Obscure line-ups

[Jay Peter]

 I was just looking at the wikipedia timeline, and it looks as if in 76-77 there was a line-up with seven members SN, DS, BR, DP, and Dan ar Braz, Bob Brady and Roger Burridge. Did anybody see them then? What's the oddest/most interesting line-up you have seen?

[Jim]

 I was just looking at the wikipedia timeline, and it looks as if in 76-77 there was a line-up with seven members SN, DS, BR, DP, and Dan ar Braz, Bob Brady and Roger Burridge. Did anybody see them then? What's the oddest/most interesting line-up you have seen?

i may be wrong and it might have happened but i dont think Simon Nicol rejoined until the Gottle line up disbanded

[Jay Peter]

 I was just looking at the wikipedia timeline, and it looks as if in 76-77 there was a line-up with seven members SN, DS, BR, DP, and Dan ar Braz, Bob Brady and Roger Burridge. Did anybody see them then? What's the oddest/most interesting line-up you have seen?

i may be wrong and it might have happened but i dont think Simon Nicol rejoined until the Gottle line up disbanded

Ah. I wasn't sure if I was holding the ruler straight. Fairport Confusion again.

[quodlibet (Ian)]

Harlow Town Park. Bloody good they were too, two fiddles & quite a bit of keyboards. Lots of fun & good material, from what I remember. Simon was definitely not on board.    

Oddish line-up at Ludlow Folk Day, can't recall exactly which year, '04 / '05 with PJ Wright subbing superbly for an hors de combat Chris Leslie. Without any disrespect to Chris, I wouldn't mind a bit more of that.  

[davidmjs]

Simon guests on (and engineers) Gottle...not sure if he ever played live with them though?  Remember though (and its still quite a sore point with him), this was supposed to be a Swarb solo album.

Never saw them, of course, (don't think anybody did) but I'm always intrugued what might have been if the Manor Sessions line up (Swarb, Pegg, Dave Rea, Tom Farnell) had stuck around...the stuff that sneaked out is great.

The FC Ceilidh Band (from the late 80's - 1989?) with  the Maart era 5 piece plus Swarb, Chris, Beryl and Roger Marriott, and Hugh Crabtree was good fun.

That Harlow Town Park gig sounds intriguing.  Not heard of that.

[GubGub (Al)]

There were some gigs in '92 after Ric's plate glass window interface when Chris Leslie, four years before he joined the band, subbed for Ric so the lineup was SN, DP, DM, MA & CL. Bloody good they were too.  It was to some extent replicated at Cropredy that year but it was a year of many guests so the "current" line up were not in evdence much and when they were, Ric was adding one handed keyboards so the effect was not quite the same.

[davidmjs]

There were some gigs in '92 after Ric's plate glass window interface when Chris Leslie, four years before he joined the band, subbed for Ric so the lineup was SN, DP, DM, MA & CL. Bloody good they were too.  It was to some extent replicated at Cropredy that year but it was a year of many guests so the "current" line up were not in evdence much and when they were, Ric was adding one handed keyboards so the effect was not quite the same.

Didn't realise they played any gigs outside away from the festival.  Was it just a few scattered dates or a whole tour?  The Cropredy performance was great.

[koho (Koen)]

When we had Fairport for the 2nd time in Grolloo (NL) in Oct 2005, we had the line up of Simon-Ric-Chris-Gerry ... and Vo Fletcher, temporarily replacing Peggy.
Vo did a pretty good job actually.

[GubGub (Al)]

There were some gigs in '92 after Ric's plate glass window interface when Chris Leslie, four years before he joined the band, subbed for Ric so the lineup was SN, DP, DM, MA & CL. Bloody good they were too.  It was to some extent replicated at Cropredy that year but it was a year of many guests so the "current" line up were not in evdence much and when they were, Ric was adding one handed keyboards so the effect was not quite the same.

Didn't realise they played any gigs outside away from the festival.  Was it just a few scattered dates or a whole tour?  The Cropredy performance was great.

Just a few gigs I think. I saw them in a tent at Gosport Folk Festival and it was probably the best set I have ever seen them play outside Cropredy. Loads of energy and a very lively crowd.

[Barry]

There were some gigs advertised after the "Gottle" line up folded as "Swarbrick, Pegg and Nicol".  Didn't get to see them, so I don't know if they had Bruce Rowland with them, too.  Possibly feeling out whether SN wanted to rejoin?

[Shane (Skirky)]

There were some gigs advertised after the "Gottle" line up folded as "Swarbrick, Pegg and Nicol".  Didn't get to see them, so I don't know if they had Bruce Rowland with them, too.  Possibly feeling out whether SN wanted to rejoin?

Wasn't that the lineup referred to as Three Desperate Mortgages?  

[Jim]

There were some gigs advertised after the "Gottle" line up folded as "Swarbrick, Pegg and Nicol".  Didn't get to see them, so I don't know if they had Bruce Rowland with them, too.  Possibly feeling out whether SN wanted to rejoin?

 i saw them on that tour billed as Swarbrick ,Nicol and Pegg, Brian Maxine and a local lad on bass guested

[davidmjs]

There were some gigs advertised after the "Gottle" line up folded as "Swarbrick, Pegg and Nicol".  Didn't get to see them, so I don't know if they had Bruce Rowland with them, too.  Possibly feeling out whether SN wanted to rejoin?

 i saw them on that tour billed as Swarbrick ,Nicol and Pegg, Brian Maxine and a local lad on bass guested

Two bassists (or did you mean on drums, Jim)?

[quodlibet (Ian)]

There were some gigs advertised after the "Gottle" line up folded as "Swarbrick, Pegg and Nicol".  Didn't get to see them, so I don't know if they had Bruce Rowland with them, too.  Possibly feeling out whether SN wanted to rejoin?

Wasn't that the lineup referred to as Three Desperate Mortgages?  

I think that was an informal name, don't recall them being advertised  as such.

The show I saw at Dingwalls was, according to an ad in NME, supposed to be two the Daves, Simon & DM. In the event, DM didn't play, just shouted "Matty Groves" from the audience. Hilarious (at least the first time). Brian Maxine fronted them for a few numbers. Great fun.  

[Jim]

There were some gigs advertised after the "Gottle" line up folded as "Swarbrick, Pegg and Nicol".  Didn't get to see them, so I don't know if they had Bruce Rowland with them, too.  Possibly feeling out whether SN wanted to rejoin?

 i saw them on that tour billed as Swarbrick ,Nicol and Pegg, Brian Maxine and a local lad on bass guested

Two bassists (or did you mean on drums, Jim)?

no, the local lad played bass freeinf peggy up for violin and mandolin, no drums were on stage that night

[Glen S]

There were some gigs advertised after the "Gottle" line up folded as "Swarbrick, Pegg and Nicol".  Didn't get to see them, so I don't know if they had Bruce Rowland with them, too.  Possibly feeling out whether SN wanted to rejoin?

 i saw them on that tour billed as Swarbrick ,Nicol and Pegg, Brian Maxine and a local lad on bass guested

Two bassists (or did you mean on drums, Jim)?

no, the local lad played bass freeinf peggy up for violin and mandolin, no drums were on stage that night

Cripes!...That must have been a tough call for the lad...playing bass in a band containing a world class bass player like Peggy !...

[Nick Reg]

We saw them play a fee outdoor gig in Chipping Norton town centre on a May Bank Holiday approx 10 years ago.
Maart was standing in for Chris.

[quodlibet (Ian)]

We saw them play a fee outdoor gig in Chipping Norton town centre on a May Bank Holiday approx 10 years ago.
Maart was standing in for Chris.

Yes, a good show. A bit sloppy as I recall, but great fun & well worth the effort.  

[Jamie73]

I remember going to a gig billed as Nicol, Mattacks & Whetstone at the Sunnyside in Northampton in 1989.

[davidmjs]

I remember going to a gig billed as Nicol, Mattacks & Whetstone at the Sunnyside in Northampton in 1989.

Not really right for this discussion, but I saw those 3 as part of an Albion Band lineup in, I think, 1983 at Bohunt School, Liphook.  Ashley, Cathy Le Surf and maybe one or two others completed the line up.  Great gig.  I was just really getting full into the Fairport bug and seeing 3/5 of the L&L lineup together was kinda exciting for a little 16 year old groupie like me.