The Festival Bell

[Henry Tompkins (Pete)]

Also, this gives me the opportunity to ask the age old question of "What's the difference between the Fairport newsletter and Gary Glitter?"
A; The Fairport newsletter is a PDF file, and...

He he he.  

[dooovall [Daniel]]

The current lineup has generated some of the finest Fairport studio tracks in recent years, and I can't wait for the Festival Bell CD.  The last few albums have been uneven to my ears but always include exceptional material.  I can listen to Light of Day from XXXV all day.  Hawkwood's Army and Untouchable keep me coming back to SoO.  Much of Over the Next Hill is outstanding: I'm Already There, Over the Falls, etc.  I fully expect to be blown away by the quality of at least a couple of tracks on Festival Bell.  

[Shane (Skirky)]

Me too. It's the other nine or ten I'm worried about.

[David W]

And I meant to say, I'm betting that there is barely an electric guitar to be heard anywhere.

Based on the youtube evidence, I would not be so sure of that ... surely that's a leccy he's playing in this clip:
http://www.youtube.com/user/BellaWeb#p/a/u/0/Bp-Cp-2eVdw

and it ain't what you play its the way that you play it .. Simon has made it clear both in his playing and in interviews that he doesn't like playing electric guitar and feels he can do pretty well everything he wants to do with an acoustic.

Like others a new Fc album doesn't excite like it used to but seeing Babbacombe Lee in its entirity does so it'll be the tour for me and wait until I've heard some of the new album before I decide.

DW

[GubGub (Al)]

And I meant to say, I'm betting that there is barely an electric guitar to be heard anywhere.

Based on the youtube evidence, I would not be so sure of that ... surely that's a leccy he's playing in this clip:
http://www.youtube.com/user/BellaWeb#p/a/u/0/Bp-Cp-2eVdw

and it ain't what you play its the way that you play it .. Simon has made it clear both in his playing and in interviews that he doesn't like playing electric guitar and feels he can do pretty well everything he wants to do with an acoustic.

Very true but for many of us it is the electricity that defines the rock part of the folk - rock equation.

[David W]

And I meant to say, I'm betting that there is barely an electric guitar to be heard anywhere.

Based on the youtube evidence, I would not be so sure of that ... surely that's a leccy he's playing in this clip:
http://www.youtube.com/user/BellaWeb#p/a/u/0/Bp-Cp-2eVdw

and it ain't what you play its the way that you play it .. Simon has made it clear both in his playing and in interviews that he doesn't like playing electric guitar and feels he can do pretty well everything he wants to do with an acoustic.

Very true but for many of us it is the electricity that defines the rock part of the folk - rock equation.

I agree but we shouldn't impose our taste on an artiste - if we don't like what they do we have a choice.

DW

[Nick Reg]

And I meant to say, I'm betting that there is barely an electric guitar to be heard anywhere.

Based on the youtube evidence, I would not be so sure of that ... surely that's a leccy he's playing in this clip:
http://www.youtube.com/user/BellaWeb#p/a/u/0/Bp-Cp-2eVdw

and it ain't what you play its the way that you play it .. Simon has made it clear both in his playing and in interviews that he doesn't like playing electric guitar and feels he can do pretty well everything he wants to do with an acoustic.

Very true but for many of us it is the electricity that defines the rock part of the folk - rock equation.

Perhaps its time for a sixth member?

[Marky]

And I meant to say, I'm betting that there is barely an electric guitar to be heard anywhere.

Based on the youtube evidence, I would not be so sure of that ... surely that's a leccy he's playing in this clip:
http://www.youtube.com/user/BellaWeb#p/a/u/0/Bp-Cp-2eVdw

and it ain't what you play its the way that you play it .. Simon has made it clear both in his playing and in interviews that he doesn't like playing electric guitar and feels he can do pretty well everything he wants to do with an acoustic.

Very true but for many of us it is the electricity that defines the rock part of the folk - rock equation.

But Fairport haven't really been a 'folk-rock' band for years have they, certainly not on record, and at this stage in their career it's unlikely that thats going to change at all.
It's a case of like it or lump it I think.

[Shane (Skirky)]

I agree but we shouldn't impose our taste on an artiste - if we don't like what they do we have a choice.
DW

I should think it is almost impossible to actually impose your taste on an artist unless you're their producer but I do remember Simon Nicol in print stressing that they take every notice of supporter feedback (I think the example of chucking Ric Sanders' effects pedals in the river was cited) and so I think it is healthy, if you feel strongly enough, to express a preference for the more electric sound. Thing is, he's such a phenomenal acoustic guitar player it seems a shame to make him amp up.  

[GubGub (Al)]

Very true but for many of us it is the electricity that defines the rock part of the folk - rock equation.

I agree but we shouldn't impose our taste on an artiste - if we don't like what they do we have a choice.

DW

Which is pretty much what this entire thread has been about.

I have have no illusions that a bunch of gentlemen of a certain age will return to the electric template that some of them helped to originally define. It has been too long since they abandoned it. I just think it is a shame that they decided to redefine themselves as a primarily a slightly cosy acoustic based outfit when they did (on Maart's departure nearly 15 years ago). They were still comparatively young men at the time and the drift towards a safer musical palette (at least in the studio) was, I think, premature but probably irreversible.

[davidmjs]

I have have no illusions that a bunch of gentlemen of a certain age will return to the electric template that some of them helped to originally define. It has been too long since they abandoned it. I just think it is a shame that they decided to redefine themselves as a primarily a slightly cosy acoustic based outfit when they did (on Maart's departure nearly 15 years ago). They were still comparatively young men at the time and the drift towards a safer musical palette (at least in the studio) was, I think, premature but probably irreversible.

Hear hear.  I've never been comfortable with 'slightly cosy' and hope I never will be.  I too will 'quite like' parts of the new album (which I will, of course, buy) and probably never ever want to hear other parts of it.  The, to me, real tragedy of the situation, is that I can probably already tell you which parts I'll like and which i won't.  Believe me, I don't want to feel like this, I just do.  The fact that, generally, I feel the same about the live shows upsets me even more.  (Although I too am thrilled to the core about BL in the Spring).  *Hums Living in the Past to himself, and trips over his kaftan*  

[Bridgwit (Bridget)]

I have have no illusions that a bunch of gentlemen of a certain age will return to the electric template that some of them helped to originally define. It has been too long since they abandoned it. I just think it is a shame that they decided to redefine themselves as a primarily a slightly cosy acoustic based outfit when they did (on Maart's departure nearly 15 years ago). They were still comparatively young men at the time and the drift towards a safer musical palette (at least in the studio) was, I think, premature but probably irreversible.

Hear hear.  I've never been comfortable with 'slightly cosy' and hope I never will be.  I too will 'quite like' parts of the new album (which I will, of course, buy) and probably never ever want to hear other parts of it.  The, to me, real tragedy of the situation, is that I can probably already tell you which parts I'll like and which i won't.  Believe me, I don't want to feel like this, I just do.  The fact that, generally, I feel the same about the live shows upsets me even more.  (Although I too am thrilled to the core about BL in the Spring).  *Hums Living in the Past to himself, and trips over his kaftan*  

I have a wonderful image of you davidmjs! Do you wear green-tinted round glasses too?  

I've been looking for the right expression for FC's current output and "slightly cosy" sums it up exactly. I like a bit of dangerous and edgy but it ain't going to happen, is it? I'm sure it will be an OK CD but they're not going to break new ground. We have to rely on the new bands coming up to do that.

[fat Billy(Bill)]

I have have no illusions that a bunch of gentlemen of a certain age will return to the electric template that some of them helped to originally define. It has been too long since they abandoned it. I just think it is a shame that they decided to redefine themselves as a primarily a slightly cosy acoustic based outfit when they did (on Maart's departure nearly 15 years ago). They were still comparatively young men at the time and the drift towards a safer musical palette (at least in the studio) was, I think, premature but probably irreversible.

Hear hear.  I've never been comfortable with 'slightly cosy' and hope I never will be.  I too will 'quite like' parts of the new album (which I will, of course, buy) and probably never ever want to hear other parts of it.  The, to me, real tragedy of the situation, is that I can probably already tell you which parts I'll like and which i won't.  Believe me, I don't want to feel like this, I just do.  The fact that, generally, I feel the same about the live shows upsets me even more.  (Although I too am thrilled to the core about BL in the Spring).  *Hums Living in the Past to himself, and trips over his kaftan*  

I have a wonderful image of you davidmjs! Do you wear green-tinted round glasses too?  

I've been looking for the right expression for FC's current output and "slightly cosy" sums it up exactly. I like a bit of dangerous and edgy but it ain't going to happen, is it? I'm sure it will be an OK CD but they're not going to break new ground. We have to rely on the new bands coming up to do that.

and if truth be told, the chaps do their best to promote the young talent at cropredy. I'll give this one a listen and make me mind up then

[davidmjs]

I have a wonderful image of you davidmjs! Do you wear green-tinted round glasses too?  

Only when I've mislaid the rose-tinted ones  

[H (Heather Smith)]

I agree but we shouldn't impose our taste on an artiste - if we don't like what they do we have a choice.
DW

(I think the example of chucking Ric Sanders' effects pedals in the river was cited)

Am I the only person in the world that really quite liked him using it?

[Goaty]

Am I the only person in the world that really quite liked him using it?

No.

[Dan O.]

I love Ric's effects, he still uses them (i.e. hasn't thrown all of them in the river). Bit of delay, tremolo, distortion for some of his solos, and used a flanger for the PDC section/bridge in Babbacombe Lee last year. He possibly doesn't use as many effects as he did when he was using the Zeta solid-bodied electric violins.

[Amethyst (Jenny)]

Am I the only person in the world that really quite liked him using it?

No.

No  

[Andy Tuck]

I enjoyed the effects as well. Also, looking forward to the new album.

[Greg]

I don't like the 'electric guitar' sound (Wait For The Tide To Come In).  Other than that, they're brilliant, especially on the Hiring Fair.

Also looking forward to the new album.  But I'd rather the chaps concentrated on 10-12 really good songs rather than the 15-16 song efforts.  I feel that stretches the material a bit thin (my problem with Sense of Occasion - bits of which I really like)

And if Danny Jack's Chase is going on I'm very happy  !