I really liked Ciaran's playing with Greg!

on another note .....are will S and ColinB the same person?
their Avatars seem to suggest so  

I"ve lived without a TV in my home  for 40 odd years now..

Interestingly, I thought that Ric's recruitment (as, effectively, 'second choice') hadn't been very well covered before - I've certainly not read it that clearly stated before.

The thing about the 'interregnum' comes directly from Ric, so, short of correcting the interviewee (which maybe wouldn't be a very good look), I'm not sure what they could do...

It's an interesting interview, albeit covering ground that's been well covered before. The brutal honesty of describing bands as unknown quantitiesto Ric  because he has never heard of them or their music is refreshing. Also a pointer to the Cropredy '25 line-up.

I'm a pedant, I know, but I do wish that such articles could be proofread before publishing. It's no disservice to edit the interviews somewhat to avoid such errors as you refer to, David.

A play: Elmet in Bradford (featuring music from the Unthanks - with Becky, Rachel and Adrian performing)

https://bradford2025.co.uk/event/elmet/

A really lovely little interview with Ric.  I've always loved his playing with the Softies and with the RULTS Albions..but have always been rather iffy about him in FC.  So it's interesting to have confirmed what I've always thought should have happened was what was planned to happen - Chris replacing Swarb in '85.  

But 4 decades on, I'm just about ready to accept that (and mainly for the reasons outlined) they needed something very different (I've got the '92 recording to listen to when I need to feel I really was right).  Ric's a great bloke and a bloody great violinist (which doesn't mean I don't still struggle with a lot of the material over the last 40 years).  It's a great read.  Recommended.

https://darrensmusicblog.com/2025/06/26/interview-with-fairport-conventions-ric-sanders/

[ps still somewhat irritated by the once-again-repeated fact that there wasn't really a Fairport 1980-1985 - they were definitely very p/t but there were annual tours, and they even played in the US ffs]

Yeah, but, you know, there's also this thing called television.  

Jules

Ah i see.  That would explain my not knowing him- it's rare i go.to comedy gigs, can count the ones i've attended on one hand easily.  

Big fan. Saw him a couple of years ago at The Ipswich Regent and it was truly one of the best gigs I've ever been too. I think I first became aware of him when he did Jonathon Ross's Friday night BBC TV show (which gives you some idea of how long ago that was...) and did a bespoke number about Jane Goldman. Subsequently he even made musicals tolerable ("When I Grow Up" from Matilda was a particular showstopper when sung by an adult human male) and his series 'Upright' (Sky) was a must-watch at Kirk Towers. So, yes, I've heard of him.  

He's been a big name on the comedy circuit for about two decades, Alan.

Jules