Ashley/Albions Discography

[davidmjs]

Has anybody ever attempted to collect everything Ashley has released?  

Apart from the obvious (Discogs etc., which are always unwieldy, often inaccurate/incomplete, and sometimes difficult to interpret when the releases are so plentiful) what is the best published one?  

There's a sort of discography in the Free Reed box if you piece together the partial one (incidentally, does everyone else's copy of the book within it have multiple repeated pages in it?)...but I think it's far from complete.

But has anyone else attempted a personal one?

[Jules Gray]

This was the best Ashley discography I ever found. But no, I never attempted to collect them all.

https://mainlynorfolk.info/guvnor/records/

Jules

[davidmjs]

This was the best Ashley discography I ever found. But no, I never attempted to collect them all.

https://mainlynorfolk.info/guvnor/records/

Jules

Oh that's fab...thanks, Jules...don't think I've seen that site before...

[Jules Gray]

Oh that's fab...thanks, Jules...don't think I've seen that site before...

It's a good resourse. Lots of detail on folk song variations, for instance. I use it quite often.

Jules

[RobertD]

It is a very good resource to second Jules. Except when you are looking for resources away from err…mainly Norfolk such as I am doing now for a new project. But seriously it is very helpful, well curated and a good jumping off point.

For a while there I felt like I was keeping up with Ashley’s releases but they got away from me gradually and I couldn’t even tell you the last one I bought. Don’t get me started on that Free Reed set. A lot of duplication from The Guv’nor series and the arrangement was IMHO a disaster. It should have been chronological showing the range of Ashley’s multiple and often simultaneous projects.

[davidmjs]

Don’t get me started on that Free Reed set. A lot of duplication from The Guv’nor series and the arrangement was IMHO a disaster.

As a put on a CD and sit back and enjoy experience, you're absolutely spot on (but then I think that with quite a few of the Free Reed boxes).  Just stabilising the volume levels would have been a start....

[RobertD]

Don’t get me started on that Free Reed set. A lot of duplication from The Guv’nor series and the arrangement was IMHO a disaster.

As a put on a CD and sit back and enjoy experience, you're absolutely spot on (but then I think that with quite a few of the Free Reed boxes).  Just stabilising the volume levels would have been a start....

Indeed. I mean collectively Free Reed unearthed a lot of great stuff in all the boxes, including the Martin Carthy one, and I will accept some range of lo fi if the tracks are cohesive and worthwhile to the collector in me. I didn't mind the themed approach on the 2 Fairport sets, Richard's, Peggy's, and Swarb's but for some reason I find this one irksome!

[Jules Gray]

but for some reason I find this one irksome!

It was for sure the weakest one, but then I don't much care for Ashley's music post 1980.

Jules

[davidmjs]

Incidentally, how does 'Five' fit in with the rest of the Guv'nor series?  Why is it not part of that series?  There's some really good stuff on it...

ps And the deeper one delves, the more insane the task looks... https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/236028988127?itmmeta=01K95GWBJEKBJH0M3MJHM9AHMD&hash=item36f46c8adf:g:gqEAAOSw9Mln6TPu  

[PaulT]

What! You haven't got a copy of "Folk Aerobics"?! Shame on you, David!

I nabbed a cheap copy some years back - the (ahem) "vocal" tracks don't get played too often (OK, just once or twice)!

[RobertD]

Incidentally, how does 'Five' fit in with the rest of the Guv'nor series?  Why is it not part of that series?  There's some really good stuff on it...

ps And the deeper one delves, the more insane the task looks... https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/236028988127?itmmeta=01K95GWBJEKBJH0M3MJHM9AHMD&hash=item36f46c8adf:g:gqEAAOSw9Mln6TPu  

I feel the same way. If memory serves corrected the label that produced Guv’nor folded, but 5 was in the works and Talking Elephant stepped in? Don’t quote me on that, just going off memory

[davidmjs]

Incidentally, how does 'Five' fit in with the rest of the Guv'nor series?  Why is it not part of that series?  There's some really good stuff on it...

ps And the deeper one delves, the more insane the task looks... https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/236028988127?itmmeta=01K95GWBJEKBJH0M3MJHM9AHMD&hash=item36f46c8adf:g:gqEAAOSw9Mln6TPu  

I feel the same way. If memory serves corrected the label that produced Guv’nor folded, but 5 was in the works and Talking Elephant stepped in? Don’t quote me on that, just going off memory

He must be one of the most reissued artists ever, especially by Talking Elephant (who themselves always seem to change covers every few years).  

[Will S]

I have quite a lot of his stuff, but I think being an Ashley completist would be a thankless task.  Didn't he release an album a couple of years ago which was marketed as his 99th?  No idea how that is counted, but there are lots of relabelled ones, and different compilations too, and it isn't always clear (thanks TE!) what is what!

[davidmjs]

Ok, so I pick up my copy of "5" (which Discogs tells me this about: This "5" release is a new collection of previously unreleased tracks by Ashley Hutchings and his bands. As its title indicates, it is the continuation of the previous 4 volume series of The Guv'nor albums.)

I get the album, and it has a list of track titles and bands.  Absolutely nothing else (except a badly reproduced partial photograph of some of the RULTS lineup).  What's the actual point of an 'archival' CD if you have absolutely no idea what on earth you are listening to?

I've never hated Talking Elephant more than I do at this moment.  

[Jules Gray]

Ok, so I pick up my copy of "5" (which Discogs tells me this about: This "5" release is a new collection of previously unreleased tracks by Ashley Hutchings and his bands. As its title indicates, it is the continuation of the previous 4 volume series of The Guv'nor albums.)

I get the album, and it has a list of track titles and bands.  Absolutely nothing else (except a badly reproduced partial photograph of some of the RULTS lineup).  What's the actual point of an 'archival' CD if you have absolutely no idea what on earth you are listening to?

I've never hated Talking Elephant more than I do at this moment.  

I second all this. I never bought 5 (I may still do so) but for God's sake, dates and personnel at very least please.

Jules

[RobertD]

Is it the one with a black and white photo of AH with beret and a bandana around his neck, with typeface in red, and a red back, and inside a photo of Rise Up lineup on top and the Kellie While lineup inside? Definitely lo res. I think the assumption probably was that it is niche, and people would be familiar (or know where to go for full details) of the lineups on the recordings and the timeline. But yeah, I agree with you. That being said, sometimes in the wrong hands having details can be disastrous- I give you some highlights of Steeleye's Live At The Bottom Line in 1974 written by Gregg Bendian. After a column and a half in a rambling commentary about Guthrie, Pete Seeger and Dylan, before morphing into Little Richard and Chuck Berry, before finally going into British folk music. I give you this chestnut, verbatim-

"Steeleye Span's transformation as a band vividly reflects that time when the love of musical folklore merged with blues and rock energy. Central to this transformation is bassist/songwriter/bandleader Ashley Hutchings, a central key figure in the development of British folk rock (nothing wrong so far, but read on-)
Hutchings, who was working on the skiffle and folk scene founded Fairport Convention with Richard Thompson in 1967. They were soon joined by vocal duo of singer Maddy Pryor and guitarist/singer Tim Hart, along with Judy Dyble, Martin Lamble and Iain Matthews. Hart and Pryor help form a strong core... (at which point he kind of melds the two bands together simultaneously.

Later he spells Maddy's last name correctly, then goes through the changes (no mention of the Woods, or Martin Carthy, Rick Kemp, nor what Peter Knight brought to the group) he finally pushes on to the Bottom Line gig for their sixth release and literally this is as written- " The quintet becomes a sextet for the first time, adding full time drummer , Nigel Pegrun. Mr Pegrum also contributed"... (spot the typo) I can't bare to say anymore!

Which is a shame because it is a good quality recording of the era, from a venue I knew very well in the 90's into the early 00's. So I guess my comment is that when I reasonably know what artists and lineups are involved, as in the case of 5, I am ok with not having much in the way of details for a single CD release. But the flip side of that is getting commentary that is poorly written, clearly not fact checked, and clearly not accurate which I somehow find more infuriating.



 

[davidmjs]

Is it the one with a black and white photo of AH with beret and a bandana around his neck, with typeface in red, and a red back, and inside a photo of Rise Up lineup on top and the Kellie While lineup inside? Definitely lo res. I think the assumption probably was that it is niche, and people would be familiar (or know where to go for full details) of the lineups on the recordings and the timeline. But yeah, I agree with you. That being said, sometimes in the wrong hands having details can be disastrous- I give you some highlights of Steeleye's Live At The Bottom Line in 1974 written by Gregg Bendian. After a column and a half in a rambling commentary about Guthrie, Pete Seeger and Dylan, before morphing into Little Richard and Chuck Berry, before finally going into British folk music. I give you this chestnut, verbatim-

"Steeleye Span's transformation as a band vividly reflects that time when the love of musical folklore merged with blues and rock energy. Central to this transformation is bassist/songwriter/bandleader Ashley Hutchings, a central key figure in the development of British folk rock (nothing wrong so far, but read on-)
Hutchings, who was working on the skiffle and folk scene founded Fairport Convention with Richard Thompson in 1967. They were soon joined by vocal duo of singer Maddy Pryor and guitarist/singer Tim Hart, along with Judy Dyble, Martin Lamble and Iain Matthews. Hart and Pryor help form a strong core... (at which point he kind of melds the two bands together simultaneously.

Later he spells Maddy's last name correctly, then goes through the changes (no mention of the Woods, or Martin Carthy, Rick Kemp, nor what Peter Knight brought to the group) he finally pushes on to the Bottom Line gig for their sixth release and literally this is as written- " The quintet becomes a sextet for the first time, adding full time drummer , Nigel Pegrun. Mr Pegrum also contributed"... (spot the typo) I can't bare to say anymore!

Which is a shame because it is a good quality recording of the era, from a venue I knew very well in the 90's into the early 00's. So I guess my comment is that when I reasonably know what artists and lineups are involved, as in the case of 5, I am ok with not having much in the way of details for a single CD release. But the flip side of that is getting commentary that is poorly written, clearly not fact checked, and clearly not accurate which I somehow find more infuriating.



 

One I've got is the reissue... https://www.discogs.com/release/11350468-Ashley-Hutchings-Five - it literally has the band names (some of which I've never even heard of) and the title...nothing else.  I actually threw it in the bin (I did rescue it a bit later).  Pathetic.

[davidmjs]

One I've got is the reissue... https://www.discogs.com/release/11350468-Ashley-Hutchings-Five - it literally has the band names (some of which I've never even heard of) and the title...nothing else.  I actually threw it in the bin (I did rescue it a bit later).  Pathetic.

Which I've now realised has different tracks on it to the bloody original.

I hate them even more