RT Song book-not much longer?!

[ollythedolly]

Not to raise anyones hopes (you have got to admit that the saga for the songbooks is worth a little chuckle to yourself!), But RTs Facebook thismorning was a link to this - http://richardthompson-music.com/catch_of_the_day.asp?id=1159 Saying coming soon. On the songbook page on his site (updates 15th Jan) says it should be out end of Feb. I can't wait anymore!  
O,

[Chris]

His webshop's last newsletter mentioned it as coming very soon.....

[John From Austin]

There hasn't been much discussion about the songbook.  I got my autographed copy a few months ago and have just been delving into it for a few weeks now.

I'm an enthusiastic amateur guitarist with a slightly battered used Lowden acoustic, and I approached this with trepidation.  However, the standard-tuned songs in Volume 1 (1967-1980) are remarkably simple.  There are few exotic chords and the progressions are logical.  On the songs I've learnt to date, he generally stays in the four-fret box at the bottom of the neck, for easy maneuvering.  It often makes sense to play a barre chord rather than the standard chords Maart indicates (e.g., to slide back and forth on Bright Lights, to boost the bottom end or play a chunka-chunka rhythm like on Man in Need).  Once you have mastered the chords, many of the transitions (or fills, or whatever they may be) are easy to figure out because they flow naturally from the chords you are playing.  

I have a 20-minute RT set ready to go for the next open mike night - Wall of Death, Man in Need, I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight, The Angels Took My Racehorse Away, and Now Be Thankful.  Working on Tale in Hard Time and The Great Valerio as we speak...

[Dr Clive]

We've been delving too, but with a somewhat different selection of songs! We've been doing Wall of Death for years (worked out our own version), but from the books we're looking at A Heart Needs a Home, Crawl Back, How I Wanted To, Bright Lights, Keep You Distance (inspired to this by his recent rendition on Songwriters' Circle), Never Again, Pavanne, She Sang Angels to Rest, Sloth. Have had to make the odd adjustment to the keys to compensate for my voice being a bit lowert in pitch than RT is capable of...

Really enjoying exploring what's available, and he's recently hinted on Beesweb that there'll be a Volume 4 containing more recent songs (eg from Sweet Warrior/Dream Attic).

DC