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red max
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« on: March 17, 2006, 01:21:38 PM » |
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I can't be the only person who's disappointed that the Albion Band is no more. According to Ashley the band was retired because of the reduced number of gigs available to them. Which presumably means not enough punters were interested any more
It's surely fair to rate Battle of the field, The prospect before us and Rise up like the sun as equal to anything Fairport & Steeleye were doing at the time, but I guess in the decades that followed people just stopped following the band. I'm kind of interested to know how long people persevered with the Albions' output. Did you buy the Cathy le Surf/Phil Beer albums of the eighties? What about the harder-rocking albums for Topic in 89/90? Did you follow them through the acoustic years?
Personally I bought their stuff all the way up to the "1990" album. I picked up compilations of their later stuff and it just didn't grab me at all. Did the band name lose any sense of continuity with the "glory years"?
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Barry
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« Reply #1 on: March 17, 2006, 01:35:43 PM » |
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I would have to say that for me, it hasn't "ended" as such, just the name has changed. The Albion Band - just like Fairport and Steeleye - is a spirit and way of doing things, and that spirit continues through to The Rainbow Chasers, The Cecil Sharpe Collective, the morris material he does and The Albion Christmas Band.
Personally I loved the acoustic stuff (that's where I discovered While & Mathews) but the last few albums were beginning to tail off a bit. But then ther Albions had peaks and troughs like any other band
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Amethyst (Jenny)
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« Reply #2 on: March 17, 2006, 01:41:03 PM » |
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Acousticity is one of my fave Albion albums.... fantastic.. that's where I discovered Chris and Julie too.
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Farnsfield Acoustic ... Notts
Thank you to everyone that has ever been to a FarnsAc gig, and to all our wonderful performers since 2005
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Alex Lyons
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« Reply #3 on: March 17, 2006, 01:42:08 PM » |
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Very interesting post Max, well done  I think I've got the lot, except for the live album of the final line-up (and only because Talking Elephant keep forgetting to send me it). I'm with you to a degree on the 90s era though - definitely my least favourite. I've always loved the 1970s work, the very 1st Albion Country Band (Steve Ashley, Royston Wood etc), the 'Battle of the Field' album is one of my favourite folk-rock LPs, as is 'Rise Up Like The Sun' (perhaps the best folk-rock album), 'Lark Rise' is also an underrated/underheard gem. The 1980s marked a totally new direction, a contemporary band, as opposed to the folk-rock bands of the 70s. So I find it very difficult to compare the two eras, but I have come to appreciate the 80s line-ups over the past few years. Both with the albums - including true classics in 'Light Shining' and 'Shuffle Off' - and I think more so through lots of live recordings. As well as hearing unreleased material, different versions - for example the 'Under The Rose' album was performed live by the 'Light Shining' line-up (with Doug Morter replacing Simon Nicol) so it's fascinating to hear their take on those songs - I find it also makes the music more approachable, adds a personal touch which perhaps is less to the fore on the studio albums. So I think, certainly after 'Shuffle Off', purely on the studio work I wouldn't have enjoyed/appreciated those line-ups as much as I do now. The 89/90 Topic era was also really good, I always enjoy listening to those two albums. The early 90s acoustic years are very different - in fact I often wonder if it should be called The Albion Band. They are good albums though, and Talking Elephant recently released two live albums which, again, I find enhance your enjoyment of the era. I've never quite managed to click with the 97-2001-ish Ken Nicol etc era. That said, they're always nice albums to listen to, exploring interesting themes in the songs, with some nice instrumental work as well. But I think certainly for me I would tend to favour the 70s & 80s work, with the 90s falling some way behind. Has the Albion Band disappeared though? While there's always been subtle distinctions, in many ways has the band's name more or less meant Ashley Hutchings and whoever he's working with at the time? The Rainbow Chasers aren't that far away from the early 90s acoustic line-ups. The Morris On band could easily be called The Albion Dance Band. So I think perhaps the Albion journey is continuing, just under different names. (Which Barry has just said while I've been typing but never mind....  ) |
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"It is better to fail aiming high than to succeed aiming low. And we of Spurs have set our sights very high, so high in fact that even failure will have in it an echo of glory."
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Barry
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« Reply #4 on: March 17, 2006, 01:43:37 PM » |
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Except Julie isn't on Acousticity  |
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Amethyst (Jenny)
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« Reply #5 on: March 17, 2006, 01:45:13 PM » |
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True Barry.. I must have coffed again.. but roughly the same era...
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Farnsfield Acoustic ... Notts
Thank you to everyone that has ever been to a FarnsAc gig, and to all our wonderful performers since 2005
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Chris
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« Reply #6 on: March 17, 2006, 01:53:04 PM » |
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Very interesting post Max, well done Does that sound rather condescending to anyone else? |
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Polly Oxford (Andie)
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« Reply #7 on: March 17, 2006, 02:00:03 PM » |
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Well the Albion Christmas Band was THE Christmas gig for me, I loved it just as I have all that went before.
- Which was the Joe Broughton/unicycling incarnation?( I've lost half the sleeves of my CDs and only know the tunes, not the line-ups!)
Apart from pulling the strings and getting folk/rock started, Ashley's grteatest achievement must be to have introduced/encouraged more brilliant young musicians than anyone else on the scene. An 'Albions' concert will always be worth watching, for the new talent alone.
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Alex Lyons
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« Reply #8 on: March 17, 2006, 02:04:36 PM » |
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Very interesting post Max, well done Does that sound rather condescending to anyone else? Hope not, certainly not to anyone who knows me cos I wouldn't mean it in that way. Just nice to see the Albions mentioned, and mentioned in a fairly detailed/intelligent way. |
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"It is better to fail aiming high than to succeed aiming low. And we of Spurs have set our sights very high, so high in fact that even failure will have in it an echo of glory."
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PLW (Peter)
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« Reply #9 on: March 17, 2006, 02:34:23 PM » |
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Ended? I don't think so. I remember going to see the last-ever Fairport concert in 1979.
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PLW (Peter)
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« Reply #10 on: March 17, 2006, 02:35:10 PM » |
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Very interesting post Max, well done Does that sound rather condescending to anyone else? Hope not, certainly not to anyone who knows me cos I wouldn't mean it in that way. Just nice to see the Albions mentioned, and mentioned in a fairly detailed/intelligent way. Keep digging, Alex! |
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Jim
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« Reply #11 on: March 17, 2006, 02:44:02 PM » |
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i loved the early albions and the lot that became the home service
the other line ups, while always worth the effort, didnt quite do it for me
my fave line up is the battle of the field one,i'll never forget John kirkpatrick morris danciing on stage
rhe Tams version was a mighty beast and i felt that the subsequent lineups didnt quite have that power
although the shuffle off dance band was a hoot
ive not heard or seen the rainbow chasers so i cant really comment
but anything AH turns his hands to is always worth a listen
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PLW (Peter)
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« Reply #12 on: March 17, 2006, 02:59:21 PM » |
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The most joyous incarnation for me was the "Lark Rise to Candleford" lot at the National Theatre.
And (I don't think anyone's mentioned this) "No Roses".
But I have to say, the 90s acoustic versions were mostly wonderful - a front line of Chris Julie and Chris has got to be good.
And who was the fiddler on Acousticity and what became of him?
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Jim
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« Reply #13 on: March 17, 2006, 03:00:17 PM » |
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No roses wasnt a live band though, was it
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PLW (Peter)
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« Reply #14 on: March 17, 2006, 03:08:02 PM » |
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No roses wasnt a live band though, was it
No but it was the first incarnation of The Albion Country Band. First thing Ashley did after Steeleye I think. |
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red max
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« Reply #15 on: March 17, 2006, 03:08:57 PM » |
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I agree with the earlier comment, 'Light Shining' and 'Shuffle Off' were indeed strong. But I suppose, like Steeleye, they'd entered into a phase when they were trying not to trade on past glories and to prove they were a valid and modern outfit. Which is all well and good, but now some of those mid-period albums sound rather dated whereas Battle of the field still sounds fresh as a daisy
Re. Ken Nicol- obviously a talented musician, but I sometimes wish Ashley had had a quiet word with him about that trans-atlantic accent he adopts when singing. He's written some good stuff with Steeleye, but they'd sound even better if he'd use the same voice he speaks with. Just my opinion, of course!
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Jim
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« Reply #16 on: March 17, 2006, 03:10:04 PM » |
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No roses wasnt a live band though, was it
No but it was the first incarnation of The Albion Country Band. First thing Ashley did after Steeleye I think. cant argue with that yet |
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Alex Lyons
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"For a fat lass ya divvent sweat much"
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« Reply #17 on: March 17, 2006, 03:13:06 PM » |
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No roses wasnt a live band though, was it
Quite right Jim, that was purely a studio project - a bloody good one though  There was a scratch band put together to do a few gigs but it was more of a folky venture, four people in a van, and didn't bear much relation to the album. The 'Albion County Band' name used for the album was more a conceptual title really, just a way to reflect the contribution of the musicians to the album. It wasn't til a few months later that the idea of actually having a band going by that name was floated. There was a rehearsal group - Simon Nicol on drums!  - and then the first ACB proper with Steve Ashley etc. PS Max hits my main gripe with Ken Nicol right on the head. |
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"It is better to fail aiming high than to succeed aiming low. And we of Spurs have set our sights very high, so high in fact that even failure will have in it an echo of glory."
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PLW (Peter)
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« Reply #18 on: March 17, 2006, 03:19:37 PM » |
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No roses wasnt a live band though, was it
There was a scratch band put together to do a few gigs but it was more of a folky venture, four people in a van Four People in a Van. Don't remember them. Four Men and a Dog, remember them. The Gang of Four. . . Nurse! My medication, please. |
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Jim
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« Reply #19 on: March 17, 2006, 03:25:25 PM » |
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i missed the Rt and linda version of the albions when they played the rainy city( the pre battle of the field line up) i went out on the lash instead  |
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