On the back of @PaulVincent ‘Album covers – ‘What the hell were they thinking’ thread’. A couple of years ago Annie Briggs came to my attention. A friend of mine has a close family connection. She was ‘one removed’ from musicians I had heard of. I was quite surprised when soon after Green Gartside of Scritti Politti put out a couple of Annie Briggs covers. A few months later I walk into a friend’s house and sitting on top of their LP collection is an LP called ‘Hootenanny in London’ recorded in 1963. On the front is Annie Briggs along with others on the album. The interesting thing is that she is not credited as being ‘on’ the actual recording. Is this a one off or was it a common practice in the 60’s? I can’t think of any apart from guest appearances eg ‘Sgt Peppers’. Any others?
Recorded in spring , like all Hootenannies. I assume this album features an unwarranted and unwanted contribution from the multi-talented Rowland Rivron.
Who is the other female on the cover too?
Although Lou Killen became Louisa Killen that was much later on, and why no photographic representation of all the players?
I thought about that too. I have no idea.
We can give the whole album a listen! A wonderful bit of musical time travelling.
Here’s Alex Campbell in session.
Uploaded to YT by @colin_H.
Thanks a lot, Colin. What an entertainer!
Indeed.
I was aware of the use of Anne as eye candy on the cover of the above LP, but I hadn’t realised there was another woman also not on it. I’m not sure who she is. The blokes are (from left) Louis Killen, Redd Sullivan and Alex Campbell.
One other famous example of a non-appearing artist on the cover is singer-songwriter (and future Folk Roots editor) Ian A. Anderson in the front row (specs) of Island’s ‘You Can All Join In’ sampler. Ian Anderson (Jethro Tull) is in the back row of this famous early-morning in the park photo. He was about to be signed by Island but seeming Tull Ian objected… hence he’s not on the LP or any other Island release.
Not sure that Jethro Ian objected, seems unlikely. Ian A. Anderson was signed to Liberty Records, so he’s really an imposter. The other odd man out on the cover of YCAJI is Martin Barre, who doesn’t play on the Tull track featured.
And while we’re talking about Anne Briggs, Colin, can I say how much I enjoyed your sleeve notes to The Time Has Come reissue?
Thank you Nick 🙂 But the story above is that told by Ian A. Anderson, who ‘was there’. I’ve no reason to doubt him. Ian Tull seemingly felt that it would cause confusion – two Ian Andersons on the same label.
In which case that doesn’t reflect well on Ian Tull. What a shitty thing to do to another artist just because they share a name.
@Colin-H I have put this as a question on the 60s 70s folk music facebook page, after having no luck with a reverse image search.
Hopefully we may get an answer.
@Colin-H @Lunaman Margaret Barry has been suggested but I don’t see it myself.
She does look similar on the cover but she’s not someone I would recognise to be honest.
Definitely not Margaret Barry – plus, she only played banjo. I’m sure I’ll know the name when I hear it, but I may never have seen a pic before of the person named…
This from Ian Anderson ( the A one):
I think the woman in the middle is Marian Gray, who was in the Thamesiders with Martin Carthy and Redd Sullivan (who are both on the LP). As noted, the woman bottom left is Anne Briggs. I think that’s Nigel Denver above her. The top bearded bloke on the right is Redd Sullivan, and the bottom one is Alex Campbell. Denver, Sullivan and Campbell are all on the LP, the women aren’t (unless maybe in choruses?)
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/oct/15/british-folk-music-scene-1963
That’s a wonderfu, very quotable, article, Hubert.
“Here the political element is red hot, though not entirely consistent. There are anarchist, Marxist, Trotskyite, and ban-the-bomb folkniks. Their uniform, duffel-coats and straggled hair is the same. But the Leftist fringe cuts many ways in many basement clubs, composing and chanting songs of protest and rebellion, sectionalised, introverted hymns to Aldermaston, Tony Ambatielos, and collective farms. They are usually sticklers for racial reverence; only Americans are allowed to sing American tunes.”
“The fare they devour is carefully garnished by an easy flow of wisecracks and clowning. The songs themselves swing fluently along. “In some places they get up and do a forty-verse unaccompanied dirge about a serving wench deflowered by Loch Lomond,” says Ash Lawrence, one of the club’s founders. “We like to coat the pill a bit.”
A marvelous snapshot of a byegone era.
Peter Preston (I’ve just discovered) went on to become the editor of the Grauniad for any years,
https://www.theguardian.com/media/2018/jan/07/peter-preston-obituary
Ian is correct about Marion Gray but incorrect about Nigel Denver – it IS Louis Killen – I know the photo, taken by Brian Shuel:
http://www.collectionspicturelibrary.co.uk/fullview.php?pref=C001-00389
A pic of Marion Gray is here, with the Thameside Four (or Three, on this occasion):
http://www.collectionspicturelibrary.co.uk/fullview.php?pref=C001-02245
I thought you might have some info’ on this @ColinH. Cheers.
2-Live Crew appear on the cover of World Party’s Goodbye Jumbo. I’ve listened to that album hundreds of times but I’ve never heard the As Nasty As They Wanna Be Hitmakers’ contribution.
“Put the message in the box / Face down, ass up”
Albert Einstein isn’t anywhere to be heard on Sgt Pepper.
I’m fixing a hole in the space-time continuum where the rain gets in…. nah, doesn’t scan
E = mc2
mc = McCartney I think you’ll find.
It all adds up.
Macca was on one matey in ’67? Ahead of his time, whilst George and John were still doing Acieeeeeed!