Fairport Compendium

[YaBB Master (Colin)]

The word Compendium was chosen carefully:
compendium, 1. a brief treatment or account of a subject, especially an extensive subject;

This idea wasn't to produce a 'best of'. What we want is a 'representative of' crossing the decades and then fit it all on one CD.

So please no falling outs because you don't like certain eras, they all have to be represented. No matter how good they are, there shouldn't be a heap of tracks from one popular album and yes some live versions are better than the studio recordings.

[Jules Gray]

What we want is a 'representative of' crossing the decades and then fit it all on one CD.

Ah. come on Col - we at least need a double!

The word Compendium was chosen carefully:
compendium, 1. a brief treatment or account of a subject, especially an extensive subject;

It also, happily, sounds a bit like Convention.  I like the title a lot.

Jules

[GubGub (Al)]

then fit it all on one CD.

In that case I'm out. Can't be done, at least in my head.  

[hendo (Dave)]

We could all do it. They would all be different, eg, I happen to hate Rosie, with a passion.

Dave, the album or the song?

The song.

[hendo (Dave)]

then fit it all on one CD.

In that case I'm out. Can't be done, at least in my head.  

My knee jerk reaction is to agree with you Al.........but I will try and give it some thought.
30 albums to be represented on a 14(?) track album. So 16 albums have to be ditched if we're only doing one song an album.
When the original vinyl version of History came out , there was conversation in the NME, that it didn't faithfully represent Fairport, e.g. Nothing from first album( yes I understand the contractural problems) and there were 3 tracks from Babbacombe Lee.
If it was impossible then to accuractly reflect a 6 album career on one album how on earth to do you reflect a 30 album career( I am using Colin's list above) on one album?
People think of me on here as deliberately argumentative, yes sometimes I throw in a hand grenade for fun but we need to find a logical way to help Colin do this.
We had our windows replaced yesterday. 2 fitters in their early 50's listening to Heart radio. So we talk music. They ask who I like . I mention Fairports. They had no idea who they were.
So imagine we are preparing a compendium for  someone who has never heard Fairports. This will be their Damascene moment! Sorry I couldn't leave out Crazy Man Michael cos we have to fit in Festival Bell (insert songs of choice). John Gaudie instead of Tam Lin?
Sorry Colin, I am starting to think it can't be done objectively.
Subjectively, for me, Holidays,unhalfbricking, Liege , full house and Babbacombe Lee are the most influential and genre defining and should have a large representation. A minimum of 10 tracks , leaving 4 tracks for the rest of the Cannon! Struggling!
I am not being negative Colin , let's make it work but at the risk of taking this too seriously , let's define our audience.
Most T / awhilers will know the majority of stuff so are we aimed at a younger audience and perhaps Fairport Virgins?
If you do eras it's effectively 3 songs an era.
The new listener would get a very skewed view of what Fairport were about.
Their memory has to be of a genre breaking band.

[bassline (Mike)]

however,it's a history of, should chronicle the full history

Yes, that is my point.

my history also includes the Wounded Whale.!!!!!!

So does mine!  

Mine too. My set is much the same as Al's, although not exactly the same tracks no doubt. Looking at the FC discography, a 4 disc set is ' a brief treatment or account of a subject '. You can't do it with one disc.  

[YaBB Master (Colin)]

Subjectively, for me, Holidays,unhalfbricking, Liege , full house and Babbacombe Lee are the most influential and genre defining and should have a large representation. A minimum of 10 tracks , leaving 4 tracks for the rest of the Cannon! Struggling!

The last time we had 'a bit of fun', right at the start there were several comments along the lines of 'why don't we just declare L&L the winner and have done with it?'

The whole idea here is that it's not a best of, so there will be discussions about other eras. Who knows, members who prefer more recent albums might feel that they can have a say.

[hendo (Dave)]

however,it's a history of, should chronicle the full history

Yes, that is my point.

my history also includes the Wounded Whale.!!!!!!

So does mine!  

Mine too. My set is much the same as Al's, although not exactly the same tracks no doubt. Looking at the FC discography, a 4 disc set is ' a brief treatment or account of a subject '. You can't do it with one disc.  

The joy of modern technology is that mine changes on a daily basis!

[hendo (Dave)]

Subjectively, for me, Holidays,unhalfbricking, Liege , full house and Babbacombe Lee are the most influential and genre defining and should have a large representation. A minimum of 10 tracks , leaving 4 tracks for the rest of the Cannon! Struggling!

The last time we had 'a bit of fun', right at the start there were several comments along the lines of 'why don't we just declare L&L the winner and have done with it?'

The whole idea here is that it's not a best of, so there will be discussions about other eras. Who knows, members who prefer more recent albums might feel that they can have a say.

Yep that was probably me.
Why would anybody prefer a more recent abum?

[Andy Tuck]

Just a thought. If this is aimed at the young and Fairport virgins, surely it has to be representative of the current line up and sound. It's no good filling it with tracks from previous eras, because when the target audience see the band or buy current albums they will be nothing like the compendium cd they have.

Remember this as Colin said is is not a best of CD.

When I bought History of in the 70s the band I then went to see and other LPs I bought were very similar to the taster album. I think we should only use tracks by the current line up. If the History of had had loads of tracks from the first album and this is what attracted me, I definitely wouldn't have been impressed with what they were then playing.

[Jim]

how about 3 cds from the 67-79 period and a blank so you can record your own choice from 85 to the present day, you might want to fill it up with side projects.

[Bridgwit (Bridget)]

Subjectively, for me, Holidays,unhalfbricking, Liege , full house and Babbacombe Lee are the most influential and genre defining and should have a large representation. A minimum of 10 tracks , leaving 4 tracks for the rest of the Cannon! Struggling!

The last time we had 'a bit of fun', right at the start there were several comments along the lines of 'why don't we just declare L&L the winner and have done with it?'

The whole idea here is that it's not a best of, so there will be discussions about other eras. Who knows, members who prefer more recent albums might feel that they can have a say.

Yep that was probably me.
Why would anybody prefer a more recent abum?

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[Neil]

67 - 69 The "classic" era.
70 - 79 The revolving door.
85 - 96 The Maart era
97 - Present  The Leslie era/current line up.

Eras are a good idea although I would end classic with Full House and not '69. Thompson leaving is the end of that classic period in my mind. This is what I hoped the FreeReed box would be but they chose a different thematic approach.

I agree with Gub's era list.  The difference between Full House and Angel Delight is one man MIA.  The difference between Liege & Lief and Full House is much more apparent.

Jules

Maybe one man missing in action, I see it as the disappearance of the progressive nature of the music to a much more conventional sound, also the loss of a second lead instrument led to Swarb becoming safer musically while simultaneously more dominant in choice of songs and instrumentals, this was hastened by the loss of the better more adventurous songwriter.

Neil

[Jules Gray]

Maybe one man missing in action, I see it as the disappearance of the progressive nature of the music to a much more conventional sound, also the loss of a second lead instrument led to Swarb becoming safer musically while simultaneously more dominant in choice of songs and instrumentals, this was hastened by the loss of the better more adventurous songwriter.

I agree with much of this.....but then you went and used the word 'progressive' and I developed a twitchy eye and couldn't concentrate properly.  

Yes, I know RT was a big deal in many ways, yet still FH seems a shorter step away from AD than from L&L to me.

Jules

[GubGub (Al)]

67 - 69 The "classic" era.
70 - 79 The revolving door.
85 - 96 The Maart era
97 - Present  The Leslie era/current line up.

Eras are a good idea although I would end classic with Full House and not '69. Thompson leaving is the end of that classic period in my mind. This is what I hoped the FreeReed box would be but they chose a different thematic approach.

I agree with Gub's era list.  The difference between Full House and Angel Delight is one man MIA.  The difference between Liege & Lief and Full House is much more apparent.

Jules

Maybe one man missing in action, I see it as the disappearance of the progressive nature of the music to a much more conventional sound, also the loss of a second lead instrument led to Swarb becoming safer musically while simultaneously more dominant in choice of songs and instrumentals, this was hastened by the loss of the better more adventurous songwriter.

Neil

Certainly the loss of a lead guitar player is noticeable but I am not sure I entirely agree with the first point. Surely Babbacombe Lee is musically adventurous and much of Nine too. It gets a little more formulaic after that, I'll grant you, notwithstanding the pyrotechnics of One More Chance.

[hendo (Dave)]

Subjectively, for me, Holidays,unhalfbricking, Liege , full house and Babbacombe Lee are the most influential and genre defining and should have a large representation. A minimum of 10 tracks , leaving 4 tracks for the rest of the Cannon! Struggling!

The last time we had 'a bit of fun', right at the start there were several comments along the lines of 'why don't we just declare L&L the winner and have done with it?'

The whole idea here is that it's not a best of, so there will be discussions about other eras. Who knows, members who prefer more recent albums might feel that they can have a say.

Yep that was probably me.
Why would anybody prefer a more recent abum?

I must not go on this thread
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😘 Sorry  Brij.
I am locked in to a discussion with an evangelical , Christian,creationist  pastor, in the states.
I'm an atheist. It's made me grumpy!

[JeremyRS]

😘 Sorry  Brij.
I am locked in to a discussion with an evangelical , Christian,creationist  pastor, in the states.
I'm an atheist. It's made me grumpy!

Er....why?

[Polly Oxford (Andie)]

I'm with Brij.... I seriously DO NOT have the time this is likely to take out of my life...
- but the worm is already in there...

[Shankly (Peter)]

�� Sorry  Brij.
I am locked in to a discussion with an evangelical , Christian,creationist  pastor, in the states.
I'm an atheist. It's made me grumpy!

Oh dear - I feel for you. I've had similar discussions in the past. Heads and brick walls spring to mind!

[Bridgwit (Bridget)]

I'm with Brij.... I seriously DO NOT have the time this is likely to take out of my life...
- but the worm is already in there...

The best bit is we/you haven't even decided on the format yet! That's before the arguments over whether Si Tu Dois Partir should be included (for - it's their only charting single, against - it's sh1te)