Fairport Chatter

[Nick Reg]

Does anybody have A Box of Pegg's lying around unloved which they'd like to see go to a kind and enthusiastic home?  Luncheon Vouchers or equivalent available although not quite as many as most are asking for it online.

Keep your hands off!!  

[RobertD]

I bought the entire  set last year on Itunes  for a ridiculously cheap price…maybe $20 for the lot. I like my physical box sets but I grew a little weary of Free Reed and Nigel Schofields writing, layouts, organization and what not. There is also a lot of duplication…it contains the entirety of The Cocktail Cowboy for example so I decided to sacrifice the physical box for a download

[davidmjs]

I bought the entire  set last year on Itunes  for a ridiculously cheap price…maybe $20 for the lot. I like my physical box sets but I grew a little weary of Free Reed and Nigel Schofields writing, layouts, organization and what not. There is also a lot of duplication…it contains the entirety of The Cocktail Cowboy for example so I decided to sacrifice the physical box for a download

Oh, I have a total love/hate with the Free Reed boxes.  They can be great fun but some of the writing is awful (as always), there are errors, and even bog standard basic things like the volume of the music is out in places.  And some of the music is barely releasable quality.  Having said all that, I do still rather enjoy their idiosyncratic individualistic little company...and I'm trying to put together a complete set.  Last one of the Fairport ones...but £75?  Hmmm.

[Will S]

I bought the entire  set last year on Itunes  for a ridiculously cheap price…maybe $20 for the lot. I like my physical box sets but I grew a little weary of Free Reed and Nigel Schofields writing, layouts, organization and what not. There is also a lot of duplication…it contains the entirety of The Cocktail Cowboy for example so I decided to sacrifice the physical box for a download

I decided to download it too, at £15.98 from Am*zon.  But does anyone have a scan/photo of where all the tracks come from?  Lots of Fairport on there, but are they live versions (and if so from when?), etc?  If anyone was able to send me those details which I haven't been able to spot online (eg. Discogs has photos of the backs of the CD boxes, but those don't have the info I'm after, which may be inside the CD boxes, or in the book that came with it). Thank you!  

[Graham B]

A Box of Pegg’s Info

CD 1:
1.   Level Pegging      Dave Pegg from The Cocktail Cowboy Goes It Alone (1983)
2.   Donegan’s Gone       Dave Pegg & PJ Wright from Galileo’s Apology (2007)
3.   Life’s A Long Song      Fairport Convention from Who Knows Where The Time Goes (1998)
4.   Moanin’         The Crawdaddies Previously unreleased from acetate (March 1965)
5.   Don’t Tell Them      Dave & The Emeralds demo (1965)
6.   End Of The Season      The Ugly’s single (1966)
7.   Gaberdine Saturday Night Street Walker      The Exception single (1967)
8.   Losers Blues      Dave Peace Quintet from Good Morning Mr Blues (1969)
9.   Belle Of Belfast City      The Leesiders from Requests For The Leesiders (1967)
10.   The Fireman’s Song      Don Bilston from Farewell To Steam (1968)
11.   Private Harold Harris   Ian Campbell Folk Group from The Circle Game (1968)
12.   Walk Awhile         Fairport Convention promo recording for british media use (1982)
13.   Cropredy Capers      Fairport Convention live recording (Germany 1975)
14.   Once In A While      Steve Ashley from The Family Album (1982)
15.   Lord Mayo         Dave Pegg from The Cocktail Cowboy Goes It Alone (1983)
16.   Adieu Adieu         Fairport Convention from The Boot (1984) recorded at Cropredy 1983
17.   Under Wraps      Jethro Tull from A Little Light Music (1992)
18.   Barnes Morris      Dave Pegg from The Cocktail Cowboy Goes It Alone (1983)
19.   Together Again      The GP’s live (1981) recorded Cropredy 1981
20.   Cho Cho Losa      Ian Campbell Folk Group (no other details)
21.   The Weight         Mick Bullard, Ben Bennion, Dave Pegg, Martin Allcock, Bob Brady (no other details)
22.   Woodworm Swing      Fairport Convention from Scrum Halfbricking (2003)
23.   The Crowd         Fairport Convention live recording (no other details)
24.   From A Buick 6      Dylan Project live recording (no other details)
25.   Linseed Memories      Dave Pegg & PJ Wright from Galileo’s Apology (2007)

CD 2:
1.   The Journeyman      Dave Pegg from The Cocktail Cowboy Goes It Alone (1983)
2.   Let It Blow         Richard Thompson live at Cropredy 2005
3.   Lady Wonder      Mike Herron single B-side (1971)
4.   Family Love         Steve Ashley from live in concert (2006)
5.   Pykey Boy         Ralph McTell from Water Of Dreams (1982)
6.   Lumps Of Plumb Pudding / Bean Setting / Boobing A Joe   Chris Leslie from Dancing Days (2003)
7.   Les Forces Du Mal      Dan A Bras from Douar Nevez – Terre Nouvelle (1997)
8.   Here Comes The Night   Steve Tilston from Reaching Back (2007)
9.   The Rambling Rover      Bob Fox from Dreams Never Leave You (2000)
10.   Dance With Me       annA rydeR from Paper Girl (2004)
11.   Fantasy In Fives / Searching For Lambs / The Bold Fisherman   Beryl Marriot fromWeave The Mirror (1991)
12.   A Tree          Murray Head from Voices (1991)
13.   Hazy Jane 1         Nick Drake from Bryter Later (1970)
14.   Dancing         John Martyn US single mix (1977)
15.   All The Dance Numbers   Dave Pegg from The Cocktail Cowboy Goes It Alone (1983)
16.   Song For A Friend      Marc Ellington from Rains / Reins Of Changes (1971)
17.   Full Moon         Sandy Denny ou-take from Rendezvous (1977)
18.   Who Knows Where The Time Goes      Fairport Convention live at Cropredy 1989
19.   Solo         Beth Neilson Chapman live at Cropredy 2005
 
CD 3:
1.   Jack Frost And The Hooded Crow   Dave Pegg from The Cocktail Cowboy Goes It Alone (1983)
2.   Serenade To A Cuckoo   Ian Anderson, Martin Barre and Fairport from The Third Leg (1987) Cropredy 1987
3.   John Barleycorn      Ian Anderson with Fairport Convention live at Cropredy 2001
4.   Peggy’s Pub         Jethro Tull previously unreleased (1980)
5.   Closing Time      Fairport Convention alternative version from Jewel In The Crown (1995)
6.   Flatback Caper      Fairport Convention previously unreleased (1972) with Roger Hill and Tom Farnell
7.   I Am Your Gun      Jethro Tull previously unreleased (1981)
8.   Pick Me Up         Fairport Convention previouslu unreleased live recording (1975)
9.   Hunting Girl         Ian Anderson, Martin Barre and Fairport live at Cropredy 1987
10.   Sloth         Fairport Convention previously unreleased live version (1975)
11.   Dirty Linen         Fairport Convention live at Cropredy 1998
12.   Before Your Time / Merry Sherwood Rangers   Simon Nicol from Before Your Time (1987)
13.   Shes Your Lover Now   The Dylan Project previously unreleased (2004)
14.   Rising For The Moon   Dan A Bras from Songs (1990)
15.   Morganne         from Excalibur – Le Concert Mythique (2000)

CD 4:
1.   Cocktail Cowboy       Dave Pegg single from The Cocktail Cowboy Goes It Alone (1983)
2.   Jams O’Donnals Jigs      Fairport Convention from Expletive Delighted (1982)
3.   Angel Delight      Fairport Convention from AT2 (1982) Home Farm Reunion 1982
4.   Hungarian Rhapsody   Fairport Convention from Rosie (1972)
5.   The Time Is Near         Fairport Convention from Babbacombe Lee
6.   Dream Song         Fairport Convention from Babbacombe Lee
7.   Wake Up John / Hanging Song   Fairport Convention from Babbacombe Lee
8.   Bankruptured      Dave Pegg & PJ Wright from Galileo’s Apology (2007)
9.   Song For Sandy      Dave Pegg from The Cocktail Cowboy Goes It Alone (1983)
10.   Instrumental Medley ‘85   Fairport Convention live at Cropredy 1992
11.   The Aunt Sally Shuffle   Fairport Convention from Old New Borrowed Blue (1996)
12.   The Eynsham Poacher   Fairport Convention live in Australia 1977
13.   Polly On The Shore      Fairport Convention from Sence Of Occasion (2007)
14.   When First Into This Country    Fairport Convention live in Denmark 1976
15.   Carolan’s Draught      Dave Pegg from The Cocktail Cowboy Goes It Alone (1983)
16.   Dark Eyed Molly      Fairport Convention from Red And Gold (1988)
17.   Pipe Major Jock Laidlaw’s Fancy   Dave Pegg from The Cocktail Cowboy Goes It Alone (1983)
18.   The Swirling Pit         Dave Pegg from The Cocktail Cowboy Goes It Alone (1983)
19.   Mathew Mark Luke And John   Fairport Convention previously unreleased (1972) with David Rea
20.   Tail Toddle / Instrumental Medley   Ian Campbell Folk Group previously unreleased (1968)
21.   Jams O’Donnals Jigs         Jethro Tull previously unreleased (1981)
22.   Level Pegging      Fairport Convention from Cropredy Capers Boxset (2004) live at Cropredy 1992

[davidmjs]

That is so hilariously all over the shop.  Corking

[RobertD]

Spotted at least one 20 year error on that list!
7.   Les Forces Du Mal      Dan A Bras from Douar Nevez – Terre Nouvelle (1997)
That one is actually from 1977

[Will S]

Thank you!

[Graham B]

Spotted at least one 20 year error on that list!
7.   Les Forces Du Mal      Dan A Bras from Douar Nevez – Terre Nouvelle (1997)
That one is actually from 1977

Hopefully that was my only typo - sorry

[RobertD]

Spotted at least one 20 year error on that list!
7.   Les Forces Du Mal      Dan A Bras from Douar Nevez – Terre Nouvelle (1997)
That one is actually from 1977

Hopefully that was my only typo - sorry

Oh Graham no worries! If you actually typed this all out I applaud you sir!

[davidmjs]

Does anybody know if the Albion Band that made the album (well, the body of the band anyway) ever toured Rise Up Like the Sun?  And if so, whether Ric played with them?  If they did, do recordings exist?

I've just been listening to the album again and it's amazing just how fully formed Ric is on it.  For all sorts of reasons, I'm not a huge fan of what he brings to Fairport but he's brilliant on this.  But on a given day it's still my favourite folk-rock album...

[RobertD]

Closest you can get that I am aware of is the Albion Band Live In Concert (BBC Tapes) which has recordings from a 80’s lineup, but more importantly, the Rise Up band-Ashley, John Tams, Ric Sanders, Michael Gregory, Dave Mattacks, Graeme Taylor, Pete Bullock…and the guy I won’t mention by name by choice

[Dan O.]

I've just had a look at Ashley biography "Always Chasing Rainbows", and found a brief promo Rise Up Like The Sun tour in late 1978.

According to Ric Sanders, "...I live in hope that configuration [of the Albion Band] will one day reunite and play some shows, not enough people saw us on the one tour we did."

An "Albion Band Presents Rise Up Like The Sun" re-creation set while the majority of participants are alive and willing has been on my Cropredy wishlist for years now...

Tour poster here :

[Nick Reg]

Does anybody know if the Albion Band that made the album (well, the body of the band anyway) ever toured Rise Up Like the Sun?  And if so, whether Ric played with them?  If they did, do recordings exist?

I've just been listening to the album again and it's amazing just how fully formed Ric is on it.  For all sorts of reasons, I'm not a huge fan of what he brings to Fairport but he's brilliant on this.  But on a given day it's still my favourite folk-rock album...

Any Albion Band recording with John Tams on is going to sound good isn't it?

[Will S]

Does anybody know if the Albion Band that made the album (well, the body of the band anyway) ever toured Rise Up Like the Sun?  And if so, whether Ric played with them?  If they did, do recordings exist?

I've just been listening to the album again and it's amazing just how fully formed Ric is on it.  For all sorts of reasons, I'm not a huge fan of what he brings to Fairport but he's brilliant on this.  But on a given day it's still my favourite folk-rock album...

There's the BBC Live at the Cambridge Folk Festival Albion Band album, which includes 6 tracks by that line-up from 1977, and there are some tracks from that lineup on the BBC Sessions album from 1977 and 1978, as well as a few odd live tracks on Burning Bright and the Guvnor series.  I'm not aware of any tracks having been released from the Folk 79 series recording mentioned on that poster.  Those would be interesting to hear, if they still exist in any form.

And yes, pretty, pretty please to the reformation of that line-up one day soon!

[Phil Perry]

Many years ago, we went along to "Albion Day" in Cheltenham in the hope of seeing the classic "Sun" line-up (anyone else remember that ? - I am sure it was the day after Cropredy), but, from memory, I don't think we got that close to a full reunion. IMO it's the existence of the Home Service that has mitigated against a reunion over the years - ie because there is so much overlap in the membership, it was probably felt that the HS effectively "replaced" the classic Albion Band and the HS continued to play some of the same material - eg notably "Snow Falls". By the way, there are some Home Service gigs coming up with plenty of tickets available .... the band deserves your support !

[davidmjs]

Thanks, all...very interesting and intriguing.  I'll dig out some of this stuff...and get around to reading the biog.

Here's a question for the ages:  why do I love Ric's violin sound in the Albions (and the Softs) but it drives me to distraction in Fairport, even though it is so obviously fully formed and they knew exactly what they were getting in '85?  I genuinely believe RULTS to be one of the true (if not *the*) highpoint(s) of English folk-rock.

And yes, it's hugely disappointing that it has been somewhat sullied by the appalling behaviour of one of the participants.  Love the art, not the artist and all that, but it's bloody hard in this case.

[GarethW]

Regarding the Box of Pegg's - I'm sure I have some of the books that accompanied the Box Set in the office. They were in the shop for a fiver at one point I think. Let me know...

[RobertD]

Thanks, all...very interesting and intriguing.  I'll dig out some of this stuff...and get around to reading the biog.

Here's a question for the ages:  why do I love Ric's violin sound in the Albions (and the Softs) but it drives me to distraction in Fairport, even though it is so obviously fully formed and they knew exactly what they were getting in '85?  I genuinely believe RULTS to be one of the true (if not *the*) highpoint(s) of English folk-rock.

And yes, it's hugely disappointing that it has been somewhat sullied by the appalling behaviour of one of the participants.  Love the art, not the artist and all that, but it's bloody hard in this case.

I recently re-watched the It All Comes ‘Round Again’ documentary from 1987. In it Ric says that his approach has been different because of his jazz style. He also admitted that joining the band he knew he could not adopt the same style as Swarb. And in the version of Fidddlestix on the same documentary you can see the difference in the bowing-Swarb’s fast and furious ‘sawing’ versus Ric’s longer, fluid style. The same notes but a different approach. I got the impression that Simon and Peggy were quite happy with the newer style along with Maart. I agree with you about Rise Up but using his words as a guide, Ric has always been his own type of violinist. A great admirer of folk and fiddling, but who approaches it in his own way. Its also the way he interprets the music since he joined. I know in general you aren’t a great fan of the music the last 30 odd years, but it is his sound, and his alone. In a technical sense in Ric’s early days with Fairport and I believe on Rise Up he was using the Zeta skeleton violin which had a unique sound, but I think he ditched it around the time of Old New Borrowed Blue

[davidmjs]

Thanks, all...very interesting and intriguing.  I'll dig out some of this stuff...and get around to reading the biog.

Here's a question for the ages:  why do I love Ric's violin sound in the Albions (and the Softs) but it drives me to distraction in Fairport, even though it is so obviously fully formed and they knew exactly what they were getting in '85?  I genuinely believe RULTS to be one of the true (if not *the*) highpoint(s) of English folk-rock.

And yes, it's hugely disappointing that it has been somewhat sullied by the appalling behaviour of one of the participants.  Love the art, not the artist and all that, but it's bloody hard in this case.

I recently re-watched the It All Comes ‘Round Again’ documentary from 1987. In it Ric says that his approach has been different because of his jazz style. He also admitted that joining the band he knew he could not adopt the same style as Swarb. And in the version of Fidddlestix on the same documentary you can see the difference in the bowing-Swarb’s fast and furious ‘sawing’ versus Ric’s longer, fluid style. The same notes but a different approach. I got the impression that Simon and Peggy were quite happy with the newer style along with Maart. I agree with you about Rise Up but using his words as a guide, Ric has always been his own type of violinist. A great admirer of folk and fiddling, but who approaches it in his own way. Its also the way he interprets the music since he joined. I know in general you aren’t a great fan of the music the last 30 odd years, but it is his sound, and his alone. In a technical sense in Ric’s early days with Fairport and I believe on Rise Up he was using the Zeta skeleton violin which had a unique sound, but I think he ditched it around the time of Old New Borrowed Blue

All true.  Ric's a lovely and supremely talented bloke and my feelings about his place in Fairport don't detract from that.  I keep coming back to '92 though...that, and showing what a post-Swarb Fairport could have been... Regrets?  I've had a few...