A Five Minute History

[Em]

Right, i have to prepare a brief presentation on Fairport for a music history class, explaining why fairport are an important part of recent music history, so i'm turning to you folk for help. Most of the people in the class have never heard of fc, so i want to make sure i provide a bit of background on top of everything else.

I have a basic idea of what i want to say (beginnings, Cropredy, important songs etc) but i wanted to ask if any of you lovely people can think of anything that you feel is particularly important in Fairport's history or that has made a big impact on other music/musicians? Most of you know a lot more than me, and i really don't want to miss out vital info.

[Chris]

Sandy & Liege & Lief....

[David W]

If you've got a copy of Ashley's song Wings give that a listen - it sums it all up really.

But - for me its to do with links and connections, making a bridge between the likes of Ian Campbell across to Led Zepellin.

David W

[Jules Gray]

Sandy & Liege & Lief....

Pretty much agree with this actually.

Jules

[Dave Russell]

Fairport was arguably the first band to take distinctively British-based music and put it into a wider context than the folk scene, hence the pivotal importance of Leige & Lief.  Whilst the Guvnor continued the crusade with Steeleye and the various Albions, and others tagged along (Incredible String Band, Mr Fox, etc.), Fairport remains the most enduring of them all.  The formidable talents who have been in the band link to almost every other area of popular music:  Swarb and Peggy (after being a teenage rocker) came from the folk scene and Peggy went on to Tull.  Swarb is a legend in his own incredible lifetime.  RT must be the most distinctive and original electric guitarist these islands have produced, and Sandy.....a lot of people will have seen recent media features marking the 30th anniversary and highlighting her early days with The Strawbs and the session for Led Zeppelin.
DM (a jazz drummer) has played with McCartney and any number of other well-knowns, Bruce Rowlands with Joe Cocker.  Ian Matthews had hits post-Fairport, and Simon has toured with, amongst others, Art Garfunkel.  Most of the crowd have assisted Ralph McTell at one time or another.  These are all names that people will know, I guess.  And don't lose sight of the fact that in the early days, Fairport were cool young things, with the likes of John Peel and Whispering Bob Harris extolling their virtues.  They made a lot of people aware that a band could construct a whole repertoire on British foundations with odd time signatures, modal scales and lots of verses!   They were in some ways early precursors of bands like REM and the modern singer-songwriters.
I'd suggest you go easy on the Cropredy angle; wonderful though it be for those of us in the know, it doesn't highlight the immense influence of Fairport on British music, particularly over their first 10 years.
Hope this helps.

[Em]

Cheers for all the suggestions so far folk - they're all really useful!

If you've got a copy of Ashley's song Wings give that a listen - it sums it all up really.

I've had a wee look for the song but i can't find it - any ideas as to where i might be able to get hold of it?

[GubGub (Al)]

It is on The Cropredy Box in a Fairport version or The Albion Band's version is on Happy Accident.

[David W]

If anyone has the lyrics for it they would be very useful I'm sure

[Waterloo Wonderer]

I'm pretty sure that The History Of Fairport Convention came complete with a family tree. If you could get a copy it'd make a good illustration / backdrop for your presentation although it may be too distracting if left up too long.

Surely it'll take five minutes just to name the people who've been in the band!

[MarkC]

No disrespect to 40 year old records, but to me by far the most fascinating aspect of the FC story is the way they have created their own music industry---pretty much independent and outside of the mainstream music business. The Cropredy history, and the resurgence with Gladys' Leap started an amazing run that continues to this day. That is unique as far as I know.

[GubGub (Al)]

I was going to make that point myself. I'm not sure that it is unique but Fairport were certainly pioneers of this sort of approach and in many ways it prefigured the sort of home made on line bypassing of the industry for music distribution that is beginning to dominate now.

[Bob Barrows]

Cheers for all the suggestions so far folk - they're all really useful!

If you've got a copy of Ashley's song Wings give that a listen - it sums it all up really.

I've had a wee look for the song but i can't find it - any ideas as to where i might be able to get hold of it?

It's on the Cropredy box set if you have it. Also on one of The Guv'nor volumes (I forget which).

[jude]

It's on the Guv'nor Volume 4. It's a lovely song.

and (ahem!) don't forget the prog-rock and trance dance connections

[Jan_]

There's a good overview of the history on the FC site.

"Fairport did for real ale what the Grateful Dead did for LSD" - not music history exactly but you might be able to get your title out of that!

Seriously, I think your main point has to be that they basically created British folk rock and completely revolutionised the folk revival: up to then it was all done by serious blokes in Arran sweaters.  So like others, I think you have to focus on Liege and Lief and maybe explore the dynamics of the group and mention the musical backgrounds of the members. Apparently L&L outraged quite a few 'traditionals' at the time.  If you could get hold of the Folk Britannia programmes they would be useful research.  There's quite a lot to cover in five minutes.  Good luck.

[peterwales]

To me, what stands out about FC, is the fact that a group of very young, middle class grammer school boys (and girl) produced some very good West Coast American-type music, including some Dylan covers, made 3 great early albums, which had a very late 60's almost semi-mystical cutting edge sound to them, but then after a horrific and tragic motorway accident when "on the road", produced a ground-breaking album "Liege and Lief" which for the first time fused traditional English "murder ballads" with contemporary 60's electric rock music. By this time, two very respected and outstanding musicians of their time, Sandy Denny and Dave Swarbrick had joined them.
They've had huge influences on the genre of "folk rock" and on the evolution of bands such as Steeleye Span, Jethro Tull and even Led Zepellin (Robert Plant was always a friend and admirer). The recent BBC2 radio documentary on Sandy Denny summarised a lot of this story well- may still be on I-Player, as it was on last week.

[jimc]

If anyone has the lyrics for it they would be very useful I'm sure

http://thealbionchronicles.tripod.com/id2.html

[Bridgwit (Bridget)]

I was going to suggest listening to the Sandy Denny prog on Radio 2 too. There was a lot about the band and it's early influences to and fro.

I learned a lot from it (but then every day's school day!)

The Expletive Delighted is a great website for trivia too. And the book that comes with the Free Reid boxed set.

I also find that just googling the various band members' names comes up with all sorts of interesting info. A very diverse band.  Good luck!

[peterwales]

Should also add, on a more philosophical/sociological level, that the positive consequence, and influence of albums such as  "Liege and Lief" can be seen as an visionary first step to helping discovery and awareness of one's own ethnic/national "self", through folk song and tradition; bit like what the "Band" did, intentionally or unintentionally, with American music with their album of the same period, "Music from Big Pink", and modern European bands such as Poland's "Warsaw Village Band" are doing with their exploration of traditional Polish rural folk music.

[Simon Withers]

Depending on the age of the class I would probably not go into detail, lots of dates, names of albums, names of people. it may turn them away from Fairport and history. make it dynamic and can you include some actual music during the five minute presentation - may be someone wiser than I can think of something that grabs them that isn't an indulgent for the presenter.

hope this helps

[Bridgwit (Bridget)]

I'd play a snippet of The Hexamshire Lass or Widow of Westmorland's Daughter. For me, they both epitomise the brilliant way FC fuse traditional-style folk music with electric instruments. They're both upbeat enough to appeal to a younger audience too.




(BTW whilst looking for suitable songs I was just browsing Asda website (some good prices on their CDs) and saw such delights as Reg and Gold and the classic Meet Me on the Ledge - this must be the duet version with Lindisfarne!)