Fairport Convention, probably the world's most well known folk group have been on the go for what seems like forever.
Actually it is only from 1967 so they are not as old as me. Hard to believe but there you are.
The History of Fairport Convention anthology on the Island Masters label is from 1972 and covers the period when they were at their peak
A time when the line up included the likes of Richard Thomson, Ashley Hutchins and Sandy Denny among others
Indeed in 1969 alone they managed to produce three classic albums in What We Did on Our Holidays, Unhalfbricking and Liege &Lief - the Ryan Adams or Jack White of their day in terms of their prolificity
A version of the band including veterans Simon Nicol and Dave Pegg is still on the go and curating their annual Cropreddy Festival.
A band worthy of a family tree
Fairport Convention - Meet on the Ledge
Fairport Convention - Fotheringay
The three albums you mention are all sitting in the music room. The late middle-aged me can say that rather proudly. The twenty-something me would have poured scorn on anyone owning such albums
ReplyDeleteUnhalfbricking is my favourite. Not a duff track on it and some great songs with Sandy Denny's voice the icing on the cake.
ReplyDeleteThat family tree in your illustration is of course "Loose Chippings" from the Fairport Family Tree. The loose chippings are themselves fairly staggering.
ReplyDeleteThe three lps "Holidays", "Unhalfbricking" and "Liege & Lief" are without parallel. One of them in a year would be without parallel, - but three? Sandy's move to form Fotheringay (their 1st lp is really something) and Sandy's solo "Northstar, Grassman & the Ravens" lp are staggering. Thomson's "Henry the Human Fly" and "Bright Lights" (with Linda) just continued the outpouring of genius.
Also remember Richard and Sandy were only 20 and 22 respectively in 1969. They were practically just kids. Richard Thomson's first band was a few years earlier, his bass player was Hugh Cornwell, later of The Stranglers.