Fairport/Cropredy BBC4??

[davidmjs]

2008 Wintour. The stage lights dimmed, leaving only Chris in the spot.There then followed a truly amazing performance of Reynardine, which was repeated at that year's Cropredy I think. Spine tingling to hear Sandy's song so well treated and coming out of nowhere, to coin a phrase.

I have never enjoyed Simon's WKWTTG and cringe to hear Fotheringay. Please leave her songs to a female guest.

The new verse of Reynardine was especially wonderful!

I'm not sure I agree about Sandy's stuff.  Sometimes hearing a male voice doing it stops the whole thing turning into a bland tribute show.  Who's Sandy today, then, kind of thing....  I don't know.  I've heard some great female guests doing great versions of Sandy songs.  I've also, at times, really enjoyed Simon singing them.  What really gets me is when people get too reverential about her material.  That's what I enjoyed about the recent tour of her material (and what a lot of people didn't like).  Do it different, do it interesting.  It won't always work but sometimes it will... and it worked well enough on that tour to keep me interested at least.

[Jules Gray]

2008 Wintour. The stage lights dimmed, leaving only Chris in the spot.There then followed a truly amazing performance of Reynardine, which was repeated at that year's Cropredy I think. Spine tingling to hear Sandy's song so well treated and coming out of nowhere, to coin a phrase.

I have never enjoyed Simon's WKWTTG and cringe to hear Fotheringay. Please leave her songs to a female guest.

Or at least leave them to Chris.  I agree about his Reynardine.  Superb.

Jules

[David W]

I am minded of the comment Leland Sklar made during an interview about the James Taylor / Carole King reunion a few years back - "just cos we're quiet don't mean we're mellow".

Past Fairport's seem to fit into this for me - not out and out rock heavy but definitely with an edge to them - now I would say they are both quiet and mellow, reflected in the Union Chapel gig.

Does it work for me - not entirely
Does it work for others - clearly
Does it work for the band - obviously.

At the end of the day we as fans have a choice, and if enough people support the current FC way of doing things then why would they bother to change their stance.

DW

[RobertD]

yes the lineup that has been together for (depending on when Gerry offically joined) for 12 years now, and something like 16 from when Chris joined.

Gerry joined in 1998.

Thanks for the correction...in my head 12 didnt sound right. So 14 years then.

[KascadeDan]

I came into Fairport late (as I've said in other thread, Fairport had already been going 27 years by the time I was born), and so the first time I saw/heard Fairport 8 years ago they were into the current line-up. It wasn't until later that I went back to listen to the classic Fairport repertoire, and it is clear that the band's strongest material does come from a time when they were more electric. Full House is my personal favourite record from the band, not only because the material from it was strong way back in 1970 with that particular line-up, but also because much of it has been played live by the current band and still sounds just as strong. I don't think that they have lost any of their edge as performers. They are seriously talented people and continue to move forward, expanding their repertoire whilst still looking back and using that classic material, and it's up to them how they choose to play it.

[Andy]

"Fotheringay" is my favourite track from the "Fairport 45" album, by a country mile.

[Jay Peter]

Simon's Who knows.......and Crazy Man Michael were unexpectedly (to me) good. His voice is better (to me) when he doesn't force it. Didn't go much on Foth. But taste is taste. Reynardine excellent.


But when oh when are they going to do 1. Jack Orion 2. John Barleycorn?

[JJ (Joanna)]

...sorry cant read back all the posts in case this has been said earlier but at the beginning of the documentary are they not strapped in the van? Do you have to be in that type of van?

Great programme, enjoyed it.  

[koho (Koen)]

They're in, or near their sixties.
I for one am happy that they are still around, although the "spark" which made them into what they are and what we love them for, was utterly magic and one-off and Very Special Indeed.

Since then, they carried on that torch and they do it with dignity and style and if their current style is what THEY are happy with, so be it.
We can yearn for a different approach, well ... we have the albums, the memories, and Cropredy of course which is where that "spark" sometimes returns to.

Sure I've had my moans about the current line up. But they are still around and they represent something allright. Now be thankful!
 
For my money's worth did a really good album recently. Long may they continue. If that's sometimes with sonic comfy slippers - so be it. They'll always be my favourite band bar none. But that's a band which was (nearly) always more than the sum of its parts. They will not shake the music world any more - get over it. But they've earned those laurels a long long time ago.
Off my soap box  

[koho (Koen)]

And I liked the BBC4 programme. Loved the doc, despite the few inaccuracies, but they only had an hour, they couldn't possibly fit everything in.
Instead they focussed on a few things, which is one way to do it.

As for the concert, loved the setting, the way it was filmed, and the very fact they were on national TV at all.
Did the gig itself blow me away? No, it met an expectancy.
But I had the lights out, I had a good glass or two of Grand Marnier, and it felt good to see that band -wonderful players all- up there for a half million viewers. AND they did Fotheringay. And I was proud for them, too.  

[Will S]

And I liked the BBC4 programme. Loved the doc, despite the few inaccuracies, but they only had an hour, they couldn't possibly fit everything in.
Instead they focussed on a few things, which is one way to do it.

As for the concert, loved the setting, the way it was filmed, and the very fact they were on national TV at all.
Did the gig itself blow me away? No, it met an expectancy.
But I had the lights out, I had a good glass or two of Grand Marnier, and it felt good to see that band -wonderful players all- up there for a half million viewers. AND they did Fotheringay. And I was proud for them, too.  

Thanks Koen.  You have expressed my feelings very well there.

And are they too comfortable?  I don't think so.  A band that was cruising into old age wouldn't keep on rearranging their back material so creatively, or keep searching out new material.  Sorry for those who miss Metal Matty, but that was a looonng time ago now too...

[Gouty (Gary)]

They're in, or near their sixties.
I for one am happy that they are still around, although the "spark" which made them into what they are and what we love them for, was utterly magic and one-off and Very Special Indeed.

Since then, they carried on that torch and they do it with dignity and style and if their current style is what THEY are happy with, so be it.
We can yearn for a different approach, well ... we have the albums, the memories, and Cropredy of course which is where that "spark" sometimes returns to.

Sure I've had my moans about the current line up. But they are still around and they represent something allright. Now be thankful!
 
For my money's worth did a really good album recently. Long may they continue. If that's sometimes with sonic comfy slippers - so be it. They'll always be my favourite band bar none. But that's a band which was (nearly) always more than the sum of its parts. They will not shake the music world any more - get over it. But they've earned those laurels a long long time ago.
Off my soap box  

Koen, you've taken the words out of my mouth. Thanks for posting these thoughts.

[scarabus (Kevin)]

I was at the gig and, even from the audience, I found it offputting to have cameramen running up and down the aisles and poncing about at the foot of the stage - so maybe it threw the band a bit.
One woman got up and complained about the disruption but was quickly hounded back to her seat by a production assistant. Not like she'd paid good money to see her favourite band, or anything.
Plus it's a gig in a church building, so that's another factor.
But having said all that, I thought it was a great gig, with great performances all round.
The other gripe about the venue is that there are no readmissions - so no nipping across Upper St for a pint in the interval. Grrrrr.

[davidmjs]

I was at the gig and, even from the audience, I found it offputting to have cameramen running up and down the aisles and poncing about at the foot of the stage - so maybe it threw the band a bit.
One woman got up and complained about the disruption but was quickly hounded back to her seat by a production assistant. Not like she'd paid good money to see her favourite band, or anything.
Plus it's a gig in a church building, so that's another factor.
But having said all that, I thought it was a great gig, with great performances all round.
The other gripe about the venue is that there are no readmissions - so no nipping across Upper St for a pint in the interval. Grrrrr.

I'm pretty certain it was advertised from the off that it would be filmed wasn't it?

[hendo (Dave)]

I haven't seen the documentary or the concert yet so I cannot answer the discussion going on about this topic thread. However I have to raise my voice in regards to the strength of the current lineup....yes the lineup that has been together for (depending on when Gerry offically joined) for 12 years now, and something like 16 from when Chris joined.One needs to remember that Fairport has outlasted a lot of other bands during even that stretch of time. I love Fairport Convention, I admire and respect this band and I pretty much love damn near everything this band has ever done, or will continue to do. The marked difference between A Sense Of Occasion and Festival Bell IMHO should prove that this band does still have vitality, creativity, spark, and a willingness to continue making great music. So now the doubters are probably going to say, ok but I really dont like this or wish they would play more electric, or wish they could be like this lineup or that lineup....all fair points. People seeing the Nicol/Pegg/Sanders/Allcock/Mattacks lineup probably had the same nostalgic longing for the Swarb/Nicol/Pegg/Rowland lineup.....and on and on back into time to the original lineup. There has never been a band with as much story behind it as Fairport and I have never waivered in my admiration and liking for every era, this one being no exception. During moments like this I go back to what Simon himself said in the It All Comes 'Round Again documentary in his description of the Swarb/Nicol/Pegg/Rowland lineup. He said there were lots of critics around at the time who knocked it for being a bit slapdash, and a bit carefree. His answer was-"we made lots of friends then...we made lots of good music too." Thats the same now as it was then as far as Im concerned. As Al says its a continuing discussion and I say this only to put my two cents in as well.

Spot on. The comparison with the Tippler's tale line-up had also occurred to me, since that was my first Fairport.* What rattled my cage about the dull debate is "Or possibly the present fairports are now just dull? Discuss" sounds to me like a personal attack on the individual people rather than a critical commentary on the musical direction. To use the modern expression they are what they are. It's (a very little bit) like calling Dylan "Judas" for going electric. That's what they do now, if you don't like it it's your problem, not theirs. Having said that, if they felt the need to get Rebecca Lovell and Rosie Carson in to liven things up I would be the first to applaud a bold new change of musical direction. Or Carly Frey.

*And why don't they do Jack O'Rion or John Barleycorn now?

Jay, if you read my comments as a 'personal attack' you could not be further from the truth and we obviously haven't met. I am actually quite upset that you could read my comment in that way. It is my opinion. That is what this forum is about. Fairports do not excite me like they did. I did find the bbc concert 'dull' cos it didn't hold my attention. By all means disagree wity me but don't misquote/misinterperet me.
Chris singing Cell song was stunning.
 Incidentally my wife would have my bits if I ever said anything against Chris L.

[jimc]

we have a right to have it researched properly and delivered accurately.  

I think that when you know your subject well just about *nothing* on television comes over as researched and delivered properly. For example I live in the area where they did the Olympic cycling races, and you'd be suprised at how many times the commentators were quite lost... Here they are coming through [somewhere about 5 miles away] sort of thing, and don't get me on the subject of boats...

[Jay Peter]

What rattled my cage about the dull debate is "Or possibly the present fairports are now just dull? Discuss" sounds to me like a personal attack on the individual people rather than a critical commentary on the musical direction. .

Jay, if you read my comments as a 'personal attack' you could not be further from the truth and we obviously haven't met. I am actually quite upset that you could read my comment in that way. It is my opinion. That is what this forum is about. Fairports do not excite me like they did. I did find the bbc concert 'dull' cos it didn't hold my attention. By all means disagree wity me but don't misquote/misinterperet me.
Chris singing Cell song was stunning.
[/quote]
I certainly didn't misquote you, sorry if I misinterpreted you but there you go. I took "the present Fairports" to mean the individual members of the band. To say that they are dull implies that they have a problem, where it might be that particular members of the audience have a problem of not liking what the band does now. We have had good punch-up very interesting discussion. Good stuff

[Dave.P]

I am tired of listening to these old platitudes condeming the band ..
You want a heavier rock facade .. they brought you Excalibur
You want the old line ups they brought you John Babbacombe Lee
You want a new vision .. Fairport brought you Folk Rock .. its something you can only do once (There is no new folk rock)

Stop condeming an excellent band who put together a yearly tour and an annual Festival .. Which other band does this with such style and enthusiasm .. Tell me ?? because I have yet to meet them

[AdrianW]

The day that parents and 12 year olds like each others music will be a sad day. My dad still does the 'is that a man or a woman ?' comment if he sees my old Bowie/Bolan etc when I'm watching them.

I was quite pleased when one of my daughters around that age said she liked my Pink Floyd!
It was about the only musical point we had in common, loathing everything else the other liked.

[ColinB]

 Incidentally my wife would have my bits if I ever said anything against Chris L.

Mine too. What is it about Chris that the ladies love? I think it might be his hair. On the other hand Mrs B can't stand Ric. Finds his court jester persona very irritating.

I am in the same boat as some of the younger people on here in that I became a fan of the band only recently. I've seen then twice on recent wintours and twice at Cropredy. I'd say Chris is one of the best songwriters the band has had - 'My Love is in America' is a beautiful song. As most of you will know I'm a huge fan of RT but see him as quite separate from Fairport. Personally if Fairport recruited a second guitarist I wouldn't be so interested in them - I like the softer approach that Chris has brought to the band. If I want something heavier I'll stick on some RT. So I don't have any complaints about the Union Chapel gig. Sounded fine to me but agree with whoever said that they probably weren't as relaxed as they normally are due to the film crew.

Long may they convene!