TalkAwhile - The Folk Corporation Forum

Artists => Fairport Convention => Topic started by: Alan2 on August 29, 2023, 09:24:26 AM



Title: Strawbs Recommendations
Post by: Alan2 on August 29, 2023, 09:24:26 AM

Just two CDs this year, The Strawbs 'The Magic Of it All' and Solstice 'Light Up' to go with my other Solstice CD's which include their Cropredy performance in 1998. I also wandered into the T-Shirt tent early afternoon Saturday and bought the Roger Dean 'Cropredy' T-shirt, the last XXL I was told! I'm not quite that size but the cut is quite fitted (or so I kid myself!). For the first year I ventured out of my safe (boring!) zone and went for some exotic (well, it is to me!) food, the Sweet & Sour Chicken & Rice from the Japanese & Asian Fusion stall - delicious it was too.   (PS I hear some folk have had difficulty washing their Roger Dean T-shirt, well mine was fine after a 40 degree wash but I will take care in future.)


What do you think of the Strawbs CD?

I've never been to Cropredy but I know this was a Farewell performance from the Strawbs and I've been a fan of the group for some time.



Edit: This discussion has been grabbed from the Cropredy Purchases thread as it really deserves a topic of its own


Title: Strawbs Recommendations
Post by: Joss on September 03, 2023, 02:25:53 PM


Just two CDs this year, The Strawbs 'The Magic Of it All' and Solstice 'Light Up' to go with my other Solstice CD's which include their Cropredy performance in 1998. I also wandered into the T-Shirt tent early afternoon Saturday and bought the Roger Dean 'Cropredy' T-shirt, the last XXL I was told! I'm not quite that size but the cut is quite fitted (or so I kid myself!). For the first year I ventured out of my safe (boring!) zone and went for some exotic (well, it is to me!) food, the Sweet & Sour Chicken & Rice from the Japanese & Asian Fusion stall - delicious it was too.   (PS I hear some folk have had difficulty washing their Roger Dean T-shirt, well mine was fine after a 40 degree wash but I will take care in future.)


What do you think of the Strawbs CD?

I've never been to Cropredy but I know this was a Farewell performance from the Strawbs and I've been a fan of the group for some time.


Alan - I'm loving the Strawbs new CD, I've played it multiple times alongside my only other Strawbs CD 'Live at Nearfest 2004'. I think I need some more Strawbs, what do you recommend please?


Title: Strawbs Recommendations
Post by: Andy on September 03, 2023, 05:40:58 PM
Not to butt in, but if you haven't heard "Grave New World", you are significantly missing out.


Title: Strawbs Recommendations
Post by: Joss on September 03, 2023, 07:57:48 PM
Thanks for the recommendation Andy - I will find a copy! Cheers.


Title: Strawbs Recommendations
Post by: Andy on September 03, 2023, 10:00:46 PM
Blue Weaver (who was onstage at Cropredy) played on that album as Rick Wakeman had done a runner to Yes. He left shortly afterwards but his place in legend is secure.


Title: Strawbs Recommendations
Post by: Alan2 on September 04, 2023, 09:01:41 AM

Blue Weaver (who was onstage at Cropredy) played on that album as Rick Wakeman had done a runner to Yes. He left shortly afterwards but his place in legend is secure.


Strawbs on the Grave New World tour was one of my first concerts,  and I have a good memory of it.  Grave New World was one of their finest albums, imo.


Title: Strawbs Recommendations
Post by: Poor Will (Bill) on September 04, 2023, 09:26:32 AM

Thanks for the recommendation Andy - I will find a copy! Cheers.

My personal favourite is “From The Witchwood”


Title: Strawbs Recommendations
Post by: Alan2 on September 05, 2023, 09:29:53 AM


Thanks for the recommendation Andy - I will find a copy! Cheers.

My personal favourite is “From The Witchwood”


Their best imo.


Title: Re: Strawbs Recommendations
Post by: Alan2 on September 06, 2023, 08:56:55 AM



Just two CDs this year, The Strawbs 'The Magic Of it All' and Solstice 'Light Up' to go with my other Solstice CD's which include their Cropredy performance in 1998. I also wandered into the T-Shirt tent early afternoon Saturday and bought the Roger Dean 'Cropredy' T-shirt, the last XXL I was told! I'm not quite that size but the cut is quite fitted (or so I kid myself!). For the first year I ventured out of my safe (boring!) zone and went for some exotic (well, it is to me!) food, the Sweet & Sour Chicken & Rice from the Japanese & Asian Fusion stall - delicious it was too.   (PS I hear some folk have had difficulty washing their Roger Dean T-shirt, well mine was fine after a 40 degree wash but I will take care in future.)


What do you think of the Strawbs CD?

I've never been to Cropredy but I know this was a Farewell performance from the Strawbs and I've been a fan of the group for some time.


Alan - I'm loving the Strawbs new CD, I've played it multiple times alongside my only other Strawbs CD 'Live at Nearfest 2004'. I think I need some more Strawbs, what do you recommend please?


The first five albums on A&M represent their classic years, I've always thought.  That's Self titled,  Dragonfly, Antiques and Curios (Live),  From the Witchwood,  Grave New World.  After that,  Bursting at the Seams  contains their  two hiit singles, but there are other good songs on there too.  After that Hero and Heroine marks a definite move into prog, lyrical, melodic prog.   Thereafter they gradually became more AOR,  but have retained a strong fanbase over the years.  

If you want a compilation of early Strawbs,  Halcyon Days is a very good 2CD, available cheaply and includes b sides, and tracks by Strawbs offshoot Hudson Ford.

For later material, and there is a lot of it, as the band has always been around in some form,  Acoustic Strawbs are good- they seem to have existed alongside the electric band for a while and might appeal to more folky listeners.


Title: Re: Strawbs Recommendations
Post by: Phil Perry on September 06, 2023, 02:34:36 PM
Well, personally I'd say that their classic albums last right up to their ninth, Ghosts, , which is a particularly good one. In other words, the period when they've had a top-notch keyboard player on board, be it Rick Wakeman, Blue Weaver or John Hawken. And don't forget the very first one with Sandy Denny. It's not exactly a classic - bit of a Seekers vibe - but it's interesting to hear her in a totally different context to normal.

 


Title: Re: Strawbs Recommendations
Post by: Alan2 on September 06, 2023, 02:44:28 PM

Well, personally I'd say that their classic albums last right up to their ninth, Ghosts, , which is a particularly good one. In other words, the period when they've had a top-notch keyboard player on board, be it Rick Wakeman, Blue Weaver or John Hawken. And don't forget the very first one with Sandy Denny. It's not exactly a classic - bit of a Seekers vibe - but it's interesting to hear her in a totally different context to normal.

 


Yes All Our Own Work would appeal to Fairport fans.