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Dan O.
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« on: January 10, 2014, 09:09:48 AM » |
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A letter from Blair Dunlop, posted on The Albion Band's Facebook page :
"Dear Albion Band supporters
After much soul searching I’ve made the decision to call time on the
work of the current incarnation of The Albion Band. We’ve had two
years of great times, meeting fans old and new, defying some critics
and playing some great shows along the way.
The pressures of an ever-increasing solo schedule along with the planned launch of a new solo album in May 2014 creates challenges in prioritising the group for the foreseeable future. This, alongside the numerous other projects on which fellow band members are working, means that the new-year seems a good opportunity to draw a line under one phase and look forward to new horizons.
We all remain friends and will undoubtedly work together in various
capacities in the future. It has been an absolute pleasure working
with the rest of the band, and an honour to add to the great history
of The Albion Band.
In the meantime thank you for all of your support and here’s to the future.
Thanks,
Blair x"
Bit of a shame, was looking forward to what they had up their collective sleeves for 2014...
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Will S
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« Reply #1 on: January 10, 2014, 09:24:15 AM » |
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Guess that means we won't be seeing them at Cropredy this year then. I was still hoping...
Shame really. I enjoyed their album and hadn't seen them live yet, and was looking forward to seeing how they would develop.
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All the diamonds in the world
That mean anything to me,
Are conjured up by wind and sunlight
Sparkling on the sea
(Bruce Cockburn)
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Shane (Skirky)
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« Reply #2 on: January 10, 2014, 10:06:19 AM » |
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Seems like a good time to announce that I have formed a new group called...The Albion Band! We look forward to welcoming all our new fans and meeting you all at our forthcoming series of house concerts planned for 2014.
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Everyone's from somewhere, baby - might as well be here.
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Nigel no longer of Lysander
OldSchool man of the world
Folkcorp Guru
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Posts: 817
Loc: Hereford
A Grounding in Numbers
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« Reply #3 on: January 10, 2014, 10:11:03 AM » |
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Seems like a good time to announce that I have formed a new group called...The Albion Band! We look forward to welcoming all our new fans and meeting you all at our forthcoming series of house concerts planned for 2014.
 Cheers Nigel |
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Andy
Brain half the size of a planet
Global Moderator
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Posts: 8613
Loc: South West Wales
Not perfect. Never claimed to be.
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« Reply #4 on: January 10, 2014, 10:13:47 AM » |
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I can't say that I'm surprised, but I am disappointed that this name was used for a short term project which was superseded by one man's solo career. Don't get me wrong, I like Blair's stuff, having seen him live a couple of times. But the history that the "Albion Band" name represents has been poorly served by this incarnation and this ending.
All in my opinion, which is of course no more worthwhile than anyone else's.
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Amethyst (Jenny)
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« Reply #5 on: January 10, 2014, 10:14:39 AM » |
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Seems like a good time to announce that I have formed a new group called...The Albion Band! We look forward to welcoming all our new fans and meeting you all at our forthcoming series of house concerts planned for 2014.
Skirky.. You are a very naughty boy  |
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Farnsfield Acoustic ... Notts
Thank you to everyone that has ever been to a FarnsAc gig, and to all our wonderful performers since 2005
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Gouty (Gary)
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« Reply #6 on: January 10, 2014, 10:23:58 AM » |
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I can't say that I'm surprised, but I am disappointed that this name was used for a short term project which was superseded by one man's solo career. Don't get me wrong, I like Blair's stuff, having seen him live a couple of times. But the history that the "Albion Band" name represents has been poorly served by this incarnation and this ending.
All in my opinion, which is of course no more worthwhile than anyone else's.
I agree with you, Andy. If no-one else (apart from Skirky ) takes the baton and this really is the end of the Albion Band, then it's a sad fizzling out of a great musical institution.  |
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'Eggs, bread, cigs, milk...'
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fstix (Michael)
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« Reply #7 on: January 10, 2014, 10:42:48 AM » |
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Although of course the Albion Christmas Band may well continue, though it may be considered a "subsidiary". Never clear waters when it comes to the Albions!
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More like I am today than I ever have been before.
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Simon Care
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« Reply #8 on: January 10, 2014, 10:51:55 AM » |
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no one has said it is fizzling out.....the current incarnation is stopping.
lets not jump to conclusions.
as for Albion Xmas that will continue as ever
regards
simon
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Jules Gray
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« Reply #9 on: January 10, 2014, 10:55:36 AM » |
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Seems like a good time to announce that I have formed a new group called...The Albion Band! We look forward to welcoming all our new fans and meeting you all at our forthcoming series of house concerts planned for 2014.
Just make sure that you don't play the same venues as my version of The Albion Band, Skirky! Jules |
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Now be thankful for good things below
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GubGub (Al)
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« Reply #10 on: January 10, 2014, 11:04:52 AM » |
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That's a real shame. They are a great band whatever they call themselves and were playing new material at the gig I saw late last year. I wonder if economics factors into this. They just didn't seem to pick up a following.
Oh well, if nothing else I hope it means more Gilmore & Roberts gigs and records. Kat's songs sound great with a rhythm section. Perhaps that is an option.
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Chris
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« Reply #11 on: January 10, 2014, 11:11:20 AM » |
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I felt they were booked into the wrong 'adult' venues. And rather large ones at that.
Whereas they ought (as 20-somethings) be booked at that age an audience....student bashes etc, along with smallish art centres.
AS GubGub says - looking forward to more of the individuals work!
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GubGub (Al)
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« Reply #12 on: January 10, 2014, 11:42:41 AM » |
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On reflection it is probably also something of a straitjacket for Blair. Hard for him to establish an identity in his own right if he is shackled to a brand so closely identified with his father.
I can't say that I'm surprised, but I am disappointed that this name was used for a short term project which was superseded by one man's solo career. Don't get me wrong, I like Blair's stuff, having seen him live a couple of times. But the history that the "Albion Band" name represents has been poorly served by this incarnation and this ending.
All in my opinion, which is of course no more worthwhile than anyone else's.
The Albions have always worked in short bursts and Blair would not be the first member who has sought to establish an identity outside of the band. Phil Beer, John Tams & Chris While to name but three. I am not sure that the history has been poorly served either. I was as sceptical about the use of the name as anyone but in live performance they played plenty of stuff associated with earlier incarnations of the band when nobody else was doing so. |
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Nigel no longer of Lysander
OldSchool man of the world
Folkcorp Guru
Offline
Posts: 817
Loc: Hereford
A Grounding in Numbers
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« Reply #13 on: January 10, 2014, 11:45:46 AM » |
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If no one else is going to suggest it then I will:- perhaps this is a case of the Hutchings low boredom threshold coming out in the son !!??
Cheers Nigel
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Simon Care
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« Reply #14 on: January 10, 2014, 12:03:51 PM » |
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or perhaps as he says in his letter he is ridiculously busy to do The Albions justice AT THE MOMENT.
Sometimes its damned if you do, damned if you don't.
With regards to audiences, there isn't an 20-something audience out there at the moment. Go check out a Bellowhead gig. I did and expected a younger crowd due to their exposure....couldn't have been more wrong
regards
Simon
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Chris
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« Reply #15 on: January 10, 2014, 12:21:45 PM » |
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Oh, Simon - yes there is. Check out the Sofar scene, for example - http://sofarsounds.com/#!/landingA lot of soloists playing in living rooms - but they've filled warehouses with one-day festivals, with various bands playing. There are other examples too. Maybe seen as an 'underground' movement, but its still out there. |
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« Last Edit: January 10, 2014, 01:52:40 PM by Chris »
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greglin (Gregg)
Waving my cheery plumber off
Folkcorp Guru
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Posts: 989
Loc: Carrickfergus N. Ireland
Slainthe chugat
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« Reply #16 on: January 10, 2014, 01:06:04 PM » |
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I'm disappointed - I really rated the music they had produced thus far and was hoping for at least one more CD.
It is of course an economic reality that the number of fans out there can only support a finite number of viable acts - however I agree with Chris that I believe there is an audience out there for a version of the Albion Band similar to this last incarnation.
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I caught a falling star, it cut my hands to pieces.
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KascadeDan
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« Reply #17 on: January 10, 2014, 02:59:50 PM » |
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Well this is really very sad. They produced some great music, and I unfortunately never got to see them live. Was really hoping for them to finally make an appearance on a certain north Oxfordshire stage. I suppose if it means we get to hear more from individual members of the band, then it can't be all bad news, I think they're all very talented and they all have great careers ahead of them.
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Mortlake "Obsidian Mirror" streaming now.
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bassline (Mike)
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« Reply #18 on: January 10, 2014, 03:19:45 PM » |
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Seems like a good time to announce that I have formed a new group called...The Albion Band! We look forward to welcoming all our new fans and meeting you all at our forthcoming series of house concerts planned for 2014.
Skirky.. You are a very naughty boy No he's not......He's The Messiah. I too am disappointed that I didn't get to see them live,and sort of expected them to be at Cropredy this year.The E.P and album are really good.Let's hope they find time to do something sometime. |
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Well I never did..
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Gouty (Gary)
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« Reply #19 on: January 10, 2014, 04:06:09 PM » |
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no one has said it is fizzling out.....
Hi Simon, Neither did I! I said ' If no-one else takes the baton...' As a decades-long admirer of the band and its many incarnations, I sincerely hope the Albions don't fizzle out! All the best, Gary |
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'Eggs, bread, cigs, milk...'
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