General Chatter

[Andy]

Graham Nash was bloody great at Wickham.

[hendo (Dave)]

Thinking of talk re headliners etc I have had a quick trawl through comparable festivals to see the other bands on the circuit this year - would any of these have made a difference to Cropredy 2019:

WICKHAM: Frank Turner / Graham Nash / Judy Collins / Proclaimers / Level 42 / Gilbert O'Sullivan

CORNBURY: Specials / Keane / Beach Boys / Echo + Bunnymen / KT Tunstall / Gaz Coombes

MOSELEY: Don McLean / Jake Bugg / Public Service B'casting / Edwyn Collins / Zutons

TOWERSEY: Cockney Rebel / From the Jam / Selecter

CAMBRIDGE: Ralph M / Lucinda Williams

I think looking at these that the Cropredy line up wasn't too bad this year, and a lot of the bands at other fests have played Cropredy in the past (Selecter / Proclaimers / Level 42 / Cockney Rebel). What seems clear from Towersey, Moseley and Cambridge is that "folk" festivals seem to have real problems in getting folk bands with a big enough reach to generate interest with the more folky acts being on the undercard.

DW

We had a conversation at Cambridge this Yr as to whether those big headlining folk bands still exist or they have shrunk, eg Levs, Oysterband, Steeleye, Show of Hands, Waterboys . Tempis Fugit and we are looking for bands to step into the shoes. They are there in musical terms but probably not with the pulling power.
Incidentally the Rails were on their game at Cambridge as was Jack Broadbent , both of whom would have been perfect for Cropredy.

[Wandering Steve]

I was happy with the headliners at Cropredy this year but from the list of others:

Thursday night: KT Tunstall (if with a band)

Friday night; Keane

Saturday afternoon special guest: From the Jam
Saturday solo pre Fairport: Ralph M
Saturday Fairport guest: Graham Nash with Fairport for 1/2 hour of hits

DW

Not sure about Keane for Cropredy. Don't get me wrong. I like them but they might be a bit Marmite for a Cropredy audience. Lucinda Williams would be excellent for Cropredy but not as a headliner as she would not bring in a big audience of her own.

Keane would be brilliant for cropredy....
They were brilliant at cornbury earlier this year and certainly bought the people in....

[kenhughes]

Thinking of talk re headliners etc I have had a quick trawl through comparable festivals to see the other bands on the circuit this year - would any of these have made a difference to Cropredy 2019:

WICKHAM: Frank Turner / Graham Nash / Judy Collins / Proclaimers / Level 42 / Gilbert O'Sullivan

CORNBURY: Specials / Keane / Beach Boys / Echo + Bunnymen / KT Tunstall / Gaz Coombes

MOSELEY: Don McLean / Jake Bugg / Public Service B'casting / Edwyn Collins / Zutons

TOWERSEY: Cockney Rebel / From the Jam / Selecter

CAMBRIDGE: Ralph M / Lucinda Williams

I think looking at these that the Cropredy line up wasn't too bad this year, and a lot of the bands at other fests have played Cropredy in the past (Selecter / Proclaimers / Level 42 / Cockney Rebel). What seems clear from Towersey, Moseley and Cambridge is that "folk" festivals seem to have real problems in getting folk bands with a big enough reach to generate interest with the more folky acts being on the undercard.

DW

We had a conversation at Cambridge this Yr as to whether those big headlining folk bands still exist or they have shrunk, eg Levs, Oysterband, Steeleye, Show of Hands, Waterboys . Tempis Fugit and we are looking for bands to step into the shoes. They are there in musical terms but probably not with the pulling power.
Incidentally the Rails were on their game at Cambridge as was Jack Broadbent , both of whom would have been perfect for Cropredy.

Sam Kelly and the lost Boys, Skerrivor, Tide Lines, Galley Beggar, The Decemberists, Offa Rex, Skinny Lister, ferocious Dog, Skimpnish, are all (but by no means exclusively) great folk rock acts that are on the up.

Kate Rusby is a headliner and Seth Lakeman has headlined a night at Cropredy

Book all of them and just watch the festival sell out!

You might need to add a big name for Thursday night so let’s invite Mr Plant’s latest band.

[Bingers (Chris)]

Nope it wouldn’t sell out! Many of those acts named have already played Cropredy, some more than once, and as they say many times, Cropredy is not a Folk Festival but a general music festival

[Wandering Steve]

Keane
The specials
Seasick steve(brilliant last time)
Alice cooper(sold out last time)

These are Thursday/Friday acts that would sell tickets and in the last two cases have proved to sell tickets...
I heard a tale that a couple of years ago it was proposed to have Aerosmith at the festival but the organising committee voted against it....
If true how many tickets would have been sold .....

[Bridgwit (Bridget)]

Keane
The specials
Seasick steve(brilliant last time)
Alice cooper(sold out last time)

These are Thursday/Friday acts that would sell tickets and in the last two cases have proved to sell tickets...
I heard a tale that a couple of years ago it was proposed to have Aerosmith at the festival but the organising committee voted against it....
If true how many tickets would have been sold .....

A definite 2 from me!!

The Specials would sway it for me too.

[Ancient Muse (Andy)]

Graham Nash and KT Tunstall would be good, and I too like the Specials.

[Malcolm]

Seasick steve(brilliant last time)

I was at the Brecon Jazz Festival last week and in one of the fringe locations was his tribute act Sicknote Steve.

I managed to avoid him as I did the other one.

[Bingers (Chris)]

Seasick steve(brilliant last time)

I was at the Brecon Jazz Festival last week and in one of the fringe locations was his tribute act Sicknote Steve.

I managed to avoid him as I did the other one.

Yes didn’t take to Seasick Steve last time he played Cropredy. In fact it was one of the few times we left early as his songs all sound the same and even the appearance of John Paul Jones failed to lift my enthusiasm  

[Andy]

Seasick Steve is a character created by Steve Leach / Wold.

See this article.

No, I'm not a fan.

[JennyB]

Seasick Steve is a character created by Steve Leach / Wold.

See this article.

No, I'm not a fan.

Found the whole debacle very distasteful and regretted buying his album. Would definitely not like to see him on the bill - but realise others may not mind so much!

[Albie]

Seasick Steve is a character created by Steve Leach / Wold.

See this article.

No, I'm not a fan.

Found the whole debacle very distasteful and regretted buying his album. Would definitely not like to see him on the bill - but realise others may not mind so much!

I thought he was really dull, as I did at BD a few years later. I also bought a CD a few years before he turned up at Croppers and it's poor. Last festival he headlined that I was at, I watched someone on the second or third stage instead.
The Reverend Paytons Big Damn Band are in similar musical territory and are much, much better, although less of a draw sadly.

[Bridgwit (Bridget)]

We love Seasick Steve and would be very happy to see him on the bill (and in the mosh swigging from a bottle of JD!)  

It just goes to show we all like and want something different, which is by no means a bad thing. I loved Level 42, others were appalled that Cropredy had "sunk to booking 80's bands". My fave year ever was the one with Steve Hackett and the Australian Pink Floyd, and it sold out that year, despite both those bands touring extensively.

I'm sure Simon, Peggy et al will book great acts for next year and most of us will go regardless of the line up and have a great time, but we definitely need a good, solid headline act to attract a good crowd. It might be nicer with less people, but that doesn't pay the bills.

[Bingers (Chris)]

We love Seasick Steve and would be very happy to see him on the bill (and in the mosh swigging from a bottle of JD!)  

It just goes to show we all like and want something different, which is by no means a bad thing. I loved Level 42, others were appalled that Cropredy had "sunk to booking 80's bands". My fave year ever was the one with Steve Hackett and the Australian Pink Floyd, and it sold out that year, despite both those bands touring extensively.

I'm sure Simon, Peggy et al will book great acts for next year and most of us will go regardless of the line up and have a great time, but we definitely need a good, solid headline act to attract a good crowd. It might be nicer with less people, but that doesn't pay the bills.

Agree with all you said. Thinking about 80’s bands though maybe that’s an area that could possibly be explored more? As we’ve talked about before Bridg we’ve both seen Tears for Fears recently who would provide a superb show for Cropredy. As would the likes of ABC, Marc Almond, Blancmange and possibly China Crisis, Heaven 17, Human League etc etc...there’s plenty such bands stlll around....just a thought  

[David W]

Agree with all you said. Thinking about 80’s bands though maybe that’s an area that could possibly be explored more? As we’ve talked about before Bridg we’ve both seen Tears for Fears recently who would provide a superb show for Cropredy. As would the likes of ABC, Marc Almond, Blancmange and possibly China Crisis, Heaven 17, Human League etc etc...there’s plenty such bands stlll around....just a thought  

There were a lot of decent 80s / 90s bands still touring in their own right and not just a part of nostalgia weekends, I would add OMD, Echo and the Bunnymen, Paul Young, Billy Ocean, Simple Minds, The Pretenders, The Lightning Seeds, Paul Heaton,

DW

[Bingers (Chris)]

Agree with all you said. Thinking about 80’s bands though maybe that’s an area that could possibly be explored more? As we’ve talked about before Bridg we’ve both seen Tears for Fears recently who would provide a superb show for Cropredy. As would the likes of ABC, Marc Almond, Blancmange and possibly China Crisis, Heaven 17, Human League etc etc...there’s plenty such bands stlll around....just a thought  

There were a lot of decent 80s / 90s bands still touring in their own right and not just a part of nostalgia weekends, I would add OMD, Echo and the Bunnymen, Paul Young, Billy Ocean, Simple Minds, The Pretenders, The Lightning Seeds, Paul Heaton,

DW

Yep all good. I just put a few down to get the ball rolling  

[iandiddams]

Agree with all you said. Thinking about 80’s bands though maybe that’s an area that could possibly be explored more? As we’ve talked about before Bridg we’ve both seen Tears for Fears recently who would provide a superb show for Cropredy. As would the likes of ABC, Marc Almond, Blancmange and possibly China Crisis, Heaven 17, Human League etc etc...there’s plenty such bands stlll around....just a thought  

I feel they'd need to be careful about not becoming a old-bands-revisited type festival. I work a bar on a one day festival local to us that is exactly that and while lots and lots of people enjoy it clearly, I don't think its where Cropredy need go.  And while its not also an out and out folk, or even folk-rock or prog-rock festival, and I'm not hung up on that anyway, I cant say many 80s bands were much cop (I appreciate this is a personal and subjective area!).  Our group all left for level 42 the other year.  Mind you we also left for levellers sitting down and strumming!  LOL.

Its a tough call though - I thought Madness were somewhat unengaged and going through the motions, and that beatles tribute was pretty naff frankly.  Can't recall if they actually headlined but Hayseed Dixie were great!

didds

[Bridgwit (Bridget)]

We love Seasick Steve and would be very happy to see him on the bill (and in the mosh swigging from a bottle of JD!)  

It just goes to show we all like and want something different, which is by no means a bad thing. I loved Level 42, others were appalled that Cropredy had "sunk to booking 80's bands". My fave year ever was the one with Steve Hackett and the Australian Pink Floyd, and it sold out that year, despite both those bands touring extensively.

I'm sure Simon, Peggy et al will book great acts for next year and most of us will go regardless of the line up and have a great time, but we definitely need a good, solid headline act to attract a good crowd. It might be nicer with less people, but that doesn't pay the bills.

Agree with all you said. Thinking about 80’s bands though maybe that’s an area that could possibly be explored more? As we’ve talked about before Bridg we’ve both seen Tears for Fears recently who would provide a superb show for Cropredy. As would the likes of ABC, Marc Almond, Blancmange and possibly China Crisis, Heaven 17, Human League etc etc...there’s plenty such bands stlll around....just a thought  

Oh yes all of those (except Marc Almond who I can't abide, but I know he's popular). Can we add in The Cure too please. Can we? Can we?  

 

[Nick Reg]

We love Seasick Steve and would be very happy to see him on the bill (and in the mosh swigging from a bottle of JD!)  

It just goes to show we all like and want something different, which is by no means a bad thing. I loved Level 42, others were appalled that Cropredy had "sunk to booking 80's bands". My fave year ever was the one with Steve Hackett and the Australian Pink Floyd, and it sold out that year, despite both those bands touring extensively.

I'm sure Simon, Peggy et al will book great acts for next year and most of us will go regardless of the line up and have a great time, but we definitely need a good, solid headline act to attract a good crowd. It might be nicer with less people, but that doesn't pay the bills.

Agree with all you said. Thinking about 80’s bands though maybe that’s an area that could possibly be explored more? As we’ve talked about before Bridg we’ve both seen Tears for Fears recently who would provide a superb show for Cropredy. As would the likes of ABC, Marc Almond, Blancmange and possibly China Crisis, Heaven 17, Human League etc etc...there’s plenty such bands stlll around....just a thought  

Oh yes all of those (except Marc Almond who I can't abide, but I know he's popular). Can we add in The Cure too please. Can we? Can we?  

 

Would love to see the Cure . They would have to shorten their set though.