (just got my bus pass!). My partner and I play loads of FC, RT, and (thanks to Maart's sheet music included on the CD) some Lazarus, too (John Jameson)!

I've seen you loads of times over the years (from Full House onward) including Whippersnapper and Lazarus (Rugby '06?) as well as FC in various guises, and it has been great to see you out and about and in fine form (musically and physically) over the last 18 months or so. In particular we were lucky to bump in to you on your way to the stage at Cropredy last year, and were delighted that you found the time to chat to us.

So not really a question, just a big Thank You for all the music over the last forty or so years (I was in Brum from '65 to '71, so was well aware of your work with Ian Campbell then, even if I didn't get around to visiting Digbeth Civic Hall at the time).

Hope to se you sometime in '08,

Very best wishes,

Clive

[Swarb]

thanks mate