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Horslips at the BBC

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30/05/2025

Few bands have left as distinct a mark on the musical landscape as Horslips. Emerging in the early 1970s, they more or less created ‘Celtic Rock’, drawing from Irish traditional music and British/American rock, crafting a sound that was both timeless and radical.

The BBC captured the band in the 1970s and again during their unexpected Indian summer return in the 2010s. At The BBC gathers these vital recordings – spanning nearly 50 years – into one definitive collection.

Disc 1 (1973–74) – Live BBC performances from Radio 1 In Concert, Old Grey Whistle Test, and John Peel Show, capturing Horslips’ early energy and innovation.

Disc 2 (1979–2019) – A 1979 Radio 1 In Concert set, a 2010 unplugged session, and their final 2019 recording, Sideways to the Sun.

Disc 3 (2011) – The BBC Radio Ulster mix of their orchestral concert with the Ulster Orchestra, featuring The Táin, The Book of Invasions, and I’ll Be Waiting.

Disc 4 (1979 Bonus Disc) – Unreleased Short Stories, Tall Tales studio mixes from Windmill Lane.

Disc 5 (DVD) – Old Grey Whistle Test clips, 1974 documentary footage & 2011 fan-shot concert videos.

Disc 1 begins the journey in 1973–74, landmark years » Continue Reading.

Dick Gaughan 1969-83 box set via crowdfunder two weeks away

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19/03/2025

Dick Gaughan – R/evolution: 1969–83 Advance notice of Kickstarter campaign (due in mid-March)

Music biographer Colin Harper is launching a Kickstarter campaign in mid-March to crowdfund R/evolution: 1969–83 – a 7CD+DVD Dick Gaughan box set, with all proceeds going to the Scottish folk icon, who was forced to retire after a stroke in 2016.

For complex reasons, seven of Gaughan’s 12 albums from 1972–88 have never or only briefly been on CD and are not on digital platforms, nor available to third-party licensors. Of the other five, only one – the classic Handful of Earth (Topic, 1981) – has been remastered/re-presented in the past 28 years. The Harvard Tapes (Greentrax, 2019), a 1982 concert, was a welcome but isolated archive release in recent years. Where other artists of similar vintage see their names and music kept alive by reissues, anthologies, use of music in films etc., this hasn’t happened with Gaughan. To a new generation of people who might be interested, it’s almost as if he never was.

‘I found myself thinking about this late last year,’ says Colin Harper. ‘It felt alarming – upsetting, in fact – that such an incredible artist who had seemed to be » Continue Reading.

Dick Gaughan – sleeping giant of the British folk revival: activity coming…

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24/03/2025

Friends, I’m going to need your help in a few weeks – especially friends in the music world, for whom some of this might resonate. That help will be sharing links on your own FB pages and elsewhere.

I’ll be launching a crowdfunding campaign that involves aiming for a significant sum of money. I won’t be taking any of it – my role is philanthropic – but I’ll be thrilled if the target is reached: it will allow to happen a project of preservation, celebration and remuneration around a partly ‘lost era’ of work from one of the great artists of the 20th century, in my view.

Dick Gaughan was a folk music giant – a singer *and* instrumentalist of astonishing, singular quality, whose early career was mostly based on traditional music, moving more into songs of his own time in the mid-80s. He was brilliant at all of it and a man of rare compassion and optimism in his worldview.

His first album was released in 1972, his last in 2008. His career ended with a stroke in 2016. He is off the grid and legally blind, unable to play an instrument – but that remarkable » Continue Reading.

Simon Spillett Quartet – new album and live in London 23 February

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23/02/2025

Sensational jazz writer and classy old-school Modern jazz quartet leader Simon Spillett has a new album out – ‘Up In Town’. It’s a big deal, because he has a long held antipathy to recording, often loathing the results, but rather likes this one.

He’s also ‘up in town’ on 23 February at Pizza Express Jazz Club, Soho. His quartet has been having a good run lately – including a recent sold out Ronnie Scott’s. But his punters clearly don’t like pizza. The show looks like being for a ‘select’ audience. If you’re within travelling distance, give it a go.

Here’s what Simon (not as dour as some may think) has to say about the show on his social media page:

Pizza Express Jazz Club Soho Sunday February 23rd 2025 A concert by the Simon Spillett Quartet launching its new album ‘Up In Town’ (Mister PC Records) featuring the music of Tubby Hayes. As well as the quartet with Pete Billington, Alec Dankworth and Pete Cater and the opportunity to purchase the new album ahead of its official release date there are a host of attractive diversions including:

* Italian cheese on toast * unpronounceable desserts * a range of » Continue Reading.

ATM – does ‘perception of value’ in the nature of box set packaging make a difference in your purchase decision?

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The question may seem boring, but it’s foremost in my mind at the moment – and I’d welcome the AW Massive’s thoughts. Let me explain…

Having researched and compiled, on paper, a fabulous 7CD+DVD Dick Gaughan box set spanning 1969-84, I couldn’t get any of the labels I periodically work with over the line with it. In short, they didn’t quite believe in it, while I believe in it completely – as both an artistic and commercial proposition. (Gaughan had to retire after a stroke in 2016 but I’m thrilled to say he’s completely supportive of the project.)

My plan is to create and release it via Kickstarter, hopefully launching in March. I’m firmly set on that path, so no need to suggest ‘Have you tried label X or Y’ – it will generate far more in the way of revenue for the artist, so it’s quite liberating!

Having gathered almost all of the costings at this point, I’m ruminating on the nature of the packaging – and the extent to which that affects (a) costs/retail price and (b) the attractiveness to possible buyers, the ‘perception of value’.

My costings so far have been based around a ‘clamshell’ box » Continue Reading.

Systir – doing it for themselves

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I seem a bit late to discovering this Irish choral group. Having posted Pentangle’s 1969 single recording of ‘Once I Had A Sweetheart’ here a couple of days ago, YouTube’s algorithm threw up this 2023 live performance of the same song, clearly based on the ‘Tangle version. It seems to be Systir’s only studio release so far (a digital single). I find it mesmerisingly good. (video in comments)

Statues – time for a reappraisal?

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There has been lots of controversy recently about a statue of a 1970s entertainer erected outside a venue in Belfast. The statue was paid for and its erection in a public place lobbied for by an interest group – so, a case of local government listening to a groundswell of popular opinion and providing the location and authority for the thing to be erected, in perpetuity.

Controversy around the people depicted in statues tends to occur decades after the event, when attitudes to the individual or the values they represented change. In this instance, not many people (currently) seem to have a problem with the person depicted or their cultural contribution (though some online have grumbled about the geography/nationality aspect, spuriously reckoning that a Belfast-born rock musician ‘deserved’ the plinth instead).

Rather, the problem is with the quality of the depiction. I share that view. It’s rubbish. Proportions are wrong, facial resemblance is not there. (I’m not bothered about the brand of instrument depicted, which seems to appal many commentators – it’s based on a photo in which the instrument depicted is around the player’s neck. My only problem with it is that it’s proportionally wrong.)

This is, I’m » Continue Reading.

SOUNDING THE CENTURY: THE EXHIBITION (MANCHESTER CENTRAL LIBRARY)

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28/01/2025

Sounding the Century: The Exhibition gathers paper ephemera, record sleeves, photographs and original artwork to highlight the life and achievements of Bill Leader, the prolific sound engineer and record producer. The experience of viewing is designed to complement the experience of reading Sounding the Century, the projected eight-book series by Mike Butler. The books and exhibition between them tell the whole story of the British Folk Revival.

Bill Leader was born on Boxing Day, 1929, in Newark, New Jersey, to Londoner cousins of Irish heritage. The Depression drove the family back to England and, during the Blitz, Bill’s father’s factory was ordered to evacuate to Keighley, West Yorkshire. Bill co-founded the Bradford branch of the Workers’ Music Association with Alex Eaton. This left-wing front believed in social change through music. Topic Records, its record label, existed to supply members with a monthly 78rpm record of Shostakovich and factory choirs or some such. Bill maintained the association upon moving to London in 1955 and volunteered to record folk singers for Topic. It was at just the moment when folk music was deemed a suitable vehicle for the workers’ struggle, and, coincidentally, folklorist Kenneth Goldstein identified a gap in the » Continue Reading.

The Pentangle’s finest moment?

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I’ve been listening to Pentangle a lot recently (a couple of projects might be in the air). I have a feeling their finest hour is the five-minute instrumental break in the otherwise dreary side-long ‘Jack Orion’ (1970). It’s effectively a stand-alone composition and features everything that made Pentangle so distinctive – a could-be-no-one-else Bert Jansch guitar pattern, pugnacious, counter-melodic jazz bass and spooky xylophone from drummer Terry Cox (he hated playing it, but it was always brilliant – and few others were using the instrument at the time). In the mix for a couple of minutes we hear octavey electric guitar parts from Renbourn, then a clean solo, with his singular mix of distinctive low-volume ‘English blues’ licks and brinkmanship, then a wild, teetering on the cliff-edge foray into a fuzz solo, with everything building up, including Terry’s (again, highly distinctive) drums entering and laying down a groove. It’s a masterpiece.

There are no live versions of this – it’s a one-off slice of magic.

The only contender for peak Pentangle, I reckon, is ‘Reflection’ (1971) – for which there are two stunning televised versions.

The Painting on the Wall – a TH White conundrum…

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Colin H on TH White

Here’s a conundrum that Afterworders might find interesting: what to do with a painting – unique in the wild, with no other precedents at auction – by a significant mid-20th century literary figure?

TH White (1906–64) is well-known as the author of ‘The Sword in the Stone’ and other Arthurian tales (and much other writing). He painted only as a hobby – one rather fantastical self-portrait, used on a book cover, being the only THW painting that appears via Google.

The painting was bought at auction in September 1981 by a resident of Alderney and depicts the four-master ship ‘Liverpool’, which ran aground on Alderney in 1902. White lived on the island from 1946 until his death in 1964. The painting, signed in White’s distinctive monogram and dated ‘49, was based on an old postcard that was reproduced in a book entitled ‘The Channel Islands’ by the art dealer Harald Eggert, who was also the husband of the buyer. The painting is currently owned by a relative of the original owner’s second husband.

As Mark says:

‘Amongst accompanying documents kept by the original buyer (who died in 1997) is an invoice for the cleaning and » Continue Reading.

Madfish Music present…

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20/12/2024

My good pal Mark Case has created this seasonal promo for recent releases on the splendid Madfish imprint. I was delighted to have worked with Mark, and Madfish, this year past on the Fairport Convention 12-disc set featured in the promo. I’ll be involved in at least three Madfish projects next year (Horslips at the BBC 4CD+DVD, Martin Carthy at the BBC 20CD and a mystery Horslips item later in the year) – and perhaps more. Exciting!

Pinpointing the end of ‘the 60s’

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Historians often talk of ‘the long 18th century’ and ditto of the 19th century, with a few years either side of the calendar century deemed to belong with the hundred-year period in terms of style, innovation, industry, values, etc. The 60s, as we understand them as a cultural decade, are similarly not quite calendrical. But what can we say vis a vis British history (the US is a separate case, let’s not bring it in here) – as a bit of fun but also as something useful to the study of history – are the start and end points?

Phillip Larkin’s poem referencing ‘the Beatles first LP’ (March 1963) is helpful. One could make a case for October 1962 (‘Love Me Do’ becomes a hit – a month after skiffle sensation Lonnie Donegan’s last UK hit, which is conveniently baton-passing in retrospect). I’m tempted by 1963, maybe even beginning in January 1963 – the Marquee Club in London beginning its weekly R&B nights, initially with the Mann-Hugg Blues Brothers (soon to be Mannfred Mann) and ex-trad jazzer (who saw which way the wind was blowing) Big Pete Deuchar’s Country Blues, but soon ushering in the likes of the Rolling » Continue Reading.

A 14 LP coloured vinyl Pentangle set (no, really)

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25/04/2025

Pentangle: The Albums: 1968-1972 boxset to be released on vinyl for the very first time via Svart Records on 16th April 2025

1968 to 1972, saw the release of 6 studio albums from Folk’s first supergroup Pentangle. Featuring the songwriting talents of guitarists Bert Jansch and John Renbourn, alongside bassist Danny Thompson, drummer Terry Cox and singer Jacqui McShee, their innovative folk-fusion encompassed elements of jazz as well as pop, which left a lasting influence and legacy.

The first 5 albums were released on legendary Folk label Transatlantic, while Solomon’s Seal (1972), on the Reprise label, was their final album with the original line-up.

Now for the first time ever, these albums are available as a 14LP deluxe box set. Each album has been expanded with a wealth of bonus material, including choice selections from contemporaneous solo LPs by Bert Jansch and John Renbourn, out-takes and live tracks. Across the package, there is an impressive amount of 22 recordings which are previously unreleased on LP. Some of the albums are being reissued on vinyl for the first time in decades with Solomon’s Seal last being released as an LP in 1977, shortly followed by Reflection in 1980.

Each » Continue Reading.

Dick Gaughan, Vienna 1981

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Dick Gaughan, a colossus of Scottish folk music, slipped away into unexpected retirement in Edinburgh in 2016 after a stroke. I’m working on a project that may, if all goes to plan, find a route to market and remind the world what an extraordinary singer, guitarist and artists he was. The film below, possibly from Belgian station RTBF, appeared on YouTube a couple of months ago – a reminder of his brilliance at the end of what I’d regard as phase one of his career (almost entirely focused on traditional music) and the beginning of phase two (incorporating more songwriting and politics of the present day).

Wizz Jones retires – last of the 60s British folk-blues greats

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Word on the highway, the National Seven, the road to Newquay, the road less travelled and the paths of glory is that British folk-blues pioneer and total original Wizz Jones has finally called it quits at 85 and played his last show – at the Acorn Theatre, Penzance, on Saturday 3rd August. It’s the county in which he was filmed busking on the beach by Alan Whicker for a BBC magazine show in 1960, gently protesting about local antagonism to beatniks like himself. People protesting against others who are slightly different to themselves – wouldn’t happen in Britain today, would it…?

To Brit folk connoisseurs, Wizz is one of the all-time greats – a contemporary of Davy Graham, an influence on Bert Jansch, John Renbourn, Ralph McTell and the rest. He swung like no one else, with a plaintive voice that captured something of the poverty and fragility of British youth growing up after the Second World War, looking, hoping for a better way to live. He was still brilliant to the end – not advertising his last show, as far as I’m aware – just quietly telling people on the night that he was stopping because ‘I just can’t » Continue Reading.

‘Sounding the Century: Time Immoral 1959-69’ by Mike Butler

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I’m delighted to say that the crowdfunder / purchasing opportunity for Mike Butler’s latest volume in his eight-book series ‘Sounding the Century’ – on 1950s-70s British/Irish folk music producer Bill Leader and his circle of characterful associates – is now ‘live’.

As Mike has been abroad, with most of his sales in Britain/Europe, I’ve taken on the responsibility of organising the printing of the book and the mailing out to purchasers, and Norman Boyd – newly freelance designer, highly recommended – has very kindly handled the typesetting etc.

We’ve added two extra ‘rewards’ for those wishing to help Mike towards a fifth volume (I am taking zero monies from the enterprise – after costs, it all goes to Mike): a limited edition revised-packaging repress (50 units) of 70s folk-rockers Hunter Muskett’s 2014 comeback album ‘That Was Then…’ (the last album Bill produced); and a totally exclusive 68-page book by me (50 units), being an enhanced ‘lost chapter’ of my book on uilleann piping, focused on Bill’s adventures in that area.

More info, and a video message from Mike, in the link in the comments. 🙂

The best song Hank didn’t get around to writing…

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My old pal Brian Houston has a new album out, ‘Belfast Troubadour’ – very much in the Americana vein influence-wise, but a fairly big production rather than a campfire vibe on most of it. It’s not streaming anywhere, so I can only post a live version of the lead track – my favourite on it, the best song Hank forgot to write (in my view) 🙂

If anyone (in the UK) fancies reviewing the album, PM me and I’ll have a copy posted to you. It’s tough out there for sole trader artists to get heard. I’ve written a couple of times before here about Brian – someone else’s turn. One interesting thing about the release is that the vinyl version is a different mix to the CD. I can have both posted out if one person with time on their hands and a bit of interest wants to hear both. 🙂